How to select vertical columns or "blocks" of text

[Clueless in Seattle]

In the bad old days of DOS and CP/M text editors, you could easily
select columns or blocks of text.

Can this be done in Word 2003?

In case I haven't made clear what it is I'm trying to do, suppose I
have some text arranged in columns separated by tabs like this

Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3

Now, let's suppose I want to select and copy the text from column 2
only.

Is there a way to do that in MS Word 2003?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Over the last couple of months I've grown to hate columns of text that is
aligned with tabs. If this were my task, I'd convert that text to a table.
That will make it easy to select column 2. But like I said, that's just what
I would do.

 

[Clueless in Seattle]

My fault for trying to create a simplified example. Here's the real
world example that I'd like to tackle:

In the Command Prompt box of Windows I used the DIR command to display
a list of sub directories. Then I selected and copied it and pasted it
into word, so it looks like this:

01/27/2006 04:24a <DIR> .
01/27/2006 04:24a <DIR> ..
02/07/2006 05:45p <DIR> Anthropology, Socio-biology
02/07/2006 05:46p <DIR> Computers
02/07/2006 07:28p <DIR> Correspondence
02/07/2006 07:29p <DIR> Drafts
02/07/2006 07:30p <DIR> Entertainment, Diversions,
Hobbies & Recr
eations
02/07/2006 09:29p <DIR> Family & Friends
02/07/2006 09:29p <DIR> Floppy Dump
02/07/2006 09:30p <DIR> Health & Fitness
02/07/2006 09:35p <DIR> Home Economics
08/11/2001 06:53p <DIR> Writing
05/19/2005 06:27a <DIR> Travel
08/11/2001 06:53p <DIR> Spanish
02/11/2006 11:34a <DIR> Shared Documents
02/02/2005 08:11a <DIR> Scrapbook
08/11/2001 06:53p <DIR> Reference
01/03/2003 06:56p <DIR> Reading
02/11/2006 11:34a <DIR> Publish
08/11/2001 06:53p <DIR> Politics, Philosophy & Religion
08/11/2001 06:53p <DIR> Poems
02/16/2006 06:29p <DIR> Internet
08/11/2001 06:53p <DIR> Lists & Notes
02/20/2006 10:29a <DIR> Research

Now I'd like to be able to select just the list of sub-directories. I
only guessed that the columns are separated by tabs. I have know idea
how the list is formatted.

Or perhaps there is a completely differerent way to capture that list
of directory names and turn it into a list in a Word file?

Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless"

 

[cherfland]

Single-click your left mouse button at the beginning of Column 3. Hold
down on the Alt key and drag your mouse down the column to select
(highlight), then Ctrl + C to copy.

Cheryl

 

[Clueless in Seattle]

Yes!!

I knew there was a way to do that!

Many thanks, Cheryl!

 

[Barry Schwarz]

On my Word 97, dragging the mouse while holding down the Alt key
works.

In the bad old days of DOS and CP/M text editors, you could easily
select columns or blocks of text.

Can this be done in Word 2003?

In case I haven't made clear what it is I'm trying to do, suppose I
have some text arranged in columns separated by tabs like this

Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3

Now, let's suppose I want to select and copy the text from column 2
only.

Is there a way to do that in MS Word 2003?

Remove del for email

 

[bknuttgen]

There are a number of ways to do this, as both JoAnn and Cheryl
referenced. You really don't want to use tabs though.

In most cases, it is easiest to use the actual column format. Go to
Format, Columns and select how many columns you wish to make. You can
type the first column, then go to Insert, Break and click Column Break.
This will start the next column. When you have completed your
columns, they are intact such that you can select the text from only
one column without any problem.

You can also do this with existing text you have copied and pasted into
a document. You just highlight all of the text, then click Format,
Columns and select how many you want it broken into.

Britt Knuttgen
Legal Technology Consultant
Automated Horizons, Inc.