What is KeyQuencer?

KeyQuencer is a very useful control panel that lets you perform complex tasks with one keystroke. I wrote it because I wasn't satisfied with the commercial macro engines currently available, as they require lots and lots of memory and often fill it with less than useful stuff. KeyQuencer uses a scripting approach; it can't watch your steps to learn new sequences as other commercial packages do. This requires a bit more work when you define a new sequence, but the final impact of KeyQuencer on your system is a lot smaller in terms of memory usage and processor time.

KeyQuencer works with special structures called macros, which are defined by a name, a key combination and a text. The macro name only appears in the control panel; it allows you to pick the right macro for editing or deletion and to have an easily readable list of all your macros (you can also copy the list to a text editor and print it). The macro key is the key combination you use to activate the macro: when KeyQuencer detects a macro key, it starts executing the macro without stopping the applications you're using. The actual task performed by the macro is defined by the macro text, which is a sequence of simple instructions. KeyQuencer has no built-in instructions; all the instructions are kept in separate external files called extensions. This allows you to leave unused extensions out of your Mac's memory and to add more extensions as they become available.

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You take the high road, I’ll take the low road and the macro utility KeyQuencer may be done before us both. While QuicKeys and OneClick focus on building shortcuts, and AppleScript and Frontier focus on systemwide scripting, KeyQuencer fits right in the middle.

While QuicKeys and OneClick confine you to a small modal window for building sequences or scripts, KeyQuencer includes a separate application for making its simple-syntax macros. For example, to quit a program, your macro would contain the line “Menu” “File” “Quit.” KeyQuencer contains thorough online help for every command.

Unlike QuicKeys or AppleScript, KeyQuencer cannot record your actions; it nonetheless allows macros to wait for certain windows to come to the foreground and for addressing the screen at the pixel level. For instance, you can write a macro that makes KeyQuencer automatically answer instant messages on America Online; this would be difficult with QuicKeys. Macros can be saved as text, making them easy to send over the Internet, or kept together in a suitcase as a set.

KeyQuencer ships with a Control Strip module for accessing its macros as well as links to powerful scripting languages and even CodeWarrior, the professional Mac development tool. Binary Software includes a hefty manual with almost no screen shots and also includes the documentation in Acrobat and HTML format. Since KeyQuencer isn’t too intuitive, whichever format you choose, you’ll use.

While KeyQuencer’s macros are easy to understand, they’re still not as simple as dragging around commands in QuicKeys’ sequence editor. Nevertheless, KeyQuencer may be just the product for those who need a fine degree of control over Mac automation but who don’t need the complexities of AppleScript or Frontier.

Rubin, Ross Scott. (November 1996). KeyQuencer. MacAddict. (pg. 73).

Download KeyQuencer for Mac

Architecture

Motorola 68K

System Requirements

From Mac OS 6.0 up to Mac OS 9.2

Compatibility notes

Architecture: 68K

Mac OS 6.x - Mac OS 9.2.2

This is a control panel.  To install it, drag and drop it onto the System Folder and accept when it asks you to place it in the Control Panels then reboot.

 

Emulating this? It could probably run under: Basilisk II