Apus: The Shorthand Keyboard - Quick Start Guide
Getting started
With Apus you can use your normal QWERTY keyboard as a stenographic "chord keyboard" capable of typing as fast as talking.
How does it work?
By pressing more than one key at a time, you can type whole words in one movement, in a similar way to stenographic keyboards used by court reporters.
However unlike the expensive and awkward keyboards used in court rooms, Apus works with normal 'QWERTY' keyboards*.
It works with almost all Windows software. If you can type in it, you can 'chord' in it with Apus.
* Apus works with 9 out of 10 tested wired US and UK qwerty keyboards
So let's get started
The examples in this guide will only work if Apus is installed.
When running Apus in a web browser other than Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge, tips appear at the mouse cursor position instead of the text caret position. Please use Internet Explorer for best results.
Image credit: Michael Maggs / CC BY-SA 3.0
To start using Apus, simply start typing - as you start to type a word, you will see green hints appear like this:
If you press the space-bar when a hint is visible, what you typed will be replaced with the hint, exactly as if you typed it in full.
For example, type a space then the letter "t", then another space to get the word "transformative", then type "tw" and a space to get "twentieth-century". Try it out below.
Type [SPACE]t[SPACE], then type tw[SPACE] here.
To prevent a replacement, simply press the TAB key (see Preventing replacements below).
To turn Apus off at any time, press the TAB key and the space bar at the same time. The same key combination turns it back on.
Apus works in any program, if you can type in it - you can Apus
Try it out now. Type a space then "[SPACE]eff and t softwa accel typin with conven repla ."
A green hint shows a word that you have started typing - a "completion". If this is the correct word, simply hit space, and the rest of the word will appear. If you are typing a different word, continue with more letters and the "completion" will be updated on-the-fly till the right word appears.
For example, try typing a space, then "
acc" then another space, to get the word "acceleration", then do the same with "acce" to get the word "accelerated".Type " acc " here.
That's all you need to know to start using Apus 'completion mode' straight away.
More completions
Apus shows possible "completions" for words as you enter them in green hints; if the word you wish to type is not the one shown, then entering more letters will normally show it.
However, there is another way to show more completions.
Simply tap the SHIFT key when a hint is showing, and another possible completion will be shown.
If the space bar is pressed, the new completion will be used.
The text you have entered is always replaced with the hint currently visible when the space bar is pressed.
The shift key can be repeatedly pressed to show all possible completions for the text.
Type "pr[SHIFT][SHIFT][SPACE]" to get the word productivity.
Predictive Text
After typing some words, you may see a hint with a gray background like this:
Typing a space enters this text. This enables you to enter common phrases and proper names quickly.
Enter the following, typing spaces where possible to complete the text :
Type "The Pew Research Center released a statement at a news conference on the research on the advantages and disadvantages of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act."
Note that predictive text adapts to your writing style, to complete phrases you commonly use.
Type "A paper published in the journal Nature at the end of September last year claims that scientific and technological advances in health-care could help the Centers for Disease Control do a better job of Disease Control and Prevention"
Only a space, not punctuation, triggers the replacement of predictive text.
Chords
So far, you have used completions and word predictions which are easy to use without any practice, In this mode you can type as normal, and only use completions when convenient.
However Apus has an advanced feature called 'Chords', that enable you to type even faster. To achieve speeds in excess of 100 wpm, you need to use chords. However, chords require more practice to use.
By default Apus starts in 'completion mode' with Chords disabled. Your typing speed using completions only is about 140% as fast as without Apus. In 'Chord Mode' it is 200%-300% as fast.
To enable chords, check the 'Use Chords' option in the settings window.
Once chords are enabled, you can change to chord mode, and start typing chords.
In completion mode after you type a word you may see a blue ‘tip':
This shows a chord that you could have used for the word.
