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Text Expander - what do you prefer - Ernest

Posted: Nov 02, 2012

I'm studying to be an MT (although, reading the posts on the forum, I'm beginning to wonder about that choice), and was wondering what Text Expander software was preferred by most MTs. What do you all like?

I use Instant Text - jw

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been using Instant Text for nearly 6 years now and love it! I really like not having to memorize all of my shortcuts. Creating glossaries is quick and easy to do, and IT has a lot of great features and capabilities. For me, Instant Text has been a great tool to help increase my productivity, and I can't imagine working without it.

I know Shorthand is another popular expander program, but I have never used it personally.

Hope this helps!

If you're using MS Word - TMSOA

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MS Word has excellent built in word expansion capabilities that few people are aware of. On the other hand the makers of expansion software don't want you to know about it.

if you are referring to autocorrect it is designed for typo fixes - not so much for bulk text as in

[ In Reply To ..]
whole reports, whole paragraphs, collummating values, etc.

I used shorthand, can pull the date/time right off your computer clock, stores plenty with bolded headings or underlining, etc. Works independently with all platforms as not attached to Word, like Smartype or Word options. Free trial offered and you can pay by the month, or year if low on cash for purchase. I like it.

AutoComplete - Nancy

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AutoComplete was removed in Word 2007 but reintroduced in Word 2010.

http://compusavvy.wordpress.com/2010/02/06/autocomplete-returns-in-word-2010-quick-primer-on-quick-parts/

works IF all clients are Word based...not mine. - NM

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x

Word based.... - Nancy

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Agreed. I was responding to a Word-specific post, not to expanders in general.

Right. Same here. I use Instant Text. - MT

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Over the years, I've used AutoCorrect, ExEditor's expander, and Instant Text and I prefer Instant Text - my productivity is much higher than with the previous two.

I found IT clunky and nonproductive. - nm

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nm

Yes and the CD tray on my mom's PC is not a cup holder .. - TMSOA

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... but, it works and she's been happy with her cup holder/CD tray for years with no complaints.

Likewise we have some MTs that have been using the AutoCorrect feature in Word 2007 for text expansion and they see no reason to upgrade to Word 2010 for a "designed" expansion feature since what they have work just as well. They wont buy any expansion software either. It works for them and we are happy with their work.

AutoCorrect is Word specific, though - IT and Shorthand/Smartype are universal

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I felt like I was limiting myself using AutoCorrect, especially when I had 2 different jobs, one of which was not on a Word-based platform. With my commercial expander, IT, I am able to easily use it on almost all web-based platforms and it stays updated with the expansions I add for all my accounts that way. In other words, if I use AutoCorrect for the accounts that utilize Word and use the built-in word expander for the accounts that have web-based platforms, then I am having to maintain 2 different sets of expansions instead of just one with IT, which works universally with most MT platforms including web-based and Word.

the thing MS Word does not want you to know is - ICManiac

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how unstable the expansion function is. How many people have lost their files because it gets corrupt when it gets overloaded? The world may never know...

LOL, I don't think software companies are "hiding" Word - MT

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Anybody who has Word on their computer has full access to the expanders.

Huh? - Common knowledge

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I am pretty sure that the word expansion capabilities in Word are common knowledge in the MT community. MTs these days need a word expander that can be used on multiple platforms, however, and some of the commercial word expanders have features that blow away Word's expansion capabilities.

THE best one I've found... - sm

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and trust me...I've used a ton of them!

http://www.nagarsoft.com/

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