Text editor with autocomplete while typing normal text

Question

There's a lot of Text editors which support autocomplete during programming, but I want one which can autocomplete while typing normal text as I see a lot of repetition of words I type. Any emacs fans who have implemented this ?

Urina

Answer 1

pabbrev-mode (predictive abbreviation) works by examining previously written text. Unlike dynamic abbreviation, the text is analyzed during idle time (which enables quick lookup of potential abbreviations). Pabbrev looks at word frequency to suggest the most common expression.

From the documentation, this is what it might look like as you typed the keys pred.

p[oint]
pr[ogn]
pre[-command-hook]
pred[ictive]

Beefburger

is this present in Xemacs as well – Urina

I dont use Xemacs, but I am pretty sure it should work there too. – Beefburger

where is the .emacs file in windows (I'm using Emacs-23-CvsP091103-EmacsW32-1.58 )as mentioned here : To use it, download the source, and add this to your .emacs: (require 'pabbrev "/path/to/package/pabbrev.el") (global-pabbrev-mode) – Urina

Answer 2

Try the builtin dabbrev-expand; it's bound to M-/.

Also see Predictive Mode if you fancy the more flashy stuff.

Baumbaugh

I downloaded the package here : dr-qubit.org/download.php?file=predictive/predictive.tar.gz . How do i use it on emacs-23.1 for windows – Urina

Sorry I don't have easy access to an MS Windows environment to test it; last time I tried, the instructions on the Emacswiki page worked for me. I find autocompletion in normal buffer too distracting, so I use dabbrev only. – Baumbaugh

pabbrev-mode is different from the one you were trying to download. See the link in my comment below. – Beefburger

Answer 3

I love hippie-expand!

Clayson

Answer 4

The Zeus editor has a non-programming auto complete feature (i.e. Alt + Space) that takes the current user input, searches the current file for words starting with that input and displays them in a drop down list.

Aylesbury

Answer 5

vim has such a feature http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/VimTip4

i think ultra edit has a simmilar feature

Kirven

The link provided does indeed discuss an autocomplete extension for Vim, but describes it in terms of programming: "Completion such as this is also why it is a good idea to have descriptive variable names, so you can easily tell if you have the completion you were after". – Roebuck

Answer 6

You could set up auto-complete mode with a dictionary as your source. I have been very tempted to do this myself.

Shackleford

Answer 7

predictive-mode auto-completes from a dictionary of words. It learns which words you use most often, and can also automatically learn new words as you type if desired.

It's very fast, fast enough that turning on auto-completion doesn't cause any noticeable lag when typing, even with a large dictionary.

(Disclaimer: I'm the author of predictive-mode)

Setting

hi toby, someone suggested this 2 years ago. does this work on the emacs on windows? – Urina