Tasker Revision History

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Fixes in version 3.01:

• Added the /C parameter flag for shortcuts since Windows 2000 screws up the "%2" command line parameter
• Changed Setup program to delete the Explorer icon cache for TSK and TSX files (in "Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts")
• ShortTypes abbreviations can now include spaces and periods, in addition to lowercase letters and numbers
• Typing a new ShortType when a previous one is selected erases the previous entry so that you don't immediately hit the character limit
• Removed the prompt for Auto-Start when you check the Tray Icon option
• Changed "Save/overwrite prompt option" to "Show Tasker verification prompts" and added this check to more system messages
• Modified the "Unable to open the help file" message to be a string resource
• Upgraded to version 3.0 of the Inno Installer
• Various minor fixes to the 3.0 release

Fixes in version 3.00:

• Added keyboard mappings using any key combination, such as Ctrl + Shift + Alt + F12
• Added ShortType feature for typing partial words (auto-type abbreviations)
• Created new low-level service for macro launching and ShortType
• Tray icon mode with popup menu for running invisibly
• Added documentation for mail registration option
• Created checkbox for remembering previous playback settings
• Single instance program limitation
• The Advanced Options screen saves the last tab visited when the OK or Apply button is pressed
• Auto-start menu item to launch Tasker when Windows starts
• Quick setting in user commands to allow Normal playback configuration
• Changed user commands to include parent menu name in description
• Registry settings are stored in HKEY_CURRENT_USER instead of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to accommodate multiple users
• Separated and updated the HTML help files
• HTML help files are now under a separate child menu for Advanced Help
• Added the {winkey}, {apps}, and {F13-F24} script commands
• Changed {rightarrow}, {downarrow}, etc script commands to {right}, {down}, etc
• New "Create Executable" feature that allows you to create stand-alone executable programs from recordings or script code
• Focus is correctly returned to the previous window when Tasker closes
• The GOTO script command now can find windows with a partial title match instead of an exact match
• Multiple-line comments can be designated in script files with /* and */
• The number of files in the recent file list can be adjusted
• Created a new User's Guide for general information in Windows .HLP format
• "Help for this Screen" context-sensitive help added for every main screen and Advanced Options screen
• New "Vista Gadget" custom image buttons on Keyboard and ShortType screens, including popup tips
• Export option for backing up various levels of Tasker configurations
• Changed the static data type storage space definitions
• Different internal binary/script file differentiation
• CLICK script command replaced SCREENCLICK and WINDOWCLICK
• File extensions are now handled only by the Setup program
• Uninstall removes all registry settings to completely clean the PC
• User must agree to License Agreement terms before installation can proceed
• Added Vista Software corporate logo graphic to Help - About dialog box
• Updated website with alternate downloads, volume discounts and multiple technical support options
• Changed the confirmation dialog boxes to task modal style to avoid multiples
• Modified the visiblity of popup boses to correctly reflect "Always on top" status of main window (main window used to stay active)
• Included "restart after login" feature if you shut down your Windows session with the Tasker program still running
• Added context help icon to Advanced Options title bar
• Added configuration save when session shutdown occurs in addition to program exits
• Added safety code and sanity checks to memory deallocations
• Modified the Save As file format to verify if conflicting types are given for the filename and the Type dropdown list
• Included Command Line Parameters for speed, loops, and continuous for running Tasker document files
• Placed corporate volume discounts in ordering table on Tasker website
• Tasker Script files (.TSX format) now operate at the speed that is chosen for playbacks (Slow, Normal, Fast, As Fast As Possible)
• Tasker Files that get executed used to leave Tasker running in memory if an error occurred, now they clean up gracefully
• Double-clicking on Tasker Files no longer confuses the focus with other windows (application drop down menus, etc. work correctly)

Fixes in version 2.31:

• Added a toolbar button that can be chosen by the user
• The word "times" disables along with number when Continuous repeat is chosen
• Fixed the hotlink cursor (finger pointer)
• "File Save" now shows the right dialog prompt and file types instead of showing "File Open"

Fixes in version 2.30:

