Excel: Can't Select Multiple Cells with Some Mac Keyboards

SUMMARY

Page 419 in the "Microsoft Excel Reference" version 2.2 manual states that by pressing SHIFT+<arrow key> a selection can be extended in the direction of the key.

This procedure does not work on a Macintosh XL, 128K, 512K, or Plus keyboard. This limitation occurs because the above computers internally map the shifted arrow keys within the computer to the keypad "=", "/", "*", and "+" keys. Excel has no way to distinguish between SHIFT+<arrow key> and the keypad mappings.

To extend the current selection from the keyboard on one of the above machines, enter EXTEND mode by pressing Keypad MINUS with NUM LOCK turned off (if you are in NUM LOCK mode, press SHIFT+CLEAR to turn off NUM LOCK, then press Keypad MINUS). The unshifted arrow keys then will work the same as the shifted direction keys on a Macintosh SE or Macintosh II.

To make the direction keys work again as regular direction keys, press Keypad MINUS again to toggle EXTEND mode to off. When EXTEND mode is enabled, EXT displays in the right-hand side of the status bar, if the status bar is displaying.