how to stop highlighting whole words in windows

[mjquilly]

When you're highlighting text (with the mouse), you know how a word you are highlighting will get entirely highlighted before you run the mouse all the way across it? how can i stop that? i want to only select the text i actually select. i couldn't find anything in the mouse controlpanel

 

[ojai00]

You can place the cursor in front of the word and then hold SHIFT and then use the arrow keys. You can also use the mouse to get as close as you can, let go, hold SHIFT and then use the arrow keys. Hope this helps

 

[mjquilly]

Originally posted by: ojai00
You can place the cursor in front of the word and then hold SHIFT and then use the arrow keys. You can also use the mouse to get as close as you can, let go, hold SHIFT and then use the arrow keys. Hope this helps

not really, but thanks for trying. i don't want to have to use arrows, just the mouse. anyway, you can't use the arrow keys on non-editable text anyway.

 

[PrincessGuard]

Drag the mouse forward until it highlights the whole word, then drag it backwards to the space after the word, then forward again.

 

[mjquilly]

Originally posted by: PrincessGuard
Drag the mouse forward until it highlights the whole word, then drag it backwards to the space after the word, then forward again.

that's closer, but still not quite what i need. Notice, if you start to highlight in the middle of a word, and go on to highlight more than one word, that first word becomes compeltely highlighted even if you didn't select it all.

 

[prosaic]

Start by holding down the left mouse button in the middle of the word, drag forward, then drag back past the starting point, then back to the right to where you want to end. That technique enables me to start marking in the middle of a word on uneditable text.

- prosaic

 

[Smilin]

Word1 ABCDEF Word2

If you want to highlight "Word1 ABC" above do this:

Start from the left of "Word1" and drag to the right until you hit "Word2" then drag back to the left until you get between the C and the D.


Tada!

 

[mjquilly]

Originally posted by: prosaic
Start by holding down the left mouse button in the middle of the word, drag forward, then drag back past the starting point, then back to the right to where you want to end. That technique enables me to start marking in the middle of a word on uneditable text.

- prosaic

that doesn't let me end in the middle of a word

 

[mjquilly]

Originally posted by: Smilin
Word1 ABCDEF Word2

If you want to highlight "Word1 ABC" above do this:

Start from the left of "Word1" and drag to the right until you hit "Word2" then drag back to the left until you get between the C and the D.


Tada!

but how would I highlight "rd1 ABC"? and I'd prefer to change a setting somewhere for this, not "click here, drag there, drag back there, reboot the pc, click again, triple click..." sorry if I sound ungreatful for your replies.

 

[prosaic]

I answered how to go from the middle of one word and then include subsequent words. Another person indicated how to start with whole words and end with partial words. Now you want to start in the middle of one word and end in the middle of another. You're so ruthless! 😉

You could open an instance of notepad, paste a from a clipboard copy that contains more than you need and then get what you need from the notepad instance. That's what I'd do in the very unlikely case that I needed to start in the middle of one word and end in the middle of another. Or I'd just edit the pasted text in the target application. I guess it just hasn't been much of a problem for me so far, and I do a lot of cutting and pasting.

I hate to say this, but I actually do think that I remember seeing a setting SOMEWHERE for this. Don't want to feed any false hopes. I'll be back if I find anything.

- prosaic

 

[johnlog]

I do not think he knows what he wants to do and is just trying to make noises. The two suggestions work perfectly.

What he should do is go to a school that teaches Windows OS training and learn how to reprogram Windows to do exactly the way he wants it done. Might even be a shareware out there he could use. Extra steps to do what is already so simple is counter productuve. :disgust:

 

[Yomicron]

Originally posted by: johnlog
I do not think he knows what he wants to do and is just trying to make noises. The two suggestions work perfectly.

I agree, I'm not having any problems selecting parts of words.

I don't think there is a global setting for this, because the auto whole word highlighting is program specific. It is presesnt in IE and MS Office, but Notepad, Mozilla, OpenOffice, et al. don't do this.

 

[RazeOrc]

You might want to check out a site called annoyances.org, it's got every imaginable windows annnoyance/bug ever, with feedback as to what users tried to fix the problem, pretty good search engine for the site too

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: mjquilly

Originally posted by: Smilin
Word1 ABCDEF Word2

If you want to highlight "Word1 ABC" above do this:

Start from the left of "Word1" and drag to the right until you hit "Word2" then drag back to the left until you get between the C and the D.


Tada!

but how would I highlight "rd1 ABC"? and I'd prefer to change a setting somewhere for this, not "click here, drag there, drag back there, reboot the pc, click again, triple click..." sorry if I sound ungreatful for your replies.

Place your mouse between the 'o' and the 'r', drag left to the beginning of the 'word1' then drag right until you go past the 2 then go back until you are between the 'C' and the 'D'. You can figure this all out with just a little bit of experimentation instead of allowing an entire thread to form around your problem.

There is no setting that I'm aware of that will just fix this so take it or leave it.

 

[prosaic]

/tries technique

I love it when it all works out in the end!

/smacks self in head for not having tried for just a little longer

/reminds self that there had never been a need to highlight from middle of one word to middle of another in own experience

/smiles because originator of thread has an answer

- prosaic

 

[Smilin]

/emotes self to death

🙂

 

[mjquilly]

Originally posted by: RazeOrc
You might want to check out a site called annoyances.org, it's got every imaginable windows annnoyance/bug ever, with feedback as to what users tried to fix the problem, pretty good search engine for the site too

Thank you, I will check that site out.

 

[mjquilly]

Originally posted by: Smilin

Originally posted by: mjquilly

Originally posted by: Smilin
Word1 ABCDEF Word2

If you want to highlight "Word1 ABC" above do this:

Start from the left of "Word1" and drag to the right until you hit "Word2" then drag back to the left until you get between the C and the D.


Tada!

but how would I highlight "rd1 ABC"? and I'd prefer to change a setting somewhere for this, not "click here, drag there, drag back there, reboot the pc, click again, triple click..." sorry if I sound ungreatful for your replies.

Place your mouse between the 'o' and the 'r', drag left to the beginning of the 'word1' then drag right until you go past the 2 then go back until you are between the 'C' and the 'D'. You can figure this all out with just a little bit of experimentation instead of allowing an entire thread to form around your problem.

There is no setting that I'm aware of that will just fix this so take it or leave it.

dooood, I appreciate your replies, honestly. and yes, that does work, thanks!. I was hoping to find an option to turn of somewhere that would do the trick, since I have to do this constantly at work. It's no big deal if you only have to do it once, but over and over again, it gets annoying.

 

[mjquilly]

Originally posted by: johnlogI do not think he knows what he wants to do and is just trying to make noises.

bite me

The two suggestions work perfectly.

no, they didn't. did you happen to read the thread? the reply 3 below you worked.

What he should do is go to a school that teaches Windows OS training and learn how to reprogram Windows to do exactly the way he wants it done.

reprogram windows eh? good idea. yep, i'll just go get a job out at redmond so i can get my hands on the source code, then i'll be able to do fix it! great solution!

:disgust:

:disgust::disgust: