I use espanso, and replicate my config between mac and win with syncthing. My system is to put every expansion pattern within colons: :y: => thumbs up emoji :

I use espanso, and replicate my config between mac and win with syncthing. My system is to put every expansion pattern within colons: :y: => thumbs up emoji ::): => smiley :endash: => – :emdash: => — I don't know why I hadn't thought of using :--: and :---:, I'm setting that up now, thanks!