I am sure we will speak again, nice to meet you actually and Tom too. I like his dancing bear, I am a GDead fan from years ago! To digress a little bit; several people I have spoken to think that the app landscape has kind of flattened out. I find I have gotten rid of a lot over the last year and am down to a set, about the same size, though not quite the same ones, that your suggestion points at. They do pretty much what I need, along with, to get on topic Karabiner for that one thing with the Hyper key.
+1 for that. I've been helped enormously, made to feel extremely welcome, and am learning a great deal.
Thanks to everyone!
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So, nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile 
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As you have already stated (“to digress”), this is another thing that could be worth its own topic. But here it is completely ill-placed.
automation: like the BookPedia text manipulation you did so much to help me with last week; repetitive actions on many other kinds of objects than text
Can be done only with KM GUI scripting or with AppleScript GUI scripting (aka Accessibility Scripting)
actions/routines: a single keystroke runs a script to launch, say, SuperDuper when I mount a backup thumb drive; or to batch rename files etc
To be done with LaunchBar, KM or similar script launchers.
substitution/expansion: I type 'TYFYE' and 'Thank you for your email' (in Mail) is the result
Optimally done with Typinator, can be done with KM only.
correction: I type 'biulding' and the utility corrects it and replaces that string with 'building'
Typinator or the OS’ correction. (or both.)
'revelation': I have a clear view of all the available glyphs, diacritics and top-bit set ASCII characters
Once you have your layout set, just invoke “Show Keyboard Viewer” from the Input Sources menu, and it will show you your mappings as it does with any default layout.
mapping: I can use existing keys (modified and without modifiers to reveal 5
What is “5”?
My original thought was that I could find ways to get KM to do all of those.
As said, I also already tried to do that. My – personally — best approach (so far) is to use LaunchBar and KM. Nothing more.
Just to mention it again: Ukelele is not part of this comparison, since it is just a keyboard layout editor.
KM and/or LaunchBar
These are no contradictions.
KeyCue and PopChar
PopChar is in now way related to KeyCue. Not even remotely. Same company, but completely different apps/purposes/scopes.
To sum it up (some way):
Create your optimized keyboard layout with Ukelele. This is hazzle-free and will be good a base. Your layout should contain all the glyphs you frequently use.
You have KM macros, so KM is out of question (to be eliminated)
You still might have symbols or entire strings, you want to trigger easily: Try with KM. If not sufficient, go Typinator.
If you still have the need to modify modifier keys or similar low-level stuff, then your only choice is Karabiner, or something similar. Personally I wouldn’t do it, unless really necessary.
The point is, you have to differentiate between the things:
Keyboard layout: Mapping of letters/symbols
Ukelele: An editor for keyboard layouts
Typinator: An text expansion tool
KM: Multi-Purpose tool; can do anything but editing keyboard layouts.
LaunchBar: Similar to KM; the both work very well together.
Actually having the KM Clipboard history is quite useful.
- I often have several things I want to copy from one app/document and paste into another.
- Sometimes I need to repaste an item copied several clipboards ago
- As of KM9 you can merge multiple clipboards into one with a user-specified separater.
Check out this macro:
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Indeed, clipboard history is essential, definitly.
Don’t see how I could make it without clipboard history.
Personally, I’m using the one by LaunchBar (since it accommodates better with the tap triggers), but KM’s is certainly eqivalent.
Tom,
== snipped ==
Based on what Ive learnt so far, Typinator is better suited, wouldn't you say?
== snipped ==
Sorry. I meant my number 5: 'revelation' (!) a quick insight into all the keys' mappings, e.g. with KeyCue.
My original thought was that I could find ways to get KM to do all of those.
Yes. In my case, I think I'm aiming for Typinator and KM as things stand now. But that may change. It's all becoming ever more clear, thank you.
Right. I think I understand that now. Though I have yet to try it. I shall.
No indeed - except that they both reveal something: PopChar the available characters in their respective fonts families; and KeyCue which keyboard shortcuts are available, application by application. It's the feedback/'revelation' aspect that made me put them in the same category; although of course they don't 'do' anything similar.
My approach now is to identify and categorise/group what I want to do. Then pick the best-suited tools in each case.
An unsolvable question! KM might be sufficient, start with that. Then add Typinator, when/if you feel the need. I think, Ergonis also provide trials, no? (Not sure.)
Not a bad choice.
But don’t forget LaunchBar. LB can take over text expansion (up to a certain degree) and it can launch your KM macros in a convenient way (i.e. without stupid fix hotkey triggers). And you can also build LB actions, similar to KM macros. Which, once you are familiar with AppleScript or JXA, is more convenient than tacking together the actions in the KM Gui.
Most of my KM macros originated as LB action. And many of the macros by me you see here, are transfers from an LB action. (I.e., written in AppleScript as LB action, then transferred to KM.)
But, in some cases KM is the better way to go… As said, the right tool for the job ;).
And KM provides easy access to things that LB doesn’t cover, for example peeiodic triggers, or folder watches, which are ouside of KM only accessible via launchd scripts.
If you would force me to decide on one single-and-only tool: LaunchBar, with KM as very close second.
