[TxMt] Column selection question

[Jay Soffian]

On Jan 18, 2007, at 8:55 AM, Timothy Bates wrote:

> Thanks James: perfect. The help suggests using different the option  
> modifier
> key at the same time (grows the selection down as far as it can),  
> and when I
> tried it it did not work, but I think the timing for pressing and  
> releasing
> the option key is quite essential.

To be clear here:

Using option+up-arrow/down-arrow moves the cursor to the top/bottom  
of the column. So option arrow is for cursor movement.

Holding down shift while using option+up-arrow/down-arrow merely  
selects the text between where the cursor is when you first press  
shift and where it ends up after you move it with option arrow. So  
shift is for selection text, as expected.

Once you have a "normal" (stream) selection, tapping the option key  
converts it into a column selection. Tapping option again converts it  
back to the stream selection.

If this is confusing, you can always just select text with the mouse  
and you'll be doing a normal stream selection. If you hold down  
option while selecting with the mouse, you'll be doing a column  
selection.

BTW, you'll find the menu equivalent of tapping option under the Edit  
menu -> Change to Column Selection / Change to Stream Selection.

> Thanks again... No to be able to move a column selection to the  
> start of
> some lines, or to the ragged ends of lines...

To edit the endings of lines, you want Text -> Edit Each Line in  
Selection (command-option-a).

I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to do, but you might also  
find Edit -> Mode -> Freehanded Editing useful.

Good luck,

j.