Excel 2010 Bible

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Introduction

Mouse conventions

You’ll come across some of the following mouse-related terms, all standard fare:

l Mouse pointer: The small graphic figure that moves onscreen when you move your

mouse. The mouse pointer is usually an arrow, but it changes shape when you move to

certain areas of the screen or when you’re performing certain actions.

l Point: Move the mouse so that the mouse pointer is on a specific item: for example, “Point

to the Save button on the toolbar.”

l Click: Press the left mouse button once and release it immediately.

l Right-click: Press the right mouse button once and release it immediately. The right

mouse button is used in Excel to pop up shortcut menus that are appropriate for whatever

is currently selected.

l Double-click: Press the left mouse button twice in rapid succession.

l Drag: Press the left mouse button and keep it pressed while you move the mouse.

Dragging is often used to select a range of cells or to change the size of an object.

What the Icons Mean

Throughout the book, you’ll see special graphic symbols, or icons, in the left margin. These call

your attention to points that are particularly important or relevant to a specific group of readers.

The icons in this book are as follows:

Note

This icon signals the fact that something is important or worth noting. Notes may alert you to a concept

that helps you master the task at hand, or they may denote something that is fundamental to understanding

subsequent material. n

Tip

This icon marks a more efficient way of doing something that may not be obvious. n

Caution

I use this symbol when a possibility exists that the operation I’m describing may cause problems if you’re

not careful. n

Cross-Reference

This icon indicates that a related topic is discussed elsewhere in the book. n

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