With Firefox 3, you can easily select multiple and non-consecutive pieces of text from a web page as shown in this GIF screencast.
The secret is the Ctrl key. Select a line in Firefox with your mouse and then press the Ctrl key before selecting the second line.
Unlike other browsers like IE or Opera, Firefox will not clear your previous text selections if the Control key remains pressed at the time of selection. This feature will definitely come handy while clipping web pages. Thanks Keith.
For some reason, the trick did not work for me on Google Search pages and Google News but I guess the culprit is Firebug.
Find this article at: http://www.labnol.org/software/browsers/screencast-how-to-select-multiple-lines-of-text-in-firefox-3/3598/
web: http://www.labnol.org/ email: amit@labnol.org
Reader Comments
wow!! excellent.. today I will download the new version of firefox
Your articles are always good, but today you blew me away with your simple .gif. Though these have been around forever, people are hell bent on using rich media for everything. Swatting a fly with a bazooka. However, your use of the .gif and the way it is done is perfect. Thanks!
Written by the7thlover on 06.17.08
Thanks, can i ask how you created the really cool “GIF screencast” …it jumped out at me in the feedreader.
Ed: Dave - I use Camtasia Studio for creating this GIF screencasts.
this doesn’t seem to work in google reader…
Written by josh on 06.17.08
Awesome. Thanks for the great tip. I wasn’t aware this was possible.
Excellent this is a very nice feature didnt even know that one
Written by gary smith on 06.17.08
Works in OSX too with the apple key instead…
Written by HB on 06.17.08
This doesn’t work as stated for me using Firefox 3 with Mac OS X 10.5.3
Written by Jason on 06.17.08
Command key on a Mac
Written by -age- on 06.17.08
Sir, Thanks for this useful tip. But i have a small problem. While copying from a page (other than Google Related), it copies fine. But when i paste it, it pastes in a single line & not in separate lines (As in Word & Notepad). Is this Possible / Not. Thanks.
Written by Prem on 06.18.08
Hey Amit,
this trick doesn’t work if the paragraph is within DIV tag. I screws up the selection. Is it working for you all the time?
sir, could you kindly tell us how did u create this SCREENCAST of particular text ONLY.
BTW,great tip.
Written by Roopa on 07.10.08