HOWTO keyboard macros macro in linux

[grizzly]

Yup, its indeed possible to have system-wide application independent macros in unix! thanks to xmacros and whoever who wrote a guide somehere i don't remember.

Step 1. Install the app

aptitude install xmacro

Step 2. Record the macro:

xmacrorec -d 1400 > ~/quote

wait...
Step 3. xmacro isn't perfect so open ~/quote for editing, as many lines are repeated and need to be removed.
Step 4. Replay the macro

cat ~/quote | xmacroplay ":0.0"

Basically xmacroplay plays the commands from a text file.The text file can be written manually or by the above recording method. Reading the examplbelow should make it all very easy.
EXAMPLE

Delay 1 # Always add this!! KeyStrPress bracketleft KeyStrRelease bracketleft String quote KeyStrPress bracketright KeyStrRelease bracketright KeyStrPress bracketleft KeyStrRelease bracketleft KeyStrPress slash KeyStrRelease slash String quote KeyStrPress bracketright KeyStrRelease bracketright Delay 1 #delay KeyStrRelease Left KeyStrPress Left KeyStrRelease Left KeyStrPress Left KeyStrRelease Left KeyStrPress Left KeyStrRelease Left KeyStrPress Left KeyStrRelease Left KeyStrPress Left KeyStrRelease Left KeyStrPress Left KeyStrRelease Left KeyStrPress Left KeyStrRelease Left KeyStrPress Lef

The above types [ q u o t e ] [ / q u o t e ] followed by 8 'left arrow' keys so that the cursor is between [qote] & [/quote] priceless..

Example 2
Delay 1 #delay
Sending a hotkey - Ctrl + g

KeyStrPress Control_R KeyStrPress g KeyStrRelease g KeyStrRelease Control_R

=== Problems?
1. Read the last 4 topics on http://xmacro.sourceforge.net/ for a better understanfing of the macro file. its simple btw
2. try adding a lil delay (look in above example for how)
3. How to play the macro?? You can use xbindkeys/khotkeys(kdeonly) to assign a shortcut for the macro.