# Without your mouse



## Gettingbetter (Mar 30, 2009)

My friend, an all round IT guru (or so he thinks  )

Has been trying to live without a mouse, I was absolutely devostated that the one excel shortcut he needed from me I could not tell him.

Not really a question for the question board, just wondered if you lot had ever found anything that wasn't possible without a mouse.

The question I couldn't answer was how to change the Fixed width fields (not delimeted) when doing a text to column.

Im gonna keep trying because there must be a way!

Bet theres loads, I too hate using the mouse, so im quite intrigued if you lot have any cool tricks!


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## Oaktree (Mar 30, 2009)

Well, you could use LEFT/MID/RIGHT to get your parsed data into the corresponding cells and bypass the text to columns wizard entirely...


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## DreamAlchemist (Mar 30, 2009)

Must still be on a 2003 or older version as I can't even get to text to column via keyboard in 07.  I am a keyboarder as well and I get tee'd anytime I have to use the mouse just to click some silly graphic instead of pressing a key on the keyboard.

Correction you can get to it in 07 but it is a lot of arrow pressing.


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## Greg Truby (Mar 30, 2009)

Gettingbetter said:


> Has been trying to live without a mouse, I was absolutely devostated that the one excel shortcut he needed from me I could not tell him.
> Not really a question for the question board, just wondered if you lot had ever found anything that wasn't possible without a mouse.
> The question I couldn't answer was how to change the Fixed width fields (not delimeted) when doing a text to column.


I don't see a way.  Even if you hold down Shift or Alt or Ctrl, the arrow keys still want to move you across the buttons.  Even though the "p" is underlined, implying Alt+P would move you into the window, it doesn't.  Looks like that's one where mouseketeering is required.  Should you ever find a keyboard solution, do let us know.


DreamAlchemist said:


> ...I can't even get to text to column via keyboard in 07. I am a keyboarder as well...Correction you can get to it in 07 but it is a lot of arrow pressing.


Alt+D, E is a lot of arrow pressing?   'cause that works in 2003 & 2007. Or if you want just 2007, Alt+A, E.  Same # of keystrokes as 2003.


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## Greg Truby (Mar 30, 2009)

Oaktree said:


> Well, you could use LEFT/MID/RIGHT to get your parsed data into the corresponding cells and bypass the text to columns wizard entirely...


Along the lines of Matt's idea, I reckon a feller could hit Alt+F11 and - without using the mouse - write a VBA routine to invoke text-to-columns and hand-write the array for the FieldInfo parameter.


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## Gettingbetter (Mar 31, 2009)

Well Ive spent about an hour trawling through the net (without my mouse of course) and can not find anyone even mentioning that this is not possible.

I deffo cant get in the box so I am going to have to admit defeat.

Greg I like your VBA aproach, it will have to do  Especially as I now, like my friend have decided the mouse is an out of date tool that belongs in my draw with my floppy discs and cassette tapes.

Hopefully the rest of the world will soon catch on, and Microsoft will make everything accessable by the keys.


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## kgkev (Mar 31, 2009)

How do you cope browing the web without a mouse?

I got to 30 tab pushs before even getting close to the Post Reply button.


Edit missed the button at the top so it was only 24


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## DreamAlchemist (Mar 31, 2009)

Greg Truby said:


> I don't see a way.  Even if you hold down Shift or Alt or Ctrl, the arrow keys still want to move you across the buttons.  Even though the "p" is underlined, implying Alt+P would move you into the window, it doesn't.  Looks like that's one where mouseketeering is required.  Should you ever find a keyboard solution, do let us know.
> 
> Alt+D, E is a lot of arrow pressing?   'cause that works in 2003 & 2007. Or if you want just 2007, Alt+A, E.  Same # of keystrokes as 2003.



Ah Didn't realize they didnt change the keys. When I first got it and pressed the alt key you got all the letters popping up on the icon to show you which one to press next. Nothing showed up for quite a few of the icons.  Guess the programmer just got lazy half way through the ribbon.


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## dcraker (Apr 1, 2009)

I don't know if 2007 has this or not.
You could always do MouseKeys if you are really wanting to avoid the whole mouse thing. Takes a little to get use to. There is even a link on Microsoft about it too. Here is the link to http://www.microsoft.com/enable/training/windowsxp/mousekeys.aspx that tells/shows you how.

They are missing a tidbit of info on it. They (site) say the shortcut to MouseKeys is -> Use a shortcut to turn MouseKeys on or off by pressing left ALT+SHIFT+NUM LOCK

it is left shift also, not likely that someone would go through the trouble of pressing the left ALT +right Shift+Num Lock

You would most definitely have to be a diehard fan of the keyboards uses versus mouse. I have learned alot of the keyboard keys myself, and people are continuously amazed.

Have fun


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## Greg Truby (Apr 1, 2009)

Interesting.  I had no idea that was even out there.  I tapped my 5-key and my +-key and couldn't get it to click correctly, though I did get the cursor to move just fine.

Thanks,


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## Expiry (Apr 2, 2009)

I think using a PC without a mouse would be rubbish. In fact there's only one thing that would be more rubbish without a mouse and that's Tom & Jerry.


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## Gettingbetter (Apr 2, 2009)

Expiry,

your not one of those people are you that never lets go of old technology. I bet you still have a tape player and Nokia 3210?? Ha Ha 

Only messing, I suppose it is useful sometimes.

PS i liked the Tom + Jerry remark


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## Peter_SSs (Apr 2, 2009)

Gettingbetter said:


> Expiry,
> 
> your not one of those people are you that never lets go of old technology.


Who's not letting go of old technology? Surely the keyboard is older technology than the mouse!


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## dcraker (Apr 2, 2009)

Might as well go with "The Virtual Laser Keyboard (VKB)"

I had heard of one that you can put on your head and do the work, but I think that might be a little more costlier and it still isn't really fully compatible with everyone, AFAIK.


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## Oorang (Apr 2, 2009)

I've been wanting to give one of those a try for the longest time, but with that price I wanted to try before I buy and I haven't found anyplace local that sells them.


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## Gettingbetter (Apr 4, 2009)

Ive never had a go of one but Ive got a sneeking suspicion it will be crap.

On the mouse debate, I really think/hope they willl be completely replaced by touchscreens soon enough, why would you need an X Y plotter when you can just touch the screen?? Heres hoping anyway 

Cheers
GB


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