Overtyping, anyone? - Resolved

[Anita]

Hi All--
On Microsoft word, there's a feature called "overtyping." When it's activated, you cannot insert words into the text with the cursor. The overtype immediately starts deleting the text that's already there, to make room for the new text. It's a very annoying thing if you don't want it to happen, and it took me some time to track down the problem when someone accidently selected it on my computer.

This morning the reply box started doing overtyping halfway through my post. It stopped doing it before I was through.

Two questions: have I made it clear what "overtyping" is? And if I have, how does one activate it or de-activate it on this forum? I had this same problem several months ago, but it only happened for a day, and then corrected itself.

[DonnaT]

It sounds more like the "Insert" feature on the keyboard, which will prove out if the letters you are typing are replacing text already typed.

I've accidently hit "Insert" a number of time only to find I'd typed over previous text. Quite frustrating.

In MS Word you can change the definition of the Insert key (or any other key) by going to Options, Customize, Keyboard, Select "All Commands" and then look for Overtype. Now you can delete the Insert key for this function.

I don't know what you can do, short of removing the key or preventing it from being depressed in your Internet browser.

[Anita]

I've accidently hit "Insert" a number of time only to find I'd typed over previous text. Quite frustrating.

Thanks for the reply, Donna.

On my keyboard, the "insert" key is part of a bank of keys off to the right. (The "delete" key is over there, too). They are placed far enough away that I have never accidently hit them.

In MS Word you can change the definition of the Insert key (or any other key) by going to Options, Customize, Keyboard, Select "All Commands" and then look for Overtype. Now you can delete the Insert key for this function.

I don't know what you can do, short of removing the key or preventing it from being depressed in your Internet browser.

Since accidently hitting it doesn't seem to be the problem, then I'm not sure why the forum format shifted on me this morning. It's back to normal now, and I can insert words without erasing what is already there.
It is interesting about customizing the keys, though. I'll check that out for other uses.

Thanks again!
'Nita

[Beauty]

Hi Anita,

Donna is right you just hit your insert key and it started using this. If you press it again it will stop doing it.

The forum doesn't affect any computer configurations or hardware controls.

Beauty

[DonnaT]

Anita, my insert key is also to the side, but close enough to the backspace key, delete key and home key to accidently hit it when I stop typing and scroll around the screen to refer to refer to another post or go over what I've written.

In WordPefect I can add a sound to play when certain keys are hit, but can't do that in IE.

[Anita]

Hi Donna, Beauty--
I tried hitting it once, and it did indeed start eating the words. Hit it again, and it straightened up. I had thought that Donna was talking about it staying depressed in order to start functioning. Not so, as Beauty pointed out.

How odd, though, that I would only do that once every six months or so. Or that I would hit it twice on the same day, AFTER not doing it for months! Thanks for the tip--problem solved.

[Beauty]

Hi Anita,

I'm glad you figured it out.

Beauty