The renewal maintenance has officially ended for Progress iMacros effective November 30, 2023.
This Wiki site will also no longer be moderated from the Progress side.
Thank you again for your business and support.
Sincerely, The Progress Team
Difference between revisions of "First Steps"
(40 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
==Starting iMacros == | ==Starting iMacros == | ||
− | iMacros is distributed as a browser add-on for Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer | + | iMacros is distributed as a browser add-on for Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer, besides a standalone iMacros Browser, a [[FAQ#Q: What is the functional difference between Internet Explorer with iMacros turned on, and the iMacros browser?|derivative of IE]] with a [[Browser Automation#Command Line Interface and Batch Files|command line interface]]. (Notice that the iMacros Browser is not available in all iMacros editions. See [[Features Comparison]].) |
− | This article primarily covers interaction with the iMacros Browser, however, the concepts and interface are fairly consistent among all the different versions of iMacros. Throughout this Wiki, iMacros commands and functionality | + | This article primarily covers interaction with the iMacros Browser, however, the concepts and interface are fairly consistent among all the different versions of iMacros. Throughout this Wiki, iMacros commands and functionality are associated with browser icons ([[Image:IMacros-icon.png|iMacros Browser]] [[Image:Ie-icon.png|IE Plug-in]] [[Image:Ff-icon.png|Firefox]] [[Image:Cr-icon.png|Chrome]] [[Image:NGIM-icon.png|iMacros 2021.0]]) to designate their applicability to a particular browser. |
− | ===Internet Explorer | + | ===iMacros for Internet Explorer === |
After installing the software, a new iMacros icon appears on the command bar of Internet Explorer (IE). | After installing the software, a new iMacros icon appears on the command bar of Internet Explorer (IE). | ||
[[File:IE_Tools_Menu_Cut_Out.png|right|thumb|iMacros in the IE Tools menu]]Click this icon to start iMacros. | [[File:IE_Tools_Menu_Cut_Out.png|right|thumb|iMacros in the IE Tools menu]]Click this icon to start iMacros. | ||
− | [[Image:IE_Command_Bar_Button.png]] | + | [[Image:IE_Command_Bar_Button.png|1600x80 px]] |
If you have already customized your IE command bar, you might need to manually add the icon or reposition it so it's visible. Please see this relevant [[FAQ_-_Frequently_Asked_Questions#Q:_What_if_the_iMacros_icon_does_not_appear_in_the_IE_toolbar?|FAQ]] for more on how to do this. | If you have already customized your IE command bar, you might need to manually add the icon or reposition it so it's visible. Please see this relevant [[FAQ_-_Frequently_Asked_Questions#Q:_What_if_the_iMacros_icon_does_not_appear_in_the_IE_toolbar?|FAQ]] for more on how to do this. | ||
− | You can also start iMacros for IE by selecting 'iMacros Web Automation' from the IE Tools menu. | + | You can also start iMacros for IE by selecting 'iMacros Web Automation' from the IE Tools menu. Or run the program "iMacros.Sidebar.exe". |
− | ===The iMacros Browser | + | ===The iMacros Browser=== |
− | To start the iMacros Browser, select the program from the | + | To start the iMacros Browser, select the program from the Start Menu, double-click the icon on your desktop, or run the program "imacros.exe". |
To become familiar with iMacros run the "FillForm" demo macro that is automatically installed. This demonstrates the basic features of iMacros in a straightforward way. It navigates to a test form, fills the form and submits it, then returns to the iMacros Website. | To become familiar with iMacros run the "FillForm" demo macro that is automatically installed. This demonstrates the basic features of iMacros in a straightforward way. It navigates to a test form, fills the form and submits it, then returns to the iMacros Website. | ||
Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
==The iMacros Graphical User Interface == | ==The iMacros Graphical User Interface == | ||
− | We have invested a lot of effort in making the Graphical User Interface of the iMacros Browser and the Internet Explorer | + | We have invested a lot of effort in making the Graphical User Interface of the iMacros Browser and the iMacros for Internet Explorer as intuitive as possible. This section explains the basic elements. |
===The Main Window === | ===The Main Window === | ||
