Macro Scheduler Maintenance release 14.2.07 is now available for download.
Links: Version History | Registered Downloads | Trial Downloads | New Licenses
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Macro Scheduler 14.2.07 Available
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Newsletter Subscriptions
I’ve only just discovered that our newsletter subscriptions system has been broken since last January! New customers and anyone signing up to our newsletter since 15th January 2015 were not correctly subscribed to our newsletter. Luckily we have the email addresses in our database, they just weren’t allocated to the correct list. I’ve now fixed this and moved affected email addresses to the correct list. So those affected will now start receiving our newsletters. Hopefully you won’t be too surprised when you start receiving newsletters from us.
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Toast Notification Window for your Scripts
Over in the forums dtaylor has posted a script library which allows you to show a small notification window in the lower right of your screen. Useful for reporting on progress during your script, in loops etc.
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Macro Scheduler 14.3.01 Released
We have today released Macro Scheduler 14.3.01
This update includes a number of improvements and small fixes, as well some new functionality:
- Added: Ability to create a default script template (put it in \Templates\default.scp under main data folder)
- Added: ArrayCopy function
- Added: ArrayRename function
- Added: Code folded If commands now show condition in top line
- Added: Ifs tab to variable/code explorer
- Added: If result variable omitted from Base64, Crypt, StringReplace, UpperCase, LowerCase, Trim, LTrim and RTrim input is used
- Added: Assigned function can now check variables with embedded variables (e.g. array type variables)
- Added: INPUT_BROWSE_FILTER variable to set file filter in input filebrowse dialog
- Added: First line of script shows in new column in macro list (or second line if first line is compile opts)
- Added: Undefined variables within complex expressions automatically resolved to empty strings
- Added: TelnetClearLog function
- Added: XLGetSheetNames function
- Fixed: Minor UI issues under UHD monitor resolutions
- Fixed: Column positions sometimes loaded incorrectly
- Fixed: Editor goto gosub menu not stripping out optional parameters
- Fixed: Compiler not updating target BMP_DIR with new images
- Fixed: Save On Run option ignored (always saves) when macro run from standalone editor
- Fixed: Code folded While statements show full condition in top line
- Fixed: Tab length and block indent length inconsistent in editor
- Fixed: Code builder now respects current indentation level
Get it Now: Trial Downloads | Registered Updates/Upgrades | New Licenses
Related posts:
- How to Run an Access Macro from Macro Scheduler
- Macro Scheduler 14.3 Is Here – UI Refresh
- What do you want to see in Macro Scheduler?
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MacroScript SDK Distros Updated
We have today updated the MacroScript SDK packages with the latest Macro Scheduler script engine (14.3.02). Those of you with the SDK and valid maintenance wil find the downloads in your account.
If you are not aware of the MacroScript SDK you might find this article useful.
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Finding Window Titles You Cannot See
Someone emailed today saying they were having problems trying to automate Internet Explorer 11 because it didn’t seem to have a window title.
Actually IE11 does have a window title. Each tab has a different window title. But you don’t see the title in the main title bar of the application.
By default applications show the window title in the title bar. Hence it’s name. But some apps manipulate the appearance of their title bar so that it doesn’t look like a regular Windows title bar. Indeed some apps have all borders removed so that you can’t SEE the title bar. But in all cases, the window will still have a title (unless it’s an empty string!).
So if you can’t see the window title, how do you find out what it is? Well, with Macro Scheduler there are several ways to find it. One is with the View System Windows Tool, which shows a list of all the windows currently available on the system, showing their captions and class names. Another is to use the Code Builders.
Here’s a video demonstrating these two methods. It also shows how I use a substring window match:
Related posts:
- Finding HTML Attributes For Automating Web Sites
- Toast Notification Window for your Scripts
- OnEvent – Dealing with Indeterminate Dialogs – [Repost]
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Macro Scheduler 14.3.05 Released
Just a quick update – Macro Scheduler 14.3.05 is now available for download from the usual places.
