brad6499

Great reason to upgrade then! Just bought Macro Express Pro. However, my variables now show up like this: %T[99]% (note the brackets) whereas in MEX3 it would've appeared as %T99%. Is the bracketing required? I don't see it in your code: Var set string %T%N99%% from clipboard If not required, curious why all of my variables now have it when opened in MEXPro. Thanks [uPDATE: I figured it out. The brackets were required. Guessing either the brackets were added after your original post date, or you excluded them for clarity reasons. Either way, this post was very helpful so thanks!]

I have been trying to do EXACTLY this, without success. Where would I paste your code in MacroExpress? The only option I can seem to find is 'Variable Set String' - however it forces you to pick from a dropdown list of T variables. Just need help how to get this command working: Var set string %T%N99%% from clipboard Thank you!

Dang. Okay thanks.

It's a program very similar to Excel that looks at a conditional "if/then" statement. If the statement becomes true, it has a feature to "run" an external program. In this case, I have it running C:\Program Files\Macro Express3\MeProc.exe /ACONSOLE, where "CONSOLE" is the name of my Macro Express Macro. If the statement in another cell becomes true that say launches C:\Program Files\Macro Express3\MeProc.exe /ATERMINAL while CONSOLE is still running, it won't do anything because MEX is not available - and this is perfectly okay. I just cannot have the TERMINAL macro run after CONSOLE completes unless the conditional formula for TERMINAL is still calling that macro. Does that make sense?

Thanks for the reply Kevin. Can you explain what you mean by this?

Hello! I'm back with a new problem. I hope someone has seen this before and knows a (simple) workaround. I am running specific macros that are called from another program when certain parameters are met (through the: [C:\Program Files\Macro Express3\MeProc.exe /A**MEX Name**] code). This program doesn't only send the "run" command once, it continues to send the "run" command until the parameters are no longer met. This is fine when the same macro is being called, but my problem arises when A DIFFERENT macro is called out while the first one is still running. For example, lets say I am running Macro A because specified parameters in the other program were met for that to happen. In the middle of Macro A carrying out its tasks, the other program obtains new data (i.e. from a DDE link) and now new specified parameters are met, triggering the program to call out Macro B. Because Macro Express cannot run two macros at the same time, nothing happens to interrupt Macro A (which is fine.) Now let's say that after this happens, the other program's data changes so NO parameters are met to run any macros. Sometime thereafter, Macro A completes its tasks and ends, freeing up Macro Express. Now here's the issue: Even though the other program had STOPPED sending the "run Macro B" command much earlier - Macro Express automatically runs Macro B as soon as Macro A has completed. This has caused me a lot of headaches because if the parameters from the other program are no longer met, I can't have it running the macros late. Is there some way to prevent this? I don't know how to use the registry functions and unless it is absolutely required, I really don't have the time to thoroughly pick that up. I'm hoping there's a setting somewhere in MEX to automatically clear out the "macro waiting" cache or simply prevent "stacking" MEX run commands indefinitely until MEX is freed up. Please help! Thanks -- Brad

Well since it applies to my last post, I thought I'd throw in a request for the Excel Functions Library to handle direct write to Excel files without opening them. I know how to create CSV or Text files that Excel can open, but if the file is never opened in Excel, Excel cannot link to the cells in these file types. For example: If I create a CSV file that has a variable value written to cell A5, another Excel file cannot reference the stored value in cell A5 unless it is open in Excel. If there is a workaround on this - PLEASE SHARE. If not, let's get this added. It sure would be nice for some of the crap I'm working on right now. Thanks! Brad

Sorry for not including you on my list! You definitely should have been on there. I am trying some of your solutions and will post if I find anything else that would be helpful for anyone else who runs into a similar situation. Can you email me when this new Excel connectivity module becomes available for beta testing? I'd love to give it a go. Thanks again! Brad

