XL98: Drawing Objects Don't Snap to Grid When You Press COMMAND

• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, if you hold down the COMMAND key and drag a drawing object in a worksheet, the drawing object does not snap to the gridlines in the worksheet. Instead, the shortcut menu for the drawing object appears.

This problem does not occur in Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 5.x.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because, in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, the COMMAND key is used to display shortcut menus for drawing objects and AutoShapes.

WORKAROUND

There are two methods you can use to prevent this problem from occurring.

Method One

Instead of holding down the COMMAND key and then dragging the drawing object, start dragging the drawing object and then, while still holding the mouse button down, press and hold down the COMMAND key. When you do this, the drawing object will snap to the gridlines, and you can move it with the mouse. After the drawing object is in place, release the mouse button, and then release the COMMAND key.

Method Two

You can force Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition to snap all drawing objects to the gridlines by following these steps:

1. On the Drawing toolbar, click the Draw menu, point to Snap, and click To Grid.

2. Move a drawing object.

STATUS

This behavior is by design of Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh version 5.x, you can force a drawing object to snap to the gridlines when it is moved by holding down the COMMAND key while you move the object.

In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, however, this method may not work, depending on when exactly you press the COMMAND key. If you press the COMMAND key before moving the drawing object, the shortcut menu for the object appears. If you press the COMMAND key after beginning to move the drawing object, it moves and snaps to the gridlines in the worksheet.