Using Windows Mobile AutoCorrect to Automatically Replace Text
I love my Windows Mobile device, an AT&T 8525 (also known as the HTC Hermes). But as a former Blackberry user I really miss the Blackberry's AutoText feature.AutoText allows you to enter a text string that will be replaced by another text string.
For example, if I'm driving and someone sends an email I need to reply to, I can reply with "cm" (call me) and the device would automatically change it to "Please call me on my cell at (650)555-1212."
This article explains how to achieve the same functionality on a Windows Mobile device using Windows Mobile's AutoCorrect feature.
First, ensure that you are able to view hidden files and folder in Windows Explorer. This is done on the Tools Folder Options View tab of Windows Explorer. If you have Windows XP, you will also need Microsoft ActiveSync 4.2 or better installed and configured on your computer. ActiveSync can be downloaded here. If you have Windows Vista, download and configure Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1 for Windows Vista here.
- Create an ActiveSync connection
- Click Explore in ActiveSync
- Navigate to your mobile device's \Windows folder
- Locate the autocorrect.txt file and copy it to the Desktop. Note: Your autocorrect.txt file may be named differently. Mine is named autocorrect.0409.txt
- Rename the autocorrect.txt file on your mobile device as a backup in case you need to restore it later
- Right-click the autocorrect.txt file on your Desktop and select Properties. Clear the Read-only checkbox and click OK. Note: If you don't see the autocorrect.txt file on your Desktop, it's because you aren't able to see hidden files.
- Open autocorrect.txt in Microsoft Excel
- Insert as many rows as necessary and enter your new AutoCorrect entries. Column A is the text you want to correct and column B is the corrected text. For example,
jeff for column A and Jeff for column B. See the example below. - Use Excel's data sorting feature to alphabetize the text by column A. Windows Mobile will not read the file correctly if it is not in alphabetical order.
- Save the autocorrect.txt file in its current format
- Drag and drop the autocorrect.txt file from the Desktop to the \Windows folder on the Windows Mobile device
- Reset the Windows Mobile device to begin using the new AutoCorrect entries. Windows Mobile reads the autocorrect.txt file at start up.
Note: Be careful not to enter a text string to replace that you might actually use. For example, if you configure "im" to be replaced by "I'm", the phrase "My IM address is jeff@expta.com" will be converted to "My I'm address is jeff@expta.com".
Labels: 8525, tip, Windows Mobile
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posted by Jeff @ 2:51 PM
11 Comments
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11 Comments:
excellent WM6 advice
Excellent WM6 advice JG
Boz informed me that "0409" in my autotext file indicates the language (English). Yours may be different if you use a different language set.
hmmm. I think this might be a WM6 Professional thing. I just got an HTC S730 (running WM6 Standard) and there is not an auto complete file on the device.
James, you're right that this is a WM6 Professional feature. It's not available in Windows Mobile Standard, sorry. :(
So everything works thus far copying the file from my q9m but when I try to replace the file back on the phone it says that the file is read-only and won't let me do anything to it.
Seth, try restarting your mobile device and immediately try again. I've run into the same behavior.
Jeff - Thanks for the great article and sense of embitterment that I feel knowing this is not available for WM6 Pro! I just got a Moto Q9H after converting from BB 8800 and Curve and this lack of autocompletion is making me realize how much I used it and miss it! If anyone hears anything on how this can be made to work on WM6 Pro, please make it known! I've scoured Microsoft and Googled profusely for solutions, but nada. Cheers.
Jeff...great info...now for the $64M question...
How do you modify the word completion dictionary in WM6? I've seen postings where the appropriate file has been posted, but nobody has come back with a hack/program/suggestion as to how to update this list manually. There is one piece of software out there from Kai, but it only seems to modify it's own list, not the one that WM6 automatically creates from your typing...
Thoughts?
DC,
Sorry to say it doesn't seem that the Word Completion dictionary can be manipulated. Please read this excellent article that describes Word Completion.
Jeff
Figgured out how to do this on WM6pro. It's crazy. The easiest way is to use Total Commander (3rd party file explorer). WM6pro requires that the autotext.0409.txt file be saved in unicode. it also protects the file in 3 ways: it sets the ReadOnly bit; it sets the SystemFile bit; and it watches the file from boot to make sure you don't change/delete it, but it will allow you to rename it. After figguring this out, i came up with the following process to update it:
1) open Total Commander and navigate to and highlight the \Windows\autocorrect.0409.txt file
2) copy the file to the root folder
3) navigate Total Commander to the root folder and highlight the \autocorrect.0409.txt
4) in the properties of the file, turn the ReadOnly and System bits off
6) click the notepad icon at the bottom of Total Commander to open the file in notepad
7) make your changes to the file minding the required alphabetical ordering
8) save the file as a unicode text file with a slightly different name (autocorrect.0409new.txt)
9) copy or move the new file to the windows directory
10) rename the existing autocorrect.0409.txt file to autocorrect.0409orig.txt
11) rename the new autocorrect.0409new.txt to autocorrect0409.txt
12) reboot WinMobile6 Pro
13) if you want to clean up, you should now be able to remove the extra files we have created along the way.
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