Gunner's Macro Management system

[Shenanigunner]

This evolved from the macro-building component of BadgeDRADIS and some investigation into the mechanics of macros. (I was disappointed to learn that macro definitions live with the character def on the server and are not in any way accessible for management, duplication etc. Another argument in favor of keybinds, which can be locally managed, but whatever.)

 

This simple system — which, I apologize, does use keybinds at its heart but in a very sideways way — allows you to create, copy, duplicate and generally manage macros for one or all alts. And even pass along your cherished macro collection easily. It still falls short of the game-embedded system for creating and managing keybinds, but even as a Keybind Guy I use macros and see that they have a place in a complete UI. So swords down, macro mavens, I'm here to try and help!

 

All you really need to do is DL the short guide and the text file below; the guide should take you right through to Macro Management Wonderland.

 

The summary, though, is this: you put all your macro definitions in a k-yb-nd file and can then create each one with the press of a key. Since creating macros is usually a one-time thing for each alt, it's not something you want permanently installed or b--nd to your k-ys. So with two little permanent k-yb-nds — really, just two, and very little, and b--nd to a key neither the game nor any player in history assigns — you can switch modes from "Build My Macro Set" back to "Thank God I Can Play Without Any Of Those Damned K-yb-nds!" 🤐

 

Use is simple:

• The meta step 1 is to edit the GMM.txt file to contain all your macro definitions. You can even use more than one file if you have more than forty-odd macros or want to break them up by alt, AT, etc.
• Then it's press Alt+F12 to save your current keybind set.
• Press Shift+F12 to load the GMM keys.
• Press all the F keys (up to 46 of the 48, with shifts) corresponding to the macros you want to build.
• Press Shift+F12 to banish those awful binds and put the keys back to what God and Jack Emmert wanted. (Is that redundant?) But you can call them back in an instant.

 

Voilá. No more endless cutting and pasting for every alt and change, or to store or pass along macro definitions.

 

I've even preloaded the set with a few useful macros, including the Cosmic Transport one (with an enhancement!) and some costume-emote changes.

 

Have fun!

Gunner's Macro Manager.pdf GMM.txt

[SuperPlyx]

So I thought I would mention another way to manage macros, Shenanigunner and you could maybe use the info or not.

 

I use the Ashlocke's Handy menu popmenu. One of the great things with this is once installed it is on all your characters. Now it will let you easily create macros. But more importantly you can easily copy macros to your other toons.

By simply dragging and dropping a macro into the ashlocke menu, the macro will be added into and available for all your character that use the ashlocke menu.

 

Now I assume this is a feature of popmenus and not something special to this popmenu.

[Shenanigunner]

That's another great approach, with only the downside that popmenus are a bit hairy to modify, manage and share. My approach is based on all the material and techniques I've developed for managing keybinds and might be more comfortable for anyone experienced with all that. But a popmenu-based system has exactly the advantages you note: it's inherently shared between all your alts, it can be 'self guided/self labeling' to make it easy to grab the macros you want, and (with a little bit of hassle) can be shared as a single entity.

 

All of the above was an hour's work to suit my own tastes, approach and needs; if any second person finds it useful, it's a win.

 

If nothing else, many players may find my "All right, here, dammit" macro useful:

/macro_image Arachnos_Patron_ConeSlow "Tell Them Again" "s It's: /macro_image Teleportation_LongRangeTeleport Transport-Hub enterbasefrompasscode COSMICTRANSPORT-6608"

 

[srmalloy]

19 hours ago, Shenanigunner said:

If nothing else, many players may find my "All right, here, dammit" macro useful:

I set that up as a key bind months ago because I was tired of typing it; it's in the default custom bind file I load for all my characters.

[Shenanigunner]

2 hours ago, srmalloy said:

I set that up as a key bind months ago because I was tired of typing it; it's in the default custom bind file I load for all my characters.

 

Binds. :eyeroll:

 

😄

[Nerio72]

You can also use custom.windows to have macros that all your toons can use. It's a bit clunky and never stays where you want it but it's handy I you can get used to it.

