Dec 14 2010

My MUO Mac Automation Guide Published

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I’m happy to report that one of my favorite topics to write about has finally been published a book length guide titled the Awesome Guide to Mac Automation.

This guide is for Mac users who want to get more done on their Mac with less work. It includes step-by-instructions for using Apple’s smart automation technology, including smart folders, smart albums, smart playlists, and it’s free automation application, Automator.

Among other things you’ll learn how to:

  • Use smart folders to manage your files and folders
  • Using iTunes’ smart playlists to organize your music
  • Find the photo your looking for with iPhoto
  • Sort your email without any effort, using Mail.app’s smart filters and folders
  • Using Automator to script without any programming knowledge

The guide is free, and I’m in the process of writing a professional version of the guide that will introduce advanced automation programs, including Quickeys 4.0, Hazel, and AppleScript.

The guide can be downloaded for free from MakeUseOf.com.

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Nov 19 2010

Using Hazel for File Size Detection

Nothing can be more frustrating than performing simple repetitive tasks on your computer, day in and day out. For example, as part of the writing I do for a website, the screenshots I use for articles can’t be larger than 580px and/or 120kb in size.

For a long while I would have to check the file size of screenshots to see if they were over 120kb. If so, I had to open them in Photoshop and resize them for web posting. And though the icon preview on my desktop would include the pixel size of screenshots, I still had to stop and resize them if they were over 580px.

But now thanks to Hazel, these repetitive tasks are done for me. Whenever a screenshot is saved to my desktop, a Hazel macro will automatically open that screenshot file in Photoshop if it’s over 120kb.

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Continue reading →

Sep 3 2010

Quickeys Demo: Put Items in New Folder Using Keyboard Shortcut

This macro consist of an AppleScript that creates a new folder on your desk, then selects and moves all the items on your desktop to the new folder, which gets labeled “screenshots”. It then selects that new folder so that you can rename if, if you prefer. I will be including this macro in package of QuicKeys workflows that you will be able download. Click the link below to watch the video in larger size.

Aug 29 2010

Quickeys Demo: Instant Softkeys

This demo shows how I have a Softkeys set appear, 1 second after the QuicKeys application comes to front.

This Softkeys set allows me to choose a shortcut action I want to perform. I can click the past the Softkeys set and it will stay away until QuicKeys comes to the front again. This of course can be done for any application. So it’s like getting a instant dock for an application. To find out more about Softkeys, check out the QuicKeys manual. I may later do a video tutorial about it.

Aug 23 2010

Create a Toolbar for QuicKeys

If you have caught the QuicKeys bug, which means you make QuicKeys shortcuts for nearly everything you do on your computer, you might consider creating a toolbar for the program itself. I have done a couple of videos about the QuicKeys toolbar feature that you can view here and here. The toolbar is liking having a mini dock for each of your most used applications.

Continue reading →

Jun 24 2010

QuicKeys Demo: Repeat Loop Shortcuts

In this automation, I first use QuicKeys and Typinator to automatically cut selected text and then paste it between to h2 html headings. The action is performed only after I release my main mouse button.

The second part of this demo is similar in that it also uses the repeat loop to automatically delete selected text after I release my main mouse button.

If anyone out there is reading this and wants the know the QuicKeys set up, just leave a comment.

more about “QuicKeys Demo: Repeat Loop Automations“, posted with vodpod
Jun 22 2010

QuicKeys Demo: Automatic Italicize

Sometimes when I’m typing a bulleted list, I have to go back and italicize or boldface all the headings. In order to do this, I have to use of course the shortcut keystroke. But with this QuicKeys action, I can automate the redundant tasks.

It’s set up so that when I activate the shortcut (in the this case I activate the shortcut in a QuicKeys toolbar I have set up for the application, MarsEdit ), the the shortcut keys, Command+I will be clicked for me. But this will happen only after I have selected the text and lifted the main button of my mouse. This process will repeat for the number times I set. Below is a screen shot of the workflow.

more about “Automatic Italic Style Using QuicKeys“, posted with vodpod
Jun 6 2010

Use QuicKeys As Application Switcher/Lock Out

I recently downloaded an application called MacLoc which when activated will switch you out of your user account, instead of logging and closing out your open applications. It’s a one-click process—very fast and easy.

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Well, I didn’t realize until today that QuicKeys also has a default macro, titled Lock Screen, that does the same thing. This means that you can use the macro with other shortcuts to switch/lock out your account at a certain time of the day, or after a file is added to a particular folder. You can also activate it remotely using QuicKeys Everywhere if you have the app installed on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

MacLoc is great, but if you’re QuicKeys users, you can use the macro to perform the same thing.

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