Text-inserting macro

[Daniel Davis]

In wordperfect (wp), I use "quick-correct" a lot to insert text. For instance, if I want the phrase "akd" to insert the word "acknowledged" I set that up and it works ok. However, I would like to do the same in other applications, without having to remember different commands for doing so. MEP could do this for me, I think. Is there a way to have akd, as exampled above, insert the word I want, or would I always have to precede it with ##?

[Cory]

Yes. You need to look at Shortkey Activation. You could type ##akd and have it type whatever you want and replace your typed text.

 

I wont do into it now but there was a big debate years ago about whether prefix or suffix keys are better. After much consideration I decided that suffix was much more flexible and useful. FWIW

[Daniel Davis]

Yes..I know the ### thing will do that, but it would be much easier if an invented word would do the same thing....instead of typing ###. Via this method, it would be easy to remember and type "words" (see below) that would insert what you want by simply pressing the 3rd letter of a word 3 times. Examples follow:

 

ackkk = acknowledged

deaaa= Dear customer representative:

briii = Bring all records to the meeting when you attend.

attt = attorney-client privilege

 

BTW..I have an overuse injury to my right hand, so reaching for the right shift key in order to type ### is literally a pain. I would imagine I could change it to aaa or some such, but that's not as efficient and memorable as the convention described above. Like I said, I can use that wp feature to get it done easily, but would like to use the same abbreviations in other apps.

 

I did this all the time in superkey. How I wish someone would port superkey to win7. Perhaps I can get used to MEP such that I can get most of the functionality out of it I used to get out of superkey. By far, MEP is the most intuitive and complete macro program I've encountered in the last 20 years since I surrendered DOS to windows.

[terrypin]

I use the MEP's shortkey prefix '=' and personally find that reliable and easy to use.

 

I use these not only for about 60 abbreviations like those you list, but also for file paths to accelerate opening and saving in browser dialogs. For example, typing =gp results in this being entered

C:\Docs\Maps\GPS+GPX files<ENTER>

which immediately navigates to that folder.

 

For standard text abbreviations I also think my approach is faster, more versatile and less prone to errors. For example, one of my abbreviations is =ap for 'appreciate', 3 keystrokes, versus presumably 4 with your method. Another couple are

=s1 which gives the two-line signature

--

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

and

=s2 for the more formal

--

Terry Pinnell, East Grinstead, UK

 

I'd have had to think a bit before assigning suitable abbreviations with your method.

 

And I'd have thought distinguishing words or phrases with similar beginnings would be an issue?

 

--

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[Samrae]

If you choose the "use suffix keys" option you can type "ackkk" followed by punctuation (space, comma, etc.) and the macro will type "acknowledged". Click Options, Preferences, Activations and ShortKeys.

[acantor]

There is no "one-size-fits-all." I think it's a matter of how an individual uses ShortKeys. There are some contexts in which I prefer suffixes, but in the end, prefixes work best for me.

 

I use the comma as my prefix. Words never begin with a comma, so it avoids conflicts. Therefore:

 

,d types 20 July 2012 (today's date)

,ac types Alan Cantor (my name)

,wwww types www.cantoraccess.com (my website)

,helene types Hélène

 

,min minimizes the window

 

### makes no sense to me as a prefix. Too many characters and too awkward to type.

[Cory]

Daniel please try my suggestion of using suffix keys. It does exactly what you want. It takes less time to try it than it does to write a response to this thread!

[lemming]

Hi Daniel, sorry to hear about your injury. I think it may be hard for others to imagine dealing with limited mobility and partial access to the keyboard.

 

Macex does not seem to support the "quick-correct" feature. But anyway, you could also set up similar abbreviations in Microsoft Word - the AutoCorrect feature has been available for years.

 

But I get where you're coming from; I used Superkey many years ago too and that "quick-correct" feature was awesome and I could make it work in any program. The only equivalent these days seems to be AutoHotkey. Since it is a rival product I won't link to it but you can always google for it. You'd want to look at its "Hotstrings" feature (needs Windows NT/2000/XP or later).

