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Snippets

Transform short keywords into full text with snippet expansion. Save time on repetitive typing by creating custom text shortcuts.

What Are Snippets?

Snippets are text shortcuts that automatically expand into longer text when you type them. They work across all applications on your Mac.

Example Snippets

  • @@ → your@email.com
  • //sig → Your full email signature
  • //addr → Your mailing address
  • //meet → "Thanks for the meeting! Here are the action items..."

Creating Snippets

  1. Open Summon settings
  2. Navigate to Snippets
  3. Click "New Snippet"
  4. Enter your keyword and expansion text
  5. Save

Keyword Best Practices

  • Start with special characters (/, @, ;) to avoid accidental expansion
  • Keep them short but memorable
  • Use consistent patterns (e.g., all work snippets start with //w)

Advanced Features

Cursor Positioning

Place {cursor} in your snippet to position the cursor after expansion:

Code
Keyword: //email
Expansion: Hi {cursor},

Thanks for reaching out!

Best,
John

After expansion, the cursor appears right after "Hi ", ready for you to type the recipient's name.

Date/Time Variables

Use variables in your snippets:

  • {date} - Current date (2024-01-15)
  • {time} - Current time (14:30)
  • {datetime} - Both (2024-01-15 14:30)
  • {year} - Current year (2024)
  • {month} - Month name (January)

Example:

Code
Keyword: //log
Expansion: ## Log - {date}

{cursor}

Multi-line Snippets

Snippets can contain multiple lines and formatting:

Code
Keyword: //func
Expansion: function {cursor}() {
  // TODO: Implement
  return null;
}

Clipboard Content

Include clipboard content in snippets using {clipboard}:

Code
Keyword: //link
Expansion: [Link]({clipboard})

Snippet Categories

Organize snippets into categories for easier management:

  • Personal
  • Work
  • Code
  • Email templates

Enable or disable entire categories in Settings → Snippets.

Settings

Configure snippet behavior in Settings → Snippets:

| Setting | Description | |---------|-------------| | Expansion trigger | Space, Tab, or Enter | | Case sensitivity | Match trigger exactly or ignore case | | Ignored applications | Apps where snippets won't expand |

Tips

Code Snippets

For developers, snippets are perfect for:

  • Function templates
  • Import statements
  • Common patterns
  • Documentation blocks

Email Templates

Create templates for common emails:

  • Meeting requests
  • Follow-ups
  • Out of office
  • Thank you notes

Nested Snippets

Combine snippets by using one snippet's keyword in another's expansion. They'll expand in sequence.

Testing

Create a test snippet like //test → "Snippet working!" to verify snippets are active.