Okay so I realize it isn't everyone's job to help me with mine, but I have a major project and very little time to finish it so I thought I'd "summon the powers that be" (Kevin /Floyd/Randall ...) to get some assistance. Here's the scene: I have a program (we'll call it "CONSOLE") that continually updates data into a tabluar spreadsheet that interfaces with an Excel file (we'll call it "MASTER SHEET") through a DDE link. Every two minutes, new data is written to the tabluar file in Console, but for some reason (they're "looking into it") the DDE link DOES NOT update automatically into the Master Sheet as you'd expect with a DDE link. The DDE link in the Master Sheet comes across in an array formula that, in order to update, requires a few manual keystrokes to refresh and pull the new data. The DDE array formula comes across as {=Console|HISTORY!'@S_P[iNTERVAL:MINUTE,COMPRESSION:2,SORT:ASC,NDATE:10/25/2007,NTIME:14:14,FDATE:10/25/2007,FTIME:7:30,VERSION:1]?DATE,TIME,OPEN,HIGH,LOW,CLOSE'} Obviously, I can write a vb macro in Excel (or ME) that, through sending key strokes, auto-refreshes the data from Console, but that's definitely not where I'm hung up. Once I have the updated data into the Master Sheet Excel file, a conditional formula is triggered that runs the appropriate .mxe program based on the values that came across on the DDE refresh. (Let me know if I've lost anyone yet.) Now, once the .mxe file is running, I need to gather additional variables and data from Console, write it to a different Excel file (we'll call this one "Sub Sheet"). This Sub Sheet file is also linked (cell references) to the Master Sheet. As this new data is written into the Sub Sheet, I need the Master Sheet to be refreshed so that if certain conditions are met, the running .mxe file is either stopped, or triggered to do something else entirely. After this, the whole process must repeat itself every two minutes as the new data is posted from Console to the Master Sheet. The obvious answer (to me) is to continually flip back and forth between Console and the various Excel spreadsheets and "copy" and "paste" into the appropriate places, then copy a specified cell that would, if conditions were met, take the .mxe logic down another “if then” statement. While I would LOVE for this to work, there are too many variables coming too quick and toggling screens to do this has repeatedly built up errors that eventually cause: ME/Excel program failure or a system crash. Because the stability is so important, I need a solution that doesn't require me to toggle between screens more than once or twice every two minute cycle. So, here are my conundrums: - Can Macro Express write directly to the Sub Sheet Excel file without opening it, and if so, HOW? I saw an old posting (back in 2005) that said it was possible, but that you need ---new "ExcelComWIZ"; And only the "exe" in MEX directory from the zip; {_ExcelComWIZ}.mxe, MEbasicWizard.zip"--- Are these files still available? I cannot download them through the links I saw. If the process has been integrated into the new 3.XX versions, please let me know how to use it. - If a .mxe macro is running, can it be stopped/changed without causing problems or error messages that need to be cleared before ME can launch a different macro? (Or better yet, can ME run more than one macro at a time?) - What is the best method for capturing data from of a program that does not respond to key strokes and when the control function (ie. C1) does not return the correct information? If the answer is mouse clicks and movement, can I pause/stop a macro (that is controlling mouse movement to gather the data) when I move the mouse manually? - Is it possible to display a dialog box that displays a message while the macro continues to run in the background behind the dialog box? Same question but now taking into consideration that the program does not respond to keystrokes (only mouse movement and clicks.) If so, is it possible to have this dialog box change its message as certain conditional variables are met through the data being captured in the background? (i.e. captured data shows that N1 > N2, Message displays "Over"; captured data shows that N1 < N2, Message displays "Under"; captured data shows that N1 = N2, Message displays "Equal Distribution" etc.) That's all I can think of right now. I realize I'm breaking about a hundred posting rules with this one, but I'm desperate for help! Thank you in advance for anyone that takes the time to read about my project, or ideally, respond to it!

Wow. You're a freaking genius Kevin. Really. I would never have thought of this dynamic solution. It'll obviously take some tweaking, but I don't see why this wouldn't fix our problem. Brainstorming this solution, I just thought about a fix along these same lines. A dialog could prompt to modify a variable that would set the Macro Playback speed factor placed at the beginning of every macro. All I'd need to do is save the variable(s) to mem, and restore values prior to each macro. Could this work? I haven't tried it yet so I don't know if the playback factor can even be set as a "N" or "D" variable. If this does work, it could be a lot quicker/easier mod than going through and changing every timed delay to a "D" type variable. My end users could then adjust their personal macro speed on the fly without bugging me. ME doesn't hold variables after comp restart does it? Is that why you write it to the registry? I need to learn more about how to do this. Thanks!

This is very helpful information. I really appreciate your reply. I guess our biggest problem is that we didn't consider "reliability vs. optimization" in the inconsistent environments we operate under. We were more focused on making the macros run as quickly as possible to save as much time as possible for the end user. This obvioulsy has caused an even bigger slow-down by reducing reliability in operation. It appears that a number of these solutions will still require modifications on the individual computers. We're looking at a potential work environment of over 100 computers in the next 6-12 months. Small changes seem impossible on such a large scale with our limited support staff. We will try to modify some of the "global" timing settings and see if this works for our immediate needs. I am still very open to additional ideas or other "fixes" to remedy multi-user timing problems like we're experiencing. Please post if you've encountered similar issues and how you've been able to get around them. Thanks again Kevin.

We run ME on multiple workstations throughout the office. Each is "sharing" a copy of the same mex file, all running the same macros. Some machines are equipped with more RAM, others have less. Some machines have faster CPU speeds, others are slower. When macros are played back on the various computers, they have timing errors - but in different places from one computer to the next. (Timing errors we most commonly experience are: _____ window did not appear; text typed too fast; typing text before program is ready, etc.) This has been a nightmare because some of the macros have hundreds of steps, using multiple 3rd party software programs - with delay points throughout the script(s). Without spending hours on each machine - tweaking "their version" of the main mex file so it runs on their computer, the rollout of new macros and/or updates is near impossible. I worry that if everyone links to ONE mex file on the server, every computer (except the one the macro was written on) will have the same timing problems. I can't really find anything on the forum regarding this so I hope it's not an "ID10T" error I'm having. Does anyone have suggestions to prevent/fix these timing errors, considering the environments will always be different (RAM, CPU speed etc.)? I am open for ANY suggestions. Note: we never "capture" macros with mouse movements etc. All of our macros are written utilizing the direct/script editor. Thanks in advance for your help!

This code is how you go to a specific cell in Excel. I used Cell A1 for this example: <TEXTTYPE:<ALT>eg><TEXTTYPE:A1<ENTER>> Once you're in the first column of the row you want, highlight the entire row by using: <TEXTTYPE:<CONTROL><SHIFT><ARROW RIGHT>> (If you have an empty column, this command will need to be repeated so the entire row is highlighted.) A1 could easily be set as a variable so it can be adjusted on the fly. I know this post is old ... hopefully it will help someone who has a similar need. Brad

Has anyone ever used Adobe GoLive or a similar web-authoring program to generate HTML Applications (HTA)? GoLive doesn't seem to have anything on their help pages referencing these. I am not too experienced in writing HTML and I need to create a HTA that gathers variables on one page - versus the ten it would take using ME's built-in capabilities. I saw the posting on the forum by Floyd back in Dec 2004 on these, but I am too novice to understand how to modify the code by hand into what I need. Any suggestions are appreciated. -Brad