kunkel321

Getting on to another topic here, so I started a new thread.  

When using R-Mouse Click on Minimize button as a trigger, do you guys experience that the default context menu (that normally appears when r-clicking anywhere on the top window bar) is still shown, or does it not popup when MEp is monitoring the minimize button?    
Referring to this: https://imgur.com/Ejp4dmO

I have a simple test macro that has a popup "Hello World" box.   And I also have the macro that we were talking about here 

Each have the same trigger (the r--click thing).  For each, the minimize button r-click is the only trigger.  

But they behave differently:  The "Hello World" one does not show the default  context menu popup, but the more complex macro does.  

Having the default context menu hidden makes the most sense to me.  

No worries.  I already recreated it anyway.    Thanks though. 

I'm curious ... Why do you have empty comments between each If-statement?  Is it just for visual spacing in the code? 

Strange....  If I paste Samrae's direct code to the direct code editor, then switch to normal editor, I get this:  

Cool thanks Samrae!

I guess that's the sensible thing to do. 

That's a good thought.  I just have so many hot-key combos in my head already  :- /  

Another idea I had was (when the application is already open) right-click on the Minimize button, top right of window.   I could scope it globally,then have for example 
 

If window title is ABC
 -go to ABCforum.com
If window title is XYZ
 -go to XYZforum.com

and so on.  

I don't think that this is possible, but I thought I'd ask...  Using Win 10, MEp 6.  My most-used applications get a spot pinned to the Taskbar.  Most of those apps also have user support forums (like this one!).   So I thought it would be handy if I could Ctrl+Click the app icon, and it would launch my web browser with the forum address. 

Doesn't have to be "Ctrl+Click", any alternative click would be fine.  The problem is that I don't think that you can "lock on" to a specific button with MEp's Control tools.  The Capture Window Control utility can only detect the entire group of app icons--not a specific icon.  I also tried with Window Detective and WinSpecterSpy, and got the same thing.  I probably shouldn't use "screen coordinates" because the icons sometimes get moved or added/removed.  

Ideas?  

Thanks for the cool list Terry!  As it turns out, I do have a copy of RegExBuddy!  There are actually a few AHK-based regex testing tools as well.  The thing I'm not sure about is transparently sending the information back and forth between the applications.  

Interesting note:  I tried the method that Lemming put (previously on this same thread, 2010).  His MEp script did need one tweak...  In the step where you capture "sed.exe" you need to checkmark the "Capture Console Output" box.  Unfortunately, SED appears to have its own language....  It's taken me years to learn the small amount of regex, AHK, and MEp that I know.  I don't want to have to learn SED too!!!!      

Acantor and Terry,

I probably will go ahead and submit a formal feature request so they can get it on the "wish list."   Though I will refer Insight to the last page of this thread too, because it does make sense for them to focus on existing bugs and long-standing feature requests first.   

Cory,

Thank you for your offer.  I'm inclined to take you up on it, but I'm afraid that any XML, .NET, or JSON integrations would just go right over my head.  Have you worked with AutoHotKey at all?  I've done a little bit of stuff with AHK, but nothing that passes data between AHK and another application.  I'm guessing that there would be some similarities between the setups, whether using AHK, XML, or whatever.  My guess is that MacExp would send the text and the regex to a Windows environmental variable, then the other application would read that variable?  I don't know.  

Found this via forum search for "regular expression."    I think it would be great if MacroExpressPro could utilize RegExs natively.  Has anyone formally requested this as a feature?  Do you guys think that it would be a desirable feature for them to add?  As others have indicated, PCRE is what I would recommend.    It does occur to me that writing regex code might be overwhelming for some people (I'm a total novice myself).  Still, I think it would be a welcome ability for the MacEx arsenal.  What do you guys think?  

Here's a visual of how it might appear in the GUI. 

I noticed there are some icon libraries that come with MEp, in the Program Files folder.  One of them appears to be mostly re-purposed Windows icons.  As such, I thought I'd also share a library that I made, which is composed entirely of icons that are re-purposed from the Windows OS.  It the previously posted tip, I mentioned putting the library in the location that MEp looks in by default, and giving it a similar name.  That is the reason that this library got named "SHELL32b.dll."    The default icon picker in Windows looks in "%SystemRoot%\System32\SHELL32.dll" so I put the library there and just add the "b" to then name.  Anyway...  The library was actually compiled into an .ICL library then I just renamed it into a .DLL file.  So you can change it back to "something.icl" if you want.  

