Microsoft KB Archive/89182

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Last reviewed: April 1, 1996

Article ID: Q89182 The information in this article applies to:
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 4.0

SYMPTOMS
In version 4.0 of Microsoft Excel for Windows, if you have the Alternate Navigation Keys option selected, hidden rows and columns are temporarily displayed when you select cells in point mode.

Also, hidden rows and columns are temporarily displayed while any dialog box that accepts cell references is open. For example, with Alternate Navigation Keys selected, if you choose Define Name from the Formula menu, Microsoft Excel displays any hidden rows or columns.

Microsoft Excel is in point mode when you are entering a cell reference in the formula bar, or in a dialog box, by selecting cells with the mouse or keyboard.

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Microsoft Excel listed above. This problem was corrected in version 4.0a of Microsoft Excel for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION
The Alternate Navigation keys option provides an alternate set of keyboard actions for moving around the spreadsheet, entering formulas and data, and other actions. In Microsoft Excel, the Alternate Navigation Keys option also causes hidden rows and columns to be displayed while you are in point mode or while dialog boxes that accept cell references are open.

Choosing any of the following commands causes Microsoft Excel to display hidden rows and columns if Alternate Navigation Keys is selected.

From the Formula menu:

Note Replace Goal Seek From the Data menu: Sort Table Consolidate If you are working in an area of your worksheet that is away from your hidden rows or columns, this feature may give the impression that the screen is blinking every time you start a selection, choose one of these commands, or enter a selection by pressing the ENTER key after selecting cells. When you collapse levels in an outline, Microsoft Excel is just hiding the appropriate rows or columns; therefore, your collapsed outline levels are displayed temporarily when in point mode with Alternate Navigation Keys selected.

You can disable this feature by disabling Alternate Navigation Keys.

To disable Alternate Navigation Keys:


 * 1) From the Options menu, choose Workspace.
 * 2) On the Workspace Options dialog box, clear the Alternate Navigation Keys check box.