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[Ctrl]+[Enter] would be awesome. Or just a double enter would work. Or clicking on the sheet somewhere. I don't want Excel to change the default behavior. The

[Ctrl]+[Enter] would be awesome. Or just a double enter would work. Or clicking on the sheet somewhere. I don't want Excel to change the default behavior. The way it works now is the right way for most people. I just want to be able to enter a mode where I get to freely edit the formula as if it were in a text editor, then exit that mode when I'm satisfied. Whether that is some checkbox option buried in the settings ("Options > Formulas > Working with formulas"), or an F-key, I don't care.

cm2187 4y ago
CTR+ENTER is already taken. Select a range of cells, press F2, enter your formula, CTR+ENTER applies and fills that formula to the whole range (very useful).
- function_seven 4y ago
  Oof. I actually use that frequently as well. Okay, okay, How about this? My wished-for option would just be to swap the behavior of [Enter] and [Alt]+[Enter]. Normally the first one commits the formula, the second one inserts a newline. I want to reverse that and make a naked [Enter] insert the newline, and the [Alt]+[Enter] commit the formula.
  - cm2187 4y ago
    I think shift+enter for new line would be a better choice if you were to highjack an existing shortcut. Probably barely used by anyone and it would be consistent with a line break shortcut in word/powerpoint and elsewhere. Committing a formula needs to be a simple shortcut because it has to be used by the least technical users. You don't want to create a "how to exit VIM" mess in a retail product.
    - function_seven 4y ago
      You're right, I don't want to change defaults. In fact, this whole back and forth reminded me that AutoHotKey exists, and I'm actually running it already, and I have the power to make this change myself. So I did! #if IsExcelFormulaBox() ; Whenever the formula edit box has focus Tab::Send {Space}{Space}{Space}{Space} ; insert four spaces when I hit [Tab] $!Enter::Send {Enter} ; commit the formula with [Alt]+[Enter] $Enter::Send !{Enter} ; insert a newline with bare [Enter] #if does what I want, with the helper function: IsExcelFormulaBox() { ControlGetFocus, F, A return (F="EXCEL<1") }

cm2187 4y ago

CTR+ENTER is already taken. Select a range of cells, press F2, enter your formula, CTR+ENTER applies and fills that formula to the whole range (very useful).

function_seven 4y ago
Oof. I actually use that frequently as well. Okay, okay, How about this? My wished-for option would just be to swap the behavior of [Enter] and [Alt]+[Enter]. Normally the first one commits the formula, the second one inserts a newline. I want to reverse that and make a naked [Enter] insert the newline, and the [Alt]+[Enter] commit the formula.
- cm2187 4y ago
  I think shift+enter for new line would be a better choice if you were to highjack an existing shortcut. Probably barely used by anyone and it would be consistent with a line break shortcut in word/powerpoint and elsewhere. Committing a formula needs to be a simple shortcut because it has to be used by the least technical users. You don't want to create a "how to exit VIM" mess in a retail product.
  - function_seven 4y ago
    You're right, I don't want to change defaults. In fact, this whole back and forth reminded me that AutoHotKey exists, and I'm actually running it already, and I have the power to make this change myself. So I did! #if IsExcelFormulaBox() ; Whenever the formula edit box has focus Tab::Send {Space}{Space}{Space}{Space} ; insert four spaces when I hit [Tab] $!Enter::Send {Enter} ; commit the formula with [Alt]+[Enter] $Enter::Send !{Enter} ; insert a newline with bare [Enter] #if does what I want, with the helper function: IsExcelFormulaBox() { ControlGetFocus, F, A return (F="EXCEL<1") }