 

-Lemming

 

Yes..I know the ### thing will do that, but it would be much easier if an invented word would do the same thing....instead of typing ###. Via this method, it would be easy to remember and type "words" (see below) that would insert what you want by simply pressing the 3rd letter of a word 3 times. Examples follow:

 

ackkk = acknowledged

deaaa= Dear customer representative:

briii = Bring all records to the meeting when you attend.

attt = attorney-client privilege

 

BTW..I have an overuse injury to my right hand, so reaching for the right shift key in order to type ### is literally a pain. I would imagine I could change it to aaa or some such, but that's not as efficient and memorable as the convention described above. Like I said, I can use that wp feature to get it done easily, but would like to use the same abbreviations in other apps.

 

I did this all the time in superkey. How I wish someone would port superkey to win7. Perhaps I can get used to MEP such that I can get most of the functionality out of it I used to get out of superkey. By far, MEP is the most intuitive and complete macro program I've encountered in the last 20 years since I surrendered DOS to windows.

[Cory]

Dude! Suffix option! No need for another app. Read my second paragraph. I do what you want all the time. For instance when I type "hugee" then space it replaces the proper spelling of the French name name "Hugé"

[lemming]

Whoops, you're right. I've somehow overlooked this option in Macex. Suffix keys would do what Daniel requires.

 

Dude! Suffix option! No need for another app. Read my second paragraph. I do what you want all the time. For instance when I type "hugee" then space it replaces the proper spelling of the French name name "Hugé"

[paul]

Dude! Suffix option! No need for another app. Read my second paragraph. I do what you want all the time. For instance when I type "hugee" then space it replaces the proper spelling of the French name name "Hugé"

What happens if you type "employee" then space? Do you get "employé"?

[Cory]

No, you get "employee". It has to be the entire string "hugee". One nice thing about it is the strings can be more intuitive. However one should be mindful that if there was another word that ended in "hugee" you could have a problem. Usually I make mine pretty unique. Like "degreess" results in the degree symbol. Also I use them for a macros a user might need while typing. For one client I have a macro with the activation "cid??" which fires a macro that brings up my client search macro but when selected returns the client ID in a format "CID:1234". This is a very handy way of tagging correspondence, files and so forth inline while typing.

[paul]

Like "degreess" results in the degree symbol.

Let's hope you don't have to do that too often - far too much typing for such a paltry result! I think I'd prefer charmap.

[lemming]

Let's hope you don't have to do that too often - far too much typing for such a paltry result! I think I'd prefer charmap.

 

Or the alt-code sequence - Alt-0176 for °

 

No macros needed, nor any other program.

[Cory]

I can never remember all the codes for special characters as I use them infrequently. So typing "degreess" is much quicker than looking it up or opening the character map to insert. And only 4 keystrokes more. But I concede that those who can remember all of the codes for the special characters should not write macros like this. I just use it as a crutch fro me feeble mind. Pop quiz: What's the char code for the "approximate" (≈) symbol? I win! I cheated however because all I had to do was type the key left of the "1" twice. Actually that's a lot fewer characters that the Alt method.

[lemming]

I can never remember all the codes for special characters as I use them infrequently. So typing "degreess" is much quicker than looking it up or opening the character map to insert. And only 4 keystrokes more. But I concede that those who can remember all of the codes for the special characters should not write macros like this. I just use it as a crutch fro me feeble mind. Pop quiz: What's the char code for the "approximate" (≈) symbol? I win! I cheated however because all I had to do was type the key left of the "1" twice. Actually that's a lot fewer characters that the Alt method.

 

Yeah, good points. I realize too that more people are using notebooks these days instead of desktops. The alt-code sequences only work with a numeric keypad, and practically all notebooks lack them. You have to press an additional key to toggle a pseudo numeric keypad, so generating an alt-code sequence might require three hands, depending on the keyboard layout! In this case, MEP or Charmap would be useful.