News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by tr4nslator on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @05:17AM (#333109)
After getting such useful feedback on HN for typd.in this week (special thanks to huhtenberg/LogicHoleFlaw/ken), I thought I'd put our next project out there to get some more ideas.

textpanda is a simple bookmarklet that lets you define shortcuts for any text input on the web (think really simple emacs bindings). Since it's more of a quick proof of concept than anything, we're not quite sure what to add next (functions and other dynamic replacement? real user authentication? subscriptions to other users' macros?) and would love to hear what you guys think.

Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by dmr83457 on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @04:44PM (#333715)
Very cool. Will be using this regularly.

Only problem I see is that the panda attaches to the very bottom right of text areas and can be oscured by scrollbars

Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by tr4nslator on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @04:56PM (#333744)
That's a good point. Fixed.
Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by truebosko on Thursday October 16, 2008 @09:25AM (#334408)
How do I actually use this on other sites? Seems I can't or am I missing something?

Also you probably know this but if I make the abbreviation: hh = hello hello Then add another one like: hhy = hello hello to you

hh is replaced with "hello hello" before I can finish typing hhy.

Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by babyshake on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @06:40PM (#333870)
This is almost as cool as typd.in! I wonder if there's a good way for the two to work together...
Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by jollyjerry on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @02:17PM (#333561)
I like the idea and interface a lot. It'd be nice if there was browser extensions to turn this on by default rather than to have to click a bookmarklet to have it enabled.
Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by brm on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @02:04PM (#333548)
I'd pay you and you're not charging me...

Simple doesn't have to be free, I'd gladly pay 5 bucks a month to have this, so why not start charging?

Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by timcederman on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @02:49PM (#333604)
I pay $10 a month to use a cell phone, and you'd happily pay $5 for a keyboard shortcut?
Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by redorb on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @03:07PM (#333619)
i agree nice service, but not chargeable ....
Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by tr4nslator on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @03:17PM (#333630)
I agree. It's not monetizable in its current state, but I'm curious what features you think would get it closer, such as:

* more rich replacement (including functions/regex) * dynamic content like stock prices * ability to chain expansions quasi-recursively * SSL / privacy

As a reference point, TextExpander (http://www.smileonmymac.com/TextExpander/) is an OS X app that offers similar functionality, and it's $30.

Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by rksprst on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @04:48PM (#333726)
When you type an abbreviation, if you type a comma right after that, the expanded text is doubled. I'm assuming this is a bug?
Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by tr4nslator on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @04:50PM (#333732)
I'm having trouble recreating this. What's your OS/browser?
Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by rksprst on Thursday October 23, 2008 @10:11PM (#341969)
Safari 3.1.2 on OS X 10.5.5 (I think). Just tried it now and it works fine. I might have been on Server 2008 with Firefox, it was 8 days ago... (I know late reply)
Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by jcapote on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @03:13PM (#333624)
Excellent execution. It's earned a place on my toolbar. +1 User
Re:Ask HN: Review our app, textpanda (web-based input shortc... by kirpekar on Wednesday October 15, 2008 @04:00PM (#333666)
no lol?