nkormanik

Suppose we have a scheduled macro.  Scheduled to end in 5 minutes.

Is there a way to put the countdown into a text box?

i.e.,

5:00

4:59

4:58

...

0:01

Gotta be.

Thanks!

Nicholas Kormanik

Plain sneaky.  What's it doing hiding there??

Good code.  Thanks!

But the desperately needed info is how to get TIME PASSED into a variable.  30 seconds.

Or time counts up to 30 seconds.  In a variable.

So far, can't find it.  Seems Macro Express Pro left it out.  Go figure.

Some actual code, please.

Sounds basic, until one tries to do it.

I see lots of options for repeating a loop within a macro.  But not a way to do it for a specific amount of time.

Suppose we want to repeat a loop for 30 seconds.  Then stop that loop, and continue onto the next part of the macro.

Can we do this?  How?

Thanks much!

Nicholas Kormanik

Related question (maybe I should start another thread?):

I want the entire process, whatever it's doing, to terminate after 5 minutes.

What's the best way to accomplish this?

Thanks!

4 hours ago, Samrae said:

A Macro Express "Global" variable is only global to a single macro thread. In other words, to a specific macro and any macros launched by that macro via the Macro Run command. A variable set or changed in a secondary macro will not affect a variable in the primary macro, even if the variable name is the same.

As suggested previously, to do what you want you will need to create a secondary macro that modifies and stores the value in an external location such as a file or the registry. The primary macro will need to read the value from the external location.

Banging my head against the desk over this one.  Was trying to use Save All Variables and Restore All Variables to try to get the two (etc.) macros to be on the same page, i.e., using the same variable between them.

One would think Macro Express would have a truly Global variable option, that ALL macros have access to.

10 hours ago, rberq said:

Just out of curiosity, what do you do after the 1000 REPEATs are done?  End the macro?  Why 1000 REPEATs as opposed to 10, or 100, or 10,000? 

Well, this is for 'speed reading' some interesting epub.  So, tentatively, after 1000 pages -- however long that takes -- I suppose I'll close my eyes and rest for a few minutes.

Okay, let's give that a try, then:

<VARIABLE SET DECIMAL Option="\x00" Destination="%MillisecondsPerPage%" Value="5555"/>
<REPEAT START Start="1" Step="1" Count="1000" Save="FALSE"/>
<TEXT TYPE Action="0" Text="<PAGE DOWN>"/>
<DELAY Flags="\x02" Time="%MillisecondsPerPage%"/>
<END REPEAT/>

Issue remains, though, how to then dynamically change %MillisecondsPerPage%.

Suggestions?

Perhaps simpler approach.  Just use Macro Express variable.  What I tried below doesn't seem to work, however.  Any suggestions or comments?

Start (Enter):

<VARIABLE SET DECIMAL Option="\x00" Destination="%Speed%" Value="1"/>
<REPEAT START Start="1" Step="1" Count="1000" Save="FALSE"/>
<MACRO PLAYBACK SPEED Speed="%Speed%"/>
<TEXT TYPE Action="0" Text="<PAGE DOWN>"/>
<DELAY Flags="\x01" Time="5"/>
<END REPEAT/>

Slower (keypad -):

<VARIABLE MODIFY DECIMAL Option="\x02" Destination="%Speed%" Value1="%Speed%" Value2="1.1"/>

Faster (keypad +):

<VARIABLE MODIFY DECIMAL Option="\x02" Destination="%Speed%" Value1="%Speed%" Value2=".9"/>
 

More guidance please.  Error:  I set the 'default' value to 1.0.  Should one create a new key?  String value?  Binary value?  DWORD?

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Insight Software Solutions\Macro Express 4\$Temp\MacSpeed\

The variable, "", is not a valid variable. Please use a variable of the following type:
  Text Variables
  Integer Variables
  Large Integer Variables
  Decimal Variables
  Date/Time Variables
  Boolean Variables
  Control Variables
  Handle Variables
Please correct.

