How to select columns in editor view for Eclipse on OSX

Same as this question, but for OSX.

In short: how to I enter rectangular selection mode on OSX?

I see a button for doing this with the standard useless "text editor" that is default with eclipse, but not with the "javascript editor" which I use 99% of the time.

erikvold

Posted 2011-02-02T02:19:45.873

Reputation: 3 077

Answers

Press Command-Option-A or click the Toggle Block Selection Mode button in the toolbar.

enter image description here

It looks different from Cocoa native block selection:

enter image description here

Daniel Beck

Posted 2011-02-02T02:19:45.873

Reputation: 98 421

command+option+a does not work for me.. – erikvold – 2012-07-16T15:53:17.273

also I don't see that button.. – erikvold – 2012-07-16T15:53:49.657

@erikvold What version and variant of Eclipse are you using? – Daniel Beck – 2012-07-16T18:36:32.943

I am using Version: 4.2.0 – erikvold – 2012-07-17T16:27:25.897

@erikvold Cannot reproduce the problem. Did you maybe just open a perspective that does not include this in the toolbar? Do you have an editor open (only then are these text editing buttons displayed)? Have you tried to create a new workspace to see if you just messed up your configuration? Please provide more relevant information...

– Daniel Beck – 2012-07-17T18:20:55.990

this is what I see while I'm editing a file http://i.imgur.com/KtRDq.png

– erikvold – 2012-07-17T21:14:52.503

@erik Please consider answering all my individual questions. – Daniel Beck – 2012-07-17T21:54:45.620

I have this problem on all of my machines, I created the workspaces separately, right now I am using a comp that is only a week old, and I created a new workspace for it last week. That is all of your questions now right? – erikvold – 2012-07-17T23:40:29.943

ok so I see this button when I use the standard "text editor" but not when I use the "javascript editor" so I'll update the question. – erikvold – 2012-07-17T23:49:23.067

As Daniel said press Cmd + Option + A. If the button is not showing in the toolbar you can activate it with:

Window->Customize perspective
Command Groups Availability
enable the Editor Presentation group.

hariseldon78

Posted 2011-02-02T02:19:45.873

Reputation: 111

-1

You can hold down Option while selecting, your cursor should change into a plus sign, then you can select rectangularly. This works in nearly any application, by the way.

Wuffers

Posted 2011-02-02T02:19:45.873

Reputation: 16 645

It doesn't even work in Safari multi-line form fields. The chance it works in a Java cross-platform application is even worse. – Daniel Beck – 2011-02-02T08:17:17.210

It doesn't work in Eclipse.. – Lipis – 2011-04-04T15:55:03.643

this doesn't work for me – erikvold – 2012-07-16T15:53:30.517