Help Cut & Paste in GMAIL?

gunrunnerjohn · Jun 22, 2011

I just got the Droid X2, and I can't see any way to do a copy of text in the incoming message. Is this really something they could have forgotten? Is there a decent alternative email client? I tried K-9, but I couldn't copy in that one either!

Now, I know I'm a Droid novice, but hell I should be able to copy text!

Alyianna · Jun 22, 2011

While viewing what you want to copy:

Menu Key >> More >> Select Text

gunrunnerjohn · Jun 23, 2011

Alyianna said:
While viewing what you want to copy:

Menu Key >> More >> Select Text

Well, that would be a keen idea if it actually worked that way, but there is no More or Select Text. If it were that easy, I wouldn't have to post here.

This is the Droid X2, I know it's different for stuff like the HTC.

Deleted User · Jun 23, 2011

While viewing an email in your inbox using gmail. This works for me...
Using the menu button, bottom left, select more, brings up an option to select text. Touch the area on the email where you want to select....move your finger...right then down as far as you want. Lift finger up...then a message pops up that indicated selected text is now placed on clipboard. Then, when you get ready to past the clipboard text, hard press on the area of the new email that you want to place the text, lift finger, then a menu is preesented to paste text.

While viewing what you want to copy:

Menu Key >> More >> Select Text

gunrunnerjohn · Jun 23, 2011

anticipator said:
While viewing an email in your inbox using gmail. This works for me...
Using the menu button, bottom left, select more, brings up an option to select text. Touch the area on the email where you want to select....move your finger...right then down as far as you want. Lift finger up...then a message pops up that indicated selected text is now placed on clipboard. Then, when you get ready to past the clipboard text, hard press on the area of the new email that you want to place the text, lift finger, then a menu is preesented to paste text.

While viewing what you want to copy:

Menu Key >> More >> Select Text

I'm going to say this slowly, since I can't seem to get this to sink in.

THERE IS NO MORE SELECTION!

I get Move, Mark unread, Flag, and Save email as my choices. How can I say this clearer?

Deleted User · Jun 23, 2011

Then, maybe you should call tech support.

freetoride78 · Jun 23, 2011

I have the Droid X2 as well and these instructions worked for me....just saying

Alyianna · Jun 23, 2011

gunrunnerjohn said:
I'm going to say this slowly, since I can't seem to get this to sink in.

THERE IS NO MORE SELECTION!

I get Move, Mark unread, Flag, and Save email as my choices. How can I say this clearer?

Not a good way to get help around here... just saying.

Your words are clear enough to realize you can just figure stuff out your damn self.

Have a nice day!

Bockey4theWIN · Jul 1, 2011

Not sure if you were able to figure this out yet, but if not....

In order to cut and/or copy and paste within Gmail, you need to simply highlight the word(s)/sentence(s) you wish to copy/cut by tapping on it and dragging if need be and then tap on a blank area within the Gmail message for a menu. There, you can select what you want to do (copy, cut, etc).

Once you've done that, you can then tap where you'd like to place the text within the message by tapping on the blank area once again for another menu. There, you can select to paste the text.

I just purchased the Droid X2 as well and recently fumbled upon how to accomplish this.

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 2, 2011

Well, there is NO way on my X2 to highlight the message in GMAIL, so the rest of your suggestion is moot. I don't know what version of GMAIL you're using, but the one that comes with the X2 doesn't have cut/paste. I've confirmed this with Verizon support, and their tech even tried it to be sure he couldn't do it either.

I'm using K-9 email now, I can actually cut/paste in that one.

imnotmikal · Jul 2, 2011

gunrunnerjohn said:
Well, there is NO way on my X2 to highlight the message in GMAIL, so the rest of your suggestion is moot. I don't know what version of GMAIL you're using, but the one that comes with the X2 doesn't have cut/paste. I've confirmed this with Verizon support, and their tech even tried it to be sure he couldn't do it either.

I'm using K-9 email now, I can actually cut/paste in that one.

Have you tried updating Gmail?

And as stated before, your attitude isn't going to get you far here.

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 2, 2011

I don't see any updates to gmail, the updater says everything's up to date. Is there another way to update it?

