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Help UNDO ALT+Backspace Line Deletion???

Zoandroid

Zoandroid

Android Expert
One of the most utterly frustrating 'commands' some #&^$(#)# built into the Android OS is the ALT+Backspace command, which deletes an entire line of what you just typed. I would never find this useful, and in fact only encounter it when I am correcting a typo and happen to forget I have ALT pressed as I glance up and notice the mistake on the screen, and automatically start backspacing to fix it.

Is there a key combination which UNDOES this action and restores the deleted text? I would PAY for such a feature! :) Or at least put an end to the imagined torturing of the programmer who dreamed up such a destructive combination of 2 keys in sequence. :rolleyes:
 
This. This has bothered me so much. Sometimes I get too caught up in my typing, hit ALT to make a symbol, then realize I spelled something wrong. I try to stop myself, but it's too late, then entire line is gone.

I have no knowledge of a way to reverse this, so I would also like to know...
 
This HAS to be one of the all-time DUMBEST things an OS programmer has ever conceived.

I used to deal with similar issues when using Graffiti to input on Palm OS and then Windows Mobile. Some mis-recognized stroke would actually "select all" and then "delete" in a single swoop. Such commands have no place in single entry input commands. Think about it anyway. How often would you really expect to use a command for "select and delete the last line typed"? And then to not ( so far as we know ) offer an "undo" keystroke to go with it?

The programmer must have been a Mac user!

:D
 
I just spent a couple hours digging online for this issue and a possible solution. All I learned was that a LOT of others feel the same way. The lack of an "undo" on Android has even been a topic on a site devoted to user input on Android OS development since last year. But apparently Google is turning a deaf ear to everyone, and has not answered our plea.

I also was unable to find any hacks or 3rd party software to either provide undo functionality, or block the usage of ALT+Backspace. I did find some lists of Android OS keyboard shortcuts, which made me consider disabling the backspace key for a while, but there are no easy alternatives for deleting a few characters when typing, short of the many steps it takes to highlight and delete in Android.

I guess for now we'll have to live with it. :(
 
Hmmm strange, I've found this key combo nothing but helpful. I like being able to delete entire lines, I guess I must type a lot of texts that I realize I'll regret later. :) I supposed I can see the specific situation you guys are mentioning where you hit Alt because you're about to enter a symbol and then you realize you want to backspace, but I can't say I recall myself doing that even once. But yeah, having an Undo would be a nice feature regardless.
 
blackmetalbuick said:
Hmmm strange, I've found this key combo nothing but helpful. I like being able to delete entire lines, I guess I must type a lot of texts that I realize I'll regret later. :) I supposed I can see the specific situation you guys are mentioning where you hit Alt because you're about to enter a symbol and then you realize you want to backspace, but I can't say I recall myself doing that even once. But yeah, having an Undo would be a nice feature regardless.
Click to expand...

This issue is the bastard cousin of the REAL PITA issue of the Ally keyboard - the HOME key. When you type a lot of forum posts as we do, and have large hands, it is inevitable you will need to backspace and correct some typo near the end of the post. Your thumb heads for the backspace key and unintentionally ALSO presses the home key. You are instantly whisked home, without ANY of your possibly lengthy post having been saved. So you have to reopen the browser and start all over again. :( This also happens to me when one of my several daily repeating medication alarms sounds in the middle of a post.

That's why I found a way to disable the Home key on the keyboard. I would love to also disable either Alt or Backspace but obviously need them both. Even if I went to the trouble to learn to ONLY ever highlight mistakes to be deleted (which takes a lot more steps), instead of backspacing them , there is no delete key! So Backspace is quite essential.

It seems that, just as with every default PIM program on mobile devices I have used, the programmers who laid out these functions never intended anyone would actually USE them more often than casually. IMHO programmers and design engineers never spend the time to actually think about how someone other than themselves might want to use their creation. And they usually don't allow totally unfamiliar people to test their designs before rushing them out to market (something a truly good design needs in order to be well appreciated).

OK, enough soap box. These are big pet peeves of mine. :D
 
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