Description of the Issue

PREAMBLE NOTE: If #12832 is adopted, this would be a nice addition as well. If 12832 is NOT adopted, this probably doesn't make sense to implement on its own.

Currently Notepad++ ships with one sample macro, Trim Trailing Space and Save. I'd like to suggest a second one be created and shipped with Notepad++ releases.

I'd call this macro "Begin/End Select in Column Mode" and I would suggest a default key assignment of Alt+Shift+b. The Alt+Shift part reminds the user of the column-mode nature of running the macro -- because the user is used to using Alt+Shift+arrows to make a keyboard column selection.

Here is the suggested macro content:

<Macro name="Begin/End Select in Column Mode" Ctrl="no" Alt="yes" Shift="yes" Key="66">
    <Action type="0" message="2429" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
    <Action type="0" message="2428" wParam="0" lParam="0" sParam="" />
    <Action type="2" message="0" wParam="42020" lParam="0" sParam="" />
</Macro>

Here's how the suggested entry would appear on the Macro menu:

Here's a usage example, for clarity:

1. Open Notepad++'s license.txt file.
2. Move the caret to line 1, column 5.
3. Invoke the (suggested) Shift+Alt+b keycombo (to begin-select).
4. Move the caret to the last line of the file, column 20.
5. Invoke the (suggested) Shift+Alt+b keycombo a second time (to end-select).
6. Observe the (longish) column block selection is made:

NOTE: This issue has its basis in discussions in this Community thread: https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/topic/20616

Debug Information

Feature request based on current content of Notepad++ 8.4.8.