Excel delete function question

[crypticlineage]

In Excel for office 08, the delete key will not clear contents of the selected cells, only of the first one. Everytime I need to right click and select clear contents.

Also, if I wanted to delete the selected cells and move the bottom cells up, I would have to use the right click and choose delete option.

Why doesn't the delete key work like it's supposed to?

 

[GGJstudios]

In Excel for office 08, the delete key will not clear contents of the selected cells, only of the first one. Everytime I need to right click and select clear contents.

Also, if I wanted to delete the selected cells and move the bottom cells up, I would have to use the right click and choose delete option.

Why doesn't the delete key work like it's supposed to?

It's working as designed. The delete key alone isn't supposed to clear contents from a range of cells or delete a cell.

 

[Panch0]

In Excel for office 08, the delete key will not clear contents of the selected cells, only of the first one. Everytime I need to right click and select clear contents.

Also, if I wanted to delete the selected cells and move the bottom cells up, I would have to use the right click and choose delete option.

Why doesn't the delete key work like it's supposed to?

Because it's more of a Backspace than a Delete. Try Fn + Delete. I don't know it that actually works in Excel, but in most cases, Fn+Delete is the traditional "Delete"

 

[crypticlineage]

so am I supposed to right click everytime? What if I have to go through 5000 cells? Clearly there must be a way to set this option? At the very least fn+delete or some such combination should do it, no?

Thanks for moving my thread to the right place.

 

[GGJstudios]

Because it's more of a Backspace than a Delete. Try Fn + Delete. I don't know it that actually works in Excel, but in most cases, Fn+Delete is the traditional "Delete"

Fn+Delete does clear contents of a cell or range of cells, but won't delete a cell.

 

[crypticlineage]

Yes, the fn+delete deletes a range of cells.

However, my other problem remains, being able to shift cells up, down or left right when I delete. I wonder if there is another key combination for that.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[Panch0]

so am I supposed to right click everytime? What if I have to go through 5000 cells? Clearly there must be a way to set this option? At the very least fn+delete or some such combination should do it, no?

Thanks for moving my thread to the right place.

Searching Excel help for "keyboard"... The first hit is "Create a custom Keyboard shortcut". Tools/Customize Keyboard should help you set up a key combination for the Edit/Delete function.

 

[GGJstudios]

Yes, the fn+delete deletes a range of cells.

No, it clears the contents, but doesn't delete the cells.

However, my other problem remains, being able to shift cells up, down or left right when I delete.

That's because fn+delete doesn't delete the cells. It only clears the contents, leaving the cells still there, but empty.

 

[crypticlineage]

YES! YES! YES! Of course....

I set up Cmd+D as my delete key, and viola, it deletes the range of selected cells and moves bottom cells up. Exactly what I wanted.

Thanks.

 

[Gregg2]

or you could use the menu