Magnificent Macros

The number one Edit tool to reduce the number of keystrokes you press while editing is macros.
In this class you’ll learn how to use macros provided with Case CATalyst and how to create your own macros, so that you can expend less effort to achieve quality results!

Presented by Larry Paiz

Magnificent Macros

What Are Macros?...... 3

Identifying the Need for a Macro...... 3

Restore and Use Extras Edit Macros...... 3

Record, Save and AssignYour Own Macros...... 5

Assign Macros to Toolbar Buttons...... 9

What are Macros?

Macros are shortcuts that play back a series of functions in Edit. The functions can be recorded by keystroke or by clicking a menu item or toolbar icon. In Edit and in Manage Dictionary they can be played back via the keyboard or the mouse. Macros enable you to save time and energy when editing by reducing the number of keystrokes pressed in repetitive tasks.

Identifying the Need for a Macro

Any task that requires you to use more than one function and will need to be done again (in the current or additional jobs) is a good candidate for a macro.

TIP: Check the list of functions in your keyboard map before recording a macro. You may be pressing multiple keystrokes to perform a single function and single functions can be assigned to the keyboard map without having to record a macro.

For example, you might click three times or press three keystrokes (Alt+s, w, h) to use change one word into another via the Cycle Homophones function. However, you can assign the Cycle Homophones function to any available key in your keyboard map. It is not necessary to record those keystrokes as a macro.

Restore and Use Extras Edit Macros

The best, most helpful Edit macros are the ones that meet your specific needs. The best sources for ideas for helpful macros come from recognizing a situation where you have been using the same series of commands to edit, over and over again.
However, there are certain shortcuts that many reporters have reported
that they need. These most popular macros have already been recorded for you and provided with Case CATalyst.

Before using any of the pre-recorded AccelerWriters, you should:

  1. Click Help, Exceptional Extras, Using Extras Edit Macros and Extras Keyboard Maps to review a document that explains what each macro in this package of sample files does and how it would be used.
  2. Restore the Extras.ZIP file to your user:
  1. Click Help, Exceptional Extras (Alt+h, e).
  2. Click Restore Extras.ZIP.
  1. Make sure Keep Case Structure is selected.

NOTE: It is very important to ensure that Keep Case Structure is selected. If this option is not selected, all 78 of the files contained in the Extras.ZIP backup will be restored to the main level of Manage Jobs. These files must be in the proper locations inside the System Files case in order to function properly. There is (currently) no “undo” command for restore, and it can be time-consuming to move the files to the correct locations.

  1. Click OK (Enter).
  1. Assign macros to keys in the keyboard map you use.

If you have never edited your keyboard map, and you currently use either the Default or CAT4 kbd keyboard map, you can use the Extras -Default or Extras - CAT4 kbd keyboard map instead. In addition to the keyboard commands with which you are familiar, the Extras Edit macros are included, already assigned to the keys described in the Using Extras Edit Macros and Extras Keyboard Maps document. All you will need to do is set the preferred keyboard map to load whenever you open Translate and Edit or Edit.

If you have made any changes to your keyboard map, then whether or not it is named Default or CAT4 kbd or a custom name such as Jane’s Kbd, you will likely not want to use the pre-recorded Extras keyboard maps with macros already assigned to particular keys. Instead, you should assign the Extras macros you plan to use to available keys in your custom keyboard map.

  • Using one of the Extras Keyboard Maps:
  1. Do one of the following:

From Manage Jobs, click Tools, Options, Edit, Advanced Edit…
(Alt+t, o, e, a).

From Edit, click Tools, Options, Advanced Edit… (Alt+t, o, e, a).

  1. Under Keyboard Map Options, click Default Keyboard Map, then click the down arrow at the end of the row in the right-hand column.
  2. Select the name of the keyboard map you want to use (e.g. Extras - Default or Extras - CAT4 kbd).
  3. Click OK.
  • Assigning the Extras Macros to Your Custom Keyboard:
  1. Open any file, in Edit.
  2. Double click the name of the keyboard map located next to Kbd Map: on the status bar.
  3. Double click any key (or click once and then press Enter or Ctrl+m) to open the Assign Key to Function dialog.
  4. At Filter by Category: select Keyboard and Macros.
  5. One at a time, select each macro you wish to use, enter the preferred key assignment, and click Assign (Alt+a).

TIP: To decide which edit macros you might want to assign and use, click Help, Exceptional Extras, Using Extras Edit Macros and Extras Keyboard Maps, and review pages 2-4 for descriptions of the pre-recorded macros.

  1. Use the macros as needed by pressing the assigned key for the command you need. Position the cursor as described in the macro description and then press the associated key.

Record, Save and Assign Your Own Macros

  • One Time Only

If you always use the same keyboard map, there is one item you should set up in Advanced Edit Options… that will make it a little easier and faster to assign your macros to keys in your keyboard map:

  1. In Edit, click Tools, Options, Advanced Edit… (Alt+t, o, a).
  2. Under Keyboard Map Options, click Keyboard to open when assigning recorded macros.
  1. Do one of the following:

Click the down arrow at the end of the row to select one of the keyboard maps in the System Files case

Click […] to browse to and select a keyboard map located in another Case CATalyst user’s System Files case.

  1. Click OK to close Advanced Edit Options and save this setting.
  • Each Time You Record a Macro
  1. Recognize the need for a macro.

TIP: Many users find it helpful to write down the specific commands they perform, so that it is easier to remember what to press or click while recording.

  1. Position the cursor where it will be when you play back the macro the macro you’re about to record.
  1. Click Tools, Macro, Record (Alt+t, m, r).