To enable Chord Mode simply press SHIFT and SPACE at the same time
And then to enter a word, simply press all the letters in the chord at the same time. For example, to enter the word 'fast' in chord mode, press the keys
C, K and L at the same time.Exercise
Enter chord mode by pressing the SHIFT key and the SPACE bar at the same time, then releasing them.
Press the D, F and O keys at the same time (do not press the shift key) then release them. The word 'speed' appears
In this guide keys in chords are shown in capitals for clarity, but do not press the shift key for them. In the tool-tips they are shown in lower case.
Press the G and Y keys at the same time then release them. The word 'our' appears
When typing a chord, always use the same finger to type each key that you use for the key when touch-typing; as shown:
Image credit: Draco flavus / CC BY-SA 3.0
Never press more than one key with the same finger at the same time.
The chords are designed so you can enter every chord using the positions shown above, with one finger per key.
Practice
Press these keys at the same time: D, F and O to produce the word 'speed'
Press these keys at the same time: W and K to produce the word 'this'
Press these keys at the same time: W and L to produce the word 'that'
The period (.), semicolon (;), forward slash (/) and comma are also used in some chords.
In chord mode, press these keys at the same time: D and PERIOD (.) to produce the word 'southern'
In chord mode, press these keys at the same time: A, V, COMMA, and J to produce the word 'branch'
The space bar is also used in some chords, press the space bar with the thumb of either hand, at the same time as the other keys.
In chord mode, press these keys at the same time: E and SPACE and N to produce the word 'hill'
Some chords are only expanded after the next chord is keyed, or a space on its own entered (see Multi-chord words).
In chord mode, press W, note the hint says 'the', then press Q and PERIOD together to expand 'the' and show the hint 'with', then press SPACE and PERIOD together, then SPACE alone, to get "the with other".
Apus has over 8000 Chords built-in to speed your typing, however there's no need to memorize them; after any word is typed that has a chord, a blue tip is shown, so you quickly pick them up through exposure.
This means that the word 'hand' can be typed by pressing the three keys E, J and O at the same time.
Using chords for the most common 25 words will speed your typing by about 20%; using the first 300 increases your speed by about 45%.
Using all the chords and other features of Apus can increase your typing speed to 2-3 times your speed without it.
Switching modes
You can go back to completion mode at any time by pressing
SHIFT+SPACE again. In completion mode type: oh[SPACE] then SHIFT+SPACE to go into chord mode, then type keys E and G at the same time, then Q, T and '/' at the same time, then Z, then SHIFT+SPACE to go back into completion mode,
The forward slash key ('/') is to the right of the period and is pressed with the pinky of the right hand.
Chord Tips
You know that tips are shown for missed chords:
The chord is shown to the left of '
=>' and the expansion to the right of '=>'.The keys pressed with the left hand are shown first, then the word 'with', then the keys pressed with the right hand (see Alternate Hand Chording for why it's shown like this).
So this tip:
means the word 'speed' can be typed (or 'chorded') by pressing 'D' and 'F' with the left hand, and 'O' at the same time with the right hand.And this tip:
means the word 'southern' can be chorded by 'D' pressed with the left hand, and '.' pressed at the same time with the right hand. Multi-chord words
Apus is designed so each 'chord' consisting of keys pressed at the same time represents a syllable. Multi-syllable words usually need more than one chord.
In chord mode press C + K, then release both the keys then press S + K + L. the word 'fastest' will appear
When the first chord of a multi-chord word is typed a tip is shown, this shows the first letters that are common to all words that can start with that chord:
In chord mode press F + K + P, then release all the keys. The tip "p-" will appear, then press N , then release. the word 'powerful' will appear
Tips for missed chords for multi-chord words have the word THEN between chords,like this:
Always release all the keys after typing one chord before beginning the next.
Multi-chord words continued
Sometimes the first syllable of a multi-chord word is a word itself. For example in the word 'quickly'. The word 'quick' has the chord "
Q, T and /" 
and 'quickly' "Q, T and / THEN Z".
