The Best Mac Tips – Productivity Tips for Mac Users (2015)

KEYBOARD MAESTRO

KEYBOARD MAESTRO IS A tool which is available for free for a 30 day trial period. It makes it possible for you to launch macros i.e. a series of actions you generally perform on a computer, in a single trigger. This tool can have macros automated simply be assigning them to a keyword, a keystroke, or a timer that is based on certain wireless networks inclusive of countless of other triggers.

To put it in simpler terms, Keyboard Maestro allows you to automate any repetitive task you choose to perform. For instance, on a daily basis, if you:

· Open the exact same applications at work every morning

· Then have your windows re-arranged

· Go to your browser and open up certain tabs

· Log into a specific number of sites

Instead of having to perform these time consuming tasks every single day, day after day, you can choose to use Keyboard Maestro instead. It will perform all of the above mentioned tasks for you with just a single keyboard shortcut.

Keyboard Maestro allows you to perform the following:

· Create new to-do lists automatically for your projects

· Setup workspaces that are specific to applications

· Re-size windows when they are brought to the front

· Open certain applications automatically whenever you sign in to a Wi-Fi network

· Hide applications or quit them when they are not being used for a specific time period

· Upon opening an application, you can dump in your password automatically

· Make the additions of keyboard shortcuts when to apps that are not equipped with them

· Use a keystroke to open up the documents that are most frequently used by you

Using your Mac becomes much easier when you start using Keyboard Maestro as it is helpful in almost every aspect of your Mac.

Features

Keyboard Maestro is an extremely productive enhancer that is equipped with four main functions. They are as follows:

Clipboard Switcher

This feature allows you to work with an unlimited amount of saved clipboards. With this feature, you can define any specified number of named clipboards. They can then be used to Copy or Cut into or Paste in any application by using just a single keystroke after which your clipboards get saved on a permanent basis.

Clipboard History Switcher

You can use this feature to work with your clipboard history. This feature saves a copy of each of your clipboards each time you copy anything so that you don’t ever have to lose your clipboard. You can then trigger the Clipboard History Switcher macro so as to paste them onto any clipboard from your previous system. It presents you with a window which lets you select and paste any of the past clipboards.

Window Switcher

Window switcher is a feature that allows you to open windows. A macro that is highly specialized, Activate Window Switcher, allows you to minimize, show and hide windows. Upon having the macro triggered, the Window Switcher feature lets you switch in between all open windows that are present in your current application.

Upon the appearance of the switching window, you can select the window you would like to activate and this feature will bring that particular window to the very front.

Application Switcher

Using this feature, you can navigate your way through applications that are running. Using a specialized macro called the Activate Application Switcher; you can switch, hide, quit or launch applications.

This feature allows you to switch in between all applications that are running after the macro is triggered by you. When you notice that the switching window has appeared, the Application Switcher will take you to the application after you select it to have it activated.

Here is a list of some of the most basic features of the Keyboard Maestro app:

· You can trigger macros by their name

· You can make use of the Macro Debugger to get detailed control of all of your macros in action

· You get a complete retina display support

· You are able to use DropBox and other such file sharing systems to have your macros synced across a multitude of Macs

That is not all Keyboard Maestro can do for you. There are several other features associated with this app. Let’s have a brief look and what they are all about:

Insert Text

This app allows you to insert any type of text. It can paste it in the form of images or styled text and can also type the text right in front of you. You can also very easily insert your logo, address, name, signature etc using this app.

Launch Applications

By simply touching a key, you can launch any application you want. Keyboard Maestro also allows you to show, hide, as well as bring applications to the front and all of these functions can be performed at your very command.

Manipulate Windows

This app also allows you to manipulate windows by re-positioning, re-sizing, minimizing, zooming, closing and bring them to the front. You can also position windows to specifically where you want them to be placed.

The Use of Text Tokens

Another one of the features of this app is that you are able to make use of all kinds of expensive tokens such as today’s date in any window position, format, Safari document URL and wireless networks etc.

Palettes

With Keyboard Maestro, you can have your macros displayed in the form of palettes such as toolbars. This allows you to very easily make your selection from a wide array of options. You can also create your very own custom interfaces.

Notifications and the Open Feature

Keyboard Maestro is capable of displaying notifications and alerts, play a particular sound, speak, beep and even prompt for extra information. Also, you can open an application, a folder or file, a system preference pane, a URL, the CD tray as well as the current Finder selection.

Image and File Actions

With Keyboard Maestro, you can find particular images on your screen, have them screen captured, re-sized, rotated, trimmed, flipped and cropped. You can also draw various texts and shapes. There are many file actions that can be performed as well.

You can rename, copy, move, delete and trash files. This application also allows you to write and read styled text and images in various different formats.

