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Mac Forum / Applications / Word / March 2008Word 2008 and Macros
Since Word 2008 does not support recording macros in the way that has be possible in previous versions (and is still possible in most mainstream word processors), what do you do if you want to automate a process and are not familiar with AppleScript? A good starting point would be asking here for help. What do you need to do? Basically, you learn to deal with AppleScript and Automator, but I'm finding a number of people think they need scripts for things that don't require scripts at all. Also, it's possible that the built-in Automator actions will help (not included with Home and Student). > Since Word 2008 does not support recording macros in the way that has > be possible in previous versions (and is still possible in most > mainstream word processors), what do you do if you want to automate a > process and are not familiar with AppleScript? On Mar 31, 9:55 am, Daiya Mitchell <daiyaNOS...@mvps.org.INVALID> wrote: > A good starting point would be asking here for help. What do you need to do? > > Basically, you learn to deal with AppleScript and Automator, but I'm > finding a number of people think they need scripts for things that don't > require scripts at all. Also, it's possible that the built-in Automator > actions will help (not included with Home and Student). I assume when you say the built in Automator actions, you mean the actions that are listed under Macros in the Tools menu. I checked these but none fit my requirements. In any case even if they did, I did not see any way to assign them to a keystroke combination as a shortcut. At this time there are two things I need to do: One is that I use Paste Special for one thing and one thing only: to paste unformatted text. However, although I was able to assign a shortcut to Paste Special, it still requires a mouse click or a down arrow and a Return--an additional two keystrokes. Now this may not sound like very much, but when it has to be done several hundred times a day, the extra keystrokes add up. I would like to be able to automatically paste unformatted text with a single key combination. The second is that I only use two or three English fonts and one Japanese font and specific point sizes with each. In Word 2004, I was able to create macros for these and assign them to shortcuts. > I assume when you say the built in Automator actions, you mean the > actions that are listed under Macros in the Tools menu. Nope, I don't. See the basic tutorial here: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304759 Office 2008 (except Home and Student version) comes with 70+ automator actions for the various programs--look under the script menu in Word and you'll see Sample Automator Workflows to give you a sense of what they can do. > One is that I use Paste Special for one thing and one thing only: to > paste unformatted text. > Common request, so that's been covered--see here for a few different options, and a link to the keyboard shortcut instructions: http://word.mvps.org/Mac/scripts/PasteTextAS.html > The second is that I only use two or three English fonts and one > Japanese font and specific point sizes with each. In Word 2004, > I was able to create macros for these and assign them to > shortcuts. > You don't need a macro/script to do that. Create various Paragraph or Character styles that set the font and size. You can assign shortcuts to a style. If you don't understand how styles would help, start here, then come back with questions. http://shaunakelly.com/word/styles/TipsOnStyles.html Daiya On Mar 31, 12:57 pm, Daiya Mitchell <daiyaNOS...@mvps.org.INVALID> wrote: > Nope, I don't. See the basic tutorial here:http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304759 > Office 2008 (except Home and Student version) comes with 70+ automator > actions for the various programs--look under the script menu in Word and > you'll see Sample Automator Workflows to give you a sense of what they > can do. Unfortunately, as a university professor, I qualified for the student and faculty version and only have eight workflows. Are the others available anywhere? > Common request, so that's been covered--see here for a few different > options, and a link to the keyboard shortcut instructions:http://word.mvps.org/Mac/scripts/PasteTextAS.html This was just what I needed. > You don't need a macro/script to do that. Create various Paragraph or > Character styles that set the font and size. You can assign shortcuts to > a style. OK. I'll try that. > On Mar 31, 12:57 pm, Daiya Mitchell <daiyaNOS...@mvps.org.INVALID> > wrote: [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Actions are assembled into workflows, so 8 sample workflows is the right number. Actually, I think there are 97 actions combined for all four programs--launch Automator, select a program, and you'll get a sense of the options that you can put together into workflows. Word has about 30 actions. I think you must have a university-discounted license for the standard version, rather than the retail Home and Student version, if you have workflows. I'm not finding them exceedingly useful for what I need to do, except for the one to save and repeat a Find and Replace. Wait, I see one "Apply Font Format Settings to Word Documents" which would probably replace your "Apply X Font and Y Size" macro, except that using a style is a better idea anyhow, and probably faster. Daiya |
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