phraseexpress: how does it work?

[urlwolf]

I know there are some serious users of phraseexpress here. I have tried, it watched videos, read docs, etc, and still I don't get it. How does it work? I want it to replace intellicomplete, that is, it'll do autocompletion of words, giving suggestions. But I've tried all parameter combinations and it doesn't work. It only offers silly suggestions like "I'm" (really!).

My guess is that it interacts with some other tool, because I cannot find any other explanation. I posted in their forums, but the couldn't offer any help (and my post was accidentally deleted by them; go figure).

Are there any known interactions? Do you get suggestions from the get go or do you have to wait till it learns? I tried repeating the same word several times and it didn't do anything with it.

The problem is clearly specified: do the exact same thing that intellicomplete does!

Thanks

[rjbull]

sri seems to be the chief PhraseExpress enthusiast; try a PM?

Otherwise, have you looked at these?

• jgpaiva's abbreviations importer  https://www.donation...dex.php?topic=2598.0
  plus link to jgpaiva's AHK tools  https://www.donation...dex.php?topic=3461.0
• Harrie's review of Instant Text, and following posts  https://www.donation...dex.php?topic=2631.0
• Word AutoCompleter  https://www.donation...1036.msg6713#msg6713 (mentions IntelliComplete, AutoTyping, LetMeType, AllChars, Type Pilot)
• Typing Assistant  https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=15255.0

External links:

• Productivity Talk - Harrie's own forum site for (primarily) Medical Transcriptionists  http://www.productivitytalk.com/
• Jon Knowles site on typing productivity http://home.earthlin...net/~agjon/index.htm
• Jon Knowles' ABCZ typing abbreviation system  http://home.earthlin.../~agjon/abczrule.htm

[stewcam]

I used to use PhraseExpress but now use AutoHotkey, which is much more powerful. It has a large and active user forum. In addition it is free! If your prime interest is autocomplete look here:

AHK autocomplete

[Merida]

I used to use PhraseExpress but now use AutoHotkey, which is much more powerful.

-stewcam (November 12, 2008, 08:49 PM)

How do you back up this statement? I clearly doubt it.

I also tried a few of these programs like DirectAccess, AutoHotkey and PhraseExpress but PhraseExpress is absolutely the best of them all.

AutoHotkey misses support for formatted text, the AutoHotkey "user interface" is like vomit, it is tedious to add new snippets, it does not allow to assign multiple text strings to one single abbreviation. AutoHotkey also does not allow to group phrases in categories and you can't limit Autotexts to a specific programs. It also cannot import your AutoCorrect entries you created in Microsoft Word.

The only AutoHotkey benefit is that it is more powerful in the macro scripting department but at the cost of complexity.

Name one Autotext related feature which is in AutoHotkey which you miss in PhraseExpress or dump your false statement... ;-)

Merida

[TucknDar]

For this specific feature (autotext) I have to agree that I can't see how AHK is more powerful than PE, although it's obviously more powerful in the sense that it can do a whole lot more, but that's just because it's a completely different type of application.

I can highly recommend PhraseExpress (which is free for personal use). Very easy to use and very powerful for autotext stuff. Just wish there was a linux version too :/

[urlwolf]

I agree with TucknDar, ahk is a programming language and phraseExpress is a tool for a specific need.
You can write something similar in ahk (in fact, I started, and abandoned the project).

Anyway I still cannot get PE to work as advertised.
I want it to predict every single word.
Example, if I type now p-r-e it should suggest a list like '1-predict, 2-pretentious...' etc.
Here's a pic of my settings:

[Merida]

Have you actually entered the words you want to be predicted? Phrase Express can only suggest what you entered before a couple of times.

I would also disable the automatic precision detection.

Merida

[urlwolf]

If I type a word a few times, it still doesn't predict it.
It offers no predictions whatsoever.

[Merida]

Checked this page?

http://www.phraseexp...nual.htm#noautolearn

I have no problems with the feature. Something must have gone wrong on your PC. Have you tried to remove and reinstall?

[Carol Haynes]

Merida - are you in anyway related to the PhraseExpress product? You have posted a few messages recently and most seem to be promoting PhraseExpress. That isn't a problem but if you have a financial or intellectual stake in the product it would be nice to know it.

[stewcam]

AutoHotkey misses support for formatted text, the AutoHotkey "user interface" is like vomit, it is tedious to add new snippets, it does not allow to assign multiple text strings to one single abbreviation. AutoHotkey also does not allow to group phrases in categories and you can't limit Autotexts to a specific programs. It also cannot import your AutoCorrect entries you created in Microsoft Word.

-Merida (November 16, 2008, 09:42 AM)

Merida, these comments suggest that you have only scratched the surface of AutoHotkey. Many (?most) DonationCoder.com regulars would not find the programming involved particularly difficult. I concede that AHK does not support formatted text or import from MS Word. However, the user interface is infinitely flexible. For example, I edit autotext entries using PSPad, which is called up instantly with a AHK hotkey. Phrases can be grouped in categories using simple menus, which can also accomodate multiple text strings off a single abbreviation. Limiting autotext to a specific program is also simple. Why have not have another look, starting at:
AHK hotstrings and auto-replace
If you get stuck with AHK the user community is incredibly helpful. By contrast PhraseExpress has no user community as such, just a technical support forum which has fewer entries in a month than AHK often gets in a day:
PhraseExpress forum

By the way, I'm guessing you are someone who has a system tray full of utilities that do different things. Much neater to get into AHK and have 'one ring to rule them all'!

[Merida]

Merida - are you in anyway related to the PhraseExpress product? You have posted a few messages recently and most seem to be promoting PhraseExpress. That isn't a problem but if you have a financial or intellectual stake in the product it would be nice to know it.

-Carol Haynes (November 17, 2008, 03:14 PM)

Nope, no affiliation at all.

[Merida]

[/url]
If you get stuck with AHK the user community is incredibly helpful.

-stewcam (November 18, 2008, 02:15 AM)

Do you consider the amount of support required to get something running a positive feature of a software? :-)

I guess that iPhone support forum is only a fraction of the one for Windows Mobile 6. Which is better though? Windows Mobile just for the sake of the many people who can't get it to work without asking thousands of questions?

Anyway as said: AutoHotkey is a very powerful automation and macro utility but its hotstring feature is pretty poor compared specialized tools.

[tinjaw]

If I type a word a few times, it still doesn't predict it.
It offers no predictions whatsoever.

-urlwolf (November 17, 2008, 12:46 PM)

Have you gotten an answer to this? I remember PE working out of the box for me when I tried it, oh, maybe a year ago.

Personally I use Typing Assistant. I purchased it over a year ago and recently upgraded to the latest version.

[rjbull]

Personally I use Typing Assistant.

-tinjaw (November 18, 2008, 08:56 PM)

The author of Typing Assistant offered DC members a discount here, but you have to e-mail him, and he doesn't say if it's time-limited.