# Quoting a small part of a long post **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 20, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416 "2023-03-20T20:17:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/1 "2023-03-20T20:17:17Z")
Sometimes I only want to respond to one part of a lengthy post. Usually what I do is hit the button to reply to the post, then hit the quote button (the word balloon) to display the entire post, then I will selectively delete what I don’t want. Which can get tedious at times. Today I discovered a shortcut. I’m probably the last person to figure it out, but thought I’d share in case someone else finds it helpful. Instead of hitting the reply button, just select the part of the post you want to quote. Along with the usual cut/copy/paste/select all options, a “quote” button will pop up. Hit that, and it opens a reply box with your selected text already quoted. Pretty slick! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/2 "2023-03-20T20:18:46Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I’m probably the last person to figure it out, but thought I’d share in case someone else finds it helpful. I’m sure you’re not the last to figure it out, so thank you for sharing. It will probably help others. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/3 "2023-03-20T20:19:00Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > > [@Shoeless](#): > > > > I’m probably the last person to figure it out, but thought I’d share in case someone else finds it helpful. > > I’m sure you’re not the last to figure it out, so thank you for sharing. IT will probably help others. Works for nesting quotes as well. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/4 "2023-03-20T20:20:21Z")
The “highlight and quote” does _not_ work well if there’s any coding, like equations E=mc^2. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/5 "2023-03-20T20:20:43Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > The “highlight and quote” does _not_ work well if there’s any coding, like equations E=mc^2E=mc2E=mc^2.   Like so… ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/6 "2023-03-20T20:49:00Z")
It can also get tricky when you’re trying to quote text that’s been spoilered … clicking on it toggles between spoilered/unspoilered. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/7 "2023-03-20T20:59:46Z")
Arguably, it _still_ works _relatively_ well. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/8 "2023-03-20T21:26:09Z")
Nothing really works well for quoting equations. MathJax and Discourse were not designed for use with each other. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/9 "2023-03-21T01:29:10Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Sometimes I only want to respond to one part of a lengthy post. Something I would also like to point out is that if you quote an entire post, Discourse will delete your quote. But if you selectively quote only part of the post, it won’t. That’s a very objective reason to do a partial quote. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/10 "2023-03-21T02:57:50Z")
I, for one, didn’t know, and I really appreciate you posting this! Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/11 "2023-03-21T03:00:49Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > > [@Shoeless](#): > > > > I’m probably the last person to figure it out, but thought I’d share in case someone else finds it helpful. > > I’m sure you’re not the last to figure it out, so thank you for sharing. It will probably help others. You’re not the last as in “final”, But you are the most recent. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/12 "2023-03-21T06:26:18Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > > [@Shoeless](#): > > > > Sometimes I only want to respond to one part of a lengthy post. > > Something I would also like to point out is that if you quote an entire post, Discourse will delete your quote. But if you selectively quote only part of the post, it won’t. That’s a very objective reason to do a partial quote. Only if it’s the post directly above your post, otherwise it works fine. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/13 "2023-03-21T06:31:03Z")
Let’s test it, I’ll quote the entirety of the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/14 "2023-03-21T06:31:21Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Sometimes I only want to respond to one part of a lengthy post. Usually what I do is hit the button to reply to the post, then hit the quote button (the word balloon) to display the entire post, then I will selectively delete what I don’t want. Which can get tedious at times. > > Today I discovered a shortcut. I’m probably the last person to figure it out, but thought I’d share in case someone else finds it helpful. > > Instead of hitting the reply button, just select the part of the post you want to quote. Along with the usual cut/copy/paste/select all options, a “quote” button will pop up. Hit that, and it opens a reply box with your selected text already quoted. Pretty slick! Testing a full quote. ETA: I’ll be damned, I thought it always stripped the quote and just put a tag to the previous quote. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/15 "2023-03-21T06:36:15Z")
I was the other way around. I couldn’t understand why people kept saying Discourse cut off quotes until I quoted one right above mine and - boom- that’s what they are talking about! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/16 "2023-03-21T14:03:44Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > I was the other way around. I couldn’t understand why people kept saying Discourse cut off quotes until I quoted one right above mine and - boom- that’s what they are talking about Leaving out or adding a period or exclamation point (any change) is a workaround. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/17 "2023-03-21T14:33:34Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > > [@mordecaiB](#): > > > > I was the other way around. I couldn’t understand why people kept saying Discourse cut off quotes until I quoted one right above mine and - boom- that’s what they are talking about > > Leaving out or adding a period or exclamation point (any change) is a workaround.   But that could change the meaning of the post and get you warned. 😉 Better to add a non-breaking space with   at the end of the post. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/18 "2023-03-21T14:44:50Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > But that could change the meaning of the post and get you warned. 😉 > > Better to add a non-breaking space with   at the end of the post. I normally leave the period off the end. What happens if I add a space? ETA, that worked. I think that’ll be my new way to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/19 "2023-03-21T15:55:22Z")
Or maybe you could, you know, take the strong hint and not quote the entire thing, since it’s almost never necessary when that post is the one right above yours. I qualified that with “almost” but maybe somebody more pedantic than I can actually think of a reason. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416/20 "2023-03-21T15:58:47Z")
> [@Ponderoid](#): > > Or maybe you could, you know, take the strong hint Discourse makes a lot of ‘strong hints’, many of which are wrong. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-a-small-part-of-a-long-post/981416.md?page=2)