Move or resize multiple Word objects at once
Thursday, June 01, 2006 02:38 PM
Microsoft Word
Move or resize multiple Word objects at once
Most drawings in Word consist of more than one object. For example, you can layer text boxes or WordArt onto an AutoShape to create dramatic effects. But if you try to resize or move a layered drawing, you have to select each layered object, or you run the risk of having to reposition the layers. A quicker, more efficient method is to group the objects by following these steps:
- Press [Shift] as you click each object in your drawing.
- Right-click the selected objects and select Grouping, then Group.
You can now click anywhere in your drawing and drag your mouse to move all objects at once. You can also use the sizing handles to resize them together. If you wish to make a change to one of the objects, right-click the group and select Grouping, then Ungroup. Once you make the change, you can group the objects together again simply by right-clicking any object in the drawing, and selecting Grouping, then Regroup.
Microsoft Excel
Prevent an Excel spreadsheet from displaying preliminary results
You don't want your users to make assumptions about data in your Excel spreadsheet until you have all the results. One way to prevent this from happening is to use conditional formatting, which will hide the results until you have all the necessary data.
Let's say you are recording poll results for five polling stations in cells E4 through E8. Cell E9 contains a Sum formula that totals the polling data. Here's how to keep the results in E9 invisible until the polls close:
- Format the font color in E9 to White (or the cell's background color).
- Go to Format | Conditional Formatting.
- Select Formula Is from the Condition1 drop-down list.
- Enter =Count($E$4:$E$8)=5
- Click Format.
- Select Automatic under Color in the Font tab, and click OK.
When the results from all five polling stations are complete, the font color for the sum of those results will change to black.
Microsoft Access
Prevent users from resizing Access report windows
When you create an Access query to display in PivotTable or PivotChart View, your users have the ability to slice and dice the data any way they want. However, before Access 2002, users had to first run their query in the default Datasheet view, then switch to either PivotTable or PivotChart View before they could analyze the data. While Datasheet view is still the default, Access 2002 added the Default View Property to the Query property sheet. The Default View Property enables you to change the default, eliminating the need for users to switch views from Datasheet to PivotTable or PivotChart.
Here's how to change the Default View from Datasheet to PivotTable:
- Open the query in Design view.
- Right-click a blank area of the query design window and select Properties.
- Click the Default View Property and select PivotTable from the drop-down list.
The query will now go automatically into PivotTable View when run.
If you prefer, you can omit the window border altogether by selecting None for the Border Style property.
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