New Macro

To create a new macro, click on Macro > New Macro from the menu or click on the New Macro icon to open the Create New Macro window. The first step is to select the type of macro activation needed. The hot key activation is the default selection. After assigning the activation type, enter a macro nickname and press OK to proceed to the Script Editor.

Macro Express Explorer > New Macro Icon or Macro > New Macro

Hot Keys              

To activate a new macro with a hot key, make sure the Hot Key choice is selected. Place the cursor in the edit box and hold down the Hot Key combination to use. The combination pressed is placed in the edit box. When the macro is complete, press this hot key combination to activate the macro.

Or scroll through the list of keys and highlight the one wanted. This also places the hot key combination in the edit box.

üNote: Use the hot key combinations displayed in red with caution. These combinations may conflict with basic Windows functionality, such as the clipboard copy (Ctrl + c).

Shortkeys              

Select the Shortkey option and type in the shortkey (up to a 32 letter code) to use to activate the macro. A shortkey is a set of characters such as abc, myname, etc. See the program specifications for a complete list of characters accepted as shortkeys.

The macro runs when the characters are typed into an application that accepts text input. The Shortkeys activation will not trigger a macro from the Windows desktop or other applications that do not accept text input.

üNote:  Before using the Shortkeys feature click on Options > Preferences > Activations > Shortkeys tab to define the settings.

Scheduled Macro        

Selecting Schedule activates the Scheduler options. Select the schedule wanted and click OK to build the macro in the Script Editor. The macro then plays back at the time designated.

Window Title       

This option instructs a macro to execute any time the selected Window Title has focus. In other words, the macro runs once the window is activated.

In the edit box, enter the title of the Window that will start the macro. The title of the window is that which appears in the caption bar of a window. Macro Express examines all Window Titles running on the computer in an attempt to find a match. The Window Title does not need to be an exact match.

A partial match also works. For example, "notepad" or "notep" would be sufficient for the Windows Notepad program. This is particularly useful as some Window Titles change based on which file is open.

Case sensitivity is not required. For example, "NOTepad" works as well as "notepad".

Mouse Event     

This option uses mouse clicks to activate macros. Two different methods are available.

1.Define regions on the screen that can be assigned to a mouse activation. Clicking on the defined area of the screen runs the macro.
 

2.Click on a specific part of a window to execute the macro. Window parts include the window border, window menu, window caption bar, horizontal scroll bar, vertical scroll bar, system button, minimize button and maximize button.
 

üNote: A few options have been excluded where they will interfere with essential functionality of the windows such as Left Mouse with the Maximize or Minimize buttons.

Macros may be assigned to the left, middle or right mouse button and may have a scope of global, window or program specific.

Control Event           

The Control option activates a macro when a specific Window control becomes active or the control's window becomes active. The control may be a window button, edit box or another identifiable portion of a window.

Directory Modification

The Directory Modification activation looks for changes to files or folders. When a change is made to the file or folder specified, the macro will start. Among the options, the macro may look for changes to file size, attributes, write time or if a file has been renamed or deleted.

System Event

The System Event activation looks for changes to the system such as an incoming message, resolution change or system color change. When the specified system change occurs, the macro starts.

Process Event

The Process Event activation method starts a macro when a Process starts or shuts down.

TCP/IP

The TCP/IP activation monitors when an Internet or Network connection has been made or released.

Clipboard Text

The Clipboard Text activation method starts a macro based on the contents of the clipboard. Select whether the clipboard does or does not match the text supplied in the edit field. Or choose whether the clipboard contains or does not contain the text.

Floating Menu     

A floating menu has the same form and options as a Popup Menu except that it always remains on top and is always accessible as long as the Macro Express Player is running. A floating menu can be minimized to just the caption bar to free up space if needed. Multiple floating menus can be created. The last location of the floating menu is retained and used with subsequent runs of Macro Express. Use the Build Macro Menu window to select which macros to include in the floating menu.

None

This option does not assign an activation to the macro. There are at least two possible uses for the No Activation option. First, create generic macro templates that can be incorporated into other macros - a set of instructions that may be useful for insertion into other macros. Use the Macro Run command to insert this type macro into other macros.

A second use for this option is to place the macro in a popup or floating menu. A macro activation is not necessary if the macro is part of a popup or floating menu. The only way to invoke the macro would be through the menus.

Macro Nickname

Assign a name to the macro to help remember what the macro does. The nickname, along with the activation, is displayed in the Macro Explorer and is optional.

Build as a Popup Menu        

Selecting a Popup Menu activates the Menu Builder. After selecting the activation, check the Build as a Popup Menu box and click OK to open the Menu Builder window. In this window select which macros to include in the popup menu. When activated, the popup menu displays all macros included in the menu. Choose which one to run from the menu.