Contents for Recorder Help

Windows Recorder is an application that you can use to create macros. Macros are useful if you perform a series of keystrokes or mouse actions frequently. By using Recorder, you can record your keystrokes and mouse actions, and then play them back later by just pressing a key.

To learn how to use Help, press F1.

How To...

Change Default Settings for Recording Macros

Change a Macro's Playback Speed

Delete Macros from a Recorder File

Include Macros Within Macros

Merge Files

Modify Macro Settings

Record Macros Relative to the Window or Screen

Record Simple Macros

Replay Macros

Replay Macros Continuously

Specify Which Mouse Actions to Record

Specify Where Macros Replay

Stop Macros

Suspend Recording

Turn Off CTRL+BREAK Checking

Turn Shortcut Keys On or Off

Commands

File Menu Commands

Macro Menu Commands

Options Menu Commands


File Menu Commands

Use the scroll bar to see more commands.

New

Opens a new file.

When you choose New, you can save changes to the file you have been working on.

Open

Opens a file.

When you choose Open, you can save changes to the file you have been working on.

Save

Saves changes to the file you have been working on.

When you choose Save, the file remains open so you can continue working on it.

Save As

Saves a new or existing file. You can name a new file or save an existing file under a new name. The original file remains unchanged.

Merge

Consolidates two Recorder files.

Use Save or Save As to save the merged file.

Exit

Closes the file you have been working on and quits Recorder.

You can save the file before quitting.


Macro Menu Commands

Use the scroll bar to see more commands.

Run

Replays a macro.

Record

Records a macro and specifies macro options, such as the macro name, shortcut key, and description; how the macro is recorded; and options for replaying the macro.

Delete

Deletes macros.

Properties

Changes a macro's settings, such as how a macro replays, and its name, shortcut key, and description.


Options Menu Commands

Use the scroll bar to see more commands.

Control+Break Checking

Keeps Recorder from detecting CTRL+BREAK.

Use this command to prevent anyone from interrupting a macro.

Shortcut Keys

Keeps Recorder from detecting shortcut keys.

Minimize On Use

Reduces the Recorder window to an icon when you replay a macro.

Also choose this command to turn minimizing off.

Preferences

Changes default settings for recording and replaying a macro.


Recording Simple Macros

When you record a simple macro, the default settings for the Recorder options should work in most cases.

To record a simple macro

1	Position the cursor in the application where you want to start recording the macro.

2	Switch to Recorder.

3	From the Macro menu, choose Record.

4	In the appropriate boxes, specify a macro name, a shortcut key, or both. You can also type a description if you want.

5	Specify other options for the macro as appropriate.

6	To begin recording the macro, choose the Start button.

7	Type the keystrokes and perform the mouse actions you want to record.

8	To stop recording, click the Recorder icon.

Or press CTRL+BREAK.

9	To save your macro, select the Save Macro option.

Or select the Resume Recording option to resume recording where you left off.

Or select the Cancel Recording option to cancel recording and discard what you have recorded so far.

10	Choose the OK button.


Suspending Recording

To suspend recording a macro

1	Click the Recorder icon.

Or press CTRL+BREAK.

2	To save your macro, select the Save Macro option.

Or select the Resume Recording option to resume recording where you left off.

Or select the Cancel Recording option to cancel recording and discard what you have recorded so far.

3	Choose the OK button.


Specifying Where Macros Replay

Recorder is preset to play a macro back only in the application it was recorded in. Be aware that a macro may not work correctly if played back in another application.

To specify where a macro replays

1	From the Macro menu, choose Record.

2	Select the Playback To box.

3	Select the Same Application or Any Application option from the list.

4	Choose the Start button to begin recording.


Changing a Macro's Playback Speed

Recorder is preset to play a macro back quickly.

To change a macro's playback speed

1	From the Macro menu, choose Record.

2	Select the Playback Speed check box.

3	Select the Fast or Recorded Speed option.

4	Choose the Start button to begin recording.


Replaying Macros Continuously

If you want to use a macro as a demonstration, you might also want it to restart itself when it reaches the end.

To set a macro to replay continuously

1	From the Macro menu, choose Record.

2	Select the Continuous Loop check box.

3	Choose the Start button to begin recording.

Note:	Press CTRL+BREAK to stop a continuously playing macro.


Including Macros Within Macros

Recorder can include up to five levels of macros within a macro.

To include macros within a macro

1	Make sure the Shortcut Keys command is selected on the Options menu.

2	From the Macro menu, choose Record.

3	Select the Enable Shortcut Keys check box.

4	Record the macro.

When recording the macro, press the other macro shortcut key(s) when appropriate.

