Users often have to work with fragments of text or a group of words in programs (Word, browsers). The first thing you need to do is select the text using the keyboard or mouse. Not everyone knows how to use keyboard shortcuts and resorts to using the mouse. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is recommended to combine them. In addition, read how to select files in a folder.
Keyboard commands are used to speed up operations with text or if the computer mouse (laptop touchpad) is missing/not working. First, let's look at how to move the pointer with the keyboard, which is true for Word. Use the arrows to get to the beginning of the desired fragment. For navigation, you can use buttons used in conjunction with the Ctrl key, see the table.
Pressing the Home/End buttons in Word moves the cursor to the beginning/end of the line; in browsers it moves to the beginning/end of the page. When you click on Page Up/Down, you scroll one screen up/down. After selecting the beginning of the fragment, you can select the text using a keyboard shortcut.
Usually you hold down the Shift button and arrows to highlight the corresponding direction, but more often you use the combination Ctrl + A to select all the text at once with the keyboard. There are many commands that use the Shift key (not applicable for browsers).
After selecting a fragment or group of words, you can format, delete, copy, paste the text. These operations can also be done using the keyboard.
Selecting several words and paragraphs is more conveniently done with the mouse, and is applicable to browsers and text editors. You will need to move the pointer to the selected point, then hold down the left button and drag the mouse. This method is not always effective; for example, to select all the text at once, it is more practical to use the combination Ctrl + A.
To quickly select one word, left-click on it twice. To select a fragment, place the cursor at the beginning, then hold Shift and left-click on the end of the fragment.
Using the mouse, you can select several separate paragraphs. Hold Ctrl and mark any text fragments with the mouse (does not work in browsers).
The material looked at how to select text using the keyboard and mouse. There are keyboard shortcuts for many situations, but no one has canceled the use of the mouse. Depending on the circumstances, see what to use. Remember, combining a keyboard and mouse gives the best results.
Most computer users do not fully utilize computer mouse. Below are tips and secrets that will help you fully exploit the full potential of your computer mouse and increase overall labor productivity on the computer.
Shift key and mouse
Many text editors and programs allow you to select all or part of the text using Shift keys And mouse. For example, place the cursor at the beginning of a paragraph and hold Shift key Click on the end of a paragraph to select the entire paragraph.
Using the scroll wheel
Everyone knows that with the help mouse wheel you can scroll the page up or down. However, with the help mouse wheel Other functions are also used:
Mouse wheel can be used as a third button. Using this button, you can open links in a new browser tab, and you can also close tabs by clicking on it.
Quickly zoom in or out in browsers, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and more. To zoom in or out, you need to hold down the key Ctrl scroll wheel up or down.
Holding Shift key and scrolling wheel, move forward or backward while browsing the Internet. Scrolling down is to go back to the previous page you were viewing, and scrolling up is to the next page.
Double or triple click on the wheel to highlight
Any word can be highlighted by double-clicking the left mouse button on the word. If you want to select a paragraph, you need to click three times.
Using the right mouse button
The right mouse button is mainly used to open the properties of the selected element. For example, to copy selected text, you need to right-click on it and select Copy. To paste the copied text, right-click on the place where you want to paste the text and select Paste from the drop-down menu.
Ctrl key and mouse
By holding down the Ctrl key, you can select multiple objects or multiple pieces of text. For example, in Microsoft Windows, you can hold down the Ctrl key and click the left mouse button to select several files at the same time. If you want to copy text located in different parts of the document, then hold down the Ctrl key and select the desired part of the text with the left mouse button, and then the next one.
Using the side buttons of the mouse
Many modern mice have side buttons on the side of the mouse. These buttons can be programmed to perform specific functions. For example, in a browser, these buttons replace the Forward or Back buttons to return to the previous page or the next. This makes browsing the Internet more convenient because... no need to move the mouse cursor to the Back or Forward button.
Using the Home Position in Dialog feature
Enable a special function for the mouse pointer, with which the mouse cursor will automatically move to the active button in the dialog boxes that appear. For example, when deleting a file, a window will appear with the text “Are you sure you want to delete the file?” If the “Home position in the dialog box” function is enabled, the mouse cursor will automatically move to the “OK” button and you just need to press the left mouse button. This will save time moving the mouse cursor to the “OK” button and clicking it. To enable this feature, open Control Panel and double-click on the Mouse icon. Then go to the Pointer Options tab and check the box next to “On the default button.”
Controlling an open window with the mouse
Double-click with the left mouse button on the top title bar of the window to maximize the window or, if it is maximized, to return it to its original size. You can also double-click on the upper left corner of the window to close it.
Moving the mouse using the keyboard
Microsoft Windows allows you to use the arrow keys on your secondary keyboard to move the mouse pointer.
