Right click the mouse inside/within...

Hello,

Could you tell me which sentence(s) are right?

1.1. The user has to right click the mouse inside the box to bring up the menu.
1.2. The user has to right click the mouse within the box to bring up the menu.

2.1. The user has to right click inside the box to bring up the menu.
2.2. The user has to right click within the box to bring up the menu.

Thanks in advance!

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I think sentence 2.1. is the best choice.

The second pair is better. I agree with Torsten as to which one I prefer. You should hyphenate “right-click” as a verb. It’s clearer and helps the reader. “To right” is a verb. “To click” is a noun and a verb. “Right click” can be a noun unto itself. As with many verbs formed from two separate nouns or any two separate words, this is a place where readers could stumble.

You’re not clicking the mouse inside the box anyway. The mouse is never in the box. You are clicking on the mouse, but you are clicking an arrow or cursor in a box. That is clear anyway, so I would avoid both.

Thank you Torsten and Mordant!

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