# Text Editor Tasks

## Opening and Saving Documents

1. - ToCreateANewDocument

   - ToOpenAnExistingDocument

   - ToSaveADocumentToTheCurrentFile

   - ToSaveADocumentToANewFile

   - ToRecoverAFile

   - ToCloseTextEditor

## Entering and Editing Text

1. - ToEnterText

   - ToSetWrapToFit

   - ToDisplayTheStatusLine

   - ToSetOverStrikeMode

   - ToScrollADocument

   - ToGoToASpecificLineNumber

   - ToInsertSpecialCharacters

   - ToSelectText

   - ToDeleteText

   - ToClearText

   - ToUndoAnEdit

   - ToCopyText

   - ToMoveText

   - ToDragAndDropData

   - ToFindOrChangeText

   - ToCheckSpelling

   - ToIncludeAFile

## Formatting and Printing Documents

1. - ToFormatADocument

   - ToPrintADocument

   These instructions assume that you are using a mouse. Most tasks can also be done without a mouse. See Keyboard Shortcuts for the Desktop for more information.

## See Also

1. - TableOfContents

## To Create a New Document

1. Click the Text Editor control in the Front Panel to open a new document.

2. Start typing your text. To begin a new line, press Return.

   To automatically break lines at the edge of the window instead of typing line returns, see ToSetWrapToFit.

   &sigspace;

   A new document is automatically named UNTITLED. When you save your work, you can provide a new document name.

## See Also

1. - To Start Text Editor

   - ToSetWrapToFit

   - ToEnterText

   - ToSaveADocumentToANewFile

## To Open an Existing Document

You can use Text Editor or File Manager to open a document you have created.

&sigspace; To open an existing document from Text Editor:

1. Choose Open from the File menu.

   The Open a File dialog box lists files and folders on your system. You can browse the documents listed, or change to a new folder to locate other files on your system.

2. Select the document you want to open in the Files list or type the file name in the Enter file name field.

   If the document is not in the current folder, first change to the folder that contains your document. Then choose a name in the Folders list or type the path name of the folder you wish to view in the Enter path or folder name field.

3. Press Return or click OK.

&sigspace;

To open an existing document from File Manager:

1. Display the document's file icon in a File Manager window.

2. Do one of the following:

   - Double-click the document's file icon.

   - Select the document, then choose Open from the Selected menu.

   - Drag the document to the Text Editor control in the Front Panel.

## See Also

1. - ToSaveADocumentToTheCurrentFile

   - openDialog

   - ToEnterText

   - TableOfContents

## To Save a Document to a New File

1. Choose Save As from the File menu.

   The Save As dialog box is displayed.

   &sigspace;

   If you used Wrap To Fit, choose whether you want to add newline characters (hard carriage returns) to the end of wrapped lines. If you do not add newline characters, the line endings remain dynamic and will adjust to the width of the window when the document is reopened.

   If Wrap To Fit is not set (the default), this choice does not appear in the dialog box.

   &sigspace;

2. Type a new file name in the Enter file name field to store the document in your current folder.

   To store your document in a different location, do one of the following:

   - To save your document in a subfolder, select the folder from the Folders list, and press Return or click Update. Then type a file name in the Enter file name field.

   - To save your document in a different folder than your home folder, type the folder name in the Enter path or folder name field. Then provide a file name in the Enter file name field.

     Or, type the complete path name of your document in the Enter file name field.

## See Also

1. - ToSetWrapToFit

   - ToSaveADocumentToTheCurrentFile

   - TableOfContents

## To Save a Document to the Current File

- Choose Save from the File menu to save your work and continue editing your document.

  If you used Wrap To Fit, choose whether you want to add newline characters (hard carriage returns) to the end of wrapped lines. If you do not add newline characters, the line endings remain dynamic and will adjust to the width of the window when the document is reopened.&newline;Click Yes to save your changes and close the dialog box.

  If Wrap To Fit is off (the default), the Save dialog box is not displayed.

## See Also

1. - ToSetWrapToFit

   - ToSaveADocumentToANewFile

   - TableOfContents

## To Recover a File

If Text Editor is interrupted due to a system error, it attempts to save your document in a recovery file in your current folder. The recovery file is named #filename#, where filename is the name of the document. If you had never saved your file, the recovery file name is `#UNTITLED#`.

1. Start Text Editor.

2. Open the recovery file.

3. Save the document using your original file name or provide a new name for a previously unsaved document.

## See Also

1. - To Open Text Editor

   - ToSaveADocumentToANewFile

   - ToSaveADocumentToTheCurrentFile

   - TableOfContents

## To Close Text Editor

1. Save your open document (if necessary).

2. Choose Close from the File menu or press Alt+F4.

If your keyboard does not have an Alt key, ask your system administrator to identify the corresponding key.

