Deleting lines of text

[StephenUK]

One of the little known joys of Info Select is the ability to delete lines using the Ctrl-Y command. This command, I think, originated in WordStar, the old word processor.

It is a particularly useful command once known, because it allows one to import chunks of text and then easily to discard unwanted elements at the cursor point. By holding down the keys, lines disappear at a rate of about five a second. This is much easier than blocking the area for deletion.

Is there any equivalent in UR? If not, is there any chance that this simple but very useful feature might be implemented in a future release?

[quant]

UR is not a word processor ;-)

use your favorite macro software that will do shift+end,delete ...

[StephenUK]

Quant, yes, it may be useful to use a macro program. However, InfoSelect is not a word processor either and yet they manage this useful little editing tool.

[quant]

Originally posted by StephenUK
InfoSelect is not a word processor either and yet they manage this useful little editing tool.
yes, and maybe because of these useful features, they put an attractive price tag of $250 ;-)

[StephenUK]

Quant - yes, their price tag is way too high. UR is now the better program and at an extremely reasonable price for what it is. Perhaps UR is too cheap? I would certainly pay more for a program I increasingly "live in". But how to set a proper pricing strategy for UR is a headache I don't envy anyone.

However, pricey though InfoSelect is, and notwithstanding that it is clearly now in decline, it has been for many years one of the gold standards to measure other programs against. If the major added benefits of UR (to my mind cloning, brilliant hoisting, and the ability to pull in and index other types of data far better) can be combined with the ease of use and stability of InfoSelect, then I feel UR may become the leading product of its type. Certainly I hope so.

I think, therefore, it is a good idea to measure UR against InfoSelect (and indeed other programs users have liked).

I also think there is a useful debate to be had about how much of a word processor UR should provide. For me not having to fire up a bloated industry standard word processor every time I want to do some simple text processing is a major benefit of UR or InfoSelect, and I personally welcome as much word processing functionality as the developers feel able to provide. That said, I think the word processing is pretty good in UR already. I just had in mind one simple little feature that I find incredibly useful in InfoSelect which I am sure could be implemented in UR very easily. It is one of those features that seems unimportant until you try to work without it.

But yes, I will get myself a macro program! Which do you recommend?

[quant]

sorry, I don't use any macro soft, even though I thought several times of getting one ...

Some people here suggested MacroExpress, search this forum, or have a look here http://www.kinook.com/Forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1933&highlight=macro

Suggestions from people coming from different softwares to UR are very valuable, and I understand that it is somehow frustrating if one of your favorite features is not available in UR ...
I am wary of any word processor enhancements in UR (coming from math background where the emphasis is on context, not on the form, Latex does everything for you), but there might be 10 other people here who will love your suggestion, so it's on Kinook to find the right balance ;-)

[StephenUK]

Quant, thanks. I must give Macro Express a try. I agree, everyone has a different view of the correct balance!

[kinook]

How is that much faster than selecting and then deleting? Ctrl+Y several times vs Shift+Down Arrow several times, then Delete or Backspace when done is only one more keystroke, and it has the advantage of being a single undoable event.

[StephenUK]

Kinook - unless you've ever tried the Ctrl-Y command you may not realise how nice and simple a command it is. There is no need to block text, or to know what you are going to delete in advance. You simply pan down a page, pressing Ctrl-Y for those sections you don't want to retain.

It's one of those select group of commands that you have to use to appreciate. If it merely deleted a line it would not be so clever. It is the fact that it pans through a document deleting line by line without further key press until you reach a point where you no longer want to delete. It is a very quick way of discarding unwanted elements of text "on the hoof".

It is also clever in that it deletes the line AS DISPLAYED. So, if the window is narrowed so that there is more frequent word wrapping, it deletes those shorter lines one at a time. It is a much more useful command than, for example, one that deletes a whole sentence at a time.

[kinook]

QuickMacros (http://www.quickmacros.com/) is our preferred macro utility, and you can easily implement this functionality with it using the attached macro. You will also need to check 'Tools | Options | Triggers | Use low level keyboard hook' in QM to allow this to operate repeatedly (without releasing the keys). Having tried it, I still don't personally see the benefit, but this is one way you could achieve it.

[StephenUK]

It's very kind of you to find a solution for me. I will try that software. I suppose everyone works differently and hence the benefit of macros. Thanks again.

[janrif]

Originally posted by kinook
QuickMacros (http://www.quickmacros.com/) is our preferred macro utility, [snip]
Have you triedpowerpro -- freeware? It's been around for years.

[StephenUK]

Janrif - no, don't know it and thank you. Is it easy to use?

My problem is deciding whether the time invested learning how to program macros will justify the small amount of time I save by using them. I do just wonder if what is "easy" for Kinook may not rather tax me given my non-technical background. I guess I would like something that works after only 5 minutes messing around. (Like MS Word macros do).

I don't mind investing time in UR which is so core to what I do, but are macros really that useful? Or do they keep falling over and creating their own problems? Bear in mind I run three screens at once, so that can create its own complexities too.

[janrif]

Originally posted by StephenUK
Janrif - no, don't know it and thank you. Is it easy to use?

My problem is deciding whether the time invested learning how to program macros will justify the small amount of time I save by using them. [/snip]
Once you figure it out, it's easy to use but I think you'd be happier trying Kinook's suggestion or Macro Express.

I use macros all the time. Once set I think they have been/are invaluable in saving me time on a daily basis. But that may be because of my computer tasks vs your computer tasks.

I tend to agree w Kinook about the <CTRL>Y key because it is very specialized & there are so many ways of deleting lines of text it might not be worth development. Having said that I also understand once you get used to something, you miss it when it's not around.

I don't know what effect multiple screens would have on macro commands but, that aside, you might try the last two macro programs to see if either is to your liking.

I do know macro express takes you thru the process step by step. All you have to do is read. Don't know about the other one yet but d/l it to take a look.

IMO, it's worth spending a little time on macros to see if you can make them work for you. Once you start, you'll think of a million things to do w them.

[StephenUK]

Jan - thanks. That was very helpful. I always have to caution myself against finding excuses for looking at new software, which is not always a productive use of my time, but I think you have given me due licence to spend time learning a macro program!