stevecasper

Ok, I'm the first to admit that I thought it was a little silly and unnecessary to have "font control" or whatever in dialog boxes in ME Pro. I had never needed it and hadn't even thought it was missing or would be a nice feature in ME3. And I do use Text Boxes on a number of macros, so I'm not completely in the dark about their usefulness. However, now that I've toyed with it a bit, I find that going back to ME3 for brief periods (at work, my PC is the only one with MEP currently installed), I find myself missing the aesthetic improvements of my personal macros. So, yeah, the feature has grown on me, and I'm glad Insight had a better grasp of what I wanted than even I did . Now, with that said, I can't stop myself from trying to liven-up my other dialogs, specifically the If Message prompt, but also the Multiple Choice menu. Sometimes I want a specific point in the prompt to be in bold or italicized. Right now I have a prompt that says, more or less: I would like to do something like this: Or something... The idea is pretty basic. And the reason for it is simple: Red = bad/scary and draws the eye. Blue = calm and soothing. In a glance I know which bank is the one I may want to be working on and which one I may want to be rid of, without having to read it. As it is, my brain takes longer deciphering which one is which. Top or Bottom isn't as immediate an indication as color-association. I'm no psychologist, and so I may be wrong about that... though it seems true enough for me. My other option, which I'm leaning towards, is taking the prompt out altogether. Just have the macro make the change. It only takes about 1 second... hmmm.... But this is just one example. Anyway, I'm a rambler (obviously). Anybody else think this would be nice? I'm thinking of submitting a feature request, regardless of responses, but I wouldn't mind some other input before I do. Also, if Kevin et al. are already aware of a future release in which this is planned, and wanted to spill the beans about it, I won't waste anybody's time with a formal request for something already in progress. Thanks!

Very interesting. I've often wondered about this myself. Thanks for the suggestion, Kevin!

Ok... I posted my last reply late... but what you point out here is actually also very easy using the Text File Process command. Using the same example as before, only now starting in this format: We do the following: // The first thing I'd do in a case like this, is establish a CR/LF variable. You do that with the following 3 lines of code: Variable Set to ASCII Char 13 to %T[1]% Variable Set to ASCII Char 10 to %T[2]% Variable Set String %crlf% to "%T[1]%%T[2]%" Variable Set String %html[1]% to "<p>" // This establishes the opening <p>, to which the rest of the .txt will be appended. Text File Begin Process: C:\Users\Steven\Documents\Macros\Macro Test Files\HTML for amberman.txt Variable Modify String %html[1]%: Append Text (%html[2]%</p>%crlf%<p>) Text File End Process // Because of how this macro was built and run, there is a trailing <p> tag that is not needed. The following 3 command lines will remove it. Variable Set Integer %NLengthHTML% to the length of variable %html[1]% Variable Modify Integer: %NDifference% = %NLengthHTML% - 3 Variable Modify String %html[1]%: Delete a substring starting at %NDifference% and 4 characters long // Now variabel %html[1]% contains exactly the right information. So we save it to a .txt file. Variable Modify String: Save %html[1]% to "C:\Users\Steven\Documents\Macros\Macro Test Files\HTML for amberman 2.txt" Direct Editor script: <COMMENT Value="The first thing I'd do in a case like this, is establish a CR/LF variable. You do that with the following 3 lines of code:"/> <VARIABLE SET TO ASCII CHAR Value="13" Destination="%T[1]%"/> <VARIABLE SET TO ASCII CHAR Value="10" Destination="%T[2]%"/> <VARIABLE SET STRING Option="\x00" Destination="%crlf%" Value="%T[1]%%T[2]%"/> <VARIABLE SET STRING Option="\x00" Destination="%html[1]%" Value="<p>" _COMMENT="This establishes the opening <p>, to which the rest of the .txt will be appended."/> <TEXT FILE BEGIN PROCESS Filename="C:\\Users\\Steven\\Documents\\Macros\\Macro Test Files\\HTML for amberman.txt" Start_Record="1" Process_All="TRUE" Records="1" Variable="%html[2]%"/> <VARIABLE MODIFY STRING Option="\x06" Destination="%html[1]%" Value="%html[2]%</p>%crlf%<p>"/> <TEXT FILE END PROCESS/> <COMMENT Value="Because of how this macro was built and run, there is a trailing <p> tag that is not needed. The following 3 command lines will remove it."/> <VARIABLE SET INTEGER Option="\x0D" Destination="%NLengthHTML%" Text_Variable="%html[1]%"/> <VARIABLE MODIFY INTEGER Option="\x01" Destination="%NDifference%" Value1="%NLengthHTML%" Value2="3"/> <VARIABLE MODIFY STRING Option="\x0A" Destination="%html[1]%" Start="%NDifference%" Count="4"/> <COMMENT Value="Now variabel %html[1]% contains exactly the right information. So we save it to a .txt file."/> <VARIABLE MODIFY STRING Option="\x11" Destination="%html[1]%" Filename="C:\\Users\\Steven\\Documents\\Macros\\Macro Test Files\\HTML for amberman 2.txt" CRLF="FALSE"/> And honestly, when using html, the CR/LF isn't even necessary, as the <p></p> tags will take care of that... though I suppose you want it to be legible in .txt format. Which is reasonable.

