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or tap and hold on the screen it will ask you if you want to copy text...
koolhand79
Well-Known Member
I dont think its possible to copy and paste in the gmail app. I just tried every method i could think of and it isnt possible. BOOOOOOOOOOO.......... gmail app.
use the mobile browser version.
To be fair, when they released android over a year ago they didn't have the checkboxes in the gmail app so you could multi-select threads. Most likely the cut and paste function will be extended to the gmail app at some point.
COPY AND PASTE! I upgraded my HTC Magic or T-Mobile MyTouch to CyanogenMod 4.2.5 DRC92 in order to get cut and paste from the Android Gmail app, when the functionality was already in the stock 1.6 Firmware.
In Android Gmail application do the following in the email message body that you would like to copy from:
1. Hold [menu], after KB comes up hit [shift]+s for uppercase S. # cursor should be visible
2. Move move cursor/arrow into the starting character of where you want to begin copy, with [scroll ball].
3. Push the [scroll ball] button mark the begining point.
4. Move the [scroll ball] to the ending point of the text to be copied.
5. Push the [scroll ball] button to mark the end point and copy text to clipboard. # "text copied to clipboard"
6. Long touch in a input dialog to paste your clipboard contents, should work in most Android apps.
In Android Gmail application do the following in the email message body that you would like to copy from:
1. Hold [menu], after KB comes up hit [shift]+s for uppercase S. # cursor should be visible
2. Move move cursor/arrow into the starting character of where you want to begin copy, with [scroll ball].
3. Push the [scroll ball] button mark the begining point.
4. Move the [scroll ball] to the ending point of the text to be copied.
5. Push the [scroll ball] button to mark the end point and copy text to clipboard. # "text copied to clipboard"
6. Long touch in a input dialog to paste your clipboard contents, should work in most Android apps.
sleepybird
Newbie
Hi, are you providing instruction for the Sprint HTC Hero? I follow your instruction but it didn't work. I was able to see the cursor, marked the beginning and ending points by pressing down the trackball, then what do I have to do to copy the text? Thanks.
Hi, Did you see the message "text copied to clipboard" after pushing down the trackball to mark the end point of the text you copied?
These instructions are for HTC Magic / T-mobile MyTouch but apparently worked for joek71's HTC Hero, I am not sure who his carrier is. These instructions have been known to work with Android devices running firmware versions 1.5 and 1.6, but not with 2.0.
Check your phones firmware version, Mod version and Build number in Settings.
Settings:
+-About Phone
+-Model number
+-Firmware version
+-Kernel version
+-Mod version
+-Build number
sleepybird
Newbie
Hi. No i don't see "text copied to clipboard" when i pushed down the trackball to mark end point.
Firmware version: 1.5
Model number: HTC Hero
Build number: 1.56.651.2 CL85027 release-keys
I wasn't able to mark and cut text with the scroll ball. I was, however, able to highlight text by dragging my finger across the screen after doing the [shift] s. It's not too easy to get one's finger exactly where you want to start and end, but if it's a whole paragraph it's not too bad. And deleting unwanted text is easier than typing, imho. An easy and awesome way to do it. Thanks again, Androidforums!
Craig
yea i could only use the touchscreen, not the trackball. but it works!
Hmm, sorry that the instructions do not work with your HTC Hero. You could try a couple of more things, try the "C" key instead of the "S" key and try selecting the text on the touchscreen as some of the other posters have suggested.
I think that it is still possible since you did get the cursor in the text body of the Gmail Mobile app, which is half the battle. I have also heard of using the "shift" key in combination of selecting text on the touchscreen.
sleepybird
Newbie
I know how to highlight stuff using fingers but I find that very inconvenient and inaccurate. For example, when I am reading a news article and I want to copy and paste the whole article to email, it's impossible to highlight the entire article using fingers because there's no way to highlight and at the same time scroll the page down. I can't send the page as URL because the person would need username and password to log on to read the article (for example, the Wall Street Journal). I was looking for the "Select All" function but there's none.
Sprint HTC Hero has only 6 hardware keys. 1) the green phone key, 2) menu, 3) home, 4) search, 5) back, 6) the End/Power key, plus the trackball. You lost me when you say trying using the "C", "S", "Shift" keys.
You are able to mark the beginning point and end point highlighting with the trackball right?
Ok so your reading the article in the browser? These steps are only applicable to the Gmail Mobile application and the ability to copy text within the message body.
That would be in step 1 of my instructions, try the [shift]+C instead.
Then in step 3 of my instructions, try the [shift]+C instead of pushing the [scroll ball] to copy the selected text.
sleepybird
Newbie
When I tried your instruction, I tried on both the web browser AND the Gmail application. In both places, I could move the cursor. The cursor first appears to be an arrow, when I move it near texts, it becomes a vertical line, then I press the [trackball] to mark it. But I never see "texts copied to clipboard" message.
Where is the [Shift] and C key? On the virtual keyboard? I can't bring up the virtual keyboard on the web browser unless I tap on the address bar.
OK lets just focus on a received email message within the Gmail mobile application for now, forget about the browser that is a different issue.
Within the message body of the received email that you would like to copy from, Hold [menu], after virtual KB comes up hit [shift]+c. Move cursor/arrow to the starting character of the block of text you want to copy. When the cursor becomes a vertical line near text, push the [trackball] to mark beginning. Move the cursor with the [trackball] to the ending character of the block of text you want to copy. Push the [trackball] a second time to mark the end of your block of text and copy to clipboard.
If the above does not help you then take a look at "bushming" post on this thread. The poster "bushming" has the same phone and carrier as you, so it looks like you are stuck with only copying small chunks of text within a message body of the Gmail mobile app using your finger and the touchscreen.