How to duplicate the cell above with a keyboard shortcut?

Question

How to duplicate the cell above with a keyboard shortcut?

I use Numbers (previously Excel) to keep track of my stock photo files, where they are and if they've sold, etc so I'm not using any formulas for most of my sheets. just simple data entry really.

Often my file names are very similar, with just one word different, so I use the CMD ' function in Excel to duplicate the above cell. This feature does not seem to exist in Numbers? yes, it will auto fill but that's actually not as fast when you have a sheet with hundreds of entries that start similarly.

Can anyone please let me knew how to make this happen?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Aug 31, 2015 4:47 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 31, 2015 5:18 AM in response to wife.mum.girl.au

There is no similar command in Numbers. copy and paste is close but still an extra click and and extra key command.

you can also enable "Show suggestions when...":

Then you get a menu with items that match up to the point where you have typed, then you can select the closest one.

Still not as good.

you can post feedback to Apple using the menu item "Numbers > Provide Numbers Feedback"

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Answer 2

SGIII

Level 8

35,264 points

Aug 31, 2015 8:36 AM in response to wife.mum.girl.au

You can easily duplicate in Numbers the command-' functionality you have in Excel with an Automator Service containing a short AppleScript.

Download this Copy Cell Above Automator Service (Dropbox download).
Double-click the downloaded .workflow package and, if necessary, click 'Open Anyway' or 'Install Anyway' in System Preferences > Security and Privacy.

This installs the Service in your Numbers > Services menu.

To attach a keyboard shortcut got here in System Preferences, click where it says 'add shortcut' and and your shortcut.

After adding the shortcut, it should look like this:

Tested with Numbers 3.5.3. The script can be modified to work with Numbers 2.3. And be sure 'Script Editor.app' and 'Automator.app' are checked in System Preferences to 'control your computer'.

The installation should take a minute or so. Thereafter, typing that shortcut gives you the same behavior as when you type command-' in Excel.

SG

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Answer 3

Aug 31, 2015 4:38 PM in response to SGIII

seriously, you are so helpful! someone needs to send you wine 🙂 I've got a few of your scripts already from other threads. it works great, but the shortcut hasn't worked so i'll assume it's in use, pity it doesn't tell you that when you make it (which Photoshop does). anyone made a list of available shortcut codes?

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Answer 4

SGIII

Level 8

35,264 points

Aug 31, 2015 9:42 PM in response to wife.mum.girl.au

wife.mum.girl.au wrote:

it works great, but the shortcut hasn't worked so i'll assume it's in use, pity it doesn't tell you that when you make it (which Photoshop does). anyone made a list of available shortcut codes?

That's a tough one. I was lucky that command-' wasn't used on my machine. Maybe this page will lead you in the right direction.

SG

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Answer 5

Sep 1, 2015 4:11 AM in response to SGIII

hmm, that looked rather more complicated - i'm not that interested in getting too deep into tinkering, i have my own profession.

actually i'll just make a spreadsheet and manually make my own list of what I can find. that'll do. i'm old school 😀 thanks again for your help.

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Answer 6

SGIII

Level 8

35,264 points

Sep 1, 2015 6:57 AM in response to wife.mum.girl.au

Old school definitely has its advantages.🙂 Hunting down conflicting keyboard shortcuts is one of those things it may not pay to get too sophisticated about.

SG

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