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Comment by nailer | Hacker News Reader

Can we insert rows normally now? In a discoverable, intuitive way, like Edit -> Insert rows used in every other spreadsheet ever?

Currently the solution is this: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/44684?hl=en

Eg, to add 30 rows, select 30 random rows, no matter what they are, as long as your selection is 30 high. Then you right click the row area, you get the option to insert 30 rows.

Who does UX for these products? Surely this didn't test well?

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Inserting multiple rows in Excel works basically the same way. Insert -> Entire Row inserts exactly as many rows as are currently selected.

The one thing that really annoys me is that they don't have a keyboard shortcut for adding a new row. Now I always have to

1) Shift space to select the current row

2) Press the "right-click" button the keyboard

3) Press the down arrow 4 times to select "Insert 1 above"

4) Press enter

Or else I've to use the mouse, which is equally slow. It's really silly given that how often people insert rows.

This is something Apple Numbers did right. Option-Up or Down makes a new row. Bliss.

Insert row is: 1) Shift + space (highlight current row) 2) alt + I (open insert menu) 3) r (insert row above)

vs Excel which is: 1) Shift + space (highlight current row) 2) ctrl + shift + "+" (insert row above)

Slightly different key pattern, but it does exist. Difference probably exist b/c ctrl + "+" is reserved in the browser for zoom.

Thanks for the tip! That's faster than what I do. I still wish they add a dedicated shortcut for it though so that I can do it with one keystroke (like the Ctrl + Shift + "+" in Excel).

Have you tried it? You select N rows, it then says Insert > N Rows Above and Insert > N Rows Below. I've never had any problems inserting rows, but perhaps I'm not using the product the way others do.

Yes, evidently I have. The idea of selecting existing content in order to get the option to add space for new content is very, very odd.

Did you really discover how to do this without looking it up?

Honestly, it never occurred to me to do it any other way.

I didn't look it up at all. Took me a few seconds initially to acclimate to the UI, find the "Insert" menu and try a couple things. I don't feel like their methods for inserting make perfect sense, but I've never had a problem with it.

I agree that selecting rows via the column headers makes sense a one way to insert N rows, but having a general Insert context menu for unselected usage would also be helpful.

It works almost just like in Excel. Select row (or 30 if you need them, "shift + space" is the shortcut, same as Excel) Then go to Insert menu (Ctrl + ⌥ + I) and then W.

Very easy and fast.

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