Controlling the cursor

By default, Excel moves your cursor down one cell whenever you press the Enter key. To change the direction the cursor moves when the Enter key is pressed, select Options from the Tools menu. Click the Edit tab and select the direction you want the cursor to move from the pull-down menu labled Move Selection after Enter. Finally, click OK to save your settings.

In StarOffice and OpenOffice.org Calc select Options from the Tools menu. Then click on Spreadsheet. Choose Input from the Spreadsheet options and then select the direction you want the cursor to move.

In NewDeal's NewCalc there is no provision to change the default action of the Enter key, but you can move the cursor while entering data by using the right, up and down cursor keys. For example, using the left cursor key will move back along the Entry window and then enter the data when it reaches the extreme left of that data. The cursor will move to the left when the data is entered.

If you use a different spreadsheet from the ones discussed here, try using the Enter and cursor keys in the ways we have described and see how it responds. Also examine the Options menu and see if you can change the default behaviour.