Feature Request: Proposed easier way to open macros jn the editor

Questions & Suggestions
1

I have a feature request related to editing macros. I spend a LOT of time editing macros—I open my editor up a dozen times a day or more to tweak a shortcut. The speedbump for me is always locating the macro I want to edit within the editor. (And, yes, my macros are very organized!) Right now this process looks like:

  1. Open the editor.
  2. Select the “All Macros” group. (I have a macro to do this!)
  3. Press ⌘F
  4. Type in the name of the macro I want to edit, assuming I can remember it (if not, this process takes longer)
  5. Mouse to and click the search result I want

My proposal: simply add a shortcut to the “Trigger Macro by Name” palette so that if I hit ⌘⏎, the macro opens in the KM editor for me to edit.

1 Like
2

Two things that might help you:

  • If the macro you want to edit also uses the Status Menu trigger, you can select it from the menu with the Option key down to open KM Editor with that macro selected.

  • From the View menu of KM Editor, you can select Sort by Macro Execution or Sort by Macro Modification. If you have the “All Macros” category selected, the macro you’re looking for could very well be at the very top of the list. You could even make a macro to launch KM Editor for you, select All Macros, and change the sort order, with a single hot key.

1 Like
3

I'm in complete agreement with Jack. Not only is it a good idea in and of itself - it is consistent with the OSX UI - Specifically Spotlight's Go-To item in Finder.

4

In the Trigger Macro by Name palette, option double click to edit the macro.

In macro palettes, option click to edit the macro.

In the status menu, hold the option key down to edit the macro.

I have yet to figure out a good UI for hot key/typed string triggered macros.

2 Likes
5

Very good. Option-Return also works.

1 Like
6

Oh wow, that’s it! Didn’t realize this already existed. Thank you!

7

I don’t wanna sound naive, but is there a way to edit outside the “Keyboard Maestro Editor”? I tried looking at the info in this forum chain, but it does not seem to be readily apparent. Any insight appreciated.

8

Edit outside the editor? No.

If you want to edit macros, you use the Keyboard Maestro (editor) application. There isn’t any way to edit macros except within the application.

I’m not really sure what you’re trying to accomplish.

You can create quick macros on the fly, but they are strictly “record and then play back”. There is no editing.

9

I was just finding that some of the repetitive tasks were a bit cumbersome to edit, whereas in a text source code scenario, I might be able to use a column mode editor. But, yes, looking at the macros code itself, that does not look practical.

With that said, I am overall very impressed with Keyboard Maestro. Wish I knew about it a long time ago.

10

I was just finding that some of the repetitive tasks were a bit cumbersome to edit

I think the secret here is to create your own libraries and then call them from your macros. I have libraries for each of my applications (Finder, Omnifocus, Mail etc) and even some for certain websites. If I use something more than once then I try to break it out into what I call an 'Ingredient' and put it in these libraries.

I find that even something that seems utterly trivial is worth making into an ingredient - it's easier to call a Macro called Set CurrentDay Variable than to recreate the Action
Set Variable ‘CurrentDay’ To Calculation DAY(NOW())
each time I want it...

11

Rather… Yes, I think that could help. I will give that a try. Many thanks.

12

OK, I wanna give that a try now, but how do you call the library item?

13

Use the “Execute a Macro” action (from the Execute category).

14

Is there a way to pass arguments to the macro that is called?

15

Not directly from the action, but you can set variables from a macro and access them from another.

16

So basically they are global then, correct?

17

Yes, they are global and persistent (even across reboots). And you can also see/edit them from the preferences window.

18

A lot of flexibility to get familiarized with, but I think I get it now. Many thanks for the info.

19

This is kind of related.

When editing, I use Command-K to bring up and remove the Actions selection pane. The problem I have is that when I bring it up, it does not default to placing the cursor into the Actions Search Box. So rather than quickly bringing up the Actions to select, I have to move the mouse to the box.

I see that I can simply start typing and do alphabetical searches. However, invariably, I am not searching for a known command, rather I search for a solution - for example, anything related to “clipboard”. In the case of clipboard, there are no actions that start with the name “clipboard”, so I have to go hunting.

If there is a hack or other solution/setting that will allow me to toggle directly into to the Actions Search box, and then after finding the command, remove the Actions Search Pane from the editing session, I’d certainly like to hear about it.

20

Hot Key: Command-K

if menu item Hide Actions is enabled
	Select Menu Item View ➤ Hide Actions
else
	Select Menu Item View ➤ Show Actions
	Type a Keystroke: Command-F