I'll try to post this (large) screenshot as a link:  https://i.imgur.com/Pgcn5xo.png

SHELL32b.dll

EDIT:  As with the other link I posted, there are no nasties.   Just a bunch of icons.  527 icons to be exact.  That's about the most that can be crammed into a library.  

Hmm...  I guess in my suggested GUI design I have the Popup Menu grouped with the other forms of macro activation...  While the Popup serves as an activation for other macros, it is unique to the list because it also, itself, needs an activation.  So it's not really part of the group....  Sortof.  

I guess maybe the floating menu also doesn't perfectly fit the group of activations.   It's more of an "object" than an "event."    I don't know. 

Thanks Samrae! 

I (erroneously) submitted this as a bug report just this morning and Kevin replied with the same information that you just provided.  I see now that, when you first create a macro there is a checkbox at the bottom for "Create as popup macro."  I think maybe my brain saw the "Menu" on the radio button (below img) and then stopped looking.  

Maybe a GUI like below would be better?

(Or there might be a good reason that it's not already like that... IDK)

Version 2.   Please see explanation/description above.

I "simplified" the 16x16 ones so it is easier to make out the letter/number. 

Screenshot (same icon files, just large and small) 
  
 

MacroExpProIcons2.zip

EDIT:  Bah!

The version 2 icons don't seem to preview correctly with the default setting in the MEpro icon selector dialog...  I don't know why.    The 128pix image of the icons also don't show up correctly in XYplorer.  They do in other explorers and 3 different icon editors though--so I don't know.... 

Anyway, I'm finished working on these for a while.  

I'm trying to see if I can make those 16x16 ones more readable...  Will post if successful.  ...Also if I don't lose my electricity...  I'm in Western Washington, US, I don't think it's ever snowed so much here!  

Cool thanks Acantor.

I recreated the red M MacroExpressPro logo image with the monitor behind it and the mouse in front of it.  Then I did other letters, then numbers, then other colors.   It's a pretty good re-creation of the image, but unfortunately most of the letters are not really discernible at 16x16 pix (which is what the ME macro editor uses).   The attached zip has 288 icons, and also an .ICL icon library that has them all in the one ICL file.  

Bonus tip:  When editing a macro, when you go to choose a different icon for it, if you start with the default "M", then the icon browser seems to always go to the default of looking at the main app--such as "C:\Program Files (x86)\Macro Express Pro 6\MacExp.exe."  You can take advantage of this behavior by naming the library "MacExp.icl" and putting it in the same location (C:\Program Files (x86)\Macro Express Pro 6) as the exe file.  Now, rather than having to browse to find the new icon at a different location, just click in the filename path and delete "exe" and replace it with "icl" then hit enter.  This will make it a little easier/quicker to access the icons.  

Disclaimer:  There aren't any malware things or adverts or anything.   Just 288 icons and an icon library.  The icon library doesn't have anything other than the 288 icons.  And....  Obviously I don't plan on making any money from these--since I'm probably breaking multiple copyright laws by copying this image!  😁 It's just for fun and for use by forum members.  

MacroExpProIcons.zip

EDIT:

I'm just playing around with the Menu Builder here...

You can have 
-Icons only vertical
-Icons only horizonal
-Window with nickname and scope
-Window with beginning of script.

The help file suggests a fifth options though..  In the help section
Menu Builder - Miscellaneous
near the bottom is: 

Windows Default
The Windows Default menu displays the icon associated with the macro and the macro nickname. Click on the macro to start the playback. Also assign accelerator keys to the macros using the Set Accelerator  button. Pressing the A key activates the My Address macro in the example below. The accelerator keys are underlined and displayed to the left of the macro name.

with a screenshot of a minimalist popup menu: No window border, only icon and nickname.  How do I apply this style to my menu?  

Related to this:  The help file indicates you can make certain letters of the nicknames into Accelerator keys with the A button.  I don't see where the button is though.  

Windows 10, MEpro 6.0.2.1 

Here's a screenshot (which actually looks just like the one at the top of the help page).

EDIT:  Screenshot of desired style, from help file.

EDIT 2:  I found the button for assigning an accelerator key to a menu item.  See right edge of below screenshot.  Also in the screenshot is a submenu popping up from my Menu.  The submenu does have the desired minimalist style.  

Eh, Sorry for the false alarm...  It was a problem with my OneDrive folder.   I moved them to a different location and now they work fine.  (I'm glad.  Those macros represent a lot of hours of tinkering! )

Thanks for the reply Cory!