And quite frankly, you're not likely to find anybody on these boards with more expertise with Macro Express (short of the actual ISS programmers, who also frequently monitor the boards) than Cory. I'm sure he's worth the money. With that said, and with absolutely no intention of discouraging a possible paying customer from doing business with Cory, let me also mention that there are a few of us here (like me), who have a fair amount of experience with Macro Express, but are by no means professionals. We enjoy the challenge of working with a new idea or need, as it also stretches our skills and gives us something to do (other than watch tv, play video games, or clean the house... my personal options right now). Blah blah blah... rambling done, I'll get to the point: Based on Cory's hypothetical (which is also how I interpreted your HTML situation), let's say you've got a .txt file that looks like this: And you want to format it with HTML so it looks like this: I would probably write something like this: Variable Set String set %html[1]% to the contents of C:\Users\Steven\Documents\Macros\Macro Test Files\HTML for amberman.txt Variable Modify String: Replace "... " in %html[1]% with "...<br>" // Be sure to "Replace All Instances." Variable Set String %html[2]% to "<html><b>" Variable Modify String %html[2]%: Append Text (%html[1]%</b></html>) Variable Modify String: Save %html[2]% to "C:\Users\Steven\Documents\Macros\Macro Test Files\HTML for amberman 2.txt" The direct editor script looks like this: <VARIABLE SET STRING Option="\x03" Destination="%html[1]%" Filename="C:\\Users\\Steven\\Documents\\Macros\\Macro Test Files\\HTML for amberman.txt" Strip="FALSE"/> <VARIABLE MODIFY STRING Option="\x0F" Destination="%html[1]%" ToReplace="... " ReplaceWith="...<br>" All="TRUE" IgnoreCase="FALSE" _COMMENT="Be sure to \"Replace All Instances.\" "/> <VARIABLE SET STRING Option="\x00" Destination="%html[2]%" Value="<html><b>"/> <VARIABLE MODIFY STRING Option="\x06" Destination="%html[2]%" Value="%html[1]%</b></html>"/> <VARIABLE MODIFY STRING Option="\x11" Destination="%html[2]%" Filename="C:\\Users\\Steven\\Documents\\Macros\\Macro Test Files\\HTML for amberman 2.txt" CRLF="FALSE"/> This code turns this: into this: Of course, this is extremely basic. You may want to do more than merely add <br> tabs to a .txt file, but this is at least an idea of what can be done.

I tested this. Same results. Additionally, and maybe I misunderstood the instructions, even when creating a new floating macro, the Pop-up option is grayed-out. This is possibly what Terry was talking about originally, but if so, then I completely don't understand what Jason's instructions were. I have personally never used pop-up or floating macros, though I do intend to use them in the future (particularly with people who have a distaste for or difficulty learning/remembering hotkeys and shortkeys).

Tracking number: [iSS6970]

Thank you Alan, very informative response. I tested this out by changing the activation to Numpad 2. The macro worked perfectly. Of course, I switched it back as I actually need my numpad to work , but it's good to know that the command itself is functional. I'm fine with the macro activating on release, it's how I've done it forever, afterall.

Most of what I do at my job I can do with just my right hand (thanks in large part to Macro Express, the location of the Num Pad and the fact that I'm right-handed and use a right-handed mouse). So, as often as possible, I like to lazy it up a bit and reassign left-hand-specific functions to the right-side of the keyboard: Alt+Tab, for example, requires either the left hand or reaching uncomfortably over with the right hand. So I assigned the hotkey Ctrl+[ as an alternative Alt+Tab (via Text Type). I've used this alternate for many months in ME3, and now I've brought it over to MEP, and thought I'd play with the option to have it activate when keys are pressed rather than released. And guess what? It doesn't perform the same function. In fact, I have no idea what, if any, function is being performed. I see the macro activate (Forrest goes for a quick jog), but nothing actually happens on my screen. I may have simply misunderstood the functionality of this option, or my specific choice of hotkey activation may be problematical, or the option itself is not fully functional. Anybody have any input for me? Thanks!

