Text Editor

The Text Editor

The Text View contains a text editor that uses the common Windows editing commands. Use the editor to enter or modify your deed text. All text must conform to Metes & Bounds Language.

The text editor displays and modifies one item at a time in your deed file.

Use of the following commands is entirely optional. You may choose any or all of the commands to help you enter and modify deed descriptions.

Cursor Movement Commands

You can use the mouse to position the cursor anywhere on the screen. Simply put the graphic cursor on the desired location on the screen and click the left button. The text editor cursor will move to that location.

The following keyboard commands will also move the cursor.

Home	Move the cursor to the beginning of line
End	Move the cursor to the end of line
Ctrl+Home	Move the cursor to the first line of the item
Ctrl+End	Move the cursor to the last line of the item
Ctrl+Right	Move the cursor right one word
Ctrl+Left	Move the cursor left one word
Right	Move the cursor right one character
Left	Move the cursor left one character
Up	Move the cursor up one line
Down	Move the cursor down one line

Editing Commands

Ins	Toggle between Insert and Overwrite modes
Del	Delete the character to the right of the cursor
Backspace	Delete the character to the left of the cursor
Enter	If in Insert mode, create a new line

Selecting Text

You select text in order to remove it from the document or to copy it to the clipboard. Selected text is displayed as white on black. To select a single word in the Text View, position the mouse somewhere on that word and double click the left mouse button. To select more text than a single word, position the mouse at the beginning of the text you wish to select. Hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse to the end of the text. Release the mouse button.

To select all text, open the Edit menu and choose Select All.

Removing Text

Remove text by using the Del and/or Backspace keys, or by selecting text and typing the Del key.

Insert and Overwrite Modes

Each push of the Ins key "toggles" the text editor back and forth between Insert and Overwrite modes. When DeedMapper starts, it is in Insert mode. This means that text you type is inserted at the cursor location, and existing text is pushed to the side to make room. If you change to Overwrite mode, new text you type will overwrite any existing text at the cursor location.

When you change the mode you'll note that the cursor changes. Insert mode uses an underscore as the cursor, while Overwrite mode uses a block cursor.

Special Characters

The computer is capable of displaying, and printers are generally capable of printing, more characters than are found on your keyboard. Special characters are entered by holding the Alt key down while using the keypad to type a four digit decimal number between 0128 and 0256 that represents the special character. (NumLock must be on.) The following characters and their codes are the most useful for deed entry:

¢ 0162

£ 0163

½ 0189

¼ 0188

Note: The characters ½ and ¼ are not understood by DeedMapper when used in headings or distances (see Metes & Bounds Language). Use decimals (.5 and .25) instead. On the other hand, these characters may be used in descriptions of acreage (e.g. 120½ acres) or amounts of money (e.g. £23.6.0 current money).