Hoping to move on from WinBatch and AutoMate

[HabitualWerewolf]

Hello.

I've been a long time user of a number of macro programs because I've found that each of them does their own thing fairly well, but none seem to do everything.

I like Macro Scheduler because it is really simplistic from a users point of view, there are not that many things built into it that make it more than the easiest macro program available. That's a really good thing IMHO.

Who really needs a lot of power in a simple macro program that is made for the more low-end line of business/users.

Anyway. I've been using the more feature rich AND expensive WinBatch ($ MORE) and AutoMate Pro ($A LOT MORE) and then I've been using MS.

MS is obviously not nearly as powerful as either WB or Automate, but it can still make things kind-of chug along at a lower price.

The one thing that I'm kind of puzzled about is coming out of a sleep and having the macros start again. This is nothing for Winbatch and AutoMate but it seems to be something that is well above the ability of MS.

If this could be fixed, and it should be fixed, because MS is the only program that doesn't seem to understand this built-into-windows-feature. Then again MS is the cheapest and as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for, perhaps I am expecting too much?

Any help on how to get MS to overcome the sleep / hibernate issue that both WinBatch and AutoMate (and others actually that I've checked into) that the other macro programs get over without a burp would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Please get MS up to par with the others, at the cheaper price you guys charge, making these simple things available should help sell licenses!!!

[Marcus Tettmar]

This (waking from sleep, where possible) is something we are working on.

I'm however intrigued that you think macro scheduler is less powerful than the other two products you mentioned. We're usually being told the opposite. They are all different in many ways but Macro Scheduler is extremely powerful and there really isn't much you can't do. We've had others move to us from those products who tell us they did so because of things those products couldn't do,

Still, horses for courses, and everyone's perspective differs.

[JRL]

@HabitualWerewolf.

I understand your post is primarily an enhancement request and as such has a legitimate purpose. Yet I took from it a rather condescending view of Macro Scheduler. I also see it as an unsubstantiated condescending review.

I'm a long time user of Macro Scheduler. Not knowing anything about WinBatch I looked over a list of 500 functions posted on the WinBatch website. I don't know how much more money it costs above the price of Macro Scheduler, but based on the list of functions, it shouldn't be more than about 1%. I only saw a few things on their list of functions that Macro Scheduler doesn't do. For example "FileTimeTouch" which sets the time and date of a file. Basically a version of the old UNIX "touch" command.

I do see a number of functions that consolidate Macro Scheduler abilities. For example "Min" and "Max" which provide the smallest and largest number from a list. Macro Scheduler would have to sort the list then take the first or last number from the sorted list. Still the functionality exists to accomplish the task.

As for Automate Pro, which I also know nothing about, it appears from their website their claim to fame is drag and drop programming. Macro Scheduler has Macro recording which creates code based on your actions and the actions of the software you're automating. I don't know how Macro creation can get any simpler.

[Marcus Tettmar]

Macro Scheduler also has code builders and wizards to create code for you.

We believe we offer the best of both worlds. I've spoken to customers who have moved on from other "drag and drop only" products who, when their scripts have reached a larger degree of complexity, have found drag and drop to be restrictive. Many products make it hard to edit code or move code around. Drag and drop might be all very well to get started but if you can't edit the underlying code it becomes a nightmare to maintain and modify your script later as it grows in size.

We have customers with scripts that are thousands of lines long. I can't imagine maintaining such scripts if I could only drag and drop.

In contrast we offer a "proper" script editor but also offer code builders to help you add and edit code and wizards and recorders to simplify code creation. Once created you can edit and move that code around as you would in any programmer's editor.

[AntoniusMomac]

Hi HabitualWerewolf,

I think I have a solution for running macros when a computer comes out of sleep: What I do is create scripts and then generate (compile) an Exe. I then use windows Task schedule to run that exe. Actually, I usually build a macro to set up these task where I might just tweak the schedule.

for example:

Create a task to run at 11 pm every weekday

SCHTASKS /Create /SC weekly /D MON,TUE,WED,THU,FRI /TN MyDailyBackup /ST 23:00 /TR /RU /RP

See more detail here on SCHTASKS:
http://ss64.com/nt/schtasks.html


This should bring the machine out of sleep to run the task (i.e. exe) and you're in business.

I have a army of these guys creating Database backup jobs, running them, logging the out put and sending e-mail alerts if there are any errors. Macro Scheduler is so awesome that in a few lines of code I'm connecting and queering Databases, creating nifty little GUI's for my tools and doing all sorts of powerful stuff... I want to create a demo so you can see what I'm talking about.

Oh and if that wasn't enough, JRL built PONG using Macro Scheuler (efffin' AWESOME me thinks), check it out:

http://www.mjtnet.com/blog/2013/12/27/c ... ro+Blog%29

I hope this helps.

Cheers,
Antonius

[hoangvo81]

[content remove]

general idea - ms is very powerful