To Copy a text from one application and Paste it in another.

General Principle:

It is possible to Copy and Paste text from one application (a word processor, for instance) to another (an E-mail screen, for instance) because, under Windows 3.1, Windows 95 +or Macintosh with System 7+, you can have several applications opened simultaneously. This allows you to Copy text from one application, shift to the other application, and paste the text there.

What do you need to know?

1. How to select (highlight) text and use the Edit/Copy command to Copy it. (Try it right now! Select text in this window, and click on Edit, then on Copy.)
2. How to open two applications simultaneously ?
3. How to Copy from one and paste in another .

Open 2 applications simultaneously.
Choose the instructions for your system:

| Windows 95 + | Macintosh |

Windows 95 lets you open several applications simultaneously.

1. Launch your first application, for instance your Word Processor, as usual.... usually from the Start Menu.
2. Then, click on the Start button to select and launch a second application, for instance your E-mailer.
3. The tool bar at the bottom of the screen will show the applications currently opened. (Here 2 are shown)
   
   To switch from one to the other, click on the application button of your choice to bring it up on screen.
4. Your are ready for the Copy/Paste operation.
   Go to the instructions to copy from one, then paste in the other .

The following instructions are for Macs equipped with system 7.

1. Launch your first application, for instance your Word Processor, as usual.
2. Click on the "FINDER" button in the top right-hand corner of your menu bar. It represents the program which is currently in use. Hold the mouse button down. A menu will appear that list all currently active applications.
   
3. Before you can launch a second application, you must first minimise or "hide" the current one. In the menu, select " Hide name-of-the-program". This will bring the Finder to the foreground. From there, you can launch your second application, your E-mailer (or your Web Browser) for instance.
4. To switch from one application to another, use this same top right-hand button to select the program you want to bring to the foreground.
5. Your are ready for the Copy/Paste operation.
   Go to the instructions to copy from one, then paste in the other .

Once you know how to "toggle" or switch between two applications, Copying a text from one application to paste it in another comprises the following steps: (In the example below, a text written in a word processor will be pasted in an E-mail screen)

1. Launch your first application, your Word Processor, and open your document
2. Launch your second application, your E-mail, and begin a new message
3. Switch back to your first application using one of the methods described above
4. Select the text you wish to paste into your E-mail screen : use the mouse to click, slide and select- i.e.. highlight it.
5. Copy the selected text (generally with the Edit/Copy command in the top menu bar)
6. Switch to the other application using one of the methods described above
7. Place your cursor in the body of the E-mail message and Paste the text. Use the Edit/Paste command.

NOTE: It is worth to learn the keybord shortcuts for Copy and Paste. They work even when there is no menu option for them.
Copy keys: Ctrl + C (Windows) or Apple + C (Macintosh)
Paste keys: Ctrl + V (Windows) or Apple + V (Macintosh)

The same principle (select->copy->toggle->paste) can be applied to copying a text from an E-mail screen to a Word processing screen, or from a Browser screen to a word processing screen. It can be used to copy an image from one software to another, and much more