whip1967

Q: Since I've updated to the most current version of Numbers, I can't get auto-fill to work.  I use it for my checkbook and the old version would fill in words that I had used earlier like "Debit Card", "Gas", etc.  the new version does not.

Since I've updated to the most current version of Numbers (3.0.1), I can't get auto-fill to work.  I use it for my checkbook and the old version would fill in words that I had used earlier like "Debit Card", "Gas", etc.  How can I get the updated version to do this?  Thanks.

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 28, 2013 7:53 AM

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Q: Since I've updated to the most current version of Numbers, I can't get auto-fill to work.  I use it for my checkbook and the ... more

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  • by Wayne Contello,Solvedanswer

    Wayne Contello Wayne Contello Nov 28, 2013 9:18 AM in response to whip1967
    Level 6 (19,416 points)
    iWork
    Nov 28, 2013 9:18 AM in response to whip1967

    This feature was dropped in Numbers 3.0/  You may continue to use Numbers 2.3 which is located in the folder "/Applications/iWork '09"

     

    Apple is working to add features back in over the next six months.  See here:

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6049?

  • by whip1967,

    whip1967 whip1967 Nov 28, 2013 10:55 AM in response to Wayne Contello
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 28, 2013 10:55 AM in response to Wayne Contello

    Thanks!

  • by SGIII,

    SGIII SGIII Nov 28, 2013 11:18 AM in response to whip1967
    Level 6 (10,796 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 28, 2013 11:18 AM in response to whip1967

    Hi whip1967,

     

    Until Apple reintroduces "auto-complete text in cells" (and even after it is brought back) you might want to consider formatting the cells in the column as Pop-Up Menu if you frequently enter repeating values in a column and don't want to type the same text over and over again.

     

    In many situations, particularly if you want to avoid typos creeping in and messing up your data, Pop-Up Menu has clear advantages over "autocomplete." It is much enhanced over what it was in Numbers 2.3, and is very easy to set up:

     

    pop-up-choose-format.png

     

    Select the whole column or range before formatting as Pop-Up Menu and your existing values in that column or range will pre-populate a menu automatically:

     

     

    pop-up-format-column.png

     

     

    Then you can remove the values you don't want in the list, such as the column header (and possibly some previous spelling errors too!):

     

    pop-up-remove-item.png

     

     

    And after this easy one-time setup all you have to do thereafter is to choose from the pop-up list when you add rows:

    pop-up-choose.png

     

     

    See this post for more details on how this handy feature has been enhanced in Numbers 3.0.

     

    In Numbers 3.0 there is no keyboard shortcut to activate the menu such as hitting the spacebar in the old Numbers (hope they'll add one in upcoming versions) but the Pop-Up Menu approach, unlike auto-complete, eliminates spelling inconsistencies or lack of capitalization when there should be capitalization, etc.

     

    And should you ever want to take your Numbers with you, in a touch interface pop-ups are much more efficient than typing the first few letters of items. You can scroll with ease through a list of dozens of items to make a pick.

     

    See this thread for this and other workarounds for Numbers 3.0.

     

    SG