Store Repeatedly Used Text And Phrases For Easy Re-Use [OS X Tips]

I don’t know about you, but I always seem to type the same things. See the bottom of all of these tip posts if you don’t believe me. Doubtless others have similar issues: coders, for example, or PR marketers, perhaps. Regardless, this little app seems like it will help a lot of us. Let’s check it out.

First up, head over to the Traintrain Software webpage to download the version of TextOnTrays for your Macintosh. If you have an Intel Mac, grab the TextOnTrays.zip file. If you have a PowerPC Macintosh (does anyone use these anymore?), grab the TextOnTrays(PPC).zip file. Once it downloads, unzip the file by double clicking on it. I usually put apps into my Applications or Utilities folder, but you can put them wherever you like.

Double click on the app icon to launch TextOnTrays and you’ll get the main Tray window. There are six sets of Trays, each accessed across the top by clicking on one of the colored squares. To get text to a Tray, simply drag and drop it from a text file to a slot on the Tray, or click on an Empty slot and hit Edit. The Edit button will bring up a window where you can type or paste the text string you would like to store.

To place text you’ve stored to a Tray, simply launch TextOnTrays, click in the spot you’d like to paste the text, and they click on the phrase in the TextOnTrays window. Simple!

The developers also mention that TextOnTrays can be used as a sort of alternative keyboard, holding often used odd characters that you find useful but that are difficult to access regularly.

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