To enable this feature, do the following:
1. Click on the START button -> Settings -> Control Panel
2. In the Control Panel, open Accessibility and go to the Mouse tab
3. Check the box for “Keyboard control”:
4. If you want to change the speed of movement and other settings, click on the “Settings” button.
5. Click on the “Apply” button and close the window.
After completing these steps, you will be able to move the mouse cursor up, down, right, left and in all diagonals. The number "5" is used as a left click.
Mouse settings
If you have a mouse with additional buttons and there was a software disc with the mouse, then you can program the buttons. For example, so that when you click on the side button of the mouse, the “Calculator” opens.
In the last article, we looked at keyboard shortcuts for quickly and conveniently moving the cursor through text. There is a place here to talk about how to highlight any parts of text and fragments of any configuration.
I think you have already noticed the general concept and logic that can be seen in the use of “hot keys” when working with text. Thanks to this, combinations and the corresponding actions are very easy to remember. If you understand the logic of moving through text using the keyboard, then mastering techniques for selecting text and its fragments will not be difficult.
So what is highlighting? Selecting text is an operation that allows you to select a certain fragment of text for further work with it - copy, cut, delete, move. The size of such a fragment is not limited in any way - it can be a selection of one character, word, line, page, or the entire document.
I assume you already know what it is. But I’ll tell you anyway. Highlighting is typically represented by coloring the selected piece of text a different color, usually in complete contrast to the normal current color of the background and text. Since the classic color scheme is most often used - black text on a white background, when highlighting the colors are inverted - a black (or blue) background and white text.
Most often, users use the mouse to select text. Selecting text with the mouse can be indispensable where you need to select non-editable text, for example on a web page.
To select text with the mouse, you need to hold down the left button and move the cursor over the piece of text you want to select. It is possible that this is the only method you use. But the fact is that this method is not the only one and is not always the most effective, especially when you are working with edited text.
Judge for yourself. Let's say this situation: you are typing or editing text, and you need to completely delete the line on which the cursor is currently located. Of course, it will be faster and more efficient to do this only using the keyboard, pressing three keys, than reaching for the mouse, aiming and selecting the desired fragment. Therefore, we will focus on such combinations.
But first, it’s worth talking about mouse selection. The standard method, which works almost everywhere, is double and triple click the left mouse button. Double-clicking allows you to select the word on which it is made, and triple-clicking allows you to select a paragraph. True, triple-click behavior may differ in different applications. For example, in the MS Word word processor or in the Mozilla Firefox browser, triple-clicking allows you to select a paragraph of text, and in some applications this technique selects a line. One way or another, wherever you need this function, try it, and you will immediately understand how it works.
In addition, you can select the desired fragment of edited text as follows. Remember once and for all: always and everywhere, in any application, text is selected using the Shift key. Excluding various consoles and command shells. But all the techniques in them differ from the standard work with text in classic graphics applications that we are considering here.
I suggest you use the following as a traditional selection with the left mouse button pressed: place the cursor at the beginning of the fragment that you want to select, press the Shift key, and while holding it, click the mouse at the end of the desired fragment. In my opinion, this gives more precise control over the selection of a piece of text.
And now about the most effective ways. You can select any piece of text by combining the Shift key with the arrow keys for cursor control - Left, Right, Up, Down. In this case, the combinations Shift+Left and Shift+Right highlight text character by character. Therefore, this method is only suitable for small fragments of text, part of a word, a few characters. Moreover, even for highlighting part of a word, it is not always the most effective, but more on that later.
The combinations Shift+Up and Shift+Left allow you to select text line by line, one line up and down from the cursor, respectively. It is worth noting that if the initial position of the cursor is the middle of the line, then such a combination will select a fragment from the middle of the line, starting from the place where the cursor is located, to the middle of the bottom or top line, respectively, to the place exactly above or below the cursor.
Next, let's remember the keys for moving to the beginning (Home) and end (End) of the line. Using them together with Shift will give the effect of selecting a fragment from the current cursor position to the beginning or end of the line, respectively.
I believe you already understand the logic of text selection, so remembering the combinations of word-by-word movement through the text, you can display the corresponding word-by-word and paragraph-by-paragraph selection. Ctrl+Shift+Left (Right, up, down). But this combination is already quite complicated. The position of the fingers for him is the left little finger - left Ctrl, the left ring finger - left Shift, and the right little finger on the desired arrow key. Here, pressing ctrl and shift at the same time can be difficult. But in any case, it needs to be mastered, because it is used not only when working with text, but also in many other combinations.
To do this, use the shift+pgUp and shift+pgDown keys to select the page up and down, respectively.
