Macro programs - advice sought...

[Veign]

Another choice is Macro Scheduler - also not free:
http://www.mjtnet.com/

Very powerful scripting language....

[Nighted]

No one mentioned Hot Keyboard Pro!  This is shareware btw...

This is hands down, the best keyboard shortcut/macro app I've ever used and had the priviledge to own. Sure AutoHotKey is cool but it is more for the coder/power user and lacks the intuitiveness of presets that the average (majority) GUI dependant user has grown used to.

# avoid typing the same text again and again (phone, homepage link, address, greetings, singatures, ...) in the messages, documents, web forms
# stop wasting your time on mouse movements searching for an application in a cascade of menus and folders
# keep your desktop clean (photo of your dog looks better than 100 icons)
# control computer sounds instantly from any app (somebody's calling? mute music!)
# open favorite web pages with a single hotkey press
# manage sound tracks in the computer cd player or even WinAmp MP3 player
# build a sequence of actions and execute it with a shortcut
# record keystrokes and play them back a specified number of times
# keep the same hotkeys on different computers with import/export feature, or even synchronize macros over the network
# use Hot Keyboard on quite old computers and modern ones (Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP are supported)

[mouser]

i used and like hot keyboard pro a lot - a very good app.
(though i have switched to Macro Express, i can't remember why now).

[rjbull]

Yeah AutoIt and AutoHotKey are two amazing utilities.  I tend to use AutoHotKey more for "shell tweaks" (hotkeys, always-running windows enhancements) and AutoIt for scripting.  AutoHotKey has a very simple and

What do you define as a "script?"  What I'm thinking of is that in PowerPro - *IF* I remember correctly - you can't mix mouse operations with keyboard commands without putting them in a script, albeit you can create operations directly that use only one or the other.

[johnk]

As others have said, it does all depend what you want a macro program to do, but for the basic turbo-charged keyboard shortcut program I really like Activewords. Nicely designed program that's surprisingly powerful when you get to know it, and has a helpful community. $49. (http://www.activewords.com/ for details. I also use Macro Express.

In fact if I had to name the programs that keep me wedded to Windows, Activewords and Macro Express would be two of them. I'd be hard pressed to think of many others - maybe Roboform. All three do wonders for my productivity.


John

[kfitting]

My definition of script (come up with on my own so don't get too hung up over it!) is just a file that can be run over and over to do a certain task... sort of an algorithm.  Whether you use mouse commands, keyboard commands, or a combination, scripts take actions and do them again and again.  I've written many scripts for Exel VBA to do repititive tasks like comparing, gathering data from other sheets, or even just changing menus.  I've also written Excel scripts for sorting (Stupid 1,10,2,3,... sort order!).  At work, a coworker and I have written scripts that extract data from AutoCAD drawings or draw AutoCAD drawings (we use AutoCAD LT so we have to kluge it together, usually through Excel). 

Scripts do things you do so often you don't want to them again!

Kevin

[mouser]

johk (and any other Activewords users) - im really interested in hearing about where Activewords is better then Find+Run Robot.
If you have any thoughts on it, would love to hear about it on the Find+Run Robot section of the forum.

there isn't a perfect overlap in the programs, as there are probably things that ActiveWords does that Find+Run Robot doesn't want to try to do, but i know there is a lot of common ground and I'd like to hear about any areas that ActiveWords users think F+R could be improved.

[rjbull]

My definition of script (come up with on my own so don't get too hung up over it!) is just a file that can be run over and over to do a certain task... sort of an algorithm. 

I wasn't thinking too clearly, again...  I suppose what I was wondering was how much work do you have to do from scratch, and how much does the program help you.  Viz., in PowerPro so many things are scripts because you have to know beforehand exactly what actions you want to perform, the right commands to enact them, and not leave anything out.  By contrast, Macro Express can "learn" by watching what you do.  I've found it still isn't perfect, especially when you start tweaking time delays between actions.

[rjbull]

Most of you probably know PTFB, Press the Freakin' Button, the excellent freeware tool for pressing dialog buttons.  The latest version is now shareware and has been much upgraded to become (yet another) macro program.  Does anyone have any experience with the new extended version?

Current link  http://www.tlhouse.co.uk/pc_software.shtml


N.B.  I shall be on holiday 15-30 Oct., far, far from a computer! 

[kfitting]

rjbull:  AutoIt is more of a language, but it does have a macro recorder.  I'm 80% sure AutoHotkey does as well.  AutoHotkey has a LOT more control for hotkeys, and in that application it doesnt take much reading to get the hang of.  Both of these macro languages are kind of like VBA in office: you can write everything yourself and do some very powerful stuff, or you can record a macro to quickly do repititve tasks. 

Kevin

[rjbull]

kfitting:  Thanks, that's clearer, though I have no experience of VB.  I'm not ig on hotkeys - prefer a menu, I think - so maybe AutoIt might be a better choice.