This version fixes an issue for people running Non-English versions of Windows who found they had to set the “Language for non-Unicode programs” option to English in Regional Settings in order for the SendText/Send functions to work correctly. This is no longer necessary.
As that is the only change there is no need to download if your Windows is set to English. Feel free to skip this update.
Get it Now: Trial Downloads | Registered Updates/Upgrades | New Licenses
Related posts:
- Macro Scheduler 14.3.01 Released
- Macro Scheduler 14.3 Is Here – UI Refresh
- Macro Scheduler 14.2.06 Available
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HTTP Request With Custom Headers using Python
As you will hopefully already know by now we added the ability to use Python code a while back in Macro Scheduler 14.2.
A customer recently had a need to retrieve some data from a web service which requires some custom authentication headers to be sent with the request.
It’s really easy to do this using Python. Here’s a made-up example:
/*
python_code:
import urllib2
custom_headers={"X-Custom-Application-Id" : "4020c4b37ead0a834c0010a9",
"X-Custom-REST-API-Key": "49eade9c-d70a-4d3d-b552-4bd9f05966fc"}
url="https://api.custom.com/v1/objects/object_1/things"
request = urllib2.Request(url, headers=custom_headers)
contents = urllib2.urlopen(request).read()
*/
//Load the Python code to a variable
LabelToVar>python_code,pcode
//Run the code and request the value of the contents variable ...
PYExec>pcode,output,contents
//content of request is now in "contents" variable.
For more on Python in Macro Scheduler see here and here.
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Happy Christmas from Macro Scheduler and all at MJT Net!
Happy Christmas everyone!
Remember this game from a few years back:
“Help Santa get the presents down the chimney, but watch out for the snowmen and coal which freeze the chimney or set the presents on fire. Of course true to form Macro Scheduler saves you time, so in the game if you catch an MJT Gearhead you get extra time!”
Play Santa’s Gearhead Gift Grab Game
And read Santa’s Macro Scheduler case study:
Case Study: Macro Scheduler Saves 3600 Elf-Hours and Gets Presents Delivered On Time
Have a good one!
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Image Recognition Kudos
It’s always nice to receive unsolicited praise. I thought I would share this with you which was sent into us from one of our customers, Lee Hightire:
“You have an Incredibly Awesome product! I just used the Image Recognition tool to help me get at an item in the Sys Tray (needed to pause syncing of OneDrive). I was beating my head against the wall trying other methods, and the Image Recognition tool essentially wrote the code (and trust me, I needed it to do so). I just wanted to say thanks.”
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Templates and Default Templates
Did you know you can create script templates to use when you create new macros in Macro Scheduler?
When you create a new macro you can choose File/New Macro from Template. This allows you to browse for a .scp file to use as a template. There are some pre-built templates in the Templates subfolder of the program folder which by default you will be presented with.
To create your own templates just create a script as normal or use the standalone editor and export it to a name and folder of your choice. You can then use it later with the “New Macro from Template” option.
If you’re always writing the same stuff when you create a new macro – e.g. maybe you have a standard way of documenting your macros with a code block at the top, you might find default templates really useful. You will probably have noticed that “from the factory” Macro Scheduler puts some comments at the top of all new scripts. You can change this or add your own comments/code by creating a default template.
To create a default template create a script file called default.scp and store it in a Templates subfolder beneath your main macro folder (usually My Documents\Macro Scheduler 14). This default template will then be loaded whenever you create a new macro using File/New Macro.
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Our 20th Year!
Happy New Year! A somewhat belated new year greeting, but one that comes with the realisation that this year marks the 20th year of Macro Scheduler. The first version was released way back in 1997!
20 years! Quite amazing. It all happened by accident really and I certainly didn’t expect it to still be going strong 20 years later. In fact it’s stronger than ever.
Thanks so much to all of our customers for all your support and feedback, helping to make Macro Scheduler the product it is. Some of you have been around since that very first year and still use the software today, and that makes me very proud.
