Miscellaneous

Macro Express Explorer > Options > Preferences > Playback > Miscellaneous

HotKeys

HotKey to abort macros

Choose from among seven hot key combinations to stop a macro that is currently running. For example, if the Win + ~ combination is selected, press this combination to stop a running macro.

If displaying the Running Status icon when a macro runs, alternatively right mouse click on the icon to terminate the macro.

üNote: The Timed Delay in Seconds command and the Wait for Time to Elapse command suspend Macro Express for the amount of time specified. During this delay time the macro cannot be terminated.

Please note that macros that consist of numerous keystrokes can send the keystrokes rather quickly and Windows buffers up the keystrokes. Once such commands have been buffered in Windows, aborting a macro does not cancel them. In these cases, it may appear that the abort command did not work when in reality the macro has already finished issuing its commands and Windows is now processing them.

HotKey to pause macros

Select from among seven hot key combinations to pause a macro that is currently running. When ready to resume the macro, press the original hot key or click on the Resume button of the Pause dialog that displays.

Errors

Log all errors (regardless of individual macro settings)

This is a quick way to log errors for all macros. There is no need to individually set the error logging for each macro through the macro properties. It automatically logs all information as long as the error logging commands are included in the macros. Each individual macro generates its own separate log file.

Clear error messages after ________ seconds

If an error message generated by the Macro Express Player occurs during the playback of a macro, this option closes the error message after the number of seconds designated. When not selected, manually click on the OK button of the error message to close the dialog.

The default setting to is leave this option unchecked, so that error messages are displayed until manually closed.

üNote: Setting the time to (0) zero seconds causes the error message to be displayed indefinitely.

The Clear Error Messages option may be preferable when several macros are scheduled to run unattended. If for some reason the first macro fails and displays an error message, the message closes automatically after the number of seconds specified. When the message window closes, the macro terminates and allows the next scheduled macro to run. Otherwise the first macro would not close, preventing subsequent macros from running as scheduled.

Typical error messages coming from the Player would be Time Out messages while waiting for windows, a file or folder wasn't found or a networking error.

Take this action

Set a default course of action to take when the error message occurs.

•Halt the Macro - When the error occurs the macro stops and terminates.
 

•Ignore the Error - The error is ignored and the macro continues. Most likely the command that generated the error is skipped.
 

•Handle the Error - Most of the macro commands have an error handling option. If using Error Handling commands in the macro script immediately following the command that generated the error, the macro will take the actions specified.

Macro Logs

Timestamp format

This option formats the time stamp saved in the log file to any pattern preferred. The guide in the Date/Time help topic can be used for determining the abbreviations and setting the time stamp.

Log Unusual Events

Any unusual events that occur when playing back a macro will be logged. The information will be stored in the same file where all macro log information is stored.

Notify when an unusual event logged

This option, enabled by default, displays a notification when an unusual event is logged. 

Check size of Macro logs

Depending on your settings, every macro command may be logged or only when an error occurs. If the macro logs get too large, it can slow the macro. With this option selected, Macro Express checks the size of the macro logs and warns if one or more of them exceed a predefined size.

This check only occurs when Macro Express starts. Changing the settings in the preferences does not cause the log to be checked again, only when the program starts.

Only the Default Macro Log folder is checked. If your individual macros write to a log in a different folder, those logs are not checked.

A sample of the warning message is shown below. Click on the message to open Explorer to the folder where the log is saved. You can delete, edit or archive the log.

Warn if a macro log exceeds ____ KB

Enter the size in KB of the macro log file. When the file exceeds this size, the warning will appear the next time Macro Express is started. The default size is 5120 KB.

Notification

Play a sound when a macro runs

Use this function to help debug macros. When testing a macro, this will alert that the macro has successfully started. When finished testing, you may want to turn off this option so that the sound doesn't play every time a macro starts.

To select a sound file click the browse button to locate a .wav file on the computer or type the full path and file name of the .wav file.

Or select one of the system sounds available on the computer by choosing from the drop down list. A system sound is a sound assigned to specific Program Events within Windows such as Asterisk, Device Connect or Windows Logoff. The sounds assigned to these events are selected in the Windows Control Panel either individually or as part of a theme. Not all system sounds listed in the Control Panel are available in this command.

The Default Beep sound, defined in the Control Panel, plays if a system sound is not defined or no sound is assigned to the specified system sound in the Control Panel.

Click on the test button to listen to the sound. This is a handy way to test if the correct sound was selected. (The sound is played immediately upon clicking the button.)