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Latency in hotkey activation


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I have many macros triggered by the same hotkey, e.g., Alt + A. The scope for each script is different, so there are no conflicts. But often there is a delay between the time I press the hotkey and its activation, up to five seconds.

 

I don't know if this observation is generally true for MEP, or whether there is something about the configuration of the computer I am using. Do others experience the same thing?

 

If the number of active scripts with the same hotkey affects recognition speed, are there "tricks" to setting scopes so the window titles or program names are recognized faster? Exact vs. Partial Match? Long match text vs. short match text? Program vs. Window title?

 

If a macro is disabled, is it completely ignored when another script triggered by the same hotkey is activated?

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I have reported a hotkey and shortkey latency that sounds a bit different but I throw it out there for you to decide.

 

I've notice it most with a shortkey macor I have that genreates unique tracking numbers. I type "ttn" anywhere and it replaces that with "TTN####" where the number signs are a unique integer identifier. I'm used to it working quickly inline while I'm creating tasks and such but sometimes it lags as much as several seconds. Enough so that I can type many more words and then it injects itself. This macro does read from the registry but I've seen it in others as well that do not. The only patterns is that it seems to happen after a long period of inactivity or even after the computer has been sleeping or pre-occupied with a full screen remote session to another computer.

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Alan and Cory,

 

I am running the latest MEPro on Windows 7 Home Premium Service Pack 1. I have noticed considerable latency at times with this operating system compared to Windows XP. There are times when MEPro goes absolutely dead (will not respond to HotKeys). If I change my current window to ME Explorer the problem disappears. Also, like you I encounter times that HotKey activation is extremely slow. I attribute these to problems with Windows 7 but I may be wrong.

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I updated from Windows XP to 7, and the delay from activation to execution is present in both. So at least in my case, I don't think it is exclusively related to the OS.

 

I wonder whether it is an MEP vs. ME3 issue. I don't remember these delays when I was using Macro Express 3.

 

The problem may stem from the fact that I use NaturallySpeaking. I think I have noticed a few odd interations between the two programs, but I have not been able to sort them out.

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Hi Alan,

 

On my XP system (4 GB, but less than 3 GB usable) this problem seems mainly confined to a single application, my video editor, as we discussed in this thread:

http://pgmacros.invi...?showtopic=5012

 

I came to the conclusion it was some conflict with the app itself, but haven't found a fix. It's a PITA, because it can be up to 20 seconds before the menu macro runs.

 

--------------------

 

BTW, excuse the digression, but I no longer seem able to compose that reference above in the neater form

'...as we discussed here.'

 

I tried the alternative 'Link to anchor in the text' but must be doing it wrongly, as I always get a message that there are no anchors.

 

--

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

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  • 2 weeks later...

Besides the long delay on initial use I cited above the delays I experience are not unlike delays I have in other apps so I believe the delay is due to the OS being too busy doing other things to listen to the user. Just now i replied to an email in OL, started typing and got 1.5 words out and my machine decided it had better things to do and ignored my input. After sitting there for several seconds all my text I had typed with no echo gushed across the screen. I need a new computer ;)

 

I've noticed that WLM likes to link into OL, IE, and other Office apps and causes delays in them due to it trying to be really clever. EG when you compose a message in OL if the recipient is a contact in WLM it shows you their WLM status. I often see a delay in Office apps just before an IM comes in WLM. Google apps, FaceBook, IM clients, and many more are al connecting in scary ways behind the scenes and IMHO are the cause of latency in a lot of apps. In a spiffy new i7 with 8GB RAM you don't notice it. But if you're still rocking the old Core-2 duo with 2GB with a lot of apps open things start to suck.

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