Frequently Used Repeated Text. Storing for Easy Access.

A reader if this blog recently asked me if there is a way to store frequently repeated text, i.e. disclaimer, address, slogan or business description, in such a way that you have quick and easy way to copy-paste it into a new document.

It would be a great idea to have two or more Clipboards - like you can have several Inspectors open for one document - store repeated text on one clipboard, use another for copy-pasting. But no, we don't have that option. Still there are several other simple ways of storing repeated text.

- Put your file in the side-bar of a folder. In the side-bar of any open folder there are several folders by default: Home, Applications, Desktop etc. You can drag any folder or file there for quick access. So type your frequently used repeated text in TextEdit, save and drag to the Side Bar. Next time you need it, click on the file alias in the Side Bar and the file will open (launching the application in which it was created). Select the text and either copy-paste it or drag to your document.

- Drag from Stickies. Another similar trick is with Stickies. Launch Stickies (if they are not in the Dock by default, find them in Applications folder), type your text, highlight it and leave the sticky hanging somewhere in the corner of your screen while you work on the main document. Current versions of Stickies can make them float in front of all other open windows and be translucent - you can see your document even when there's a sticky hovering over it. When you need the repeated text, go to the sticky, click AND HOLD on the text and drag it to where you want it appear in your document. You don't need to switch Applications - grab and drag without leaving Pages, or whatever other programme you are in.

- Put the file with repeated text in the Dock. Two options here.
First, on Macs, open windows  collapse and sit in the right-hand side of the Dock when you click on the yellow button or double-click on the top bar of the document. You can leave a document with repeating text there.
Second, if you need the repeated text for a longer time, drag the icon of the file without opening to the right-hand side of the Dock and leave it there. When you need it, click - and it will jump up open.

Please drop me a line if you know other ways of storing frequently repeated text.