Overwrite text in Windows Notepad

I would like to be able to overwrite text in Windows Notepad. I am using Windows 7 Professional. Ideally I would like to be able to position the cursor next to a string of text and erase that text by pressing the spacebar until the cursor has passed over every character in the string without adding additional spaces to the document. Is that possible?

I have tried pressing the 'Insert' key, but that does not help. Nor does using 'Num Lock' and pressing the 'Ins' or '0' key.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a solution elsewhere on the internet.

I do not think I am using notepad++. The application is listed as 'notepad.exe' under 'Properties'.

Thank you for any suggestions.

Mark Miller

Posted 2012-10-22T22:42:41.093

Reputation: 401

Answers

Apparently notepad.exe is too basic an editor and does not support the overtype mode.

Wordpad has this feature though.

ZeWaren

Posted 2012-10-22T22:42:41.093

Reputation: 194

Correct, Notepad is insert-only and doesn't support overtype. – Indrek – 2012-10-22T22:55:01.067

I started to contradict you, until I realized I had replaced notepad.exe with textpad.exe. :S – Myrddin Emrys – 2012-10-22T23:06:15.743

@MyrddinEmrys lol, I hate it when I forget what i have tweaked! – Moab – 2012-10-23T02:19:15.223

Ideally I would like to be able to position the cursor next to a string of text and erase that text by pressing the spacebar until the cursor has passed over every character in the string without adding additional spaces to the document. Is that possible?

(My own emphasis)

The other answers deal with overtype mode, which adds additional spaces 'over the top' of characters (if you press the spacebar)

However, the functionality you are describing is embodied in the 'delete' key.

Positioning the cursor at the beginning of a string of text and pressing the delete key will delete the first character after the cursor, replacing it with nothing and shifting the rest of the string of text across

Robotnik

Posted 2012-10-22T22:42:41.093

Reputation: 2 280

This indeed appears to be the correct answer to the question, as it was asked. – kreemoweet – 2012-10-23T02:25:42.283

I disagree. The way I understand the question, the OP wants to overwrite a string of text with spaces, by using overtype mode. Since Nodepad in insert-only, pressing the spacebar simply inserts additional spaces at the current location without removing existing text, which he doesn't want. Simply deleting the text, as this answer suggests, is a workaround at best, because then the spaces that he wants the text to be replaced with still have to be typed manually. – Indrek – 2012-10-23T10:20:17.043

My intention was as Indrek described. Sorry I did not express my intention clearly. – Mark Miller – 2012-10-23T17:47:37.277