MACRO: Quick Access Macro Editor Palette v1.1 Updated 2021-12-29

Macro Library
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Quick Access Macro Editor Palette v1.1

NOTE:

This macro should work just fine in KM 9. But if you have KM 10 or above, make sure you check out the "NOTE for users of KM10 and above" for additional features.

A "Quick Access Macro Editor Palette" lets you jump from one macro in the editor to another, just by clicking a palette item.

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So when you're working on a project where you have to jump around from macro to macro, stop trying to wade your way through the history menus, or ctrl+tab and ctrl+shift+tab, and set up a Quick Access Palette instead.

Just select a macro, and click the "Add" button:

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It automatically makes a new item on the palette, which, when clicked, will take you right back to this macro:

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Keep going until you've got the macros you need for now. You can always add more later, or delete items if you need to.

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NOTE for users of KM10 and above:

This macro will work in Keyboard Maestro version 9, BUT if you have KM v10 or later, you can have the palette display in the Menu Bar if you want:

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Just setup the palette like this (the red arrows point to the important things):
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INSTALLATION

Version 1.1

  • You can now select more than one macro at a time, and palette items for all selected macros will be added.
  • If you hold down the Command key when you click on a palette item, it will execute the macro instead of editing it.

Upgrade Instructions:

Install like normal, then delete the old macros - especially the old "99)Add Selected Macro to Quick Access Palette" macro.

NOTE: If you want the "Command" key option for any existing palette items, you'll need to delete them and re-add them to the palette.

Quick Access Macro Editor Palette Macros.v1.1.kmmacros (45.7 KB)

When you double-click the .kmmacros file, you get two macros in one new group:

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The group will import disabled, so enable it, show the palette (via the KM Status Menu), and start using it.

I'll post some more details in a little bit, but this should get you started.

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Tips

You can Option+Click on an item in the palette to take you to the item, so you can delete it or rename it or whatever. Thanks to @Zabobon for reminding me to include this tip.

Options

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1: AddOrderPrefixes

If this is set to 1 (the default), macros are added with prefix numbers, so you can reorder the palette easily if you want. New macros are added at the end, or before the "BottomMacroUUIDs" (#2).

2. BottomMacroUUIDs

You can put the UUIDs of the palette macros you want to always be at the end of the palette, As shipped, it comes with a separator and the "Add" macro.

If you'd rather put these at the top of the palette, set Local_BottomMacroUUIDs to empty, and add order prefix numbers to the 2 macros so they sort to the top, and they'll stay at the top.

The order numbers start out incrementing by 10, but they'll automatically switch to 5, or even lower, as needed.

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Very cool. I'm always getting lost when trying to jump between Macros I'm editing.
Now I see why you got so excited about Keyboard Maestro's URL Schemes the other day :slightly_smiling_face:

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Thanks, and me too. I can't believe it took me this long to create this!

Now I see why you got so excited about Keyboard Maestro's URL Schemes the other day :slightly_smiling_face:

I'm not sure if that was the inspiration or not, since I could have done this in AppleScript or JXA. But trying to understand how my brain works is a losing endeavor. :stuck_out_tongue:

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And of course, Option+Click on a Macro Entry on the Palette takes you straight to the Macro's Alias allowing it to be easily deleted when done with.

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Thanks for reminding me - I meant to mention that. I updated the second post to include that tip.

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Immediately downloaded since this will be very useful for me.

Especially since when I modify existing macros, I copy the relevant actions into a new macro in my Test Group and point to that with an execute a macro action that way I can easily preserve the original macro in case I screw something up. So if I need to bounce around between the calling macro and the test subroutine it can get cumbersome.

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Awesome. I'm sure you already know that when you copy macros that call other macros, they might reference the original macros instead of the copies.

So I like to change the names of the copied macros, prefixing them with something annoying and obvious, so it's easy to make sure everybody's calling the right things.

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clap clap outstanding macro @DanThomas , as usual a must have

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Hello @DanThomas

Wow - you did it again - You created something that EVERY PERSON SHOULD HAVE !!
THANK YOU FOR MAKING / SHARING !!

Since I am also lost when working on Projects in KM - I just downloaded this Palette but I have some Questions:

  • Can I install it without upgrading to KM 10 ??
  • Can you update the OP pointing to reflect the minimum Requrements for this Palette ??

Greatings from Germany

Tobias

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Thank you, and you're welcome. :blush:

  • Can I install it without upgrading to KM 10 ??
  • Can you update the OP pointing to reflect the minimum Requrements for this Palette ??

Yes, it should work just fine in KM 9. However, you really should upgrade to KM 10, because it's awesome, and it adds an additional feature you can use in this macro. See the notes I added to the OP.

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For anyone just skimming this thread, here's a recap of a change I just made to the original post. Note that this does NOT require downloading a new version of the macro.

NOTE for users of KM10 and above:

This macro will work in Keyboard Maestro version 9, BUT if you have KM v10 or later, you can have the palette display in the Menu Bar if you want:

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Just setup the palette like this (the red arrows point to the important things):
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Thank you for the quick reply and the Info...

by the way - Merry Christmas

just thinking about providing me an additional Christmas Present to my recently bought iMac and StreamDeck XL (also self provided Christmas Presents) on buying KM 10 :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

oh my - the most expensive Christmas Presents I have ever bought in My Life so far...

Greetings from Germany

Tobias

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Sounds like your Christmas will be Merry indeed! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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You're absolutely right... I am about to change my Life piece by piece - even it is not an easy task for me...

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Hi Dan,

Thanks a lot for sharing. Another great macro!

I have a question/request, is it possible to add an option to trigger the macro?
I was thinking that maybe we could use, say, "cmd/ctrl + click" to execute the macro. It maybe as simple as adding an "If modifier key is pressed" condition to decide with to execute the macro or jump to the macro (screenshot below), but I don't have the ability to edit the JXA code at all.

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That sounds doable. I'm not sure when I'll get to it, but hit me up again in a week if I haven't done it by then.

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New version. You can download it from the original post.

Version 1.1

  • You can now select more than one macro at a time, and palette items for all selected macros will be added.
  • If you hold down the Command key when you click on a palette item, it will execute the macro instead of editing it.
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Great additions, thanks Dan!

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@DanThomas, this is another incredibly useful macro! Thanks so much for sharing your time and expertise.

Others may not be aware of one of your other amazing macros: Palette Organizer. It's a great tool if one wants to rearrange the items in a group for a Conflict Palette including a group for Quick Access Palette (or menubar menu for KM 10+).

2 Likes