Want to evaluate, Q1: What about timing Q2: Is there an evaluation period?

[inventorArtist]

I want to use this to automate some inkscape tasks.

Some of the tasks I do manually have delays and stuff. Does this software wait a predetermined amount of time before going to the next step or can it tell if a process has finished or not?

Is there an evaluation period and if so, how long is it?

I just registered for this forum, I'm a little concerned that I might not get a ping to my email if somebody answers this post.

[Cory]

There are timing controls in MEP, but not for everything. Some things, like modern apps or web pages do things differently so that one has troubles with the control. But most WinForm applications that use form controls, one can use timing controls that wait for things. For instance there might be a box that pops up announcing something is done. MEP can wait for it to appear before it moves on. 

MEP is free to try for 30 days. 

[acantor]

There are applications that Macro Express cannot "see," and to reiterate Cory's point, any web application (or web page) can be the source of all sorts of mischief when information is coming over the internet. Nevertheless, it's usually possible to insert delays into Macro Express scripts. For example, Macro Express can watch for changes in the shape of the mouse cursor, or the colours of individual pixels. In a worse case scenario, you can specify a specific number of milliseconds. Even scripts with time delays (rather than with more programmatic events) can come close to being 100% reliable.

[rberq]

Here's a typical loop I use to determine when a screen has changed, so the macro can proceed to its next step.  As the comment lines note, I know where on the screen a green button is, so the macro moves the mouse to the button, then loops waiting for button color to change.  Once color changes the macro clicks on the button.  Nominally the loop waits for 20 seconds (200 repeats with 1/10 second delay after each repeat).  Of course if the button DOESN'T change the loop ends anyway, the macro clicks the mouse, and things go all to hell -- that's not serious in this case since it's just working with a signon screen.

This sort of waiting is excellent for web-based applications, because the macro will wait pretty long if the web is slow, or click almost instantaneous if the web is fast. With an application running directly on your own computer, waits are usually pretty consistent and you can get by with simple Delay commands.     

  // wait for switch to name/password screen (monitor for green Submit button to change to dark blue with
  // mouse hovering, and white to right of button)
  Mouse Move Screen 780, 540
  Repeat Start (Repeat 200 times)
    Get Pixel: Under Mouse into %N1%
    Get Pixel: Screen Coords: 840,540 into %N2%
    If Variable %N1% = 6567680
      AND
    If Variable %N2% = 16777215
      Repeat Exit
    Else
      Delay 100 Milliseconds
    End If
  Repeat End
  //
  Mouse Left Button Click

[inventorArtist]

Thanks everybody. 

 

This looks promising.

 

I'm going to have one go with doing it in whatever script comes with inkscape. I'll give it three hours and that failing I'll get the download and try. If it works of course I'll buy it. :)

[marteb]

We currently use MEP to enter data into our ERP system using a desktop application.  I use controls in my programs to watch for 'pop-ups' before continuing with the next step in the process.  The desktop application is going away and the company has moved to an HTML5 web application.  MEP doesn't seem to be able to see the 'pop-ups' in HTML5. 

Based on Cory's and acantor's posts, using controls will not work in HTML5 web pages, I would have to use code similar rberq's to make this work.  is this correct?

Thanks, Marteb

[Cory]

Correct. MEP is not aware of controls in any WebBrowser control. That's the control in the 'form' you call a web browser.