The MyCommands Editor, Macro Recorder dialog box

Use the MyCommands Editor, Macro Recorder dialog box to record a sequence of mouse movements and keystrokes. When you say the name of the Macro Recorder command Dragon plays back these mouse movements and keystrokes in the manner in which you recorded them.

MyCommand Name

The name of the command. This is what you will say to execute the command. You can click the Train button to teach Dragon how you pronounce this name. If you enter an angle bracket (<), the software interprets this as the beginning of a variable. The MyCommands Name Editor dialog box will then open so you can specify the variable. For limitations on the MyCommand name see the topic on the MyCommands Name Editor dialog box.

Description

A short description of what the command does (optional).

Group

A list containing the categories in which you can place the command. You use these categories to locate the command in the Command Browser. By default, the groups Dragon, Samples, and User-defined are available. To create your own group, select User-defined and type over it with a group name of your choosing.

Availability

Where the command will be available.

• Global: The command will be available in every application.
• Application-specific: The command will be available in the application you specify. When you select this option, the applications currently open appear in a list. If the application you want is not open, use the Browse button to locate the application on your computer.
• Window-specific: The command will be available in the window you specify. When you select this option, the Application and Window lists appear. If the application or window you want is not in the list, you must close the MyCommands Editor, Text and Graphics dialog box, open the application or window you want, and reopen the MyCommands Editor, Macro Recorder dialog box to see the window listed.

When you select either the Application-specific or Window-specific option, the Recognizable in states list appears. You can either select from the list or enter the name of a new state. A command with this option will be available in the state you specify within the window or application you specify.

Command Type

The command type, in this case, Macro Recorder. There are three other types of commands:

• Text and Graphics commands
• Step-by-Step commands
• Advanced Scripting commands

Name Editor

Click this button to open the MyCommands Name Editor dialog box. Use this dialog box to assign variables to your command such as a name for the command you want to create. Refer to the Help topic on the MyCommands Name Editor dialog box for more information.

Actions

Displays the sequence of mouse movements and keystrokes you record. Use the following buttons to control the recording process.

Record

Click Record to begin recording the sequence. A floating recorder window will appear. You can use this window to control the recording process. When you are finished, click Save.

Note

If you click the record button while you are in the middle of recording a macro, the recorder deletes all of the previously recorded sequence of keystrokes and mouse movements and begins recording a new sequence of actions.

Play

Click Play to test the recorded macro.

Insert

Click Insert to open the Macro Recorder Action dialog box, which you can use to add a step to the end of the sequence of mouse movements and keystrokes in the Actions list, or at the location of a selected step.

Edit

Click Edit to open the Macro Recorder Action dialog box, which you can use to change the selected mouse movement or keystroke in the Actions list.

Delete

Click Delete to remove the selected step from the sequence of mouse movements and keystrokes in the Actions list.

Save

Click Save to save the Macro. Note that this button will not be active until you give the Macro a name.

Cancel

Click Cancel to close the Macro Recorder dialog box without saving any changes you have made since you last clicked Save.

Create New

Click Create New to open the Macro Recorder dialog box with a duplicate of the current Macro. You can rename and edit the macro to create a new macro.

Note that this button is active only when you open the editor from the Script area of the Command Browser by selecting a command and clicking Edit.

Notes

• Once you start to play a recorded macro, you cannot interrupt it. Only attempt to use your mouse and keyboard after the recorded macro has finished playing.
• Recorded macros cannot be edited or changed once they are recorded.
• If the actions of a recorded macro include secure information, such as credit card numbers or a part of a program protected by a password, that information will be visible to anyone who runs that macro. Please be aware of this and take care not to include private information in a recorded macro that might be used by unauthorized individuals.
• Recorded macros are dependent on various settings on your computer, such as screen resolution or the operating system. These macros can produce unexpected results if used on a different computer or if you change the settings on your current computer.
• If a recorded macro does not work the way you anticipate during playback, try recording it again and adding a slight pause between each action. For example, sometimes it takes a second or two for the Start menu to open and the macro must anticipate this. In cases where there is a hot-key equivalent to a mouse action, you should consider using the hot key as a way to avoid this problem.

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