TMO Quick Tip - More Instant TinyURLs from TextExpander

by , 7:30 AM EDT, October 22nd, 2008

I've mentioned TinyURL before because it's really great at shrinking long Web addresses down to a much smaller and more manageable size. I've also mentioned that you can automate the process with SmileOnMyMac's TextExpander and AppleScript. It's time to update that Quick Tip, because I've come across a different AppleScript that's even more reliable than the one I was using.

J-D Strong Consulting came up with their own AppleScript to automate the process of turning long Web addresses into much shorter TinyURL links. Like David Smalley's cool AppleScript, this one cuts the conversion process down to a couple of steps, but it's faster and even more reliable.

Just like with David Smalley's script, you'll need TextExpander 2 -- the abbreviation expanding application that changes the text snippets you define into words or text blocks, and it can also run AppleScripts. It costs US$29.95 and you can download it from the SmileOnMyMac Web site.

You'll also need the TinyURL converter script from the J-D Strong Consulting Web site to transform any URL you copy into a TinyURL.

After you have all of the pieces, here's what to do:

• Copy the AppleScript code from the J-D Strong Web site.

Copy the AppleScript code from the J-D Consulting Web site.

• Launch TextExpander. You can either choose TextExpander Preferences from the TextExpander menu bar item, or launch System Preferences and click on the TextExpander Preference Pane icon.

Don't forget to choose AppleScript when adding your new snippet.

• Now click the plus button in the lower left corner of the Preference Pane and choose New Snippet.
• Paste the AppleScript code into the Content field on the right.
• Now choose AppleScript from the Content pop-up menu at the top of the Content field.
• Add a snippet name that's easy for you to remember to the Abbreviation field. Make sure it's something easy to remember, like "tinyrul."

Here's how to use your new TextExpander script:

• Select and copy a URL you want converted into a TinyURL.
• Place your cursor where you want the TinyURL to appear.
• Type tinyurl -- which is the pre-assigned abbreviation for the AppleScript that generates the TinyURL for you.
• The TinyURL version of the Web address will automatically appear at your cursor insert point.

I was having some trouble recently with the original AppleScript I was using, but I found the script from J-D Strong Consulting to be completely reliable in all of my tests. Yes, I did most of my testing with Twitter, but you can use this trick in other applications, too.

Just like the script I used before, I found this new one to be wonderfully useful and a great time saver. If you are interested in seeing more about adding scripts to TextExpander, be sure to check out my Quick Tip on using the first TinyUL script I found.

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Jeff Gamet is TMO's Morning Editor and Reviews Editor. He lectures, teaches and speaks on Mac OS X and design-related topics, and is the author of The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X from Peachpit Press.

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Jeff Gamet is TMO's Managing Editor and Reviews Editor. He lectures, teaches and speaks on Mac OS X and design-related topics, and is the author of The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X from Peachpit Press.