I've just switched the command sequence back to Macro Run > Macro Stop (about 20 minutes ago), and haven't had any issues, so I'm now sufficiently convinced that it was never contributing to the problem in the first place. The "Wait for this macro to terminate..." option defaults to checked. I unchecked it after you pointed it out to me earlier, and continued having issues. For now I'm leaving it as it is (unchecked) because it seems to be working fine. Would you recommend I leave it unchecked, or should I check it again? Since the only command left after the Macro Run command is a Stop (which I think is probably superfluous anyway), I don't see that it should make any difference whether the box is checked or not in this particular case. But I am certainly open to learning in what ways I might be wrong.

I completely agree. Since eliminating the Save All commands, I've eliminated the crashes as well as Forrest hangers-on.

I've reported these crashes to ISS, though I haven't yet gotten a ticket number. I'll update when I get one. Basically, thanks to Cory's helpful suggestion to log all commands through the Miscellaneous tab, I was able to find the command(s) that were crashing Macro Express. I don't know why, and obviously that's why I've reported a bug, but the command lines that were wreaking havoc were Save All Variables commands. I've recently gone through the two macros (A and B in the original example) and changed the Save All to simply Save Text (as the Integer variables I'd been setting didn't really need to be saved). Since I made that change, I have not had any further crashes. It may be important to note that I have also changed the "Macro Run" command at the end of Macro B to a "Text Type" command with the hot-key to launch Macro A. This, by itself, did not fix the Save All Variables crash, and I'm tempted to switch back to a Macro Run command, just because it's a little more elegant, but I thought it bore mentioning.

So does anybody know if this bug has ever been reported officially? If so, can somebody provide the ticket number, please? With the new version out, I was kind of hoping this would get taken care of. I used to think it wasn't a big deal, but with all my crashes lately, I'm starting to think there may be some correlation. At the very least, something is wrong, if the running-man doesn't go away after all macros have completed. If there is no ticket number, I suppose I will start paying attention to just exactly when the icon gets stuck so I can start picking the culpable macros apart to make sure there isn't some odd command hanging it up, and then I'll report it myself.

Brilliant, Cory! The last few times I tested to find the crash location I noticed it was not crashing at the same point in the macro (not even always in the same macro). I've begun logging the commands as you suggested, and the last two crashes occurred once in Macro A (running as a sub-routine to Macro B ) and the second time it crashed immediately upon running Macro B (after having made it through a Macro B > A routine successfully). So far the results do show one consistency: The last command to be logged in both instances is Save All Variables. Now, I know that two points make a line, not a pattern... but a pattern has to start somewhere. I'm going to keep track of this bug and I figure if it stays true for the next 2-3 instances, I'll have my culprit. I can't check my personal email from work, Cory, but I'll be sure to read it as soon as I get a chance. Thanks again, Cory!

I'm assuming you're referring to the Log Errors command from the Debug Category... I've got that at the beginning of both Macro A and B, and the only thing being logged is: "Monday, May 11, 2009 10:21:30 AM: Macro Completed (Macro B )" and "Monday, May 11, 2009 10:22:30 AM: Macro Completed (Macro A)" Nothing logs at the time of the crash.

Ah, I thought I had seen something similar to this, but couldn't place it. Thanks for the heads-up and I'll be sure to make the feature request as soon as I can.

Very good questions. No... honestly didn't even think about it. I'll give it a shot. Edit: Tried it, no luck. Program still crashes Yes, because some of the other macros I run during the course of reviewing the account will require information gathered by Macro A (account numbers, serial numbers, etc.). However, they are not used in Macro B, when Macro B runs. All variables are global... however none of the variables set within Macro B are pertinent to Macro A, so I don't imagine they would adversely affect Macro A... if you think they might, I would love to learn the reasons.

I have not. I'm not familiar with what that option would do. I'm willing to give it a try, however (once I can figure out the crash-situation)

I have several Multiple Choice menus that have 10 options. In ME3, they are stacked vertically. In MEP, they divide at 5 and separate into two columns. Is there any way to have them display in a single column? I think multiple columns in the Multiple Choice menus take up too much GUI real estate... or maybe they just don't look right to me... either way, I don't like it. If this is simply the new way of things, then I'll cope; but if it is possible to keep them in a single column, I'd love to learn how. Thanks! What I want: What I get:

