Books on shortcuts and macros...

Know of any books on shortcuts and macros other than "saving keystrokes?"  Thanks.:)

• Books on shortcuts and macros... - mt'er. sm
  • Re: Shortcuts - AnnieM!!AnnieM!
    • Hi...AnnieM... - mt'er. sm
      • After reading the above post..sm - nn
        • I forwarded some information to your - e-mail addy. nm mt'er
        • Riiight!!! - mt'er. sm

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>Anyone know if InstanText can handle "code" (like WordVBA >macros) in the Expanders like SH8 can?

Instant Text lets you add commands and macro keyboard shortcuts into a glossary entry. You can use easy-to-type short forms for these entries that execute a command or a macro. 

These command and macro entries are also very much used for editing.  See post below. 

Marianne
Textware Solutions

Thank you for replying to my VR macro question on mtstars.  I was hoping someone like you with knowledge of Instant Text and VR work could help me out.  Could you give me an example of how you would set up a macro to change a period to a comma and uncap the next letter in Instant Text for example?  Do you think using macros and commands like this in Instant Text is more productive than creating them in Word? 

have Stedman's Medical Dictationary on CD and I do use it quite a bit, but that's more because the actual print dictionary is so darn heavy to pick up and look a word up!

and so I can use the expansions i saved in Shortcuts for DOS in WP5.1 with XP but I cannot access Shortcuts nor can I add things to Shortcuts via XP (unless I get the Shortcuts for XP) and I cannot access MACROS but can use the MACROS in WP5.1 that I saved for a long long time....

hope you all understand my post....I use WP5.1 with Shortcuts for DOS in WIN XP but cannot add anything to Shortcuts nor add anything to my WP5.1 macros but can use all I saved prior to going on XP last year.  It all works out....

I am not a Medquist Transcriptionist but could you tell me to record a macro and then run the macro that you just made.  I used to work at home and used Instant Text.  I now work for a hospital and can't use that.  They totally rely on Word capabilities.  I do use the Auto Correct but I think if I could use a macro it might be better.  However, it is hard to remember the various macros or abbreviations.  I also have to contend that more than one person is using  my computer.  Linda

At Productivitytalk.com there is a forum for WP for Windows macros.  Hope this helps. 

I need serious help recording macros.  If someone has macros for the following actions, I would greatly appreciate it if you could email them to me as an attachment.  I need one for jumping that uses ?? and ctrl+J to get from ?? to ?? and one that starts automatic numbering in the 1) 2) format flush left.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The template idea is a good one.  If that doesn't work, something like a macro to do your report headings might work.  One company I worked for wanted them to be in bold. It was a hospital account and I was doing consults, so a template wouldn't work as far as stock phrases, etc.  I created macros for all of my headings and had all of my keyboard keys assigned with them.  I had Ctrl M assigned to me IMPRESSION that was in bold and I was in the right spot to start typing the paragraph.  I had all of my keyboard keys assigned to shortcuts that I had created - I overrode all of the standard shortcuts that Windows does.

The other poster is also correct in terms of phrases.  Anything that is more than 3 letters that can be condensed down to 3 letters easily, you need to do.  It does slow you down at first to do all of it, but it'll be worth it.  Even things like "further evaluation" I have that condensed to "fe".   You have to use a system that works for you and your brain.  If I have two words I use the first letter of each word and if that letter combination is taken, then I use the first letter of each word and the succeeding letters from the second word, for instance "renal insufficiency" is "rin" since "ri" was already taken for respiratory insufficiency.

If you can change the position of words in your expander, i.e., change the order that words appear on the screen, that helps.  I use Smartype and there were some words that Smartype didn't think were as important that I use a lot, so I was able to move them up in the "rankings" and have them appear on the screen sooner so I was able to get to them with fewer characters.

Good luck. 

I actually set up macros in Word.  I have HPI for HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS and "hpil" for history of present illness, as sometimes I don't want it all caps.

I set up macros for all my headings, HPI, ROS, PE, etc., and assigned keyboard shortcuts to them.  Ctrl + R was REVIEW OF SYSTEMS, Ctrl + P was PHYSICAL EXAMINATION, Ctrl + C was CURRENT MEDICATIONS, etc.  I had to make a list as I used every single one of my keys for the different headings, but it saved a ton of time in the long run.  You can set the macro up to have it bold and all caps and then either put your two spaces, or return to the next line wherever you need to start your typing. 

I don't have that job any more, so I don't need those headings specifically, but I work on the Bayscribe platform that has some weird formatting things.  To bold something you need <B>, so I set up a macro to do that and to give me the end bold code which is </B>.  Saves me a ton of time so I don't have to look for the < or > keys.

Hope that helps.

from Word and Wordperfect to Shorthand.  I sure hope, it would save SO much time.

Thanks all!

Sunny

it's ALL about your shortcuts.  you have to shorten every word, phrase, not just medical ones, regular English too, assuming you transcribe for someone who SPEAKS English!! 

I have been using the same shortcut program for 10+ years and I STILL add things to it almost daily.  1st rule is if the shortcut doesn't just pop in your head, keep typing and don't think about it.  it has to come to you automatically.  then you have to be creative.  example - I have this one doc who constantly says "once this was done" so I have that in as OTWD.  "The patient tolerated the procedure well" is PATOL.  I have things like ADP for adenopathy, then you have to expand that on further to be LADP for lymphadenopathy, AADP for axillary adenopathy, etc.  if you have one doc who says some phrase constantly, even if it is only one doc, if you type him every day, make it a shortcut.  I have typed in "codes" for so long they are drilled in my brain.  I'll look at a license plate and it will say RSD456, my brain says "reflex sympathetic dystrophy."  the longer you use it the bigger it will get and pretty soon you're typing all shortcuts and not much else. 

I know there are so many different ways to save Keystrokes and then there are those that "just seem to make sense" but don't necessarily follow any particular rule.  One of my favorites is using the first two letters of each word.  It strikes me funny sometimes at some of the combinations that result this way.  I think two of my funniest are boob for bowel obstruction and pusy for pubic symphysis.  Any others that you have?  I'm looking for humor this Monday. 

Just be aware that Alt/ puts Instant Text into full layout and when you are in full layout, Instant Text expands in the Editor window of the IT program, and not in the word-processor you may be using.

Another keyboard shortcut like Alt- minimizes Instant Text and you don't see the advisories anymore. However, you stay linked and IT would still expand.

Also, make sure you don't have another Expander running at the same time.

I am new to MT and am lucky enough to have a job where I can learn as I go.  I wanted to see if someone can tell me some of the keyboard shortcuts, like ctrl + B for bold, or function key information so that I can use the keyboard more and my mouse less.  

Thanks for your help!

New MT in Ohio  

Does anyone know how to add to the shortcuts in RadNet F9.