If you don’t always like lifting your fingers off the keyboard to press the Tab, Enter, Escape, or Return key, let TextExpander (affiliate link) do it for it while you type.
Sometimes while typing, I don’t want to look down to hit the Tab key when it’s needed. I can sometimes press the key without looking, but typing the abbreviation, “tbb” triggers the tab key will I type. I use a similar abbreviation for quickly typing a list of 10 numbers, each followed by a period.
Here’s how to set it up in TextExpander:
1. Create a new snippet.
2. Select the drop-down list of special macros and select Key.
3. Select the Key you to want to assign an abbreviation to.
4. Assign an abbreviation that doesn’t conflict with any words you typically type.
Here’s the setup for my numbered list. When the abbreviation is typed, TextExpander automatically types the list out.
(Note: check out this similar numbered list macro created in Keyboard Maestro) You could also use these macros for filling out a web form that requires hitting the Tab or Return key, to move the cursor from one entry box to the next.
How Do You Use TextExpander?
Let me and my readers know how you’re using TextExpander for other than typing word snippets.
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