Why does cursor move position in a cell I'm trying to edit?

I have just updated from Microsoft 2000 to Microsoft 2003. My first attempt
to use Excel has failed.

When trying to edit a particular cell on an old spreadsheet I pressed f2
then placed the cursor where I wanted to add some more data.

However, it only allowed me to type a couple of words & then the cursor
moved itself to another position, a few words further on, not to the end of
the line. When I moved the cursor back to where I wanted it & tried typing
again it just moved away again. The cell in question contains only words, no
sums or formulae.

I'm sorry if this is a fundamental question but I'm a computer illiterate
trying hard to understand this new technology.

Hi Brenda,
Not sure if this answers your question or not, but will describe what F2 does.

F2 allows you to update within a cell, you would use it AFTER
placing the cursor on the cell you want to change. It gives you the ability
to type within the cell as well as at the formula bar, and you would see the
typing and position of the cursor within the cell noat at the formula bar. Perhaps you are
seeing your typing extend into the next cell. Cell wrap (format, cells, alignment),
is not automatic though you can force it on for a cell if you use Ctrl+Enter to
force a new line.
---
HTH,
David McRitchie, Microsoft MVP - Excel [site changed Nov. 2001]
My Excel Pages: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/excel.htm
Search Page: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/search.htm

"BrendaK" <[email protected]> wrote...
> I have just updated from Microsoft 2000 to Microsoft 2003. My first attempt
> to use Excel has failed.
>
> When trying to edit a particular cell on an old spreadsheet I pressed f2
> then placed the cursor where I wanted to add some more data.
>
> However, it only allowed me to type a couple of words & then the cursor
> moved itself to another position, a few words further on, not to the end of
> the line. When I moved the cursor back to where I wanted it & tried typing
> again it just moved away again. The cell in question contains only words, no
> sums or formulae.
>
> I'm sorry if this is a fundamental question but I'm a computer illiterate
> trying hard to understand this new technology.

Thanks very much, David. I obviously didn't explain it very well but I had
clicked on the cell before pressing f2.

However, I have found the problem myself. I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't
realised that the Number Lock was on.

I apologise for my error. And I'll keep taking the tablets!

Thanks very much for trying to help, I do appreciate it.

"David McRitchie" wrote:

> Hi Brenda,
> Not sure if this answers your question or not, but will describe what F2 does.
>
> F2 allows you to update within a cell, you would use it AFTER
> placing the cursor on the cell you want to change. It gives you the ability
> to type within the cell as well as at the formula bar, and you would see the
> typing and position of the cursor within the cell noat at the formula bar. Perhaps you are
> seeing your typing extend into the next cell. Cell wrap (format, cells, alignment),
> is not automatic though you can force it on for a cell if you use Ctrl+Enter to
> force a new line.
> ---
> HTH,
> David McRitchie, Microsoft MVP - Excel [site changed Nov. 2001]
> My Excel Pages: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/excel.htm
> Search Page: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/search.htm
>
> "BrendaK" <[email protected]> wrote...
> > I have just updated from Microsoft 2000 to Microsoft 2003. My first attempt
> > to use Excel has failed.
> >
> > When trying to edit a particular cell on an old spreadsheet I pressed f2
> > then placed the cursor where I wanted to add some more data.
> >
> > However, it only allowed me to type a couple of words & then the cursor
> > moved itself to another position, a few words further on, not to the end of
> > the line. When I moved the cursor back to where I wanted it & tried typing
> > again it just moved away again. The cell in question contains only words, no
> > sums or formulae.
> >
> > I'm sorry if this is a fundamental question but I'm a computer illiterate
> > trying hard to understand this new technology.
>
>
>

Hi Brenda,
I have number lock on, when using an external keyboard, what problem
did number lock cause. Or was it Scroll Lock.

"BrendaK" <[email protected]> wrote...
> Thanks very much, David. I obviously didn't explain it very well but I had
> clicked on the cell before pressing f2.
>
> However, I have found the problem myself. I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't
> realised that the Number Lock was on.
>
> I apologise for my error. And I'll keep taking the tablets!
>
> Thanks very much for trying to help, I do appreciate it.
>
> "David McRitchie" wrote:
>
> > Hi Brenda,
> > Not sure if this answers your question or not, but will describe what F2 does.
> >
> > F2 allows you to update within a cell, you would use it AFTER
> > placing the cursor on the cell you want to change. It gives you the ability
> > to type within the cell as well as at the formula bar, and you would see the
> > typing and position of the cursor within the cell noat at the formula bar. Perhaps you are
> > seeing your typing extend into the next cell. Cell wrap (format, cells, alignment),
> > is not automatic though you can force it on for a cell if you use Ctrl+Enter to
> > force a new line.
> > ---
> > HTH,
> > David McRitchie, Microsoft MVP - Excel [site changed Nov. 2001]
> > My Excel Pages: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/excel.htm
> > Search Page: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/search.htm
> >
> > "BrendaK" <[email protected]> wrote...
> > > I have just updated from Microsoft 2000 to Microsoft 2003. My first attempt
> > > to use Excel has failed.
> > >
> > > When trying to edit a particular cell on an old spreadsheet I pressed f2
> > > then placed the cursor where I wanted to add some more data.
> > >
> > > However, it only allowed me to type a couple of words & then the cursor
> > > moved itself to another position, a few words further on, not to the end of
> > > the line. When I moved the cursor back to where I wanted it & tried typing
> > > again it just moved away again. The cell in question contains only words, no
> > > sums or formulae.
> > >
> > > I'm sorry if this is a fundamental question but I'm a computer illiterate
> > > trying hard to understand this new technology.
> >
> >
> >