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Topic: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box (Read 6151 times) previous topic - next topic

scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

I always find it very difficult to copy a small section of text lyrics in the middle of a long line of lyrics, from the lyric box.  If you try to just hardly tap the edge of the lyric box to highlight only a couple more words, it goes alway to the end of the box.  It's possible to get the section desired highlighted but it takes much trial and error.  I can get by without any special technic but such a one would be nice.  Any suggestions?

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #1 –
Interesting problem, I never noticed it before, but I see it now.

I'd suggest just copy the whole line (or indeed the whole set of lyrics) into Notepad or some basic word processor, delete what you don't want, and copy the good bit back to the lyric editor.

It will add a moment or two to your working time, but save a lot of frustration.

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #2 –
Here is another method that is very easy:

1)  Open the lyric box.

2)  Click just to the LEFT of the beginning of the lyric segment that you want to copy.  The insertion point will appear at that point.

3)  Scroll to the end of the lyric segment that you want to copy.  Hold down the SHIFT key and, while holding it down, click just to the RIGHT of the end of the segment.  The desired segment will be highlighted in its entirety.

4)  Hold down the "CTRL" key and, while holding it down, press the letter "C".  The segment will be copied.

You can now paste it where you wish.

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #3 –
I probably need to clarify a tad:

In step 3, use the "scroll direction arrows" on the bottom of the scroll box to do the scrolling.

Note that you should not click anywhere inside of the lyric box after clicking on the beginning point UNTIL you have scrolled to the end point AND UNTIL you are also holding down the SHIFT key.  Only while holding down the "Shift" key should you click on the end point.

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #4 –
It is a problem I never noticed before, and I still do not see it.
Maybe it is because I do not like the horizontal scrollbar, so I
always split my lyric lines. It gives a far better overview of the text , too.

But I joined a few lines, to see what happens, and I have no problem highlighting small sections of text. What am I doing 'wrong' ?

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #5 –
I believe the problem under discussion to be this:

Assume that you have a long lyric line, one that carries past the right-hand edge of the lyric box.

Now, attempt to copy a lyric segment beginning very near the right hand edge of the lyric box by "clicking" and "dragging" to get a highlighted segment that ends a bit past the edge.

You will find that the highlighted area scrolls extremely fast and it is nearly impossible to stop the highlighting process at exactly the point that you wish.

I, for one, encountered this problem frequently.  I solved the problem using David's method until I worked out the highlighting/copying process I described above.

Note that I use IE Explorer and encounter the problem of much too rapid highlighting/copying at many other places, including trying to copy text from web pages.  I find that the "click and drag" method of selecting segments of text that exceed the boundaries of the "box" is almost unusable because of the rapid/fast scrolling.  I always resort to one of the two methods described above to highlight/copy text segments that are larger than the "box".

If this is NOT the problem then, perhaps, I am trying to describe a solution to a problem specific to myself and/or my equipment and that others do have.

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #6 –
Stop using the damn mouse!
Use only the keyboard and you won't have that problem.
You also won't have that Repetitive Stress Injury thing.

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #7 –
OK, I understand the problem now. I agree: avoid the mouse like the plague (yesterday, I saw a mousetrap behind a door, and a mouse had been caught in it. An IBM mouse, with its tail cut to a few inches... With a carving knife?)
and use the cursor keys. Learn to use Ctrl for fast moving, and I mean lightning, and say goodbye to RSI and to text selection problems.

F'rinstance: if I want to select ''been caught" in my own text, I use CursorUp, and a few CursorLefts, or Ctrl-CursorLeft when I get impatient; now I type CtrlShift CursorRight twice to get the old Hey Presto! feeling.

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #8 –
Yeah, debo, that was indeed the problem; the fast scrolling thing. I never knew there was a key board function for doing that although I was sure there had to be something but I just didn't know what, because it seemed like a simple feature that wouldn't be too hard to add to a software program. thanks

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #9 –
This "fast scrolling" thing is one of my pet peeves regarding Microsoft products.  WORD, in particular, is awful in this respect. One really must have some "work-around"  if you wish to highlight/copy text segments past the end of a screen when using WORD.

With regard to using a "mouse" with NWC, I use my computer many hours each day and, because of space constraints and because of the repetitive stress problem, I do not use a standard mouse.  Rather, I find that using a combination of a "Logitech Trackman Marble" and the keyboard to be the most preferable method for me.  I use these interchangeably, depending on what I am doing.

I have learned to use the Trackman equally well with either hand and this reduces the repetitive stress problem a great deal.  The Trackman has the added advantages of taking up very little space (its "footprint" is about the size of my hand) and of working anywhere--in my lap or resting on my leg or whatever.  Being able to move the "rollerball" to almost any position/place of convenience also reduces the repetitive stress problem for me. The Trackman is also MUCH easier to clean and requires cleaning only about 5% as often as a regular mouse.

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #10 –
In Word, if your cursor is in a certain spot on a line of text, just pressing shift-end will highlight from that spot to the end of the line, even though it's past the end of the screen.  The same thing works on a staff in nwc.

If you want to highlight your insertion point to the same position on a different line, just press shift and the up or down arrow simultaneously.

Re the mouse thing, I am pretty keyboard-oriented but I do a fair amount of mousing.  I've got a cordless optical wheel mouse - no cleaning, no need for a mouse pad, no chord to provide that small amount of resistance that contributes so much to finger fatigue.  The only problem I find with it is that I have to change the batteries every month or two, but they're cheap.

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #11 –
Looks to me like this old dog can still learn new tricks.

Yours is a great tip, David, and it works like a charm.  Thanks!

I continue to be amazed at the things I learn from this forum.  Many of the things/tips that I learned here have helped me with problems I've encountered with NWC and with programs other than NWC.
 

Re: scrolling with highlighted text in the lyric box

Reply #12 –
Pleased to be of service... I forgot to indicate the up/down arrow thing applies to Word, and probably works in the lyric editor, but it definitely will not work on a staff.