Windows equivalent "Home" and "End" keys?

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Level 1

8 points

Windows equivalent "Home" and "End" keys?

Okay, if there was one keyboard shortcut I used in Windows all the time, it was Shift-Home or Shift-End to highlight an entire line quickly. Control-A and Control-B do something like that, but I can't use Shift at the same time to highlight. Is there anyway to change the function of "Home" and "End" so they don't go to the end of a paragraph, but rather to the end of the line? Is there another keyboard shortcut I can use to do this? Thanks!

iMac 20" 2.0Ghz 2gRAM 250gHD 256VRAM Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Sep 20, 2006 9:15 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Wade Peeler

Level 6

10,906 points

Sep 20, 2006 9:21 AM in response to JAButler

I use Command and the left or right arrow keys to get to the beginning or end of a line, respectively. Adding the Shift key will highlight the line. The Command key is the one next to the spacebar.

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Answer 2

Dr. Smoke

Level 9

56,586 points

Sep 20, 2006 9:36 AM in response to JAButler

Hi, JAButler.

How keyboard shortcuts, such as those you cite, work are generally defined at the application level. Command-A, i.e. ⌘-A (not Control-A) is universally defined as "Select All."

I recommend consulting the Help for a given application to determine what keyboard shortcuts it defines.

For example, in my favorite text editor, Tex-Edit Plus, it defines the following keyboard shortcuts akin to what you describe:

• Shift-arrow extends a selection.

• Shift-option-left/right arrow extends the selection one word at a time.

• Shift-command-left/right arrow extends the selection to the beginning/end of the line.

However, in FileMaker Pro, another application I use often, one must use

Shift- Option-Command-left/right arrow

to extend the selection to the beginning or end of the line vs "Shift-command-left/right arrow" in Tex-Edit.

General Information on Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts

• An official list of Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts is found in "Mac OS X: Keyboard Shortcuts."

• An important list of keyboard shortcuts for all Mac owners is: "Mac OS: Apple Pro Keyboard Shortcuts for Shut Down and Restart."

• If you have an Intel-based Mac, see also "Startup key combinations for Intel-based Macs.".

• A popular list of Mac keyboard shortcuts is Dave's Picks Mac Keys.

• Don't forget that Mac OS X's Help Viewer lists most of the keyboard shortcuts available. Just search for keyboard shortcuts in Help Viewer.

Good luck!

😉 Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

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