Ok, looks like today is my day for problem-sharing. As mentioned in a previous post, I've finally moved some cumbersome macros over from ME3 to MEP. When I begin working a case, I always have to run Macro A. When I finish a case, I always have to run Macro B. When I run Macro A directly via its hotkey, it works fine. When I run Macro B via its hotkey: also fine. To streamline everything, Macro B ends with the following two commands: Macro Run: Macro A Macro Stop In ME3 this was flawless. I moved easily from one case to the next without having to run Macro A manually. In MEP Macro B runs Macro A, but somewhere between line 17 and line 35 (of Macro A) Macro Express crashes (and crashes hard, to the point I have to reboot my system in order to get MEP running again). It's hard to be certain where the crash is actually happening, though I guess I could throw in some text boxes or pauses to help me pinpoint it... but the problem only happens when Macro A is run by Macro B. Easy enough to work-around: Eliminate the Macro Run command from Macro B. Which I did. But then a whole new - possibly related - problem cropped up. Macro A > Manual, Macro B > Manual, Macro A > Manual, Macro B > Manual > Hard Crash! Back to ME 3 for these macros. Has anybody else experienced similar crashes? It's very consistent, though I cannot be certain what is causing it... I'm going to try to pinpoint the problem and report it officially, though I honestly can't keep rebooting my machine while trying to locate the problem (they don't like paying me for not working). But any input would be greatly appreciated.

Ok, so I've finally gotten around to moving some of my bulkier macros from ME3 to MEP, and I've run into a relatively serious problem that I hope will have a very simpl solution. One of my primary applications is a program that provides me with a lot of various details about the particular account I'm dealing with "right now." When I've finished reviewing this particular case, I run a macro that gathers pertinent information for me and the pastes notes into a Control-enabled text box within the application. In ME3 this worked seamlessly. Me MEP, it does not. I think I've figured out why, and I need to find a way to make it work right. Here's the problem: The title of the application window changes from one case to another. The program name is always the same, but the various account-specific information changes. In ME3, that wasn't important. ME3 captured the program name, but left the rest of the title out, or ignored it or something. MEP captures everything and I can't figure out how to change that. Here's the code from ME3: <GETCONTROL2P:01:E22CLIENT.EXE:SHELLFRAUDLINK005:1COMPOSITE1COMPOSITE1Button1COMPOSITE4Edit> And here's the same code from MEP <GET CONTROL Flags="1" Program_Name="E22CLIENT.EXE" Class="SHELL" Title="Amegy Bank of Texas - DDA - FRAUDLINK-No History for New Account" Control="\"COMPOSITE\",\"1\",\"COMPOSITE\",\"1\",\"Button\",\"1\",\"COMPOSITE\",\"1\",\"Edit\",\"4\"" Variable="%C[1]%" Caption="FRAUDLINK" Partial="TRUE" Wildcards="FALSE"/> Notice the title: "Amegy Bank of Texas - DDA - FRAUDLINK-No History for New Account" I don't only deal with Amegy Bank, and the "No History" portion varies from one account to another. The only thing that remains consistent throughout the day is "FRAUDLINK." I've tried manually removing everything except "FRAUDLINK" from the Direct Editor script with no success. My current work-around is either going to be to continue using ME3 for this particular macro set, or (more likely) use a Mouse Move, Mouse Click, Mouse Move series of commands (which I really don't want to have to do. Please somebody help me make this command effective in MEP! Thanks!

Hey Terry, I'm not able to duplicate this error on my machine. My code, which I built based off of your example looks like this: Window Activate: Jasc Paint Shop Pro Wait for Window Title: Jasc Paint Shop Pro Keystroke Speed: 50 milliseconds Repeat Prompt Start: Store in variable %Count% Text Type (Simulate Keystrokes): <ALT>t Delay: 100 milliseconds Text Type (Simulate Keystrokes): 3 Delay: 100 milliseconds Text Type (Simulate Keystrokes): v Delay: 100 milliseconds End Repeat <WINDOW ACTIVATE Title="Jasc Paint Shop Pro" Exact_Match="FALSE" Wildcards="FALSE" _IGNORE="0x0006"/> <WAIT FOR WINDOW TITLE Title="Jasc Paint Shop Pro" Partial="TRUE" Wildcards="FALSE" Indefinite="TRUE" Hours="0" Minutes="0" Seconds="0"/> <KEYSTROKE SPEED Delay="50"/> <REPEAT PROMPT START Store="TRUE" Variable="%Count%" Left="Center" Top="Center" Monitor="0"/> <TEXT TYPE Action="0" Text="<ALT>t"/> <DELAY Flags="\x02" Time="100"/> <TEXT TYPE Action="0" Text="3"/> <DELAY Flags="\x02" Time="100"/> <TEXT TYPE Action="0" Text="v"/> <DELAY Flags="\x02" Time="100"/> <END REPEAT/> I'm using an older version of PSP, so that may make a difference (PSP 7)... but mine runs seamlessly. * It activates the program (which I discovered needed to have a picture already called up and a portion of it selected) * "Effects" menu * 3D effects * Inner bevel BTW, this was done on my home computer which, if I remember correctly, is not too far different from yours: Vista Ultimate 32 bit SP1 2.6 GHz Intel Quad core 2 4 Gigs Ram Dual NVidia G-Force 9600 - SLI