− | The main window consists of | + | The main window consists of two parts: the browser window on the top and a detachable bottom part which has four sections. The bottom part has the following sections from left to right, the control panel which has all the important buttons like play, record, stop, settings and the loop controls, the file tree menu which displays all the macro files from the working directory, the iMacros integrated editor, the log window on the bottom right. Web pages are displayed in the browser window using a tabbed interface just like other browsers. You can dock and undock the bottom portion of the main window. |
− | [[File: | + | [[File:iMacros_Browser_FS1.png|950px|center]] |
<!--[[Image:Imacro_browser.gif|left|frame|iMacros browser]]---> | <!--[[Image:Imacro_browser.gif|left|frame|iMacros browser]]---> | ||
Line 32: | Line 32: | ||
===The iMacros Sidebar=== | ===The iMacros Sidebar=== | ||
− | + | NOT APPLICABLE for iMacros 2021 | |
− | The | + | The iMacros sidebar is divided into two parts. The top half displays a tree view of all your macros when iMacros is stopped, and the current macro code when you are playing or recording a macro. Only files with a .iim or .iimx (encrypted macros) extension in the Macros folder are recognized by iMacros. The Macros folder is specified in the Path settings. The default macro folder is located in user Documents folder under iMacros\Macros. |
+ | On the lower part of the sidebar, you can find the controls for recording, playing and editing macros, as well as the controls to change general settings and to access help. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <br> | ||
[[File:Sidebar_Pin.png|left]]'''Tip:''' [[Image:IMacros-icon.png|iMacros Browser]] You can auto-hide the sidebar by "un-pinning" it from the main window (just click on the thumb-pin icon to pin or unpin the sidebar), or you can move the sidebar outside the main window to a "floating" position, or dock it on the right, if you prefer. You can also hide the toolbar from the View menu. [[Image:Ie-icon.png|IE Plug-in]] The sidebar needs to be open in IE for iMacros to function. | [[File:Sidebar_Pin.png|left]]'''Tip:''' [[Image:IMacros-icon.png|iMacros Browser]] You can auto-hide the sidebar by "un-pinning" it from the main window (just click on the thumb-pin icon to pin or unpin the sidebar), or you can move the sidebar outside the main window to a "floating" position, or dock it on the right, if you prefer. You can also hide the toolbar from the View menu. [[Image:Ie-icon.png|IE Plug-in]] The sidebar needs to be open in IE for iMacros to function. | ||
− | <br> | + | <br><br> |
==Recording Macros== | ==Recording Macros== | ||
− | ===What's a | + | ===What's a Recording Mode?=== |
It is important to note that the primary way iMacros records your interaction with a web page is by recording your mouse clicks on the various web page elements. iMacros records these clicks as well as text entered into input fields on web forms and translates them into [[TAG]] commands. If you are entering and selecting values in a series of fields on a web form, you need to navigate to each field with the mouse and click into/on that field. | It is important to note that the primary way iMacros records your interaction with a web page is by recording your mouse clicks on the various web page elements. iMacros records these clicks as well as text entered into input fields on web forms and translates them into [[TAG]] commands. If you are entering and selecting values in a series of fields on a web form, you need to navigate to each field with the mouse and click into/on that field. | ||
− | '''Note:''' Navigating through fields with the keyboard (i.e. using the TAB key) | + | '''Note:''' Navigating through fields with the keyboard (i.e. using the TAB key) might not be recorded. |
− | Before recording, it is important to understand the different modes of recording that you can use | + | Before recording, it is important to understand the different modes of recording that you can use. The main recording modes are [[TAG]] (Automatic, Expert , CSS Selectors and XPath), [[EVENT]], and [[DirectScreen]]. To select a mode, go to settings and under record settings choose the mode you want to record with. |
− | [[File:Click_Mode_Dialog.png| | + | [[File:Click_Mode_Dialog.png|center]] |
− | ====Automatic==== | + | ====Tag Automatic==== |
