Macros

A macro records what you do in the editor and plays it back, so a repetitive edit only has to be done once.

Recording and playing back

1. Put the caret where the first edit starts.
2. Choose Macro > Start Recording (Ctrl+Shift+R). The status bar shows ● Recording macro.
3. Make the edit: type, move with the keyboard, use the clipboard, and use commands such as Find Next, line operations or case conversion.
4. Choose Macro > Stop Recording (Ctrl+Shift+R again).
5. Choose Macro > Playback (Ctrl+Shift+P) to do it all again from wherever the caret is.

The trick is to finish the recording where the next run should start, for example at the beginning of the next line. Use keys rather than the mouse while recording; mouse clicks aren't recorded.

Example: to wrap every line of a list in quotes and add a comma, put the caret at the start of the first line and start recording. Type ", press End, type ",, then press Down and Home. Stop recording. Now each playback does the next line, and Run a Macro Multiple Times does the rest.

Running a macro many times

Macro > Run a Macro Multiple Times… plays the current macro a number of times you choose, or with Run until the end of the file until the caret reaches the last line.

Saving macros

The current macro is forgotten when you record a new one or quit. To keep it, choose Macro > Save Current Macro… and give it a name. Saved macros:

• appear at the bottom of the Macro menu, ready to play,
• are in the command palette,
• can have a keyboard shortcut of their own: find the macro in the Shortcut Mapper and click Set…,
• are kept between sessions.

Macro > Delete Saved Macro removes one.