{"id":28093,"date":"2020-02-10T16:00:08","date_gmt":"2020-02-10T21:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=28093"},"modified":"2020-02-10T16:00:08","modified_gmt":"2020-02-10T21:00:08","slug":"ios-13-cursor-placement-and-text-selection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/10\/ios-13-cursor-placement-and-text-selection\/","title":{"rendered":"iOS 13 Cursor Placement and Text Selection"},"content":{"rendered":"

Federico Viticci<\/a>:<\/p>\n

The new operating systems remove one of iOS’ marquee and historical features – the magnification loupe – in the name of a revised text selection mechanism that lets you directly pick up the cursor and select text with gestures. While it is still possible to press on the keyboard with 3D Touch (or hold the space bar) to move the cursor, you can now simply pick up the blinking cursor and move it onscreen to drop it in a new position. When picked up, the cursor will enlarge slightly; in iOS 13.1, it’ll also subtly snap to the beginning and end of lines.<\/p>\n

When you’re moving the cursor this way, iOS 13 will not show you a magnification loupe. The removal of that useful visual detail could be ascribed to the new text selection behavior in iOS 13: now, instead of double-tapping to enter text selection, you can tap, hold, and swipe to start highlighting text.<\/p>\n

I like this new text selection gesture (even though it took me a while to get used to it), but I don’t buy the theory that removing the magnification loupe was necessary to avoid conflicts between old and new gestures. iOS could and should<\/em> still display a magnification loupe when performing text selections: in the months I’ve been using iOS 13, I’ve found myself unable to tell with precision whether I was selecting the right portion of text because my finger was covering it and there was no magnification loupe on the side to double-check the text I was selecting.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Benjamin Mayo<\/a>:<\/p>\n

In the WWDC 2019 presentation, Craig Federighi praised the new UI<\/a> for text selection, saying “there’s no need to double tap and no magnifying glass getting in your way”. I remember doing a double-take when he said it because that’s not really true at all. The magnifying glass was a convenience<\/em>, rather than annoyance.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

Mike Rockwell<\/a>:<\/p>\n

The text selection system in iOS 13 is absolute garbage. I can never tell if I have my selection point at the right place because my finger is always<\/em> in the way.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

The<\/a> new<\/a> design<\/a> has<\/a> been<\/a> widely<\/a> criticized<\/a>, but I like it. It feels much faster, and I don’t miss the loupe because I can just slide my finger down after picking up the insertion point so that it doesn’t cover<\/a> the part I’m looking at.<\/p>\n\n

Rebekka Honeit<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Tap and hold the cursor until the cursor symbol appears bigger. Then drag the cursor to its new position and let it go.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

Selecting a word, sentence, or paragraph has become a lot easier.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

There are also new gestures for copy and paste.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

To undo, swipe to left with three fingers<\/em>.<\/p>\n

To redo, swipe to right with three fingers<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n