PhraseExpress - Autotext Utility

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bartelsmedia
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:18 am

Re: PhraseExpress - Autotext Utility

#31 Post by bartelsmedia »

Thanks for sharing your experience.

The manual is a rich source of information to learn more how to get the most of PhraseExpress, including how to configure the check for updates.

By the way, we invest our time for you to provide updates for a reason and recommend to make use of them. Updates may solve issues and provide new features. See what is coming soon: http://www.phraseexpress.com/new12.htm

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smaragdus
Posts: 2120
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2013 3:24 am
Location: Aeaea

Re: PhraseExpress

#32 Post by smaragdus »

I up-voted PhraseExpress because for the time being I have had no issues with the program which I find to be of exceptional quality. But my vote is provisional- if in the future there appear nags or pop-ups of any kind I will report them here with screen-shots and will also down-vote the program.

However I have encountered a strange problem- when Postimage screen-capture program is running (it is in the daabase and it has also been discussed in the forum), PhraseExpress stops working- not only phrases cannot be triggered but Clipboard Cache (CTRL+ALT+V) also stops functioning. After Postimage is exited, PhraseExpress starts working normally again. If PhraseExpress develpers are still following this forum I hope they will confirm this problem.

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smaragdus
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Re: PhraseExpress 12.0.93

#33 Post by smaragdus »

PhraseExpress has deteriorated a lot in version 12.0.93- for me the GUI has become ugly and unbearable- unavoidable ribbon plus abominable Windows 10 style:
New user interface
PhraseExpress v12 introduces a fresh new Microsoft Office 2016 style user interface with ribbon-menus
...
The phrase selection menu now boasts a clean Windows 10 look
I will stick to version 11.0.136 which looks decent compared to version 12.0.93

It is a pity and a shame that so many developers adopt the hideous ribbon nonsense.

bartelsmedia
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:18 am

Re: PhraseExpress - Autotext Utility

#34 Post by bartelsmedia »

@Smaragdus: We are sorry to see, that you reduce all new v12 features down to the Ribbon menu.

You can hide the Ribbon with a single mouse click (screenshot: http://screencast.com/t/2u4aIZxqP) and you can create your custom menu (right-click ribbon menu items).

Would you have substantial arguments why you don't like Ribbon menus?

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webfork
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Re: PhraseExpress - Autotext Utility

#35 Post by webfork »

bartelsmedia wrote:@Smaragdus: We are sorry to see, that you reduce all new v12 features down to the Ribbon menu.

You can hide the Ribbon with a single mouse click (screenshot: http://screencast.com/t/2u4aIZxqP) and you can create your custom menu (right-click ribbon menu items).

Would you have substantial arguments why you don't like Ribbon menus?
I don't know about Smaragdus or PhraseExpress specifically but my main issue with the Microsoft Ribbon design concept is twofold:
  1. Monitor shrink. They are supposed to make it possible to see more settings and functionality when the screen is smaller (e.g. when taking up 1/2 of the page), the collapsed Ribbon view never gets any easier to work with.

    Image

    With programs I use every day I still find this view completely unintelligible. Each and every time I have to re-expand the view to find where settings went. It's a great example of what sounds great but in active use its counterproductive.
  2. Customization. This may have improved in later versions but I'm still on Office 2010 whose toolbar customization capability is a joke. The only reasonable course of action is to create a whole new tab and paste whatever unrelated actions into them (as below):

    Image

    By contrast, customization in LibreOffice -- whose interface is constantly tagged as being way behind the times -- only gets easier to focus and customize. Your right click on the icon bar, select Customize Toolbar, and get started.

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webfork
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Re: PhraseExpress - Autotext Utility

#36 Post by webfork »

So happily some freeware getting more attention: PhraseExpress landed in the news
https://www.cnet.com/news/friday-freebi ... ects-text/ (but brace yourself for the auto-loading video)

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