The Mid-Atlantic Regional Group
Blinded Veterans Association
Computer Corner
Using the Clipboard
The Clipboard is a Windows feature that allows you to copy items from one location and then paste them in another location. You can copy text from form fields, Web pages, documents, edit boxes, the JAWS Virtual Viewer, and any other place where you can select text. You can also copy files in Windows Explorer. Items that you copy are placed on the Clipboard, an invisible region that operates in the background throughout Windows. When you copy an item to the Clipboard, it replaces any item that was already there. The keystroke for copying the currently selected item to the Clipboard in any program is always CTRL+C.
The Cut command is similar to the Copy command. However, items that you cut are deleted, in addition to being copied to the Clipboard. The Cut command is useful for moving items to other locations. The keystroke for the Cut command is always CTRL+X.
To tell Windows which item you want to copy or cut, you must select it first. The process for selecting items varies by program. For information on selecting files in Windows Explorer, see Using Windows Explorer.
To select text, use the following Windows commands:
• Select the next character to the left of the cursor - SHIFT+LEFT ARROW
• Select the next character to the right of the cursor - SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW
• Select the next word to the left of the cursor - CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW
• Select the next word to the right of the cursor - CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW
• Select all text between the cursor and the beginning of the line - SHIFT+HOME
• Select all text between the cursor and the end of the line - SHIFT+END
• Select all text between the cursor and the beginning of the current document - CTRL+SHIFT+HOME
• Select all text between the cursor and the end of the current document - CTRL+SHIFT+END
• Select all text in the current document -CTRL+A
After you select the text you want to copy, press CTRL+C or CTRL+X to place that text on the Clipboard.
Any items that you have placed on the Clipboard can be inserted, or "pasted," into a document, edit box, folder, and other locations. To paste an item from the Clipboard, press CTRL+V. If there is text on the Clipboard, it is inserted at the current location of the PC Cursor. The item that you pasted remains on the Clipboard, so you can copy it elsewhere if necessary.
FSClipboard extends the functionality of the Windows Clipboard. When you use the Windows Copy (CTRL+C) or Cut (CTRL+X) commands to place text on the Clipboard, it replaces any text already there. When using the FSClipboard feature, text that you copy is added to any text that you have previously copied to the Clipboard. This allows you to continue adding text to the Clipboard until you are ready to paste it into a document. You can only copy text with the FSClipboard feature.
To add text to the Clipboard, select it using the text selection commands, and then press WINDOWS Key+C. The text is appended to the end of any text already on the Clipboard. To paste all the text that you have placed on the Clipboard so far, use the Windows Paste command (CTRL+V). The text is inserted into your document at the current location of the cursor. Each block of text that you copied is separated by a blank line.
Note: If you attempt to add the same selection of text to the Clipboard more than once, the text is not added. This feature is intended to reduce unintentional duplication.
All formatting is removed from text that you copy using the FSClipboard feature. This can be useful in programs like Microsoft Word if you do not want to include styles, numbering, and other formatting information when you paste text into a document.
If you want to replace all of the text on the Clipboard with a new text selection, use CTRL+C or CTRL+X instead of WINDOWS Key+C. JAWS asks if you want to overwrite your previously saved items. Choose Yes to replace all the text on the Clipboard with the new selection.
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