If a chord entered forms a word on its own, and is also the start of another word, then the word is not expanded, instead it is shown as a hint:
Press the space bar to force expansion as the word, or more chords for another word.
In chord mode press Q + T + /, then SPACE. The word 'quick' will be chorded, then press Q + T + /, then Z. The word 'quickly' will be chorded
In chord mode press D + N, then SPACE. The word 'cell' will be chorded, then press D + N, then G. The word 'seller' will be chorded
Spelling
In completion mode, spelling mistakes are shown as red tips, reducing errors. For example:
Type[SPACE]"exatly" or any other misspelled word.
Any whole dictionary word is not replaced by default. For example, the word 'well[SPACE]' is not replaced with a completion, however if another letter is added, so it is no longer a whole word (e.g. 'well-') it is replaced.
In completion mode, type [SPACE]well[SPACE], then [SPACE]well-[SPACE]
You can force a completion to be shown by pressing the shift key.
In completion mode, type [SPACE]well[SHIFT], then SPACE to get 'well-documented'
Advanced
Image credit: Michael Maggs / CC BY-SA 3.0
Choose your keyboard
While Apus works with 9 out of 10 tested US and UK keyboards, some keyboards are easier to use than others.
Try to use a keyboard that is small enough to easily press the "Q" and "B" keys at the same time, using the same fingers used for touch typing. And the same for the "Y" and "/" keys.
The keyboard should also need little pressure per key, and have a small amount of key travel.
Ideally the rows should be staggered, with the X key horizontally about half way between the S and D keys, and the W key slightly to the left of the S key. This is the typical arrangement.
Theory
In Apus, a 'chord' refers to a single set of key-presses made with one or both hands. Each chord represents a syllable. The chords are based on the sound of the word, not its spelling. The initial consonants of the syllable are always typed with the left hand and the final consonants with the right.
For example, 'led' is chorded with
Z + O. 'Z' represents the 'ell' sound and 'O' the '-d' sound
Vowel sounds when keyed, are entered with the centre keys (
T, Y, G, H, N and B) and the space bar.
Combinations of consonant sounds are chorded by pressing all keys for the sounds at the same time. The P key represents a final 'vee' sound.
See the Apus Theory page for details.
Alternate Hand Chording
In Apus, each chord represents a syllable, the initial consonants of the syllable are always typed with the left hand and the final consonants with the right (see Theory). This means that typically when typing chords (or 'chording') sounds are typed with alternating hands.
Apus understands which word you mean, even if you type a syllable by first pressing the left hand keys, then pressing the right hand keys.
Chord the word 'led' by first pressing Z and O together, then pressing and releasing Z, then O.
After the right hand keys are pressed, the tip will update accordingly.
Chording with alternate hands like this is slightly slower than chording with both hands, but is less tiring and causes fewer mischords on keyboards that require more pressure.
When using alternate hands, the space bar is always typed with the right thumb.
Spacing
Apus automatically takes care of spaces after punctuation; a space is automatically added after commas, full-stops, semi-colons, etc. both saving key-strokes and helping you keep a consistent style.
In completion mode, type the following Apus increa [SPACE] pr[SHIFT][SHIFT]!
Note how a space is automatically inserted after the '!'
Sentences are automatically capitalized. The shift key only needs to be used for proper names or titles.
In chord mode, type the following Z + K + O, then H + L, then A + C + V + J + O, then R
In chord mode, type the following Z + K + O, then H + L, then COMMA, then A + C + V + J + O, then R
Chords in completion mode
It is possible to type chords in completion mode; if the chord has four or more keys in it, simply press the chord and it will expand as normal, Apus will remain in completion mode afterwards.
In completion mode, press Z + F + I + O
Single Chords
If you type the control key once, with no other keys pressed, then Apus will go into chord mode for the next word only, then go back to completion mode. This lets you expand a single chord in completion mode even if the chord does not have four keys.
