TextExpander: Simplify Tasks With %Clipboard
Smart Home Hacks, offers this tip, based on his experience posting Amazon links on his blog:
Here’s a great tip for bloggers and the like. I use TextExpander to create a handy macro for creating Amazon Affiliate links. It’s much easier than using Amazon’s web interface. First, create a TextExpander snippet that looks like this:I’m sure there are lots of TextExpander users (myself included) who could take advantage of the %clipboard feature to reduce the time and keystrokes spent on monotonous tasks like this one.Note that uses the nifty “%clipboard” feature, which will be replaced by the current clipboard contents when it is activated. The rest of the URL can be determined by using Amazon’s “create a product link” in their Affiliate Center. (And that’s the last time you’ll ever need to use it!) When you’re ready to create a link to an Amazon product: 1. Simply find the product you want to link to on Amazon, then copy the ISBN or ASIN to your clipboard:
2. Then I type my trigger, and link is constructed that includes my Affiliate ID: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0001ES9G2/gordonmeyer08-20 That’s it, you’re done!
TextExpander: A guy walks into a (genius) bar…
On the indispensability of TextExpander (from Tales of Being TJ) Scene: The Apple Store. After waiting for a while to get help at the Genius Bar, our protagonist has finally been told that he needs to sign up for the queue via a form on one of the computers in the store.
Anyway, I went over to a 17″ Mac Book Pro and clicked on the aforementioned app. Up came a few prompts and then it asked me for my first and last name, and my cell phone number (optional). I typed /first (tab) /last (tab) /cell (tab) and was amazed when I saw this appear on the screen: /first /last /cell Now that may look fine to you but I was expecting my first and last name and cell phone number to be inserted. OOOooohhhhh….. wait, they don’t have TextExpander installed… and even if they did, they probably would not have my shortcuts installed. However, it was a good reminder of how accustomed I have become to having TextExpander around.
TextExpander is a Star
TextExpander is featured on MacBreak. Merlin Mann of 43 Folders is a big TextExpander fan, and he shows host Leo Laporte what makes TextExpander so powerful and, ultimately, so cool. Leo actually says “It is the single best productivity tool on the Mac, right after Quicksilver.”
Check out the segment. It’s a little under 9 minutes long, and you get a glimpse of the wacky uses that Merlin has for TextExpander amongst his 700+ snippets!
Now that TextExpander is a big star, will deign to hang out with PDFpen and the rest of the gang in the Productivity Suite? 
PDFpen from Coast to Coast
Sean and Andy at the Apple Store in NYC:
Going to the Apple Store to pick up one of those cute color iPod Shuffles? Look for PDFpen on the shelves, and take a photo we can post. Send them to jean@smileonmymac.com.