Using the Action Page

You can use this page to attach an action to a keyboard key, QuickPad object, Toolbar object, or HotSpot. Actions can be any action you can perform within Extra!, such as sending keystrokes, running a macro, executing a menu command, navigating to a recorded host screen page, or applying a scheme.

To assign an action to a key, QuickPad object, toolbar, or HotSpot

  1. Open the editor for the object to which you are attaching the action.

  2. Choose the Action tab in the dialog using the appropriate method.

    • For Keys, in the Keyboard editor, double click the keyboard key or move to the key using the left and right arrow keys and press Enter.

    • For QuickPad objects, in the QuickPad editor, double click on the object, and then choose the Action page.

    • For Toolbar buttons, in the Toolbar editor, double click on the button, and then choose the Action page.

    • For HotSpots, from the Settings - HotSpots dialog box, choose either New or Edit, and then choose the Action page.

  3. In the Action page, select a category from the Category list. The actions in that category appear in the Commands list.

  4. In the Command list, select a command. Depending on your selection, you may have to supply other information, such as the keystroke to send for a SendKeys command.

  5. Click OK.

Table 3-121 Actions Page Settings

Settings

Description

Category

Selects the type of action to perform. The actions in the Commands list box change, depending on the Category selected.

Commands

Select the action to perform. Depending on which action you choose, the dialog box might prompt you for additional information. For example, if you select the Run Application command, you will need to specify the program to run.

Application

Type the name of the application to run, including the drive and directory where the application is located. If desired, click the Browse button to display the Browse dialog box, then select the desired application from the list of available applications.

Run Macro

Identifies the name of the macro that is run when this action is activated. Click the Browse button to help locate the macro filename.

Scheme

Selects the scheme that is loaded when the action is activated.

Session

Selects the available session profiles that are used when this action is activated.

Page

Selects the recorded host screen page that is opened when this action is activated.

Diacritic Mark

Selects the accent mark that is used as the Send Dead Key character when this action is activated.

Keystrokes

Allows you to type the keystroke(s) to be performed. You can also select one or more keystrokes from the Display Keys list box to appear in the Keystrokes text box. All control code strings (for example, <BS>, <CR>, or <ESC>) must include angle brackets.

When a control code string is encountered, it checks to see if that string is among its recognized strings. If the string is valid, the corresponding control code character is passed to the display session. If the string is not valid, the string is passed directly to the display session so that the display session can determine if it is a valid keystroke string for that display session.

If you do not want to interpret the control code string, you must include an accent grave (`) in front of the string.

Bitmap

Shows the current bitmap that will appear on the selected bitmap button.

Display Keys

You can either select the keystroke from the Display Keys list and choose the Add to Keystrokes button or you can double-click the keystroke to add keystrokes to the Keystroke text box. More than one keystroke can be selected to make a string of keystrokes.

Add to Keystrokes

Adds the selected the keystroke function from the Display Keys list to the Keystroke text box. More than one keystroke can be selected to make a string of keystrokes.

Description

Describes the command highlighted in Commands.

Display

Choose the Display type from the drop-down list.

Customize

Choose this button to select a different bitmap for the button. The bitmaps are editable.

Browse

Opens a standard file browser dialog with which you can locate and select the appropriate file.