[wiploc]

Until yesterday, Alt-Tab moved me from one window to another. Now
suddenly it doesn't do anything; or it manifests a list of hotkeys
(ie: over the SAVE icon appears a picture of the 1 key; and if I push
the 1 key, the document will save); or it causes the tabs ("Document
1," "Document 2," etcetera) on the blue bar at the bottom of the
screen to flash orange distress signals (in which case, a few more
presses of Alt-Tab will eventually get me from one window to the
next.

I'm running Microsoft Office Word 2007.

Not only does Alt-Tab no longer reliably get me from one window to the
next, but neither does clicking on the tabs on the blue bar at the
bottom of the screen. I get the same flashing orange distress
signals. A few more frustrating clicks will usually complete the
move to the selected window, but often that happens after minimizing
the window before it restores the window and brings it to the
front.

What I'm reduced to is cascading the windows, having them overlap so I
can get from one to the next by clicking on the part that sticks
out.

Can anybody help?

crc

[Terry Farrell]

Are you using Windows Vista? It sounds like your Alt key has broken.

--
Terry Farrell - MS Word MVP

"wiploc" wrote in message
oups.com...
Until yesterday, Alt-Tab moved me from one window to another. Now
suddenly it doesn't do anything; or it manifests a list of hotkeys
(ie: over the SAVE icon appears a picture of the 1 key; and if I push
the 1 key, the document will save); or it causes the tabs ("Document
1," "Document 2," etcetera) on the blue bar at the bottom of the
screen to flash orange distress signals (in which case, a few more
presses of Alt-Tab will eventually get me from one window to the
next.

I'm running Microsoft Office Word 2007.

Not only does Alt-Tab no longer reliably get me from one window to the
next, but neither does clicking on the tabs on the blue bar at the
bottom of the screen. I get the same flashing orange distress
signals. A few more frustrating clicks will usually complete the
move to the selected window, but often that happens after minimizing
the window before it restores the window and brings it to the
front.

What I'm reduced to is cascading the windows, having them overlap so I
can get from one to the next by clicking on the part that sticks
out.

Can anybody help?

crc

[wiploc]

Yes, using Vista. I don't think it's a broken keyboard, because it's
the same regardless of whether we use the laptop keyboard or the
external keyboard.

[Terry Farrell]

I'm not sure what has been changed then. I can only guess there is a strange
setting somewhere that changes the behavior of Alt+Tab. Vista lets you
change it from displaying a dialog with a picto of all open Windows to
choose from, or it displays an almost full screen cascade of open Windows.
What happens if you say open a couple of Excel spreadsheets and Windows
Explorer. How does ALt+Tab behave then?

Terry

"wiploc" wrote in message
oups.com...
Yes, using Vista. I don't think it's a broken keyboard, because it's
the same regardless of whether we use the laptop keyboard or the
external keyboard.

[Terry Farrell]

That's rubbish. What I should have said...

Alt+Tab should open a dialog box displaying the open Windows and as you
Alt+Tab selects each in turn. Winkey + Tab uses Flip 3D which displays a
cascade of open Windows and as you tab brings each to the front in order of
display.

Do neither of these work for you? What happens if you open say a couple of
Excel spreadsheets and Windows Explorer and ALt+Tab or Winkey+Tab? Also try
this with all Windows minimized to the Taskbar in case you have a bug that
is hiding the Tab dialog behind the open window.

Terry

"Terry Farrell" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure what has been changed then. I can only guess there is a
strange setting somewhere that changes the behavior of Alt+Tab. Vista lets
you change it from displaying a dialog with a picto of all open Windows to
choose from, or it displays an almost full screen cascade of open Windows.
What happens if you say open a couple of Excel spreadsheets and Windows
Explorer. How does ALt+Tab behave then?

Terry

"wiploc" wrote in message
oups.com...
Yes, using Vista. I don't think it's a broken keyboard, because it's
the same regardless of whether we use the laptop keyboard or the
external keyboard.