About the most valuable lessons you can ever learn
about your computer is highlighting and copy/cut/paste. If there's nothing else that you
take with you, that's the most important thing I could ever teach you. It'll literally
save days of your life from repetitive work, and retyping existing information.
Where can I use this?: Windows 95(98/NT) Explorer, a windows
File/Open dialog, a windows File/Save (As...) dialog, Listboxes like above, and more. Try
it out for yourself.
Here's two general highlighting techniques: Object, and Text
Object
Highlighting (Files, items in a list-box, and other non-text Objects)
Highlight a Group of Items in a row
Using the list below, click on "Item 2" in the list.
Hold down the <Shift> key
Click on the "Item 4".
Release the <Shift> key
Alternate:
With your Mouse, you can click-and-drag on "Item 2" to "Item 4" and
then release.
Highlight two, or more things not in a row
Using the list below, click on the second item in the list.
Hold down the <Ctrl> key
Click on the fourth item.
Release the <Ctrl> key
Highlight a group, then highlight one more
thing
Using the list below, click on "Item 2" in the list.
Hold down the <Shift> key
Click on "Item 4".
Release <Shift> key
Hold down the <Ctrl> key
Click on "Item 6"
Release the <Ctrl> key
Note: This is just using the first two methods
together
Try some of the combinations of keys listed to the right to see how it works
Mouse
Actions (All
actions with Left Mouse button): Single-click = Set Cursor Position Single-click-and-drag = Highlight from beginning position to
place where button is released. Double-click = Highlight word Double-click-and-drag = Highlight word, and all other
words between beginning point, and where button is released. Triple-click (usually works in word processors
and sometimes other locations) = Select
Paragraph
Main Key
<Shift> Key
Definition: While
held down, anything the Cursor passes over will be highlighted. Used with: Anything
Alternate
Keys (Can be used for non-highlighting purposes. Use any combination below with
<Shift> to highlight all text between current cursor position and destination of
cursor)
<Ctrl> Key
Definition: Jumps
to the beginning of previous/next word when used in combination with Left/Right Arrow
keys. Combinations (<Ctrl>+): <Home>=Move to top of document. <End>=Move to top of document.
Additional Notes: Microsoft Word, and Corel WordPerfect have: <Ctrl>+<Down Arrow>=Cursor moves to beginning of
previous paragraph. <Ctrl>+<Up Arrow>=Cursor moves to beginning of
next paragraph.
<Home> Key
Definition: Jumps
to the beginning of the line of text. Combinations: (<Home>+)
<Ctrl>=Moves to the beginning of the text document.
<End> Key
Definition: Jumps
to the end of the line of text. Combinations: (<End>+)
<Ctrl>=Moves to the end of the text document.
<Page Up> Key
Definition: Moves
cursor up one page of (visible) text.
<Page Down> Key
Definition: Moves
cursor down one page of (visible) text.
Where can I use this?: Anywhere in windows (and even dos edit
boxes) Works on text, files, pictures, URL's, icon's, groups of anything in Word
Processors (MS Word, Corel WordPerfect), and MANY other places. Can you highlight it with
your mouse? Then you can cut/copy/paste it too! Rule #1: To use Cut, Copy and Paste you must first highlight the
item you want to Cut or Copy. See above for
highlighting tips.
