Turn off an action

Questions & Suggestions
1

In this new version 8 or possibly in an earlier version, is it possible to temporarily turn off some of the actions in a macro?

Example: I use three monitors. Tomorrow I am taking my mac to show someone how my work-flow works. Today’s macro gets my Freeter app opened, launches my TaskPaper document, and finally, launches my NVAlt app and puts it on my left screen.

I do not need this last step in tomorrows presentation. It is not useful or practical as it is using my extra screen.

It could also be useful if there was a way to put a non actionable comment block in a work flow for notes on this sort of action.

It would be useful if there was a way to tick a button on the macros actions so that, they were still there for later but could be temporarily switched off when not practical.

2

Can't you simply disable the actions that you do not plan to use?

Here is how you can do that easily from a hotkey :

3

Thanks. But … I am wondering if this is a bit overkill for what I wanted? I was thinking in the new version of KM there might me a way to switch off actions in a work-flow. This would be similar to what I have seen in photo editing software where you can usually turn off a filter to test it’s results - without actually deleting the filter in a work-flow.

Your macro example looks like it turns off the entire macro. All I wanted was to turn off two of the steps. I can always delete them and then put them back later but, I was hoping I could just turn them off temporarily.

Sorry if that was in what you offered and I missed it.

4

That macro there which you can assign a hotkey you like to. Will allow you to do what you want.

You select some actions from a macro, press the hotkey and the actions will be disabled and everything else runs.

5

Oh for goodness sake, do I feel silly. Thanks for the macro and the tip, but the solution was right in front of me the whole time, and was much less complicated than running a script.

All I had to do was to select the actions, right click on the gear icon on the actions upper right corner of the action, and select disable action(s). Duh! When I want it back I do the same thing and select enable action(s).

1 Like
6

Clever! I was using an AppleScript:

1 Like
7

Sure. It is a basic workflow that's been available for some time.

Do either of the following:

  1. ADD a different hotkey trigger
    OR
  2. ADD a check for Long-press key trigger

For the Actions you don't want to run, put them in a IF/THEN that is based on the trigger.

See MACRO: Trigger Option Using Long Press of HotKey [Example]

8

To enable or disable a macro, select it and then

  • click the tick mark at the bottom of the macro detail window (matching the one for Macros in the Macros column and the one for Macro Groups in the Macro Groups column).
  • Control click on the action and select Disable Action
  • Click on the Gear menu in the action and select Disable Action.
  • Select Action ➤ Disable Action.

No need to set up key bindings and use AppleScript unless you’re really keen.