− | iMacros attempts to choose the best recording options (recommended in most cases for recording on HTML websites). In the automatic mode iMacros looks at the different attributes an element has (such as ID, NAME, Text, HREF, etc.) and selects the one attribute it thinks fits best (for details, please see the "[[Automatic Mode Details|For advanced users]]" description). Note that the automatic mode never switches to Expert or [[DirectScreen]] mode. If you need these recording modes, please select them manually. | + | iMacros attempts to choose the best recording options (recommended in most cases for recording on HTML websites). In the automatic mode, iMacros looks at the different attributes an element has (such as ID, NAME, Text, HREF, etc.) and selects the one attribute it thinks fits best (for details, please see the "[[Automatic Mode Details|For advanced users]]" description). Note that the automatic mode never switches to Expert or [[DirectScreen]] mode. If you need these recording modes, please select them manually. |
− | ====Expert==== | + | ====Tag Expert (Complete HTML)==== |
This mode is for advanced users: iMacros does not select just ''one'' attribute as in the automatic mode, but instead creates a [[TAG]] command that consists of ''all'' attributes of the clicked HTML element. The purpose is to give the user a quick overview of all of the element's attributes. Typically the user will use such a [[TAG]] command as a starting point, and then delete the attributes that should not be used. Often this is more convenient than [[TAGs_and_HTML|building such a TAG command manually]]. | This mode is for advanced users: iMacros does not select just ''one'' attribute as in the automatic mode, but instead creates a [[TAG]] command that consists of ''all'' attributes of the clicked HTML element. The purpose is to give the user a quick overview of all of the element's attributes. Typically the user will use such a [[TAG]] command as a starting point, and then delete the attributes that should not be used. Often this is more convenient than [[TAGs_and_HTML|building such a TAG command manually]]. | ||
− | ==== | + | ====Tag Selector==== |
− | + | ||
+ | In this mode, a [[TAG]] command is built using the CSS Selector for the element, by default using its id. You can disable the checkbox "Prefer element ids in selectors" to force iMacros for using another attribute. Modern websites rely heavily upon CSS selectors and unique ids, so this mode will work well in such modern web pages. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====Tag XPath==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | In this mode, a [[TAG]] command is built using the XPath for the element. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ====Event==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[EVENT]] is a relatively new recording mode to automate web controls that the classic [[TAG]] command can not automate: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Drag & Drop | ||
+ | * Sliders | ||
+ | * Tricky date control | ||
+ | * Dynamic drop-down boxes | ||
+ | |||
+ | The [[EVENT]] and EVENTS commands can make use of CSS selectors and XPATH expressions for targeting elements on the page. In addition to clicking elements, these commands can also send mouse and keyboard events to Javascript-rich pages. | ||
====DirectScreen==== | ====DirectScreen==== | ||
− | + | ‘’’Note:’’’ Recording with DirectScreen mode is currently not available in iMacros 2021. | |
− | + | This is the ultimate solution if everything else fails. It simulates standard mouse clicks and movement within the browser window. This feature works with all web pages. For non-html elements such as Flash or Silverlight, you must use the [[DirectScreen]] mode. DirectScreen is not available in all iMacros Editions, see the [[Features Comparison]] for which editions support it. | |
− | + | ====X/Y [[Image:Ff-icon.png|Firefox]]==== | |
+ | iMacros for Firefox provides this mode for identifying elements by their position on the web page. This can be useful if the name and URL of the item you want to click on changes dynamically from visit to visit. It should also be used if the web page element is embedded in JavaScript and iMacros cannot find the recorded name during replay because it was created "on the fly" by JavaScript. For more information on this mode, see the [[CLICK]] command. | ||
+ | ====Changing Modes==== | ||
− | [[File: | + | [[File:Show_Click_Mode_Dialog_Button.png|none]] |
− | === | + | In most cases, you will record your macros using just one recording mode, but you aren't limited to just one mode per macro. In fact, you can mix the modes in a single macro by changing the click mode while you are recording! This is useful if you encounter problems while attempting to record one or more elements on a web page: simply switch to a different mode and try clicking the element again. |
