1. A method for setting the case of a selected textual object displayed on a display screen of a pen-based computer system, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a stroke input on the display screen; determining whether the stroke is a case setting gesture that is formed from a single substantially vertical line that intersects the selected textual object, and does not include a significant horizontal component; and setting the case of at least one character in the intersected selected textual object based upon the direction that the case setting gesture is drawn and the location at which the gesture is drawn relative to the intersected selected textual object when the stroke is determined to be a case setting gesture.