Changing the default marking mode

The editor supports the following marking modes:

stream	Default. This is the marking mode commonly used in most text editors and word processors. Text is selected on a character to character basis. Unlike the other marking modes, the cursor cannot be moved to another part of the file without deselecting a block of selected text. Once text is selected, the next keyboard action will usually affect the entire selection of text. For example, pressing a keyboard character will replace the entire selected text with that character, and pressing the Delete key will remove the entire selected block.
character	Similar to stream, except that the cursor is not coupled with the marked text selection. You can mark a block of text with the mouse, then click the mouse at another location in the file without unmarking the block of text already selected. You must use a block-delete operation to remove a selected character block.
element	Whole elements are marked. The cursor is not coupled to the marked text selection. You must use a block-delete operation to remove a selected element block.
rectangle	Rectangular areas can be marked starting at any character position on a line and extending over as many lines as needed. The cursor is not coupled to the marked text selection. You must use a block-delete operation to remove a selected rectangle block.

You can change the default block marking mode for new and existing views. In editor applications that provide preference pages:

Select the Block editor preference page.
Select one of the available block types from the Default block type selection list, for example
```
character
```
Click Apply or OK to apply the selected block type to the editor.

You can also use the default.block.defaultType parameter, for example:

Press Esc to open the editor command line.
Enter the following command on the editor command line:
```
set default.block.defaultType character
```

To change the default block marking mode for the current view only:

Press Esc to open the editor command line.
Enter the following command on the editor command line:
```
set block.defaultType mode
```
where mode is one of the marking modes described above.

To determine the current default block marking mode for the current view:

Press Esc to open the editor command line.
Enter the following command on the editor command line:
```
query current.block.defaultType
```
The current blocking mode is returned in the message area below the editing area.