Keys to the Keyboard

Ever wonder what the mysterious Scroll Lock key does on your keyboard? Stanley Zarowin provides an answer in his “Technology Q&A” in the Journal of Accountancy (2004):

Although it was useful in the old DOS days, the Scroll Lock key has fallen into disuse-except for Excel, where it performs a very valuable function. For example, say you're working in Excel and you're in the middle of writing a formula in cell B2; then you realize you need some information to complete the formula-and that information is in cell IV65536. . . If you press Scroll Lock, you can move anywhere in the file, using your arrow keys, and your cursor will remain on B2. Now isn't that neat? (full text available through the Factiva Database).

Below are some other explanations of what some of those other keys or key combinations do according to Windows Help:

Print Screen: Copies the entire screen to the Clipboard.
Print Screen + Alt: Copies the image of the current window to the Clipboard
Num Lock: Toggles between the numeric and cursor control modes
Pause Break: Not really used except in some programming languages or games.
F1: Start Windows Help
F2: Rename object
F3: Search for a file or folder.
F4: Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
F4 + Alt: Close the active item, or quit the active program.
F5: Refresh the active window.
F6: Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.
F8: Hit while rebooting to enter Safe Mode
F10: Activate the menu bar in the active program.
F7, F9, F11, F12: May be used in certain programs. Check program Help files.

For more help, don’t forget that the library offers free computer classes!