What do the mouse pointers mean in Word 2010

Question

I opened a new document in Word 2010 and before I typed anything, I moved the mouse across the screen (which had only the single end hard return visible). The mouse pointer which having the expected I-beam shape also had additional "widgets" to the right and (eventually) underneath it. I counted 4 different manifestations - depending on where the pointer was with respect to the single hard return.

Word was obviously trying to tell me something, but since I didn't understand the syntax (what all the widgets meant) I couldn't grok the semantics...

I tried Googling for the help on what these widgets meant but I obviously didn't use the right words.

Can anyone point me to where the definitions of the various pointers and (additional widgets) are to be found?

TIA, Paolo

Answer 1

My guess is the "widgets" probably are the little lines to the right of your I beam. They look like text to signify that you can double click to add text. The lines are also left justified.

Now if you wander your I beam over to the right, the lines sift to the left of your I beam. The lines are also right justified, signifying that if you double click there, you can add text that will be right justified. I don't recall ever seeing the lines below or above however.

Now hover below your cursor in the middle of the page. You should see little lines of text below your I beam that look center justified. Double click.

Now hover below your caret again. Move your I beam to the right about a half inch from the margin. The last one should look like a left justified text. But there is a plus sign or an arrow on the first line. Double click. That should give you a first line indent paragraph.

The only other "manisfestations" that I can think of are the "hide white space" cursor (appears when you hover above the header of a page) and the "select" line cursor, which is a right facing arrow when you hover in the left margin.

I have no idea if there is a link for these. I just happen to read about them in a PC World article a long time ago.