Can't make long selection in Writer using PgDn

[EvilOverlord]

LO 5.01.2;
W10 Pro

I’m having a recurring problem making long selections in Writer. I can use the arrow keys to extend a selection, and can use the scroll bar to do so. However, fixing a selection point (pressing Shift) and then using Page Down seems to negate the initial selection entirely - when I choose an end point (click a spot on the screen), I generally end up with just one paragraph selected.

This is annoying, because Page Down is the easiest way to select. Arrow keys are slow (scrolling each line) and scroll bars are imprecise (can’t see just where you are). Am I missing something?

[EvilOverlord]

Thanks to ubersoft and petermau. You’re both confirming the behaviour I’ve noted. Perhaps this is a bug, since Shift+PageDown is acting in an unexpected and illogical manner.

Note: I find it has been long reported as a bug since at least 2011, but with no fix. https://bugs.documentfoundation.org//show_bug.cgi?id=40550

[petermau]

I use Linux-Mint but I assume W10 Pro is similar in navigation. I use a mouse to select text. The scroll allows you to roll through the text and also backup if you have gone to far.

If I select the start of a line and then press SHIFT with the Down key, either multiple times or holding down the down key, rather than using pgdn gives me an extended selection. I agree pgdn and pgup navigate you through the text but not selected text. Hope this helps…Peter

[ubersoft]

Here’s what I can tell about Shift+PgDn behavior:

If you use Shift+PgDN once (and only once) it will select the text between the cursor starting and end point.

If you try to use it a second time, it will function as PgDN only and everything will be de-selected.

You cannot use Shift+arrow key to select some text, then use Shift+PgDN–doing that will deselect everything.

You can, however, use Shift+PgDN (the one time) and then switch to Shift+arrow key. But you can’t go back to Shift+PgDN.

I’m not entirely sure what’s going on there, but it APPEARS as if Shift+PgDN is treated as a one-time combination, and once the action completes it ignores the shift button entirely and only recognizes PgDN. I have no idea if this is intended behavior or a bug, it’s just what I see.

So basically to answer your question, I don’t think you’re missing something–Shift+PgDN almost works the way you think it should, but it doesn’t quite, and I don’t really understand what the rules are.