# How does one make a macro?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-make-a-macro/518887>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 25, 2009, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-make-a-macro/518887 "2009-11-25T08:33:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-make-a-macro/518887/1 "2009-11-25T08:33:38Z")

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I want one that is not application or context dependent. Well actually, it would be okay if it was somehow associated with my browser (firefox), as I only need it online.

See, I have a ridiculously long primary email address. I’ve had it since I first went online (with a **14.4 kb dialup modem**!), and I’m sentimental about it.

But this was the 90’s, and we were all starry-eyed and idealistic then. One’s username was a reflection of _your soul_, your _essential nature_, and as such had to _really mean_ something. Yikes. That was before I had had to type it sixty trillion times.

And a large number of sites and services want you to sign in with your email address. I could get one that’s hecka short and use it for that purpose, but it’s too late now, I’ve already registered with everything. I don’t want to use a wallet-passport-type program, for idiosyncratic security reasons.

Nope, what I want is to hit a hotkey combination, and have it type out my danged email address for me.

Anyone know a good free app to do this? (with XP SP2)

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-make-a-macro/518887/2 "2009-11-25T10:28:14Z")

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Yes!

> **[AutoHotkey](https://www.autohotkey.com/)**
>
> Free keyboard macro program. Supports hotkeys for keyboard, mouse, and joystick. Can expand abbreviations as you type them (AutoText).

This will do exactly what you ask, I have a similar problem and found this invaluable.

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**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-make-a-macro/518887/3 "2009-11-25T18:41:57Z")

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Ooooh! Thank you!

When I logged on this morning and saw my post so far down, I was preparing to be disappointed. You have saved the day!

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**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-make-a-macro/518887/4 "2009-11-25T18:45:39Z")

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Opera has a built in “forms” tool. I type only the first letter, and it throws up a menu of things that start with that letter. Takes me about 10-15 seconds to fill out all the info for an e-vendor.

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**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-make-a-macro/518887/5 "2009-11-25T19:06:25Z")

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Woo-hoo! It works! How many days do you get to see your dreams (however small) come true?

P.S. Thank you too, **Kevbo.** I’ve always meant to try opera, perhaps I will someday.