Script to paste textual snippets in applications that past with the key combination Ctrl+V. It needs xsel and xdotool to be installed

paste_snippets.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3

"""
Copyright (C) 2014 Jacob Vlijm
This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or any later version. This
program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You
should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this
program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
"""

import os
import subprocess

home = os.environ["HOME"]
directory = home+"/.config/snippet_paste"
if not os.path.exists(directory):
    os.mkdir(directory)
# create file list with snippets
files = [
    directory+"/"+item for item in os.listdir(directory) \
         if not item.endswith("~") and not item.startswith(".")
    ]
# create string list
strings = []
for file in files:
    with open(file) as src:
        strings.append(src.read())
# create list to display in option menu
list_items = ["manage snippets"]+[
    (str(i+1)+". "+strings[i].replace("\n", " ").replace\
     ('"', "'")[:20]+"..") for i in range(len(strings))
    ]
# define (zenity) option menu
test= 'zenity --list '+'"'+('" "')\
      .join(list_items)+'"'\
      +' --column="text fragments" --title="Paste snippets"'
# process user input
try:
    choice = subprocess.check_output(["/bin/bash", "-c", test]).decode("utf-8")
    if "manage snippets" in choice:
        subprocess.call(["nautilus", directory])
    else:
        i = int(choice[:choice.find(".")])
        # copy the content of corresponding snippet
        copy = "xclip -in -selection c "+"'"+files[i-1]+"'"
        subprocess.call(["/bin/bash", "-c", copy])
        # paste into open frontmost file
        paste = "xdotool key Control_L+v"
        subprocess.Popen(["/bin/bash", "-c", paste])
except Exception:
    pass

see for explanation: http://askubuntu.com/questions/543968/insert-text-blocks-everywhere