Origin Ver. and Service Release (Select Help-->About Origin): 9 2017 Operating System:Win10 64
I noticed that the behaviour of the right click depends on the left mouse button.
I had several columns (A to N). A is X, B to G is Y. I wanted to set H as X-Error and the rest (I through N) as Y-Error.
If I select columns I through N with the left mouse button and release the mouse button and then right click them to set them as errors I get a different dropdown menu than when I right click them BEFORE I release the left mouse button.
In the first case (released LMB) I get the options like XYY or XYYY XYYY, in the latter case (LMB still pressed) I get the option Y-Error bars. Here is an image showing the difference: http://imgur.com/a/A5BSq
Are there more instances where this makes a difference? Seeing how I can set multiple columns as Y-Error as opposed to having to click all of them by hand saved me quite some time, so I thought there might be more like this.
In response to the method for first selecting columns I through N, releasing the mouse button, then right clicking the columns. From this dropdown menu options there is a way for setting all of these columns to Y-error at one time. It involves about two more steps than the other method that you described.
Select Set As --> Custom. The Custom: coldesig dialog box will appear. Click on the open triangle, right of Designation, you will have the option to set all columns to y-error or any other type of designation.