Mishandling of Alt key in Word 2010

[Orthoducks]

This is a problem I've been living with since I began using Word 2010 years ago. I assume, but do not know, that Word 2007 and Word 2013 behave the same way.



Microsoft Windows' standard behavior is to treat the Alt key as "sticky." That is, pressing Alt and then key X has the same effect as pressing the combination Alt+X.

In Word 2010 this doesn't work -- sometimes. After years of use, I still haven't figured out when it won't. It seems to fail most often with "Alt, I" and "Alt, A" combinations, but it doesn't always fail then, and it sometimes fails with other letter keys too.

The bug typically plays out like this: I'm touch typing, and I enter a key command like Alt, A, I, T (Insert Table). In my peripheral vision I notice that the display is grossly different than it would be if the command had been recognized. I stop what I'm doing, examine the screen, and see the text "ait" before the insert point. I backspace over the erroneous characters, press Alt, A, I, T again, and the command is recognized.

If I take eyes off copy to watch the screen as I press the Alt key, I can see the failure happening. Word should display shortcut letters over the ribbon names above the ribbon, and does not do so. When I press Alt a second time it behaves properly.

I'm astonished that even with the latest system patches, Word still exhibits this behavior after at least four years (possibly seven years). Is there any way to make it stop?

A word of context, before someone tells me to simply get in the habit of pressing Alt+X simultaneously. This is not a matter of changing a habit; it's a health issue. I have carpal tunnel syndrome in my left hand. I got it by stretching to press Ctrl+X key combinations in the days before Windows. With Windows I don't need the Ctrl key enough for it to be a problem, but I use the Alt key constantly. When I force myself to press Alt+X simultaneously, my CTS quickly gets worse. Fortunately pressing Alt, X in sequence lets me avoid this... except when I'm using applications that don't handle Alt properly, like Word.

[Charles Kenyon]

The behavior you describe is not standard for Windows AFAIK. Do you, by chance, have the adaptive sticky keys turned on?

I have never seen this. However it could certainly be a matter of timing.

What happened is that Word since 2007 has been using the Alt key as a trigger for screentips for commands. I will often use one thumb for the Alt key and the fingers on the other hand to type the letter.

It could also be a matter of sensitivity of your Alt key. Try using the other Alt key and see if it makes a difference.

I feel your pain. I recovered from CTS after much therapy. I also used a wrist support and brace for years.

If you do much typing look into the Dvorak keyboard layout. I've been using it for about 30 years now.

Yet one more possibility would be that one or more Add-Ins is intercepting the keyboard.

Try starting both Windows and Word in safe mode and see if that makes a difference. (Note, this is a diagnostic, not a solution. If it makes a difference, it gives us places to look.)

[Orthoducks]

I investigated further and found that the problem is not in Office 2010; it's in Windows 7. I was not able to duplicate it in XP (which I still use, but rarely) and I was able to duplicate it with other applications.

I've been under the misimpression that Office was the source of the problem for years. I'm rather embarrassed by that. As an excuse, I can only plead that based on my previous experience with Microsoft, I thought there was nothing to be done. Thus I never did the investigation that should have cleared up my initial false impression.

So this is the wrong forum for my question. Since I've raised it here, though, I'll pursue it and see where we can go with it before I try elsewhere.

When you said "The behavior you describe is not standard..." I'm not sure whether you meant the fact that "Alt, X" is equivalent to "Alt+X," or the fact that in Windows 7 it sometimes doesn't work. I've never seen a direct statement that using "Alt, X" is supported behavior -- why would I look for one? -- but over the years I've used it on my current home computer, first with XP and now with Win7; on my old laptop and my current laptop with XP; and on more work computers than I can count.

Have you tried it? Perhaps you think it's not standard behavior because you simply weren't aware of it.

You asked if I've got the adaptive sticky key feature turned on. I do not. I know it's there, but I've never messed with it. Just for good measure I checked the settings on my current work machine, and none of the adaptive features are on.

You suggested that it might be "the sensitivity of [my] Alt key." My comment about the number of computers I've used applies here too; only the Win7 computers are relevant, but there still have been more of them than I can count, and each has or had at least one keyboard. (I use/used each laptop with at least two keyboards, of course). I don't think this is something I need bother testing out.

I've been aware of the Dvorak keyboard for a long time, and tried one once. I concluded that it was interesting but not practical for me. Apart from the obstacle of learning a new keyboard after 50 years of QWERTY, I'd face the problem of switching back whenever I have to use an unplugged laptop, or have to work on a machine other than my own. In any case, the Dvorak keyboards I looked at just now (at least, the ones with photographs detailed enough to show) have ShiftLock/Ctrl/Alt keys in exactly the same places as any other PC keyboard. I don't see the payback in learning to use a different keyboard layout, and putting up with the resulting complications, if it doesn't solve my original problem.

(And another potential problem just occurred to me: the Dvorak layout puts more of the most often used keys under my left hand, which is my CTS hand. Consquently it may well be worse for me than the standard layout.)

[Charles Kenyon]

Originally Posted by Orthoducks

***

When you said "The behavior you describe is not standard..." I'm not sure whether you meant the fact that "Alt, X" is equivalent to "Alt+X," or the fact that in Windows 7 it sometimes doesn't work. I've never seen a direct statement that using "Alt, X" is supported behavior -- why would I look for one? -- but over the years I've used it on my current home computer, first with XP and now with Win7; on my old laptop and my current laptop with XP; and on more work computers than I can count.