PopChar
Indeed, PopChar is irrelevant here.
My approach now is to identify and categorise/group what I want to do. Then pick the best-suited tools in each case.
But take your time. I still have the impression that you are still mixing up purposes (e.g. between Typinator, KM, Ukelee, …). Though by far not as bad as at the beginning 
Tom,
They do. Yes. I'm going much more slowly than I was a week ago
That's very important: keep it simple, memorable and manageable.
Ok. Have definitely not forgotten LB.
Which says a lot.
My approach now is to identify and categorise/group what I want to do. Then pick the best-suited tools in each case.
Thanks for your encouragement! You're right: much less confused. My plan is to work from what I need to do and try the most appropriate tool until I have them all doing what I want how I want. Thanks!
@MarkSealey, I highly recommend Typinator
- If you have a good number, let's say 100, or more of text expansions you need to create, or transfer. (Typinator offers an import from TextExpander. ) Certainly if you have > 1,000 expansions.
- IMO, Typinator is easier to use, and much more compact than KM
- Typinator is faster and more consistent that KM. Sometimes I have to re-type a KM Typed String several times to get it to trigger.
- You can't use a KM Typed String trigger in a KM Prompt
- Typinator has a great search
Since Typinator has a free trial, I'd suggest trying it to see if you like it.
For the record, I use both KM and Typinator many, many times a day.
Thanks, @JMichaelTX - that's really helpful.
My understanding of the options and most profitable courses of action is much more sophisticated than it was a few days ago!
I suspect that what I'll do is assign apps to tasks incrementally (e.g. as you suggest for expansions); and to explore Ukelele for a single mapping to avoid what Tom so aptly and effectively calls 'stupid fix hotkey triggers' (that really says such a lot!) - rather than trying to work it all out in one go.
Hey, don’t take it out of context 
This was meant in relation with LaunchBar (which provides dynamical and intelligent abbrevs, in contrary to “stupid fix hotkeys” as provided by other apps. I know, KM since 8.0 also provides some intelligence, but this is in no way comparable with LB.).
This was my intended context:
But don’t forget LaunchBar. LB can take over text expansion (up to a certain degree) and it can launch your KM macros in a convenient way (i.e. without stupid fix hotkey triggers). And you can also build LB actions, similar to KM macros. Which, once you are familiar with AppleScript or JXA, is more convenient than tacking together the actions in the KM Gui.
Things you map in your keyboard layout file will be stupid and just fix :
If you map ✘ to ⇧⌥A, it will be there, “stupidly”
I was only referring to dynamic abbreviation triggers vs fix “stupid” hotkey triggers.
Tom,
OK 
!
Well - a week ago I think I would have twisted myself inside-out just to get any absurd combination of keys like SHIFT-CTRL-OPTION-CMND-fn-r-p-l to trigger a reply somewhere, somehow.
That's what I call an unwise fix, which I might be tempted to use to Trigger something in KM!
Now I can see much better ways to do that.
Ok, slowly but steadily I’m getting your problem 
I apologize if I already mentioned this, but I have evolved to using "Trigger by Name", or actually MACRO: Execute Macro by Name (Spotlight) by @DanThomas for most of my macros, especially those that I don't use many times a day.
If I can't find an intuitive, mnemonic (for me) hot key, then assigning some esoteric hot key that I will never remember is a waste of time.
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Yep. Me too. I tried the intelligence of KM, but it is not that great. (Well, better than in KM7.)
In addition it has an UI problem: If you rethink, you have to press several times Delete until you can enter your new search abbreviation. (Otherwise your search string will just be appended to your existing one.) — Similar as in macOS’ Spotlight, pretty debil.
So, still, my preferred way (since I can’t remember overly complex combos) is LaunchBar, also for launching KM macros. (see there). And for snippets anyway.
Nothing easier than that.
Exactly!
I've started a table (simple) in Numbers. I do expect to have some obscure ones: letters that will never appear together because always preceded by a comma (which almost always requires a space after it) can aid simplification. Like ,the for 'Thank you for helping me', which would otherwise have to be tyfhm, makes life easier.
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I've got a ridiculous number of hotkeys set up, mostly in KM but also some in Butler, the Keyboard system prefpane, individual app preferences, etc. And I have to admit I do sometimes have trouble remembering them. One thing that helps is sticking as much as possible to my own personal convention in assigning them, i.e. giving each available combination of modifiers a "meaning" in combination with the alphanumeric base key:
- Each of my most frequently used applications is assigned a letter or number
- ⌃ + [alphanumeric key] always launches/shows the application for that letter or number
- ⌃⌥ + [alphanumeric] always creates a new document or entry in that application
- ⇧⌃⌥ + [alphanumeric] creates a new document or entry using the current selection
- ⌃⌘ + [alphanumeric] shows the app and takes me to the search field in that app
- ⇧⌃⌘ + [alphanumeric] takes me to the search field and enters the current selection
- ⇧⌃ + [alphanumeric] displays a menu, palette, dialog, etc. associated with the app
- The remaining available modifier combinations are reserved for commands that don't fit into the above scheme.
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Eurobubba,
Definitely. Over the years one kind of gets used to certain sequences which… just work!
Thanks.
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