The Macro Editor can launch macros over a network on a remote Macintosh (the "target"). This requires that KeyQuencer is installed, KQ Apple Events is running and Program Linking is enabled on the target machine. Note that network capabilities are only supported by the Macro Editor, since a full application is required to use the program linking features. This means that you can't assign a control panel macro to a remote Mac directly. However, you can use a control panel macro to open a text macro file which has been assigned to a remote target; the control panel macro launches the Macro Editor, then the Macro Editor sends the text macro to the target.
CHOOSE TARGET
This command lets you pick a target application on a remote Macintosh on the network. The target application receives the macros that must be executed remotely; either KQ Apple Events or another Macro Editor can be used as targets (you should not change their names, since allowed targets are looked up by name). It is usually wise to use KQ Apple Events as the target, since the Macro Editor may not always be running on the remote Mac. The chosen target is used by the "Try Macro On Target", "Run Macro On Target…" and "Attach Target To Macro…" commands.
TRY/RUN MACRO ON TARGET
These commands let you execute a macro on a remote Macintosh. The "try" command executes the macro that's being edited in the frontmost window, whereas the "run" command displays a directory dialog and asks you to pick a text macro file. The macro is not checked before being sent to the target, so all the error messages will show up on the target.
ATTACH TARGET TO MACRO
This command lets you assign a target to a text macro file (which is a macro created by the Macro Editor). After a target has been assigned to a macro, double-clicking on the macro launches the Macro Editor (if it's not running) and executes the macro on the remote target. The attached target is only used when you double-click or otherwise open a text macro file directly. The "Try/run macro on target" commands always use the default (chosen) target. Note that the Open extension's "Open macro" variant can only execute text macros locally, since the Macro Editor is required for remote operations. Only one target can be attached to each macro file.
REMOVE TARGET FROM MACRO
This command removes the target that was previously attached to a text macro file, if any.
INSPECT MACRO TARGET
This command displays the target that was attached to a text macro file. Use it to see where on the network the macro will be executed.
SEND CLIPBOARD TEXT
This command transfers the copied text to a remote Macro Editor application (which must have been chosen as the default target) without the File Sharing overhead. Copy the text to transfer, choose the remote Macro Editor as your target and select the "Send Clipboard Text" command. You can then use the standard "paste" command in the remote Macro Editor to insert the text in a text macro window.
A COMPLEX EXAMPLE
We want to set up a macro that shuts down two remote Macs when a given keystroke is pressed. Since only one target can be assigned to a macro, and since only text macro files can be executed on a remote Mac via the Macro Editor, here's what we have to do:
1. Install KeyQuencer and KQ Apple Events on both remote Macs
2. Enable Program Linking on the remote Macs
3. Launch the Macro Editor on the local Mac and create a macro with the following text:
Shutdown shutdown autoConfirm
4. Save it once with a name such as "Shutdown first Mac"
5. Save it again with a different name such as "Shutdown second Mac"
6. Do the "Choose Target…" command and select "KQ Apple Events" on the first remote Mac
7. Do the "Attach Target To Macro…" command and select the "Shutdown first Mac" file
8. Repeat steps 6. and 7. for the second Mac
9. Open the KeyQuencer control panel and create a new macro with the "New Macro…" command
10. Type in a name such as "Network Shutdown" and a keystroke such as cmd-opt-ctrl-s
11. Type the following macro text:
Open sysdisk "My Network Macros:Shutdown first mac"
Open sysdisk "My Network Macros:Shutdown second mac"
(assuming we saved the text macros on the startup disk in the Network Macros folder)
12. We're done. Pressing the cmd-opt-ctrl-s keystroke will launch the Macro Editor (if it's not running already) and then send the two macros to the two remote Macs.
