Opening Exported Macro Opens Actions Back Into Existing Macro

Questions & Suggestions
1

When I double click on a macro I exported it automatically imports those actions into the macro it was exported from. Is this new behavior part of Keyboard Maestro 8 and how you can drag actions into other actions? I even renamed the Macro in the Finder and it did the same thing. Then I also renamed the Macro in Keyboard Maestro and still the same results of importing the actions into the macro that was there essentially duplicating the macro within itself.

I am not sure why I would ever want this behavior, it seems much safer to make a second macro with the name duplicate at the end. I would be scared to test what would happen if I exported my entire library and then opened it.

2

Hey @skillet,

What you’re describing isn’t true.

Exported macros will install as a disabled duplicate.

Exported actions will install in the macro currently open for editing.

Try exporting an enabled macro, and leave it enabled.

Then double-click the exported macro in the Finder.

If you really are seeing what you think you’re seeing then something is out-of-sorts on your system.

Restart the Keyboard Maestro Engine and the Keyboard Maestro Editor.

Reboot your system.

If things are still weird then report back, and we’ll try to sort things out.

-Chris

3

Bingo, thanks Chris that is exactly what happened. Has Keyboard Maestro always done this? I have opened probably hundreds of macros and never noticed this. Perhaps I just never noticed it or have never had the macro selected or likely both. Great to know, added that to the knowledge pool and bag of tricks. Thanks!

4

Hey @skillet,

I don't remember offhand what version it became possible to export actions by themselves.

In KM 8.x you can't export actions by mistake. I believe in KM 7.x the export depended upon what you had selected in the editor at the time.

-Chris

5

I am not sure I understand what changed, I just reconfirmed that in Keyboard Maestro 8 it exports the selected actions only. Is the difference in Keyboard Maestro 8 that it has the extension .kmactions for exporting only the selected actions?

6

In KM8, the menu was changed to provide two separate menu items for exporting Actions and Macros:

So, as @ccstone said:

7

Great thanks for the help, been away for a while and missed the reply.