Copy and Paste from within an app

[taraxacum]

Hi - my first post, from a first-time Android and Nexus 7 user.

I'd like to be able to copy and paste text from within an app (not just from within a text entry screen) - specifically, I'd like to be able to copy a word from a Portuguese newspaper into a translator (either Google Translate or a specific dictionary). I can't seem to be able to select text from within the newspaper (or any) app.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Xopher]

How are you accessing the newspaper? Website? App? Do you have Google Translate installed?

Depending on the app, it might limit copy/paste. I know that the Kindle app doesn't let you copy text, although it does let you take notes and has a built-in dictionary. I'm not sure if you can change the dictionary within the app, though.

 

[repligation]

I think you will be able to do what you want using Pocket. You can save articles from apps that don't let you select text and when go back and tap on the article from within Pocket and it will let you select and copy text. Been meaning to try it out on the N7. I just tried this with an article from Google currents and it worked great.

 

[taraxacum]

How are you accessing the newspaper? Website? App? Do you have Google Translate installed?

Depending on the app, it might limit copy/paste. I know that the Kindle app doesn't let you copy text, although it does let you take notes and has a built-in dictionary. I'm not sure if you can change the dictionary within the app, though.

Thanks Xopher for your reply. I'm accessing the newspapers from apps: two UK newspapers; one Portuguese newspaper; the BBC, and Sky News - these don't allow "long click" (if that's the correct term) selection; The Huffington Post app allows long click and offers "Copy" as a choice at the top. So it seems its a choice made by the app developers whether to allow it or not - I'd have expected something as basic as highlight, copy, paste to be a standard for all text-based apps, but as I said, I'm new to Android, so am still discovering things.

The main reason I raised this is because I'm used (on my PC) to reading the Portuguese newspaper via Firefox with an add-on that allows instant translation via Google translate - I hoped for something similar on the Nexus. So, thanks also to repligation for the suggestion of using Pocket - I'm sure this would work as you imply, but that seems a bit of a long-winded way to get "instant" translations of just occasional words.

 

[bigtroutz]

Lots of content on the web (like a lyrics site) is protected via script to prevent cut and paste. Not terribly surprising given the number of content thieves around.
However, there are browser add-ons that confound such efforts and re-enable cut and paste.


for example Right to Click Firefox Add-ons for Professionals: RightToClick, BabelFish, GoogleEnhancer and more