[SOLVED] Sections of Outlook grayed out

[InHomeComputerHelp.com]

Client texted me

"When I now attempt to send an email, the paste clipboard and basic text sections are all grayed out...."

My thoughts are go into programs and features and repair MS office.

Has anyone run into this personally?

Rick

 

[carmen617]

Ask him to take a picture of the problem and send it to you. Those sections will be greyed out unless there is something in the clipboard already or he's editing something. It could just be expected behavior that he just noticed. It's very possible it's just a minor reassurance and training problem.

 

[timeshifter]

I can guess at several scenarios that branch off in different directions. Have more questions like what operating system, what email program specifically, what is he pasting from.

Random thoughts: use keyboard shortcut to paste, paste into Notepad to test, copy from something else then paste, maybe the text is gray.

A picture or short video of the behaviour would go a long way.

 

[InHomeComputerHelp.com]

Just got this from her but nothing else yet.

 

[GTP]

Is she working "Offline?" Not sure if that would cause the problem though?

 

[britechguy]

How is that unusual? Here's what my Compose window looks like if there's nothing on the clipboard and the insertion point is not in the message body:


If I have something on the clipboard, then it looks like this when the insertion point is at the beginning of the message body:

 

[InHomeComputerHelp.com]

She's one of my ADHD clients. I'm not making fun I have it too. I'm checking on her remotely tomorrow based on the information she's texted me so I'm just trying to cover my bases.

Thank you for your help
Rick

 

[carmen617]

It's totally normal. Once she starts typing a message the grayed out part will come to life. My Outlook (Office 365) is exactly the same, however i never noticed that the editing features were grayed out prior to typing before, so it might be a recently updated "feature". I would blame Microsoft for changing things on her, and compliment her for being so detail oriented.

 

[HCHTech]

Did they set their outlook for plain text instead of HTML?

 

[InHomeComputerHelp.com]

Over-preparing is never a bad idea, but as soon as I remoted in and she started talking it was obvious.

Paste is grayed out because there's nothing in the clipboard.
she put something in the clipboard paste was available.
"How come cut and paste are grayed out?"
I highlighted something in an email for her, which she knows how to do, and cut and copy became available.
She also thought once you pasted something it was no longer available in the clipboard.

Good reminder, especially for me since I tutor so much, to never assume anything about knowledge.

The phrase, "Everyone knows that." for example should NEVER be uttered by a professional although it has been used by one that I know of and "helpful" relatives all the time.

Thanks for all your help in helping to find any "What ifs."

Rick

 

[britechguy]

The phrase, "Everyone knows that." for example should NEVER be uttered by a professional

Whether it's uttered or not, it's presumed, and reasonably for a lot of things. For instance, I would never have believed that a Windows user of many years would not know that you can paste and paste and paste what was last copied or cut to the clipboard and not "lose" it. Barring a system restart, whatever last went on the standard clipboard (as opposed to new Clipboard History clipboard) stays there until something else replaces it.

It amazes me what people panic about, too. This example in particular. I don't worry about any stippled out/greyed out control until and unless I have need to use it and it's not available. Even then, I'll first presume I did something wrong. It's conventional for controls to be unavailable except when they should be available. When I saw the screenshot this user sent, my first thought was (based on the mouse pointer shown), "She's not got focus anywhere that a paste is even possible."

 

[InHomeComputerHelp.com]

Whether it's uttered or not, it's presumed, and reasonably for a lot of things.

I know but there's no reason to make people feel bad especially if they're actually paying you to help. This may be coming from more of a teacher perspective than an IT perspective.

Rick

 

[britechguy]

I know but there's no reason to make people feel bad

I wish this sentiment would go away. I agree that there is no reason to inflict intentional cruelty, but there are many pieces of information, presented without judgment, that "make people feel bad."

Some of the most effective lessons I've ever learned are the direct result of my having been made to feel bad, when it was justifiably so. Good teaching doesn't mean being a cheerleader at all times, it sometimes involves cracking of the proverbial whip.

 

[HCHTech]

In the client's defense, greying-out features that aren't currently necessary or available seems of questionable value. It's like the UX team finished all of their assignments early but still needed to justify their existence.

I've noticed more and more of these context-dependent changes to menus and ribbons - and being from the era where you could memorize the menu structure and it that knowledge would be valuable for YEARS; it's been a hard transition to the mutable world of context-sensitive controls. I'll bet this has been a difficult shift for folks that need screen readers as well.

 

[InHomeComputerHelp.com]

In the client's defense, greying-out features that aren't currently necessary or available seems of questionable value. It's like the UX team finished all of their assignments early but still needed to justify their existence.

I never expect clients to know anything. Like I said though this may be more of a teacher perspective.

Rick

 

[britechguy]

I'll bet this [mutable context sensitive controls] has been a difficult shift for folks that need screen readers as well.

Not really, though there is a significant contingent that still bitterly complains that the ribbons interface replaced the menu-driven one. And these were context sensitive, too. Menu options that didn't apply were routinely stippled out.

 

[HCHTech]

Not really, though there is a significant contingent that still bitterly complains that the ribbons interface replaced the menu-driven one.

Ok, fair. Don't ask me how many Lotus 1-2-3 "/" commands I still know. It's embarrassing, but I guess they're in there forever. I used to say I could make Lotus do anything except paint my house - haha. That, and $5.95 will buy me a cup of coffee at Starbucks these days!