Control-Y Explained

Control-Y is a common computer command. It is generated by holding and pressing the key on most computer keyboards.

In most Windows applications this keyboard shortcut functions as Redo, reversing a previous Undo. In some programs such as Microsoft Office it repeats the previous action if it was something other than Undo.[1]

Apple Macintosh systems use for Redo.[2] In general a shortcut on Macintosh using matches up with a shortcut on Windows using, this is one of the most noticeable conflicts. Many programs (on all systems including Linux) support both and for Redo to resolve this conflict. But quite a few remain where only one or the other shortcut works.

Other uses

The OpenVMS operating system command-line uses as its "abort" character, stronger in effect than the ordinary "interrupt" character.

deleted the current line in the WordStar word processor for CP/M and MS-DOS.[3] In the 1980s, many text editors and word processors mimicked the WordStar command set, making a common synonym for "delete line."

In Borland IDEs it also deletes the current line.

In emacs it does a paste action (known as "yank").[4] Emacs uses for Undo and Redo.

In vi and vim it scrolls the display up one line.[5]

In the pico and nano text editors this shortcut scrolls one page up.[6] [7]

In SAP GUI it enters block-select mode.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Keyboard shortcuts in Word.
  2. https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/userexperience/conceptual/applehiguidelines/KeyboardShortcuts/KeyboardShortcuts.html Apple Shortcut Key Standards
  3. Book: WordStar Reference Card. June 1980. MicroPro. San Rafael, CA. archive.org.
  4. https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Yanking.html Yanking - GNU Emacs Manual
  5. Web site: vi(1p) - Linux manual page . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230718085523/https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/vi.1p.html . 2023-07-18 . 2023-09-09 . man7.org . Scroll Backward by Line . [count] -Y: Display the line count lines before the first line currently displayed..
  6. Web site: U-M Information and Technology Services.
  7. Web site: Nano Keyboard Commands . 2015-12-09 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151127221745/http://staffwww.fullcoll.edu/sedwards/Nano/NanoKeyboardCommands.html . 2015-11-27 .