cut-and-paste in modal dialogs

[Steve Strassmann <straz@cambridge.apple.com>]

>Date: Wed, 23 Sep 92 09:21:56 EDT
>From: wilcox@cmns.think.com
>To: info-mcl@cambridge.apple.com
>Subject: cut-and-paste in modal dialogs
>
>How can I get standard editing functions (cut, copy, and paste) to work in a
>modal dialog? The function modal-dialog seems to disable all the menus and
>prevent me from editing my editable-text-dialog-items using command keys.
>
>

This is a >ahem< feature of all Mac modal dialogs, not just MCL.
I'm not sure of the wisdom behind it, but several hackers out there
have written INITs (er, System Extensions) which get around this.
I think sumex-aim.stanford.edu:/info-mac/cp/escapade-132.hqx
might do the trick, plus a few other handy tricks, like letting
you type the first letter of the name of a button or check box 
to select it.