[SOLVED] need a text editor that can autotext from abbreviations

[Tom_ZeCat]

I've been using gVIM on a Windows 10 PC, but it's coming up short for with the Linux version on my Kubuntu PC. If you need the nitty gritty details, see the link at the end of this post where I explain it all in depth. In short, I need to notate details of tech support phone calls that I do for work. I have gVIM in Win 10 set up so that I can type something like "rds" and then it types for me "Referred to dealer support." This saves me tremendous time in typing. There's no virtue in being a typing maniac. I've figured out how to make gVIM for Linux do this, but I'm unhappy with its interface and find the Windows version much easier to use.

So now I've considered some other programs:

Notepadqq
I love its interface and would be down with using it if I could figure out a way to make it do autotext from my abbreviations.

Geany
Very nice little texting program, and love its interface, but I haven't been able to figure out how to make it autotext.

Maybe there's something else I should try. gVIM for Linux wasn't doing it for me because I can't seem to get it to let me select text by holding down the Shift key and using an arrow key, plus Ctrl+C doesn't seem to work for copying text. It does it in the Windows version.

If anyone knows of how to make one of these text editors do the autotext thing -- or if you know of another one -- please let me know.

As a very last resort, I could run gVIM for Windows under WINE. A very, very last resort.

If you need to see the long version, it's here:
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2461508

[jlittle]

I've been using gVIM on a Windows 10 PC, but it's coming up short for with the Linux version on my Kubuntu PC

I'm perplexed by this. gvim on windows 10 works nearly the same as kubuntu for me.

Do you use mswin.vim? Ah, maybe that's it, I think on Windows that might be sourced by default, and not on Kubuntu. I suggest adding

source $VIMRUNTIME/mswin.vim

to your .vimrc file. It gives the shift+arrow and ctrl-c behaviour you mention, and ctrl+ A, F, H, Q, S, V, X, Y, Z, Tab, Insert and F4, and alt+space like on windows.

The clipboard works a bit differently on KDE than on Windows, but that will affect any editor. Using mswin.vim helps with that, if that's your preference.

[Tom_ZeCat]

I'm perplexed by this. gvim on windows 10 works nearly the same as kubuntu for me.

Do you use mswin.vim? Ah, maybe that's it, I think on Windows that might be sourced by default, and not on Kubuntu. I suggest adding

source $VIMRUNTIME/mswin.vim

to your .vimrc file. It gives the shift+arrow and ctrl-c behaviour you mention, and ctrl+ A, F, H, Q, S, V, X, Y, Z, Tab, Insert and F4, and alt+space like on windows.

The clipboard works a bit differently on KDE than on Windows, but that will affect any editor. Using mswin.vim helps with that, if that's your preference.

Thanks for your help.
That turned out to be it. After I wrote that, I found a page that recommended exactly what you did, except one extra line of code:

source $VIMRUNTIME/mswin.vim
behave mswin

from: https://superuser.com/questions/1058...lx-ctrlc-ctrlv

That gVIM had been installed on the Windows PC before by another worker. He must have set up that interface. Anyway, got it working. I'm going to leave in that extra line of code just in case it's needed in some way. I'll still consider using Notepadqq or Geany if I can figure out how to autotext on them.

I think that interface that gVIM started with before must be some kind of old-time programmer's interface that some programmers still prefer to use.

[jlittle]

Grand (as the Irish say).

behave mswin

That's unnecessary, as that command is in mswin.vim.

[Tom_ZeCat]

Grand (as the Irish say).

That's unnecessary, as that command is in mswin.vim.

Cool, thanks. It's working as I want now. Turns out, I can also use Geany if I want to, as I've found out how to automate text. Geany does it in a file named snippets.conf. I've got all my abbreviations in and it works great. Plus, I love Geany's interface. I've got my choice between the two text apps now.

[GreyGeek]

Your request got me to looking through LibreOffice Writer. In its "Autocorrect" setting is a "Replace With" section. It has dozens of ":something: graphic icon" and another 100- 0r 200 of "watn want" type exchanges. One can, of course add, their own, like your needs required.

