Auto-Complete: Faster Address Book entry
A tip on macOSXHints points out a short-cut 
for text entry in Address Book.
Pressing Option-Escape in a text field, opens an autocomplete dialogue with options from previously entered cards.
Like all these tips, it makes perfect sense when you think about, but who ever thinks about it?
For example, type the first two or three letters of the name, hit Option-Escape and then just choose from the options that appear:
This is especially useful with spouses or large numbers of employees from one company or those English Fotherington-Smythe cousins.
Unfortunately, Address Book Quick Entry (now my preferred faster way of entering contacts) isn’t as smart about this. Hitting Option-Escape here brings up a general autocomplete list rather than previous values from Address Book itself.
Similar Posts:
- Auto-complete words with the Escape key
- AddressBookQuickEntry: Faster contact entry
- SBook5: A smarter Address Book
- EntourageABMenu: Update, special offer
- Service to add a contact to Address Book
Tags: Address Book, keyboard shortcut, Productivity, text entry, time saving, tip
March 18th, 2006 at 11:15 am
I think this tip works in other Carbon apps, using the OS X dictionary service. I know it works in Mail and Safari text entry fields, at least.
March 18th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
The nice thing abotu the way it works in Address Book, though, is that it presents you with not with the usual Dictionary entries, but with a list of previously entered names for each field.
March 19th, 2006 at 10:40 am
I know only one Kline, one Rudolf, one Swenson and one Cobbett. In fact I only have 3 duplicate surnames in my whole address book of about 250 records. On the other hand, I have 7 Johns, 3 Sallys, 6 Chrises and a couple of Marys, but I can spell those easily :)
My point is that this feature in the address book isn’t half as useful as it is in other apps where the word I might be looking for comes from the entire English language
March 19th, 2006 at 4:55 pm
I suppose that’s true, when you put it like that. Although Address Book does default to the Dictionary entries for the Notes field, which is smart.
March 20th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
sorry gerry… this is a very useful feature for some of us. i use mac os x at work and loved that autocomplete would happen automatically for job titles which we use to keep track of trades and vendor classes. i wondered what happened to the feature after a recent system update and i’m very happy to hear it is just a key option away. now i can be sure that my address book entries are consistent. thanks for the tip!
March 20th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
dragondog – i’m not doubting its use in address book…was just trying to expand the joy by pointing out where else it works :)
March 20th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
dragondog – i’m not doubting its usefulness in address book…was just trying to expand the joy by pointing out where else it works :)