To record a macro that cannot include other macros

In the Record Macro dialog box, clear the Enable Shortcut Keys check box.


Specifying Which Mouse Actions to Record

It is best to record as few mouse actions as possible. Macros that record only keystrokes are more reliable.

To specify which mouse actions to record

1	From the Macro menu, choose Record.

2	Select the Record Mouse check box.

3	Select an option from the list, and then choose the Start button to begin recording.

The following table describes the options.

Use	To record

Ignore Mouse	Only keystrokes. Select this option when the macro is to be used on more than one computer. Macros with mouse actions work only on computers that have the same display adapter as the one used when the macro was recorded.

Everything	Keystrokes and all mouse actions (even when a mouse button is not pressed).

Clicks+Drags	Keystrokes and mouse actions when a mouse button is pressed.

If you use the Everything option to record keystrokes and all mouse actions, press CTRL+BREAK to stop recording the macro.


Recording Macros Relative to the Window or Screen

To record a macro relative to the window or the entire screen

1	From the Macro menu, choose Record.

2	Open the Relative To list.

3	Select the Screen or Window option.

4	Choose the Start button to begin recording.


Turning Off CTRL+BREAK Checking

You can keep Recorder from detecting CTRL+BREAK and prevent anyone from stopping your continuously playing macro.

To turn CTRL+BREAK off or on

From the Options menu, choose Control+Break Checking.

If you turn off CTRL+BREAK, you need to restart your computer to stop a continuously playing macro.


Changing Default Settings for Recording Macros

When you change the settings in the Default Preferences dialog box, Recorder uses those settings until you change them again.

To change a default setting

1	From the Options menu, choose Preferences.

2	Select the options you want, and then choose the OK button.

The following table describes the options.

Use	To specify

Playback To	Whether the macro replays in any application or only in the application in which you recorded it.

Playback Speed	Whether the macro replays at the recorded speed, or faster.

Record Mouse	Which mouse actions are recorded.

Relative To	Whether the macro is recorded relative to the screen or the window.


Replaying Macros

When you start a macro that replays only in the application in which you recorded it, Recorder attempts to open the application window. However, if the application hasn't been started or has been minimized, Recorder cancels the macro.

To replay a macro by using a shortcut key

1	From the File menu, choose Open.

2	Type or select the filename.

3	Choose the OK button.

4	Switch to the application where you want the macro to replay, and position the cursor.

5	Press the shortcut key assigned to the macro.

To replay a macro by using the Run command

1	From the File menu, choose Open.

2	Type or select the filename.

3	Choose the OK button.

4	Position the cursor in the application where you want the macro to replay.

5	Switch to Recorder.

6	Select the macro.

7	From the Macro menu, choose Run.

Or double-click the macro.


Stopping Macros

To stop replaying a macro

1	Press CTRL+BREAK.

A dialog box appears.

2	Choose the OK button.


Turning Shortcut Keys On or Off

Use this command when you want to run an application that uses the same shortcut key that one of your macros uses.

To turn Recorder shortcut keys on or off

From the Options menu, choose Shortcut Keys.

To restore Recorder shortcut keys, choose Shortcut Keys again. When the command is on, a check mark appears by the command name in the menu.


Modifying Macro Settings

You can change the properties that you assigned to a macro when you recorded it.

To modify a macro's settings

1	From the File menu, choose Open.

2	Type or select the filename.

3	Choose the OK button.

4	Select the macro.

5	From the Macro menu, choose Properties.

6	Change the settings as appropriate, and then choose the OK button.

The following table describes the options.

Use	To specify

Macro Name	A short macro name.

Shortcut Key	The shortcut key used to replay the macro.

Description	A description of the macro.

Playback To	Whether the macro replays in any application or only in the application in which it was recorded.

Playback Speed	Whether the macro replays at the recorded speed, or faster.

Continuous Loop	Whether the macro replays continuously.

Enable Shortcut Keys	Whether the macro can contain other shortcut keys.


Merging Files

You can consolidate two Recorder files.

To merge two files

1	Open or create one of the files you want to merge.

2	Delete macros that are duplicated in the other file.

3	From the File menu, choose Merge.

4	Type or select the name of the other file you want to merge.

5	Choose the OK button.

Recorder deletes duplicate shortcut keys (but not the macros themselves) from the merged file.

6	To save the merged file under a new name, choose Save As from the File menu.

Or to save the merged file under the current name, choose Save from the File menu.


Deleting Macros from a Recorder File

To delete a macro from a file

1	Open the Recorder file.

2	Select the macro you want to delete.

3	From the Macro menu, choose Delete.

4	Choose the OK button.