## See Also

1. - ToSaveADocumentToANewFile

   - ToSaveADocumentToTheCurrentFile

   - TableOfContents

## To Enter Text

1. Click in the document and start typing.

   The cursor, an I-bar, indicates where characters will be inserted as you type.

2. To start a new line, press Return.

   Or, you can use Wrap To Fit to automatically wrap lines to fit the width of the window. As you type, lines break once the text reaches the edge of the window. To turn Wrap To Fit on, see To Set Wrap To Fit.

3. To start a paragraph, press Return twice.

   To create a paragraph indent, press the Tab key or type spaces to indent your text. Subsequent lines will use the indented style.

   See EditingAndCursorKeys for a description of the keys you can use while typing and editing your document.

## See Also

1. - EditingAndCursorKeys

   - ToScrollADocument

   - ToSelectText

   - ToDisplayTheStatusLine

   - ToSetOverstrikeMode

   - ToInsertSpecialCharacters

   - ToSetWrapToFit

   - TableOfContents

### To Set Wrap To Fit

Use Wrap To Fit to automatically wrap lines at the edge of the window. Line endings inserted by Wrap To Fit are dynamic. Resizing the Text Editor window will cause the text to conform to the new size.

- To set Wrap To Fit on, choose Wrap To Fit from the Options menu.&newline;To set it off, choose Wrap To Fit again.

&sigspace;

If you use Wrap To Fit, it affects how you save your document (see ToSaveADocumentToANewFile or ToSaveADocumentToTheCurrentFile).

&sigspace;

### See Also

1. - ToSaveADocumentToANewFile

   - ToSaveADocumentToTheCurrentFile

   - ToEnterText

   - TableOfContents

### To Display the Status Line

The status line reports the line number where the insertion cursor is located and the total number of lines in a document. It also displays Text Editor messages and indicates whether Overstrike mode is active.

- To display the status line, choose Status Line from the Options menu. To remove the status line, choose Status Line again from the menu.

### See Also

1. - ToGoToASpecificLineNumber

   - ToSetOverstrikeMode

   - ToEnterText

   - TableOfContents

### To Set Overstrike Mode

As you type, new characters are inserted. If you want to type over existing characters, change to Overstrike mode.

- To set Overstrike mode, choose Overstrike from the Options menu. To return to Insert mode, choose Overstrike again from the menu.

  Or, use the Insert key to change between Insert and Overstrike mode.

The status line reports when Overstrike mode is active (see ToDisplayTheStatusLine).

&sigspace;

### See Also

1. - ToSelectText

   - ToDisplayTheStatusLine

   - ToEnterText

   - TableOfContents

### To Scroll a Document

Use the mouse or keyboard scrolling keys to display a long document.

### Mouse

1. - Drag the vertical scroll bar to view additional text. Use the horizontal scroll bar to view long lines of text.

### Keyboard

1. Key

2. Scroll Movement

Page Up

- Up one page

Page Down

- Down one page

Control+Page Up

- Left one page

Control+Page Down&sigspace;

- Right one page

Control+Home

- Beginning of the document

End

- End of document

Control+G

- Go to a specified line number

Some key combinations may be different for the system you are using. If so, ask your system administrator to identify the corresponding keys.

&sigspace;

### See Also

1. - ToEnterText

   - TableOfContents

### To Go to a Specific Line Number

1. Display the status line (see ToDisplayTheStatusLine).

2. Press Control+G or click in the Line field of the status line.

3. Type the line number you want to go to and press Return.

### See Also

1. - ToDisplayTheStatusLine

   - ToEnterText

   - TableOfContents

### To Insert Special Characters

Some key combinations used to insert special characters may be reserved by Text Editor. For example, a Text Editor mnemonic for displaying a menu might conflict with a key sequence used on your system to produce a special character.

To insert the character you may need to override the reserved behavior by preceding the key combination with Control+Q.

### See Also

1. - Alt key

   - ToEnterText

   - TableOfContents

## To Select Text

Before using edit commands (such as cut and copy) first select the text you want to change.

## To select by clicking:

1. Word

2. Double-click the word

Line

- Triple-click the line

All text

- Quadruple-click anywhere in the document

Deselect text

- Click any empty area in the window

## To select a text block:

1. 1. Click at the beginning of the text block.

   2. Press and hold mouse button 1 and drag to the end of the text block.

      To modify a selection you have made, press and hold the Shift key and mouse button 1. Then drag forward or backward to adjust the amount of selected text. Or, press and hold Shift and one of the arrow keys to change the selection.

