Intrigued

I just did the keystrokes to copy some text on a forum I'd just written. I obviously pressed the wrong keys instead of Ctrl+C. A sort of half window opened at the bottom of the screen with what looked initially like a load of gobbledygook. Then I realised it looked like URLs. So, I have three questions:

1. What keystrokes am I likely to have done?
2. What did I open?
3. What's its function?

 

You may have hit Ctrl+Shift+B or CTRL+Shift+H.
Depending on which browser you're using, you may have chosen to show all bookmarks or to view the history

 

It may possibly have been the html source code you saw. Try Ctrl + U

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000746.htm

 

Thank you for the suggestions guys but it was none of those. It didn't open as a window like all those suggestions do. It sort of rose up from the bottom of the screen. I know I'm being vague but I simply don't know what to call it.

 

I'm not worried and have never indicated that I was. I'm interested. I'd like to know what information I was being given and how to repeat the keystrokes. I didn't even have to close it; it went away by itself that's why I had no time to properly see what it was.

 

It is not a problem. I certainly do not think it is malware. I know I did not press the keys I intended to press. It all happened so quickly that I cannot recall the exact sequence of keys. As the range of keys I could have pressed is limited I have tried without success to repeat the process.

I was hoping that someone far more IT savvy than me would have known what I might have done. As I say it closed itself quickly and as I was not anticipating it I did not get chance to see what it was. My initial impression was that it was gobbledegook but then I realised that it was probably giving me some information about the web site I was on as it appeared to be a string of URLs.

In my previous posts I might not have given my web browser which is not helpful of me: it is Mozilla Firefox 36.0.4. The web site I was on was Yahoo Answers!

 

I disagree. It is obviously something that can be done to provide some information. I'm interested to discover what it is.

I know you don't know.

Someone else may or may not come along with a good suggestion.

 

Your assessment is perfectly correct. Does not logic tell you if I knew both then the question would never have been posed. However, as the intended keystrokes were Ctrl+C it does narrow the alternatives down.

What puzzles me is why, when you have absolutely no need to continue posting in this thread, you are so determined I should give up on this.

 

It sounds like one of the "Web Developer" hot key sequence(s) was pressed.

Since you were trying for [Ctrl + C], I'm guessing you hit [Ctrl + Shift + C]. In Fx I believe that key sequence invokes the "Inspector" tool of the "Web Developer" tools. Many of the "Web Developer" tools, when called, will appear at the bottom of the browser window. If you had the browser in full screen mode([F11]key), then the tools would appear at the bottom of the screen.

In Fx click on the "Tools" menu, scroll down and highlight "Web Developer" and you will see a list of hot keys available for the different features of the "Web Developer" tools.

Another possibility, you have an add-on/extension that uses what ever key sequence you accidentally hit.

 

As I anticipated you have been proven to be wrong on this issue.

I'm an extremely patient person. I knew if I waited someone would come along with something useful to contribute. I usually find patience pays off as it has done in this case.

 

Thank you very much. That is exactly what it was: Crtl + Shift + C.

 

I had come to the conclusion that it couldn't be what Plastidust had suggested as it's just a normal window and doesn't go away on its own, you have to close it. :confused

 

The hot key sequence is a toggle for the web developer window panes that appear at the bottom of the browser window/screen.

If he held the [Ctrl+Shift] keys down and tapped the [C] key twice rapidly, the "Inspect Element (Q)" window pane would have appeared and then disappeared quickly.

 

Not for me Plastidust. The window just opens and stays open until I close it.

 

Hmm... It works as a toggle for me.

 

I see now: you're one of those poeple who does this, but being blind to their own behaviour are quick to accuse others of it.

I sincerely hope that you adhere to this.

 

May be I closed it but it was all over before I realised what was happening. Plus I didn't give a huge number of clues. I tried those keystrokes after plastidust came up with them but was and am currently on a different machine. When I tried them on this machine I did have to close it. I'll have to try it on the machine where I first encountered this. It's always interesting to learn something new.

 

Not if you have nerve damage that causes your hand to shake.rolleyes

Would someone(Earthling, Mark59, or anyone using Fx) please try the [Ctrl+Shift+I] key combo? That is suppose to be a toggle for the "Web Developer" tools window pane. That one too works as a toggle for me.

At any rate [Ctrl+Shift+C] works as a toggle for me. Any of the hot keys that open a "Web Developer" window pane at the bottom of the browser window work as toggles for me. On the other hand, the ones that open a separate window like [Ctrl+U](Page Source) and [Ctrl+Shift+J](Browser Console) do not work as toggles.

Maybe this computer is deranged.:confused

 

Hi, dr.moriarty and thank you. I don't disbelieve the others, just trying to figure out why it doesn't toggle for others and it does toggle for me.

The difference is probably staring me in the face and I'm just to blind or stupid(Indiana you know :-D) to see it. Most likely the latter.

Would you try the [ Ctrl+Shift+I ] key combo for me? Like to know if that toggles the "Web Developer" window pane open/closed.

 

Windows 7 Ultimate + Mozilla Firefox.
No toggle. Have to click X to close it.

 

Ditto.

 

Much appriciated.

 

I just tried Ctrl+Shift+I on my Dell laptop running FF 36.0.4 under Vista Ultimate and it works as a toggle for me too. Haven't tried it in XP Pro or 8.1 Pro.

BTW, I have nerve damage and tremors that cause my left hand to shake.

 

Tried Ctrl+Shift+I in FF 36.0.4 under XP Pro/POSReady2009 and Win 8.1 Pro. It works as a toggle in both. Why it wouldn't under Win 7 is a puzzler. :confused

 

Thank you mdonah.

Don't believe it's the OS version, it's stupidity on my part.:-o I'm using an old version of Fx, an earlier version of Australis. I guess the toggling of the hot keys is another feature they did away with somewhere during the rabid releases.

The [ Ctrl+Shift+I ] key combo works as a toggle in Win 7 it's the others like [ Ctrl+Shift+C ] that no longer work as toggles in the later versions of Fx but do in the version I have.

I use Fx so seldom, several months since I last used it, that I never think to update/upgrade it.

Hope you're not left handed. My hands shake so bad sometimes that my coffee jumps out of the cup on to the floor(arg!). Trembling hands can be a real nuisance.

 

No, I'm right-handed BUT I, at times, also get shakes/jerkiness in my right hand as well, especially if I'm beginning to crash (I'm diabetic) and have had no other signs of doing so.

FF is and has been my default browser for quite some time. Chrome caused a BSOD and I only used IE in XP to go to the Microsoft Update site on patch Tuesdays. But, they've taken the site down as of this month. With the POSReady Registry Key I added on May 25 of last year, I've been getting Microsoft updates for XP (as POSReady 2009) beyond the 4/8/14 termination (they're supposed to continue until sometime in 2019 unless MS decides to pull the plug on them and now, they come through via Windows Update).

 

Essential benign familial tremor (beyond your control, not malignant, runs in family) - you, me and mdonah should form a club :-D You should see me trying to change hardware on a laptop!

My Ctrl+Shift+I toggles too, but not Ctrl+Shift+C. Win 8.1, FF 36.0.4.

Most active thread about bugger all I can remember :-D

 

I've lost a few (TINY!) screws doing the same!:-D I think one's still in the base below the graphics card — haven't shorted anything out yet though.