Snippits -- Automate Typing on Linux (Discovery)

AutoHotKey is one of the few windows programs I have really missed using Linux. While it had a lot of power, I used it mainly for its "hot string" abilities. I'd type =btw and AutoHotKey would replace "=btw" with "by the way." Linux didn't seem to have anything that could easily replace that feature of AutoHotKey. That was annoying, but I learned to live without it.

No longer. I've discovered Snippits, a small Ruby program written by Ben Kudria. According to Ben, "This is Ruby text expansion program – it will type text for you. It uses ‘snippits’, small text files with a simple syntax to determine what to type. However, snippits can be very powerful, since they can contain embedded Ruby, special keys (Control, Shift, Up, etc), and can contain a cursor placement instructions." It's not quite as easy to set up (and a bit less handy to use) as AutoHotKey, but it works. I can type "btw", press F6 (the key can be changed), and "btw" is replaced by "by the way" in just most Linux GUI programs where the feature would be useful.

Operating System: Linux
Price: Free
Web Site: http://ben.kudria.net/code/snippits

Tags: linux, autohotkey, macro, text replacement, freeware