Name: clickChunk

Type: function

Syntax: the clickChunk

Syntax: clickChunk()

Summary: <return|Returns> the position of the <word> or <grouped text> that  the user last clicked.

Introduced: 1.0

OS: mac,windows,linux,ios,android

Platforms: desktop,web,mobile

Example:
the clickChunk

Example:
select the clickChunk

Returns: The <clickChunk> <function> <return|returns> a <chunk expression> of the form char startChar to endChar of field fieldNumber.

Description:
Use the <clickChunk> function within a <mouseDown>, <mouseUp>, or <selectionChanged> <handler> to determine which <word> or <grouped text|text group> the user clicked, in order to provide <hypertext> (clickable text) or take some action based on the click.

The <clickChunk> <function> is cleared at the next mouse click, as well as after some editing actions such as deleting text. If the last click was not in a <field>, the <clickChunk> <function> <return|returns> empty.

The returned value reports the word the user clicked: the startChar is the first <character> of the <word>, and the endChar is the last <character>. If the <textStyle> of the clicked text is "link", the <return value|returned value> specifies the entire <grouped text|text group>.

>*Important:*  Words are defined a little differently by the <clickChunk> <function> than the way they are used in <chunk expression|chunk expressions>. A word, for purposes of the <clickChunk>, is any text delimited by spaces, tabs, returns, or punctuation. If you click a punctuation <character>, only that <character> is returned. This means that, for example, clicking a hyphenated word only returns the part of the word that was clicked.

The returned value indicates the text that the mouse pointer was over when the mouse was clicked. Moving the mouse before the mouse button is released does not affect the value returned by the <clickChunk>.

If the field is locked, the <clickChunk> function is most useful within a <handler> (such as <mouseDown> or <mouseUp>) that is <trigger|triggered> by the mouse click.

If the field is unlocked, mouseDown and <mouseUp> <message|messages> are not sent when the user clicks in the <field> (unless the user right-clicks or holds down the Control key while clicking). Use the <clickChunk> <function> within a <selectionChanged> <handler> to determine what <characters> the user is editing in an <unlock|unlocked> <field>.

To get the text of the word or text group clicked, use the <clickText> <function>.

References: character (keyword), characters (keyword), word (keyword), field (keyword), textStyle (property), mouseDown (message), mouseUp (message), selectionChanged (message), clickText (function), selectedChunk (function), dropChunk (function), clickStack (function), clickChar (function), return (glossary), chunk expression (glossary), handler (glossary), return value (glossary), trigger (glossary), message (glossary), unlock (glossary), grouped text (glossary), hypertext (glossary), function (control_st)

Tags: ui
