Recording macros

For a lot of hardware advancements on the PC, gaming is a driving force. This is a keyboard that supports recording macros; into 54 (18 x 3) special keys you can record keyboard-input macros. The images from the help files are below.

So there's a hardware alternative to the commonly wished for feature in Xara of "Actions". I'm sure a true actions feature could be more extensive - like recording mouse actions, but this might be useful to some people. I'm sure there's free software out there to record macro's too.

Does anyone use macro recording software? What software is available, and how good is it? Which is best?

I used to use Boilerplates with my Commodore 64, does that count?
(I think that's what they were called...)

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Originally Posted by Xhris

So there's a hardware alternative to the commonly wished for feature in Xara of "Actions". I'm sure a true actions feature could be more extensive - like recording mouse actions, but this might be useful to some people. I'm sure there's free software out there to record macro's too.

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Unfortunately, this is no alternative to real Macros/Scripts within Xara Xtreme. The problem is, currently it's not possible to create complex shapes with keyboard shortcuts and therefore you aren't able to create reliable macros with any external macro recording software.

For example: If you want to record a macro to create a spline with the Pen Tool, you'll need a macro with the following steps:

• Shift+F5 to select the Pen Tool
• Click on the canvas to create the start point of the line
• Move the mouse 100px to the right and 200px up, but let the left mouse button selected and drag the mouse 100px to the right to create a spline point
• Move the mouse 100px to the right and 200px down and click with the left mouse button

Attachment 32516

Easy, isn't it? But wait: Are you sure, the zoom level of Xara Xtreme was 100% at this moment? What, if the zoom level is 42%, instead of 100% and you wants to play the recorded macro? The Spline line would have another size, because of the different zoom level at playing time. So, you have to record some more steps, to avoid this effect.

But is your macro portable to another computer? Did you create the macro with a screen resolution of 1920 x 1200px and now you're trying to play the same macro on a computer with only 1024 x 768px screen resolution? Are the necessary x/y-coordinates of your macro also possible with this small resolution?

And another problem with this kind of macro recording: If you want to create a spline with a starting point, then 1cm (not screen pixels) to the right and 2cm up. How much pixels do you need to move your mouse on your screen during recording to do this?

You've got the point: It's a big problem to create mouse macros with a extern mouse macro recorder.

Therefore Xara Xtreme needs a buildin macro/script mechanism together with a good scripting language:

• Whenever you needs a macro, click on a "Macro recording" button within Xara Xtreme and draw some shapes/lines.
• A "Stop recording" button stops the current recording and shows you the internal recorded "object creation commands".
• After that, you should be able to fine-tune the recorded macro in a buildin scripting editor together with all powerful functions of the scripting language within Xara Xtreme.
• You should be able to save your macro with a name and a keyboard shortcut.
• And you should be able to start Xara Xtreme together with a macro parameter. After starting, the macro is playing automatically within Xara Xtreme. You'll find a idea for such a macro and some suggestions for the scripting syntax in this post.

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Originally Posted by Xhris

Does anyone use macro recording software? What software is available, and how good is it? Which is best?

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"Autohotkey" is a great (and free) one.

Regards,
Remi

To a non-programmer like me, even simple non-specific macro recorders cause me trouble (O.K. so I'm not the sharpest knife in the draw).

I've tried a few of them, some free others not.

The last was Macro express, which is pretty good and easy to use, but on lots of operations you need to use mouse recording and for me, that's where the trouble usually starts.

Even the smallest change in your layout can cause a disaster.

It's not too bad if you can stick to recording hot-keys and accessing menu items with the keyboard, but selecting some data input fields, specific layers and other operations you will need the mouse recorder.

I use and like AutoHotKey. I've never used it with Xara, but I'm sure you can do it.

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Originally Posted by cbutton69

I use and like AutoHotKey. I've never used it with Xara, but I'm sure you can do it.

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Unfortunately not for recording mouse movements like drag a handle of a line or shape. And Xara Xtreme doesn't offer keyboard shortcuts for such actions. :mad: