Can I mass insert/edit phrases?

Yes! Since version 2.5.0, PhraseVault® has built-in import and export that handles bulk operations directly — no external tools needed.

Import Phrases

Open Settings and go to the Import / Export section. Click "Import Phrases" and select your file. PhraseVault supports three formats:

• PhraseVault JSON (.json) — native format, preserves all phrase types and formatting
• TextExpander CSV (.csv) — also works with Beeftext and PhraseExpress exports
• Espanso YAML (.yml / .yaml) — imports triggers, content, and form fields

After selecting a file, a preview dialog shows exactly what will happen: how many phrases are new, how many already exist (conflicts), and any items that will be skipped. For conflicts, you can choose per phrase whether to overwrite or skip — or use the bulk action buttons to handle all conflicts at once.

What gets converted automatically

When importing from other tools, PhraseVault converts their syntax to PhraseVault equivalents:

• Fill-in fields — TextExpander %filltext:name=Name% becomes {{input:Name}}
• Text areas — %fillarea:name=Notes% becomes {{textarea:Notes}}
• Dropdown menus — %fillpopup:name=Color:Red:Blue% becomes {{select:Color=Red,Blue}}
• Date/time macros — common date patterns become {{date}} or {{time}}
• Clipboard — %clipboard becomes {{clipboard}}
• Espanso forms — [[fieldname]] becomes {{input:fieldname}}

Export Phrases

In the same Import / Export section of Settings, you have two export options:

• "Export All Phrases" — saves your entire phrase library
• "Export Current Results" — saves only the phrases matching your current search filter

Exports are saved as PhraseVault JSON files, which can be re-imported into any PhraseVault installation — useful for sharing phrases between team members or backing up your library.

Advanced: Direct Database Editing

For advanced bulk operations beyond what import/export covers, you can edit the SQLite database directly with DB Browser for SQLite (free and open-source).

1. Close PhraseVault completely before editing
2. In PhraseVault, go to "Help" > "Show Phrase Database File" to locate your database
3. Open the .sqlite file in DB Browser
4. Edit the "phrases" table as needed
5. Save changes and reopen PhraseVault

Important: Always back up your database before making direct edits!

Tip: Use AI Tools for SQL Queries

AI tools like ChatGPT can generate SQL for complex bulk operations. Use this prompt:

I need help with bulk operations on my PhraseVault SQLite database. Here is the table structure:

CREATE TABLE "phrases" (
    "id" INTEGER,
    "phrase" TEXT,
    "expanded_text" TEXT,
    "type" TEXT DEFAULT 'text',
    "usageCount" INTEGER DEFAULT 0,
    "dateAdd" DATETIME DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    "dateLastUsed" DATETIME DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    "short_id" TEXT,
    PRIMARY KEY("id" AUTOINCREMENT)
);

[describe what you need here]