Macro Definition

Macro properties are defined in macro definition view.  This view consists of several tabs.  When user changes macro definition it is necessary to click OK button to confirm changes (or Cancel button to cancel the changes).

● General Tab

General macro properties like name and description are specified here.  Macro name is not only a macro identifier for userÆs reference. It is also used in macro language (<run> command, for example) to refer to a specific macro.

● Trigger Tab

Keyboard Triggers:

Keyboard triggers allow user to start macro via keyboard directly from other program.  There are two types of keyboard triggers: text shortcut and hot-key.

Text Shortcut
Text shortcut is a short text that user defines to start macro.  Macro is started after the user types the text shortcut and hits ôspace barö which is default ôexpand keyö.  This is default behavior that can be modified using text shortcut options:

• Do not delete shortcut - if checked, then the text shortcut user types in order to start macro is not deleted in prior to macro execution.  Example:  Let's say the text shortcut is "misc" and macro is "ellaneous".  After user types "misc" (plus hitting expand key) the macro is started without deleting the "misc" already typed and result will be "miscellaneous".
• Auto-expand - macro will be started without necessity to hit space bar (or other defined expand key) after the text shortcut is typed.  This option causes the macro is started when the last character of the text shortcut is pressed.

• Can be part of word - the text shortcut can be a part of a longer text.  If this option is checked then, for example, the text shortcut "soft" is expanded when user types "supersoft ".

• Case insensitive - if checked, the text shortcut is text insensitive.  For example, if text shortcut is ô.mysctö the typing ô.Mysctö will also start the macro.

• Follow case - this option is enabled only if ôcase insensitiveö option is checked.  This option makes sense only for text replacement macros (macros that replaces text shortcut by other - usually longer - text).   The option has this meaning: LetÆs say we have text shortcut ôttaö and macro containing just replacement text ôtetraethyl alcoholö.  If user types ôttaö the it is replaced by ôtetraethyl alcoholö.  If user types ôTtaö it is replaced by ôTetraethyl alcoholö.  And if user types ôTTAö then it is replaced by ôTETRAETHYL ALCOHOLö.

Text shortcut doesn't have to be unique.  If there are more macros with the same text shortcut, list of all macros is displayed to user to choose the required one.
Text shortcuts can contain international characters like δ, ⁿ, ß, ⌡, etc.
Text shortcut cannot contain space bar (and the key defined to expand text shortcut if it is different from the space bar).
Text shortcut cannot contain any of the characters defined in the "Word-breaking characters" field of the main settings window.  

Hot-Key

• Hot-key (main) is a combination of keys like Ctrl+C, Alt+T, etc.  When user presses hot-key, associated macro is started.  Hot-key doesn't have to be unique.  If there are multiple macros with the same hot-key defined, list of all macros is shown and the user can select the desired one.
• Extended hot key is an optional and can be used when user has the same hot key used for several different macros.  Instead of selecting macro to run from menu the user can define the extended hot key.  In such case the program works this way:  The user hits (main) hot key.  The program finds that there are multiple macros with such hot key and that the macros have extended hot keys defined.  So the program waits until the user hits extended hot key in order to select the desired one. 
  This option gives user ability to define hot keys for different actions more logically since the hot key space is much larger.
• Start macro after all hotkey keys are released: This option solves conflict cases when macro is started while user still keeps control keys down and such control keys conflict with the macro content.  Example:  Let's say hot key is Ctrl+Alt+X and the macro contains <delete> key. If user still holds Ctrl+Alt down when the macro executes <delete> key it can happen that the computer recognizes the current state of the keyboard as Ctrl+Alt+Delete and shows the "Ctrl+Alt+Del Window".  This option allows user to prevent this.

Mouse Triggers:

Mouse triggers allow user to start macro using mouse while working with other program.  There are several mouse actions available to be defined as a macro trigger: mouse click, double click, shake mouse, hold mouse button down, etc.  The mouse action can be combined with a control key and/or mouse button. 
Example:  LetÆs select ôMove mouse to upper screen edgeö mouse action and check ôAltö control key and check ôRightö mouse button.  The macro is started only when user moves mouse cursor to upper screen edge while holding ôAltö key down and ôRightö mouse button down.

Scheduled Triggers:

It is possible to schedule macro to run at defined time or when a specific event occurs: 

• Time schedule - macro can be scheduled to run once (at the time and date specified by "start at") or every minute, day, week or month between start and end time and date (if specified).
   

• Window  - macro is started when a window is opened, activated, deactivated or closed.  The window is specified the same way as ôscope window".
   