• Added the SCREENCLICK and WINDOWCLICK script commands
• New property-type dialog for Advanced Options
• Moved all undocumented configurations to new Advanced Options screen
• Added "Edit Script File" option for text files
• Added "Edit Log File" option
• Created new Tasker file association with "TSX" for text-based recordings
• Increased the limit for a script file from 256 to 2,048 commands (in addition to Windows events)
• Playback repeats can be set to "Continuous" (forever)
• New document icons for Tasker association files
• Main window can be minimized when recording starts, and automatically restores after the recording or playback ends
• The logfile can now be selected by the user
• The editor for script files can now be selected by the user
• Shrunk main screen to take up less screen space
• Fixed problem with GOTO not finding a window on playback loop #2 and following
• Altered movement keys (arrow, page, etc) to maintain the state of the ALT key during playback and send WM_SYSKEYDOWN instead of WM_KEYDOWN
• Unregistered date correction for 2003 and following
• Temporary key validation
• Changed popup prompts to reflect "Always on top" status of main window (used to appear below)
• Finished the Mouse Coordinate tool in the Advanced Options screen, including auto-parent finder
• Added an option to copy the window title to clipboard in the Mouse Coordinate tool
• File Open dialogs now remember the last extension that was chosen
• Modified startup window size to hide redraws better
• Added cache emptier for hung WM_KEYDOWN messages after InjectEvent on Windows XP
• When a recording is cancelled by the user, the event array was not reset: Created single point reset procedure
• Removed possibility of choosing "Reload" + "Auto-run" + "Quit" so that you cannot change anything

Fixes in version 2.21:

• Documented use of the system menu in the help file
• Added the {enter} script code (same as {newline} and {return})
• Changed the resetting of internal variables when file open fails

Fixes in version 2.20:

• The TYPE command processing method was completely rewritten (sends synchronous WM_KEYDOWN messages instead of asynchronous SendMessage / WM_CHAR)
• Removed the COMMAND, MENU, PRESS, and JUMP script commands due to rewrite of TYPE command
• Added new TYPE text codes for special non-printing characters such as "{esc}", "{leftarrow}", etc.
• ALT script command replaced by "TYPE {altdown} - {altup}"
• TYPE script command now works for MS-DOS sessions
• Removed the "NewLineCharacter" undocumented Registry setting due to rewrite of TYPE command
• Added the "RestartLog" undocumented Registry setting
• Added the File Reload menu command and accelerator (Ctrl+L)
• Removed case dependancy from TYPE command codes
• Included advanced sample scripts in the help file
• Removed the Ctrl+P and Ctrl+R accelerators keys due to Control KEYUP buffer inclusion
• Made all script commands case insensitive (new core memory moving functions during replace)
• You can now use any comment character that you like in script files, as long as they are not letters or spaces
• Added extra safety code in script file parser, updated error messages
• Fixed random number generator to create a new seed number each time Tasker is started
• Removed the {datetime} dynamic code since it was redundant with {date}+{time}

(Version 2.12 turned into version 2.20 as the TYPE rewrite progressed)

Fixes in version 2.11:

• Alternate method for toggling the Caps, Scroll, and Num Lock key lights for Windows 95, 98, and ME based on a Microsoft tech note
• Playbacks will automatically terminate if a script command fails
• Added dynamic text option {newline}
• The status line at bottom of Tasker window is cleared after an emergency stop
• Updated help file documentation in the script section
• Added toolbar button for accessing the help file
• Created fun new icons and toolbar buttons
• Added examples for running DOS command line programs with the START feature
• Began testing undocumented script command for typing in MS-DOS

Fixes in version 2.10:

• Brand new Wizard-based setup program with Uninstall
• Windows Shortcut Keys and App Keys now play back correctly
• Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, and Num Lock keys now toggle their keyboard lights during playback (they always activated correctly, but did not change their indicator status lights)
• New script commands: MENU, JUMP, PRESS, COMMAND, ALT
• Dynamic text codes for the TYPE command: {random}, {date}, {time}, {dtnumber}, {playbackloop}
• Programming reference created for all of the script commands
• Tasker icons in various message boxes
• Removed possibility of the system selecting more than one playback speed at the same time
• Tasker main window can be shrunk to a small toolbar and menu (Show/Hide Tabs)
• New delay and time surplus management for Window's very peculiar handling of hook clock ticks
• Error that occurred when switching between programs with Alt+Tab identified as a non-Tasker induced issue
• New evaluation period warnings after expiration
• Manual registry modifications are no longer overwritten when the program exits
• Focus on controls is regained after menu items are chosen
• Any extension that is typed during "Save As" is retained, even if it contradicts the File Type choice
• Added hidden log switch in the About screen
• The help file format was updated and cleaned up
• Skipped over version 2.09 to provide synchronization with registered users' updates

