I’m using Scrivener 1.7.2, and I’ve started having a problem that was reported during beta testing (not by me). Namely, when I use Ctrl+Ins to copy or Shift+Ins to paste text, the Insert key activates the overwriting function, and I type over existing text. Now, unlike some people in the thread just referenced, I do want to use this function on occasion, and I’m glad it exists. But something is still not ironed out about what activates it. It may be that other keypresses are causing it too, but mostly it does seem to require pressing Ins, albeit in combination with Ctrl or Shift. Regrettably, it doesn’t seem to happen consistently: I can’t cause it to happen every time I press an Ins key combination.
We had some trouble implementing this, so I’ve added your comments to our notes on this. Can you confirm that the Insert key is toggling the mode even while you’re holding down another key (e.g. Shirt or Ctrl) the whole time? That is, it’s not a case of just slipping on the keys and pressing & releasing Insert before pressing the other keys in the combination shortcut or of pressing Insert first and releasing it last?
Sorry for neglecting this. I’ve been away recently. I’ll monitor this closely, but I’m confident it’s not a matter of a finger slipping or of the sequence of key presses, since my typing habits are the same in all programs, and it does not happen in other software. I’ll let you know as I get more information. Is no one else reporting this?
Out of curiosity, why not use the Windows standard ctrl-c and ctrl-v shortcuts?
No, we haven’t had any further reports on this since the beta when we were first implementing it. Possibly though everyone who uses the Insert key in shortcuts just leaves the option for overwrite disabled–honestly I can’t imagine it’s that commonly desired in a word processing style program, at least these days. I could be wrong.
I tested for a while with a couple keyboards to try and effect the toggle problem you’re seeing, but the only way I could make it happens was to press the Insert key alone or to press Insert first and release it last, in which case the whole process registered as the Insert key and not as a multi-key shortcut, meaning that overwrite was toggled but the copy or paste command was not. Looking at the code, it should be monitoring for other key presses, so that Insert only toggles overwrite when alone. We really need to find a reproducible case where it’s not working correctly in order to track down what’s causing the problem.
Thanks, MM, for your diligence with so rare a problem. I’m keeping my eyes open. But here’s the really bad news: Sanguinius, to your suggestion, I often do use Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V–and I’m pretty sure this has happened a couple of times with Ctrl+V! Hopefully further experience over the next few days will clarify.
Got it, I think, and it’s a beaut.
What I find is that if I use an Insert key combination to copy or paste or for any other function in another program and then switch back to Scrivener, Scrivener is in Overtype mode. It works every time. It doesn’t matter whether the other program ends up in Overtype or Replace mode; the Insert key press is somehow present at the OS level and Scrivener picks it up, even if it was combined with Ctrl or Shift.
Thus I will try diligently not to use Insert in other programs while I’m using Scriv. But if I want to do so, I should be able to. I hope this is enough to be able to track down the bug and squash it.
Ah, got it. Thanks for your investigative prowess! 
Glad this can help. I’ve been doing beta testing for another program, and have gotten this test-and-report routine down pat. Too bad you can’t make a living doing it! 