|
Tune in!
The recent release of an iTunes-specific plug-in for the
Windows version of QuicKeys has pretty much dictated the contents of February's
newsletter. This new plug-in empowers QuicKeys for Windows with the ability
to command iTunes directly and without the need to have the iTunes program
visible.
This month we describe some of the more universally appealing
features of the iTunes Plug-in and give an example of how to add your own custom
scripts to
the plug-in. While there currently is no iTunes plug-in for QuicKeys X3,
this option is currently being evaluated. Mac OS X users are not completely
left out in the cold this month though; a couple of examples of how to combine
QuicKeys X3 and AppleScript
to create iTunes controls are provided.
If you have any suggestions for this newsletter, topics
you'd like to see covered or changes to the format, don't hesitate to ask.
Just e-mail us at newsletter@startly.com
Plug in!
 QuicKeys
for Windows iTunes Plug-in released
Add power and functionally to QuicKeys for Windows with the new iTunes Plug-in.
Free to registered users of QuicKeys for Windows 2.5 (requires Windows XP!),
the iTunes Plug-in consists of 8 different sets of actions that allow you to
automate iTunes. For more information or to download this plug-in, head on over
to the QuicKeys for Windows product pages located here.
iTunes Plug-in features:
- iTunes Browser Actions (minimize, open, play, open streaming url, etc.)
- iTunes Conversion Actions (convert iTunes files to other formats)
- iTunes Equalizer Actions (change equalizer settings)
- iTunes iPod Actions (actions to update and eject your iPod)
- iTunes Playback Actions (Fast Forward, Rewind, Next Song, Previous
Song, etc.)
- iTunes Sounds Actions (mute or change volume level of the iTunes program)
- iTunes Visualizer Actions (turn visualizer on/off, set visualizer size,
etc.)
- iTunes Script Actions
(runs numerous script files, 14 included, make your own!)
- CDDB Album or Artist Search
- Rate Current Song
- Share/Unshare Current Playlist
- 10 more included...
 QuicKeys
X3 updated to version 3.0.1
Earlier this month we fixed a few bugs and quirks present in version 3.0; go
get
your
copy
of
3.0.1 and
read more about the update here.
This is
a
free update for owners of QuicKeys X3.
Make iTunes sing a different tune
QuicKeys can manipulate any application or program you have running
as your front-most window. It can manipulate windows by
their names, buttons by their locations, menu items by name or position,
along with a host of other actions. But what about manipulating applications
behind the scenes?
Until
this month's introduction of the new QuicKeys for Windows iTunes Plug-in, QuicKeys
functionality has not been tailored to a specific program or application. The
iTunes plug-in offers dozens of new ways to directly communicate with and control
iTunes from QuicKeys, but it doesn't stop there. This plug-in is also user-extensible;
you can write your own scripts to add to this plug-in if you know a scripting
language and you're not afraid to get your hands dirty. In this month's tutorial
we provide an
example
script
that let's you set the play count of the current song. This is useful for iTunes
Smart Playlists which can make use of such song data as your star-rating and
the number of times it's been played. Check out the script here.
QuicKeys
X3 users, you're not totally left out this month. While we haven't written
a plug-in for iTunes under Mac OS X, you can still use QuicKeys to
control that application directly, or behind the scenes using a combination
of QuicKeys and AppleScript. Apple has done a lot to make iTunes fully scriptable,
and many people have created literally hundreds of AppleScripts for it.
We'll show you a couple example scripts ("rate the current song" and "set
playcount of current song") and demonstrate how to imbed them into QuicKeys
X3 shortcuts. Check out the examples here.
|
 |
Drop by the QuicKeys Community forum
and tell everyone your favorite QuicKeys tips & tricks or float a
question or two. A great resource for experts and novices alike!
|
|
| |
|
How are users tapping QuicKeys' potential?
The Cool Customer for this issue is Russ Palmeri. Russ talks about using QuicKeys
to accurately date Microsoft Word "stationary" documents:
"Do you ever want to open your stationery, put in today's date, and get
ready to type? Doing this in Microsoft Word can be a problem. Your choices
are to make a stationery document that puts in today's date. Then if you ever
open
that
document again,
the date will be changed to the date you opened it, losing the date that
was originally on the document. If you put in the date the document was
last saved,
you run into similar problems.
My work-around involves a sequence that opens my stationary document (which
is saved as a WORD template to preserve formatting), sends a shortcut
to center text, inserts the date, brings the text back to left-justified, and
puts the
cursor right where I want to type.
By dragging the shortcut from the shortcut list to the desktop, I create
a mini-application that does all of this when I double click it. I then
put it
into my launch bar, and I have a very easy way to write a letter with the
date it was created just where I want it- and the next time I open the
letter, the
date stays the same.
I needed to add a "pause 1 second" so WORD could catch up to QuicKeys."
(Russ was kind enough to send along a screenshot of
his sequence)
Thank you Russ! If you'd like a shot at 30 days of fame, send your Cool Customer submissions
to
coolcustomer@startly.com. If your
submission is chosen for a newsletter, we'll send you some free stuff! (such
as a T-shirt
or mug, not an iPod or 3 inch high Philadelphia Eagles novelty football helmet)
 |
We now offer a custom shortcut creation service to help you get QuicKeys shortcuts set up and tailored to your business needs. If you are interested in having us create a QuicKeys shortcut for you, head on over to our web site for details.
|
|
| |
|
Mac
OS X 10.3.8 gotcha...
Wouldn't you know it, as soon as we roll out an update for QuicKeys X3, Apple
goes and updates Mac OS X and introduces a new problem for us. This particular "gotcha" is
related to the behavior of a hot key trigger when assigned to a Type Text or
Type Keystroke shortcut where that shortcut types the same character you assigned
as the trigger. Prior to 10.3.8 this type of
shortcut would trigger repeatedly when you held a key combination
associated
with the
hot key
trigger,
but this
no longer
works
with
the latest
operating system update. Clear as mud? Example: A Type Text shortcut that types
"Apple" and is triggered by Control+A will not repeatedly trigger
as expected if you press and hold Control+A. We're working on
a fix but have no ETA for it.
USB
devices and QuicKeys 3.0.1 update notes
Part of the QuicKeys 3.0.1 fix for USB devices (mice, keyboards, etc.) included
on/off switches so QuicKeys could be told whether or not to monitor each USB
device. For compatibility, 3.0.1 turned off all devices, but users are going
to want to turn at least their keyboard back on. Leaving all of your USB devices
off means QuicKeys won't be able to record your actions with those devices.
It also means the multi-step shortcut control step "Wait for user action" won't
be honored.
The Stuff at the End of the Newsletter
We sincerely hope this newsletter has provided an item or two of interest
to everyone. As a monthly publication, we hope to incorporate suggestions from
the readership and iron out any problems uncovered along the way. If you have
any feedback regarding this newsletter, please send it to newsletter@startly.com.
Mailing List Subscription Maintenance
Wire Service subscription changes for all of our products can be made at:
http://www.quickeys.com/forms/wireservice.html
Unsubscribe Quick Links
• Click here to change your subscription from HTML to plain TEXT
• Click here to
unsubscribe from this Newsletter
|
