Integrate support for TextExpander on iOS

[Norbert]

TextExpander is pretty much what it sounds like -- create text snippets and invoke them with an abbreviation.

E.g., type something like 'vl1' and it expands to 'des/king/ol/gurg' or whatever. You set up all you like using whatever abbreviations make sense to you.

It would be really handy for setting up parties and the various instructions you might want to drop during a game.

TextExpander (http://smilesoftware.com/TextExpander/touch/index.html)

It isn't a free app, but very handy and I believe it's free to integrate. Pleeeeaaasse?

[Pharcyde]

Like T9? Sorry didn't really understand, explain more plz? :D

[Norbert]

Kinda sorta like T9, but totally user defined. So you go into TextExpander and create some shortcuts. You set what the abbreviation should be, e.g. "vl1", and what text should be typed for you when you type that abbreviation, e.g. "des/king/ol/gurg".

So if you are in the chat window and type 'vl1' then TextExpander would kick in and remove that and replace it with 'des/king/ol/gurg'. Set up all you want. As soon as you type the abbr, it's removed and the full text is inserted for you. Make sure your abbr isn't something you'd type as part of a word or it would give you unexpected results.

You could set up some like:

'r1' -> 'bears first, scream and stomp'
'r2' -> 'birds second, roots and combo'
'r3' -> 'mages follow with ice and lightning'
'r4' -> 'stay together'

Then fire those 3 quickly before starting a rush and everyone's on the same page (your instructions of course).

[asommers]

How different is this from the in-game chat presets we already support?

-ALS

[Gavry]

I think the point is the current 4 presets are way too few. To be useful you'd need at least 10 or more given the situation. I for one love the idea.

[Norbert]

Right, it's the same functionality, but triggered a little differently and with unlimited strings supported.

[Lesrider]

Sounds interesting...

[asommers]

I'll just increase the number of chat presets. This way, we're not dependent on another company's application and it works on all platforms we support.

-ALS

[StompArtist]

I'll just increase the number of chat presets. This way, we're not dependent on another company's application and it works on all platforms we support.

-ALS

I have been down the road of 3rd party stuff. A nightmare when said 3rd party decides that quality control is optional.

[Norbert]

On my iPad that'll be awesome, but I wonder if it'll be hard to use on smaller devices. It would be cross platform then, which is great. Maybe longer term investigate a text substitution type of method? Advanced presets or something. I know it must be a huge challenge fitting everything into these little form factors.

Anyhow, thanks for the responsiveness!!

[Lesrider]

I'll just increase the number of chat presets. This way, we're not dependent on another company's application and it works on all platforms we support.

-ALS

Nice, thanks!

[Pharcyde]

I'll just increase the number of chat presets. This way, we're not dependent on another company's application and it works on all platforms we support.

-ALS

Wewt, I can't ever seem to get enough dungeon stuff I need to say in my 4 small and short chat boxes :).