TIP: If you do not want to have to click Tools, Macro, Record each time you want to record a macro, click the dotted line at the top of the Macro submenu and drag it toward your toolbars.

  1. Do any of the following to perform the series of functions you want to record:
  • Press keys assigned to functions.
  • Click toolbar icons and/or select menu items with the mouse to record the series of functions.

NOTE: There are some restrictions as to what actions will result in Edit commands being recorded:

When a dialog box is open, you must use the Alt+key keyboard shortcut to select an option or command.Clicking a button or an option in a dialog box will not be recorded as part of a macro.

When you want to mark text as part of a macro, you must use keyboard commands. Clicking and dragging will not be recorded.

If the cursor must be repositioned, you must use keyboard commands. Pointing and clicking to position the cursor will not be recorded.

Using Ctrl+Tab or Alt+Tab (or clicking on a part of the screen) to move to another file or function within Case CATalyst or outside of Case CATalyst will not be recorded.

NOTE: While recording a macro, there may be times when the commands you are recording may require situation-specific variations. For example, suppose one of the commands in a macro you are recording is to include a file, but the specific file that should be included while playing that macro might change from job to job.For these situations, you can insert a pause in the macro so that you can perform a task “outside” the playing back of the macro, and then resume playing back the rest of the recorded commands.

To record a pause, click the Pause button in the RecordMacrodialog. As soon as you press Enter, the macro will resume recording keyboard commands and/or clicks to toolbar icons or menu items.

  1. When finished recording, click Stop in the Record Macro toolbar.

NOTE: If you shift the cursor focus to a function outside of Edit or to another application, or if you perform any commands (e.g. dragging to mark) which are not recognized by the Record Macro function, you may be prompted with the following message:

“The actions you took are not recordable. These are not actions that can be saved for a macro.”

If you receive this message, click OK and then start over again. Pay careful attention to the cursor position and re-record the macro using only keystrokes and/or mouse clicks on toolbar icons or menu items.

  1. Type a name for the macro in the Save Macro dialog.
  2. Make sure the Assign After Savingoption is selected (to ensure you will be prompted to assign the macro to a key in a preferred keyboard map immediately after saving.
  3. Click Save (Enter).

If you pre-selected the keyboard map to open when assigning macros, the keyboard map will open after you click Save, with the Assign Key to Function dialog open and the macro you just recorded selected as the Function and ready to assign to an available key.

If you did not select the specific keyboard map to open when assigning macros in Advanced Edit Options... you will be prompted to select the keyboard map to which you want to assign the macro.

  1. Assign the macro to an available key in your keyboard map.
  1. Select the key, Shift+key, Ctrl+key or Ctrl+Shift+key that you want to assign your macro.
  2. Click Assign (Enter).

NOTE: You will receive a warning message if you selected a key which is assigned to another function. If you click Yes the current function assignment will be replaced with the selected function. If you click No, Assign will be cancelled and you can select a different key for the function.

  1. Click Close (Alt+c) to close the Assign Key to Function dialog box.
  2. Save the changes to the keyboard map via any one of the following methods:

Press Ctrl+s.

Click File, Save(Alt+f, s).

Right click the keyboard map file tab and then click Save.

  1. Use the macros as needed by pressing the assigned key for the command you need. Position the cursor as described in the macro description and then press the associated key.

Assign Macros to Toolbar Buttons

Most reporters and scopists will invoke commonly-used macros in edit by pressing an assigned key in the keyboard map. It is easy to remember the key to press for a macro you use frequently. However, it can be difficult to remember keyboard shortcuts for less commonly-used macros. For macros you want to use but only use infrequently, you may prefer to have toolbar buttons so that you can see the shortcut you want and just click to use it.

The icons labeled M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5 are placeholders for toolbar buttons that can be assigned to play back individual macros (and whose appearance can be customized with alternate text and/or images).

The Add Macro Button on Toolbar button enables you to select a macro and add it to the Macros toolbar. By default, the macro will appear as the next available number; if you currently have M1-M5, clicking the Add Macro button will automatically be labeled M6.

  • To assign a macro to one of the unassigned Macro toolbar buttons, use one of the following methods:

Click a button (e.g. M1), and then at the Choose Macro dialog, select the macro to be assigned to that button. Then, click Open (Enter).

Click the Options button on the Macro toolbar. Click the Macro Filename field to the right of the macro button, click Browse, and then at the Choose Macro dialog, select the macro to be assigned to that button. Then, click Open (Enter), and then click OK to close the Macro Toolbar Options dialog.

  • To change the text of the Macro toolbar button from M1, M2, M3, etc. to text that helps you know which macro the button is assigned to play, use one of the following methods:

Click the Options button on the Macro toolbar. Click the Button Text field of the button you wish to edit; type a preferred name, and then click OK (Enter).

Right click the toolbar and click Customize… to open the Customize dialog. Then, right click the toolbar button you wish to edit. Click the Name: field, type a preferred name and press Enter. Then, click Close to close the Customize dialog.

TIP: To display the macro name on the toolbar, while the Customize dialog is open, right click the toolbar button and then click Text Only or Image and Text.
You can also add an image to the Macro toolbar button. While the Customize dialog is open, right click the toolbar button and then click Change Button Image. Select the preferred image.

NOTE: The ampersand (&) character in a toolbar name will cause the letter after the ampersand to be underlined. If that letter is not underlined in the menu bar and is not underlined for any other toolbar button, and if the button is displayed as Text Only or Image and Text, then pressing Alt plus that underlined letter will invoke that macro. (The letters e, f, g, h, i, o, s, t, u, v, and w are already used in the menu and cannot be used for toolbar buttons.)

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