+ | |||
+ | You may also have to change recording modes if you notice that your recorded commands are not playing back successfully. In this case, try selecting a different mode and re-record your macro. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Image Validation === | ||
− | [[ | + | Image validation (the [[IMAGECLICK]] and [[IMAGESEARCH]] commands)''' combines the power of [[DirectScreen]] with computer vision'''. To use it, open the Image Validation Wizard. For more details please see [[Image Validation]]. [[Image Validation]] is not available in all iMacros editions, see [[Features Comparison]]. |
− | |||
− | + | [[File:Image recognition wizard.png|thumb|center|700px|Image Validation Wizard: Use it to create the [[IMAGECLICK]] and [[IMAGESEARCH]] commands.]] | |
===To record a macro=== | ===To record a macro=== | ||
Line 86: | Line 111: | ||
To start recording a macro, select one of the following methods: | To start recording a macro, select one of the following methods: | ||
− | * Click the "Record" button on | + | * Click the "Record" button on the iMacros sidebar |
− | |||
* Press Ctrl+F5. | * Press Ctrl+F5. | ||
− | Now simply perform whatever tasks you wish to record, such as surfing to | + | Now simply perform whatever tasks you wish to record, such as surfing to websites, filling out forms, making a test order on your e-commerce site or any other task of your choosing. |
− | After you have finished recording press "Stop". The current recording is automatically saved | + | After you have finished recording press "Stop". The current recording is automatically saved with the [[Default Macro Name]]. |
===Hints for successful recording=== | ===Hints for successful recording=== | ||
− | * Select elements to record by clicking them with the mouse (don't use the TAB key to navigate through fields | + | * Select elements to record by on clicking them with the mouse (don't use the TAB key to navigate through fields). |
− | + | * Recording "Clicks". '''If a macro generates an error during replay you can experiment by selecting [[DirectScreen]] as a recording mode | |
− | * Recording "Clicks". '''If a macro generates an error during replay you can experiment by selecting | + | * Because the iMacros recording language is [[Command_Reference#iMacros_Commands_Reference|fully documented]] it is easy to edit and "tweak" the macro manually after recording! |
− | * Because the iMacros recording language is [[Command_Reference#iMacros_Commands_Reference|fully documented]] it is easy to edit and "tweak" the macro manually after recording! | ||
− | |||
Related animated tutorial: [[Tutorials#Recording_a_Macro|Recording a macro]] | Related animated tutorial: [[Tutorials#Recording_a_Macro|Recording a macro]] | ||
− | |||
− | |||
==Playing Macros== | ==Playing Macros== | ||
Line 109: | Line 129: | ||
[[Image:Play_Toolbar_Button.png|none]] | [[Image:Play_Toolbar_Button.png|none]] | ||
To play a macro, first select the macro in the macro list and then choose one of the following methods: | To play a macro, first select the macro in the macro list and then choose one of the following methods: | ||
− | + | [[Image:Play_Loop.png|frame]] | |
− | * Click the "Play" button or on | + | * Click the "Play" button or on the sidebar. |
* Simply double-click the macro in the list. | * Simply double-click the macro in the list. | ||
* Press the F5 key. | * Press the F5 key. | ||
− | During playback a blue frame shows you which parts of the web page are being manipulated. To play a recorded sequence multiple times, fill in the | + | During playback, a blue frame shows you which parts of the web page are being manipulated. To play a recorded sequence multiple times, fill in the maximum number of times to repeat the macro and press the "Play" button. |
===Controlling playback speed=== | ===Controlling playback speed=== | ||
− | There are two different options that affect the speed at which macros are replayed. These can be set in | + | [[Image:Playbackdelay.png|200px|left]] |
+ | There are two different options that affect the speed at which macros are replayed. These can be set in iMacros Settings as well as within the macro with the [[!PLAYBACKDELAY]] variable. | ||
− | The | + | The delay can be set to any value in seconds, but in the settings window, the maximum is 2s. Clicking on the labels fast, slow and fast is a quick way to set the value to their fixed delays: |
− | * FAST: the macro is replayed at maximum speed | + | * FAST: the macro is replayed at maximum speed = no delay |