Here’s to another 20 years!
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Macro Scheduler Update 14.3.08 Available
Macro Scheduler build 14.3.08 is now available in the usual places.
As well as a few small bug fixes this version also introduces an improved GetFileList function with sorting options, and a new GetProcessIds function.
For the complete change history go here.
Registered Updates | Trial Versions | New Licenses
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Workflow Designer and SKD Updated for 14.3.08
A quick note for those of using Workflow Designer and/or the MacroScript SDK. These have now been updated with the latest 14.3.08 Macro Scheduler engine and can be downloaded from the registered user area.
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Demo: Automating Data Entry from Excel to Web
Here’s a little video Dorian has just put together to demonstrate the automation of data transfer from Excel into a web form:
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Script Development Services
Did you know that we offer script development services? If you’re pushed for time or need a helping hand we can usually be of assistance. We often help people who don’t have the time or resource to build the automation themselves, or just want to get a jump start.
What sort of things do we do? It’s pretty much anything that needs automating, but a common scenario is data entry – usually reading data from Excel and entering it into either a web form or desktop app.
Recently we’ve written a script for a government agency which searches through hundreds of files looking for patterns and attaching them to emails; We’ve written a data entry script for a large oil company which reads through Excel and outputs the data to a web form; Helped a hospital automate entry of patient referrals into a web based system. We’ve reformatted CSV files; scraped data from a website; extracted data from PDF and output to Excel; Extracted patient data from an online dental patient database; assisted with extracting reports from an ordering system; and more.
So you can see we do all kinds of things. We have been automating processes for 20 years. If you have a project you could use some help with give us a shout and we’ll see what we can do.
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Parsing XML with XMLParse and XPath
Prompted by a recent forum post from Phil Pendlebury the other day I have written a new article on using XMLParse in the knowledge base:
Parsing XML with XMLParse and XPath
Hope it’s helpful. I’m sure you’ll have more questions when you start using it in anger. So when you do, be sure to head over to the forums and ask for help. 
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Morning Rant
A customer filing PayPal disputes rather than emailing us and then, despite confirming that they have the software, failing to cancel the dispute and PayPal finding in their favour, leaving us out of pocket!
PayPal is costly and causes so many accounting headaches it isn’t true. I’ve a good mind to remove it from our site. How many people only buy because we accept PayPal? Anyone?
Another “customer” asking us to write a script, watching us write code, seeing it working, speaking favourably throughout the project at every step, never voicing any concern and then refusing to pay at the end. What’s the answer, lawyers and contracts, which would mean we’d have to put the prices up, or just stop offering script development services? Answers below.
Maybe give up completely. It isn’t what it used to be. This was fun in the early Internet days. Now it just feels like everyone wants something for nothing. Convince me otherwise below.
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OCR Functions Anyone?
A sneaky peak of some new Screen OCR functions we have in development:
Please note that this feature is currently in development and therefore the syntax and final implementation may differ on release.
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Regular Expressions (RegEx) In Window Commands
Did you know you can use Regular Expressions inside any of Macro Scheduler‘s window functions (e.g. SetFocus, WaitWindowOpen, WaitWindowClosed) so that you can match a window title using RegEx?
As an example someone recently asked us how they would match a window from an old piece of software where the window title was always the letter “b” followed by any 8 digits, e.g. b23425461. Macro Scheduler uses the PCRE syntax, so to match a window title like this we could use this expression:
^b\d{8}
If you’re new to RegEx this means: match from the beginning of the string (^), then match a “b” character followed by any digit (\d) 8 times. {8} means match the proceeding token 8 times. So:
Let>WIN_USEREGEX=1
SetFocus>^b\d{8}
I’ve posted a little about Regular Expressions before. This post links to some useful resources if you are new to RegEx.
Regular Expressions for Dummies
My Most Used RegEx
Remove Tags From HTML with RegEx
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