Rearranging columns of text

[pawel]

Hi Folks,

I have a problem with editing text that I have in two columns, se enclosed image.
The text cover several pages and I need to delete just only one of the columns but affect the other.
Actualy I found that it is not possible and I have to mark and delete each line separately
which takes ages to do.

Does anybody know how to select a single column in a text box?

PC

[mwenz]

If it were me, I would copy and paste into UltraEdit, the text editor I use. One can also do it in an OpenSource editor, NotePad ++. How each do it is different, but they both work for what you want to do.



The above shows selecting a column in NotePad ++, and after deletion, copy and paste back into your frame.

Take care, Mike

[pawel]

Hi mwenz,

Many thanks for the hint, I will try it.
However it is a bit pitty that Xara does not have such usefull function.

PC

[Soquili]

Pawel if you create your columns as a text area they are easily selectable and can be rearranged. Using an applications features to your advantage is always the best approach.

[pawel]

Hi mwenz,

I have one more question, is the "Notepad ++" the same as Windows 7 "Notepad 6.1" ands what key and LMB
to use to select a column?

PC

[pawel]

Hi Soquili,

Actualy I have created text box first in Xara and then filled it with my text I have copied from a Notepad.
Is that what you mean?
No key combination and LMB works to selectg a single column, I can only select a whole text from top to bottom
or I have to select sigle line column one by one.

PC

[mwenz]

Hi PC,

NotePad++ is an open-source text editor that is way beyond the simple one provided with Windows.

http://notepad-plus-plus.org/

So here are a few screen shots.

You would copy and paste the text into NP++, then choose the Column Mode... menu selection from the Edit menu.



You will then see the following dialog pop up:



Which tells you to place the cursor where you want the column to begin, then hold the alt key and drag down with your mouse and you will see the result like this:



Then you can cut and or copy the highlighted text, paste it into another NP++ document, your working files, etc.

Take care, Mike

[Soquili]

Hi Pawel, If you had created the text columns within your Xara application it would be best to create two columns rather than placing double column text within a text area.

Since you copied the text from notepad it would come in as two columns which cannot be selected individually within your Xara app.

Follow Mike's advice to select the columns within Notepad++ and paste in to seperate columns with the Xara application.


Mike, I was not aware Notepad++ could select columns like that, thanks for the information.

[mwenz]

Hi Bill,

I generally use UltraEdit for coding, but for easy, quick editing I support NotePad++. In UE, I use project files for easy access to specific files for both my web site and others--keeps hunt and peck down to a minimum in order to find files. Been using it since Ian Mead first created it.

NotePad++ also supports projects in its latest incarnation(s) but don't know how well that function works. However, it has a great file compare function as well, something I use frequently and more than UE's implementation of file compares. NotePad++ is a darn great editor and I highly recommend it to anyone doing web work or editing beyond Window's Notepad. Because it's a stable, long-time project being constantly updated, to me that makes it worthy of throwing something to the project in the way of support (coding, PayPal a couple bucks, etc.).

Take care, Mike

[Boy]

One can also do it in an OpenSource editor, NotePad ++

Nice tip and very useful. Thanks!