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Post your MEP and Dragon scripts here. I'm curious what's on line 8.

Other things to check: 1. Ensure you don't have two Dragon commands with the same name. 2. Add a message box or a beep command to your MEP command. The Dragon command might be triggering the MEP command, but maybe the keystrokes the MEP command is sending aren't doing what you expect. 3. Check that the MEP macro file that contains your "FillWithRobo" script is open. You should be able to see it on the list in the left pane of the Macro Explorer, below "System Macros."

I just tested the shell command method, and it worked fine. I wonder whether the problem you are experiencing has anything to do with the Windows version. I'm using Windows 7. Double-check that the nickname of your MEP macro is really "FillWithRobo", and that you don't have two different MEP scripts with the same nickname. Check the "Scope" in MEP, and the "Availability" of your script in Dragon. For testing purposes, you might want to make everything global.

I just tested the hotkey method, and discovered that the code samples I provided in my article on Dragon/Macro Express integration no longer work. However, if you translate SendKeys into SendSystemKeys, the command works fine: SendSystemKeys "{Alt+Shift+Ctrl+9}" When I tried it with SendDragonKeys, it didn't work. It would appear that only SendSystemKeys may be used to invoke a Macro Express hotkey macro.

Win+Ctrl+F12 is assignable in Version 6.

Terry, I feel your pain about losing the ability to assign hotkeys that I have habituated to over years -- or even decades. Win+Alt+F4 is available... it's similar to Win+Ctrl+F4, and on most keyboards, Win and Alt are adjacent keys!

Perhaps this is the expected behaviour when updating to a new version?

Hi Terry, Please report your finding to the good folks at ISS.

What happens if you put a checkbox in "Don't process embedded variables"?

I'm not sure what the problem is. This script works as expected: // Assign the variable Variable Set String %T[1]% to " CASH%001" // Modify the variable three times Variable Modify String %T[1]%: Left Trim Variable Modify String %T[1]%: Append Text (Hello) Variable Modify String: Replace "Hello" in %T[1]% with "" // Output the variable Text Box Display: Value = ***%T[1]%*** <COMMENT Value="Assign the variable"/> <VARIABLE SET STRING Option="\x00" Destination="%T[1]%" Value=" CASH%001" NoEmbeddedVars="FALSE"/> <COMMENT/> <COMMENT Value="Modify the variable three times"/> <VARIABLE MODIFY STRING Option="\x01" Destination="%T[1]%"/> <VARIABLE MODIFY STRING Option="\x06" Destination="%T[1]%" Value="Hello" NoEmbeddedVars="FALSE"/> <VARIABLE MODIFY STRING Option="\x0F" Destination="%T[1]%" ToReplace="Hello" All="FALSE" IgnoreCase="FALSE" NoEmbeddedVars="FALSE"/> <COMMENT/> <COMMENT Value="Output the variable"/> <TEXT BOX DISPLAY Title="Value = ***%T[1]%***" Content="{\\rtf1\\ansi\\ansicpg1252\\deff0\\deflang1033{\\fonttbl{\\f0\\fnil Tahoma;}}\r\n\\viewkind4\\uc1\\pard\\f0\\fs20 \r\n\\par }\r\n" Left="Center" Top="Center" Width="278" Height="200" Monitor="0" OnTop="TRUE" Keep_Focus="TRUE" Mode="\x00" Delay="0"/>

Thanks for your input. I agree. However, if there were many more data points to collect -- say 100 instead of 12 -- I might be tempted to use arrays, but to write a bunch of comments to guide future maintenance, e.g., // Text Variable %Value[1 to 100]% // [1] = Honorific // [2] = First name // [3] = Last name ... // [100] = Date of last update

I would be curious to learn how other Macro Express users would handle this situation. The task is to copy data from several fields, and insert the data into corresponding fields in another application, but in a different order. 12 pieces of information need to be copied. Here are the two approaches. 1. Collect the data in an array %Value[1]% %Value[2]% %Value[3]% ... %Value[12]% After collecting the data, the macro switches to the second application, and inserts the text into fields, but in a different order: %Value[2]% %Value[3]% %Value[6]% etc. 2. Use descriptive variable names %Honorific% %FirstName% %SurName% %Address1% %Address2% etc. It seems to me that collecting data in an array is probably the more elegant and efficient way to get the job done. On the other hand, using descriptive variable names make it clearer what the macro is doing, and make it easier to match up corresponding fields in the two applications. Which approach would you use?

Just for fun, I wrote this, which assumes the three values appear in one cell separated by a space. Clipboard Copy Variable Set String %Clip% from the clipboard contents Split String "%Clip%" on " " into %Results%, starting at 1 Text Box Display: <CLIPBOARD COPY/> <VARIABLE SET STRING Option="\x02" Destination="%Clip%" NoEmbeddedVars="FALSE"/> <SPLIT STRING Source="%Clip%" SplitChar=" " Dest="%Results%" Index="1"/> <TEXT BOX DISPLAY Content="{\\rtf1\\ansi\\ansicpg1252\\deff0\\deflang1033{\\fonttbl{\\f0\\fnil\\fcharset0 Tahoma;}{\\f1\\fnil Tahoma;}}\r\n\\viewkind4\\uc1\\pard\\f0\\fs20 %Results[1]%\r\n\\par %Results[2]%\r\n\\par %Results[3]%\\f1 \r\n\\par }\r\n" Left="Center" Top="Center" Width="278" Height="200" Monitor="0" OnTop="TRUE" Keep_Focus="TRUE" Mode="\x00" Delay="0"/>

From your description, it sounds like you are using Excel (or some other spreadsheet)to store account information in columns, e.g., AccountName Login Password AccountName Login Password AccountName Login Password etc. Is this correct?