− | * MEDIUM: iMacros waits for | + | * MEDIUM: iMacros waits for 1 second between each command |
− | * SLOW: iMacros waits for | + | * SLOW: iMacros waits for 2 seconds between each command |
− | The second option is to add timing information during recording ([[DirectScreen]] [[#What's a Click Mode?|click-mode]] only). If the "Add timing information" checkbox is checked in the | + | The second option is to add timing information during recording ([[DirectScreen]] [[#What's a Click Mode?|click-mode]] only). If the "Add timing information" checkbox is checked in the Recording Options window, then [[WAIT]] statements are automatically included in the macro. Thus, during a replay these WAIT statements slow down the macro playback. |
Of course, you can also always manually add [[WAIT]] statements to your macro to further control the speed. | Of course, you can also always manually add [[WAIT]] statements to your macro to further control the speed. | ||
Line 132: | Line 153: | ||
'''Related forum posts:''' | '''Related forum posts:''' | ||
− | *[http://forum. | + | *[http://forum.imacros.net/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5770 Editing a macro when automated recording fails] |
− | *[http://forum. | + | *[http://forum.imacros.net/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5744 Automating Google Maps] |
'''See also:''' | '''See also:''' | ||
Line 148: | Line 169: | ||
(Related example macro: [[Demo-FillForm|FillForm]]) | (Related example macro: [[Demo-FillForm|FillForm]]) | ||
− | All recorded macros are stored as a plain text file with the | + | All recorded macros are stored as a plain text file with the .iim extension in the folder specified by the "Folder Macros" setting on the Path tab of the Options dialog. The default macro folder is located in My Documents under iMacros\Macros. |
− | You can manually edit and tweak the macros using any text editor you like | + | You can manually edit and tweak the macros using any text editor you like. iMacros 2021 comes with a dock-able integrated editor and log window . |
− | To | + | To edit a macro, first select the macro in the macro list and then choose one of the following methods: |
− | * Click the "Edit | + | * Click the "Edit" button on the sidebar. |
− | |||
* Right-click the macro in the list and select "Edit macro". | * Right-click the macro in the list and select "Edit macro". | ||
* Press the F9 key. | * Press the F9 key. | ||
− | + | By default, iMacros will use the iMacros [[Editor]], but you can choose another one in the "External editor" setting on the Path tab of the Settings dialog. The editor will open and display the macro - in this example, we chose the FillForm demo macro: | |
− | [[Image: | + | [[Image:iMacrosEditor_FS1.png|800 px]] |
As a simple edit step, let's change the content of a form text field now. To change the Name below from "Tom Tester" to "Dr. A. Award" locate the TAG command that contains "Tom Tester" and change is as shown below: | As a simple edit step, let's change the content of a form text field now. To change the Name below from "Tom Tester" to "Dr. A. Award" locate the TAG command that contains "Tom Tester" and change is as shown below: | ||
Line 170: | Line 190: | ||
If the value of the [[TAG#Parameters|CONTENT]] parameter contains spaces, you must either: | If the value of the [[TAG#Parameters|CONTENT]] parameter contains spaces, you must either: | ||
* Enclose the value in double-quotes | * Enclose the value in double-quotes | ||
− | * Replace all spaces in the text with <SP> and substitute all newlines with <nowiki><BR></nowiki>, e.g. CONTENT=Dr.<SP>A.<SP>Award. ([http://forum. | + | * Replace all spaces in the text with <SP> and substitute all newlines with <nowiki><BR></nowiki>, e.g. CONTENT=Dr.<SP>A.<SP>Award. ([http://forum.imacros.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4516 Related forum post]). |
After you save the changes to the file, iMacros will immediately apply them during the next replay of the macro. | After you save the changes to the file, iMacros will immediately apply them during the next replay of the macro. | ||
− | <!--'''Tip:''' We recommend [http://forum. | + | <!--'''Tip:''' We recommend [http://forum.imacros.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4828 installing] and using the free Notepad++ editor. It not only has better features such as line numbering, but it also supports '''[http://forum.imacros.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4828 iMacros syntax highlighting]'''. |