• File - macro is started when a file is created, changed or deleted or if the size of the file is bigger or smaller than a defined value.  The full path to the file must be specified.
   

• Folder - macro is started when a file of the given folder created/changed/deleted.  Unlike ôfileö option above, this option allows to watch multiple files.  The files are defined using wildcards.  For example, ô\\server1\sharedfiles\*.docö.  This will watch all .doc files from ô\\server1\sharedfiles\ö folder.  Full path of the file(s) that trigger the macro is saved to macro variable.  This allows macro developer to determine what file caused the macro to run and perform required action.
   

• Drive - the macro can be started when free space on a drive ("c:", "d:", etc.) is smaller or bigger than a defined value.
   

• Display pixel - the macro is started when color of the defined pixel on display is changed.
   

• Idle - or the macro can be started if there is not an activity (keystroke or mouse event) for specified amount of minutes
   

• Windows Shutdown - macros can be scheduled to run when the Windows shutdown.  To run macro on Windows startup make the WinScheduler to load on Windows startup (go to the Main Settings) and check "Run this macro on the program startup" in the Item Settings dialog box, Options tab.
   

MacroToolbar

Macros are started by clicking on toolbar button or submenu item.

● Macro Tab

There is macro editor and debugger located under the "macro tab".  The area consists of several controls:

• Macro editing control: Macro editing control can display macro in two forms: (i) ôRaw source textö that shows macro source code exactly as it is defined and (ii) ôDescriptiveö that shows the macro steps in more descriptive and simpler way.  User can switch between the two views any time.

• Available commands tree control: The tree contains all the commands available, logically organized in several groups.  To add new command, just follow this:
  
  1. Select command in the available commands tree.
  2. Click ôAdd to macroö button to add command to end of the macro or ôInsert to macroö to insert the command to current cursor position.
  3. For most commands, a properties dialog box will show.  F1 key will display help for the command.  Edit properties and click OK button.
  
  The window with system variables is available on the button next to "Insert to macro" button.  The system variables window, when opened, can be accessed from any command editing window so that it is easy to add system variable as a parameter to edited command when necessary.
   

• Edit button: When clicked, a dialog box for visual editing of currently selected command (command with cursor/caret on it) is shown.
   

• Help button: When clicked, help for currently selected command (command with cursor/caret on it) is opened.
   

• Locate button: When clicked, currently selected command (command with cursor/caret on it) is located in the "available commands tree".
   

• Toolbar: Macro can be started by clicking on blue arrow button.  It is also possible to debug macro - execute it step-by-step.  Just click on ôglassesö button with little red arrow and debugging session will be started.  Now, if you click on ô1ö button next one command is executed.  This way you can go through the whole macro.  The ô<*>ö button will run macro until debug break point is reached.  The debug break point has this syntax <-dbp-> and doesnÆt affect normal macro execution any way.  In the debug session, it is possible to watch content of variable (including system variables).

● Settings Tab

Add to tray menu - if checked, the macro will be added to the tray menu (menu that appears when the programÆs tray icon is right-clicked) for quick access.

Use this macro as template - if checked, this macro will be available in ôCreate from templateö list.  This allows user to prepare several predefined macros that can be used as templates for quick creation of similar macros.

Run macro in separate process - see details here.

Run this macro on the program start up - if checked, the macro is automatically executed when the program starts.

Paste macro - if this option is checked, the macro is pasted to target application as it is.  This means that the macro text is not executed but it is just put to the clipboard and pasted in target application.  This option only makes sense for macros that contains no commands or special keys.  For example, larger pieces of text, text that contains international (UNICODE) characters, etc..

Lock keyboard and mouse while macro is running - if checked, the keyboard and mouse is locked during macro execution.  This means that user cannot affect macro execution by moving mouse to other position or by hitting keys on the keyboard.  From other hand, when this option is checked, it is not possible to stop macro execution by pressing "Shift+Esc" key combination.  In a case macro is running and it is necessary to unlock mouse and keyboard again in order to stop macro execution ("Shift+Esc") then press Ctrl+Alt+Del.

Macro playback speed - there are several options how fast the macro should be executed.  This option allows user to slow down certain macros that run on a program that can only handle keystrokes sent slowly.

Repeat macro - number of repetition after the macro is started.

● Scope Tab

It is possible to define scope (in what applications/windows the macro can be started using define trigger) in this tab.  The scope can be defined either individually for each macro, or it can be defined for whole macro group in macro group settings dialog box.