Bizzare Behavior

[renee]

I know I've already asked for help with this but I just have to ask one more time so please forgive me for creating a new topic.

 

Ok, I re-wrote the offending macro, all by it's self ... here it is:

 

Macro Run: Access MH OLD INQUIRIES

Text Type: M

Macro Run: To print from Last Episode-All

 

It got stuck on the part where it's suppose to go and access the a button for "all" (to print all the documents)

 

I changed JUST THE Access MH OLD INQUIRIES to another menu option. AND that menu option didn't even have an M and it worked. It printed just fine.

 

This pull down menu has just been added to our list of pull down menus. It looks exactly the same as the others. I can't see anything different.

 

Here is the one that is giving me all the trouble looks like: see attached file.

 

OK you aren't going to believe this but I just tested it using a small d and it went to the Medical History and printed. So could they have messed it up when they programmed it? and instead of going to the M (which it did it open that assessment as you can see in the pictures) w/the letter d? I'm so confused.

pictures_of_annoying_macro.doc

[Jim Korenthal]

Hi Renée,

 

It's a little hard to understand exactly what the problem is from your description. I think I get it but forgive me if I'm offbase with this reply:

 

"They" might have indeed messed up, and your macro may be fine (but not acted on correctly by the software it's controlling). I'm sure you realize that a macro is only simulating a user's actions... have you tried slowly and carefully typing (and mousing if appropriate) the exact same things the macro does? It seems to me that that should categorically determine whether it's the macro or the underlying system that's going astray.

 

Good luck,

Jim

[renee]

Jim, I've come to the conclusion that it is indeed the people who added that menu item. Sometimes I can use the "hidden access key" (what I've always called it when you can hit the first letter and make it go to that file, etc.) and sometimes I have to write the macro using the arrows down to get to the menu item. It's so inconsisentent and I've gone thru each one individually and am almost thru! Thanks heavens it started messing up line 177 of the 260 lines rather than the very first one !

 

It is interesting that when doing it manually, the small letter d doesn't select the Medical History, but I've tested the macro about 500x's now (ok I exaggerate) and it works great. Thank you so much for responding. I just need to know that someone is listening. Everyone here at work have been listening to me rant all day and they have no clue what I'm talking about ... see even you had a hard time and YOU know this program LOL. Ok, everyone just keep their fingers cross it won't mess up! - Renee

[Jim Korenthal]

Hehe I hadda laugh at "rant all day and they have no clue what I'm talking about." You reminded me of something I heard the other day on the online game which is the realtime system I'm controlling in order to explore ME. A friend from the Netherlands works (at a very serious job) with another player, and the two of them were in the company cafeteria. They got into an argument about the new crafting system in the game and were heatedly saying things (in Dutch yet, lol) like, "No, you can't butcher corpses more than 8 levels below you, you just wind up mutilating the corpse and you'll never get your sinew that way!"

 

After a while they noticed that all the tables near them in the otherwise crowded cafeteria were empty. Imagine that!

 

- Jim

[floyd]

Renee,

 

I am assuming that when you refer to the "hidden access key" you are talking about the underlined letter on a menu (accelerator key).

 

I have seen instances where menu choices use both upper and lower case letters as accelerator keys. This is simply a bad design decision ... in my opinion.

 

Maybe it will help to understand how Macro Express sends keys using the Text Type command. From the Macro Express Explained book:

 

There may be instances where an uppercase character confuses the target application. When you Text Type an uppercase "F" the following is sent by Macro Express:

 

<SHIFTD>f<SHIFTU>

 

Think about this for a moment. For you to type an uppercase "F", you must hold the Shift key down, hit the "f" key, and then let go of the Shift key. Macro Express must do this also. So, when you Text Type "<ALT>F" this is what is sent internally:

 

<ALTD><SHIFTD>f<SHIFTU><ALTU>

 

The need to add shift keys may confuse an application's menu, so sending a literal lowercase "f" will avoid the need for them. When you Text Type "<ALT>f" only the following is sent:

 

<ALTD>f<ALTU>

 

Let's go back to the difference between sending a single "<ALT>f" (which you just saw) or double "<ALT><ALT>f" to activate a menu bar and choose, in our example, the File menu. Most of today's applications will work just fine with the former. There may be exceptions. When you find them, try the latter combination. It will send:

 

<ALTD><ALTU>f

 

That is correct. Sending two "<ALT><ALT>" keys in a row sends "<ALTD><ALTU>". Again, most applications think this is just fine, and will activate the chosen menu. Try both of these menu-activating keystrokes manually to discover which works best for your application.

 

It bears repeating that Macro Express needs to do exactly what you do to send keys to an application. Remembering this will make working with Macro Express less harrowing.

Also, when looking at the menus can you see what the accelerator keys are? If not, try hitting the Alt key by itself. This usually turns on the accelerator feature in a menu.

[renee]

Renee,

 

I am assuming that when you refer to the "hidden access key" you are talking about the underlined letter on a menu (accelerator key). yes... I never knew it was called the accelator key... I've been calling it the hidden access key all these many years.

 

I have seen instances where menu choices use both upper and lower case letters as accelerator keys. This is simply a bad design decision ... in my opinion.

 

[snipped] thanks for the explanation. It makes sense.

 

Also, when looking at the menus can you see what the accelerator keys are? If not, try hitting the Alt key by itself. This usually turns on the accelerator feature in a menu.

 

you can with the main menu, but not the fly outs so I have no idea what they did but i'll try the alt, alt just like the program recommends. - Renee

Renee,

 

I am assuming that when you refer to the "hidden access key" you are talking about the underlined letter on a menu (accelerator key). yes... I never knew it was called the accelator key... I've been calling it the hidden access key all these many years.

 

I have seen instances where menu choices use both upper and lower case letters as accelerator keys. This is simply a bad design decision ... in my opinion.

 

[snipped] thanks for the explanation. It makes sense.

 

Also, when looking at the menus can you see what the accelerator keys are? If not, try hitting the Alt key by itself. This usually turns on the accelerator feature in a menu.

 

you can with the main menu, but not the fly outs so I have no idea what they did but i'll try the alt, alt just like the program recommends. - Renee

[renee]

I just realized when I tried to go back and try Floyd's suggestion that the fly out menus don't use the Alt + whatever key. So I'm back to square 1... I have to figure out by trial and error what the access key they made for each of the fly out menus!

[floyd]

Renee,

 

Is it possible that the choices on the drop-down menus do not use accelerator keys? That the designer did not implement them?