If you could please allow some macro capability, that would be awesome!
Did you make a search in the wish list for ’macro’ before posting, like the instruction in the pinned post says?
The instructions do not prohibit you from repeating a request that has received no answer. The only responses to this point that address my concerns only advise about getting a third party software that costs as much as Scrivener.
I registered my claim politely, the developer can see it, and judge as he sees fit. I don’t think he’s asked other members to police the posts. Please check the previous posts before posting yourself! Thanks.
Consider this solution: Buy a macro program. I use Keyboard Maestro on Mac, and I used SuperMacros when I was on Windows.
Keyboard Maestro is easy to use and works great. I even have a macro that transfers edited Word files to documents in Scrivener.
I’m another that relies extensively upon system-level automation, it’s a bargain for what you get. Instead of being dependent upon individual software, everything just has it and in a uniform sense, from open source software on down to Adobe. And since it is system level you can glue any number of programs together. When I’m done typing here, I’ll hit ⌘F3, which converts what I’ve typed in Scrivener into BBCode, puts it on the clipboard, switches to the browser, selects the right field, pastes and finally, clicks the Preview button then switches me back to Scrivener. Considering how many times I do that, it’s probably paid for itself just with that one macro.
But that aside…
As to whether this has been discussed, it has, but so many years ago you couldn’t be blamed for having missed it or its more recent follow-up thread (including an explanation for why scripting never went anywhere).
Another complication came up after that thread was first started: Windows. Ideally a modular or script-driven system wouldn’t require coders to write in two completely different scripting languages to support all Scrivener users. But no matter which language such a hypothetical system used, it remains hypothetical at this point in time.
If you don’t want to check out the third-party options, AppleScript can do a little with general interface manipulation. It’s similar to what you’d be doing with a macro tool, but of course freeform instead of using a library of actions.
What are you looking to do, along the lines of automation, by the way?
Here are two examples of macros that I use with Scrivener.
For this one, when I type Command-B, it backs up to a thumb drive and the cloud:
And here’s the end of a very useful macro. My editor makes changes in the DOCX file of my manuscript. I accept/reject the changes, and then use a macro to move the corrected text back into Scrivener. This macro copies and pastes the text, then sets the scene to default formatting, changes the label of the scene, and moves to the next one.
Here’s another useful application for Keyboard Maestro: you can create popup menus (‘palettes’) so you don’t have to remember obscure shortcuts, only the palette shortcut.
Here’s one I use regularly - it pulls together various miscellaneous commands – and because KM macros are synced via Dropbox, I only have to create them once, not reproduce them on every machine. It’s invoked with opt-m (I never write µ… so this shortcut is fine for me) so, for example, toggle fixed width is simply opt-m-w rather than ‘open preferences and try and remember which tab it’s on’.
I have palettes like this for every program I use heavily and it’s very useful.
Very useful tips, thanks folks. And to the OP, definitely a good idea to outline to Amber V what it is that you’re trying to do. If anyone knows how to do it, he will
This guy does some pretty amazing things with Keyboard Maestro palettes and Better Touch Tool – it’s in German, which I don’t speak, but you don’t need to – the visuals are enough: