Eyedropper tool: how do I "escape" out of it?

No, I can't do that: if I do that, InDesign thinks I want to insert the character "V" in the text.

Hi @Roger Breton , One option might be to change the Eyedropper and Type Tool key commands to include a modifier, then when you have a text selection you can select the Eyedropper via the key command without deleting the selection. Click on the source, then return to the Type Tool with the modified Type Tool command. See Keyboard Shortcuts>Product Area>Tools.

The tool selection sequence could be scripted (scripts can be assigned a key command). With some text selected, this sets the current Tool to the Eyedropper, and listens for a selection change. With the destination text selected, run the script, click on the source text, then click back onto the destiantion text:

#targetengine "session"

var s = app.selection[0]
app.toolBoxTools.currentTool = UITools.EYE_DROPPER_TOOL;
app.eventListeners.add("afterSelectionChanged", getTypeTool);

function getTypeTool(e){
    app.toolBoxTools.currentTool = UITools.TYPE_TOOL;
    app.removeEventListener("afterSelectionChanged", getTypeTool);
    app.select(s,SelectionOptions.replaceWith)
}

Before and after run:

Don't you just click on 'V' to get the selection tool or 'T' for the text fool, etc. to get out of the Eyedropper tool?