ctrl-?

[Gale Gorman]

I am new to MAC. How do I know when to use "ctrl" and when to use the
key with the logo on it? For example, in Word, the logo key works as
ctrl but does not in Excel. I am used to the keyboard and prefer it to
hunting the command with a mouse.

Thanks,

Gale Gorman
Houston

 

[Walt Basil]

I am new to MAC. How do I know when to use "ctrl" and when to use the
key with the logo on it? For example, in Word, the logo key works as
ctrl but does not in Excel. I am used to the keyboard and prefer it to
hunting the command with a mouse.

Thanks,

Gale Gorman
Houston

AFAIK, They are the same, unless you are using an otherwise "unknown to me"
set of commands. The basics are all the same, i.e. find, cut copy, paste,
open, save, undo, redo last, etc. They all use the Apple key on my system in
Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Entourage.

--
Walt Basil
www.basilweb.net

My Office site:
<http://www.basilweb.net/macoffice/office.html>

You can email me at (firstname)AT(lastname)web.net

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

I usually guess. You can look it up (in Tools | Customize in either
program) but I only do after trial and error has failed, cause Tools |
Customize is a hassle. Though of course the menus sometimes say.

Excel appears to have extensive Help on this topic, and you can generate a
list in Word--Help says:
Print a list of shortcut keys
1. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.
2. On the Macros in pop-up menu, click Word commands.
3. In the Macro name box, click ListCommands.
4. Click Run.
5. In the List Commands dialog box, click Current menu and keyboard
settings, and then click OK.
6. On the File menu, click Print. [or just Save, for electronic searching]
Note If you made changes to shortcut key assignments, the changes are
included in the printed list of shortcut keys. Shortcut keys you assigned to
macros are not included.

I think I've mostly found that the apple key (usually called the command
key, or cmd- ) works as a straight sub for the control key in two-button
commands, except for Excel-specific commands (e.g. Fill), because a few
versions back they did a wholesale replacement of cmd with control in that
program. Of course, if anything specific is bothering you, you can always
reset it in Tools | Customize. In Word, some of the special characters are
different, but you can check that under Insert | Special Characters. I
think the commands relating to Field Codes are also different. Sometimes
Help will give the shortcut key information as well. If the lack of F2 for
edit in excel is bothering you, see here:
http://www.mcgimpsey.com/macoffice/excel/f2.html

Hope that helps,
DM