1. Exported macro files are created by the KeyQuencer control panel when you select the "Export Macros…" command. These files can contain several macros along with their names and keystrokes, and they can only be read from the control panel with the "Import Macros…" command. You should export all your macros before installing a new version of KeyQuencer and then import them in the new control panel, since KeyQuencer doesn't use a preferences file yet. You may also use exported files to give away your macros. Note that macros created in the control panel have a maximum length of 255 characters.
2. Text macro files are plain text files created by the Macro Editor application. These macros don't have the 255 characters limit and can contain the address of a remote Macintosh on the network (which is not visible in the macro text, use the "Inspect Macro Target…" command to see if a text macro file contains the address of a remote Mac). These macros can be executed in many ways:
- Double-clicking on a text macro file launches the Macro Editor application, which immediately executes the macro either locally or on a remote Mac (if a remote target was attached to the macro); if you hold down the command key, then the macro text is displayed in a window and the macro is not executed.
- You may execute an existing text macro file locally with a keystroke by creating a new macro in the control panel and using the "Open macro" command in it. If you saved the text macro on the desktop and named it "Long Macro", then you can execute it with the following command:
Open macro desktop "Long Macro"
- AppleScript and AppleEvent-aware applications can execute text macro files by sending a standard Open event ('aevt', 'odoc') to either KQ Apple Events or the Macro Editor.
- OtherMenu 1.5 (and later) can execute text macro files directly when you select them from the OM menu. OtherMenu is a very useful system extension created by Jim Walker.