Shift key
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The shift key is a modifier key on a keyboard, used to type capital letters and other alternate "upper" characters. There are typically two shift keys, on the left and right sides of the row below the home row. The shift key's name originated from the typewriter, where one had to press and hold the button to shift up the case stamp to change to capital letters.
On an English keyboard, characters that typically require the use of the shift key include the parentheses, the question mark, the exclamation point, and the colon.
When the caps lock key is engaged, the shift key can be used to type lowercase letters.
On computer keyboards, as opposed to typewriter keyboards, the shift key can have many more uses:
- It is sometimes used to modify the function keys. Modern Windows keyboards typically have only 12 function keys; Shift+F1 must be used to type F13, Shift+F2 for F14, etc.
- It can modify various control and alt keys. For example, if Alt-tab is used to cycle through open windows, Shift-Alt-tab cycles in the reverse order.
- Holding shift while in a word processor will anchor the insertion point, such that moving the cursor and clicking the mouse to a new point will select the range of text in between.
- Holding shift while drawing with the mouse in graphics programs generally confines the shape to a straight line, usually vertically or horizontally.
- The shift key can also be used to modify the mouse behavior on a computer. For example, holding shift while clicking on a link in a web browser might cause the page to open in a new window, or to be downloaded.
- Holding shift while inserting a compact disc in a Microsoft Windows computer will disable the autorun feature. This ability has been used to circumvent the MediaMax CD-3 CD copy protection system.
- Holding shift while clicking on "Restart" in Windows will restart Windows and not the entire system.
- In Windows Explorer and some other file managers, holding shift while deleting a file will permanently delete that file rather than moving it to the recycle bin.
- In some Web browsers, holding shift while scrolling will scan through previously viewed Web pages.
- In Mac OS X, pressing the shift key while performing certain actions, such as minimising a window or enabling/disabling Dashboard or Exposé, makes the animation occur in slow motion.
On some keyboards, if both shift keys are held down simultaneously only some letters can be typed. For example, on the Dell keyboard Model RT7D20 only 16 letters can be typed. This phenomenon is known as "masking" and is a fundamental limitation of the way keyboards are designed. [1]
On Mac OS X, the key is indicated by an outlined up-pointing arrow (U+21E7, ⇧). (On Windows, the word “Shift” is used.)
[edit] See also
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rect 0 61 90 90 Tab key rect 90 61 150 90 Q rect 150 61 210 90 W rect 210 61 270 90 E rect 270 61 330 90 R rect 330 61 390 90 T rect 390 61 450 90 Y rect 450 61 510 90 U rect 510 61 570 90 I rect 570 61 630 90 O rect 630 61 690 90 P rect 690 61 750 90 Bracket rect 750 61 810 90 Bracket rect 810 61 900 90 Vertical bar
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rect 0 121 105 150 Caps lock rect 105 121 165 150 A rect 165 121 225 150 S rect 225 121 285 150 D rect 285 121 345 150 F rect 345 121 405 150 G rect 405 121 465 150 H rect 465 121 525 150 J rect 525 121 585 150 K rect 585 121 645 150 L rect 645 121 705 150 Colon (punctuation) rect 705 121 765 150 Quotation mark rect 765 121 900 150 Enter key
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rect 0 181 135 210 Shift key rect 135 181 195 210 Z rect 195 181 255 210 X rect 255 181 315 210 C rect 315 181 375 210 V rect 375 181 435 210 B rect 435 181 495 210 N rect 495 181 555 210 M rect 555 181 615 210 Bracket rect 615 181 675 210 Bracket rect 675 181 735 210 Question mark rect 735 181 900 210 Shift key
rect 0 181 135 240 Shift key rect 135 181 195 240 Z rect 195 181 255 240 X rect 255 181 315 240 C rect 315 181 375 240 V rect 375 181 435 240 B rect 435 181 495 240 N rect 495 181 555 240 M rect 555 181 615 240 Comma (punctuation) rect 615 181 675 240 Full stop rect 675 181 735 240 Slash (punctuation) rect 735 181 900 240 Shift key
rect 0 241 90 300 Control key rect 90 241 150 300 Windows key rect 150 241 240 300 Alt key rect 240 241 600 300 Space bar rect 600 241 690 300 AltGr key rect 690 241 750 300 Windows key rect 750 241 810 300 Menu key rect 810 241 900 300 Control key </imagemap> | Ins | Home | PgUp | Num | / | * | - | |||||||||||||||||
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Keyboard keys | |
|---|---|
| Dead keys | Compose |
| Modifier keys | Control · Shift · Alt/Option (Apple) · AltGr · Command/Meta (Apple/MIT/Sun keyboards) · Windows/Super · Fn (compact keyboards) |
| Lock keys | Scroll lock · Num lock · Caps lock |
| Navigation | Arrow · Page Up/Page Down · Home/End |
| Editing | Return/Enter · Backspace · Insert · Delete · Tab · Space bar |
| Misc. | System request/Print screen · Break/Pause · Escape · Menu · Numeric keypad · Function · Power management (Power, Sleep, Wake) · Language input · Any key |
de:Shift es:Tecla Shift fr:Touche Maj hu:Shift ja:シフトキー pl:Shift simple:Shift key sv:Shift
