Can't use ctrl-a (select all) in Find dialogue

**John Fry** · 08-25-2011, 03:07 PM

I do a lot of searching through files, dictionaries, the web, etc., so I spend a lot of time in Find dialogue boxes (what you get when you hit ctrl-f). In every application I use (Word, Firefox, etc. etc.), the Find dialogue lets you hit ctrl-a to select all, and then ctrl-v to overwrite the old search term with the new (pasted) search term. For some reason, the Excel 2007 Find dialogue does not respond to ctrl-a (select all). This inconsistency is starting to drive me crazy. Is there a fix for this? For example, can I replace Excel's find box with one that supports ctrl-a?

**abousetta** · 08-25-2011, 03:33 PM

Hello and welcome to the forum,

Here's my five cents, but its not the foremost word on the subject.

What you can do is close the dialog box (e.g. Alt+F4) and then open it again (e.g. Ctrl+F). When you open it the second time, whatever was in it last time should still be there, but highlighted (just like you would using Ctrl+A. Then you can use Ctrl+V to paste.

Hope this helps.

abousetta

**John Fry** · 08-25-2011, 03:42 PM

Dear abousetta, thank you for the good suggestion, but it's not really what I want. I really want to make the Excel Find behave the same way as all my other Find dialogues. I typically have five different Find boxes open for five different apps at the same time, and for my own sanity I want them all to behave the same way (supporting ctrl-a).

**abousetta** · 08-25-2011, 10:40 PM

I hear your pain and I wish I had a quick fix... alas, this is the way the great minds at Excel have set it up. The only work-around I can think of would be to use vba to create a userform that mimics the find dialog box and assign Ctrl+A to it. This (if I understand key assignments correctly) will override Excel's Find dialog box when you use Ctrl+A. I could try putting something together, but not sure I have the vba know-how. Maybe a more experienced member will be willing to jump in and assist.

Good luck.

abousetta

**MarvinP** · 08-25-2011, 10:59 PM

Hi John,

Would double clicking in the Find Input Box help? This selects the whole find statement and then you can ctrl-C to copy it to the clipboard.

Also have you ever tried the Windows Extended Clipboard? This may help if you are doing lots of searching.

Read about it at: http://spreadsheets.about.com/od/exc...7clipboard.htm