Auto-creation of en-dash

[Last Chance]

Another simple feature to include would be the auto-creation of the en-dash as it is typed – as with MS Word. It saves having to use Alt-0150 each time

– is an en-dash

- is the hyphen

Thanks!

[PaulEC]

Alt + - (hyphen) inserts an en-dash. Also Alt+Shift+ - (hyphen) inserts an em-dash.

[walt.farrell]

Those, and more, are also available via the Text > Insert menu, which also shows the keyboard shortcuts if you forget them.

[Fixx]

3 hours ago, Last Chance said:

– as with MS Word

MS Word creates dashes wrong most of the time. Please no automation. 

[matisso]

There’s also the Auto-Correct function:

Quote

 

Auto-Correct

Auto-Correct intelligently and automatically replaces or formats your text while typing. Several types of correction are possible: […]

Replacements: provides a preset correction list or common 'typos', with the option of adding your own custom letter combinations and substitutions to be applied automatically as you type.

 

Regards,
Matt

[Last Chance]

Thanks all, most helpful. I'll see which is the best option.

Fixx, I just reckon that some correct auto-correction is better than none at all and a space/en-dash/space is one that should be invoked virtually every time. Date ranges, however, are always wrong (e.g. 1910-1920 should be 1910–1920), but I agree it is difficult for any program to distinguish when the correct instance is required.

[Dave Harris]

The default autocorrect includes dash dash => en-dash. This is less likely to trigger by accident than dash => en-dash.

It looks like it is trying to do en-dash dash => em-dash, but it doesn't work well partly because the autocorrect doesn't kick in until you type a space, and then the space breaks up the pattern. It should have dash dash dash => em-dash instead.