[Shenanigunner]

6 hours ago, Nerio72 said:

You can also use custom.windows to have macros that all your toons can use. It's a bit clunky and never stays where you want it but it's handy I you can get used to it.

 

Another fairly complex approach, but one that would work well.

 

Macros seem to be adored for their "simplicity" and that they are accessible within the game UI. (At least, many arguments against binds are the opposite: that they are too complicated, can't be learned and somehow "interfere" with the game as it is supposed to be played.

 

If a player is sufficiently savvy to write and manage popmenus and custom windows... binds should be child's play.

 

My system as outlined is for the "I like macros because they're simple" crowd. It's far from the only way to make macros a little easier to maintain.

[SuperPlyx]

On 9/28/2021 at 2:40 PM, Shenanigunner said:

/macro_image Arachnos_Patron_ConeSlow "Tell Them Again" "s It's: /macro_image Teleportation_LongRangeTeleport Transport-Hub enterbasefrompasscode COSMICTRANSPORT-6608"

This doesn't work as a macro....does it need something else? 

 

This part will make a working macro:

/macro_image Teleportation_LongRangeTeleport Transport-Hub enterbasefrompasscode COSMICTRANSPORT-6608"

 

Not sure what this part is for:

/macro_image Arachnos_Patron_ConeSlow "Tell Them Again" "s It's:

[Shenanigunner]

It works fine for me, even using your posted snippet. The macro it creates should "say" the line in the currently selected chat.

 

The first part is the actual macro build and icon. The rest is the string posted to chat, including the macro-build string.

 

I have often wondered how many players know you can just enter that passcode, without the whole macro-icon wrapper.🤪

 

 

Edited September 30, 2021 by Shenanigunner

[Nerio72]

1 hour ago, Shenanigunner said:

 

Another fairly complex approach, but one that would work well.

 

Macros seem to be adored for their "simplicity" and that they are accessible within the game UI. (At least, many arguments against binds are the opposite: that they are too complicated, can't be learned and somehow "interfere" with the game as it is supposed to be played.

 

If a player is sufficiently savvy to write and manage popmenus and custom windows... binds should be child's play.

 

My system as outlined is for the "I like macros because they're simple" crowd. It's far from the only way to make macros a little easier to maintain.

Ah yep, I gotcha. Definitely not the easiest to set up.

[SuperPlyx]

9 hours ago, Shenanigunner said:

It works fine for me

How is that possible? It has 2 / commands ....is it supposed to be 2 different macros?  

What happens when I paste it how you have it written:

[Shenanigunner]

Right. I think you missed the turn, there. This is not THE macro to enter the base, it's a macro to post an answer to the twice-hourly "So wutz the travel macro agin?" question.

 

It's not two powers — it's one macro to post a chat string that happens to contain a power definition.

 

Is that more clear? I did fully explain it in the guide doc.

 

 

Edited September 30, 2021 by Shenanigunner

[srmalloy]

On 9/29/2021 at 10:13 AM, Shenanigunner said:

Binds. :eyeroll:

Better to have it hidden behind a keybind than to have an icon sitting in my task bars highlighting the inability of my fellow players to remember the command or save it somewhere they can find it.   🤨

[Shenanigunner]

23 minutes ago, srmalloy said:

Better to have it hidden behind a keybind than to have an icon sitting in my task bars highlighting the inability of my fellow players to remember the command or save it somewhere they can find it.   🤨

 

You miss the humor here, given my user title, authorship of 140 pages of mostly-binds information, relentless championing of binds and snark at over/misuse of macros.

 

Macros have their place. I have my standard set like most. But as bad, clumsy, screen-clogging substitutes for binds, no.

[SuperPlyx]

6 hours ago, Shenanigunner said:

It's not two powers — it's one macro to post a chat string that happens to contain a power definition.

Ok, now I get it. Not sure why it took me so long for it to click.

Apologies for misunderstanding.

Edited September 30, 2021 by SuperPlyx