[[Image:Notepad_plus_plus.png|thumb|center|800px|Notepad++ Editor with iMacros syntax highlighting for *.iim files]] | [[Image:Notepad_plus_plus.png|thumb|center|800px|Notepad++ Editor with iMacros syntax highlighting for *.iim files]] | ||
Line 200: | Line 220: | ||
== Offline == | == Offline == | ||
− | If you work on a PC without Internet connection, it is recommended that you check the box "Work Offline" in the Options dialog. This avoids the Internet connection check at iMacros startup. | + | If you work on a PC without an Internet connection, it is recommended that you check the box "Work Offline" in the Options dialog. This avoids the Internet connection check at iMacros startup. |
---> | ---> |
Latest revision as of 12:36, 5 May 2021
Starting iMacros
iMacros is distributed as a browser add-on for Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer, besides a standalone iMacros Browser, a derivative of IE with a command line interface. (Notice that the iMacros Browser is not available in all iMacros editions. See Features Comparison.)
This article primarily covers interaction with the iMacros Browser, however, the concepts and interface are fairly consistent among all the different versions of iMacros. Throughout this Wiki, iMacros commands and functionality are associated with browser icons ( ) to designate their applicability to a particular browser.
iMacros for Internet Explorer
After installing the software, a new iMacros icon appears on the command bar of Internet Explorer (IE).
Click this icon to start iMacros.
If you have already customized your IE command bar, you might need to manually add the icon or reposition it so it's visible. Please see this relevant FAQ for more on how to do this.
You can also start iMacros for IE by selecting 'iMacros Web Automation' from the IE Tools menu. Or run the program "iMacros.Sidebar.exe".
The iMacros Browser
To start the iMacros Browser, select the program from the Start Menu, double-click the icon on your desktop, or run the program "imacros.exe".
To become familiar with iMacros run the "FillForm" demo macro that is automatically installed. This demonstrates the basic features of iMacros in a straightforward way. It navigates to a test form, fills the form and submits it, then returns to the iMacros Website.
The iMacros Graphical User Interface
We have invested a lot of effort in making the Graphical User Interface of the iMacros Browser and the iMacros for Internet Explorer as intuitive as possible. This section explains the basic elements.
The Main Window
The main window consists of two parts: the browser window on the top and a detachable bottom part which has four sections. The bottom part has the following sections from left to right, the control panel which has all the important buttons like play, record, stop, settings and the loop controls, the file tree menu which displays all the macro files from the working directory, the iMacros integrated editor, the log window on the bottom right. Web pages are displayed in the browser window using a tabbed interface just like other browsers. You can dock and undock the bottom portion of the main window.
The iMacros Sidebar
NOT APPLICABLE for iMacros 2021
The iMacros sidebar is divided into two parts. The top half displays a tree view of all your macros when iMacros is stopped, and the current macro code when you are playing or recording a macro. Only files with a .iim or .iimx (encrypted macros) extension in the Macros folder are recognized by iMacros. The Macros folder is specified in the Path settings. The default macro folder is located in user Documents folder under iMacros\Macros.
On the lower part of the sidebar, you can find the controls for recording, playing and editing macros, as well as the controls to change general settings and to access help.
Tip: You can auto-hide the sidebar by "un-pinning" it from the main window (just click on the thumb-pin icon to pin or unpin the sidebar), or you can move the sidebar outside the main window to a "floating" position, or dock it on the right, if you prefer. You can also hide the toolbar from the View menu. The sidebar needs to be open in IE for iMacros to function.
Recording Macros
What's a Recording Mode?
It is important to note that the primary way iMacros records your interaction with a web page is by recording your mouse clicks on the various web page elements. iMacros records these clicks as well as text entered into input fields on web forms and translates them into TAG commands. If you are entering and selecting values in a series of fields on a web form, you need to navigate to each field with the mouse and click into/on that field.
