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 Macro Recorder : A Task Automation Tool for Everyone
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Everyday each one of us makes thousands of keystrokes and mouse strokes, and repeating the same
key and mouse strokes every hour on the hour.
To save time and energy on doing these repeated tasks, Macro Recorders are used.
Before we go to Macro Recorders, the first question is – What is a Macro?
A macro is a series of commands and instructions that allows you to perform repeated tasks in response to a single command or keystroke. In other words,
you can hit one letter and have the macro execute a set of commands.
A Macro Recorder is a software that records these commands and allows you to play them back at a later time. The main advantage of using a macro recorder
is that it allows you not only to play back routine tasks but also complex tasks.
Most traditional macro recorders do not analyze or understand what the user recorded. Which meant that if there was any change in the user’s recorded
environment i.e. say the location of the file changed or the user’s desktop area changed, the recorder will not playback the macro correctly.
The new generation of macro recorders are intelligent; which means that even if the location of the file changes or the desktop area changes, the playback is
flawless. Many macro recorders also allow you to edit your tasks and create them through their editors rather than recording them directly. This makes the
software more flexible and more complex tasks can be automated. A chain of tasks can also be created and automated.
More advanced macro recorders have a feature where you can create executables (“.exe”). These .exe files are standalone and can be
conveniently and independently run from any computer without installation of the said macro recorder software.
A serious consideration is the security aspect. Many macro recorders save the recorded macro in a plain text format with no security provision, making
it easily accessible to anyone. What is required is some sort of password protection. Many new generation macro recorders are sensitive to this.
So how does one choose a macro recorder?
Some of the things to keep in mind are:
- Is macro recorder reliable?: The recorder should be able to reliably replay the tasks keeping in consideration the changes in location of
files, windows and desktop area changes. If it doesn’t do this, your macros may work the day you record it, but not every day.
- Record and run in less than 5 minutes: The recorder should be as easy as 1-2-3. The recorder should be able to
help you create macros in minutes without spending time figuring out how to record the macro and run it. If it is hard to learn, you may only use
it for complex macros and you will not use it for 100’s of simple repetitive tasks we all do.
- Can Macro recorder work for Web as well? The macro recorder should have the ability to work with the browser. It should also have the ability to adjust
automatically for different Internet connection speed. Your Internet connection speed varies every day. The macro recorder must adjust to it automatically.
- Speed up your macros: Sometimes when the recorded macro is big; the time taken to run the macro is also more. Some macro recorders have the ability
to speed up the task. If you have big tasks you want to run, keeping this criterion in mind would help in choosing the right macro recorder.
- Other features to keep in mind are: Ability to create .exe files (if you want to run the same task on multiple machines without installing the
recorder on all machines); security features available; ability to batch process and batch script.
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