It's been a while since I've had MEPro on my machine, but in my OneDrive folder I have an old backup folder with the following contents:

macex-bak001.~mex
macex-bak000.~mex
macex.mex
macex-bak002.~mex
macex-bak003.~mex
macex-bak004.~mex
macex-bak005.~mex
macex-bak006.~mex
macex-bak007.~mex
macex-bak008.~mex
macex-bak009.~mex
samples.mex
Address Book.txt
macex (swkunkel v1).mex
 

I'm 99% sure these are ME Pro v4 files.  I can't seem to import/open/restore them with Pro v6.  Should they work, or are they just too old?  

You raise a good point about supporting the developers!

I was never able to find my v4 reg code, but I did find an old bug report I had emailed, that did indicate I was using v4, so I knew I had purchased it at some point.  As such, I went ahead and bought the v4 to v6 upgrade.  The macros.com folks have already confirmed my eligibility and sent me a v6 code.      

Thanks Cory!  

The newsletter helps.  I'm sure I remember having Pro 4, so I must have an email with a new code...  Just have to find it.  

Hi All, I've been away from the forum since 2015 because I've been experimenting with Autohotkey.  I thought I'd check and see if there are any new cool developments here.  Has much changed with MEpro?  I looked for a "change log" of some type on the homepage, but couldn't find one.  

Also, If anyone remembers...  What version was MacroExpressPro in 2015??  I thought I remembered having the most recent version in 2015, but I'm searching my emails, and the most recent product purchase I can find is for "MacroExpress Pro" (no version number) from December of 2008.  

I don't really want to pay the 7.95 USD for them to look up my code (i.e. "Purchase Protection"), then find out that I'm not even eligible for upgrade pricing...    What do you guys think?  Are there many improvements?  Is Pro 6 worth an additional 69.95?  

EDIT:  Actually I did just find a Revision History.  It only seems to cover versions 4 and 6 though(?)  

This thread and the "Install error" thread seem to be the same topic; so please see reply there

http://pgmacros.invisionzone.com/topic/7795-pgmacros-install-error/

that is also relevant to this thread.

Despite my April 29 post, there was still problems with the installation.

Today I re-read your original reply and saw the thing about installing MaxExp3, then PGM, then using PGM in MaxExpPro.

I tried doing that and it might have worked...

I'm still experimenting, but I wanted to document my efforts so far.

PGMacro Library seemed to install correctly, but after installation, when it was supposed to start, I got this error:

I tried redoing everything using the "Administrator Mode" option, but that didn't help.

The next thing I tried, was installing PGM to a non-default location. That didn't help either.

In retrospect, it occurs to me that uninstalling MEpro first probably would've helped.

I ended up just canceling the error, then opening ME3. The PGM Lib was not opened. I browsed to the non-default location and opened the PgmFl.mex file. I tried the Sample String Reverse macro and it worked fine.

After that, I exited ME3, then launched MEpro. I made a new Category in my main mex file, and called it "PGM imports." I imported the Library. (I can't remember if I imported PgmFl or PgmFL_Pro, but I just looked in the notes section and it has "2003.09.01 - Original Release Version 3.4.01," so it was probably the non-pro one.)

Aaaanywaaaay....

I'm able to call the String -- Reverse macro (that is imported into the same file) (see code)

<VARIABLE SET STRING Option="\x01" Destination="%T10%" Mask="FALSE" OnTop="FALSE" Left="Center" Top="Center" Monitor="0"/>
<MACRO RUN Use_ID="FALSE" Name="{ String - Reverse }" ID="-1" Wait="TRUE"/>
<TEXT BOX DISPLAY Title="Result of String Reverse" Content="{\\rtf1\\ansi\\ansicpg1252\\deff0{\\fonttbl{\\f0\\fnil Tahoma;}{\\f1\\fnil\\fcharset0 Tahoma;}}\r\n\\viewkind4\\uc1\\pard\\lang1033\\f0\\fs16 ReverseString: %T\\f1 10\\f0 %\r\n\\par \r\n\\par Result\\f1  T[1]\\f0 : %T[1]%\r\n\\par \r\n\\par Result\\f1  T1\\f0 : %T1%\r\n\\par \r\n\\par \r\n\\par }\r\n" Left="Center" Top="Center" Width="800" Height="400" Monitor="0" OnTop="FALSE" Keep_Focus="TRUE" Mode="\x00" Delay="0"/>
 

Unfortunately the reversed string is not getting back into my variables.

But I'm also not getting the previously mentioned chash at Setup Line 81. So I guess that's a move in the right direction.

Also, I'm seeing the expected folders in my registry now (imp)

So that's good--right?

I'll post on this thread if I get this thing working better.

*Side note: I "stepped through" my sample macro as it called all the other PCM macros... Holy moly there's a lot of steps involved!!!

Here we go... This is a much better avatar.