I‘m fine with the standalone version of TE. What does the subscription offer?
I would not want to use anything that doesn’t transfer to iOS.
I also abandoned TextExpander when they went to subscription. I don’t begrudge them doing it, but I could not justify the expense. Using Alfred quite happily. Keyboard Maestro also on my machine but I found it too complicated. Alfred works fine for snippets. The only thing I miss in Alfred that was in TextExander is the feature to add in user-interface items (pull down list boxes, text input, etc.) to make the snippets more sophisticated. Instead, I just make a couple different versions of the snippet if I need that.
I stuck with TextExpander mostly because they have a windows version and it syncs perfect with my Mac. I do a lot of things with TextExpander like time stamps (a20180628101119) that have become an important part of my workflow.
The subscription doesn’t bother me as the app is so important and I use YNAB to budget for it every month. Since I know where my money is going with YNAB and could see where I could cut back and save money - the money I saved more than justified the cost of TextExpander and other apps.
Some TE flakiness here too the last month or two. I have snippets that populate an email with to, cc, bcc, subject and body inserting text and tabbing to the next field. The tabs seem to misfire or not occur about 40% of the time. It will put the subject in the BCC and all the body into the subject line. Other times works just fine. Tried rebuilding the snippet and no luck. I’ve been too busy to look further into it or contact TE support.
I’d also throw in a mention for Ettore Software’s TypeIt4Me. It’s a very credible alternative to TextExpander and the developer is a real pleasure to deal with. I use it constantly on my Mac, and there’s an iOS version too. Both are reasonably priced.
Since my post earlier I’ve moved from TE to Alfred on the Mac, as described here . Next step is an iOS solution but I think it should be possible to spin up a variation on this: https://github.com/bachya/ExpandSync
Also, Alfred’s script filters make it possible to create dynamic snippets that simply can’t be done in TE as far as I can tell.
I went back and forth when TextExpander went to a subscription model. Given how much I actually used it, the monthly cost just wasn’t worth it. My setup now is as follows:
- Alfred - app launching, multiple item clipboard, basic file manipulation (using keyboard to email a file, finding a file etc.)
- TypeIt4Me - my TextExpander replacement (and actually pre-dates it). It is cross platform and does the same work as TE without the subscription cost.
- Keyboard Maestro - I have just started playing with this, but hope to automate a few repetitive tasks when I get the time to sit down with the app. I have not found it easy to implement at this point.
I use TextExpander extensively and for $20/year it’s worth it. If I were starting fresh, I’d probably use something else – but I am not starting fresh, and it’s just not worth the trouble for me to move all my snippets elsewhere.
Plus I do occasionally use the iOS version.
1 Like
I’m new and don’t want a monthly subscription, I have too many monthly things.
I do want cross platform of Mac and iOS.
Would love aText if is had an iOS app but doesn’t seem to.
Keyboard Maestro doesn’t seem to work on iOS.
Any thoughts on direction to head?
Thanks for the help.
MM
1 Like
Start with the built-in “text replacement” functionality where text expansions that are shared between iOS and MacOS.
If you’re up for some tinkering that GitHub repo I linked to above has scripts to sync aText with TE for iOS.
The old me would have tinkered. That said, I am more in the spend $20 to solve the problem instead of hours of time hoping it will work.
If you tell me it’s simple and works well for you, i’d be open to github approach but I don’t want the spit and bubble gum anymore.
Do you know if we can add variables into the keyboard shortcuts?
The other issue was I couldn’t get shortcuts to work in chrome or word, the text expansion wouldn’t function.
Not in Apple’s text replacement. It is basic which is why I suggested just starting there.
Apple’s text replacements work fine for me across the board for the limited cases where I use it. I would suggest posting to a new thread with more details (platform, app & OS versions, what you have set-up, describe the steps to reproduce the issue) if you want help from people on that one.
1 Like
For anyone else who’s making the switch…Alfred’s snippet triggers require a little tweak to behave as snippets in Alfred itself.
1 Like
I switched from TE when they went subscription. I don’t see what they can do to develop the functionality that justifies a subscription. Pretty much everything it does is just one feature of Alfred or Keyboard Maestro.
I now use Alfred and it’s been great for what I need. No problems so far, and it does a heck of a lot more as well for the money. I don’t use Windows, and iOS’s built in text replacement feature would do most of what I want there.
So many apps are now subscriptions and I only subscribe if I see ongoing development paths or there are server based features that cost the developer money each month. I think TE are really focusing on the teams/business customer and maybe there they can justify the cost of a subscription.
Me to - I have a few complex expansions and they still work flawlessly
1 Like
I’m trying out TypeIt4Me and so far I’m happy with it. I think KM would be good too, if I used the rest of it. Actually I’d like somebody to convince me I need KM.
The pre-subscription TextExpander still works amazingly well for me, and I just didn’t see the benefits of updating to the current subscription version. I have no problem supporting Smile for such a wonderful product but the older version is just dandy
(And this is from someone who loves the newest version of everything pretty much!)
2 Likes
I wanted to reply and give an update. I am using Keyboard Maestro and using it for shortcuts in text and a few other things.
Found that Keyboard Maestro and Hazel has more power than I need and now I once again feel there is a ton to learn and automate.
Thanks to everyone for the help. I’ll keep things going here as they develop.
1 Like