Text Box Display

Use the Text Box Display feature to pop up text windows during macro playback. There are a number of possible uses for this command of which a few are listed below.

Reminders

Set up reminder messages on a monthly, weekly, daily or a one time occurrence. Create reminders to pop up on screen to make an important phone call at a specific time or to pick up a few items at the store after work. Create the macro as a scheduled macro to play back at the appointed time.

Display Instructions

Use the Text Box Display to provide instructions for a user to follow during macro runtime.

Debugging

This command is also useful for debugging macros, such as displaying the contents of variables. Make sure the values match what they are expected to be.

For example, to display the contents of T[1], insert %T[1]% into the Box Content field. When playing back the macro, the value for T[1] displays in the text box during macro run time and shows exactly what is being saved to the variable.

Script Editor > Expand Dialogs Category > Text Box Display

Text Box Command

Select one of the four text box options available from the drop down list.

Text Box Display

The Text Box Display option pauses the macro. The user is required to click on the "OK" button to close the text box and allow the macro to continue.

Timed floating box or end of macro

The execution of the macro continues when this option is selected. The text box remains floating on top until either the specified time passes or the macro finishes. The Timed floating box does not stop or delay the macro. All the Floating Text Boxes are closed when the macro finishes. Add a Delay or Timed Delay command after the Text Box command in order to keep the box open for a specific amount of time.

Stay on top for ____ seconds

Specify the amount of time to display the text box by inserting the number of seconds in this field. The field is large enough that the box can stay open for hours. However, the box closes if the macro finishes before the number of seconds selected elapses.

Floating Box until "Close Box" command or end of macro

With this option checked the execution of the macro continues. The text box remains on top until either the macro terminates, a "Close Text Box" command inserted in the macro is reached or the box is manually closed.

Text Box Close

The Text Box Close command closes an existing text box that is being displayed. The Header must match exactly (uppercase/lowercase sensitive) in order for the text box to close. If no match is found on the header, the macro halts by default, unless one of the other On Error options is selected.

üNote: All floating text boxes are closed at the end of the macro run.

Header

Use this option to create a title for the display window. The Header appears in the window caption bar and is required in order to use the Close Text Box option.

Box Content

The Box Content field provides space to place a more detailed message or instructions. This field contains the message displayed during playback of the macro.

Rich Text

The edit box supports rich text. Use this option to create messages with different fonts, sizes, colors, etc.

Display text with bold, underline, italics and strike through features.

Left, center or right justify the text.

Use different font colors, sizes or font types.

Colors such as clWindowText, clWindowFrame, clScrollBar are assigned to specific parts of the text box window. For example, on different computers clWindowText may be be black, dark gray or white depending on the theme or custom color choices.

Always on Top

With the Always on Top option selected the text box remains visible on the screen (on top of other running applications) until the box is closed.

Keep Focus

Select this option to give focus to the Text Box Display window. If not selected, focus returns to the application that had focus before the display window opened.

Size and Position

These options position and size the Text Box Display window on the screen. The Window Position and Size topic explains these options in detail.

Quick Wizard Option

Using the Quick Wizard for creating a reminder provides a couple of additional options. If creating a one-time reminder, there is an option to automatically delete the macro after playback. Also choose to tack on a beep or a sound file to the macro to alert when a message is displayed. The scheduler is built into the wizard to make the whole process quick and easy.

Sounds may also be added to reminder macros when not using the wizard. Use the Sound File command to inert a sound into the macro script.