Window’s Edit Tools

Cut To remove an object from a document and place it in a

buffer. In word processing, for example, cut means to move a section of text from a document to a temporary buffer. This is one way to delete text. However, because the text is transferred to a buffer, it is not lost forever. You can copy the buffer somewhere else in the document or in another document, which is called pasting. To move a section of text from one place to another, therefore, you need to first cut it and then paste it. This is often called cut-and- paste. Most applications have only one buffer, sometimes called a clipboard. If you make two cuts in succession, the text from the original cut will be replaced by the text from the second cut.

Copy To copy a piece of data to a temporary location. In

word processing, for example, copying refers to duplicating a section of a document and placing it in a buffer (sometimes called a clipboard). The term copy differs from cut, which refers to actually removing a section of a document and placing it in a buffer. After cutting or copying, you can move the contents of the buffer by pasting it somewhere else.

Clipboard A special file or memory area (buffer) where data is

stored temporarily before being copied to another location. Many word processors, for example, use a clipboard for cutting and pasting. When you cut a block of text, the word processor copies the block to the clipboard; when you paste the block, the word processor copies it from the clipboard to its final destination. In Microsoft Windows and the Apple Macintosh operating system, the Clipboard (with a capital C) can be used to copy data from one application to another.

Paste To copy an object from a buffer (or clipboard) to a file.

In word processing, blocks of text are moved from one place to another by cutting and pasting. When you cut a block of text, the word processor removes the block from your file and places it in a temporary holding area (a buffer). You can then paste the material in the buffer somewhere else. Modern operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, allow you to cut an object from one application and paste it into another. Depending on how the object is pasted, it can be either linked or embedded.

Paste Special Special variation of the Paste command found only on

the Edit Menu. Paste Special offers formatting options to select from that determine how the contents of the clipboard is pasted. Option is used when pasting a link between two files.

Print Screen Key Often abbreviated Prt Scr, the Print Screen key

is a useful key supported on most PCs. In DOS, pressing the Print Screen key causes the computer to send whatever images and text are currently on the display screen to the printer. Some graphics programs, including Windows, use the Print Screen key to obtain screen captures.

Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, XP captures an image file of your computer’s monitor to the Clipboard.

Key location