Hi Barry and Colin,
Barry wants to forward delete on the iPad 2 using the Apple Wireless keyboard.
Colin, Fn+Delete only works for Mac computers, since the Fn key is not active
for iOS functions. The way to forward delete letters (or words, lines, etc.)
using either the Apple Wireless keyboard or the iPad Keyboard Dock is to hold
down the Shift key while you tap the Right arrow key to select the next
character, then press the Delete key to delete your selection. Note that this
method also works to forward delete words, lines, etc. and that you can extend
the range of your selected text as long as you continue to keep the Shift key
pressed while you tap the movement key. For example, you can forward delete
the next 2, 3, or more letters by continuing to hold down the Shift key while
you tap the Right arrow key to extend your selection range before pressing
delete. If you realize that you really want to forward delete everything from
that letter to the end of the word, just continue to press the Shift key, then
also press the "Option" key and tap the Right arrow key to move your selection
forward by words, and then press the delete key. You can press the "Option"
key on either the left or right sides of the space bar to change to movement by
words, depending on your preferences. You might find it easier to think of the
Option key together with the arrow keys just beside it (when you use the Right
Option key). I'm used to typing on the Mac laptops, with the Control, Command,
and Option keyboard shortcuts, so I usually press the Left Option key while
tapping the arrow keys for navigation. Note that for one-handed use (Brandt
and others) since there are no sticky keys or user definable "Commanders" for
VoiceOver and general shortcuts on the iOS side as there are for Mac OS X on
your regular computer, you should press the Shift and arrow key combinations on
the right side of the keyboard. I find it possible to press Shift and tap the
arrow keys with one hand to move selection by line or word (either moving
selection forwards with Right arrow and Down arrow, or backwards with Left
arrow and Up arrow ), all on the right side of the keyboard, and then, once I
release the Shift key, to delete all the selection by pressing the "Delete"
key. This is not the way I'm used to doing this, since I touch type with both
hands, and usually press the "Shift" key on the left side of the keyboard while
I tap the arrow keys on the right, but it's possible to do one-handed. List
users who are not familiar with using selection and movement on the Mac, may
find it easier to think of using the word movement command combinations
(Option+Right arrow to move to next word and Option+Left arrow to move to
previous word) by associating this with the Right Option key (next to the arrow
keys). Again, I press the Left Option key along with continuing to hold down
the left Shift key when I want to change to selection by words, and then tap
the arrow keys, but others learning this may find it easier to keep the action
of holding down the "Shift" key for selection separate from changing the
combinations for units of movement (hold down an "Option" key and tap the Right
or Left arrow keys to move forwards or backwards by words) separate, and use
the "Option" key on the Right side of the keyboard (next to the Left arrow key).
I've mentioned before, but will repeat this here: selecting text from your
current insertion point can be made in either the forward or backward direction
depending on whether you press the Left or Right arrow keys (or the Up or Down
arrow keys if selecting by lines instead of words). Selections can also be
extended, as long as you continue to keep the Shift key pressed while you type
your movement key combinations. But that means that your selection covers
everything from your current insertion point position to the point you've
finally moved to, and you can undo selected text by moving backwards.
Specifically, if I press the Shift key to start selection, then tap the Right
arrow key, I select the next letter. If I continue to press the Shift key, but
then tap the Left arrow key twice, the first tap of the Left arrow key undoes
my previous selection, and the next tap moves my selection to the letter before
my starting insertion point. If I now press the "Delete" key I will delete the
character before my insertion point. Also, when I move my selection forwards
or backwards by lines (Up or Down arrow keys) while I am in the middle of a
line, then end of my selection will likely be in the middle of a word on that
line. If I want to make that selection extend to the rest of the word, I need
to press the Option key and tap the right arrow key (while continuing to press
the Shift key). If I want to make that selection extend to the rest of the
line, I need to press the Command key and tap the right arrow key to move to
the end of the line, while again continuing to press the Shift key for
selection. Once I've completed my selection, I can press the "Delete" key.
Remember that you can undo changes with Command-z and redo them with
Command-Shift-z, in case you deleted in error, and need to get the text back.
(You won't, however, be at the same insertion point position when you undo.)
HTH. I answered some of this recently for Mary, who asked about this on the
Macvisionaries list. Here's one of the posted answers:
("Re: forward delete on the apple bluetooth keyboard"):
http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries%40googlegroups.com/msg43060.html
And you can read up to the earlier thread question posts and replies by using
the access key combination (in Safari on a Mac, that would be Control+P for a
previous post and Control+N for the next post in a thread; for Internet
Explorer, substitute Alt for Control as the access key, and similarly for other
browsers.)
Cheers,
Esther
On May 7, 2011, at 02:36, Colin M wrote:
> Hi Barry!
> Did you try fn+delete!
> the fn key is the most bottom left key next to control!
> And you can forward delete words with fn+option+delete!
> Colin
> Qapla!
>
> Chegh chew jaj Vam jaj Kak
>
> On 7 May 2011, at 13:18, barry wrote:
>
>> ipad2 with bluetooth keyboard, no forward-delete. spent an hour with
>> apple yesterday while the rep hummed and hawed and checked with, it
>> seems, everyone in the building. finally, nope, no way to forward-
>> delete.
>>
>> one of my most-used keys! like not having a "z" on the keyboard!
>>
>> any ideas for a workaround? thanks
>>
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