Column/Vertical selection with Keyboard in SublimeText 3

Question

I'm on a Mac. I have 7 columns in Sublime Text 3, each 300 lines each. If possible, I would like to select only the 4th column using a single keyboard shortcut.

Unsuitable options

• ctrl + shift + up/down
• alt + mouse + drag
• ctrl + alt + up/down. (This actually doesn't do anything, nor does it appear in my console session and nor is it a single keyboard shortcut).
• I'd also prefer not to use VI/VIM mode just for this as it's not regular part of my workflow

What I've tried:

• A macro: but it isn't specific enough.
• using command and 'page down' with ctrl and 'shift`: no luck
• SublimeText 3 Column-Select plugin: did not seem to work for me

My ideal solution would be that my cursor could be placed anywhere in a column and I would hit a shortcut (e.g. ctrl-alt-shift-a) and it would select the whole column.

Here is an example:

John Sally Benson Mariah Patrick Samantha Martin

Simon Kate Carey Delores Joshua Samuel Eliza

I want to select the column with Maria and Delores with one keystroke. I perform this action often so for various reasons (cut/paste, change case, append, add quotes, run macro etc) and thus would want something quick and repeatable.

How would I do this?

Answer 1

You should see Sublime Column Selection:

Using the Mouse

Different mouse buttons are used on each platform:

OS X

• Left Mouse Button + ⌥

• OR: Middle Mouse Button
  
  

• Add to selection: ⌘

• Subtract from selection: ⇧+⌘

Windows

• Right Mouse Button + Shift

• OR: Middle Mouse Button
  
  

• Add to selection: Ctrl

• Subtract from selection: Alt

Linux

• Right Mouse Button + Shift
  
  

• Add to selection: Ctrl

• Subtract from selection: Alt

Using the Keyboard

OS X

• Ctrl + Shift + ⬆
• Ctrl + Shift + ⬇

Windows

• Ctrl + Alt + ⬆
• Ctrl + Alt + ⬇

Linux

• Ctrl + Alt + ⬆
• Ctrl + Alt + ⬇