If you type a lot then you will probably tire of the repetition you are bound to encounter. After all there are only so many words in our vocabularies and once we find our voice, we tend to stick to it and all the keywords and phrases that come with it. If you do find yourself typing the same things on a regular basis, whether it is a word or phrase you use often or a long line of HTML code, nothing would be handier than a shortcut to speed things up. Fortunately there is an app for that called TextExpander and it can be yours for $35.
TextExpander is the kind of application that just sounds lazy but rather than a means to cut corners, it is more of an efficiency tool that will help reduce the time you lose on repetitive typing tasks. It is also a means to cut corners but that is just an added bonus. TextExpander is a simple but highly effective app that works by allowing you to create customised abbreviations and designate them to any piece of text that you see fit. The piece of text in question is referred to by the app as a snippet and once you type the relevant abbreviation in, the app will expand the text to its full glory, earning its name in the process.
In addition to this, TextExpander can also perform other typing tasks for you, including filling out online forms and correcting any spelling mistakes you make, provided you show it how to beforehand. You can set up snippets to be as simple or complex as you like but whatever it is, the abbreviation will make it happen when typed in.
Fortunately you will not need to commit all of these abbreviations to memory as they are all stored in a handy menu that you can simply select them from. This is especially useful when working in more complex programming language and the process of coding can be sped up significantly. The menu can also be customised so you can organise in a way that works best for you.
A library provides some ready-made snippets for you but you can choose to ignore these and create your own, or simply edit them to suit you. Snippets can do more than simply replicate text though and you can actually programme some more complex commands into them, such as adding variable data like the time or pressing the Enter key, and it is a great way to figure out a snippet that can navigate a form. If you plan on using TextExpander across multiple devices you can also sync them up and access your snippets from any one of them.
TextExpander will be hugely useful to some people and inconsequential to others but it is excellent at what it does and many will find it becomes an essential part of their workflow. If you type a lot and need to find a way to save time, this may just be the application you are looking for.
