Selecting text vertically in Microsoft Word
I probably use about 1% of all the features that come with Microsoft Word and I don’t usually post tips on its use. However, here is one that is too good not to pass along. I found it at TechRepublic (requires a login).
Techniques for selecting or highlighting text horizontally or in blocks are well-known. But what if you want to select only the first letter(s) in each line of a block of text? I don’t know how to do it easily in general but in Word there is a way. First hold down the Alt key. Then select the letter (or letters) of the first line with the mouse, hold down the left mouse button and drag straight down to select corresponding letters in successive lines. You can also select one letter in the first line, drag down to the desired last line, and then drag across (toward the right) to include as many other letters as you like.
This method does not work in Notepad or any browser I have tried. Do any readers have a way to select text vertically in applications besides Word?
July 18th, 2006 at 4:40 am
My text editor, UltraEdit (http://www.ultraedit.com), allows selecting text vertically. They refer to it as columnar mode. There are probably other text editors that do this as well.
December 2nd, 2006 at 1:06 pm
KUDAZ is a powerful, free editor, and it solves
the problem using today’s environment.
Alt sets column mode:
Pressing ‘Alt’ key just before dragging and keeping it pressed while
dragging the mouse cursor for text selection sets column selection mode on temporarily if the current text selection mode is normal. A Click on the edit field again returns the mode to its normal status.
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PS for the “dinosaurs” like myself:
My old DOS editor did a great job on blocking
rectangular columns, and it still works under
new software, if the files aren’t too big!
December 2nd, 2006 at 1:10 pm
Just to repeat the Word Document solution which led me to this site — and to send kudos to the author:
http://wordtips.vitalnews.com/Pages/T0006_Selecting_a_Text_Block.html
… position the cursor … Press Ctrl+Shift+F8 … and Use the cursor control keys to extend the block ….. Or use ALT and mouse, as above.
December 2nd, 2006 at 1:39 pm
I have also discovered that this method works in the free editor Notepad++ (http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/site.htm)