The combinations Ctrl+Shift+Home and Ctrl+Shift+Home will allow you to select the entire document from the current cursor position to the beginning or to the end.
You can select all edited text at once using the Ctrl+a combination. Moreover, this combination works not only for text. Let's say you can highlight an entire web page with its help. The same combination can be used for operations with files and folders, which you can learn about in the corresponding article.
Any selected piece of text can be completely deleted using the Delete or Backspace keys, and in this case they will work the same way. Selected text can be replaced by performing a paste operation, or by typing the replacement fragment on the keyboard.
Now you can effectively edit text without using a mouse at all. And if you use these methods, you will very soon notice that the speed of working with text has increased significantly.
The only thing left to learn is the copy, cut, and paste shortcuts if you don't already use them.
Computer mouse and what it is needed for.
A mandatory accessory for working on a personal computer is a computer mouse.
The convenience of using a mouse in Windows is difficult to overestimate. It’s not for nothing that even laptop users, if they have a touchpad, equip their devices with a mouse. And the industry produces special small-sized mice. By properly setting up your mouse, you will greatly simplify your work at the computer.
Windows allows you to customize the mouse pointer. The interface of the mouse settings window is practically the same for both Windows XP and Windows 7. So, there should not be any difficulties for owners of different systems.
There are many different names for this gadget on the Internet.
Mouse, rat, rat, etc. Do not be surprised! Now most of humanity has mastered another language - computer slang. Their mother is glitching, their PC is heating up, they use something, follow someone, download something using torrents, hang out on networks and Skype.
I am convinced that over time you will speak the same language. But the most common name for this device is mouse.
There are several types of mice.
The mice with the tracking ball have gone into oblivion. They have been replaced by optical ones, where instead of a ball constantly clogged with dirt, a ray of light is used.
The “tailed” mice, which are connected to the computer by wire, have been replaced by wireless ones, free from constantly tangled wires. Instead of a beam of light, a laser beam is used. And all these transformations provided excellent characteristics to this important gadget.
Typically a mouse has two buttons and a wheel. The left button is called the main button, the right button is the auxiliary button. Between these buttons there is a wheel. There are also sophisticated mouse designs that have not three buttons, but five or even six.
The shapes of mouse bodies also have many options. The best mouse is the one that fits comfortably in your hand, so when choosing a mouse, be sure to try using it. If it doesn't fit well
By hand, fingers are not directly above the buttons - change the model without hesitation
Chapter 1.
Connect the mouse to the computer. .
If you have a “tailed” mouse, this is a mouse with a wire, then simply insert the plug (USB-male in slang) at the end of the wire into any USB connector (USB-female in slang) on your system unit.
Don't worry, the plug will only fit into the intended socket. The main thing is not to make much effort. If the plug does not fit, rotate it 180 degrees and try again.
If you have a tailless mouse,
Then open the cover of the mouse and, observing the polarity, insert the AA battery and then close the cover.
Look at the mouse's abdomen. There's a microswitch there. It has two positions “OFF” - off and “ON” - on. Place the switch in the “on” position. A red LED will indicate that the mouse is turned on.
Some models have a radio module stored in the belly of the mouse in a special slot. It's just storage space. The module can also be supplied separately.
Remove the module and insert it into a free USB slot on the system unit.
That's it, the mouse is connected! Don't be greedy! Give your mouse some fun and buy him a nice rug. It costs a penny. The rug (in mouse slang) will provide you with comfortable work.
It's not easy to use a mouse on a smooth table. She constantly tries to run away from the place where you want her to point the cursor. A cursor is a small icon on the display that repeats all mouse movements on the mousepad. Having a mat makes this task easier.
Working with the mouse
Relax your hand and grasp the mouse. The index finger should lightly touch the left button and the thumb should lightly touch the right (auxiliary) button. Make sure your wrist touches the table tightly.
Beginner users always make mistakes. They hold their wrist suspended and this does not allow them to accurately position the mouse cursor. Do not rotate the mouse around its axis. The wheel should always point away from you. If, while moving, the mouse runs to the end of the mat and there is not enough space for it, simply lift it, place it in the middle of the mat and continue moving the cursor.
All actions with the mouse come down to indicating the desired object on the desktop and clicking on the mouse buttons (clicks).
The mouse buttons are very sensitive, so you should use a short, light press. In this case, a light click of the microswitch inside the button will be heard.
By the way, to determine the serviceability of the buttons, you need to make short clicks on the mouse button. If you don’t hear a click, it means the button has failed and the mouse needs to be replaced.
There are two types of button clicks:
Single left click
Selection
1. A single left-click is used to select the desired object on the desktop.
To do this, move the mouse so that its pointer (cursor) on the desktop (display screen) touches the desired icon or object and, without moving the mouse, briefly press the button. When you hover the cursor over an object, in some cases a hint may appear, and the light of the object itself may change.
