How do I reply inline with new reply?

[Jason Cipriani]

I don't top post replies to email.

New reply seems to make me have to click a bunch of stuff to get to the point where I can reply inline.

How do I make the original message text appear in the new reply window by default, like it used to?

Thanks,
Jason

[Andy]

How do I make the original message text appear in the new reply window by default, like it used to?

I am pretty sure you can't.

You can either click the mouse on the 'ellipses' in the edit window, or press ctrl-A, and the text to which you are replying will become visible and you may start editing within it.  Someone recently pointed out the "ctrl-A" trick, and I'm glad they did because I find it easier.

Andy

[Diane]

If I'm following you correctly, Andy, the Ctrl+A "trick" places your reply below the original message whereas using the regular Reply option puts your text above the trimmed content, which can be opened to reveal the previous message.

[Marko Vukovic]

Hi Diane

On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 7:42 AM, Diane <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

If I'm following you correctly, Andy, the Ctrl+A "trick" places your reply below the original message whereas using the regular Reply option puts your text above the trimmed content, which can be opened to reveal the previous message.

I pointed this out to Andy in an earlier post. Ctrl-A is simply 'select all'. It will also expand the ellipsis. If you select all and start typing, your reply will overwrite everything. If you press the down-arrow cursor key, the cursor will move to the bottom of the message.

If you simply wish to expand the ellipsis without clicking anything, press Ctrl-Shift-A. This is the opposite of select all (ie. nothing).

--
Marko

[Andy]

On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 1:42 AM, Diane <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

If I'm following you correctly, Andy, the Ctrl+A "trick" places your reply below the original message whereas using the regular Reply option puts your text above the trimmed content, which can be opened to reveal the previous message.

In case you were really confused, first you need to click Reply.  Ctrl-A (or Ctrl-Shift-A) doesn't replace that; it comes later.

Where your reply text goes depends on where the cursor is when you start typing.  If you don't "open up" the previous message text (represented by the ellipses = 3 dots), then what you type will appear above the previous message text, represented by the ellipses.

To have "trimmed content", first you must open up the previous text, either by clicking on the ellipses, or by using Ctrl-A or Ctrl-Shift-A.  Once that is done, the editor is (more or less) WYSIWYG.  Move the cursor where you want it, trim, and type.  (And be aware that highlighted text means it will be replaced by anything you type.  That is just normal Windows behavior.)

Andy

[DEP/Dodo]

I have to try what to understand it, Marko.  My response was based on using Ctrl+A and then hitting Reply.

~Diane

On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 12:59 AM, Marko Vukovic <marko....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Diane

On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 7:42 AM, Diane <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

If I'm following you correctly, Andy, the Ctrl+A "trick" places your reply below the original message whereas using the regular Reply option puts your text above the trimmed content, which can be opened to reveal the previous message.

I pointed this out to Andy in an earlier post. Ctrl-A is simply 'select all'. It will also expand the ellipsis. If you select all and start typing, your reply will overwrite everything. If you press the down-arrow cursor key, the cursor will move to the bottom of the message.

If you simply wish to expand the ellipsis without clicking anything, press Ctrl-Shift-A. This is the opposite of select all (ie. nothing).

Marko

[DEP/Dodo]

First, I want to say that I'm a bit unnerved because I had written most of a response after trying out the variations you described, Marko, and the message has disappeared!  I did not hit delete, at least not knowingly.

Anyway, for detail-oriented direction-followers such as I, no step is to be assumed.  As I have discovered and then saw Andy also has mentioned, Reply has to be hit before any of the other steps.  However, to then use Ctrl+A to expand the ellipses is two keystrokes.  You're done if you want your reply to be at the bottom, but add one more step if you want to start at the top.  Similarly, pressing Ctrl+Shift+A is three keystrokes to expand the ellipses, but at least the cursor is positioned at the top.  Add another keystroke if you want the cursor to be at the bottom.  The down arrow or End key will get you to the bottom.   Finally, clicking only on the ellipses to expand is one keystroke with the cursor positioned at the top.  I'm a believer that in typing, less is better. 

I like learning variations, whatever the topic.

~Diane

On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 12:59 AM, Marko Vukovic <marko....@gmail.com> wrote:

[DEP/Dodo]

Understood.  

Thank you!

