XL: Toolbar Button Capable of Alternate Action

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, you can change the behavior of some toolbar buttons by holding down the SHIFT key and then choosing the button. For example, if you hold down the SHIFT key and choose the Open button, the picture on the button changes, and the Save As dialog box appears. Or, if you hold down the SHIFT key and choose the Save button, the Open dialog box appears (the same dialog box you receive when you choose the Open button or when you choose Open from the File menu).

This dual functionality can be helpful if you want to customize a toolbar and you need to remove some of the toolbar buttons.

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Some of the buttons that change when you use them in conjunction with the SHIFT key are listed in the following table.

                                               Button is on
   SHIFT + this button   Changes to this       this toolbar
   --------------------------------------------------------

   Open                  Save as               Standard
   Save                  Open                  Standard
   Print                 Print Preview         Standard
   Print Preview         Print                 Standard
   Sort Ascending        Sort Descending       Standard
   Sort Descending       Sort Ascending        Standard
   Underline             Double Underline      Formatting
   Double Underline      Underline             Formatting

REFERENCES

For more information about what a particular button does, choose the Help button and then click on the button you want to get information about. Help will describe what the button does when you use it in conjunction with the SHIFT key.