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3.8.1 Selecting a section of text

NOTE: The term current file is used below to mean the file in the active text editor window (or in other words the file you are currently editing).

Most of the time when editing text, you are working with individual characters. For example, when entering text with the keyoard you type each individual character. However sometimes you want to work with a section of text as a whole.

The first step in working with a section of text is to select it. You can use the mouse, keyboard, or Edit menu to select a section of text. After the text is selected, it can be replaced, moved, copied, deleted, printed, indented, unindented, and unselected

Selecting text using the mouse

Selecting text by dragging the mouse pointer

To select text by dragging the mouse pointer, do the following:

  1. Move the mouse pointer to the beginning of the text
  2. Hold down the left mouse button
  3. Move the mouse pointer to the end of the text
  4. Release the left mouse button
You can also select text by dragging the mouse pointer from the end of the text to the beginning.

Selecting text by double-clicking with the mouse

If the Double-click word search project option is not selected, (see environment options for details) then you can select a word by double-clicking on it. If you double-click on the word again then the line containing the word will be selected. If you double-click on the selected line then the IDE will select a block of text. The first line of the block of text will be the line that you double-clicked on. The IDE will use the indentation of the first line in the block to determine where the block should end. If the IDE ends the block too soon and you would like the block to be extended to include more lines then you can double-click on the block again. NOTE: If the block reaches a line that is indented less then the first line in the block then the block will not be extended any further.

Selecting text using the keyboard

Selecting text by dragging the text caret

To select text by dragging the text caret, do the following:

  1. Use the keyboard keys to move the caret to the beginning of the text
  2. Hold down the Shift key
  3. Use the keyboard keys to move the caret to the end of the text
  4. Release the Shift key
You can also select text by dragging the caret from the end of the text to the beginning.

Selecting text using the Edit menu

To select text using the Edit menu, choose one of the following four menu items.

  1. Select Word - Selects the word under the text caret
  2. Select Line - Selects the line under the text caret
  3. Select Block - Selects a text block or extends an existing text block. The first line of the block of text will be the line under the text caret. The IDE will use the indentation of the first line in the block to determine where the block should end. If the IDE ends the block too soon and you would like the block to be extended to include more lines then you can can choose Select Block from the Edit menu again. NOTE: If the block reaches a line that is indented less then the first line in the block then the block will not be extended any further.
  4. Select All - Selects all of the text in the current file

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