kevin

[iSS6775]

We have spent a few hours trying to duplicate what you are describing without success. Macro Express Pro works with Firefox v 3.0.8 on all computers we have tried it on. We have tested on Windows XP Home, XP Pro, Vista Home and Vista Ultimate. The Mouse Locator works. A macro to detect the color change of the X works. Until we hear from someone else who is having a problem we have to conclude that the conflict is specific to your computer. The problem may be caused by your security software, by a utility program, or a setting within Firefox itself. It may also be a result of slight timing changes in Firefox that your macro is unable to account for. Does your macro first wait for Firefox to go busy and then for it to go not busy? If you contact Insight Software Support directly (via email) they can work with you to try to discover what is causing the issue.

The .mex file format is a binary format. If you edit it you will more than likely damage it. As Terry points out, however, you might be able to get away with simple changes such as changing a drive letter from C: to D:. Do you use variables as constants? I like to set variables at the top of my macros that contain constants such as file paths and registry keys. This makes them easier to modify later. Another way to edit macros would be to export a macro to a .mxe (playable macro) file, edit the file, and import it. The .mex format is a text (not binary) format. I recognize that this is tedious.

Questions about licensing are best sent to Insight Software Solutions directly rather than asked in this user-to-user forum.

A new issue, to replace the previously closed one, was created. The tracking number is [iSS6736]. Cory, you are listed on this issue as someone who reported the issue so you should have received an automated response from the tracking system. We will work on a fix for this issue. As another work-around you might try deleting this registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Insight Software Solutions\Macro Express 4\$Temp I have not had a chance to test this.

Feature requests can be entered ... YES, I know you already know that. I entered your request. It has been assigned the tracking number [iSS6766].

We will investigate. The tracking number is [iSS6757].

Wikipedia: Program Manager is the shell of Windows 3.x and Windows NT 3.x operating systems.

I think that was part of the purpose for the Macro Express 3.x Third Party Tools. The 'About This Forum' topic says: Another resource is the Shared Macros page. Send Insight Software Solutions an interesting macro and we'll post it. You might also receive a Macro Express T-shirt if we use your macro. I think it is a great idea to have a place to share macros with one another.

While the cursor is in the HotKey field all keystrokes are intercepted and interpreted as a hotkey selection. Once the cursor leaves this field the behavior returns to normal and shortcuts are recognized. To use a shortcut to select a different type of activation press the TAB key and then the shortcut key. This is by design.

We will update the help topic for the Run Macro in Variable to make it clearer. This has been assigned the tracking number [iSS6737].

Terry and notbob: Thank you for sending your macro files. We were able to identify and fix another problem with the invalid shortkey warning. The issue is caused when the shortkey activation is entirely included in another shortkey but not at the beginning of that shortkey activation. The invalid message was displayed for Terry's shortkey macro 'ms' because he had another macro named 'p8-msk'. This has been fixed. Notbob: We could not duplicate the problem by creating a shortkey macro of 'ma' with the macro file that you sent. I am guessing that the 'ma' is part of another shortkey macro that you chose not to include in the macro file you sent us. Could you please confirm this so we can make sure there is not another problem? Thanks again for helping us track the problem down.

You can paste numbers into Excel if you precede them with a ' like this '0100. Is there a cell formatting option in Excel that allows leading 0's?

The issue is not with the content of a specific macro. If the issue remains (see my other post) then it is related to all the other shortkey macros in your macro file (and possibly the Macro Recycle Bin). We need the macro file, not an individual macro. One other point. Pasting a macro into the body of an email message is not helpful. The formatting of email messages alters the content of macros sent this way. The only reliable way to send a macro is to export it to a macro file (Click File, Export, Export Macros) and send it as a file attachment.

Issue [iSS6421] with the description "Assigned a shortkey 'ff' to a macro for a pop-up menu and got "The ShortKey activation may conflict with one or more macros" has been fixed (even though it is not listed in the release notest for v 4.0.2.1). So my first request it to make sure that the warning message is coming up incorrectly with the latest version. I have tested the creation of shortkey macros using Macro Express Pro v 4.0.2.1 and, other than described above, cannot duplicate any problems. I understand the reluctance to send macros that contain sensitive information. If you continue to see a problem perhaps you could make a copy of your macro, remove the macros or macro commands containing sensitive information, and send the edited macro file to us. Make sure that you can duplicate the problem in the edited macro file. We appreciate any help you can provide to track down the problem.