 

Between you and Marko + experimenting,

I understand.  Again, I enjoy learning variations on Gmail topics.

~Diane

[Diane]

Sorry--I seemed to have missed a typo in my first sentence.  The word "what" should be "it."  And, again, for all the variations discussed in the posts on this topic, Reply must be accessed first.

~Diane

[Kenneth Ayers]

Diane,

If top-posting is fine for you, then there's a box at the bottom of the converstion that says, "Click here to Reply or Forward."  All you need to do is click in the box and start typing your reply.  You don't need to click reply.  So that's one-click and no keystrokes apart from those that comprise your message.

As for the ellipsis.  If you want to see the hidden email to which you're replying, just click it

Kenneth

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[DEP/Dodo]

Hi, Kenneth:

Yes, I know of the box at the bottom that you refer to.  I don't see how it's different from clicking the Reply arrow.  They're both one click.  Perhaps faster, because you don't need the mouse, is to simply type :"r" or "f."

~Diane

I know a guy who's addicted to brake fluid.  He says he can stop any time.

[DEP/Dodo]

On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 12:59 AM, Marko Vukovic <marko....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Diane

On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 7:42 AM, Diane <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

If I'm following you correctly, Andy, the Ctrl+A "trick" places your reply below the original message whereas using the regular Reply option puts your text above the trimmed content, which can be opened to reveal the previous message.

I pointed this out to Andy in an earlier post. Ctrl-A is simply 'select all'. It will also expand the ellipsis. If you select all and start typing, your reply will overwrite everything. If you press the down-arrow cursor key, the cursor will move to the bottom of the message.

​Marko, I just ran into this old message(!) and want to ask you about the comment just preceding.  Are you saying to first hit the Reply button, then Ctrl-A, and then the down arrow?  It seems so as that does move the cursor to the absolute bottom of the message.  My own preference is either to reply at the top (via Ctrl-Shift-A) or do that and then manually move the cursor to a specific point if I am responding to a particular paragraph as I did here.

[DEP/Dodo]

I also note that if I do what I just wrote about (Ctrl-A and then the down arrow), there is a lot of empty space at the very beginning of the message, which I would then want to remove.

~Diane

[Marko Vukovic]

On Thu, Aug 20, 2015 at 1:56 PM, DEP/Dodo <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

My own preference is either to reply at the top (via Ctrl-Shift-A) or do that and then manually move the cursor to a specific point if I am responding to a particular paragraph as I did here.

​There's nothing to do to reply at the top. Ctrl-Shift-A is an editing shortcut to deselect everything. Hitting that in a reply window has the side-effect of also expanding the ellipsis.​

--

Marko

[Marko Vukovic]

On Thu, Aug 20, 2015 at 2:05 PM, DEP/Dodo <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

I also note that if I do what I just wrote about (Ctrl-A and then the down arrow), there is a lot of empty space at the very beginning of the message, which I would then want to remove.

​If you wish to do an inline reply, simply select the text you want to quote then hit the Reply button. There will be just one line at the top and your reply will begin below the quoted text.​

--

Marko

[Andy]

On Thu, Aug 20, 2015 at 8:41 AM, Marko Vukovic <marko....@gmail.com> wrote:

​If you wish to do an inline reply, simply select the text you want to quote then hit the Reply button.

​...

​That only works this way if you have the "Quote Selected Text" Gmail Lab enabled.

Andy

[Jeff Grossman]

Andy,

I thought they had graduated that lab to all of Gmail, but I just checked and you are correct.  It is still an active lab.  I guess Marko thought it was in standard Gmail too.

Jeff

[Zack (Doc)]

I, too, thought it had been graduated, but checked as you did.  I think it was announced as graduated, once upon a time.  Perhaps it was sent back for remediation :)

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[Jeff Grossman]

Well, at least I'm not going crazy.  It is a pretty good Gmail Lab.  I would recommend people installing it.  Makes it easier to quote messages.

Jeff

[Marko Vukovic]

On Thu, Aug 20, 2015 at 4:39 PM, Jeff Grossman <je...@stikman.com> wrote:

I thought they had graduated that lab to all of Gmail, but I just checked and you are correct.  It is still an active lab.  I guess Marko thought it was in standard Gmail too.