In completion mode, press CONTROL then W then SPACE then W again
If you press the control key once in chord mode, Apus will change to completion mode for the next word only.
In chord mode, press CONTROL then irr[SHIFT] then SPACE
Preventing replacements
Occasionally you want to enter a word that is not in the Apus dictionary.
Usually this is not a problem, but if the word is interpreted as a completion, it could be inadvertently replaced.
To avoid replacing text that is not recognized as a word, use the TAB key. Enter the word in completion mode, then press TAB, then a space.
For example:
vide shows "video-game" as the hint, but vide[TAB][SPACE] enters "vide".J[SPACE] will be replaced with 'Justice', but J[TAB][SPACE] will type 'J'.Exercise:
Enter the following: "vide[TAB][SPACE]supra[TAB]." and "J[TAB][SPACE]"
You can also use the ESCAPE key to stop a word being replaced.
Words can also be added to the built-in dictionary - see "Add words to the dictionary" below.
Punctuation in chord mode
In chord mode. most punctuation can be typed as normal, however PERIOD, SEMICOLON, COMMA and FORWARD SLASH are used in chords. To type one of these characters, use the chords below.
| CHORD | PUNCTUATION |
|---|---|
| COMMA + PERIOD | COMMA |
| SPACE + COMMA + PERIOD | PERIOD |
| COMMA + PERIOD + M | APOSTROPHE |
| SEMICOLON + K + L | SEMICOLON |
| COMMA + PERIOD + / +M | FORWARD SLASH |
If no possible chord containing the punctuation is being typed, then these characters can be typed as-is.
You now know enough to use Apus for your day-to-day typing. Enjoy!
Continue for more tips to get the best out of Apus.
Advanced options and Useful tips
Turning off
You can turn Apus replacements off at any time, by pressing the TAB key and the SPACE bar at the same time. Press them again to turn it on again.
Other punctuation
You already know that typing a space replaces the entered text with the current hint; however other characters do too - typing any punctuation such as '?', or '!' will also expand the completion or chord.
In chord mode, enter: Q + T + / then "=" THEN A + J + P, THEN O, THEN "," THEN Q + "." , THEN SPACE THEN [SHIFT + SPACE] THEN "vel,acce." (with a space on its own only after 'Q + .')
This chords the text "
quick =rapid, with velocity, accelerated. " More spacing
Sometimes you type a space, and then decide you want to use some punctuation instead, such as a question mark. In this case, simply enter the question mark and the space will be deleted.
In chord mode, enter SPACE + H + I, then [CONTROL], then pu[SHIFT] then SPACE, then "!", note the space before the "!" is deleted automatically, and a space is added after the "!".
Apus automatically inserts spaces around full-stops, colons, semicolons, etc.
Show shortcuts
If you need a quick reminder of the shortcuts at any time, simply press the
Z+X+C+V keys simultaneously, and a help window will appear:
You can also right-click on the icon in the system tray, and click on the "Show Shortcut Help" item.
Press
Z+X+C+V again to hide the window.Show Chords
To show the chords, press the
SHIFT + U + I + O + P keys simultaneously and a dialog will appear
You can also click the "Show Chord List" menu item.
This shows user entered chords first (see Custom Chords); to see built-in chords click the "Built-In" tab.
This shows the chords in the compact form (see short hints).
The columns can be sorted by clicking on a header.
Custom Chords
Sometimes you want to frequently enter the same word or phrase. Apus let's you create your own custom chords to make this as easy as pressing a key combination.
To add a custom chord, press
U + I + O + P at the same time, the custom chord dialog will appear:
Enter the text to expand to in the "Long form" edit box, and the chord in the compact form in the Chord box:
For example, after adding the custom chord above, pressing the SHIFT, C and U keys at the same time will cause the text "custom chords are very useful for inserting boilerplate text, like signatures " to be inserted.
Apus will not let you create a chord that already exists. The best practice is to use the shift key in custom chords to avoid conflicts with built-in chords.
