Control of the CURSOR in Textpad?

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Thu May 15, 2003 3:03 pm

Hi Everyone,

This has been bothering me for a long time, and I searched the forums but came up empty:

Textpad has a unique way of "remembering" my cursor position as I advance through a document. I would like to DISABLE this feature if possible? It is just simply driving me nuts

and the reason is that none of my other programs have this "sticky" cursor feature, so it slows down my typing.

It doesn't become apparent until, over some period of time, you realize that it's like hitting a speed bump every time you edit a document. Ironically -- because I know the feature is intended to speed up one's work. Either I'm too old to change my typing patterns (no comment) or I just can't get comfortable with this.

Can I get the cursor to function like an old-fashioned Notepad style? Thanks everybody.

Skye-a-Watha

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Thu May 15, 2003 3:55 pm

Have you tried your default settings for indentation?

From the TextPad Menu bar:
Configure, Preferences, Left click on the plus sign next to Document Classes, Left click on Default within Document Classes, Remove the check mark from Maintain Indentation, Click on Apply, Click on OK. Close and reopen TextPad.

Hope this helps......Is that better?

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Fri May 16, 2003 2:14 pm

Hi Bob, I had tried that ages ago actually heh. It obviously doesn't work.

I'm going to experiment with something else because this is now becoming irritating beyond belief:
EDITOR\KEYSTROKE COMPATIBILITY\ -->Microsoft Applications

I have no idea if it will work, but I pray that Textpad has not hard coded this sticky cursor feature into the program because I won't be able to continue with it if I can't get rid of it. And that would break my heart. I love Textpad.

Another thing that has been screwing up my typing, related to this cursor issue, is hitting the HOME key and being delivered to the first character in a line that has been indented . . . when all I want to do is get to the bloody HOME position on the line! All this tricky cursor stuff is just driving me nuts. I wish someone from Textpad would reply to my post definitively and give me a verdict on this, one way or the other.

Skye

Post by **MudGuard** » Fri May 16, 2003 4:48 pm

I am not sure what your problem is - but have you tried to toggle

Configure - Preferences - Edit - Constrain Cursor to Text

?

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Sat May 17, 2003 12:57 pm

Andreas,

I've had the box checked all along. If you uncheck it, you'll see that the cursor can be sent into "deep space" (outside the bounds of your text) -- making the problem significantly worse!

Skye

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Sat May 17, 2003 2:58 pm

Hello Skye...

You've received a number of suggestions with no luck. Perhaps you could be more specific about your definition:

Textpad has a unique way of "remembering" my cursor position as I advance through a document.

Perhaps if we had a clear example explained we can be more successful? Provide an example of the text, layout, settings, etc.? What symptoms happen and when?

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Sun May 18, 2003 2:23 pm

Hi again Bob,

Yes, fair enough. But a shortcut to understanding my problem lies in the example I provided when I press the HOME key. Try this:

Open Notepad, TAB, type some text
On that same line, hit HOME
You land in the first cursor position of the line -- not at the first instance of a character.

Now try the same thing in Textpad.
You have to press HOME twice to get to position 1 (or what I would arguably submit is the only HOME on that line, tab or no tab).

It is Textpad's unique way of handling the ARROW and HOME keys of the keyboard that are driving me nuts, because they are dissimilar to every other program I work with.

I expect to land at a certain conventional position when I use the navigational keys on my keyboard; Textpad follows its own convention, and it causes me to make mistakes in my typing because of this uniqueness.

Try the Notepad example and I'll provide you with one that relates, actually, to the arrow keys in my next round of heavy editing.

Thanks,
Skye

Post by **MudGuard** » Sun May 18, 2003 2:50 pm

Record a macro

Home
Home

Save the macro and assign the key Home to it...

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Sun May 18, 2003 2:58 pm

MudGuard wrote:Record a macro

Home
Home

Save the macro and assign the key Home to it...

A bit too Draconian for my taste.

How about just giving me back my keyboard?

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Sun May 18, 2003 4:20 pm

Problem solved! Thanks for the example.

Open Notepad, TAB, type some text
On that same line, hit HOME
You land in the first cursor position of the line -- not at the first instance of a
character.

Now try the same thing in Textpad.
You have to press HOME twice to get to position 1 (or what I would arguably
submit is the only HOME on that line, tab or no tab).

I followed your instructions, and was able to see the problem.

I had never played with "Keystroke compatibility" but tried your test with all six options, and found that using TextPad2 option does not have that problem. I don't know what other differences there are, but your problem goes away!

I then found information in the Help section for the keyboard about "shortuts" for keys. Home defaults to first character, but can be changed by reassigning the shortcut to LineLeft.

I then found how to do this:

Preferences, Keyboard, under Categories, select Cursor. Under Commands, scroll down to LineStart and you will see that HOME is the current key. Highlight, Home, select Remove. Select LineLeft, put the cursor in the field for new shortcut key. Press the HOME key, and Assign it. You will now see that HOME is the key for what you want.

If you click on LIST, you will also get a document created with the keyboard shortcuts listed. Save and use for future reference.

I think choosing TextPad2 may be easier.

I know I just learned a lot that I did not understand before.

So rather than this being a "bug", this looks like TextPad has additional flexibility that allows you to define your own keyboard functions, simulate any other program.

Hope this helps.......good luck......

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Mon May 19, 2003 1:48 pm

Bob, let's hope that means that T2 will restore the arrow keys, as well. A giant leap forward, and -- again -- in my next big editing project I'll have a chance to testdrive the arrows properly.

It's so hard to describe what I'm talking about! I know I sound muddled, and it's because arrow navigation is something by now I do without thinking of what I'm doing. Ergo, I can't describe it until I place it into use editing enough text that I "begin" to notice that I'm typing smoothly again.

I'll report back with the results, as I imagine others will appreciate knowing how to restore their keyboards, as well. Thanks Bob.

Skye Girl