The Plato source code editor uses standard keyboard and mouse operations such as those found in Microsoft Word for Windows. Here is a summary of the basic features.
Opening a file: You can open a file by using the the Project Explorer window, by using the standard Open dialog or by using Explorer.
Moving the cursor: Use the arrow keys or the mouse to position the caret (the text cursor) at a point in the source code.
Popup menu: Click on the text with the right mouse button in order to generate a popup menu.
Selecting text: Hold down the mouse button and drag the mouse to select a section of the text. This text can then be copied or cut to the clipboard by using the Edit menu. The same text can then be pasted to another point in the text. Alternatively you can click at one end of the required selection, hold down the Shift key, and then click at the other end of the required selection. A selection can be dragged and moved to another point in the text or dragged and copied by holding down the Control key.
By default the caret can only be positioned within the existing text. If you click past the end of a line then the caret position is adjusted to the end of the line. However, if you hold down the Ctrl key and click past the end of a line, then the caret becomes free and spaces are automatically inserted when you next type a character or paste some text.
A column of text can be selected by holding down the ALT key and dragging with the mouse. A selection can then copied, cut or deleted. Columns can be exported to and imported from Microsoft Visual Studio by using the Clipboard.
Selecting a word: Double click on the word (Ctrl+U and Ctrl+Shift+U change its case) or use a single click holding down the Control key.
Extending a selection: Hold down the Shift key and use the direction keys or the mouse to extend a selection.
Home and End: Home takes you to the beginning of the current line whilst Ctrl Home goes to the beginning of the file. End takes you to the end of the current line whilst Ctrl End goes to the end of the file. Using Shift extends a selection.
Page Up and Page Down: These keys scroll up and down by a number of lines depending on the current size of the edit window.
Delete and Backspace: Delete deletes the character after the cursor whilst Backspace deletes the character before the cursor. If a block of text is selected then Delete deletes the whole selection (it does not cut to the clipboard).
Right and Left arrow: Using the Control key moves to the beginning of the next or previous word. Using Shift extends a selection.
Automatic indentation : A linefeed is followed by automatic indentation. To suppress automatic indentation use Shift+Enter.
Using the margin: You can use the margin to select a single line or a block of lines by dragging the mouse. You can select one line and then (holding down the shift key) select another to select a block. Use the Ctrl key to select all the lines (or press Ctrl+A). Ctrl + Shift + click is used to set and reset a break point.
See also Keyboard accelerators and Creating and using macros.