When expanding, a space will be added at the end.
Chords including the SHIFT key and more than one other key can also be expanded in completion mode
To view or delete custom chords, use the chord dialog.
Typing words in chord mode
In chord mode, if you type keys that do not form a chord, Apus will automatically switch to completion mode. This can be configured (see Ignore Mischords).
Show tips at the bottom of the screen
The default settings for Apus are optimized for touch typists, so the tips and hints appear close to the text cursor - where a touch typist is looking.
However for people who look at the keyboard while typing, it's preferable to show the tool-tips closer to their line of sight.
For non-touch typists, Apus has an option to show the tool tips at the bottom of the screen. To enable this, press the
SHIFT + O + P keys at the same time - the "Options" dialog will appear.
This can also be shown by double-clicking on the Apus icon 
in the system tray.
On the interface tab, check the "Hint at bottom of screen" check-box. You may also set the tool-tip font size here.
It is not possible to change the colours or font type.
Press the
SHIFT + O + P keys again to dismiss the dialog.More alternative completions
You already know that to get a completion other than the default, you can press the shift key while the completion is showing.
This also works if a whole word is showing. E.g. enter
fast[SHIFT] and the hint shows "fast-moving". In completion mode, type "fast-moving", by entering "[SPACE]fast[SHIFT][SPACE]".
Enter a space, then "a", and then repeatedly press the shift key. Repeat for the word "I".
Tip: It's usually quicker to just enter the next character.
Short tips and hints
By default Apus shows tips and hints as follows:
To use shorter ones check the "Use Short Hints" option on the completions tab of the options form.
Short hints and tips look like this:
In short hints:
- The space key is shown as "
*" - Keys typed with different hands are separated by "
+" - Chords are separated by "
#" - The shift key is shown as "
^"
Typing in capitals
In order to type a word or sentence all in capitals, press the caps lock key first, then enter as normal. Do not try to use the shift key for capitals in chord mode.
For example to type "
THERE IS ALWAYS TIME.", in chord mode: press "CAPSLOCK, then W + SPACE + ';', then I, then SPACE, then N then Q, then S + Y, then M, then '.', then RETURN and CAPSLOCK"
Capitalize next word
Apus recognizes words that normally start with a capital, to type these in completion mode simply enter them as normal with an initial capital: e.g. President can be typed with:
P[SPACE].It will also automatically capitalize words at the start of sentences.
Chords of words that start with capitals are typed as normal, e.g.
Z + I + SPACE expands to 'Lewis'In chord mode, press Z + SPACE + I, then A + /, then R + W, then SPACE
However, sometimes you wish to type other words capitalized, for example in titles. Apus provides a convenient way of typing these.
Simply press and release the shift key, and the next word will be capitalized.
Chord "By The Order of the President." by pressing in chord mode SHIFT then V + Y, then SPACE then SHIFT, then W then SPACE, then SHIFT, then ';' then X then SPACE + P then W then SPACE then CONTROL then SHIFT + P then PERIOD.
Add words to the dictionary
You can use the TAB or ESCAPE key to prevent a non-dictionary word from being replaced in completion mode - but this can be inconvenient if you frequently use such a word. So it is possible to permanently prevent a word from being replaced by adding it to Apus's built-in dictionary.
To add a word to the dictionary, type the word, and then press the
Q + W + E + R keys at the same time. This dialog will appear: 
Once added to the dictionary, the word will no longer be replaced by default, or identified as a spelling error, and a completion will be available for it.
Make sure the word contains no spaces or punctuation, or it cannot be added.
Passwords
If Apus were enabled when entering passwords, then this would be a security risk, because any tooltips could be seen over your shoulder.
To prevent this, replacements and tooltips are automatically turned off when Apus detects you are entering a password:
In the exceptional cases where this is not detected, press the TAB key and SPACE at the same time to turn off Apus.
