Auto-Complete - User-Defined

The User-Defined tab of the Configure Auto-Complete dialog allows words and phrases to be defined for use with the Auto-Complete feature.

One of the most powerful elements of Boxer's Auto-Complete function is the ability to define words and phrases which will expand automatically, after a delimiter character is typed, or when the Trigger Key is typed. The phrases in the dialog pictured above provide a good sampling of the types of assignments that are possible.

•	Instant - these phrases will be auto-inserted the instant the sequence string is typed. In the sample phrase set, typing 'htt' will cause the string 'http://www.' to be inserted.

•	Trigger - these phrases will be inserted only when the sequence string is typed followed by the Trigger Key. In the sample phrase set, if 'eula' is typed, and the Trigger Key is typed, 'end user license agreement' will be inserted.

•	Delimiter - these phrases will be auto-inserted only when the sequence string is followed by a delimiter character. In the sample phrase set, typing 'teh' followed by (say) space will cause 'the' to be inserted -- an auto-correction for mistyping 'the'.

These three activation styles provide both utility and flexibility. Some phrases are best defined as Instant, while others are naturally more suitable to being Trigger or Delimiter style phrases.

You might want to invent your own conventions for defining phrases. By using an obscure lead-in or trailing character in the sequence string, virtually all phrases can be defined as Instant. For example, if the addr sequence string had been defined instead as ~addr, its activation type could have been Instant since there would be almost no chance of ~addr being typed in the course of normal work. Likewise, use addr~ as the sequence string effectively makes ~ the new Trigger Key.

Use the New button to create a new User-Defined phrase. The following dialog will appear:

If the phrase will be triggered by a text string, enter the sequence string in the upper edit box. Enter the phrase itself in the Phrase memo box. Multi-line expansion phrases are allowed; press Enter to being a new line in the phrase. Finally, select the type of activation desired using the radiobuttons at the bottom of the dialog.

To define a phrase that includes expansion codes, click the Codes button to expose the list of expansion codes:

Expansion codes will be expanded when the phrase is inserted to reflect their meaning. A variety of codes for time, date and various filename functions are available.

Use the Delete All button to erase all user-defined phrases. A confirmation will be required before the operation is performed.

The Load Samples button will add a small collection of sample phrases to the list of user-defined phrases. Any phrases that are already present in the list will not be disturbed.

Use the Set Trigger Key button to change the key that is used to complete a partially typed word, or expand a User-Defined phrase with trigger style activation.