Cut, Copy, Paste, and Entry Assist in the client window

This page contains an overview of edit operations. For specific help on each tab of the Edit(Cut/Copy/Paste) window see the following links:
Paste tab
Cut/Copy tab
Trim tab
Entry Assist tab

Users running the Alternate Terminal user interface do not have access to these two tabs: Trim tab Entry Assist tab

For an overview of edit operations see the following topics:
Marking and unmarking
Cutting
Copying
Pasting
Entry Assist (DOC mode)

Marking and unmarking

Using your mouse

To mark a portion of text using a trim-rectangle:

• If you are not using the Alternate Terminal user interface (this is the default situation):
  1. Move the mouse pointer to one corner of the area you want to mark.
  2. Click the left mouse button and drag the mouse diagonally until the area you want to mark is enclosed in a box.
  3. Release the mouse button.
• If you are using the Alternate Terminal user interface:
  1. Click Edit > Mark.
  2. Move the mouse pointer to one corner of the area you want to mark.
  3. Click the left mouse button and drag the mouse diagonally until the area you want to mark is enclosed in a box.
  4. Release the mouse button.

To move the trim-rectangle:

1. Move the mouse pointer into the marked area.
2. Click the left mouse button, drag the box, and release when the box is in the new location.

Moving the trim-rectangle is not supported by the Alternate Terminal user interface.

To unmark an area, click the left mouse button outside of the marked area, or click Edit > Unmark. Unmark is available only if text has been previously marked with a trim-rectangle.

Using your keyboard

To mark a portion of text using a trim-rectangle:

• If you are not using the Alternate Terminal user interface (this is the default situation):
  1. Move the cursor to one corner of the area you want to mark.
  2. Press and hold Shift and use the cursor-movement keys (arrows) to mark the area.
  3. Release Shift.

Using the keyboard to mark a block of text is not supported by the Alternate Terminal user interface.

To mark the entire workstation window, click Edit > Select All.

To move the trim-rectangle:

1. Press and hold Ctrl.
2. Use the cursor-movement keys (arrows) to move the box to the desired location.
3. Release Ctrl.

Moving the trim-rectangle is not supported by the Alternate Terminal user interface.

To unmark an area, click Edit > Unmark.

Cutting

To cut the marked text into the clipboard:

• Click Edit > Cut.

or

• Press the key combination that is assigned to the Cut function. The default key combination is Shift + Delete.

You can set your preferences to support the cut function. It works similarly to the cut function in Personal Communications.

1. Click Edit > Preferences > Edit.
2. Click the preferences you want to set.
3. Click OK when you are finished.

If you are not using the Alternate Terminal user interface:

• If no area is marked, Cut copies the entire window and clears all unprotected fields, unless the Cut/Copy only if a trim-rectangle is marked function is enabled.

• When no area is marked:
  • If the Edit > Mark menu item is checked, then Cut copies the entire window.
  • If the Edit > Mark menu item is not checked, then you can use the mouse to mark an area with reverse-video highlighting, and Cut that area.

Cut does not remove areas protected by the host application program. Cut does not duplicate host attributes, such as color or intensity.

Copying

To copy the marked text into the clipboard:

• Click Edit > Copy.
  or
  
• Press the key combination that is assigned to the Copy function. The default key combination is Ctrl + Insert.

To append text that you have already copied into the clipboard:

• Click Edit > Copy Append.
  or
  
• Press the key combination that is assigned to the Copy Append function. If your administrator has not already assigned a default key combination for this function, you can assign a key combination yourself.

To copy text into the clipboard that you want to place into columns in other applications, such as a spreadsheet:

• Click Edit > Copy as Table.
  or
  
• Press the key combination that is assigned to the Copy as Table function. If your administrator has not already assigned a default key combination for this function, you can assign a key combination yourself.

The Copy as Table function formats text into columns by inserting a Tab character between columns and a New Line character at the end of every line. When using this function to copy columns of text into the clipboard, be sure to mark only text on the host screen that is formatted into columns. If you mark any text that is not formatted into columns, none of the text will format into columns when you paste it into another application.

We recommend that you do not use the Copy as Table and Copy Append functions when performing the same task.

To copy all the text on the screen into the system clipboard (Alternate Terminal user interface only):

• Click Edit > Copy All.

or
• Press the key combination that is assigned to the Copy All function. If your administrator has not already assigned a default key combination for this function, you can assign a key combination yourself.

You can set your preferences to support the advanced cut, copy, and paste functions. These functions work similarly to the cut, copy, and paste functions in Personal Communications.

1. Click Edit > Preferences > Edit.
2. Click the preferences you want to set.
3. Click OK when you are finished.

Copy duplicates the marked area into the clipboard without removing the marked area from the window. Copy does not duplicate host attributes, such as color or intensity.

If you are not using the Alternate Terminal user interface:

• If no area is marked, Copy duplicates the entire window, unless the Cut/Copy only if a trim-rectangle is marked function is enabled.

• When no area is marked:
  • If the Edit > Mark menu item is checked, then Copy copies the entire window.
  • If the Edit > Mark menu item is not checked, then you can use the mouse to mark an area with reverse-video highlighting, and Copy that area.

Pasting

To paste text from the clipboard into your session at the current cursor position:

• Click Edit > Paste.

or

• Press the key combination that is assigned to the Paste function. The default key combination is Shift + Insert.

You can set your preferences to support the paste function. It works similarly to the paste function in Personal Communications.

1. Click Edit > Preferences > Edit.
2. Click the preferences you want to set.
3. Click OK when you are finished.

• If the data on the clipboard is larger than the space available, the data that does not fit is lost.
• Paste does not overlay the clipboard contents onto areas that are protected by the host application.
• All text is pasted in the same rectangular shape used when it was copied or cut, unless the Advanced paste function is set.
• Text will not wrap, unless the Advanced paste function is set.
• Paste is not available if no data has been cut or copied to the clipboard.

Entry Assist (DOC mode)

The Entry Assist (DOC mode) features make it easier to edit text documents in a 3270 Display session. These features are similar to the entry assist features in the IBM Personal Communications program product.

The Entry Assist features are available only for a 3270 Display session. Users running the Alternate Terminal user interface do not have access to the Entry Assist tab.

To use the Entry Assist features:

1. Click Edit > Preferences > Edit.
2. Click the Entry Assist tab.
3. Click the preferences you want to set.
4. Click OK when you are finished.

The features include:

• Left and right margins (Start Column and End Column)
• Word Wrap
• Tab Stops
• End of Line Signal

Related topics

• Using the keyboard to draw and move the trim box
• Cut/Copy tab
• Paste tab
• Trim tab
• Entry Assist tab