MS Office for MACS running Windows

[dimitmant]

Hello guys

I have a question: As we all know the MS office shortcuts for a Mac
are different than the ones we have on PCs. If I buy a new Mac, with
the Intel processor and install Windows, will I be able to maintain
the shortcuts that exist for PCs?
Ideally I will not install windows and I will have an MS office for a
Mac with the PC shortcuts, which I am so used to.

Thanks

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Hello guys

I have a question: As we all know the MS office shortcuts for a Mac
are different than the ones we have on PCs. If I buy a new Mac, with
the Intel processor and install Windows, will I be able to maintain
the shortcuts that exist for PCs?

Either you use boot camp, and while the Mac is running WIndows, it
technically IS a WinTel machine. Everything is exactly the same as on
another PC, or you use a solution like Parallels and as long as
WinOffice is the frontmost app, it will also behave as if you were on a
regular PC>

Ideally I will not install windows and I will have an MS office for a
Mac with the PC shortcuts, which I am so used to.

Ohhhhh, you want to use CrossOver???? I've never used it, but I don't
see why Win:Office would behave in a way that would be different from a
regular PC. It should take the same shortcuts as before as long as it is
the frontmost app.


Corentin

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I have a question: As we all know the MS office shortcuts for a Mac
are different than the ones we have on PCs. If I buy a new Mac, with
the Intel processor and install Windows, will I be able to maintain
the shortcuts that exist for PCs?
Ideally I will not install windows and I will have an MS office for a
Mac with the PC shortcuts, which I am so used to.

If you use MacOffice, you'll have the MacOffice keyboard shortcuts. To
get the WinOffice shortcuts, you need to run WinOffice.

However, unlike WinOffice, MacOffice lets you easily customize just
about any command's shortcut, so that might be an option.

 

[Clive Huggan]

If you use MacOffice, you'll have the MacOffice keyboard shortcuts. To
get the WinOffice shortcuts, you need to run WinOffice.

However, unlike WinOffice, MacOffice lets you easily customize just
about any command's shortcut, so that might be an option.

The differences are no big deal. Have a look at some notes on the way I use
Word for the Mac, titled "Bend Word to Your Will", which are available as a
free download from the Word MVPs' website
(http://word.mvps.org/Mac/Bend/BendWordToYourWill.html). On pages 151-152
there is an article, 'PCs and Macs, main differences in Word interfaces'
which includes a table of the dozen most commonly occurring equivalents. And
on both the Mac and the PC, you can compile a document of all keyboard
commands by following the notes under the heading 'Standard keyboard
shortcuts in Word' on page 72.

With those insights, you can modify the keyboard shortcuts (including making
*additional* commands) as it suits you.

[Note: "Bend Word to your will" is designed to be used electronically and
most subjects are self-contained dictionary-style entries. If you decide to
read more widely than the item I've referred to, it's important to read the
front end of the document -- especially pages 3 and 5 -- so you can select
some Word settings that will allow you to use the document effectively.]

PS: Other PC-specific content in "Bend Word to Your Will" can be seen by
doing a "Find" command for "PC".

Cheers,

Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
(My time zone is 5-11 hours different from North America and Europe, so my
follow-on responses to those regions can be delayed)
============================================================

 

[Diane Ross]

As we all know the MS office shortcuts for a Mac
are different than the ones we have on PCs.

A couple of different applications that might make things easier:

Keycue. The neat thing is it lets you see your custom script shortcuts in
addition to the ones added by the application. Works in all Mac
applications. ($19.95)

<http://www.ergonis.com/products/keycue/>

xCuts.... a utility for looking up Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts. includes a
section on Windows shortcuts that lets you look up the Mac OS X equivalent.
(freeware)

<http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/reference/xcuts.html>

Another cross platform tip:

Missing the ability to cut-and-paste files to move them? See Dan Frakes's
Gem of the Week.

<http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/macgems/2007/04/filecutter/index.php?lsrc=m
wgems>
--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
One of the top five MS Entourage resources listed on the Entourage Blog.
<http://blogs.msdn.com/entourage/>

 

[Clive Huggan]

A couple of different applications that might make things easier:

Keycue. The neat thing is it lets you see your custom script shortcuts in
addition to the ones added by the application. Works in all Mac
applications. ($19.95)

<http://www.ergonis.com/products/keycue/>

xCuts.... a utility for looking up Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts. includes a
section on Windows shortcuts that lets you look up the Mac OS X equivalent.
(freeware)

<http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/reference/xcuts.html>

Another cross platform tip:

Missing the ability to cut-and-paste files to move them? See Dan Frakes's
Gem of the Week.

