COMPUTERS, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

[SPR676]

THE AGONY.

Previously all was OK and it worked but now I have a problem with CTRL + Click while trying to launch a web page from MS Word. I don’t know exactly when the problem began. I have administrative authority for the PC.

Now, when I key CTRL + Click, I get the following message.

Action Error_2.png

The ‘Use CTRL + Click to follow hyperlink box’ is checked in the Windows Options.

It’s no big deal but I found it to be more convenient than copying and pasting into the browser.

I am using Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013-en-us and Firefox Quantum 60.0.2(64-bit).

I am not tech savvy so I don’t know whether a fix will be easy or complicated but I would appreciate any help. I’ve looked up the internet on the subject but it’s all too confusing.

Anyone help? It would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Stanley]

I'll bet Pluggy can help Russ. Good luck with it. (No error messages with Ubuntu.......)

[PanBiker]

One or two things Russ after a quick look around Google.

What Operating System are you using?

Have you made any recent changes or additions of software?

Try un-checking the tools option for CTRL+click. The links should then open without having to use CTRL.

Do you get the same error in Safe Mode?

I have also found a link on the MS support site that has an autofix tool download for various OS versions:

First option, here: Hyperlinks not working

[Tizer]

Russ, have you tried alternative methods that might launch the page? I assume left-click on the link doesn't work or you would probably be using that instead of your CTRL-click. So what about right-click - does that give a menu with an option to launch the page? Or highlight the link and then left-click? It's always worth exploring options because there are often more ways than one to skin a cat!

[SPR676]

THE ECSTASY

[/quote]

One or two things Russ after a quick look around Google.

What Operating System are you using?

Have you made any recent changes or additions of software?

Try un-checking the tools option for CTRL+click. The links should then open without having to use CTRL.

Do you get the same error in Safe Mode?

I have also found a link on the MS support site that has an autofix tool download for various OS versions:

First option, here: Hyperlinks not working

Answering your questions in order: (a) WINDOWS 7 Home Premium. (b) Yes. (c) I unchecked the ‘Use CTRL + Click to follow hyperlink’ box. (d) Don't know.

Didn't try Safe Mode because unchecking the ‘Use CTRL + Click to follow hyperlink’ box solved the problem.

Russ, have you tried alternative methods that might launch the page? I assume left-click on the link doesn't work or you would probably be using that instead of your CTRL-click. So what about right-click - does that give a menu with an option to launch the page? Or highlight the link and then left-click? It's always worth exploring options because there are often more ways than one to skin a cat!

Since unchecking the ‘Use CTRL + Click to follow hyperlink’ box solved the problem, all of your suggestions are now working so whether or not they were working before I unchecked the box I can't say.

Thanks to both for your reply.

[Stanley]

Isn't Oneguy wonderful........

[PanBiker]

Glad to be of assistance.

[Tizer]

Glad you've got sorted!

[Stanley]

Russ. Have a look at Ubuntu and consider the possible benefits. It's a different level of home computer use.

[SPR676]

Russ. Have a look at Ubuntu and consider the possible benefits. It's a different level of home computer use.

Sorry Stanley. I've just read your post. Might give it a try later.

Meanwhile, is there any MS Excel user who might be able to help me with a problem. About a week ago, on the internet when I was looking for an easy way to reverse text in a range of Excel cells, I discovered ASAP Utilities, an Excel Add-In. There is, however, one utility which I can’t find in ASAP Utilities and that is how to change the colour of the text within a cell or range of cells. Does anyone know if it is that I just can’t find it or it doesn’t exist?

Any help will be appreciated. Cheers.

[chinatyke]

If it is like Excel, on the header you select <Home> and Font colour should then appear in the displayed header. The symbol is the letter A underlined in red.
You can copy and paste cell format using the format painter option.

[PanBiker]

Font colour icon as described above is standard across MS Office suite and many other text based products. The pouring paint can icon is also standard for background or cell fill.

Underlined A in this editor works the same: Underlined A, any colour from the palette.

[SPR676]

Thanks chinatyke and PanBiker for your reply. What I was really looking for was a lazy man’s way out (not having to go to the toolbar each time after selecting the text cell). I found this works.

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Excel.Range)
Target.Font.ColorIndex = 3
End Sub

Just double click the appropriate cell and go to the next.

[chinatyke]

Wow, that's far too complex for me, I'm a user not a programmer! I use format painter, which is copy and paste cell formats only, in one spreadsheet to highlight certain cells. 2 clicks and it is done.

[Stanley]

Beyond my pay grade! The last time I used spreadsheets was when I was project managing.....

[Tizer]

This makes me even more glad that I only read email in plain text!

`Scammers abuse multilingual domain names' LINK
Cyber-criminals are abusing multilingual character sets to trick people into visiting phishing websites. The non-English characters allow scammers to create "lookalike" sites with domain names almost indistinguishable from legitimate ones. Farsight Security found scam sites posing as banks, loan advisers and children's brands Lego and Haribo. Smartphone users are at greater risk as small screens make lookalikes even harder to spot....

BTW, as I write this in the Post a Reply box I see the box appears to have lost it's icons for URL and image insertion. However when I hovered the mouse over the appropriate position a square shape appeared. Clicking on it gave me the required URL or image.

[Stanley]

I was only thinking yesterday as I ignored the phone ringing that the best defence these days is to delete mails without opening them if they aren't from a normal correspondent and only use your phone for outgoing calls.
You'd be amazed at how many times I ignore the phone. My friends all know that if they really want to get my attention use email or Whatsapp. My sky hasn't fallen in yet!

[PanBiker]

I have just enabled Call Safe on my TalkTalk line in preference to the number blocking I used before. The system automatically adds people you call regularly and challenges all other incoming traffic. The caller has to give their name which is relayed to you when you answer the phone you choose to accept it or not. You can manage it online and add friends and family etc. Free service if you use TalkTalk phone.

[Tizer]

This sort of problem will undermine people's confidence in thr so-called `internet of things'...
`Swann home security camera sends video to wrong user' LINK

[Stanley]

Thanks for that Tiz. Yet another reason for resisting this 'smart technology'. There is a big difference between accepting the autonomy of something like an internal thermostat and a device that sends data out of the house. I am convinced that the enthusiasm for this new technology is largely based on the opportunities it offers for harvesting data the 'new gold'. I shall resist it as long as I can!

[Tizer]

We don't usually get much spam or scam email, most of it is filtered out at the broadband provider's end, but recently we've been getting malicious emails that are significantly more clever. These are the type that want you to click on a link in the message. I still have an old email address from when we were running our business and I've started getting messages to it again but they are scams aimed at people working in companies and other organisations. Some of them look as if they've been directly targeted at us but really it's just coincidence - they send out millions of copies and they're bound to match up to somebody!

[Stanley]

Money must be getting tight out there on the fringes of legality. I think we are getting more cold calls as well......

[PanBiker]

Talking of weird calls, Sally had three yesterday on her mobile all within about half an hour late in the afternoon. The callers were all supposedly returning calls that Sally had not made but they said they had a missed call from her number. They were all from different numbers and different people. Reverse lookup showed two in Wales and one in England all with different providers, EE, O2 and Vodaphone. The two ladies who rang from Wales had Welsh accents and the third Sally said sounded Australian although the lookup showed the caller definitely on an English node. No demands or anything like that just a "why are you calling me" type conversation, one got a bit irate when sally denied calling her and said she could prove the call from her log.

[Stanley]

Perhaps a smart fridge somewhere has Sally's number embedded by mistake?

[Wendyf]

There is quite a lot about that problem on this EE forum.
https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Calls/My- ... 237/page/2