Text Expanders In Action – Multiline ShortKeys Part 2

Mandi already posted about how nice it is to be able to create ShortKeys with multiple lines, and I wanted to add one thing that is very important to remember when you do so. You need to remember to either account for the space that activates the ShortKey or remember to delete it.

For example, look at this example from Mandi's post:

:enter::enter:_[Applause]_:enter::enter:

If you just enter the the ShortKey suggested, "appl," you then also need to type a "space" for the ShortKey to expand (if you use the suffix keys such as a space for activation.) However, this puts you one space into the line you end on. To fix this, you're going to need to hit "backspace" to get to the beginning of the line. You could also take out one of the "enters" and use the extra enter for expanding your ShortKey.

This is just something to keep in mind when creating multiline ShortKeys to keep your formatting correct. Whichever way you prefer to handle it is up to you, but I'd suggest picking a way and sticking to it so it's not another thing you need to remember for each individual ShortKey.

Text Expanders in Action – Multiline ShortKeys

Another one of the things I love about SKs is that you can create multiline text expanders. You could add a whole page worth of text, complete with paragraph spacing, or a text expander for some of those nonverbal notations we talked about before.

For example, let's say that I'm transcribing a presentation, and I need to notate applause on it's own line:

Blah, blah, blah

[Applause]

Blah, blah, blah

I can create a ShortKey that does it for me. So, for example, I might type appl and my ShortKey would like this:

:enter::enter:_[Applause]_:enter::enter:

(The : should really be <>, but they disappear if I type them that way!)

Now, when I type appl at the end of a line, it will add the hard returns before the [Applause] as well as after, and I can keep typing without missing a beat.

Text Expanders in Action – Temporary Inputs

I was working on a particular type of file I end up having quite frequently today when I realized I'd forgotten several of my ShortKey entries for terms they were using over and over and over again. Luckily, as I posted about in Methods for Creating ShortKeys, I do have fairly regular methods that I use to create my inputs.

This particular time I was saved with a few of my favorites. I'd forgotten that I had added "mni" to expand to "my name is" the last time I had these files because of how frequently it's used. When you're dealing with 20 or more files, having to type that is not my idea of a good time.

Additionally, when I do have situations like this where I'm going to be transcribing something unique over and over and over again, I set up a temporary ShortKey for it. I tend to keep my temporary ShortKeys the same things and change them when I come across these situations. In this particular group of files I made one for an introduction. My input is always the same, "tyfc." What the ShortKey is changes based on the files I'm working on, but it usually looks something like this:

Thank you for calling Transcription Talk where we talk about everything relating to transcription. How may I help you today?

And I'm thankful for my temporary ShortKey 17 times today. It is the best feeling to be able to take a nine-second break at the beginning of each file to stretch my hands out.

Text Expanders in Action – Names

I use a very simple method for creating text expanders for names that I type frequently. I use the first two letters of the first name and the first two of the last.

For example, I used to type a radio show on which politics was frequently the main topic. I had text expanders for many of the candidates set up using this method.

Shortcut	Output
hicl	Hillary Clinton
joed	John Edwards
jomc	John McCain
miro	Mitt Romney

By always using the same method I can easily recall what my shortcuts are even if I haven't used them in a while!

Don't forget to enter to win a copy of ShortKeys! You can enter to win through Sunday night.

Text Expanders in Action – Why I Love ShortKeys

There's no question that Shaina, Tara and I all love ShortKeys as opposed to Word's AutoCorrect tool. One of many reasons I personally love it is the hint window that pops up when you've typed one of your shortcuts. I have most of my ShortKeys memorized, so it's not as if I'm staring at it all day long – in fact, as I type, it probably pops up 5-10 times per sentence, and I never even glance at it most of those times. However if I've added a new ShortKey that I'm trying to use more often, I love being able to watch for the window as I type.

For example, let's say I was trying to start using govt for government but was having trouble remember what my ShortKey was. I might type gover and govmt and see that there is no hint window. Then, if I type "govt," I see this:

Knowing that I've type the right thing, I can hit the spacebar to make it expand and then keep right on going. It definitely makes it easier for me to put my text expanders into action.

Text Expanders in Action

I'm transcribing earnings calls again for the first time in a year, and I am once again using my favorite, by far, ShortKeys. They make me smile every time I use them, which is often.

You see, ShortKeys has a feature that allows you to insert other commands in your expanders, so I have:

55 = :backspace:%

I type, for example, 15 55, and I get 15%. I love it!


And the other one is:

ce = $0

Which means I type, for example, ce.96, and I get $0.96.


I don't do well with the shift+number keys, so these both allow me to transcribe much more smoothly without losing my rhythm every time they mention a number!

Text Expanders in Action

For those of you who use text expanders on a regular basis, I wonder if you’ve ever had an experience like this before. I recently transcribed a file in which the speaker mentioned dozens of different political figures he had worked with. As he would describe them, he repeatedly used “noble” and “noble man.” I debated throughout the entire file whether I should take the time to stop and add a ShortKey for those words, perhaps nbl or nb for noble and nblm or nbm for noble man. I did not, however, ever actually do it. When I got to the end, I decided to see how many times he had used the word/phrase in this two-hour file, and I was amazed to see that I had type “noble” 21 times and “noble man” 18 times. I sure wish I had taken the 15 seconds or less (I just had my husband time me as I added them) it would have taken to add these two text expanders!