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Selecting Text

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You can select lines, multiple lines, and column blocks of text to cut, copy, delete, indent, and unindent. Most of the selection commands have extensions (the word “Extend” is appended to the name of the command) that move the cursor and extend the selection. By default, these commands are bound to the same key combination as the primary selection command plus the SHIFT key (such as SHIFT+LEFT ARROW for the CharLeftExtend command).

What do you want to know more about?

Selection commands

What do you want to do?

Select a line of text

Select multiple lines of text

Select a column block of text

To select a line of text

  • In the selection margin, point to the beginning of the text you want to select and click the left mouse button.

To select multiple lines of text

  1. In the selection margin, point to the beginning of the text you want to select.

  2. Drag either up or down to select the lines of text.

To select a column block of text

  1. Point to the beginning of the text you want to select.

  2. Hold down the ALT key and click the left mouse button (do not release).

  3. Move the mouse to point at the end of the text you want to select and release the ALT key.

    When you release the left mouse button, the block of text is selected, and the text is available for cut, copy, delete, and indent operations. To cancel column-select mode, click the left mouse button.

Note   When you use proportional fonts in the editor window, the column positions you select in the first line may not correspond exactly to the subsequent lines you select. The Text editor selects the character most directly in line with the start and end columns, ignoring the actual character count.