<http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/macgems/2007/04/filecutter/index.php?lsrc=m
wgems>

Brilliant, Diane! Though I have been an active participant in this group
for, hmm, 5 years, I never cease to be amazed at how many things come up in
discussion!

Many thanks,

Clive
========

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

I have a better option to suggest...
Use the Mac version of Office, then go in the System
preferences>Keyboard and Mouse>Keyboard>Modifier keys and switch command
and Ctrl.

Most of the Mac shortcuts are the same as the windows ones using the
command-key instead of the Ctrl one. I would believe that this trick
would take care of most of the shortcuts you are used to.


Corentin

 

[William Smith]

I have a better option to suggest...
Use the Mac version of Office, then go in the System
preferences>Keyboard and Mouse>Keyboard>Modifier keys and switch command
and Ctrl.

Most of the Mac shortcuts are the same as the windows ones using the
command-key instead of the Ctrl one. I would believe that this trick
would take care of most of the shortcuts you are used to.

I don't generally use all of Office or even most of the applications
outside of Entourage, so this may be an uneducated comment.

Are the keyboard shortcuts that different between the two different
platforms? I know Control and Alt for Windows are equivalent to Command
and Option for Mac respectively but I would advocate using them rather
than changing them. Why? Because the rest of the Mac OS uses them.
Unless you're willing to change all the commands in all applications, I
would find silly that Command + P works to print in everything except
Office, Command + O works to open files in everything except Office,
Command + S works to save files in everything except Office, etc.

bill

 

[CyberTaz]

I don't generally use all of Office or even most of the applications
outside of Entourage, so this may be an uneducated comment.

Are the keyboard shortcuts that different between the two different
platforms? I know Control and Alt for Windows are equivalent to Command
and Option for Mac respectively but I would advocate using them rather
than changing them. Why? Because the rest of the Mac OS uses them.
Unless you're willing to change all the commands in all applications, I
would find silly that Command + P works to print in everything except
Office, Command + O works to open files in everything except Office,
Command + S works to save files in everything except Office, etc.

bill

One also has the option of going into OS X System Keyboard Preferences &
setting separate sets of keyboard shortcuts for each and every application.
It's a time-consuming, laborious task that need be done with meticulous
accuracy, but if it's that important it can be done.

Personally, FWIW, I agree with Bill. I work & instruct on the PC all day but
use Macs exclusively outside the workplace. I also run Office 2003 & 2007 on
WinXP in VPC 7 on my Mac. I've never gone to the trouble of trying to match
up the shortcuts & find that even my feeble old mind has no problem making
the adjustment from one to the other. The only time I stumble a bit is if
I'm copying something from a VPC window into a Mac window or vice-versa... I
guess that takes a slightly sharper set of cognitive skills than I've been
able to retain

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Are the keyboard shortcuts that different between the two different
platforms? I know Control and Alt for Windows are equivalent to Command
and Option for Mac respectively but I would advocate using them rather
than changing them. Why? Because the rest of the Mac OS uses them.

If you switch the key, it's just a matter of using the Ctrl key
everywhere you'd normally use the Cmde key.

It could actually make things easier. Ctrl-c Ctrl-v to copy and paste in
ALL the apps....

Corentin

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

One also has the option of going into OS X System Keyboard Preferences &
setting separate sets of keyboard shortcuts for each and every application.
It's a time-consuming, laborious task that need be done with meticulous
accuracy, but if it's that important it can be done.

That's not what I am talking about.... I'm talking about changing the
way the keys respond on the keyboard.
Whenyou press Ctrl, it actually sends the Cmde signal to the Mac and
vice-versa. You don; have to do anything for the apps themselves. It
would be a nightmare to have to change the key for every command in
every single app.
This is wuite quite different. It's not the shortcuts, but the modifier
keys:
System preferences>Keyboard and Mouse>Keyboard>Modifier keys



(I use this trick to use a Widows keyboard with my Mac: I switched the
Cmde and Alt keys to use them as if I had an Apple keyboard. I wanted to
keep Option 2 keys from the space bar (on the key labelled Windows on my
keyboard) and have Command next to the space bar (on the key labelled
Alt on my keyboard)).

Corentin