​You're right, I had thought that had been moved into the mainstream ;)​

--

Marko

[DEP/Dodo]

On Thu, Aug 20, 2015 at 5:41 AM, Marko Vukovic <marko....@gmail.com> wrote:

​If you wish to do an inline reply, simply select the text you want to quote then hit the Reply button. There will be just one line at the top and your reply will begin below the quoted text.​

​Just as you did in your original reply and I did here.  Sometimes I delete the empty one line at the top.  Also, if I recall correctly, there sometimes is no line space that separates my reply to your comment just above.??    

Another thing I sometimes do is move the cursor to the end of the other person's comment and reply immediately after, perhaps in bold to make it easier to find.

What is it called when the reply is not inline?

~Diane

When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.

[DEP/Dodo]

Marko, that didn't work here, and I have occasionally experienced this same "non-work" result in other msgs..  Prior to sending this msg., I tried several times to select your text below (highlighted) from within your original reply, hit Reply, and actually came up with a totally different message to which I was responding!!  And, yes, I have the "Quote selected text" lab enabled.

~Diane

[DEP/Dodo]

On Thu, Aug 20, 2015 at 5:41 AM, Marko Vukovic <marko....@gmail.com> wrote:

​If you wish to do an inline reply, simply select the text you want to quote then hit the Reply button. There will be just one line at the top and your reply will begin below the quoted text.​

​Marko, it worked here only because I hit the actual Reply button.  When it didn't work for me (moments ago), I had used the "r" shortcut for reply.  I did not expect that to make a difference and don't understand why it did.???

~Diane

[DEP/Dodo]

Also, when I select specific text and hit "r," I find I am actually replying to an entirely different message!  How and why?  And why isn't "r" the same as "Reply" as I assumed it was?

~Diane

[DEP/Dodo]

​​

On Sat, Aug 22, 2015 at 8:52 PM, DEP/Dodo <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

If you wish to do an inline reply, simply select the text you want to quote then hit the Reply button. There will be just one line at the top and your reply will begin below the quoted text.​

​A​nd now it's working correctly with the "r"!  I've gotta stop for now.  This is crazy-making!

~Diane

[DEP/Dodo]

On Sat, Aug 22, 2015 at 8:52 PM, DEP/Dodo <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

​Marko, it worked here only because I hit the actual Reply button.  When it didn't work for me (moments ago), I had used the "r" shortcut for reply.  I did not expect that to make a difference and don't understand why it did.???

​And this time it worked via "r." ​  I give up!

~Diane

[Marko Vukovic]

On Sun, Aug 23, 2015 at 5:27 AM, DEP/Dodo <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

What is it called when the reply is not inline?

​The default is called top-posting i.e. your reply is at the top of the message.​

--

Marko

[Marko Vukovic]

On Sun, Aug 23, 2015 at 5:57 AM, DEP/Dodo <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

A​nd now it's working correctly with the "r"!  I've gotta stop for now.  This is crazy-making!

​I am experiencing the same weirdness, at first it didn't work with the short-cut and ​now it does, strange and crazy-making indeed lol!

--

Marko

[Jeff Grossman]

Not sure on that one.  I don't use the shortcut keys.  It has always worked for me using the Reply button.

Jeff

[Jeff Grossman]

Diane,
Personally I wouldn't reply on the same line as the previous person's comment and make it bold.  It is sometimes difficult to see which is your new text and which is the previous person's comment.  Any new comments you add should always be on their own line.

When a reply is not inline, it is either top posted (your reply is above the quote) or bottom posted (your reply is below the quote).  An inline reply is when your replies are in the middle of the quoted text.

Jeff

[DEP/Dodo]

I am glad I'm not the only one experiencing this inconsistency.

~Diane

[DEP/Dodo]

I really like shortcut keys--at least the ones I use.

~Diane

[DEP/Dodo]

On Sat, Aug 22, 2015 at 9:43 PM, Jeff Grossman <je...@stikman.com> wrote:

Personally I wouldn't reply on the same line as the previous person's comment and make it bold.  It is sometimes difficult to see which is your new text and which is the previous person's comment.  Any new comments you add should always be on their own line.

​  So this doesn't work for you?  To me, it's clear who wrote what.  However, I wouldn't want to do this past one reply as here.​

When a reply is not inline, it is either top posted (your reply is above the quote) or bottom posted (your reply is below the quote).  An inline reply is when your replies are in the middle of the quoted text.

