Now what have I done?

10_66

When I was typing something from my keyboard (actually it was a reply to someone’s post on MSE), using IE9 and Windows 7, I must have clicked on one of the keys next to the space bar or double clicked one of the keys I was hitting (or both – it’s a new keyboard and the keys are closer together than I’m used to and I guess it was a “shortcut” to something. The status bar (at the bottom of the page) expanded to a much broader height and a load of small text appeared with some plus signs (+++) next to the text and another menu bar also appeared within this expanded status bar (the additional menu bar was similar to the menu bar at the top of the browser page). The only text I can remember was “HTML” (or something like that). I panicked as I didn’t know what I’d done, and was keen to try to get the display back to normal. I clicked on one of the plus signs, which I think was like an “expansion” option and some more text appeared. I then noticed a cross (x) at the top right of the now broader status bar, clicked on it and the status bar at the bottom of the page returned to normal.

Reason for posting this “chapter and verse” is that I’m a bit concerned that I might have changed some settings or something by doing whatever I did. Is it likely that I have? Does anyone know what I did to get this? I wish that I’d not closed the broader status bar so soon and had a better look at it, but in my panic, just wanted to get rid of it at the time. I haven’t a clue what any of the shortcuts are that you can use on the keyboard (I’ve never used any) and don’t even know what keys “Alt”, “Alt Gr”, “Windows” and the one next to the “Alt Gr” (picture on it is a rectangle with horizontal lines and an arrow on it) are for .

redped

It sounds like you may have pressed F12, which brings up a window for developers - it basically allows them to debug web pages. Pressing F12 again just closes the window.

Don't worry, if this is what you've done you haven't changed any other settings.

10_66

redped wrote: »

It sounds like you may have pressed F12, which brings up a window for developers - it basically allows them to debug web pages. Pressing F12 again just closes the window.

Don't worry, if this is what you've done you haven't changed any other settings.

Many thanks for your reply.

I think I was pressing something near the space bar at the time, rather than the Function keys at the top of the keyboard.

If I've done as you say, and hit F12, as I'd accessed (accidentally) this window, could I have changed anything when I clicked on the plus signs or text, I also right clicked in the changed status bar as well (to see if that's how I could escape).

redped

I don't use IE (unless I have to), so I'm only speculating about the F12 window because you mentioned HTML, which is one of the things that will appear if you press F12, but no matter which screen did appear, I doubt very much that you will have changed anything.

If everything appears to be okay with your IE now, then I really wouldn't worry about it - in general, usually the most annoying thing that could happen by pressing the wrong key is that the text size will change, and that's something which is easily fixed.

10_66

redped wrote: »

...in general, usually the most annoying thing that could happen by pressing the wrong key is that the text size will change, and that's something which is easily fixed.

If that'd happened do I resize it by going into "view", "text size" and select the size I want, or would it be somewhere else if I'd accidentally changed it someother way?

redped

Just had a quick look at IE, and that looks the quickest way to change the text back, if you've changed it by mistake (e.g. by pressing Ctrl and then + or -).