TextExpander: Date and Time Math
Let’s say it’s your job to remind people to do something. Maybe you are the accounts receivable person, and you regularly need to remind people to pay you in 15 days. If you use TextExpander, your days of looking at the calendar and calculating that date are over!
We added date and time math capability to TextExpander 2.5. Now you can create a snippet that automatically inserts a date that is 15 days from today. Here’s how:
1) Create a new snippet by clicking on the plus (+) sign under your list of snippets on the left in the TextExpander Preference pane.
2) Click on the plus (+) sign under the snippet content pane on the right. Choose Date/Time Math > Add Day(s).
3) TextExpander inserts %@+1D into your snippet content pane. Change “1D” to “15D”.
4) Insert the date format you wish to appear, again using the plus (+) sign menu on the right. For example, if you want the date to appear in formatted “October 29, 2008″, insert the following:
- Choose Date > Month > January. Add a space.
- Choose Date > Day > 1. Add a comma and space.
- Choose Date > Year > 2001
5) When you are done, the snippet content should be:
%@+15D%B %e, %Y
6) Give your snippet an abbreviation, such as “d15″ or “payupnow”.
TextExpander 2.5 is a free upgrade to registered users of TextExpander 1.x and earlier. You can download it here. Besides the date/time math, we’ve also added some new built-in snippet groups: Internet Productivity (which includes the AppleScripts we’ve posted here for URL shortening) and Symbols (for those who need to use symbols like copyright, trademark, euro, yen, infinity, etc.).
October 29th, 2008 at 6:19 am
Hi folks,
According to Greg, I was the first to request the date math functionality (back in July 2006). I’m very happy to see the functionality make it in to TextExpander. Better late than never
Thanks a bunch folks!
Mike
October 29th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Your instructions were confusing. Took me a while to uderstand the difference between the two “+” locations. You should have a screen shot of each to clarify.
Also you should mention that in creating dates, you can insert separators like “/” which some programs require.
October 29th, 2008 at 8:52 am
I’m glad to see TextExpander continuing to grow and expand (HA! Unintentional) its capabilities. It continues to be an app I don’t want to use a Mac without.
Thanks!
October 29th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Nice to see these great (and free) features continuing. Keep ‘em coming!
October 29th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Yes its a nice tool, but for german users, it could have a TideBits in (of corse) german too
You could make a lot of Money
October 29th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
We are working on it currently. Please be a little more patient
October 29th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
@Zettt: ich kann gar nicht dafür warten. (Trans. I can hardly wait–for the German autocorrect snippets!)
October 30th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
@Jean I love these Babelfish-like translations
I think i said that already. Just checking out the auto-corrections. I think the first one will be ready by next month, which is in a few days. 
As you said. People can subscribe and i can improve them in the background. (Which is amazing!)
October 30th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
@Zettt Ich nehme es an, daß Du mein Deutsch nicht besonders gut findest.Schade. Ich habe ein Jahr in Freiburg studiert, aber man kann ein bißle vergessen.
October 31st, 2008 at 12:00 am
I adore Text Expander, but now I am totally IN LOVE. Thanks for Version 2.5 crew. TE is my all time fave app on my mac.
Characters Saved: 1,425,757
Keep in Happy Places,
Duncan
October 31st, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Oh Sorry… I didn’t want to say anything to hurt you.
November 5th, 2008 at 10:10 am
[...] to insert the time, the clipboard or even another snippet. New in version 2.5, you can insert a conditional date or time. So if you keep having to tell people to give back your cash 1 week later, instead of hunting for [...]
December 17th, 2008 at 12:06 am
I love Text Expander. I’m wondering though if with date and time math I can insert a date that’s say, 5 BUSINESS days, after the current date. Possible? Is there a way to build this myself via Applescript if not? Any suggestions would be great!