​I'm not clear on your explanation of "inline," Jeff.​  "In the middle of the quoted text"?  I did understand Marko's statement, 

​

​"​

If you wish to do an inline reply, simply select the text you want to quote then hit the Reply button. There will be just one line at the top and your reply will begin below the quoted text.​

​"  I will assume that's what you meant.  If not, please reply.

~Diane

[DEP/Dodo]

Note that both my original response to Marko's 8/20 (5:41 a.m.) msg. and Jeff's original reply to me lack the vertical guidelines.  Why?  Yet I see here that Jeff's reply below now has them.  Again, why?

~Diane

On Sat, Aug 22, 2015 at 9:43 PM, Jeff Grossman <je...@stikman.com> wrote:

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[Jeff Grossman]

Diane,

Where are you reading these posts, on Google Groups web interface or in the Gmail web interface?  Maybe where you are reading them makes a difference on how the quoted text is displayed.  I always read via the Gmail web interface because I have each message e-mailed to me.

Jeff

[Jeff Grossman]

Diane,

On Mon, Aug 24, 2015 at 10:32 PM, DEP/Dodo <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

On Sat, Aug 22, 2015 at 9:43 PM, Jeff Grossman <je...@stikman.com> wrote:

Personally I wouldn't reply on the same line as the previous person's comment and make it bold.  It is sometimes difficult to see which is your new text and which is the previous person's comment.  Any new comments you add should always be on their own line.

​  So this doesn't work for you?  To me, it's clear who wrote what.  However, I wouldn't want to do this past one reply as here.​

This is an inline reply.  If you notice I hit enter in the middle of the quoted text and putting my reply in between two parts of the quoted text.  If you see, your text is mixed completely in with the quoted text and sometimes hard to see that you typed in a reply.  Mine does not have the vertical bars signifying that it is quoted text because it is not.

Honestly I did not even see you had typed anything above until after I started typing this.  Because it is part of the quoted text I missed it.

 

When a reply is not inline, it is either top posted (your reply is above the quote) or bottom posted (your reply is below the quote).  An inline reply is when your replies are in the middle of the quoted text.

​I'm not clear on your explanation of "inline," Jeff.​  "In the middle of the quoted text"?  I did understand Marko's statement, 

​

​"​

If you wish to do an inline reply, simply select the text you want to quote then hit the Reply button. There will be just one line at the top and your reply will begin below the quoted text.​

​"  I will assume that's what you meant.  If not, please reply.

By typing part of the reply in the middle of the quoted text is inline.  I consider what Marko said to be bottom posting.  But, what Marko said is how you would start to do an inline reply.  I selected the part of the e-mail I wanted to reply to, hit Reply, found where I wanted to put in a reply, hit enter two times and started typing.  Then I went to the bottom of the message and typed this part of the reply.

Hope that helps.

Jeff

[Marko Vukovic]

On Tue, Aug 25, 2015 at 2:35 PM, Jeff Grossman <je...@stikman.com> wrote:

By typing part of the reply in the middle of the quoted text is inline.  I consider what Marko said to be bottom posting.  But, what Marko said is how you would start to do an inline reply. 

​You would be correct there Jeff​.

 

I selected the part of the e-mail I wanted to reply to, hit Reply, found where I wanted to put in a reply, hit enter two times and started typing.  Then I went to the bottom of the message and typed this part of the reply.

​Indeed. Diane, see above. I put the cursor at the end of Jeff's first sentence, hit enter to break the quote apart and typed my sentence. it is between the quoted bits and separated by a blank line above and below.
The way you are doing it makes it look like part of the same quoted text and very difficult to read.​

​Regards​

--

Marko

[DEP/Dodo]

I am reading the posts in the Gmail web interface.

~Diane

[DEP/Dodo]

I think I understand now what you're saying, Jeff.  Have done the same in the past as well as sometimes now.  Depends on what I want to say and where I want it to fit in.

When I do let my text mix with the quoted text to which I am replying, I always bold it, change font color, or do something to differentiate it from the text.  How did you miss the bold, Jeff?

~Diane

“Those convinced against their will are of the same opinion still.” ~ (old adage)

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[Jeff Grossman]

Diane,

I do not always read the quoted text unless I don't understand the new reply and need to refresh myself with the conversation.  Since it was mixed in with the quoted text I missed it.

