Rearranging Text

Text can be rearranged within a document by using either the “cut/copy/paste” approach or by using “drag-and-drop” editing.

Cut, Copy, and Paste

Cut

Makes a copy of the selected text, places the copy on the clipboard, deletes the original
Ctrl + X (Windows), Cmd + X (Macintosh) or Edit Cut (either), or clickon the toolbar (either, although the scissors looks a little different in Word 2001!)

Copy

Makes a copy of the selected text, places the copy on the clipboard, leaves the original as is
Ctrl + C (Windows), Cmd + C (Macintosh) or Edit Copy (either), or clickon the toolbar (either)

Paste

Inserts a copy of whatever is on the clipboard at the position of the Insertion Point cursor
Ctrl + V (Windows), Cmd + V (Macintosh) or Edit Paste (either), or clickon the toolbar (either)

The result of a Cut/Paste is that a block of text is moved

The result of a Copy/Paste is that a block of text is duplicated

Multiple Pastes in Office 97, 98, and 2001

Whenever a block of text has been cut or copied, Microsoft Word will “remember” it, that is, it will remain on the clipboard. Thus, you can paste the same block of text repeatedly in the same document by simply repositioning the insertion point and executing the Paste command. The clipboard can only hold one cut/copied block of text at a time. A subsequent cut/copy will erase any previous text stored on the clipboard.

Multiple Pastes Office 2000

Word 2000 permits you to collect and paste multiple items. In other words, the clipboard can hold more than one cut/copied block of text. (This is true of any program in Office 2000). This is referred to as “collecting and pasting”.

Collecting:

if you wish, display the Clipboard toolbar by choosing View Toolbars Clipboard
select an item you want to copy then do one of the following:
- on the Clipboard toolbar, click [Copy]
- or choose Edit Copy
repeat copying until you have collected all the items (up to 12) you want

Pasting:

display the Clipboard toolbar by choosing View Toolbars Clipboard
position the cursor where you want to paste
now you may either
- if you want to paste all the items at this location
  - click [Paste All] on the Clipboard toolbar
- if instead you want to only paste one or two items at that location
  - click on the specific item(s)
  - reposition the cursor
  - click on the specific items(s)
note that the picture of the items tells you the file type of the item
when you point to an item, a mini-popup will tell you the first word(s) of the item

Drag-and-Drop Editing

To move text (equivalent to Cut/Paste)

position the mouse pointer anywhere over selected text
when the mouse pointer changes to an arrow pointing northwest
- Macintosh: press the mouse button
- Windows: press the left mouse button
“drag” the block of text
- note the appearance of a gray rectangular outline on the mouse pointer as you drag
- follow the vertical gray line to determine where the text will be “dropped”
release the mouse button when you reach the desired, new location

To copy text (equivalent to Copy/Paste)

position the mouse pointer anywhere over selected text
when the mouse pointer changes to an arrow pointing northwest
- Macintosh: hold down the <OPTION> key and press the mouse button
- Windows: hold down the <Ctrl> key and press the left mouse button
“drag” a copy of the block of text
- note the appearance of a gray rectangular outline and a + symbol on the mouse pointer as you drag
- follow the vertical gray line to determine where the text will be “dropped”
release the key and mouse button when you reach the desired, new location