Non-contiguous items

  • Thread starter Thread starter Barry Karas
  • Start date Start date
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Barry Karas

6:06 PM 9/26/2007

How would I select/mark non-contiguous items?

Thank you,

Barry Karas

P.S. I use Windows XP with SP 2.
 
Thank you but the solution does not work:

1. I mark the first item.

2. I try to mark the second item -- holding down the control key.

3. Everything below the first marked item is marked.

4. How would I mark that just that second item?

Barry Karas
**********************************************************************************************
 
Barry said:
How would I select/mark non-contiguous items?
Click to expand...
Ctrl-click
Click to expand...

Barry said:
Thank you but the solution does not work:

1. I mark the first item.
2. I try to mark the second item --
holding down the control key. 3. Everything below the first marked
item is marked.
4. How would I mark that just that second item?
Click to expand...

If CTRL+Click is not working for you, it is usually a case of shakey mouse
syndrome. Try *not* using the mouse.

CTRL allows one to select objects at random.
SHIFT selects contiguous objects.
That is the way of Windows Explorer - has been for many versions.

With the mouse:
---------------------
To select more than one item such as 2 different paragraphs in Word, 4 cells
in Excel, 3 graphics in PowerPoint, or 10 files in Windows Explorer, choose
either [Shift] or [Ctrl]. The basic steps work in Microsoft Office, Windows
Explorer, and many other Windows programs.

To select a contiguous (touching) area use [Shift]:

1. Click once on the first item.
2. Press and hold [Shift].
3. Click on the last item that you want to highlight and everything in
between will also be selected.
4. Perform an action such as formatting.

To select non-contiguous (unrelated) items use [Ctrl]:

1. Click one on the first item.
2. Press and hold [Ctrl] and, click on each of the other items, press
[Ctrl] again to unselect.
3. Perform the action to finish working with the highlighted area.

A random Google find on the subject - with pictures:
http://www.pc-help-online.co.uk/libdoc.php?doc=50
(The last part of it shows you contiguous and non-contiguous selecting...)

Without the Mouse:
-------------------------

To select a contiguous (touching) area use [Shift]:

1. Select the first file in whatever way you are comfortable (click,
arrow to it and press the [Spacebar], etc.)
2. Press and hold down [Shift].
3. Use the arrow keys to move around and highlight the last file.
4. All items in between should be selected.

To select non-contiguous (unrelated) items use [Ctrl]:
1. Select the first file in whatever way you are comfortable (click,
arrow to it and press the [Spacebar], etc.)
2. Press and hold down [CTRL].
3. Use the arrow keys to move around and highlight the next file.
4. Press the [Spacebar].
5. Repeat until you have all the non-contiguous files you wish
highlighted.

More examples found with Google:
http://yrosenthal.com/ppt/windows/WindowsBasics-a.ppt
(Slides 11-16 of this powerpoint download...)
http://www.colorado.edu/Atconference/Cantor - Keyboard course, answers.htm
(Section 3.1)
http://www.emu.edu.tr/english/facil...slib/Microsoft Works 4.5 6-in-1/ch12/ch12.htm
http://www.geekgirls.com/windows_clicking.htm
('Selecting multiple items' and 'Multiple selection in Win 95')
(Yes - OLD article - but it shows CTRL and SHIFT have always worked in
this way in Explorer...)
 
Barry said:
Thank you but the solution does not work:

1. I mark the first item.

2. I try to mark the second item -- holding down the control key.

3. Everything below the first marked item is marked.

4. How would I mark that just that second item?

Barry Karas
**********************************************************************************************
Click to expand...

You can't select non-contiguous text anywhere, as far as I know.

An "item" is not a section of text within a post, or the like. An item
is a file within a folder, or a cell within a spreadsheet, plus similar
objects.

If you open Explore, click a file, then scroll down, press Ctrl as you
click another item both will be highlighted.

If you open Explore, press Ctrl/A to select all files in a folder in the
r-h pane, you can then press the Ctrl key as you click individual
highlighted items to toggle them to selected (highlighted) or not.

hth,
 
<snip>
You can't select non-contiguous text anywhere, as far as I know.

An "item" is not a section of text within a post, or the like. An
item is a file within a folder, or a cell within a spreadsheet,
plus similar objects.
Click to expand...
<snip>

Microsoft Office will allow you to select non-contiguous text and copy/paste
it.
 
Click on the first item (without the ctrl key) then before clicking the
second item press control key and click.
 
Doesn't work.

Barry Karas
*******************************************************************************************************
 
Barry said:
Doesn't work.
Click to expand...

If CTRL+Click is not working for you, it is usually a case of shakey mouse
syndrome. Try *not* using the mouse.

CTRL allows one to select objects at random.
SHIFT selects contiguous objects.
That is the way of Windows Explorer - has been for many versions.

With the mouse:
---------------------
To select more than one item such as 2 different paragraphs in Word, 4 cells
in Excel, 3 graphics in PowerPoint, or 10 files in Windows Explorer, choose
either [Shift] or [Ctrl]. The basic steps work in Microsoft Office, Windows
Explorer, and many other Windows programs.

To select a contiguous (touching) area use [Shift]:

1. Click once on the first item.
2. Press and hold [Shift].
3. Click on the last item that you want to highlight and everything in
between will also be selected.
4. Perform an action such as formatting.

To select non-contiguous (unrelated) items use [Ctrl]:

1. Click one on the first item.
2. Press and hold [Ctrl] and, click on each of the other items, press
[Ctrl] again to unselect.
3. Perform the action to finish working with the highlighted area.

A random Google find on the subject - with pictures:
http://www.pc-help-online.co.uk/libdoc.php?doc=50
(The last part of it shows you contiguous and non-contiguous selecting...)

Without the Mouse:
-------------------------

To select a contiguous (touching) area use [Shift]:

1. Select the first file in whatever way you are comfortable (click,
arrow to it and press the [Spacebar], etc.)
2. Press and hold down [Shift].
3. Use the arrow keys to move around and highlight the last file.
4. All items in between should be selected.

To select non-contiguous (unrelated) items use [Ctrl]:
1. Select the first file in whatever way you are comfortable (click,
arrow to it and press the [Spacebar], etc.)
2. Press and hold down [CTRL].
3. Use the arrow keys to move around and highlight the next file.
4. Press the [Spacebar].
5. Repeat until you have all the non-contiguous files you wish
highlighted.

More examples found with Google:
http://yrosenthal.com/ppt/windows/WindowsBasics-a.ppt
(Slides 11-16 of this powerpoint download...)
http://www.colorado.edu/Atconference/Cantor - Keyboard course, answers.htm
(Section 3.1)
http://www.emu.edu.tr/english/facil...slib/Microsoft Works 4.5 6-in-1/ch12/ch12.htm
http://www.geekgirls.com/windows_clicking.htm
('Selecting multiple items' and 'Multiple selection in Win 95')
(Yes - OLD article - but it shows CTRL and SHIFT have always worked in
this way in Explorer...)
 
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