Copying, Cutting, & Pasting Text

Overview 

Text can be cut or copied and pasted in SpecLink Cloud within the same section or from one section to another within the same project. 

The pasted text can also be cut or copied from an outside text editor (.doc, .docx, .rtf, .txt) and added into a specification section within SpecLink Cloud. Pasting text into a SpecLink Cloud section requires the use of the Ctrl+V keyboard shortcut. 

SpecLink Cloud provides the option to automatically activate the text when it is pasted through the use of the Auto-Select New toggle located in the SpecLink Cloud Toolbar More menu.

This article details the following topics:

• Copy/Cut/Paste within SpecLink Cloud
• Include Links when Copy/Cut and Pasting Paragraphs
• Copy/Cut/Paste from outside SpecLink Cloud
• Auto Select New

Copy / Cut / Paste within SpecLink Cloud

A branch of paragraphs (hierarchy of levels) can be copied and cut, then pasted as well as one or a selection of paragraphs.

• Copy / Paste Branch
• Copy / Paste Paragraph(s)
• Cut / Paste Branch
• Cut / Paste Paragraph(s)

Copy

The difference between Copy/Paste and Cut/Paste in SpecLink Cloud relates to whether a paragraph is a User paragraph or a RIB Master paragraph. Any paragraph(s) can be copied, but only User paragraphs can be cut.

Copy / Paste Branch:

Branches can now be pasted at any paragraph level without requiring an adjustment. Paragraph levels of pasted branches are automatically adjusted as needed.

"Copy Branch" can be accessed by right-clicking on plain text in any paragraph that contains sub-paragraphs. "Paste Branch" appears at the bottom of the right-click menu.

Copy / Paste Paragraph(s):

“Copy Paragraph(s)” and “Paste Paragraph(s)” appear on the right-click menu. 

Use these options to:

• Copy and paste within a single section
• Copy from one section and paste into another
• Include all report and view tags
• Include all enhanced text fields (choices, reference standards, section IDs, units of measure)
• Retain relative paragraph levels (when pasting groups of paragraphs) – where required, paragraph levels are adjusted automatically

Copy and paste an individual paragraph:

1. Right-click on any plain text in the paragraph and select “Copy Paragraph(s)”
2. After copying, right-click on the plain text of any paragraph and select “Paste Paragraph(s)”

Copy and paste a group of paragraphs:

1. Click and drag across multiple paragraphs to highlight them.
2. Right- click on any plain text within the group of highlighted paragraphs and select “Copy Paragraph(s)”
3. After copying, right-click on the plain text of any paragraph and select “Paste Paragraph(s)” 

From within SpecLink Cloud, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C to copy the desired text to the clipboard. Locate where you want to place the text and use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-V to paste the copied text into the accessed specification section. Alternatively, you can use the Copy / Cut / Paste tools of the toolbar pictured below.

Cut

The difference between Copy/Paste and Cut/Paste in SpecLink Cloud relates to whether a paragraph is a User paragraph or a RIB Master paragraph. Any paragraph(s) can be copied, but only User paragraphs can be cut. 

Cut / Paste Branch:

User branches can now be pasted at any paragraph level without requiring an adjustment. Paragraph levels of pasted branches are automatically adjusted as needed.

"Cut Branch" can be accessed by right-clicking on plain text in any paragraph that contains sub-paragraphs. "Paste Branch" appears at the bottom of the right-click menu.

Cut / Paste User Paragraph(s):

“Cut User Paragraph(s)” and “Paste Paragraph(s)” appear on the right-click menu. 

Use these options to:

• Cut and paste within a single section
• Cut from one section and paste into another
• Include all report and view tags
• Include all enhanced text fields (choices, reference standards, section IDs, units of measure)
• Retain relative paragraph levels (when pasting groups of paragraphs) – where required, paragraph levels are adjusted automatically

Cut and paste an individual user paragraph:

1. Right-click on any plain text in the paragraph and select “Cut User Paragraph(s)”
2. After cutting, right-click on the plain text of any paragraph and select “Paste Paragraph(s)”

Cut and paste a group of user paragraphs:

1. Click and drag across multiple user paragraphs to highlight them.
2. Right- click on any plain text within the group of highlighted user paragraphs and select “Cut User Paragraph(s)”
3. After cutting, right-click on the plain text of any paragraph and select “Paste Paragraph(s)” 

From within SpecLink Cloud, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+X to cut the desired text to the clipboard. Locate where you want to place the text and use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-V to paste the cut text into the accessed specification section. Alternatively, you can use the Copy / Cut / Paste tools of the toolbar pictured below.

Include Links when Copy/Cut and Pasting Paragraphs 

SpecLink Cloud users also have the ability to retain link information when cutting/copying and pasting paragraphs within SpecLink Cloud. The steps below for pasting with links apply to both Cut or Copied paragraph(s), but there are some differences in function. Copy can be used on any paragraph, where cut can only be used on user paragraph(s).

When performing a Cut and Paste with Links on a user paragraph, both associated Source and Target Links are pasted to the new location.

When performing a Copy and Paste with Links, a new paragraph is created. This means that the source links from the original paragraph are not copied, as the new paragraph is a new unique line and different sequence number. 

The "Paste Paragraph(s) With Links" option will not be available when copying from one project and pasting into a different project.

For more information about Linking, please click here

Paste Paragraph(s) With Links

When text has been cut or copied, it can be pasted to include links associated with it within the same SpecLink Cloud Project. Cut User paragraph(s) will include both source and target links. Copied paragraph(s) will include only target links. The ability to retain link information will apply when pasting in the same section or across sections. This includes pasting a single paragraph or multiple paragraphs.

1. After cutting/copying the desired text, right click where the text will be pasted.
   
   
2. From the menu, select the "Paste Paragraph(s) With Links" option shown below: 
   
   
   
   
3. Confirm the desired links have copied to the appropriate sequences.
   
   If the link icon does not appear, close and reopen the links menu within the Sequence Manager or refresh the page. Reminder, only target links are pasted when starting with the copy action. Target and Source links are pasted when starting with the cut action.

Paste Branch With Links

When the Copy Branch or Cut Branch option has been utilized, the branch can be pasted with the associated links within the same SpecLink Cloud project, whether pasting in the same section or across sections. As above, Cut Branch (user paragraphs only) will include both source and target links. Copy Branch will include only target links.

1. After cutting/copying the desired branch, right-click where the branch will be pasted.
   
   
2. From the menu, select the "Paste Branch With Links" option shown below:
   
   
   
   
3. Confirm the desired links have been applied to the appropriate sequences.
   
   If the link icon does not appear, close and reopen the links menu within the Sequence Manager or refresh the page. Reminder, only target links are pasted when starting with the copy action. Target and Source links are pasted when starting with the cut action.

Copy / Paste from outside SpecLink Cloud

From your word processor (.doc, .docx, .rtf, .txt), use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C to copy the desired text to the clipboard.

Note: Be sure that there are no section or page breaks within the text being copied. Text containing breaks will not paste into SpecLink Cloud when copied.

In SpecLink Cloud, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-V to paste the copied text into the accessed specification section. 

Auto-Select New

No matter where the copied text comes from, you have the option to automatically activate (or not) the text when it's pasted in.

From the SpecLink Cloud toolbar, click the More option located at the end of the toolbar. You'll see an option for Auto-Select New pictured below.

If the auto-select new icon is blue, as it is in the image above, the text will be automatically activated, based on paragraph levels. If the auto-select new icon is gray, the text will not be activated automatically.