## To select and replace text using secondary selection:

1. 1. Select the text that you want to replace.&newline;

   2. Move the pointer to the beginning of the text you want in your second selection. Hold down the Alt key and mouse button 2, and drag to the end of the text you want to select.

      The text is underlined.

   3. Release the Alt key and mouse button.

      The underlined text overwrites your first selection.

   See KeyboardSelection for ways to select text using the keyboard.

   &sigspace;

## See Also

1. - KeyboardSelection

   - ToDeleteText

   - ToMoveText

   - ToClearText

   - ToDragAndDropData

   - TableOfContents

### To Select Text Using the Keyboard

You can use the keyboard to select text in these ways:

Text block

- Move the cursor to the beginning of the text block. Hold down Shift and one of the arrow keys to move the cursor to the end of the text you want to select.

Cursor to beginning of line&sigspace;

- Shift+Home

Cursor to end of line

- Shift+End

Cursor to beginning of paragraph

- Shift+Control+Up Arrow

Cursor to end of paragraph

- Shift+Control+Down Arrow

Cursor to beginning of document

- Shift+Control+Home

Cursor to end of document

- Shift+Control+End

All text

- Shift+Control+/

Deselect text

- Shift+Control+\

### See Also

1. - ToSelectText

   - TableOfContents

## To Delete Text

The Delete command erases text but does not store the data on the clipboard. Delete is useful if you want to remove text but not overwrite data previously stored on the clipboard using the cut or copy commands.

1. Select the text.

2. Choose Delete from the Edit menu or press the Delete key.

## See Also

1. - ToSelectText

   - ToUndoAnEdit

   - TableOfContents

## To Clear Text

The Clear command replaces a block of text with spaces.

1. Select the text to be cleared.

2. Choose Clear from the Edit menu.

## See Also

1. - ToSelectText

   - ToUndoAnEdit

   - TableOfContents

## To Undo An Edit

Undo reverses the last cut, copy, paste, clear, delete, include, or format command.

- Choose Undo from the Edit menu or press Control+Z.

## See Also

1. - ToEnterText

   - TableOfContents

## To Copy Text

1. Select the text to copy.

2. Choose Copy from the Edit menu or press Control+C.

   The text is stored on a clipboard where it can be accessed or replaced by other applications.

3. Click where you want to insert the text.

4. Choose Paste from the Edit menu or press Control+V.

Use this shortcut to copy a word or phrase: Select the text, move the pointer to where you want to insert the text, and click mouse button 2. This is a quick way to copy text into a dialog box.

## See Also

1. - ToSelectText

   - ToMoveText

   - ToDragandDropData

   - TableOfContents

## To Move Text (Cut and Paste)

1. Select the text.

2. Choose Cut from the Edit menu or press Control+X.

   The text is erased and stored on a clipboard where it can be accessed or replaced by other applications.

3. Click where you want to insert the text.

4. Choose Paste from the Edit menu or press Control+V.

## See Also

1. - ToSelectText

   - ToCopyText

   - ToDragAndDropData

   - TableOfContents

## To Drag and Drop Data

You can use drag and drop to copy or move text in a document or to transfer text between desktop applications.

## To Copy Text:

1. 1. Select the text that you want to copy.

   2. With the pointer over the selection, press and hold Control and mouse button 1 and drag to where you want to insert the text.

   3. Release the mouse button.

      The text is inserted relative to the position of the drag icon.

## To Move Text:

1. 1. Select the text that you want to move.

   2. With the pointer over the selection, press and hold Shift and mouse button 1 and drag to where you want to insert the text.

   3. Release the mouse button.

      The text is inserted relative to the position of the drag icon.

   For instructions to drag and drop a file icon, see ToIncludeAFile.

## See Also

1. - ToSelectText

   - ToCopyText

   - ToMoveText

   - ToIncludeAFile

   - TableOfContents

## To Find or Change Text

## To Find Text:

1. 1. Choose Find/Change from the Edit menu.

   2. Type the text you are looking for into the Find field.

      Searches are case sensitive. To find all occurrences, search for both lowercase and uppercase instances.

   3. Click Find or press Return to locate the next occurrence of the text.

      The Find command starts from the position of the insertion cursor and proceeds through the entire document.

   4. To find additional occurrences, choose Find or press Return.

   &sigspace;

## To Find and Change Text:

1. 1. Type the text to locate in the Find field.

      Searches are case sensitive. To find all occurrences, search for both lowercase and uppercase instances.

   2. Type the replacement text in the Change To field.

      To delete a word or phrase, leave the Change To field blank.

   3. Click Find or press Return to locate the first occurrence of the text.

      The Find command starts from the position of the insertion cursor and proceeds through the entire document.

   4. Click Change to replace a single occurrence.

   5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to replace additional occurrences.