Apus can also be automatically turned off in certain applications - see "Customizing password recognition" below.
Trial Version
Apus is installed initially as a trial version; the trial will run for 30 days without requiring licensing.
The trial version may only be run by the user who originally installed it, and only one trial is permitted on any particular PC.
To see the time remaining in your trial, right-click the system tray icon, then choose the "License" menu item, the License tab will show:
Licensing
Licensing your copy of Apus entitles you to run it indefinitely on a single unchanged PC, including all features and with multiple users.
The licensing does not expire, but a new license code needs to be entered if your hard disk is reformatted, a new processor installed, or a new operating system installed.
Licensing also entitles you to 12 months support, including up to 5 new license codes if needed.
The price is only $20 (USD).
To own a license code:
- Right-click the system tray icon, then choose the "License" menu item, the License tab will open:
- Click the "copy" button (this will copy your "Hardware ID" to the clipboard).
- Buy a license code using PayPal (credit cards accepted). Important: Paste the Hardware ID into the box on the PayPal form.
- You will receive a license code in return (a code like "
9AF7-4074-7289-E3C0"), sent to the email address linked with your PayPal account. Copy this key. - Paste this into the "License Code" field in the License tab, and click Register:
- Click "Yes" on the Windows User Account Control dialog, if one shows.
- The license tab will now show Apus as Licensed:
- Apus will now run fully-featured
If you do not have administrator permissions, Apus will still be Licensed, but the key will need to be entered in the License tab for each user on the PC (the same license code can be used).
Please contact Apus -AT- tdksoft.co.uk for corporate licensing.
Ignore Mischords
In chord mode, if you press keys that do not form a chord, Apus will automatically switch to completion mode.
This prevents confusion for new users, but means that sometimes a mischord (where the wrong keys are pressed) drops Apus into completion mode when this is not wanted.
As you become more practiced in Apus, you may want to change this.
Apus let's you change how many mischords are detected before it will leave chord mode with the "Allowed Missed Chords" edit on the Advanced tab of the options dialog.
If a mischord is entered it shows as a tip in red:
Type backspace to delete the mischord and try again, or space to go to completion mode.
Edit dictionary
Words can be added to the dictionary with the
Q + W + E + R shortcut chord. In addition it's possible to directly edit the dictionary. Right-click on the system tray icon and choose 'Open My Dictionary', and the dictionary will be opened in Notepad.exe.Words can then be added or deleted from the dictionary.
Shift completions tips
Some completions may be entered faster using the shift key. Apus can show tips for these.
To enable this, check the "Show Advanced Completion Hints" option.
They appear as green text on a grey background.
For example:
If "Use Short Hints" is checked, the SHIFT key is shown as "
^", e.g.:
In completion mode, type 'accelerators', 'productivity'
Correcting errors and edit mode
In order to edit text you have just written, simply back-space as normal. Apus remembers the last word you typed, and in completion mode offers completions for it.
In chord mode, enter: S + Y, then M, then I, then R + SPACE + J, then Y, backspace to delete "money" then press R + SPACE + COMMA + M
To get "
time is motion" In chord mode, enter W then K + P, then K, then SPACE, then press SHIFT + SPACE to go into completion mode, backspace to just after the 'C' in 'office', and type "ial[SPACE]decl[SPACE]".
Note how when typing '
ial' Apus offers completions for words starting offic-In completion mode, if you move the cursor to a different part of the text using the arrow keys or mouse, you can edit existing words without changes being replaced.
Repeat the above, this time using the left arrow key to move the text cursor to just to after 'c'.
Note how Apus does not offer completions when typing '
ial' but does when typing decl.Apus has an "edit mode" that allows edits to be made without triggering a completion. Edit mode is turned on from completion mode when you move the text cursor with the mouse or keyboard, and turned off when the next space is typed.
Customizing password recognition
It is possible to customize which windows are recognized as password windows. This is done with a "regular expression". Regular expressions are beyond the scope of this guide.
