Microsoft Knowledge Base

XL: Cannot Select Local Name By Pressing Its First Letter
Last reviewed: September 13, 1996
Article ID: Q105450
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 5.0

SUMMARY

In the Define Name dialog box in Microsoft Excel, you may not be able to select an item from the list of names by pressing the first letter of that name if the name is a locally defined name.

When you define a local name, the name will appear preceded by the name of the worksheet where it is defined. For example, if you have these defined names 

   Alpha
   Beta
   Sheet1!Bravo
   Charlie
where "Bravo" is a locally defined name on Sheet1, and if you press B, the name "Beta" will be selected. However, if you press B again, you will not be able to select "Bravo," because the name actually starts with an S (Sheet1!Bravo). To select "Bravo," you must press S. This is necessary because the Define Name dialog box only takes the first letter of the name into account when you select names in this way.

Because the worksheet name is part of the defined name, you must either use the first letter of the worksheet name, or use another method to select the defined name.

Note that although the "Bravo" name begins with the letter S, the names are sorted alphabetically and worksheet names are ignored. Because of this sorting method, "Bravo" still falls between "Beta" and "Charlie."

This is by design of Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and 7.0.

MORE INFORMATION

To select a locally or globally defined name, do either of the following:

  • Use the mouse to select the name.

    -or-

  • Select any other name in the list and then use the arrow keys to move up or down to the desired name.

KBCategory: kbusage
KBSubcategory:

Additional reference words: 5.00 5.00a 5.00c 7.00 define.name



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Last reviewed: September 13, 1996
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