I created a problem in that my cat walked on my keyboard and altered the action resulting when the TAB key is pressed in writer. For years, this action resulted in the insertion of a tab character. Now, it results in the line being selected (surrounded by a blue box). Subsequent presses of the key result in lines below where the cursor is being selected. Now I have no way to insert tabs. I do not mean setting the placement of tabs but actually tabbing. I can place tabs using the scale at the top but I can’t actually tab anymore. The cat must have altered the TAB key and I have no idea how to undo it or how to reset it. Help! When I search for TAB problems, I find lots of questions about tables but I have not found one on this problem.
Have you tried restarting the computer?
The effect that you describe sounds like Select Down which is normally done with Shift+Down arrow. Does the effect show up on other programs?
Windows key+Spacebar will cycle input methods by default on a Windows computer but I don’t know of any keyboard where Tab is in another position.It is worth checking though.
If it persists after reboot and affects other programs you might need to remap your keyboard. Possibly there is a utility in the OS or supplied with the computer that caused the issue in the first place. For Windows you could install a Microsoft PowerToy, see How to Remap Your Keyboard | Windows Learning Center
I have restarted the computer. But I found the problem is more general. I opened Pages and the problem persists! Tab does not tab, it selects and each time it’s pressed it moves to the next block of text below the current selection. So the problem must lie outside the apps. Thanks for the suggestion.
So you’re on Mac. Maybe this Apple page will help, Change the behaviour of the modifier keys on Mac - Apple Support (NZ)
I have found the source of the problem. I don’t remember doing this, but I or my cat must have done it. The blue boxes are the result of an option under accessibility in the system settings. Under the keyboard option, I had selected full keyboard access. This turned on the blue boxes. They are a way for those with a physical disability to keep track of what the keyboard doing. I toggled the full keyboard access to off and the blue boxes disappeared and the tab key is back to normal. Thanks EarnestAI for you help.