by Back in 2010, I reviewed version 3 of Smile’s TextExpander. The company recently updated its venerable text-expansion utility to version 4 ($35; $15 for owners of older versions), and though the latest version will be quite familiar to anyone who has used earlier iterations, Smile has added some notable new features.
For the uninitiated, TextExpander lets you create abbreviations for bits of text that you frequently type—the program calls these bits snippets. You type an abbreviation in any document or text field, and TextExpander instantly replaces the abbreviation with the corresponding snippet. For example, I’ve created simple snippets for my name (kmc), my address (ad1), and my telephone numbers (ttel and tmob). I also have a number of more-complex snippets that I use when writing in HTML that take advantage of special TextExpander features. For example, hrf types an -tagged link and inserts the contents of the clipboard as the URL.
The program also automates the tasks of filling out online forms, inserting email signatures, and even correcting typos (instantly replacing teh with the, for example). Suffice it to say that these snippets are so useful, and so ingrained in my workflow, that I could scarcely work without them.
You don’t need to remember all of your snippet abbreviations, as TextExpander’s systemwide menu provides quick access to your snippets. You just choose one from the menu to paste it immediately. This menu is especially useful for snippets for things such as HTML and CCS—TextExpander lets you create an entire library of snippets for this type of coding. Creating a snippet group within TextExpander puts that group in a separate submenu in the TextExpander menu for more-precise organization and easier access.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