      Or, click Change All to replace all occurrences.&newline;(Undo is not available for Change All.)

   6. Click Close when you are done.

## See Also

1. - TableOfContents

## To Check Spelling

1. Choose Check Spelling from the Edit menu.

   The Spell dialog box lists misspelled or unrecognized words.

2. Select the word you want to correct in the Misspelled Word list.

3. Type the correct word into the Change To field.

4. Click Find or press Return to locate the first occurrence.

5. Click Change to replace a single occurrence.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to visit each occurrence.

   Or, click Change All to replace all occurrences.&newline;(Undo is not available for Change All.)

7. Repeat steps 2 - 5 to correct other words.

8. Click Close when you are done.

The Spell dialog box is only available for English.

## See Also

1. - ToEnterText

   - TableOfContents

## To Include a File

You can insert a text file into your document using a menu command or by dragging a file from File Manager.

## To use a menu command:

1. 1. Position the cursor where you want to insert the document.

   2. Choose Include from the File menu.

      The Include a File dialog box lists files and folders on your system. You can insert a file from the current folder, a subfolder, or a different folder.

   3. Select a document to include in one of these ways:

      - To include a file from the current folder, select the file name in the Files list and press Return.

      - To include a file from a subfolder, double-click the folder name in the Folders list, then select the file name and press Return.

      - To locate a file in a different folder, type the path name of the folder in the Enter path or folder name field and press Return. Then select the file name and press Return.

        Or, you can type the complete path name of the document in the Enter file name field.

## To drag a file from File Manager:

1. 1. Click in the document where you want the file inserted.

   2. Open a File Manager window and locate the file that you want to include.

   3. Hold down mouse button 1 and drag the file's icon from File Manager to the Text Editor document.

   4. Release the mouse button.

## See Also

1. - ToEnterText

   - TableOfContents

## To Format a Document

When you finish editing your document, format it by setting margins and paragraph alignment.

1. Choose Settings from the Format menu.

2. Enter new left and right margins, if desired.

   The default left margin is 0 and the right margin is dynamically set to the width of the window. Margins are specified as the number of character columns.

3. Select right, left, justify (block style), or center alignment.

   Left-aligned text is the default setting.

4. Do one of the following:

   - To format a single paragraph, place the cursor in the paragraph, then click Paragraph.

   - To format the entire document, click All.

5. Click Close when you are done.

6. To reapply format settings after closing the dialog box, choose Paragraph or All from the Format menu.

## See Also

1. - ToEnterText

   - TableOfContents

## To Print a Document

## To print an open document with default options:

1. 1. Open the document in Text Editor.

   2. Choose Print from the File menu.

## To print an open document with specific options:

1. 1. Open the document in Text Editor.

   2. Choose Print... from the File menu or press Control+P.

      The Print dialog box appears.

      - To select a different printer, type the new printer name in the Printer Name field.

      - To output multiple copies, type the number of copies in the Copies field.

      - To print to a file, click the Print to File checkbox and type the path and filename for the file.

      - To have long lines wrap to fit the page size, click the Use Word Wrap checkbox.

      - To set the margins for the printed output, type the desired values in the Top, Left, Right, and Bottom fields. You can specify margin values in inches (in), centimeters (cm), or pixels (pi). The default value for all margins is one inch. If no unit value is specified, pixels are used.

        Your margin settings remain in effect until you change them. They are used when you print with default options.

      - To include headers and/or footers on the printed output, choose the type of information you want for Top Left, Bottom Left, Top Right, and/or Bottom Right. For each position, you can select:

        - `Date`, to display the current date.

        - `Document Name`, to display the name of the document being printed.

        - `Page Number`, to display page numbers.

        - `User Name`, to display your user name.

        - `None`, to display nothing.

        The following defaults are used:

        - `Top Left`—None

        - `Top Right`—Document Name

        - `Bottom Left`—None

        - `Bottom Right`—Page Number

        Your header and footer settings remain in effect until you change them. They are used when you print with default options.

   3. To set printer-specific options, click the Setup... button on the Print dialog box. The Print Setup window appears. From this window, you can examine printer information and define both Printer and Job options. See Print Setup Window for more information.

   4. To send the open document to the printer from the Print dialog box, click Print.

## To print a closed document:

1. 1. Display the document's file icon in File Manager.

   2. Drag the file icon to the Front Panel Printer control.

   3. Optional.&newline;Enter printing options.

   4. Click Print in the Print dialog box.

## See Also

1. - ToDragAndDropData

   - ToFormatADocument

   - TableOfContents

   These instructions assume that you are using a mouse. Most tasks can also be done without a mouse. See Keyboard Shortcuts for the Desktop for more information.