I know you've already found a solution but I'm mentioning this because a LOT of people use LibreWriter and may not be aware of this feature. I know I wasn't, and I've used it for years. Just goes to show that we tend to learn only what we use.

[Tom_ZeCat]

Your request got me to looking through LibreOffice Writer. In its "Autocorrect" setting is a "Replace With" section. It has dozens of ":something: graphic icon" and another 100- 0r 200 of "watn want" type exchanges. One can, of course add, their own, like your needs required.

I know you've already found a solution but I'm mentioning this because a LOT of people use LibreWriter and may not be aware of this feature. I know I wasn't, and I've used it for years. Just goes to show that we tend to learn only what we use.

You're right, and I did consider using LibreOffice Writer, but it's kind of overkill. Plus, both gVIM and Geany will display my different text files as tabs across the top for easy access. But I could have gotten the job done with LO Writer. It has both the AutoCorrect feature that you mention and the AutoText one, both of which would have worked. AutoCorrect will take something you type and automatically retype it. They designed it to fix things like "taht" to "that," but I could have used it for what I was doing. With AutoText, you assign a letter or number to what you want to type, then you type that plus [F3] and it types it for you. I used that feature all the time for writing stories. I didn't have to keep typing character names over and over.

Once again, thanks to everyone who wrote in this thread. I appreciate the Kubuntu community very much.

[whatthefunk]

I think most text editors could do this with snippets. If you are using Kubuntu, you probably have Kate installed by default: https://docs.kde.org/stable5/en/kate...-snippets.html

You could probably take this a step further if using vim by using macros (not sure about gVim). You can perform a series of actions once and record it for playback later.

[GreyGeek]

You're right, and I did consider using LibreOffice Writer, but it's kind of overkill. ...

LOL! A long time ago I subscribed to Field & Stream magazine. On one of its pages was a full page cartoon ad. It showed a woodchuck standing in a ferocious pose, claws bared, and the caption read "Chuck Hunters Don't Be Under Gunned!" It was selling Boys Anti-tank guns.

I think most text editors could do this with snippets. If you are using Kubuntu, you probably have Kate installed by default: https://docs.kde.org/stable5/en/kate...-snippets.html
..

See, that's what I mean. I've used Kate almost since it was alpha and never knew about snippets. (Checking the Plugin Manager and what do I see? Snippet.)

[Tom_ZeCat]

LOL! A long time ago I subscribed to Field & Stream magazine. On one of its pages was a full page cartoon ad. It showed a woodchuck standing in a ferocious pose, claws bared, and the caption read "Chuck Hunters Don't Be Under Gunned!" It was selling Boys Anti-tank guns.

See, that's what I mean. I've used Kate almost since it was alpha and never knew about snippets. (Checking the Plugin Manager and what do I see? Snippet.)

I never knew that about Kate either. Good to know. I won't use Kate for this, however, because I need an app that has both a Linux and a Windows version. That way if I need to work at the regular office with a Windows 10 PC, I'll be able to use it.

And Geany worked with flying colors. It's much easier to work with than gVIM. If I wanted to change my snippets file in gVIM, I had to hunt it down in the install directory (in Windows0). With Geany, I can modify my snippet file from within Geany's interface. So I can add stuff on the fly while I'm working. I also noticed Geany keeps track of words I type a lot and auto-suggests them when I start to type them. I just hit tab to complete them. Less typing is always nice.

I put a lot of effort into finding the right tool, and now from having worked my first day with it, I know I made the right choice. Sometimes I question the extra effort I put into computing just how I want to, but this effort was definitely worth it, and you guys' help is certainly appreciated.

As long as I work from home, I don't have to use Windows anymore. Yey!

[GreyGeek]

I spent the last 10 years of my career working in a Windows shop. I dual booted with Linux and my productivity was 2-3X faster than the other developers. And, I never had to worry about viruses!