Menu

block mode?

2006-11-22
2012-11-13
  • stephan herschel

    Hello,

    I really like notepad++, it has very fast become my favourite editor, only one thing I'm missing and I'd like to propose it as a future feature: I've seen editors before where you could switch into a 'block mode' (in contrast to 'line mode'). for instance, in block mode you could select a block of text (starting at character 10 in line 5 going to character 20 in line 10) and copy and paste it somewhere else in the text. or just delete it. i've used this feature very much when manipulating big sql-statements. it was very powerful. unforunately i've forgotten the name of the editor where this was possible ...

    cheers,
    stephan

     
    • Nobody/Anonymous

      This is the one feature that makes me keep Textpad around (http://www.textpad.com/) I know you can select a block of text in Notepad++ but as far as reformatting a delimited file such as adding line numbers or padding/aligning a particular field, there is no comparison. In Textpad you select a block of text and then select "fill block" and you can insert or replace the selection with characters or numbers, very very nice! Textpad, however, is not a free application. This functionality would be a great addition to Notepad++.

       
      • pshute

        pshute - 2008-03-11

        There is a column editor (alt+C) that allows you to insert text or a series of numbers in various bases.  See http://notepad-plus.wiki.sourceforge.net/FAQ for a brief description.

         
    • Nobody/Anonymous

       
    • pshute

      pshute - 2006-11-23

      Hold down the alt key while you select the start of the block, and while you drag to the opposite corner of the block.  Note that you can't select beyond the ends of lines, so you might need to add some spaces to achieve what you want.

       
      • Nobody/Anonymous

        It's very inconvenient to add spaces to the last line of the selection. Is it possible to change this feature to allow selection beyond  the end of lines? Almost all editors can do that (PSPad, MS Word and so on).

         
      • stephan herschel

        wow, this really works. if i wouldn't have asked i would have never found it, i guess ;-) ... thanks a lot for the hint!!

         
        • Lemonhead

          Lemonhead - 2006-12-01

          Holding Alt is common for other editors, too!

           
    • pwohlers

      pwohlers - 2006-12-05

      is there a way for the block selection not to be limited by the length of the first line?

       
    • Tobias Schweers

      Tobias Schweers - 2007-09-28

      i just tested v4.3 and it's a cool improvement (over v4.1 i had before).
      i still miss a column edit mode though. i would love to select some lines (without any characters selected, just below each other) and then write my text into all lines at once. this is possible by menu only: "column editor" (which is a start).