ActiveWords - kickass efficiency tool [windows]

[dorian]

I am shocked that people still don't seem to know about this little app!
It is the shit!

It let's you set any combination of letters to do anything of the following:

• Substitute Text - ANYWHERE! In the browser, a doc, an input box, anywhere in windows!
• Open Programs, Files, and Folders
• Navigate to any Website
• Send E-mail
• Open System Settings
• Scripting (replay any combination of keyboard inputs)

What I use it for mostly:

• open folders and documents I often use - in a split second
• open programs like photoshop, word, outlook by typing short codes, "ps" for photoshop, "ol" for outlook, or whatever works for you
• automatically replace text that I often use, for example I type "email", hit <space> twice instead of once and immediately "email" is replaced by my full email address. Same with say my bank account information I send to clients, my address, phone numbers, etc. (this works SYSTEM WIDE, too! Whether you're writing an email, typing in a search, work in notepad or inDesign - don't matter! ActiveWords looks for special words in everything you type and performs the action you set for a certain word)
• run "scripts", for example in photoshop, add a 10px black frame, resize image to 500px width, to 400px with, to 300px width, etc. (all I need to do for that is open the "action pad" by pressing <ctrl> and <space>, type in "500" and press <enter> or press <space> twice and it's done - it's FAST

It's hard to put into words how much time it saves.. Try it!

http://www.activewords.com/
Demos/Explanations: http://www.activewords.com/demos.html


Tips: (post yours, let's build a list!)

• use the command "hide" to toggle between hiding and showing the active words bar - I have it hidden always and only unhide it to quickly add an activeword by drag-and-dropping a folder, exe-file or whatever to the bar
• all the magic is in the action pad, <ctrl> + <space> works best for me to open it but you can configure your own combination
• check out the add-in's, there's some awesome stuff!

PS. the mouse gesture tool "StrokeIt" is another little helper that should've been a standard feature in any OS - and it's freeware
Going back and forth in windows explorer, minimizing, maximizing and closing windows, opening folders, copy, paste and much more all by simple gestures, very very nice
check it out: http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/

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