I'm new to Mac. I need to create a "macro" for use in pages that will: go to the beginning of the line then count over 32 characters (and also go to the end of the line and count back 32 characters). I do this hundreds of times per document when creating closed captions. Can someone help?
MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2013), OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)
You can't create macros in Pages!
On the Mac you use AppleScripts or Automator workflows to get applications to do what you want.
Pages '09 had a very rich AppleScript library, but Apple removed nearly all of it in Pages 5.
Pages 5.2 has reintroduced more scripting, but I am uncertain as to how much, or whether there is enough for your needs.
Either way you are better off doing what you need in Pages '09 or some other fully scriptable application.
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/05/22/mac-hacks-17-applescripts-to-make-you r-life-easier/
Peter
This is pretty primitive, but it works. You can write litte applescript scriplets to do what you want. This one, e.g. moves the cursor to the beginning of the line, then moves the cursor 32 spaces to the right (key code for move right is 124, for move left is 123).
activateapplication "Pages"
tell application "System Events" to tell process "Pages"
keystroke "a" usingcontrol down
repeat 32 times
key code 124
end repeat
end tell
Actually, that scriptlet is not right: it goes to the beginning of the *paragraph*, so if you are dealing with more than one line, it one work as expected. But this, I think. will:
activateapplication "Pages"
tell application "System Events" to tell process "Pages"
key code 123 using {command down} # go to beginning of line
repeat 32 times
key code 124 # move right 32 characters
end repeat
end tell
Macros for Pages??