5 hours ago, Samrae said:

I am comfortable with the registry. It may be a bit more efficient than file I/O. But, as rberq said, it doesn't really matter where you store it. What have you tried? How did it work out?

Uh, put a "Write Registry Value" command in your second macro.

I've not used "Write Registry Value" before.  Will have to give it a try.

Thanks!

By the way, the only thing my "main macro program" is doing is 'pressing' page-down, over and over and over again.  In an ebook.  Simply going to the next page.  That's it.

But I want to be able to speed up or slow down the reading pace.

That's the whole purpose here presently.

Do you prefer saving the MacSpeed number into the Registry?  Why?  Is there an alternative, like, for instance, just the clipboard?

How would one get the changed MacSpeed number into the Registry?  A normal registry key file?

So, let's assume the default MacSpeed is 1.0.

We want to change that number to 1.1.  Then to 1.2.  Then 1.3.  Etc.

All by changing the MacSpeed number held in the Registry value?

Perhaps by setting on the desktop several registry key files, for each speed, and double-clicking on those respective files?

MacSpeed 1.0.reg

MacSpeed 1.1.reg

MacSpeed 1.2.reg

Can one initiate a second macro while a first macro is executing?

And the second macro change the playback speed of the first macro?

That might be a way to handle this present challenge.

I did say please, at least.

Things are so complicated.

Sounds really complicated.  So..., some genius here please put it all together.  Present full macro for download and use.

I would really like to be able to control the Macro Playback Speed using, say, the arrow keys (or some other would be fine, too).

Let's assume a start-up speed at the default 1.0.  Pressing the up arrow would increase the speed to, say, 1.1.  Pressing again, 1.2.  Etc.

Pressing down arrow would reduce speed to 0.9.  Again, 0.8.

What's the possibility of being able to accomplish this?

Thanks!

Nicholas Kormanik

Please see line that's below:

<REPEAT UNTIL Variable="%N2%" Condition="\x00" Value="13563637"/>
 

Is there a way to add an "or" and another value to look for?

Like, for instance:

Value="13563637" or Value="13563699"

Thanks much!

Nicholas Kormanik

Sounds promising.  Please implement in a way that normal people can put it to use.

Thanks a million!

Background:  

I like FBReader for reading .epubs.  Terrific program.  Except for one major omission.  For many years I've asked the developers to incorporate an auto-page-advance feature.  But no reply.

One has to manually hit page-down to go to the next page.

I can program Macro Express to hit Page Down, repeatedly, every so many seconds -- fixed speed.  Not a big deal.

But..., there's likely a better way.

Challenge and Request:

Ideally.  Program the keypad (+) and (-) keys to increase or decrease the speed of hitting the Page Down key.  Perhaps at 5% increments or whatever.

In other words, user brings up FBReader, and some .epub (but probably would work with any such reader or word processing program).  Start auto-page-advance by hitting the keypad (+) key.  Suppose the initial default is 30 seconds per page.  If that's too slow, hit the (+) key again, and the speed to next page-turn is faster.  Hit again, and faster still.

If the 30-seconds per page is too fast, hit the keypad (-) key.  And the page-turn is then made slower.  Hit again, slower still.

Whaddya think?  Doable?

Thanks much!

Nicholas Kormanik

Wow, what a beauty.  Not sure how to actually use it, so someone hurry and do that.  What does it mean to call from another macro?

Thanks for the encouragement!  Hope the feature makes it into the next release.

In the meantime, someone here please show the most efficient way of checking a HORIZONTAL LINE, say 10 pixels across.

Actual case I'm dealing with involves navy blue text on a white background, on a particular web page.  Trouble is, page gets refreshed, and the text moves slightly from where it was before.  A horizontal line could catch it, though.
 

The area being searched for a particular color doesn't necessarily have to be a square, thinking more about it.  Could be a line.  A horizontal line.  What is actually on screen is TEXT.  So a line passing through the text would do perfectly.  A full square or rectangle would be overkill.

A "one-second" cost would be a real bargain.  Would love to see an expert here put the macro together.  Can hardly wait, in fact.

Thanks!