texpander.sh

#!/bin/bash

# Version: 2.0
# Release: November 24, 2017
# Based on https://github.com/leehblue/texpander/ 

# Get window id, pass to getwindow pid to output the pid of current window
pid=$(xdotool getwindowfocus getwindowpid)

# Store text name of process based on pid of current window
proc_name=$(cat /proc/$pid/comm)

# If ~/.texpander directory does not exist, create it
if [ ! -d ${HOME}/kb ]; then
    mkdir ${HOME}/kb
fi

# Store base directory path, expand complete path using HOME environemtn variable
base_dir=$(realpath "${HOME}/kb")

name=$( zenity --file-selection --title=Texpander --filename=${base_dir}/ --file-filter="*.txt")

if [ -e "${name}" ]
  then
    # Preserve the current value of the clipboard
    clipboard=$(xsel -b -o)

    # Put text in primary buffer for Shift+Insert pasting
    echo -n "$(cat "$name")" | xsel -p -i

    # Put text in clipboard selection for apps like Firefox that 
    # insist on using the clipboard for all pasting
    echo -n "$(cat "$name")" | xsel -b -i

    # Paste text into current active window
    sleep 0.3
    xdotool key shift+Insert

    # If you're having trouble pasting into apps, use xdotool
    # to type into the app instead. This is a little bit slower
    # but may work better with some applications.
    #
    # Make xdotool type RETURN instead of LINEFEED characters 
    # otherwise some apps like Gmail in Firefox won't recognize
    # newline characters.
    #
    # To use this, comment out line #32 (xdotool key shift+Insert)
    # and uncomment the line below.
    #xdotool type -- "$(xsel -bo | tr \\n \\r | sed s/\\r*\$//)"

    # Restore the original value of the clipboard
    sleep 0.5
    echo $clipboard | xsel -b -i

  else
    zenity --error --text="Abbreviation not found:\n${name}"
fi