Why can't I cut and paste?

sv_one

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OK, this is a silly question, I know -- I must be missing something...

I can't seem to copy and paste from an email [edit: using exchange server corporate email, not gMail]:

Here's a specific example:
I open up an email; I click FORWARD.
I need to copy and paste a portion of the FORWARDED email into the body of the email I'm drafting. There doesn't appear to be any way select or copy the text in the Forwarded email.

Could it be that this isn't supported?

Thanks.
 
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whitenessj

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in the GMail app you hit to hit the button that says "forward online" it puts the original msg back in a plain text form to c/p in the app native it is more like a cohesive pic.. and no it doesn't actually pout you into a browser or anything just a stock to plain text conversion..
 

ncbryan

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Noticed the same thing in Exchange email. Wasn't able to long press and cut and paste. Not a huge deal, but typing in my signature for work email took a little while.
 

sv_one

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Copy-And-Paste Using Exchange Server Email

in the GMail app you hit to hit the button that says "forward online" it puts the original msg back in a plain text form to c/p in the app native it is more like a cohesive pic.. and no it doesn't actually pout you into a browser or anything just a stock to plain text conversion..

Thanks for the tip -- I should have been more clear in my original post --> I am not using gmail, I am using Exchange-server corporate email account. So the tip you suggested does not work.

I'm sure there must be an easy way to do this, I've been doing it on Blackberry for a decade or more and on iPhone since the second version of iOS. Right?

All I'm looking to do is to copy-and-paste from the body of an email into another email. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.
 

hockeymn25

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CopyPaste is a program in market that allows you to copy and paste to clipboard. YouTube it and you'll see a couple of good videos on it
 

sv_one

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CopyPaste is a program in market that allows you to copy and paste to clipboard. YouTube it and you'll see a couple of good videos on it
Thanks. I take it that this functionality isn't built into the Android OS? (Very surprised about that -- it has been built into Blackberry for a decade and iOS for at least 2 years.)

It looks like the program you're referencing is "Copy Paste It" - https://market.android.com/details?id=com.edwardkim.android.copyscreentextfull

It says it *may* need a rooted phone to operate. I haven't rooted my Charge (yet). Anyone know whether this works with a non-rooted phone? (Before I spend $6.99 I'd like to confirm.)

Thanks, again, for the tip and thanks in advance to any follow-ups.
 

hockeymn25

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yes you need a rooted device for copypaste it but there are other apps for copying and pasting that don't . I am moving from BB too and this would have been a deal breaker for me because I do a ton of this.
 

hooskins

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An issue for me too as this is my work phone. Android exchange emailing was worst with the OG Droid stock email app. It wouldn't let me search my email! Can you believe that?
 

sv_one

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(Seriously? I need a third party app to cut and paste from standard corporate email? How can that possibly be?)

What apps are available that allow copy-and-pasting without having a rooted phone?
 

barrycinti

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OK, this is a silly question, I know -- I must be missing something...

I can't seem to copy and paste from an email [edit: using exchange server corporate email, not gMail]:

Here's a specific example:
I open up an email; I click FORWARD.
I need to copy and paste a portion of the FORWARDED email into the body of the email I'm drafting. There doesn't appear to be any way select or copy the text in the Forwarded email.

Could it be that this isn't supported?

Thanks.

You can not do copy and paste in email unless you do the following crazy work around
-in the email client hit menu save to calendar, copy it from there, then cancel calendar app.
- paste in email

see thread below:
Can't copy/paste from an email? - Android Forums
 

Droid800

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If you're using the gmail app follow these steps:

1. Open email
2. Hit menu button
3. Tap more
4. Tap select text
5. Select the text that you want without letting your finger leave the screen (there isn't much precision, because there is no cursor or 'handles')
6. Text is copied
7. Buy me a drink.
 

sv_one

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You can not do copy and paste in email unless you do the following crazy work around
-in the email client hit menu save to calendar, copy it from there, then cancel calendar app.
- paste in email

see thread below:
Can't copy/paste from an email? - Android Forums

Wow, that does work. Thanks.

OK, so as a user coming from both BB OS and iOS --> this is *really* odd/lame that Android doesn't have this functionality built in. Considering the thread you linked to was dated 2009, it is a bit troublesome too. I thought this OS was updated all the time? And they didn't think this was important enough to include in an update?

REALLY odd.

