Help cut &paste - help!

[stevehoffman]

Please help. I cannot figure out how to cut & paste (or copy & paste) text on my Droid
I do not see a key or shortcut for this...nor any option in the menu..
please tell me step by step how to do this! Thanks.

 

[Gypsy Queen]

I have a Hero and can't figure it out either. I don't think its possible.

 

[stevehoffman]

But according to page 25 of the official Droid user manual ( http://phandroid.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/droidguide.pdf )
you ARE supposed to be able to cut & paste, or copy & paste, text on the Droid. I just cannot correlate what the manual says with what I see or don't see on my keyboard (either the physical or touchscreen keyboard). I do not see any "cut" or "copy" or "paste" key NOR can I figure out what combination of the ALT button and some other button works to cut, copy, or paste (the way their are Windows keyboard shortcuts for cut, copy, paste on a desktop or laptop PC). Nor do i see any cut, copy, paste option show up anywhere else on the Droid. Yet the user manual says you can do it. And I think the Verizon Wireless Droid page says you can do it!!

There's gotta be a way!

 

[Mapex]

It explains in the Droid manual you linked above on page 24 how to do so, and even then it's easy enough to figure out. I've only had my Droid for 24 hours and never touched an Android device before.

Firstly, cut/copy/paste/delete only work in text input fields that I've noticed. That means in email, SMS/MMS, contacts, search boxes, web browser address line, etc. I haven't gotten it to work in a way where I can copy/paste text from a web site or anything like that.

This is the step by step process:

1) For all of the text in an input field, skip to step 3.

2) For only specific text in an input field, you HAVE to be in landscape mode with the physical keyboard open. Then, just like on a computer, you click on a spot in the text input field that is to the left of the text you want to copy, hold SHIFT (up arrow), and then keep tapping the D-pad's right side. If you want, you can click a spot to the right of the text you want to cut/copy and tap the D-pad to the left as well. Maybe if it's a paragraph of information you will want to move up or down on the D-pad. Whatever it is, select the text by holding shift and tapping the D-pad as desired.

The only difference from a computer is that you use a D-pad here instead of the arrow keys, but the D-pad in essence is made up of arrow keys with an Enter button in the middle.

3) Tap and hold the input field/selected text until a context menu pops up.

4) Select "Cut" or "Copy" as desired.

5) Tap and hold your finger on the destination input field until a context menu pops up.

6) Select "Paste."

 

[stevehoffman]

Well, Mapex, bully for you that you were able to figure out Cut & Copy & Paste on the Droid. What can I say, you're a better man than I.

We will have to agree to disagree that it is explained in the Droid user manual on page 24. I read the brief instruction there many times, and I could not translate the VERY brief words there into action to be taken on my Droid. In fact, most people -- INCLUDING Verizon AND Motorola tech support people I contacted by phone -- could NOT explain to me how to cut & copy & paste.

So please don't condescend by saying it was there in the manual. The steps you figured out and explained in your post are NOT in the user manual. If they are, I will eat my manual, with ketchup.

Thank you for posting a detailed, step-by-step explanation of how to cut & copy & paste. I assure you, that is THE first sensible explanation of it I have seen -- and I have been looking on various forums for it.

 

[aguillon5]

I have tried over and over to do it that way with no success, I mean none whatsoever. After a little of trial and error, mostly error by the way, I came up with a different variation.
1: I tap to the left of where I would like to start
2: Hit the shift key and hold(funky arrow appears)
3:I drag my finger from the arrow down the text i want copied. I have not figured out how to scroll down the page though.

 

[dannydoes]

In text fields, where you are able to type, you can do a long press on the field and a menu will come up with cut/copy/paste functions. Works in all keyboard modes. Only allows copy of all text in field.

To get the above method to work, use the "menu" key on the physical keyboard, not alt. Its the button with the horizontal lines on it.

 

[CatherineC]

Cut and paste indeed works in text fields as outlined in previous messages when I use gmail. However, it does not work consistently in webmail messages. Has anyone else had this problem and, if so, how did you solve it?

In webmail, when a single word is selected for cutting, the entire phrase is cut. About 1 in 10 times it will work and only the single word is cut.

 

[getreal10]

Copy and paste does not work in email, if it's not your Gmail account. I just got off the phone with M'rola and they told me it doesn't work. It works in the browser and on Gmail, so I don't know why it's so hard to get it to work in another email domain. They said they COULD update the software, but they need a LOT of complaints to do so. I suggest we all complain and keep complaining. It is ridiculous not to have this feature. Don't they know that there are many coming from BB, where email works great. This is one area where BB outshines them all.

 

[tripplec]

Give this a go guys. I sweated over the dilemma for days. Its in Android and should work for all devices. I did this step by step on a Desire but heah it should work.

Copy and Paste on Desire Solved
From Text Message you’ve received.
1) Press and hold on message body (content)
2) Select FORWARD from the popup Message Options Screen.
3) Open PEOPLE, to add to or to create in a contact
4) MENU button & select ADD CONTACT
5) (In my case I am add it into a NOTE of the contact) Open ADD under Options
6) Press & hold on NOTE field, PASTE option will appear, if not try holding on paste a 2nd time
7) The info will have been pasted with the NOTE field.
8) You can then copy selected text from the note area into other fields with the contact with relative ease. TIP Position the cursor at the point you which to select from prior to press & hold on it and selecting the action since the start point is defined in advance. At least that what I see happening.
9) DONE

A similar process can be done from an email received on the Desire.
1) Open an email to see the content
2) Press and hold at the top or bottom of the area you which to capture text from (this selects the range to go up are down with the drag of the box parameters.
3) When you have it select (in green shadow) press on the PAGE icon of the popup box which is a Copy to function
4) Then go the app and location to paste it. EG Phone book of contacts and paste, Voila!!!

Issue Solve without an App!!!