| KeyQuencer - List of Macros
Keyquencer
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If you haven't already, head over to Binary Software and pickup a copy of my favorite utility, Keyquencer.
This week, I'll show you how a macro editor like Keyquencer can bring out the power in your Mac.
Even though I own both Keyquencer and Quickeys, I prefer Keyquencer because it uses much less system memory and doesn't slow my computer down like Quickeys.
There is one thing Keyquencer doesn't do well that Quickeys does: execute a macro at a specific time. I miss this feature, but the benefits far outweigh this weakness.
Keyquencer Control Panel
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To create our first macro, open the KeyQuencer control panel and select File-->New Macro...
Any new macros you create will not take effect until the control panel is closed.
 This is the main window!
In this example, I'm creating a macro to Control-Tab to the next running application.
I can type the script directly, or double click on the choices in the middle of the window.
The bottom two small boxes provide short explanations of the selected command.
Most of the time, you can simply double click your way to create your shortcuts, but there is one notable exception. I've created a macro that launches Eudora when I hit F6. The command takes this form:
Open "directory path to file I want" or in my case,
Open "Blackbird:Internet:Eudora Pro Folder:Eudora Pro 3.1"
We Mac users don't think in terms of directory paths, so the above looks pretty imposing, but Keyquencer comes with an additional program called the Macro Editor that simplifies the insertion of paths, and provides more detailed command explanations. The Macro Editor also allows you to save scripts as double-click applets.
The manual comes with excellent documentation, so I'm not going deeper into the mechanics of the Macro Editor and Control Panel. I'd rather show you some of my commonly use commands. Some are clearer than others, but if you study them after reading the manual, they should make sense.
|
Function
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Keyquencer
script
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Comments |
| Turn Balloon help on/off |
Toggle Balloon Help |
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| Enter my email address |
Type "coyle@chgo-rec.com" |
I also have a command that types a little paragraph I send to spammers ;) |
| Set monitor to 16 bit |
Monitor depth 16 |
I have another one for 256 colors |
| Open FreePPPsetup |
Menu "Open FreePPP" partial |
Since I use PPP Menu, this script chooses a menu command instead of an open command to launch FreePPP. This way I don't have to worry about directory paths. |
| Windowshade a window |
Click 10 0 closebox twice |
This double-clicks ten pixels to the right of the closebox, toggling a windowshade! |
| Tab a window in OS8 |
Menu 4 "as Pop-up Window"
Click closebox |
First I make a menu choice, but the TAB window stays open! Clicking the closebox reduces the window to a TAB. |
| Make selected text a clipping |
Menu "Copy"
SwitchApp "Finder" remember
Open "Blackbird:Utilities:Clip3Clip l:Clip3Clip"
SwitchApp restore |
This one ROCKS! In any application, I can highlight text, activate this macro with a keystroke, and the text appears as a clipping on the desktop. It uses a freeware program called Clip3Clip |
In OS8,
View as List and,
View as Icons |
Menu "as List"
Menu "as Icons" |
Quicky changes the view of a window. |
| New Stickies window |
Open "Blackbird:System Folder:Apple Menu Items:Stickies"
SwitchApp "Stickies"
Menu "New Note" |
I find I use Stickies more with this macro. Switch to the application and menu select a new note. |
| Open Netscape |
Open 'MOSS' |
This example uses the application creator code to launch an app. This way, no directory path is needed. |
| Open MacSoup |
Open "Blackbird:Desktop Folder:Internet:MacSoup" |
This example uses a full directory path to open MacSoup. Someday I'll change it to a creator code! |
Below is my favorite macro - "Get News and Mail".
In the morning as my alarm wakes me, my Powerbook wakes itself from a night of Sleep. As I pass the 5300c on my way to the shower, I mumble, "Computer: Get News and Mail".
The speech recognition software launches the following Kequencer macro, and by the time I'm out of the shower, the computer has run Eudora and MacSoup; retrieving my news and mail for the train ride to work!
--------------------- Start Keyquencer Macro --------------------------------------------
PPPSwitch on -- Opens a PPP connection
Open 'CSOm' -- Launch Eudora using creator code
WaitApp "Eudora" partial -- wait till the program is ready
Wait 2 seconds -- wait a couple of sec. just in case
WaitWindow "Checking Mail..." close -- Wait until mail is received
Wait 2 seconds -- Eudora's done
Open 'nwSP' -- Launch MacSOUP
WaitApp "MacSOUP" partial -- Wait till it's done
WaitWindow "MacSOUP" partial -- Wait till newsgroup window is open
Wait 1 seconds
Menu "Connect To" partial -- Make a menu selection
WaitWindow "Connect" partial
Wait 1 seconds
Button "Start" -- Hit the Start button
Wait 1 seconds
WaitWindow "Progress" close -- When the Progress window closes,
Wait 1 seconds -- we're done.
Message "Disconnecting" wait 120 bottom -- Cheesy dialog box!
PPPSwitch off -- log off and play a sound
Play "Computer2"
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The above macro is about as scary as it gets, and it took me a long time to get that far.
Just remember, most commands are comprised of only a few words, but the power and speed those words can bring to your everyday computing are amazing.
Imagine, finally using all your Function keys!
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