Supported Files and Conversion Rules
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Accepted files
| Import | Accepted files |
|---|---|
| Typing Hero | CSV exported by Typing Hero, current six-column format or older five-column format |
| Texpand | Texpand 2.x ZIP backup, CSV export, or older JSON backup |
| TextExpander™ | CSV export without a header row |
| Fast Typing | Backup made with the local Backup option |
Importing from Typing Hero requires Premium. The other imports are free.
A free import doesn't unlock Premium features. Without Premium, only 20 Text Snippets work, and Templates that use Premium Placeholders still require Premium.
See What Happens When Premium Ends.
Keywords
Every import changes Keywords the same way:
- Spaces and line breaks are removed.
- Letters become lowercase.
- Keywords longer than 100 characters are shortened. If two would become the same, they get numbered endings.
- Keywords that match after these changes become one Text Snippet with multiple Templates.
- A 1-character Keyword gets a character added to its end, so
nmight becomenq. Typing Hero picks a character that your other Keywords don't use. Look for the Text Snippet by its Template to see its new Keyword. - Empty Keywords are skipped.
Imports only check Action Keywords when adding a character. If another imported Keyword matches an Action's Keyword, change one of them.
Skipped content
If one Template for a Keyword is empty, Typing Hero skips every Template with that Keyword. This keeps a partial Text Snippet from replacing a complete one.
Variables and codes that don't convert stay in the Template as plain text. Check imported Templates before you use them.
Texpand variables
These variables convert to Placeholders. Spelling and letter case must match exactly.
| Texpand | Becomes |
|---|---|
[day/n], [day/sn], [day/fn], [month/n], [month/sn], [month/fn], [year/ns], [year/nf] | Date |
[hour/12], [hour/24], [am/pm], [minute], [second] | Time |
[cursor] | Cursor |
[clipboard] | Clipboard |
Phrase Lists become multiple Templates under one Keyword. Notes, Texpand Actions, images, and per-Phrase settings other than Expand instantly aren't imported.
TextExpander™ fields
| TextExpander™ | Becomes |
|---|---|
Date and time fields, such as %Y, %B, %d, %H, %M, %p, and compatible %date:…% patterns | Date or Time |
%| | Cursor |
%pasteboard | Clipboard |
%fill:…%, %filltext:…%, %fillarea:…% | Form field Premium |
%snippet:name% | Text Snippet Reference Premium |
%% | A percent sign |
A %snippet:name% field that names a 1-character Abbreviation stays as text unless that Abbreviation is in the same file.
Pop-up menus, date pickers, optional sections, date adjustments, keyboard commands, scripts, and formatting stay as text. A date adjustment keeps every date and time field in that Template as text. Groups and labels aren't imported.
Fast Typing field codes and skipped items
| Fast Typing | Becomes |
|---|---|
[%day:…%], [%month:…%], [%year:…%] | Date |
[%hour:…%], [%minute:…%], [%second:…%] | Time |
[%cursor%] | Cursor |
[%clipboard%] | Clipboard |
These items are skipped:
- Commands. For similar results, use the built-in Actions.
- Images and website records.
- Folders that are turned off, or that apply only to some apps.
- Folders that wait for a separator character, or need a space or symbol before the Keyword.
- Phrases that match letter case exactly, or use a Smart Mode.
- Phrase Lists with Auto-prefill on.
To import a skipped Phrase, change its settings in Fast Typing, make a new backup, and import it again.