(By the way loving my phone other than this and a few other similar quirks, like the lack of a Skype that works with video.)
 

hockeymn25

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To me this again shows that the android phones are more for fun than work. They are good enough for work but that is not the target audience I guess.
 

sv_one

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To me this again shows that the android phones are more for fun than work. They are good enough for work but that is not the target audience I guess.
I tend to agree with you. I am trying to transition from a Blackberry/iOS combo (carry 2 phones) to a Android/iOS combo, and finally hopefully to a pure Android (1 phone) setup. The first day or so that I had the Android I described the email functionality to inquiring friends as "better than iOS, worse than Blackberry" -- so sort of a middle ground. But the more I use the Charge (and before that, briefly, the Droid Pro) the more I realize: the email on Android isn't as good as even the iPhone. The only benefit as I see it over the iOS email is that it properly deals with Exchange's out of office assistant (and iOS doesn't without a 3rd party App).


The lack of basic functionality like copy-and-paste just seems so odd. Why wouldn't Google fix this after so many revs of the software? I am not an Apple fanboy (in fact I bought this to try to get rid of my iOS devices over time), but Apple implemented a universal copy n paste on the first major rev to iOS.

Why hasn't Google done that?
 

Droid800

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I tend to agree with you. I am trying to transition from a Blackberry/iOS combo (carry 2 phones) to a Android/iOS combo, and finally hopefully to a pure Android (1 phone) setup. The first day or so that I had the Android I described the email functionality to inquiring friends as "better than iOS, worse than Blackberry" -- so sort of a middle ground. But the more I use the Charge (and before that, briefly, the Droid Pro) the more I realize: the email on Android isn't as good as even the iPhone. The only benefit as I see it over the iOS email is that it properly deals with Exchange's out of office assistant (and iOS doesn't without a 3rd party App).


The lack of basic functionality like copy-and-paste just seems so odd. Why wouldn't Google fix this after so many revs of the software? I am not an Apple fanboy (in fact I bought this to try to get rid of my iOS devices over time), but Apple implemented a universal copy n paste on the first major rev to iOS.

Why hasn't Google done that?
It isn't missing, its hidden. Read the steps posted above.
 

bytebenderapps

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Typing in your signature

Noticed the same thing in Exchange email. Wasn't able to long press and cut and paste. Not a huge deal, but typing in my signature for work email took a little while.

I have a free app on the market Contact to Clipboard that helps with pasting contact information. I have used it several times to easily create a signature for my emails. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
 

beveritt

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This is perhaps my biggest complaint about Android, the inconsistent behavior. FWIW, HTC android phones can copy and paste within the native email app, while Samsung and Motorola phones do not. Gingerbread 2.3 adds a more or less universal copy paste function, so it will be fixed. Since practically all new phones still come with 2.2 that really doesn't help us...

Other big issue that is also fixed in 2.3 is the lack of setting a timezone on new calendar appointments. Weak sauce, makes me long for a Blackberry sometimes.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk
 

hooskins

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This is perhaps my biggest complaint about Android, the inconsistent behavior. FWIW, HTC android phones can copy and paste within the native email app, while Samsung and Motorola phones do not. Gingerbread 2.3 adds a more or less universal copy paste function, so it will be fixed. Since practically all new phones still come with 2.2 that really doesn't help us...

Other big issue that is also fixed in 2.3 is the lack of setting a timezone on new calendar appointments. Weak sauce, makes me long for a Blackberry sometimes.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

Yeah these are definitely legitimate issues. Don't mean to make excuses but this is the kinda stuff you get from a newer OS. Misses some of the basics.
 

beveritt

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Yeah these are definitely legitimate issues. Don't mean to make excuses but this is the kinda stuff you get from a newer OS. Misses some of the basics.
Newer OS? Android has been on the market for almost 3 years and is now distributing its third major revision.

And the reality is these issues are fixed in 2.3, which has been available for over 6 months. The problem lies in the lack of updates from the handset manufacturers and the carriers. If the Charge had 2.3, it would be my choice for a phone. With 2.2, the missing copy/paste, and no timezone support, it's a sub-par choice for a business user.
 

Droid800

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Newer OS? Android has been on the market for almost 3 years and is now distributing its third major revision.

And the reality is these issues are fixed in 2.3, which has been available for over 6 months. The problem lies in the lack of updates from the handset manufacturers and the carriers. If the Charge had 2.3, it would be my choice for a phone. With 2.2, the missing copy/paste, and no timezone support, it's a sub-par choice for a business user.

Copy and paste has not been fixed in 2.3. Its been made better, but its still the weakest implementation of all of the mobile OSes.
 

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