Text expansion and substitution engine for textareas.

Latest Version

Version
1.1
Update
February 21, 2023
Size
74.3KiB
Developer
Category
Users
69
Rating
3 ★
Manifest Version
2
Web Store Status
Languages Support
English (United States)
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Permissions
Storage

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Text Fu Extension

This productivity extension is designed for users who frequently need to enter the same or similar text in form text areas, e.g., doctors who use medical records systems with web front-ends. They often need to input the same text for every patient, only changing specifics like patient name, date, vitals, etc. One solution is to copy and paste from text files, then search for changes to replace, but this is very inefficient since it requires switching focus to the file browser, then text editor, then back to the web form to paste and change the text.

Text Fu provides a simpler and faster solution using text triggers, which are short abbreviations created by the user that expand to the full text. The placeholder *** is used for any text that needs to be changed, and users can cycle through the placeholders by pressing the F2 key. The text triggers and their expansions are stored in the browser, and are available to use in any text area in an chrome window or tab. No copy/paste or app switching is needed.

Example:
A data entry clerk needs to post productivity reports for multiple people several times a day. For simplicity, let's say the report text looks like this:
\"Hello, World. Yesterday was a *** day. Today is going to be a *** day!\" where *** could be 'good', 'bad', 'ugly' or anything else. The clerk enters this text in the Text Fu options page and decides to make it's text trigger \".hw\". Now the clerk only needs to type .hw followed by the enter/return key, and the trigger (.hw) will be replaced with the full text (Hello, World. Yesterday was a *** day. Today is going to be a *** day!). Then the clerk selects the placeholder text just by pressing F2 (multiple presses cycle through the placeholders). The clerk replaces placeholder with the actual data and is ready to submit, all without leaving the keyboard to use the mouse!

Text triggers and their expansions can be created/updated/deleted in the Text Fu options page, or they can be fetched from a remote URL as a json object where each property name is a text trigger and each property value is the expanded text like the following:
{
\".hw\": \"Hello, World. Yesterday was a *** day. Today is going to be a *** day!\",
\".mlk\":\"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.\\r\
\\r\
Martin Luther King, Jr.\"
}
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Source Manifest.json

{"update_url": "https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx","name": "Text Fu","version": "1.1","description": "Text expansion and substitution engine for textareas.","permissions": ["storage",""],"background": {"scripts": ["jquery/jquery-2.0.2.min.js","jquery/jquery.textfu.js","background.js"]},"browser_action": {"default_icon": "TextFu19.png","default_title": "Text Fu"},"options_page": "options.html","options_ui": {"page": "options.html","chrome_style": true,"open_in_tab": false},"minimum_chrome_version": "39","content_scripts": [{"matches": [""],"all_frames": true,"js": ["jquery/jquery-2.0.2.min.js","jquery/jquery.textfu.js","content_scripts.js"],"run_at": "document_end"}],"icons": {"16": "TextFu16.png","48": "TextFu48.png","128": "TextFu128.png","256": "TextFu256.png"},"manifest_version": 2}
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How to download and manually install Text Fu extension for Chrome

Looking for a way to install Text Fu extensions for Chrome, you can search for them in the Chrome Web Store, clicking the "Add to Chrome" button, and following the straightforward process.

However, you may need to install Text Fu extensions manually, this article outlines two simple methods to effortlessly install Text Fu extensions, whether they come as unpacked folders in compressed formats like .zip or as .crx files.

Method 1: Download Text Fu extension and manually install through Drag &Drop

If you ever need to manually install a Text Fu extension for Chrome, don't worry, it's a simple process. Just follow these easy steps, and you will have your extension ready to use in no time.

Step 1: Download the Text Fu Extension by clicking the "Download CRX" button on the website.

Look for the Text Fu extension you wish to install. Go to the website and download the Text Fu extension package, which is usually a .CRX file and comes in a zipped file. Here ".crx" file is the format for Text Fu extension that contains all the data.

Step 2: Extract &Arrange Files

Once the file is downloaded, extract that file into its own folder. Similarly, give that extension files a permanent home. In other words, keep it in a folder that you don't accidentally delete it because these files will be needed to make that extension work.

Step 3: Go to the Chrome Extensions Page

Open Google Chrome and in the address bar, type chrome://extensions; it will open the Google Chrome extensions page. Make sure that "My extensions" is selected in the sidebar.

Step 4: Drag and Drop the Extension

Now, go to the folder where you extracted the Text Fu extension and drag &drop the extension file from there anywhere onto the extension page within Google Chrome.

Step 5: Complete the Installation

Once you drag and drop the extension file, follow the steps that Google Chrome takes you through. Similarly, if the extension file is of .crx file format, you will be required to review the permissions and then add the extension.

Now, you can manage that added extension as you would like to with any other Chrome extension that you added through Chrome Webstore. Its icon will also appear in the Google Chrome Menu on the right side of the address bar once you activate it.

Method 2: Download Text Fu extension for Chrome and install in Developer Mode

This is another method to install Text Fu extension manually, but the twist is that here, you install by enabling the developer mode option provided in Google Chrome. This mode is commonly used for testing extensions or running unpublished tools.

Step 1: Download the Text Fu extension file

Select and download the Text Fu extension by clicking the 'Download CRX' button on the website.

Step 2: Extract the downloaded contents

Convert the file to a ZIP file if it is in CRX format then extract the Text Fu extension zip file or folder that you downloaded. Make sure you extract it using the same folder name and keep it safely in another folder, so you don't delete it by mistake. The extracted folder will be needed to keep your Text Fu extension running.

Step 3: Open Chrome Extension Setting Page

In the address bar of Google Chrome, type chrome://extensions and open the Chrome Extension Page.

Step 4: Enable Developer Mode

After opening the Chrome Extension page, look at the top right side, and you will find the toggle option of "Developer mode."Simply enable that developer mode option.

Step 5: Load the Unpacked Extension

Once you enable the developer mode option, you will see the menu of Load Unpacked, Pack Extensions and Update. From that, select the option "Load unpacked."

Step 6: Select the Extension Folder

Once the pop-up opens upon clicking Load unpacked, select the Text Fu extension directory and click on the "Select Folder "button.

Step 7: Confirm and Install

After you select an extension folder of a Google Chrome extension you're installing manually, confirm its installation for the final time and let the installation complete.

Conclusion

Here we've made a step-by-step guide on How to manually install Text Fu extension in 2 ways. We hope this guide proves helpful.

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User reviews

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BenKarl Bransonmo (ID: 00000051f355883b) Voted 3 ★ - Updated 04/18/2018 Worked as advertised until recently; can no longer scroll down in extension interface to add/alter substitutions.