Is there any way to create smart keys in Scrivener that allow me to insert short snippets while I’m barrelling along on a first draft? It would be nice to be able to hit option-c, for example, and have the editor insert [character name] or option-r for [research] or option-s for [stage direction], etc. Could be many other possibilities. Thanks, Greg
OK, stand down everybody. A little web browsing reveals several third-party apps that will perform exactly these functions, such as TextExpander2 or TypeIt4Me. If anyone has any recommendations, let me know.
I bought TypeIt4Me because I got used to Scrivener’s ability to auto-capitalize the first letter of sentences and TypeIt4Me allows me to have that feature in virtually every Mac application. It is one of those programs that gets more useful over time as you add snippets.
If auto-capitalization isn’t important to you, TextExpander is a very nice product, too. I got a license for it in a software bundle and it seems a bit easier to use.
Currently, you can get a free license for Typinator from http://www.macheist.com/ . Sign up, create an account and give Typinator a test drive.
Oops, I probably shouldn’t have posted that answer in the tech support section. Ok, I’m prepared to bend over and say, “Please Sir, may I have another?” until I go hoarse.
I found Typinator to be the best of the three apps for my purposes. That is, about one year ago when I purchased. I haven’t followed the competition since then.
On the first glance Typinator seems to offer less, and it is true that some functions like syncing are missing yet, but the whole concept in my opinion is more clever.
All of them offer trial versions, so check them out yourself.
It is extra software and extra cost but on the other hand you will have your snippets available in every app you can write in. For example my sometimes excessive usage of italics in my postings is handled by Typinator – in Safari _ _ (without the space) activates the BBCode entities for italics and puts the cursor in between of them.
Or if you already have compiled the draft and re-work it in the the word processor you can still use the same short cuts.
And one more thing (cough): Rumour goes that Snow Leopard will have a text expanding/auto text function.
If you are subscribed to MacHeist, you can pick up a free Typinator licence right now. It’s a good program; I’ve been using it for years, myself.
I use Typinator myself, and I like the fact it is a regular application and not a kernel extension (even if it is always accessible from the menubar). It is easy to use and works very well, and the developer is prompt at fixing any minor quirks.
Paolo
I too use Typinator and have found it to be more useful than the others. I asked the developer about auto caps and they sent me an extension for this feature. So far I am very pleased.
I’m a TypeIt4Me-User and happy with it. Indispensable tool.
Very happy user of TextExpander here.
I tried Typinator but couldn’t get into it… I like how TextExpander let’s you also ‘expand’ applescript so I only have to type ‘/turl’ to make a tinyurl of a long one. Also, but I haven’t looked into Typinator so much that I can say it doesn’t, I like how I can limit certain expansions to certain programs, or specifically not.
Maybe I just like complicated stuff… 
joshua, I saw your post about the developer of Typinator providing you with a file for auto-capitalization. I’ve been using TypeIt4Me for precisely that reason but for some reason, it has been running slow.
I had a short-term license for Typinator from MacHeist so I tried using that and found it nearly ideal, fast, useful, but no auto-caps. I emailed the developer and he sent me the same file as he did you. It worked well but only for sentences starting after a “.” not for “!” or “?” After looking at the file he sent it was easy to see how to add “!” and “?” to it so I did and it worked just fine. I asked the developer if he’d like me to send him the “improved” version of the file and after I did he kindly extended my license to a full two years.
The reply to my first email came within an hour, such blistering-fast response reminds me of Scrivener, but w/o all the “spanking.” 
I’m still working on a way to get it to auto-cap reliably within quotation marks but that may be beyond my feeble skills.
Typinator really is a great program and the developer is a good guy who responds quickly to any questions. I’m really glad I bought a Mac.