Fixes in version 2.08:

• Finally got the TYPE command and Auto-Type to work correctly in programs like Word and Excel
• GOTO command now works correctly if the window was minimized
• Fixed problem with "As Fast As Possible" actions not playing at all
• Added a warning message if the "Stop Recording" and the "Special Type" keys are the same
• Changed the intelligence of "Save" with regards to file extensions
• Added the use of ";" for commenting editable recording files to be compatible with other script files
• Fixed error when Tasker command was the last line of an editable recording file
• Fixed buffer termination when TYPE command had no line return after it
• Changed Save toolbar button to be unavailable while recording
• Changed memory deallocation when program exits if a recording is in progress
• Eliminated prompt for file saving upon close if no actions were recorded
• Allowed logging to occur beyond the maximum limit of record file size
• Added "NewLineCharacter" option for the TYPE command, which allows you to include returns into a line of automatically typed text
• Fixed bug that occurred if you ran Tasker with a command line recording and prompts were called

Fixes in version 2.07:

• Fixed pause functionality for the WAIT command (does not use Sleep)
• Added extra key options to Keyboard mappings

Fixes in version 2.06:

• Editable ASCII (text) file format added
• START, GOTO, WAIT, and TYPE are the first specialized script commands

Fixes in version 2.05:

• "Tasker on the Web" link updated
• Double click fix #2 during slow speed playback
• Minor cosmetic fixes
• Internal error logging newline fix
• Recently used files are now case insensitive

Fixes in version 2.04:

• The F1 key correctly opens the helpfile
• Internal error logging redesigned
• Double clicks now play correctly regardless of speed selection
• Corrupted recordings caused by binary initialization have been eliminated
• Enhanced toolbar images

Fixes in version 2.0:

• Tasker now creates its own associates to its file extension (.TSK) with Windows, so icons appear correctly and you can double click a .TSK file to run it
• Double-clicking a .TSK file will run it with the options last used in Tasker (i.e., it can be repeated, run fast, etc)
• Now correctly handles the termination of auto-run and hidden execution (window focus stays where it was)
• New tab-based interface for Options, Advanced, and Keyboard
• Ability to map additional function keys to Stop Recording command
• During playback, Tasker can automatically type the loop sequence, a random number, or the date and time for you
• Tasker remembers the options that were selected in the last session and loads them by default
• Prompts you to save file upon closing if changes were made (configurable)
• Tasker can be kept on top of all other programs while running
• Additional file management function such as "Save As", "New", and "Close"
• Recent used file list in the File menu
• New playback speed: "As fast as possible": instantaneous playback without delay. (NOTE: This can be too fast for some applications!)
• During repeated playbacks, the title bar displays the countdown loop
• Last recorded file can be automatically re-opened each time
• Many bug fixes for playback and file saving
• Accelerator shortcut keys (Control + Some Key) for most common functions
• After stopping a playback, the original recording is not altered as it was with RecordR
• Tray icon appears on the Windows Taskbar during playback and recording
• Playback now performs non-motion pauses with the correct duration
• Fast/Slow are now a percentage of the original speed and pauses are handled correctly (Fast = 20x, Slow = 25%)
• Internet link and email in the About box
• Web update lookup on the Internet
• RecordR redirects previous users to the Tasker website
• This helpfile is now available in the Help Menu

Previous Versions:

• RecordR was the predecessor to Tasker
• RecordR was distributed from versions 1.0 - 1.6 and was superceded by Tasker 2.0 in November 2001
• The first version of RecordR was created on 01 December 2000

Submit Bug Reports and Suggestions:

Please send any problems that you encounter or requests for new features to support@vista-software.com
Also let us know how you are using Tasker to save time! We would enjoy hearing from you.

Thanks!