copy + paste keyboard shortcuts in OS X

macOSX-tastic · Sep 13, 2005

is there any way to have copy and paste keyboard shortcuts like those in windows in OSX?

such as Ctrl+c to copy,
and Ctrl+V to paste text.

this is one thing i miss about windows, as i got into the habits!

[/blasphemy]!!!!!

its very frustrating to not have this convinience anymore, as there seems to be no obvious universal alternative. i know this is a complete newbie question from an intermediate mac user who knows OSX well, but i do miss these keyboard shortcuts, especially when i want to copy URL's inot Adium and messenger windows.

thanks

tastic

swindmill · Sep 13, 2005

rdowns · Sep 13, 2005

Tons of shortcuts here:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75459

Applespider · Sep 13, 2005

Try using most of those you're used to on Windows but with a Command (Apple) rather than control.

Command X - Cut
Command C - Copy
Command V - Paste

I learned to do on the Mac long before I used a Windows PC regularly. I think it's one reason why I still tend to use keyboard shortcuts over the mouse.

whocares · Sep 13, 2005

macOSX-tastic said:
its very frustrating to not have this convinience anymore, as there seems to be no obvious universal alternative.

<needs confirmation>
I think keyboard shortcuts for copy paste and cut were first found on Macs, and then later on Windows
</needs confirmation>

As a general rule (to which there are many exceptions

), shortcuts on Macs are of the form Command + key. Like alt+tab maps to Cmd+tab, and alt+F4 maps to Cmd+Q (much more logical; it quits the application, not just the window. the window is closed with Cmd+w) etc...

(Command refers to the key with an Apple on it

, and option to the key with either option (duh!) OR alt (non-us keyboards) on it)

macOSX-tastic · Sep 13, 2005

hey you guys,

thanks a lot, seems to work now...i guess i should fiddle more.

tastic

ahunter3 · Sep 13, 2005

Damn! I never thought I'd see the day when people thought the cut, copy, paste keyboard commands were mostly a PC thing, and said "Gee it would be nice if the Mac would do that too!"

Macs had Command-X for Cut, Command-C for Copy, Command-V for Paste (and Command-Z for Undo, Command-Q for Quit, Command-P for Print, Command-O for Open, Command-W for Close Window, Command-S for Save, etc etc etc) back when a PC screen looked like this when you booted it:

A:\

(except against a black background) and PC programs and OS didn't have consistent keyboard commands of any sort. If you wanted to copy text in WordPerfect, you would go Alt (pause for menus to appear, menus were usually hidden), E (for edit menu), C (for copy). If you wanted to copy some cells from Lotus 123, you would go forward-slash (to make menus appear, menus were hidden in Lotus also), C for Copy, and then, after issuing the copy command, you would indicate what it was you wanted to copy (instead of making your selection first). Many programs apparently did not bother to incorporate "copy", "cut" or "paste": DBaseIII doesn't seem to have any method of inputting data aside from typing it, or placing it elsewhere short of exporting to some other file format.

kids these days....

::folds up AARP journal and wanders off in search of the Geritol bottle::

ebow · Sep 13, 2005

Also, when you're looking at the commands available in menus, a lot of them will have key combinations to the right in the form of Command Symbol [clover thing] + Letter. You can learn a lot of keyboard shortcuts that way.

jsw · Sep 13, 2005

ahunter3 said:
kids these days....

::folds up AARP journal and wanders off in search of the Geritol bottle::

Damn straight! Know-it-alls, no respect for their elders. They ought to be smacked with a stack of punch-cards.

ebow · Sep 13, 2005

ahunter3 said:
If you wanted to copy text in WordPerfect, you would go Alt (pause for menus to appear, menus were usually hidden), E (for edit menu), C (for copy).

Menu?? Back when I was a kid we didn't have menus in WordPerect (5.1). Or more accurately, we didn't use menus for several years, since my dad was the one who taught the program to us and he didn't use them. We dreamed of something like Alt, E, C. We'd have to hit F12 or Alt-F4 to enter Block mode, select the text, then hit Ctrl-F4 to move the text, and then... something else. I don't remember. It's all a vague set of memories, supported by information from this site. I do recall the Escape key not canceling but bringing up a baffling Repeat prompt. Those were the days...

macOSX-tastic · Sep 13, 2005

lol, i got mixed up with a few keys thats all. i know that a system as smart as OSX would no doubt have these features, so i persevered to find them!!!

i know the names of all the command keys, i was just not familiar with their operation!

tastic

deputy_doofy · Sep 13, 2005

ahunter3 said:
Damn! I never thought I'd see the day when people thought the cut, copy, paste keyboard commands were mostly a PC thing, and said "Gee it would be nice if the Mac would do that too!"

Macs had Command-X for Cut, Command-C for Copy, Command-V for Paste (and Command-Z for Undo, Command-Q for Quit, Command-P for Print, Command-O for Open, Command-W for Close Window, Command-S for Save, etc etc etc) back when a PC screen looked like this when you booted it:

A:\

(except against a black background) and PC programs and OS didn't have consistent keyboard commands of any sort. If you wanted to copy text in WordPerfect, you would go Alt (pause for menus to appear, menus were usually hidden), E (for edit menu), C (for copy). If you wanted to copy some cells from Lotus 123, you would go forward-slash (to make menus appear, menus were hidden in Lotus also), C for Copy, and then, after issuing the copy command, you would indicate what it was you wanted to copy (instead of making your selection first). Many programs apparently did not bother to incorporate "copy", "cut" or "paste": DBaseIII doesn't seem to have any method of inputting data aside from typing it, or placing it elsewhere short of exporting to some other file format.

kids these days....

::folds up AARP journal and wanders off in search of the Geritol bottle::

Not to knock anyone, but it really IS amazing how much PC people DON'T know about Mac.
Mac had the copy, cut, and paste features first. It was ALWAYS command-x (cut), command-c (copy), and command-v (paste). It was Windows (3.1) that had these features, but used control-insert, control-delete, and something else (if memory serves me correctly).
It wasn't until Windows 95 that MS blatantly copied the Mac OS by having a "control panel" and numerous keyboatrd short-cuts that were the same as Apple, except they used Control instead of Command.
Yes, I realize I'm generalizing, but you get the idea.

macOSX-tastic · Sep 13, 2005

i guess it comes from that 95% marketshare of windows. most people are too ignorant to understand something like that, because the majority grow up with it in school, work, etc. im no mac veteran, but i cetaainly dont think apple copied windows!!

we currently have a couple of plumbers installing new radiators in our house...and naturally i work with my powerbook in the dining room most of the time. they came in and started knocking my mac, saying stuff like " it would be a joke to try playing [insert windows only game here] on that thing!" and looked at my mighty mouse and were fooled into thinking it was 1 button, thus: "oh my god! 1 button? how do you manage why the hell did you get a mac!?!?!" (scoff scoff scoff)

i replied to their first comment by saying "try using windows productively for at least 5 minutes! far more difficult. its for uni, not games."

their little battle with me ended, and they went on with their plumbing work

tastic

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