Note: Navigating through fields with the keyboard (i.e. using the TAB key) might not be recorded.
Before recording, it is important to understand the different modes of recording that you can use. The main recording modes are TAG (Automatic, Expert , CSS Selectors and XPath), EVENT, and DirectScreen. To select a mode, go to settings and under record settings choose the mode you want to record with.
Tag Automatic
iMacros attempts to choose the best recording options (recommended in most cases for recording on HTML websites). In the automatic mode, iMacros looks at the different attributes an element has (such as ID, NAME, Text, HREF, etc.) and selects the one attribute it thinks fits best (for details, please see the "For advanced users" description). Note that the automatic mode never switches to Expert or DirectScreen mode. If you need these recording modes, please select them manually.
Tag Expert (Complete HTML)
This mode is for advanced users: iMacros does not select just one attribute as in the automatic mode, but instead creates a TAG command that consists of all attributes of the clicked HTML element. The purpose is to give the user a quick overview of all of the element's attributes. Typically the user will use such a TAG command as a starting point, and then delete the attributes that should not be used. Often this is more convenient than building such a TAG command manually.
Tag Selector
In this mode, a TAG command is built using the CSS Selector for the element, by default using its id. You can disable the checkbox "Prefer element ids in selectors" to force iMacros for using another attribute. Modern websites rely heavily upon CSS selectors and unique ids, so this mode will work well in such modern web pages.
Tag XPath
In this mode, a TAG command is built using the XPath for the element.
Event
EVENT is a relatively new recording mode to automate web controls that the classic TAG command can not automate:
- Drag & Drop
- Sliders
- Tricky date control
- Dynamic drop-down boxes
The EVENT and EVENTS commands can make use of CSS selectors and XPATH expressions for targeting elements on the page. In addition to clicking elements, these commands can also send mouse and keyboard events to Javascript-rich pages.
DirectScreen
‘’’Note:’’’ Recording with DirectScreen mode is currently not available in iMacros 2021.
This is the ultimate solution if everything else fails. It simulates standard mouse clicks and movement within the browser window. This feature works with all web pages. For non-html elements such as Flash or Silverlight, you must use the DirectScreen mode. DirectScreen is not available in all iMacros Editions, see the Features Comparison for which editions support it.
X/Y
iMacros for Firefox provides this mode for identifying elements by their position on the web page. This can be useful if the name and URL of the item you want to click on changes dynamically from visit to visit. It should also be used if the web page element is embedded in JavaScript and iMacros cannot find the recorded name during replay because it was created "on the fly" by JavaScript. For more information on this mode, see the CLICK command.
Changing Modes
In most cases, you will record your macros using just one recording mode, but you aren't limited to just one mode per macro. In fact, you can mix the modes in a single macro by changing the click mode while you are recording! This is useful if you encounter problems while attempting to record one or more elements on a web page: simply switch to a different mode and try clicking the element again.
You may also have to change recording modes if you notice that your recorded commands are not playing back successfully. In this case, try selecting a different mode and re-record your macro.
Image Validation
Image validation (the IMAGECLICK and IMAGESEARCH commands) combines the power of DirectScreen with computer vision. To use it, open the Image Validation Wizard. For more details please see Image Validation. Image Validation is not available in all iMacros editions, see Features Comparison.
To record a macro
To start recording a macro, select one of the following methods:
- Click the "Record" button on the iMacros sidebar
- Press Ctrl+F5.
Now simply perform whatever tasks you wish to record, such as surfing to websites, filling out forms, making a test order on your e-commerce site or any other task of your choosing.
After you have finished recording press "Stop". The current recording is automatically saved with the Default Macro Name.
Hints for successful recording
- Select elements to record by on clicking them with the mouse (don't use the TAB key to navigate through fields).
- Recording "Clicks". If a macro generates an error during replay you can experiment by selecting DirectScreen as a recording mode
- Because the iMacros recording language is fully documented it is easy to edit and "tweak" the macro manually after recording!
