Computer Bytes - No. 9 Are there short-cuts for using the computer keyboard? Yes, there are combinations of key strokes to make using the key board easier for some functions such as copying, pasting, deleting, and - my favorite - undoing your last action. To copy selected text: 1) hold down the left mouse button until the desired area of text is highlighted. 2) Release the left mouse button, the highlighted text will remain highlighted. 3) Now at the same time hold down the 'Control' (Ctrl) key and hit the letter 'C' key. This will copy the highlighted area. (If you want to copy an entire page, hold down the 'Control' key and hit the letter 'A' key.) Click the left mouse button again to return the highlighted text to normal. You can paste your copied text elsewhere in the same open document or to a different file or document. To paste to another file or document, minimize your original page by clicking on the 'hyphen' in the upper right corner of the screen. You can then open the program, file, email or page where you want to paste the copied text. In each case, place the cursor where you want the copied text to begin. Hold down the 'Control' key and hit the letter 'V' key. Your copied text will appear. Another helpful bit of information to know is how to search a page. When searching a page for a particular piece of information, you do not need to read the whole page. You can search for a specific word, telephone number or any other string of text easily. To do this hold down the 'Control' key and hit the 'F' key. A box will pop up on your screen, type in your search string and click 'Find Next'. If the word, telephone number or whatever else you may be looking for is on that page it will be highlighted. You can do multiple searches on any page for the same search string by continuing to click 'Find Next'. If you want to go to an earlier highlighted segment on that page, click 'Previous' - this will take you back. This method of searching works inside a document as well as on the Internet. The use of the 'Control' key in conjunction with different key strokes allows you to accomplish several actions. The most common uses are: 'Control' + C to Copy ; 'Control' + V to Paste; 'Control' + A to Select All; 'Control' + X to Delete/Cut; 'Control' + Z to Undo Last Action; 'Control' + P to Print; and 'Control' + F to Find/Search. Moncrief Web2 Home Page Moncrief Web Design Computer Bytes Index Web Design | Search Engine Optimization | Site Maintenance & Management | Request Information | About Us ~ Sample Sites Send Us an Email | Home Page Copyright 2007 MWD. All rights reserved. Computer Bytes articles may not be reprinted, published, quoted, copied, or used in any manner whatsoever without the expressed written permission of David Moncrief.