# Macro? question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macro-question/210396>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 30, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macro-question/210396 "2003-10-30T05:59:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macro-question/210396/1 "2003-10-30T05:59:04Z")

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I’m not even quite sure that macros would be the correct term for this. I’m looking for some way to repeatedly do the same menial task over and over while I leave my computer.

Example: having one type “This is some text” in a selected text box (Think AIM window or something). I don’t want this to do it as fast as it can, maybe every 10 seconds or something. What do you think… is there any way that doesn’t require extensive programming skill(s/z)?

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macro-question/210396/2 "2003-10-30T10:36:34Z")

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There’s a freeware program called [MacroMaker](http://members.ij.net/anthonymathews/MacroMaker.htm) that allows you to do this sort of thing, although I can’t say for sure whether it will exactly meet your requirements.

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**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macro-question/210396/3 "2003-10-30T16:25:01Z")

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Download and play with QuicKeys. QK is so easy to use at the level you’re desribing even a salesman could use it.

At the other end of things, you can do stuff like have it launch your email program, type "This is some text and today is " followed by today’s date, email it to your Mom if today is Tuesday or Thursday but to your Dad if it’s Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, then print it out to PDF, save the document on your desktop, rename it to “Today’s Message.pdf”, copy it over the network to a folder on the server…

There are versions for MacOS 7/8/9, Windows 95/98/ME, MacOS X, and Windows NT/2K/XP.

[http://www.cesoft.com](http://www.cesoft.com)

(nope, I’m not on commission ;))