[TxMt] Remapping the Option Key (column editing)

[Eric O'Brien]

Right.

To copy a selection you must:

1) Select;
2) Mouse down in selection, WAIT for I beam pointer to change to  
arrow pointer;
3) BEGIN DRAGGING;
4) Press and hold option key (pointer changes to arrowhead with white  
plus sign in a green circle);
5) Drag the text to where you want it;
6) Release the mouse button;
7) Release the option key.

Step 3 is significant.  If you press the option key BEFORE you begin  
dragging you *just then* have switched to column selection mode.  If  
you then drag outside the selection, you are ALSO in "copy mode."   
When you release the mouse, the Copy action completes but the fact  
that you had previously switched to column select mode is revealed.   
(I have always had trouble with getting into column select mode when  
drag-copying text and I never until now noticed this nuance!)


SO:  is there a benefit to being able to switch to column select mode  
as you begin the "copy text drag gesture?"  If not, perhaps this  
behavior could be suppressed in this situation?

eo


On Mar 18, 2007, at 10:35 AM, Grant Hollingworth wrote:

> * Barron Chugg <bchugg at gmail.com> [2007-03-18 01:01]:
>> I don't work with column editing much at all, but I do instinctively
>> use "select, drag, option key" to copy text.  But most of the time my
>> clicking option gets me into column select mode.
>
> Make sure you are already dragging the text when you push option.   
> I found that if I selected text, held the mouse button for dragging  
> but didn't move the pointer, and then hit option, I would enter  
> some kind of column-select copy drag mode.