Macro group

Macro Groups

Macro groups allow to organize macros in hierarchical structure. The hierarchical structure maintains top-to-bottom feature propagation. For example, if top-most macro group is disabled then all its child groups are behaving as disabled as well. The top-to-bottom feature propagation applies to properties like "Password", "Disabled", "Before/After", etc.

Macro Group Properties

General

•Label - the name of the macro group

•ID - a unique identifier that can be used to reference macro group in some macro commands.

•Description - field for group description or notes.

•Password - button to password protect macros from this group (and child sub-groups).

•Change icon - button to select/change icon.

•Disabled - if checked, all macros from the given group (and child sub-groups) do not react to their defined triggers.

Macro Toolbar

•Enable - if enabled then a macro toolbar representing this macro group is displayed on the screen and macros from this group are represented as buttons on the toolbar.

•Tab in main toolbar - if this option is selected then the group is presented as a tab in main toolbar.

•Flying toolbar - if this option is selected then the group is presented as flying toolbar on the screen.

•Attach tool bar... - if checked, the tool bar is showing around title bar of the window that is on top (receiving keyboard input).

•Auto-hide - if checked, the tool bar is shrinking to minimal size when mouse is not on it.

•Show button text - if checked, the macro name is showed next to button icon.

•Use custom color - if checked then the tool bar background color can be selected.

Scope Tab

It is possible to make macros from the given group (and all child sub-groups) a window specific. This means that the macro triggers (including macro toolbars) will only start the macros in windows that belong to the defined scope. There are three options available:

•Macros are available in all windows (this is default).

•Macros are available only in windows user specifies.

•Macros are available in windows other then user specifies.

See also:

•Macro Scope

Macro

Before/After Macro

It is possible to configure so called "before" macro and "after" macro for each macro group. Names of existing macros go to these fields (or fields can be left empty). The "before" macro is automatically executed before any macro from this group; the "after" macro is executed after execution of any macro from the group is finished. Example: Let's say we have a group with five macros named 1,2,3,4,5 and the macro 1 is defined as "before" macro and macro 2 is defined as "after" macro. Now when user starts macro 4, for example, the macro 1 is executed, then macro 4 is executed and then macro 2 is executed.

Before/After Text

It is also possible to use "before text" and "after text" fields to achieve the same result. The difference is that macro text (macro steps) are put to these fields instead of names of existing macros.
The "before" and "after"feature simplifies macros creation in cases when multiple macros do the same steps at the beginning/end of the macro execution (such as some initialization, conditions checking, clean up steps, or including (<-include-> command) a macro file with predefined procedures).