Recently XL has started to display a left-right arrow for the cursor
when I go to help.
Result is I cannot type into any of the boxes. The only solution is to
exit Excel and try again.
Sometimes it is like this on the first instance of help, other times the
behavior only begins at a seemingly random time.
Does anyone else see this behavior? Know of any fixes? (Win XP Home
Edition, Version 2002, SP1 and Office2K SP3)

As I recall,
David McRitchie has suggested going into the task manager and end any
help.exe process.

This is a repair of the behavior, not a preventative.
--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy
"JWolf" wrote in message
...
Recently XL has started to display a left-right arrow for the cursor
when I go to help.
Result is I cannot type into any of the boxes. The only solution is to
exit Excel and try again.
Sometimes it is like this on the first instance of help, other times the
behavior only begins at a seemingly random time.
Does anyone else see this behavior? Know of any fixes? (Win XP Home
Edition, Version 2002, SP1 and Office2K SP3)

As suggested by David McRitchie

Try the following:
Bring up the Windows Task Manager and within the Processes tab,
select msohelp.exe then use the End Process button.
Bring up HELP again.


--

HTH

Bob Phillips
... looking out across Poole Harbour to the Purbecks
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)

"JWolf" wrote in message
...
Recently XL has started to display a left-right arrow for the cursor
when I go to help.
Result is I cannot type into any of the boxes. The only solution is to
exit Excel and try again.
Sometimes it is like this on the first instance of help, other times the
behavior only begins at a seemingly random time.
Does anyone else see this behavior? Know of any fixes? (Win XP Home
Edition, Version 2002, SP1 and Office2K SP3)