The Command Menu
of the Add
Glossary Entry window enables you to embed commands
in glossary Phrase Entries:
There are two types of commands:
Keystroke commands which enable you to simulate keystrokes.
Action commands which enable you to request an action that is not keyboard related.
In a glossary Phrase Entry you can chain several commands that are executed sequentially when you expand the entry. The following example shows how commands can be chained to execute a Microsoft Word macro:
{command}{Alt F8}{Wait}200{/Wait}macro1{Enter}_
When you expand this Phrase Entry Long form, Instant Text executes the commands sequentially as follows:
Instant Text types the Alt+F8 keyboard shortcut.
Instant Text waits 200 milliseconds giving thereby Microsoft Word the time to popup its Macros window.
Instant Text types macro1 in the macro name editor.
Instant Text types Enter.
Note: the trailing underscore is used only to tell Instant Text not to apply automatic spacing after the expansion.
With this expansion, Instant Text has exactly reproduced the steps that you would do manually.
The syntax of keystroke commands is very similar to what is used in many macro languages. For example, you can write keystroke commands such as {F10} and {Backspace}. There is no need to memorize the syntax. The Command Menu offers you several different ways to embed keystrokes in your glossary entry:
Keystroke commands allow you to use all the shortcuts of a Client Application: note that when linked to a Client Application certain keyboard shortcuts you type are preempted by Instant Text for certain actions in Instant Text. However, these keyboard shortcuts are never preempted when they are part of a command expansion. For example, when you type Alt+= Instant Text opens the Add Glossary Entry window. However, when you expand an entry containing the keystroke command {Alt =} Instant Text will then let your Client Application interpret the keyboard shortcut.
The various action commands are categorized in submenus of the Command Menu:
The Instant Text commands offer a way to request Instant Text itself to perform a specific action.
The Text commands offer commands that change the case of selected text.
The Window commands offer commands to minimize, maximize, restore, scroll or activate windows.
The Wait command offers a command to wait for a small amount of time.
The Pick commands offer commands to display several alternative choices in the advisories.
The Stop & Resume commands address the need to handle expansions with fill-ins.
The Launch command enables you to launch a program or a file, browse a folder or a web page.
The Volume commands enable you to increase, decrease or mute/unmute the volume.
The Spacing and Capitalization commands enable you to inhibit spacing and capitalization after the expansion.