Did you know that there's a new version of AutoHotKey, hot off the press?
"The latest version is 1.0.40.00 (released October 11, 2005"

[SneakAttack]

AutoHotKey www.AutoHotkey.com
PowerPro http://powerpro.webeddie.com/
MacroMaker http://members.ij.net/anthonymathews/MacroMaker.htm
AceMacro www.hiteksoftware.com
Makro Tool  and RunCMD http://hintenaus.at
WindowsScript http://home1.gte.net/res0mbu5/windows.htm

You forgot to mention WireKeys - http://www.wiredplane.com/wirekeys/
It has scriptiong engine (JScript, VB). You can control windows and applications from scripts using additional commands: For example you can send messages to windows with specific class (if you are a programmer it is a good way to avoid creating simple applications instead of simple macros) and many other things. Pre-created hotkey slots for thouthands actions (minimize window to tray, ontop, etc,etc), all with some unique features - for example, after minimizing window to tray you can still acces it`s *main* menu - it is reattached to tray icon. i never seen such function in other applications of that kind. hotkeys can include multimedia buttons and such nifty thigs as "double press". For example you can assign action to pressing Ctrl-C-C. I am using "Close active application" via "Press Esc 3 times" hotkey, so pressing Escape 3 times i am closing applications that do not support esc as closing button at all...

Some other features: Additional clipboard (each with its own hotkey for pasting/copying and history of use), history of clips for standard clipboard, keyboard/mouse recording (can be even recorded into JScript SendKey sequence). inline text calculator (type 2+2= in any window, select this text and press hotkey - and it will be replaced by arithmetical result! not only arithmetical of course - all Math operations are available). or you can select link or word "notepad" and press hotkey to start selected as it was typed in the command line. By the way, the most significant feature with macros - they can be used for simple text processing! in other word WireKeys can use selected text as input for macros and replace selection with macro execution result. The most simple example (for cpp developers) is adding comment separators /* */ to selected block of code... hotkeys can be scheduled to run at secified time, many features, in other words

This tool was made by developer and for developers.
P.S. sorry for bad enaglish - i am from Russia %)

[mouser]

just checking the nice wiredplane website - wirekeys also supports some nice plugins and has an sdk for writing them.

they also offer free registration if you help them translate and they have some freeware tools too.

[CGA]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Automat, http://www.networkautomation.com/automate/user/?CFID=525785&CFTOKEN=13472334. I've tried alot of macro programs but for me this is the only one that does what I want. The others are mainly lacking in the triggering department. Automate has an extensive amount of options for triggering and has a very nice interface. A little heavy on the resources and a bit expensive but very well worth it.

[brotherS]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Automat, http://www.networkautomation.com/automate/user/?CFID=525785&CFTOKEN=13472334. I've tried alot of macro programs but for me this is the only one that does what I want. The others are mainly lacking in the triggering department. Automate has an extensive amount of options for triggering and has a very nice interface. A little heavy on the resources and a bit expensive but very well worth it.

Why nobody mentioned it? Well, I think it's because the community is pretty small and because it's not freeware? (At least that's what it looks like)

Read http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=1167.0 ?

[CGA]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Automat, http://www.networkautomation.com/automate/user/?CFID=525785&CFTOKEN=13472334. I've tried alot of macro programs but for me this is the only one that does what I want. The others are mainly lacking in the triggering department. Automate has an extensive amount of options for triggering and has a very nice interface. A little heavy on the resources and a bit expensive but very well worth it.

Why nobody mentioned it? Well, I think it's because the community is pretty small and because it's not freeware? (At least that's what it looks like)

Read http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=1167.0 ?

Well the community might be small but it sure looks like most here know a thing or two about software Neither of the programs that Miles mentioned as possible candidates in his post are freeware so...

[brotherS]

Welcome, CGA!

That's true, but the bigger the community the bigger the chance you may get help when you run into problems or just want to explore new territory. That's true for every kind of software IMHO.

[CGA]

Agreed 

[iphigenie]

I am a registered user of wirekeys but mostly for all the features it adds when dealing with text (changing case, sorting lines, running text as command etc.), i haven't tried doing any complicated macros with it. I like how the license allows you to install it on your home and work computer and laptop - quite explicitely so.

It's the kind of program that makes you feel bad cause you realise don't use even 10% of its features...

I might have a look see what i can report

PS: the same developer has a few other tools. wirenotes (free) might look ugly but it is quite handy within a small network. It is a bit clunky but it does give sticky notes, calendaring and todo list, instant messenging (compatible with other network im or private) shared reminders (send a reminder to someone else, such as "take your medication at 2pm"). There are of course many tools that do something similar on the sticky notes and network messenging front. I gave my mum the free version of wirechanger and she just loves it. Again not the slickest admin interface but it does work and the ability to configure what images are used, by collection or by image (rather than just point to a folder) is quite good for a free tool. I haven't looked at the pay for one.