It sounds like you're off to a good start. But now things are going awry. That's normal! It might be helpful to slow down and take things one step at a time. The best place to start: the version of the macro that was actually working. Test it several times to ensure that your script actually works reliably. Once you become convinced that it's doing everything that you expect, start adding refinements. At this stage of macro development, I find it helpful to add one line of code at a time – or one small section of code. Then test, test, test. If, or should I say, when the script fails, you can either try to track down the source and repair the mess, go back to an earlier version, or some combination of the two. It's up to you. If you don't close the Scripting Editor while developing a macro, you can use Macro Express's Undo feature as a Time Machine to return to an earlier state of the script. Sometimes, the best way forward is to scrap everything and start from scratch!

Start by checking out the Help screen for the "Text Type" command. That will give you a head start! For example, this Text Type command will do the copy operation: <CONTROL>c Note that it's lowercase "c". <CONTROL>C is the equivalent of <CONTROL><SHIFT>c! Another suggestion: figure out the exact sequence of keystrokes to perform the entire task, and then translate them into a series of Text Type commands... Text Type (Simulate Keystrokes): <CONTROL>c Text Type (Simulate Keystrokes): <TAB> Text Type (Simulate Keystrokes): <ENTER> or whatever You may need to insert pauses between some commands, e.g., Delay: 500 milliseconds

What scripts do you use to simplify your interactions with Macro Express? I use the "Text Type" box regularly to send sequences of keystrokes, like these: Alt + f Ctrl + x Alt + spacebar I have 15 Shortkey macros for entering codes into the Macro Express "Text Type" window: In the "Text Type" window, one "normally" specifies key presses by clicking on words. For example, to insert the code for the up arrow key, <ARROW UP>, click the word "Arrow Up." But nothing prevent users from typing in the code manually. And since it's possible to type in the code, you can also use Shortkey macros to automate the task. To ensure these 15 scripts are only available in the "Text Type" window, I set the scope of these macros to "Window Specific" -- an exact match of "Text Type". All 15 scripts are basically the same. For example, here is the script to insert <ARROW UP>. Note that I broke it onto two lines to prevent the macro from activating itself: Text Type (Simulate Keystrokes): <ARROW UP Text Type (Simulate Keystrokes): > I use the comma as a prefix for Shortkey macros. So to enter the code to "Tab" three times, type "0," and then press "Enter," I type this: ,tab,tab,tab0,enter to produce this: <TAB><TAB><TAB>0<ENTER>

You can assign a hotkey to Suspend and Un-suspend Macro Express. Check the "System Macros" category in the Macro Express Explorer.

Can you give details about what you are trying to do with Excel and the other program? Start with the name of the other program...

Wouldn't that be an interesting thread? A discussion of Macro Express scripts for controlling Macro Express! (I regularly use 25 or 30 Macro Express commands to automate script writing. So far, I haven't had to edit any of the them to work in Version 6.)

The macros I imported from the "old" Pro version to the new Version 6 are working fine. I paid the modest cost to upgrade to the new version as a way to acknowledge the efforts of the people at Insight Software Solutions who keep a niche product like Macro Express available and up-to-date. Macro Express is absolutely essential to my workflow; when I am not using my MEP scripts, most tasks take much, much longer to perform. So I feel I am getting more than my money's worth.

Hi Terry, I think that link only appears in the new version. Try downloading a copy from the Macro Express website.

I received this e-blast late Wednesday this week: MacroExpress Announcing All New Versions and 50% off Black Friday Sale Macro Express 5 Macro Express 6 Pro $49.95 $24.98 $69.95 $34.98 Order from macros.com/order.htm and use this coupon code: News2018 What's New in Macro Express Redesign of the program makes it easier than ever to use Macro Express. Support for ultra-high definition / 4K monitors. Themes allow choices that adjust the look and feel of the program. Choose from predefined or custom themes. An optional automated update process is included to ensure you are using the latest version. Dozens of other improvements. Hurry and save 50% Sale ends Saturday, November 24, 2018 Buy Now You are receiving this message as a Macro Express customer. If you no longer wish to receive Macro Express promotional emails unsubscribe here. Insight Software Solutions, Inc.; PO Box 106; Kaysville, Utah 84037-0106 - www.macros.com

There do not appear to be a lot of new features, but I am noticing many enhancements to the usability and accessibility of the user interface. For example, the ability to write Macro Express scripts via keyboard is vastly improved: with Version 6, there is less need to point and click, which speeds up the process of creating and editing scripts. You can see this improved functionality while creating a new macro. When the "Create New Macro" dialog box gains focus, you can change the activation by pressing a single character, e.g., S for "Shortkey," N for "No Activation," etc. And then you can Tab between fields. This was not possible with the old version. The automatic update feature is cool. Overall, I would say the improvements are incremental -- yet significant.

Now, whittle the delay down to discover how short is actually needed. You may find you only need a few hundred milliseconds.