Have you tried it? Perhaps you think it's not standard behavior because you simply weren't aware of it.

I am not aware of that many Windows shortcuts using the Alt key by without the Ctrl key. The ones that came to mind were Alt+F4 and Alt+Tab. I tried those.

They do not work serially. Both keys have to be pressed simultaneously unless sticky keys are enabled.

Originally Posted by Orthoducks

You asked if I've got the adaptive sticky key feature turned on. I do not. I know it's there, but I've never messed with it. Just for good measure I checked the settings on my current work machine, and none of the adaptive features are on.

You might want to try sticky keys. You can turn it on and off once it is active by different keypresses. (On my computer five presses of the shift key will turn it on if it has been turned off. Pressing two of the shift keys at the same time turns it off.)

Originally Posted by Orthoducks

You suggested that it might be "the sensitivity of [my] Alt key." My comment about the number of computers I've used applies here too; only the Win7 computers are relevant, but there still have been more of them than I can count, and each has or had at least one keyboard. (I use/used each laptop with at least two keyboards, of course). I don't think this is something I need bother testing out.

I am just throwing out ideas here. Use what works for you.

Originally Posted by Orthoducks

I've been aware of the Dvorak keyboard for a long time, and tried one once. I concluded that it was interesting but not practical for me. Apart from the obstacle of learning a new keyboard after 50 years of QWERTY, I'd face the problem of switching back whenever I have to use an unplugged laptop, or have to work on a machine other than my own. In any case, the Dvorak keyboards I looked at just now (at least, the ones with photographs detailed enough to show) have ShiftLock/Ctrl/Alt keys in exactly the same places as any other PC keyboard. I don't see the payback in learning to use a different keyboard layout, and putting up with the resulting complications, if it doesn't solve my original problem.

(And another potential problem just occurred to me: the Dvorak layout puts more of the most often used keys under my left hand, which is my CTS hand. Consquently it may well be worse for me than the standard layout.)

The QWERTY keyboard was designed to keep typewriter keys from jamming, not for efficient typing. By design, the Dvorak arrangment reduces motion. It does not eliminate it.

The Dvorak arrangement puts the vowels under the left hand in the home row and the most used consonants under the right hand in the home row. It is designed so that the same finger is seldom typing two letters sequentially, and usually there is alteration of hands. It reduces motion of the fingers and hands and connecting tissues. It does not change the location of the Alt, Ctrl or Shift keys.

AFAIK, all modern computers come standard with the Dvorak keyboard built into the operating system. It was introduced to popular computers with the Apple IIc; it took IBM a while to catch on but they incorporated it into DOS beginning with the IBM-AT. It has been a part of all Mac and Windows OS's. That doesn't mean that you don't have to figure out how to turn it on, but it isn't that tough. You do not have to have a special keyboard.

That said, it is a chore to relearn. It took me about 40 hours over the course of a month to be up to speed with it. I do not have the keys on the keyboard displayed as different. (I do have an old Kensington Dvorak keyboard that I no longer use.) I touch-type and there is some adjustment to going back and forth. Generally, I just use Dvorak.

Hope you find what you are looking for.

[Ulodesk]

In 2013, the sticky feature is certainly on by default. I learned a number of Alt+ shortcuts in 2003 and have had to readjust in 2010 and '13. As I recall, this was not the case in 2007 but my memory is not always-- what were we talking about?

Pressing Alt alone in the later versions displays the tab shortcut keys in the Ribbon (whether or not it is displayed) and the numbers for the Quick Access Toolbar items. Pressing key for one of these then opens the next level, or, in the QAT, activates the item.

I still have to remind myself to release Alt before pressing the next key, such as in ALT,L,U for the template and add-ins dialogue; Alt+L does nothing.

Best,
Ulodesk

[Ulodesk]

Wait! It is variable. The Developer tab requires the separation, but the others all seem to work with Alt+, as do the QAT commands.

[Orthoducks]

The shortcut key display in the ribbon is just that: a display, which shows what is happening. It doesn't change the keyboard's behavior, or have any effect that requires a change in the keyboard's behavior.

When I was trying to figure out how to deal with Windows 7's misbehavior (which I thought was due to Word), I learned that I could watch the ribbon to see whether the Alt keypress had been recognized or not. But that gave me no insight into why it was being ignored sometimes and accepted sometimes.

[Ulodesk]

Since you said you have been through various computers and keyboards, and clearly have investigated the problem carefully, I am hesitant to even suggest this, but the one way I can find to make Alt "ignore" is to gently depress Ctrl, as when such a depression might be inadvertently effected.
I wish I had a solution for you.

[Charles Kenyon]

Originally Posted by Ulodesk

In 2013, the sticky feature is certainly on by default. I learned a number of Alt+ shortcuts in 2003 and have had to readjust in 2010 and '13. As I recall, this was not the case in 2007 but my memory is not always-- what were we talking about?

Pressing Alt alone in the later versions displays the tab shortcut keys in the Ribbon (whether or not it is displayed) and the numbers for the Quick Access Toolbar items. Pressing key for one of these then opens the next level, or, in the QAT, activates the item.

I still have to remind myself to release Alt before pressing the next key, such as in ALT,L,U for the template and add-ins dialogue; Alt+L does nothing.

Best,
Ulodesk

My understanding is that the Alt-key combinations from legacy versions were preserved in the Ribbon versions, with simultaneous key press preserved. The Ribbon shortcuts were added as an overlay. There was no developer tab shortcut in the menu versions. I would guess that the same is true of the design tab.