Doh!
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Doh!
I've banged on about this a lot, so I'll try and be brief here.
I was told, by one of the team that a script or action/macro function would be a big job to put into place and should not expect one soon, but it occurs to me that if the hot-key functionality could be extended to ALL Xtremes tools, menu items, options and functions (including gallery buttons and numeric input to various fields - sizes etc.), this would go a long way towards making third party scripting software easier to use with Xtreme.
I've tried several macro recorders, but they run into trouble when they cannot access a function with keyboard short-cuts and have to rely on mouse recording. When a mouse recording macro goes wrong (say you move a tool panel or change the interface in anyway) it can be a real pain, so is not worth using in my opinion.
Would it be possible to extend the hot-key commands to all functions and options or is that another pipe-dream?
I may be all wrong as I have not kept up with programming over the years.
For a scripting functionality to be included into a program the underlying code must be written to expose the 'objects' in a specific manner.
This is most easily done by using a high level Object Oriented language. High Level means further away from the processor's native language.
Xara Xtreme achieves it's amazing speed by being written in a very low level language that does not easily lend itself to exposing 'objects'.
Scripting support adds additional code to the program and additional work for the processor.
If I am totally incorrect, I'm sure one of the programmers can provide more accurate information.
Dunno, drawing and programming are really worlds apart :\ I have nothing against such a scripting engine, but it simply doesn't seem doable. Look at how XaraLX is progressing...:(
Don't expect though that programmers like Dmitry are waiting for all the requests from other users who say Gee, it would be cool if we had this or that effect :)
Programming takes time. If people started requesting these things all the time, those programmers might go away from TG in order to avoid mass requests :D
Just wondering, are many, here, using Macro Express? Thanks
I use it for extremely specific needs, and not all the time.
For example, I once had to vette a 1,200 item product catalog to ensure that a new product numbering system had been implemented correctly. Excel macros wouldn't handle the complexity, but Macro Express did, though it took me several iterations of tweaking (not Macro Express's fault -- my macro writing skills were put to the test and found somewhat lacking).
When my RSI flares up, I use it for some voice recognition needs with Dragon Naturallyspeaking. The $40 investment for Macro Express saved me from ponying up $400 for Naturallyspeaking Professional with a less-capable macro utility.
There are ways to reach into (some) window controls that can handle the problem of dynamic windows or toolbars mentioned in MarkMyWords' posting (#12), but I haven't tried them on Xara. Xara's windows may well be non-standard. I generally use macros that depend on keyboard shortcuts, as MMW suggested.
Dave