We are now aware of two scenarios that cause the shortkey conflict warning message to appear when it may seem like it should not. Scenario #1 A shortkey macro is created or saved that would be in conflict with another disabled ShortKey macro if it were enabled. For example, a macro exists with a shortkey activation of 'macr' but this macro is disabled. When you create and save a macro with a shortkey activation of 'mac' you will see the warning message. Scenario #2 Using the suffix shortkey settings. You have one macro with a shortkey activation of 'macr'. The warning message comes up when you create or save a macro with the shortkey activation of 'mac'. If you are using the suffix shortkey options the macros 'mac' and 'macr' do not conflict because you have to type another letter after the shortkey before activation occurs. For example, 'mac ' or 'macr '. The warning message is just that, a warning. It says "The ShortKey activation may conflict..." It does not say that it will conflict. Macro Express Pro was designed this way to provide a warning in case you enable a previously disabled macro or in case you change the shortkey settings from 'suffix' to 'prefix' after a macro is written that causes a conflict with the new macro. Please let us know if you are seeing the warning message in other situations. If so, it would be helpful if you sent your macro file via email to Insight Software Solutions support.

This request has been added to our tracking system and assigned the number [iSS6721].

The answer remains the same. You cannot simply do a mouse click. Your only option is to try the Window Control commands. One of the Knowledgebase articles referenced in the previous post has a link to a sample macro. To state it differently: When Macro Express sends a mouse click (via the mouse click command) it is ALWAYS sent to the window with focus. This is how Windows works. If the minimized application happens to support Window Controls and if the Window Control on the application happens to recognize the message 'Send mouse click to a Window Control' then you can use the Window Control commands.

Normally, no. Windows only accepts keystrokes and mouse events (clicks & moves) for the window that has focus. However, you may have success if you use the Window Control commands and avoid certain macro commands that only work with the foreground window. For a sample macro that demonstrates this, open the samples.mex file (installed with Macro Express in the same folder as the Macro Express program files) and look at the macro titled 'Calc ulator and Note pad' (the extra spaces are part of the name).

Excessive CPU utilization can often be fixed by optimizing your macros. For example, the Delay command puts the CPU into a tight loop waiting for the end of the delay. This uses a lot of CPU cycles. However, the Wait for Time to Elapse does not. There are advantages to each of these commands. More detailed information is included in the Optimizing Macro Express CPU Utilization knowledgebase article. Note: TweakME3.mxe only works for Macro Express 3, it does not work with Macro Express Pro. We are still working on updating Knowledgebase articles to indicate which version of Macro Express applies.

Does this happen when Macro Express first loads or after it has been running for a while? Normally this occurs when Windows boots and launches Macro Express. On some systems, Windows is not really ready for Macro Express to run when it loads it. To correct this, use the 'Wait for' option found in Options, Preferences, Startup. Set a value of 5 to 30 seconds. You might want to try a higher number and then systematically reduce it. The System HotKey to load the editor is Ctrl+Alt+Shift+W Create a macro that contains the macro command Restart Macro Express. When the system tray icon disappears, run the macro to close and restart Macro Express.

Use the Program Launch command and put the path to the file in 'Program/Path name:' field. This will work for any type of file that has an extension that is associated with an application. The most likely reason your captured macro did not work when the window sizes changed is because you captured mouse movements and clicks. Most (but not all) actions within programs can be accomplished using keyboard shortcuts. For example, to open a file within Excel you can type: Alt+fo followed by the path and name of the file. This will work no matter the size of the Excel window. In many cases there are issues that come up when you capture a macro. Using the Script Editor to optimize your macro will pay off by allowing you to create a macro that runs quicker and is more reliable.

Macro Express and Macro Express Pro have commands to copy any 'text' from the clipboard and save it to a variable. In Macro Express Pro the command is Variable Set String %FromClipboard% from the clipboard contents. Similarly, there is a command to copy from a string variable to the clipboard Variable Modify String: Save %FromClipboard% to the clipboard. This copies and restores text but the clipboard can contain many other types of data such as images and other binary data. Macro Express Pro does not yet have a command to save and restore non-text clipboard contents. This has been requested several times and is on our list of features to consider.

The release notes for version 4.0.1.1 say: 36. Fixed a bug where hotkey macros would not activate in Internet Explorer 7 on Vista when protected internet mode was turned on. Contact Insight Software Solutions directly to request an extension of the 30-day trial.

The menus are not created by Macro Express Pro. Instead, they are created by the Windows Common Controls. Windows beeps when you type something that is not in the menu. You can make a feature request that this be turned off but it will likely receive a very low priority.