Ok, this will almost certainly need to find its way into an official bug report, but I'm not quite sure what is actually happening, so I don't know what to tell the ISS guys. I'm hoping somebody on these forums has a) had similar issues, understands a little about what is probably happening, and/or c) can help me know what to keep an eye out for so I can attempt to duplicate the error with some margin of success. Here it is: Macro Express terminates, without warning, from time to time. It simply stops running. I'll be using it, happy as a clam, letting it do my work for me like a lovely little indentured servant, when suddenly I release a hotkey and... nothing. Hmmm... maybe I didn't push the key down all the way. Retry. Nothing. Crap! I look for "Forrest" (that's for you Cory), but he's not there. Strange, he's usually there, even when no macro is running. No MEP icon in the task-bar, either... well that's not unusual, since that icon tends to hide, even when I've set it to "Always Show". So I click the little carat to see hidden icons. No MEP. $%@&*!!!!! MEP has terminated! DAGGUMIT!!!! <breathe deeply> Ok, Start > Programs > StartUp > Macro Express Pro > *click* <wait for it> ... <wait for it> ... <wait for it> Nothing. FNA. Try it again. Nothing. Ah ball-caps. Reboot entire machine > MEP back in action. _____________________________________ So, anybody else have similar problems or know enough about computer systems to throw me a bone? If it helps: Windows XP Pro SP3 AMD Sempron Processor 3000+ 1.79 GHz, 960 MB RAM Running dual 17" monitors Oh, one more thing: After rebooting, MEP starts with a blank macro file. This is probably the most concerning part of the crash... In general if you shut down, when you launch again, MEP starts up where it left off. But with this crash... I get nervous about losing information. Fortunately I've mostly figured out the Backup files problem I was having before, so it's not quite as scary as it was before... and yet...

Ok, I think I figured out the problem. After discovering that my most recent backup was 6 weeks old, I opened my MEP editor and used the File>Open command to open my .000 backup so that I could at least start with something rather than try to rebuild everything from scratch. So, because the file I was technically using was .000 and the Backup file saves to .000, this was causing the error message. I've corrected it by exporting the .000 macro file under a new .mex and opened that one. Now my backups are working fine, no error messages. Unfortunately, I have now discovered a new problem, the details of which I'll place inside a new thread, as it is not likely related to this one.

Ok, I changed my backup folder to my C: drive and did not get the error. I made 5 backups (6 including .000) over the course of 3-4 minutes and discovered another very strange happening: The date stamp on all my backups was exactly the same, and not even close to the right time. I performed these manual backups between 10:40 and 10:43 (mountain time), but the time-stamp shows as 9:51 on all 6 backups. I then changed my backup folder back to the the default and got the "cannot write" error again. I have now changed the backup folder to a separate folder on the external drive and am not getting the error. However, interestingly enough, all files are saved with the same 9:51 time-stamp. I suspect the time-stamp indicates what time the last change was made to any macros, rather than the time the backup was performed. Any confirmation on this? I suppose I could alter a macro (or create one) and test the theory... so I will EDIT Preliminary tests indicate that I was correct: The backup file's time-stamp indicates the time of most recent change to the macro file, not the time of the backup process. Anyway, there does appear to be something amiss with the default folder "...the same folder as the macro file", at least on my machine. Probably something I'm going to have to figure out on my own (since it's a new bug, and I haven't got any idea what I could have done to mess it up), but if anybody else has had similar issues and has had luck getting them remedied and can point me in the right direction, I would be grateful.

Thanks Cory. The machine I'm having trouble on is actually running XP Pro (I use Vista at home, but haven't had any problems with MEP there). If I continue having the problem I'll contact ISS support directly, I was just hoping something about my process would jump out as me obviously doing something wrong (to a fresh perspective). I will change my backup folder to my local C: drive for a quick test - though the reason I have it on an external drive is mostly because my machine is shoddy at the best of times and it's embarrassing how often I have to switch computer or send mine into the IT facilities office for repairs, and yet still need access to my personal macros. But like I said, I'll test it and post my resulst here.