Jeff

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[Kenneth Ayers]

Diane,

On Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 12:08 AM, DEP/Dodo <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

I think I understand now what you're saying, Jeff.  Have done the same in the past as well as sometimes now.  Depends on what I want to say and where I want it to fit in.

When I do let my text mix with the quoted text to which I am replying, I always bold it, change font color, or do something to differentiate it from the text. 

Your inline reply method has the effect of editing the text that you are quoting so it appears that the person to whom you're replying is actually the author of the text you're inserting. 

While you may think you've made it clear that a new author is responsible for the bold or highlighted text you're inserting, it frequently happens that people will change font or bold or highlight certain phrases or words in their own message for emphasis.

The best method to reply is to do what I've done here with your message.  I've replied by inserting my text cursor at the point in your message where I went to insert my reply and then hit enter a couple of times before typing.  My reply is no longer indented with your message so it clearly appears to be written be me instead of by you.

 

How did you miss the bold, Jeff?

Your bold text probably wasn't missed by Jeff.  The problem is knowing who bolded the text.

 

--

Regards,

Kenneth

[DEP/Dodo]

On Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 7:36 AM, Kenneth Ayers <justk...@gmail.com> wrote:

Diane,

On Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 12:08 AM, DEP/Dodo <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

I think I understand now what you're saying, Jeff.  Have done the same in the past as well as sometimes now.  Depends on what I want to say and where I want it to fit in.

When I do let my text mix with the quoted text to which I am replying, I always bold it, change font color, or do something to differentiate it from the text. 

Your inline reply method has the effect of editing the text that you are quoting so it appears that the person to whom you're replying is actually the author of the text you're inserting. 

​I did not know this.  I see how it appears to me prior to sending it and assume it will be as clear to the recipient.

While you may think you've made it clear that a new author is responsible for the bold or highlighted text you're inserting, it frequently happens that people will change font or bold or highlight certain phrases or words in their own message for emphasis.

The best method to reply is to do what I've done here with your message.  I've replied by inserting my text cursor at the point in your message where I went to insert my reply and then hit enter a couple of times before typing.  My reply is no longer indented with your message so it clearly appears to be written be me instead of by you.

​

Thanks, Ken.  I've been doing this (inline) lately.

[DEP/Dodo]

On Sat, Aug 29, 2015 at 8:25 PM, DEP/Dodo <depf...@gmail.com> wrote:

The best method to reply is to do what I've done here with your message.  I've replied by inserting my text cursor at the point in your message where I went to insert my reply and then hit enter a couple of times before typing.  My reply is no longer indented with your message so it clearly appears to be written be me instead of by you.

​Ken, can this be done without confusion when a lot of back-and-forth replies are done?  I don't necessarily mean with several people, as might happen in this group, but when two people are having a lengthy discussion?  I'm guessing it can be avoided by picking and choosing the comments to reply to inline.

~Diane

[Kenneth Ayers]

Diane,

Yes, it can be done without any confusion as long as all of the conversation participants reply as you did above and as I'm doing now. Also, try to avoid deleting those "On date at time, someone wrote:" lines that are inserted when replying to someone's message as they and the vertical lines help to identify the person to whom you and the conversation participants preceding you are replying.

-- 

Regards,

Kenneth

[DEP/Dodo]

​Got it--thanks!

[Jeff Grossman]

On Sat, Aug 29, 2015 at 9:22 PM, Kenneth Ayers <justk...@gmail.com> wrote:

Yes, it gets very confusing when in a lengthy conversation different people post differently (i.e. some top post, some bottom post, and others reply inline).  Trying to follow a conversation like that is very tough.  Is it best for all parties to reply in the same manner.

Jeff 

[DEP/Dodo]

​So I see, Jeff!  This string is a good example of ​everyone's replying in the same manner.  I imagine at some point it is time to stop and begin anew if there is still something to say on the same topic.

[Jeff Grossman]

I don't necessarily agree with that.  Sometimes having the history helps with the conversation.  If you start a new topic/thread then you will lose the history from the other one.

Jeff

[DEP/Dodo]

Good point, Jeff.  I was just trying to imagine how many vertical lines there could be for each person's response.  Uh-oh!  And here I've just top-posted.  Well, now I can get an idea of how that messes things up.

~Diane

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