Option to insert frequently used text in the post editor

feature
#1

As a moderator of a Discourse instance I find myself typing same (or very similar) posts with some frequency, and would love the ability to have a “permanent clipboard” of sorts that could hold some commonly used text. For example, we frequently ask users to upload a save of their game for debugging purposes via an external file storage site. Right now, I have the text I use to explain that (where to find the game, how to upload, post sharing link in thread) in a bookmarked thread and copy and paste it each time, but a built in UI option to do this would be amazing!

Is this something that we could see added?

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#2

If you have a mac, use TextExpander. There must be someting similar for Windows.

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#3

(I could swear there was a previous topic on this, but couldn’t find it.)

The post above pretty much sums up our stance on “canned replies”. There are apps for this functionality on virtually all desktop platforms, so bundling it in Discourse core seems a bit overkill.

If you want to make/commission a plugin, I imagine @cpradio’s Pull UI plugin would make a great reference, since it adds a button to the composer toolbar, has a UI and inserts text into the composer. The only other thing you might wanna do is limit this button to a particular group.

Man, I kinda wanna see someone take a shot at this plugin now :smiley:

#4

This topic covers some similar ground:

#5

I use the “Clippings” addon in Firefox and it works great for me.

When the forum was vBulletin we had “canned replies” for the Infraction page.
It worked OK, but it got a bit “messy” over time.

Each of us (moderators) had different writing styles and different ideas of what points should be covered in the various “common” messages.
Over time multiple versions of messages were available.

This in itself was not a bad thing. Those that contributed had the best intentions. Not only were they making their task easier but they also helped others make there task easier as well.

The problem I had was similar to what happens when many can create Tags. There got to be so many of them that they began to cover the same ground and it became difficult to find any one in particular

I’m not saying such a feature here would be a bad idea. Only that some thought should be given to who can create them and who can use them

#6

My idea was that the “canned replies” would be user specific, not system wide. That way each user could use their own writing style, and control how many they keep…

#7

If that is the case, why not use an extension like Clipper?

#8

Main issue with an extension is that it is device specific. I have a multi-item clipboard app on my main laptop and use it frequently, but when I am on another device (frequently) and especially on mobile I do not have access to it.

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#9

For mobile you wouldn’t have access to it in Discourse either (no composer toolbar)… Granted, I guess you could install the Private Notes plugin in Discourse and store common text there and that would exist everywhere for your eyes only.

#10

I’ve done that as well and it works OK
A bit cumbersome needing to open my Profile in a new tab or navigate to it, copy, and then go back to the topic.
But it does work

#11

Discussion first started and is now continued here: