# \[QUIZ\] Editing Text (#145)

**URL:** <https://rubytalk.org/t/quiz-editing-text-145/41963>\
**Category:** ruby-talk\
**Created:** [6 November 2007 20:39 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/quiz-editing-text-145/41963 "2007-11-06T20:39:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![James\_Koppel1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@James\_Koppel1](https://rubytalk.org/u/James_Koppel1)\
**Post date:** [6 November 2007 20:39 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/quiz-editing-text-145/41963/1 "2007-11-06T20:39:48Z")

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Eric Mahurin wrote

> > The cursor should be thought to lie between two characters rather

than on a character. Because of this, inserting before and after is the  
same. The cursor is \>\>represented by the node containing the line that the  
cursor is on, and the index of the character to the right of the  
cursor.

> Actually, they are different. Both insert the character at the same  
> point in the text. The difference is the final position of the  
> cursor/caret. insert\_after is not a normal editor operation though.  
> It is equivalent to typing right-to-left instead of left-to-right  
> (what insert\_before does). Since insert\_after isn't a common  
> operation, and it can be done using insert\_before followed by left, it  
> isn't needed. The main reason I threw it in was symmetry.

Actually, I wouldn't call it different. I prefer just to call "inserting a character" adding a character at the position of the cursor. If you want the cursor to end up at the right, I'd call that a second operation.

(One could probably have an argument all day over whether the One True Name for this is "insert\_before" or "insert followed by cursor\_right" with no movement toward consensus.)

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