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Mathematica has a nice dropdown feature when typing along in an input cell. If I type "Pl" a dropdown appears with options on how I can complete the command. It's basically a shortcut. I can then press the down arrow to choose one.

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This is great. I would like to add this functionality to a text cell. In addition I want the drop down to include strings and boxes that I create. For the boxes I would have to somehow tie it to a string so that it would be searchable as I type in characters.

For example, if I am in a text cell and start to type the word "limit" I want to get a drop down menu with narrowing choices as I type more characters. Some of these choices might include the word "limit" or the limit notation in textbook format with a placeholder set to move in and out of. I would just need to press the down arrow to chose which one I wanted.

I think I would prefer a shortcut feature like this over autoinputreplacements and inputaliases. I use them a lot but they are a pain. I have some experience creating something in a docked cell using ideas from here But I'm looking for something that works inline as I type in a text cell if that makes sense.

Is this possible? Is there a way to access Mathematica's autocomplete feature and make it work in a text cell with my own strings and boxes populating the dropdown?

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B flat
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2 Answers2

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It isn't customizable in the way you want, but you can get spelling word auto-completions in a text cell. Just open a text cell, type limit and hit Ctrl+K. That might help a bit.

Tom Sherlock
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  • That's interesting. I did not know that. That's a cool feature. It won't save me any time, but still cool to know. Do you think there is a way to type in a word like "limit" and then some key combination after to get a drop down that I can populate with my own box data? This would not be an autocomplete feature. It would be more of a... "choose and replace". – B flat Nov 10 '16 at 23:23
  • I'm trying to find ways to make typing textbook notation in a text cell faster. I use inputaliases and autoinputreplacements but thinking about creating other methods that may work better in my work flow. – B flat Nov 10 '16 at 23:26
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This seems to work.

SetOptions[$FrontEndSession, NotebookEventActions -> {  
   "KeyDown" :> {FrontEndTokenExecute["CompleteSelection"]}
   , PassEventsDown -> True}]

at least for words.

B flat
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