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If I select some text in a text input field/area/window, I can drag that text to another position somewhere within the text area using the mouse. Is it possible to do this dragging using the keyboard?
I can imagine some global key shortcut existing that would allow me to "drag" the text selection using the arrow keys; maybe even using keys like "End" and Page Up".
Protector one
Posted 2012-02-24T09:24:17.630
Reputation: 1 057
2
Apart from using MouseKeys, it's not possible out of the box. You could probably create this functionality using something like AutoHotkey.
Protector one
Posted 2012-02-24T09:24:17.630
Reputation: 1 057
2But mouse keys is built into Windows. That is "Out of the box" Did you just want to answer your own question? – Joe Taylor – 2012-03-20T11:24:29.223
1That's why I said "apart from". I just wanted a better answer than the one available. – Protector one – 2012-03-21T14:52:48.690
But the one you gave and accepted wasn't in any way better. If you want a better answer offer a bounty and leave the question unanswered. – Joe Taylor – 2012-03-21T15:22:53.807
I also look for a way to use the keyboard to move selected text for the same reason as the answerer. The other answer presented here is terrible. It shows you a solution to use the mouse to move selected text, but at the enormous cost of losing your numeric keypad. Now if there were a way to turn mouse keys off and on with a keyboard shortcut then it might be an acceptable solution. – oscilatingcretin – 2012-06-14T13:47:34.910
@oscilatingcretin: Actually, you can toggle it with Alt+Shift+NumLock, but I still think it's hardly a solution. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-xp/help/turn-on-mousekeys
– Protector one – 2012-06-14T14:48:57.770I just tried it and it's uber awkward. 1) toggle mouse keys, 2) use the arrow keys to inch the mouse into position (really fun if you have two monitors and the text is on one screen and the mouse is on the other), 3) hit 0 to turn on button lock, 4) use arrow keys to inch mouse into destination position, 5) hit PERIOD to release button lock. All I want to do now is take a nap. – oscilatingcretin – 2012-06-14T15:03:33.430
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I just know moving lines ( in some editors like Notepad++ ) that Ctrl+shift+( up or down) moves the line upper or downer .
hamed
Posted 2012-02-24T09:24:17.630
Reputation: 4 960
You can do something similar in Visual Studio: hold alt and use the arrow keys up and down to move the current line up or down. Doesn't work for selections, though; only complete lines. – Protector one – 2018-03-09T10:14:47.457
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Try "Shift + Alt + UPArrow" or "Shift + Alt + DownArrow". This should move the highlighted text up and down within a larger body of text.
user1052183
Posted 2012-02-24T09:24:17.630
Reputation: 1
Hm, no that does not seem to work. I tried in Chrome (address bar, text field, Google Docs document) and in Notepad, but it doesn't work. (It does move lines in Google Docs.)
In what software did you find it working? – Protector one – 2019-06-21T10:59:36.387
1Select txt, Ctrl+X, move with arrow keys and Ctrl+V? (Cut and Paste) :) – HaydnWVN – 2012-02-24T09:53:55.600
2Avoiding copy/cut-pasting is one of the main reasons I want to do this in the first place—don't want to lose what's on my clipboard. :P – Protector one – 2012-02-24T10:05:11.780