Deleted User · Jul 2, 2011

I bet tech support would have a great answer for you.

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 2, 2011

anticipator said:
I bet tech support would have a great answer for you.

I'll bet I already asked them.

imnotmikal · Jul 2, 2011

Go to settings -> Applications -> Manage Applications
If it takes you to "Downloaded" apps, switch to "All"
Find Gmail, and see what version you have (it's at the top)

Current version is 2.3.4.1
If you have a version that ISN'T that, and it won't let you update from the market, go here, download the latest version, push it to your phone via USB/bluetooth/email/whatever and install.

if you STILL don't have copy/paste, I have no idea what to tell you.

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 2, 2011

Hmm... Mine says 2.2.2 for a version.

I'll try the backdoor update.

I saw a comment that the cut/paste is only working in Gingerbread, could that be true?

How exactly do you install it after you get the download?

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 2, 2011

OK, I got App Installer and tried to install it. It first said I was replacing a system application and should it go ahead, so I said yes. Shortly after that it said "not installed" and quit. I still have 2.2.2.

I did allow it to install non-market applications first.

grnidkjun · Jul 5, 2011

I think the key here is that you are on vs 2.2.2 and most likely an Un Rooted phone.
Like me.

I just got mine last week and am coming to the X2 as my first android.
I've been on winmo 6.5 up till now.

In the "off the shelf" email application on the phone, you cannot copy and paste in "read mode" of an email you have received.

What I'm finding is that if I go to Forward an email.. in the area I'm editing, if I press and hold, I get a pop up menu and one option is "Select Text". I can then drag and select something I have typed. then press and hold again and copy.

I'm not finding that I can go into prior sections of the email chain and select text there that is not part of my current edits.
So no picking and choosing out of an email what to copy to someone else.

If I go into the web browser, and log into gmail from there.. I can click the hard button for menu and click on More and then select the option to Select Text from a prior email.. and copy.

So.. in essence.. some of the earlier replies are correct.. if you log into gmail from the web browser, not from the local email client pre-loaded on the phone.

Hopefully this is helpful.

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 5, 2011

grnidkjun, I believe your answer is 100% on target. I downloaded K-9 Email and that has more intelligent features. I guess I'll wait for Gingerbread to come along for this phone and maybe they'll fix the email as well.

freetoride78 · Jul 6, 2011

I am not sure if this helps but on a stock,unrooted X2 with the stock gmail app I go into the email, hit the menu button, choose more button ,choose select text, run my finger over the text I want to highlight. Once you lift your finger off the screen it says saved to clipboard. Then I go to compose a new message and push and hold in the body to compose email and paste is thereand what was saved to clipboard shows up.

grnidkjun · Jul 6, 2011

OK.. I think I see the difference in where John and I have been reading the mail from where the rest of you are that have the MORE icon when hitting menu.

1. There is an Icon for Messaging (Icon is either an envelope with a @ stamp coming out, or a mailbox) where you can go into your email lists and click on one of your email accounts. This one does not give you MORE when you click the MENU button.

2. If you click the Program icon (black box with circle) and go directly into the app GMail (icon is envelope with M coming out of it).. using this icon/app link you can press your Menu hard button to get to the MORE option.

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 6, 2011

freetoride78 said:
I am not sure if this helps but on a stock,unrooted X2 with the stock gmail app I go into the email, hit the menu button, choose more button ,choose select text, run my finger over the text I want to highlight. Once you lift your finger off the screen it says saved to clipboard. Then I go to compose a new message and push and hold in the body to compose email and paste is thereand what was saved to clipboard shows up.

I can run my finger over the text all I want, and it never does anything. I think it's simply this version of the email app doesn't allow it.

Hoping for an update...

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 6, 2011

grnidkjun said:
2. If you click the Program icon (black box with circle) and go directly into the app GMail (icon is envelope with M coming out of it).. using this icon/app link you can press your Menu hard button to get to the MORE option.

Correct again, that one actually had the "select text" button. I confess I didn't try that as I assumed, incorrectly I might add, that they were the same application and would behave the same way!

It seems very stupid that you have to take the extra steps to get to a reading screen to actually copy from the email. Hopefully, this will be a fix in the future.

Help Cut & Paste in GMAIL?

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