Help on Commands Not in the Ribbon

[Mike Rizza]

<rant>I used to enjoy the help system in Excel 2000. Not only could it answer any question I had, the VBA help had sample code that often did the thing I was trying to do. On a scale of 1 to 10, it was an 11. It answered the question I hadn't even asked yet!

In Excel 2010, the help would be more helpful if it wasn't even installed. The formatting is erratic and often unreadable. The VBA object model is incomplete. After spending hours hunting for methods I knew existed, I finally figured out they were just missing from the help system! Certain information is just plain missing. On a scale of 1 to 10, it's a -2. If I set help to use offline content only, it improves to a -1.</rant>

So yesterday someone asked me where to get information on the "Commands Not in the Ribbon" when customizing the ribbon. What do they do? Is there a list of these with a one line description? I don't think such a list exists, even online from non-Microsoft sources. I've found the easiest way to figure them out is to add them and try them, which is awful because without knowing better, I would never have tried gems like the camera tool.

Anyone know of a good information source for Excel Commands Not in the Ribbon? (Or a better help system for Excel 2010?)

 

[bobhc]

Commands not in the ribbon full list --->........Options......Customize Ribbon......Choose commands from......Commands Not in the Ribbon (there is even a brief description so you do not have to load and unload to find out what they are and what they do. ........ Done, the problem is?

On a scale of 1 to 10, it was an 11

need to see the formula for that

 

[Mike Rizza]

If you don't know what the Camera does, where do you find out? What does "Combine Characters" do? Or "Constain Numeric", "Form...", "Fit Drawing to Contents"? Try finding answers to these and you should see what I mean.

 

[SirJB7]

Hi, Mike Rizza!

I don't even remember yet anything about a 14 years old software version, but I can tell you my experience with the help features in the upgrade from 2010 to 2013 version, check this:
http://chandoo.org/forum/threads/ch...iving-in-borrowed-time-by-2013-version.14296/

I'm still evaluating if I won't make a downgrade to 2010 version, IMHO it was excellent.

Regards!

PS: BTW, regarding your question, have you tried Google? I didn't do it, but I'd surely do if facing the same questions as you.

 

[Hui]

Your meant to close out with a </Rant>

I agree with SirJB7 Excel 2010 Help is miles better than previous

You can download the Office Help Files listed here: http://forum.chandoo.org/threads/vba-documentation.12502/

 

[Mike Rizza]

SirJB7 - I've not heard of Apps for Office yet, so thanks for pointing me to your post on Office 2013. I need to check into that.

Don't downgrade to 2010 for the help, just use Google. For most things you'll want, Google is better. For obscure functions like the Commands Not in the Ribbon, you'll find some help, but there's no single quick source and some are quite difficult to find in a search.

There are posts out there on how to change the menus from CAPS to Normal Menus. If I were you I'd persist. I'm stuck on 2010 for now. We just upgraded to 2010 from 2000 last year. I figure it will be 2023 before I see my next upgrade.

Hui - Thanks for the link. I'll check those out at home later. No admin rights to install at work

 

[SirJB7]

Hi, Mike Rizza!

Disappointingly I haven't found anything useful in 2013 version apart from WEBSERVICE function. And the whole app + help + multiple workbook windows screen location + ... is awful. And I refuse to have both 2010 & 2013 versions installed, just a matter of principles (I'm a software developer and if can't replace an older version of a program with the newer one, well, that means that the newer one isn't worthy or has errors or sucks).

So my 2013 relation's future is still unknown, but dark enough to make me remember all the Redmond guys family members.

In your case, I'd stick to 2010 version until a new reasonable version is released.

Regards!