linda2009 wrote:
I don't find that behavior with the Enter key.
Do you mean the "enter" key that is in the number pad cluster, as opposed to the "return" key (which also carries an 'enter' label on current machines)? I was using the "return" key (above the shift key on the right).
When I said, "hopscotching" I meant that I would Tab straight across, but only edit some of the cells in the row.
Exactly. My quick test involved an existing table with 7 columns. Columns A, B and G were empty; C, D, E and F contained existing data.
It picks up the pattern of edited cells. If you Tab from one cell to another, it does not pick up that pattern, only if you edit the cell in some way. As you say, a pattern, not existing or new differences.
More precisely, it remembers the first column that you edited, and holds the memory as long as you navigate using the tab key to move right and the return key to move down (and back to a cell below the first one you edited).
In one test, I started in A4 and used the following keystrokes (commas and spaces are separators, and were not included in the key stroke series):
1, tab, tab, tab, tab, tab, tab, return
tab, 2, tab, tab, tab, tab, tab, return
1, tab, tab, tab, tab, tab, tab, return
Then deleted the ones (both in column A) and the 2 (in B5) and repeated the test with these keystrokes:
1, tab, tab, tab, tab, return
tab, 2, return
tab, tab, tab, return
1, tab, tab, tab, tab, tab, tab, return
Each return (both tests) brought the selection back to column A. The last one added a row (8) to the table and left A8 as the selected cell. I also tried adding a tab to the first line of keystrokes. As expected, this added a column (H) to the table, and the return that followed brought the selection back to A5 (as before).
However, if you UN-check "Return key moves to next cell" when you come to the cell at the end of the row and press Tab, Numbers takes you to the first cell of the next row. It doesn't care if you edited individual cells or not.
Interesting, and could be useful. I don't recall ever having unchecked that box.
The Enter key will never return you to the first cell of a row - unless you edited that cell. With the "Return key moves to next cell" checked, Numbers will return you to the cell under the first cell that you edited (not always the first cell of the row).
Even with "Return key moves to next cell" checked and after you've edited the first cell in a row, the "enter" key won't return you to the cell under the first edited cell. The "return" key will. The "enter" key won't.
This is getting too long and complicated! 🙂 I can only say that I found a way to make Numbers do what works for me!
...and that's what really counts.
Regards,
Barry