Backslash problem.

Question

I was working in Excel and used the backslash key. Nothing happened in the cell but on top of my screen a bunch of letters and numbers came up. I was not using it in a formula, but just as part of my heading.It seems that all our computers at our office behave the same so i assume it has something to do with an update. What is the problem?

Answer 1

Actually, the problem that you reported refers to the slash ( / ) key, not to the backslash ( \ ), and, in fact, it is a normal behavior in Microsoft Excel. This behavior of the slash key is a holdover from how Lotus 123 used to work when it was widely used. That program used the slash key to switch from editing to command mode. Microsoft included the behavior of the slash key as a way to accommodate Lotus users with Excel. The slash key has the same function as the Alt key, which means it is a secondary menu key. You can change this setting and use the key as you wish if you follow these steps:

• Open the Excel Options dialog box.
• Click Advanced on the left side of the screen (or click the Transition tab in Microsoft Office Excel 2003).
• Scroll down until you see the Lotus Compatibility section.
• Replace the Microsoft Office Excel menu key setting with something more comfortable for you (a key that you rarely need).
• Make sure that the transition navigation keys check box is empty and click OK.