Apus turns on "password mode" for a window if its title matches this expression.
To modify this, enter text in the 'Password Title Regex' text field, on the advanced tab of the options dialog:
If this is blank, it is treated as "
((P|p)assword)|(Log ?(I|i)n)|(Sign ?(I|i)n)".For example, to also turn Apus off automatically when typing in a window whose title contains the word "Studio", enter: "
((P|p)assword)|(Log ?(I|i)n)|(Sign ?(I|i)n)|Studio"Support
Discussion and further information can be on the public mailing list.
You can join the list by signing into the above web-page with a Google account, or sending an email to ApusSteno+subscribe -AT- googlegroups.com.
If you are a Licensed user, please use or quote the email address you used to license when making a support request.
If you do not wish your support request to be public, please send an email to Apus -AT- tdksoft.co.uk.
Additional Exercises
Enter the following in chord mode,
S + Y then M then I then W then R + Y + K + L then A + F + [COMMA] + M then K then E + W + U then PERIOD then RETURN
This chords:
time is the most precious thing.Enter the below, starting in chord mode.
The chords are given in 'compact' mode, so '
#' means lift your fingers from the keyboard and start a new chord, '+' separates the keys pressed with each hand.e.g.
d+[SPACE]h#j# should be read as Press the keys D, H and the space bar at the same time, then release the keys, then press the key J, then release it: eg#x+o#l#cv+l#d+[SPACE]y#zg+[SPACE]l#d+[SPACE]y#d+[SPACE]h#j#?[RETURN] ko#fs+yl#v+kp#;#ko#kp#s+j#[PERIOD][RETURN] w#[SPACE]#j#z#[SPACE]#[CONTROL]irr[SHIFT]#[SPACE]#ew+iu#g+;#s+y#m#jo#z+ykp#[PERIOD][RETURN] [CONTROL]wast[SPACE]#s+y#m#i#[SPACE]#[CONTROL]wast[SPACE]#z+ykp#[PERIOD][RETURN] w+[SPACE];#i#[SPACE]#n#q#j#kp#s+y#m#cb+;#[SPACE]#[CONTROL]anyo[SPACE]#fs+hil#[COMMA][RETURN] fs+p#j#kp#cb+;#[SPACE]#[CONTROL]anyo[SPACE]#q+jko[PERIOD][RETURN]
Enter the text above.
This will chord the following text:
how did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. The only irreplaceable things are time and life. Wasting time is wasting life. There is always enough time for anyone's needs, never enough for anyone's wants.
Repeat the above, this time using alternate hands, e.g. chord 'did' by first pressing 'X' then 'O'.
Known bugs
Tips not shown near cursor
In a few applications, the tooltips are not shown near the text cursor, but instead near the mouse cursor. This bug affects the Chrome and Firefox web-browsers but not Internet Explorer.
It also affects some Windows 10 applications
Text not inserted
If Apus is started after another application, then sometimes hints are shown, but the replacement text is not inserted in the application. To work around this, restart the application, or minimize and restore it.
This also can happen on Windows 10, if the options form is opened and closed.
Adding words containing apostrophes to the custom dictionary fails
Sometimes when trying to add a word containing an apostrophe to the custom dictionary from a Word Processor document an error message is shown:
"X is not a valid word". This can be worked around by adding the word from another application like Notepad.
Adding a custom word to the dictionary
Adding a custom word to the dictionary populates the edit box with a word with a space after. If it is not edited, this cannot be added because spaces are not allowed in dictionary words.
Privacy
If Predictive Text is turned on, Apus stores data about your usage in a form such that a third party who had access to your Windows user folder could recreate some text you have typed. Apus does not store any text typed when it is in 'Password Mode'. Apus does not store any text typed when Predictive Text is disabled.
Ensure that Password Mode is on whenever you are entering passwords, and predictive text is off when entering text you do not wish to be recoverable.