If you write invoices, articles or emails, some phrases come back repeatedly. In November 2010, I wrote about Texter: a program that replaces a short code with a longer piece of text. It might be a standard reply, an address or a recurring explanation. This is called text expansion, and the idea remains useful.
Choose recognisable codes
A good code is short enough to save time and unusual enough not to appear accidentally in ordinary writing. For a greeting, you might use a fixed abbreviation with a symbol. Test the code in different programs before using it in important correspondence. Applications do not all handle automatic replacement in the same way.
Save only text you really reuse. A reply to a client will usually need a personal review: are the name, situation and promise correct? Text expansion suits the repeated part, not an entire conversation on autopilot. Do not store passwords or other secrets in easily triggered snippets.
Texter as a historical example
Texter’s source code is still online, but the original 2010 post is not a current installation guide. The code shows that the program was built to replace short text codes automatically. Anyone choosing a text expansion tool today should check whether it is maintained, works on their operating system and protects stored snippets appropriately.
The gain comes from small repetitions. A few well chosen abbreviations can replace a lot of copying and pasting while you still review the content of every message.