Related animated tutorial: Recording a macro
Playing Macros
To play a macro, first select the macro in the macro list and then choose one of the following methods:
- Click the "Play" button or on the sidebar.
- Simply double-click the macro in the list.
- Press the F5 key.
During playback, a blue frame shows you which parts of the web page are being manipulated. To play a recorded sequence multiple times, fill in the maximum number of times to repeat the macro and press the "Play" button.
Controlling playback speed
There are two different options that affect the speed at which macros are replayed. These can be set in iMacros Settings as well as within the macro with the !PLAYBACKDELAY variable.
The delay can be set to any value in seconds, but in the settings window, the maximum is 2s. Clicking on the labels fast, slow and fast is a quick way to set the value to their fixed delays:
- FAST: the macro is replayed at maximum speed = no delay
- MEDIUM: iMacros waits for 1 second between each command
- SLOW: iMacros waits for 2 seconds between each command
The second option is to add timing information during recording (DirectScreen click-mode only). If the "Add timing information" checkbox is checked in the Recording Options window, then WAIT statements are automatically included in the macro. Thus, during a replay these WAIT statements slow down the macro playback.
Of course, you can also always manually add WAIT statements to your macro to further control the speed.
Errors during replay
We work hard to make iMacros as "intelligent" as possible, but it still is not as smart as you. If an error occurs during replay it is mostly due to a "tricky" web page in which one of the automatic suggestions of the iMacros Recorder failed. In almost all cases re-recording the macro with different settings or manually editing the macro solves the problem. For recording tips please see the Recording section and for information on how to edit your macro go to the Editing Macros section.
Related forum posts:
See also:
Tip: If you want to prevent the blue frame from being drawn around tagged elements during playback, add the following statement to your macro:
SET !MARKOBJECT NO
Editing Macros
(Related example macro: FillForm)
All recorded macros are stored as a plain text file with the .iim extension in the folder specified by the "Folder Macros" setting on the Path tab of the Options dialog. The default macro folder is located in My Documents under iMacros\Macros.
You can manually edit and tweak the macros using any text editor you like. iMacros 2021 comes with a dock-able integrated editor and log window .
To edit a macro, first select the macro in the macro list and then choose one of the following methods:
- Click the "Edit" button on the sidebar.
- Right-click the macro in the list and select "Edit macro".
- Press the F9 key.
By default, iMacros will use the iMacros Editor, but you can choose another one in the "External editor" setting on the Path tab of the Settings dialog. The editor will open and display the macro - in this example, we chose the FillForm demo macro:
As a simple edit step, let's change the content of a form text field now. To change the Name below from "Tom Tester" to "Dr. A. Award" locate the TAG command that contains "Tom Tester" and change is as shown below:
Old:
TAG POS=1 TYPE=INPUT:TEXT FORM=NAME:f1 ATTR=NAME:n1 CONTENT="Tom Tester"
New:
TAG POS=1 TYPE=INPUT:TEXT FORM=NAME:f1 ATTR=NAME:n1 CONTENT="Dr. A. Award"
If the value of the CONTENT parameter contains spaces, you must either:
- Enclose the value in double-quotes
- Replace all spaces in the text with <SP> and substitute all newlines with <BR>, e.g. CONTENT=Dr.<SP>A.<SP>Award. (Related forum post).
After you save the changes to the file, iMacros will immediately apply them during the next replay of the macro.
Next Steps
- View some tutorials
- Learn about protecting passwords in your macros
- Learn how to handle macro errors
- Learn about using variables in your macro
- Learn how to use a simple loop with a macro
- Learn about using wildcards for page elements with dynamic attributes and content
- Learn how to handle browser dialogs
- Learn how to download files and page items, save complete pages, and take screenshots
- Learn about filling web forms
- Learn how to extract data from web pages (web scraping)
- Learn more about DirectScreen Technology
- Learn how to use Image Recognition
- Learn how to use iMacros for Web Testing
- Unleash the full power of iMacros with Web Scripting!
- Take a look at some macro and script examples