Tips on Using Keyboard Maestro 7

Let’s have a look at some tips on how you can optimize your use of keyboard maestro 7:

Making Use of Function Keys for Global Hotkeys

Global hotkeys can sometimes conflict with the keys that are used by certain applications. Conflicts are not problems, but the Macro Hot Key generally tends to override the application which is not something you would want to happen.

This is why you should use function keys instead especially when you use them in conjunction with your modifiers for your global hotkeys. You should do this because global hot keys are not normally used by a lot of applications.

Understanding the Gear Icon

The gear icon which is located on the menu at the top right, is capable of displaying to you several different things on the basis of exactly how they look.

If an action is inclusive of a timeout, you will see the appearance of a clock face in the very center of the gear. The time will show an improbable 4.5 o’clock unless if it has been left to be set as a default in which case the time will be displayed as three o’clock.

If there are an extra set of configuration options with the action, a blue center will appear on the gear menu. The gear menu will also tell you whether an item is equipped with notes and if it will notify or abort in case of failure of the action.

The gear menu is also equipped with a Help command that has the capability of taking you to the wiki help of the action.

Using Action Notes

If you would like to leave yourself some notes regarding the things you were doing or a particular action you were engaged in, you need to:

· Click onto the gear icon which you will find at the top right of the action

· Then choose Set Note

· Lastly, add your notes to the action

Utilizing the Conflict Palette

If you have a Hot Key and two or more macros along with it, in order to have the conflict palette displayed, you will have to do the following:

· Press that key so that all of the conflicting macros can be listed down

· Press further keys to have the list filtered until only one remains and it will be executed immediately.

Macro Hotkeys

If you know the function of each and every key, you will find Hot Key Macros to be extremely helpful. A helpful tip for you is to make use of mnemonic Macros. For instance, if you want to Insert Text action, you can define some Macros and can use the following to help you out:

· For your signature, use Control-S

· For your name, use Control-N

· For your address, use Control-A

Another tip is to show consistency in your choice of Hot Keys. You can use the following examples to help you remember the Macro Hot Keys:

· To launch applications, make use of the function keys

· To insert some text, make use of Control-Letter

· To open up documents, make use of Control-Function Keys

One thing to keep in mind is that Keyboard Maestro is capable of being interoperated with KeyCue. You can successfully use the following tactic to have all of your active Hot Keys displayed:

· Hold the control key down KeyCue if you are using both of the applications

Macro Sorting

Keyboard Maestro has the ability to keep track of the number of times a macro is run. It also has macros filtered on the basis of the number of times is has run. So you can sort out the macros you are not currently using.

· Select a macro

· Click on Windows > Macro Inspector

Performing the above steps will reveal to you information regarding the macro, inclusive of the last date and time at which it was used. It will also reveal to you the overall approximation of the time you saved by making use of the macro.

Creating a New Macro

Creating a new macro in Keyboard Maestro is as easy as following the below mentioned steps:

· Add to the macro the Execute an Automator Workflow action

· Attach in the file you created about the Automator workflow

· Assign an trigger and name to your macro

That’s it. Create a folder known as add to your mail if you want your macro to run only in your mail.

Opening an App Automatically Onto a Second Monitor

This application also allows you to open an app automatically onto a second monitor. You can incorporate the steps mentioned below in order to do so:

· Create a new macro

· Select the option of Trigger by application

· Then select the app you would like to open onto your second monitor

· The next step is to click onto the folder of Interface Control

· Then add Manipulate a Window to your macro

· You will then see a drop down menu on which you need to click onto the option of Scale size by

· Then select one of the sizes under the option of Move and Resize

· Click onto Move and Resize

· Then select the option of Center at

· Lastly, two fields will appear and you should change the co-ordinates SCREEN(Second,MidX)

After having performed the above steps, make sure your macro is working by testing it. When it is activated, you should see the application window moved over to the very center of your second monitor.

Properly Using the Insert Menus

If you would like to insert text tokens, functions and actions, you can do so by going to the menus present in the Edit menu. These menus can be used for having elements inserted in a quick and speedy manner as well as for learning about the things that are available.

Text completions can also be used to have functions inserted into text token fields, tokens and numeric fields.

Also, if, while making a selection from this menu, holding down the Option key, will allow you to gain help and guidance on any functions, tokens or actions.

Using the Menu of Insert Action by Name

While you are in the process of editing macros, you can also be quick in adding an action. You can do so by going to the option of Insert Action by Name command which you will find in the Edit menu (Command-Control-A).

Keyboard Maestro is an feature enriched app for all you Mac users that has not only the above offerings for you to achieve optimization in the tasks you perform but a lot more in the form of features and functionality so that you can unlock its true potential.