Drag and drop .
2. Used to move objects around the desktop. You arrange your documents on a regular desk. So, your computer screen is the same desktop on which there are folders, documents and pictures (files), which you should be able to rearrange on the table according to your taste and choice, move them slightly to the side so that the document does not interfere with your work.
Double click with the left mouse.
Opening folders and launching programs
In the initial period, double-clicking is usually difficult. When pressing the control button slowly, the computer perceives them as two single clicks. Correct execution comes with long-term training. And long-term training is just regular work on the computer.
It is possible to avoid this problem by setting up your mouse accordingly. We will look at this later.
You can open windows with one click of the left button. But this setting is configured in the folder options, which is a separate topic.
Note: Double click only applies to the left mouse button. The right button is always only single-clicked.
Scroll wheel
All mice have a scroll wheel. Very often the entire document or page does not fit on the screen and it becomes necessary to move it up or down. This is where the scroll wheel comes to the rescue. With its help, you can very easily scroll through pages of documents or browsing pages on the Internet.
To move down the page, scroll (without pressing down) the wheel towards you; to move up, scroll away from you. The scroll wheel is disabled and enabled by pressing the "Alt" button on the keyboard. Therefore, if the page does not move when you scroll the wheel, click on this key.
And if you read long text on the screen, then constantly scrolling the wheel will tire your index finger. It would be nice if the text of the book moved slowly on the screen at a speed that allows you to read the text freely. Even many advanced users do not know this trick. The wheel allows you to do this without any special settings.
Click on the wheel (just click, don’t scroll).
Icons 1 and 3 indicate that the open window only has a vertical scroll bar.
Icon 2 informs you that the window has a vertical and horizontal scroll bar.
To deactivate the automatic scrolling mode, simply click on the wheel again and the automatic scrolling will stop.
By the way, the mouse wheel has another interesting property. If there is any link on an Internet page, it does not always open in a new tab.
What should you do if you want to finish reading the article and see what is hidden behind the link? You just need to move the mouse pointer to the link and click on it using the mouse wheel, after which you will remain in the same window and can finish reading the article while the page linked to the link is loaded in a new window, which you can view later. Try it, it's very convenient!
Right mouse button
The right mouse button is used to call up a context menu that contains commands for the computer to perform various actions. Such as creating new folders, copying objects, deleting or renaming objects and many others. At the same time, right-clicking on various objects brings up various menus for managing these objects.
To call the context menu, make a short click on any free space on your desktop (screen), point to the desired line in the drop-down list and left-click on this line.
And at the end of the chapter there are some tips on working safely with the mouse.
When working with a mouse, it is very important to follow a few simple requirements in order to avoid pain in the wrists, arms and hands when working at the computer for a long time and incorrectly. Here are some tips for solving these problems:
Chapter 2
Setting mouse parameters
To configure, left-click on the “Start” button
In the window that opens, select the “Control Panel” line and make a single left click.
In the “Control Panel” window, select the “Mouse” item and make a single left-click.
By default we go to the “Mouse Buttons” tab
Button customization
Parameter 1. “Assign buttons for left-handed people.” If you are left-handed, it can sometimes be useful to change the assignment of the left and right buttons. To do this, you need to left-click on the “Change button assignments” checkbox. Otherwise, the checkbox should remain empty.
Grab the adjustment slide with the left button and move it to the left. To check, double-click with the left button on the yellow folder to the right of the setting line and adjust the slider until the folder opens and closes with your double click.
Parameter3 . “Enable Sticky.”
I believe that this function does not provide convenience and I do not recommend using it. Leave the checkbox square empty.
To save the settings and move to other button settings windows, left-click on “Apply” and “OK”.
If the checkbox is empty, then the parameter is inactive
"Pointers" settings window
To open it, left-click on the “Pointers” window.
"Pointers" settings window
Parameter 1
To select a theme, left-click on the black triangle in the “Scheme” parameter line. In the window that appears, you will be provided with an extensive list of ready-made themes. Select one of the themes in the list and in window 2 you will see all the icons for this theme.
After choosing a theme that suits you, click “Apply”. Advanced users can make changes to the selected standard theme.
To do this, you need to select the icon you want to change in window 2, with images, click “Browse” and select the icon you like from the drop-down list.
Parameter 3
Parameter 4
“Allow themes to change mouse pointers” - allows the system to change the image of cursor icons at its discretion. The user can select this parameter according to his taste. Activating this function does not provide any particular benefit. It is more rational to work with permanent cursor images, so I do not recommend enabling this function.
Left-click to open the Pointer Options tab.
