Update: *Using Insert Text by Pasting seems to do the trick
While using KM to expand snippets, the expansion occasionally and randomly inserts extra returns or misplaces spaces. Is there a way to correct this misbehavior?
For example, I entered a simple replacement three times in a row and got three different responses:
fil etype:pdf
filetype:pd f
file type:pdf
If you type quickly, and you type during the expansion, your typed text will be interspersed with the expansion, so that may be what you are seeing.
For this reason it’s generally a good idea to include the space at the end of the expansion if you expect to be typing it within a sentence. This is because people then to type the space after a word very quickly and then have a longer gap after the space before typing the next word.
I’m so over TextExpander and the issues I’ve been having with formatting and inserting a linked URL into a snippet. Is this something that I can do with KM?
Probably. It depends on how you format the linked URL.
I don’t recognize the term “snippet” in the context of KM. What are you trying to do? If you are trying to (ultimately) insert an actual link into something like a Mail message or TextEdit document I can tell you how to do that.
In TextExpander (TE), you can create a formatted snippet to store things like a rich-text hyperlink (like KM Forum). Since KM variables can only store plain text, the only way I know to store rich-text is in a Named Clipboard.
However, I just discovered that you can "Insert Styled Text by Pasting":
To get this KM Action, goto KM Editor > Actions > Text > Insert Text by Pasting.
Then change the popup to "Insert Styled Text by Pasting"
So you could use this KM Action in a text-expansion Macro.
You would have to create the rich-text hyperlink in another app, or in another KM Macro, and then paste into the above Action.
Here is a complex Macro that creates rich-text hyperlinks:
Macro: Set Clipboard to RTF Hyperlink & Plain Text MD Link
It may be more complex than you need, but you could use parts of it, include the script that actually creates the hyperlink, in a much simpler macro.
Hope this helps. Please feel free to ask any follow-up questions.
These instructions are excellent. I was looking at TextExpander and the like, and now I realize I can build these expansions right into KM!
Personally I prefer to just trigger most of these from the status menu rather than having to remember a bunch of codes.
These are also so easy to create/maintain within KM. Great solution!
Hey Michael,
Don't do that unless you have a very few. Use a Prompt With List
Action to allow easy discovery of hundreds or even thousands of items.
You can even set it up, so you can add custom tags to the insertion text.
-Chris
Chris - The prompt with list option looks interesting, but what would the potential issues be with using the menu?
Cumbersome to use.
I don't have a lot of snippets but if I had over 50 it might become so.
Typinator looks great. I'll keep it in mind!
I give up. How do I get a simple text snippet to work? I thought this would be immediately straightforward. I just want to type, "rr" and have it replaced in any application text field with my email text. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.
Your macro is good.
Things to check:
Is the macro group enabled?
Is the macro in the Global Macro group area or a group in which All Applications are available?
Hey Russell,
And it should be.
There have been a lot of folks with permissions problems on later versions of macOS due to Apple's negligence.
-Chris
Thanks for the response, @kcwhat. It's in the Global Macro Group and the group is enabled and available in all applications. I've heard lots of problems with later OSs so I'm still using Mac OS 10.15.7 (Catalina).
Oh wait, it magically seemed to start work with no discernible change. I don't understand, but I will ask a follow-up question related to this message I got, if that's ok:
Neither KeyboardMaestro nor the KeyboardMaestro Engine are listed in my Privacy & Security-->Privacy-->Screen Recording apps and there doesn't seem to be a way to add them. They are both listed and active under the "Accessibility" option however.
That’s what @ccstone was angling at. Go ahead and add Keyboard Maestro and Keyboard Maestro Engine app to screen recording as well.
See this post:
A couple of possibly relevant posts from the thread KC is pointing to.
TIP: Resolving Catalina/Mojave Accessibility/Security Permissions Issues - #8 by peternlewis
TIP: Resolving Catalina/Mojave Accessibility/Security Permissions Issues - #17 by ccstone
