Tab key selects unlocked cell to the right of a dropdown list

[Kc3475]

When I enter text into a cell with a data validation list in a protected sheet, then click tab, the tab key jumps to the locked cell to the right of the dropdown cell. If I select one of the dropdown options, then the tab key works fine. It’s only when I enter Freeform text into a dropdown cell, that the tab key selects a locked cell. Is there a way to fix this? Thank you!

 

[6StringJazzer]

I cannot reproduce this. When I enter text into a cell with data validation using a list with dropdown, and I type data in that is not in the list, then press TAB, it moves to the next unlocked cell. This happens even if my Protect options allow the user to select locked cells.

Is there any for you to share the file?

 

[Kc3475]

I created an example. When I type "Yes" or "No" in B7 then click tab, the curser goes to the locked cell C7 instead of B10. Same with B10, it goes to C10 instead of B12. If I select "Yes" or "No" from the dropdown and then click Tab, it works correctly and goes to the next unclocked cell.

Book1.xlsx
	B
12
Sheet1

 

[6StringJazzer]

XL2BB does not handle things like data validation, protected sheets, locked cells. The only way to demo that is to link to a file in a cloud sharing site.

In your initial description you said:

When I enter text into a cell..., then the tab key works fine. It’s only when I enter Freeform text into a dropdown cell, that the tab key selects a locked cell.

I took this to mean that the problem occurred when you typed text into the cell that was not one of the choices in the dropdown list. When I do that, tabbing works as expected.

However, your later post

When I type "Yes" or "No".... If I select "Yes" or "No" from the dropdown....

suggests that you are typing in a value that is in the dropdown list.

If my list allows "Yes" and "No" and I type "Yes" instead of picking it from the list, then I can reproduce your problem.

I tried this with "Select locked cells" unchecked and it still allowed me to tab to the locked cell! This seems like a bug to me but it is probably a "feature."

So this is surprising behavior and I don't know how to fix it. It might be possible by using VBA that captures the keypress for TAB, but I don't have enough experience in capturing keystrokes to just dash off the code.

 

[Kc3475]

Thank you so much for taking a look at it, I appreciate it. I’ll try and see if there’s a way to work around it, like vba code to double tab is text is typed into those fields.