The
Ultimate Crafting Macro
(Advanced Version)
(This macro is verified as of 11 Jun 08)
[ Part I: Using the Macro | Part II: What
the Macro Does | Part III: How to Modify the Macro
| Part IV: Semi-Automation
Using Keystrokes ]
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Since originally posting the crafting macro, it has been plagued by one major
problem:
It's too long and part of it gets erased every time you log in.
I've received countless emails and PM's saying that there's a better way to do
it using two macros.
YES, I KNOW!
The original macro was written as an introduction for people who either did not
know how to write their own macro or were too lazy to learn.
It was meant to be a simple, straightforward approach to get the job done with
a minimum of effort on the part of the reader.
The goal was that they would either take the fundamentals they learned from building
this one and create their own or forever be stuck as a slave to the length bug.
I, personally, use a two-macro method.
In fact, I don't even use a fully automated process because I find that I can
click the buttons and press a couple of keys more efficiently than a macro can.
This actually allows me to work at a faster pace when I'm "in the groove"
and a more leisurely pace when I need to divert my attention.
In this advanced guide, I will cover both the "automated" and "semi-automated"
methods of macro crafting.
Part
I
Using the Macro
Step 1: Preparation
Since you are using this advanced guide, it is assumed that you know how to
create a macro and set it up for use.
If not, please familiarize yourself with the original
macro guide before continuing as I will not be covering old ground.
Step 2a: The Tool Macro
1) Open the Command Browser and create a new macro named ToolSelect
2) Use this as your macro:
/ui action toolbarSlot00;
/pause 1;
/ui action defaultButton;
/pause 5;
/macro MakeItem;
/pause 1;
/ui action toolbarSlot01;
/pause 1;
/ui action defaultButton;
/pause 5;
/macro MakeItem;
/pause 1;
/ui action toolbarSlot02;
/pause 1;
/ui action defaultButton;
/pause 5;
/macro MakeItem;
/pause 1;
/ui action toolbarSlot03;
/pause 1;
/ui action defaultButton;
/pause 5;
/macro MakeItem;
/pause 1;
/ui action toolbarSlot04;
/pause 1;
/ui action defaultButton;
/pause 5;
/macro MakeItem;
/pause 1;
/macro ToolSelect; |
Step 2b: The Item Macro
1) Open the Command Browser and create a new macro named MakeItem
2) Use this as your macro:
/nextCraftingStage;
/nextCraftingStage;
/nextCraftingStage;
/nextCraftingStage;
/createPrototype Practice noitem;
/createPrototype Practice noitem; |
Step 3: Prepare the crafting session.
Before you begin, it is necessary to
"prime" your crafting tool so the macro will function.
If you don't do this, the macro will not work.
This is the exact same process from the original crafting macro.
Step 4: Launch the macro.
1) You only need the "Tool Macro" in your command bar. The "Item
Macro" will be executed without user input.
2) Close any windows you may have open and activate the macro.
3) The macro will activate the first crafting tool and select the item you used
to "prime" the tool.
4) The macro will advance to the resource input screen. YOU MUST MANUALLY PUT
THE RESOURCES IN.
5) The macro will close the crafting window with a system message that says:
"The crafting session has ended!"
6) You will see the timer on the first crafting tool start counting down and
the macro will launch the next crafting tool.
7) The process will repeat forever.
8) Type /dump to stop the macro.
Part
II
What the macros do
The Tool Macro.
| /ui action toolbarSlot00; |
Launches the first crafting tool. |
Crafting Tool #1 |
| /pause 1; |
Wait 1 second to allow for lag. |
| /ui action defaultButton; |
Select the grinding item. |
| /pause 5; |
Wait 5 seconds for resource input. |
| /macro MakeItem; |
Executes the "MakeItem" macro. |
| /pause 1; |
Wait 1 second before launching the next tool. |
|
| /ui action toolbarSlot01; |
Launches the second crafting tool. |
Crafting Tool #2 |
| /pause 1; |
Wait 1 second to allow for lag. |
| /ui action defaultButton; |
Select the grinding item. |
| /pause 5; |
Wait 5 seconds for resource input. |
| /macro MakeItem; |
Executes the "MakeItem" macro. |
| /pause 1; |
Wait 1 second before launching the next tool. |
|
| /ui action toolbarSlot02; |
Launches the third crafting tool. |
Crafting Tool #3 |
| /pause 1; |
Wait 1 second to allow for lag. |
| /ui action defaultButton; |
Select the grinding item. |
| /pause 5; |
Wait 5 seconds for resource input. |
| /macro MakeItem; |
Executes the "MakeItem" macro. |
| /pause 1; |
Wait 1 second before launching the next tool. |
|
| /ui action toolbarSlot03; |
Launches the fourth crafting tool. |
Crafting Tool #4 |
| /pause 1; |
Wait 1 second to allow for lag. |
| /ui action defaultButton; |
Select the grinding item. |
| /pause 5; |
Wait 5 seconds for resource input. |
| /macro MakeItem; |
Executes the "MakeItem" macro. |
| /pause 1; |
Wait 1 second before launching the next tool. |
|
| /ui action toolbarSlot04; |
Launches the fifth crafting tool. |
Crafting Tool #5 |
| /pause 1; |
Wait 1 second to allow for lag. |
| /ui action defaultButton; |
Select the grinding item. |
| /pause 5; |
Wait 5 seconds for resource input. |
| /macro MakeItem; |
Executes the "MakeItem" macro. |
| /pause 1; |
Wait 1 second before launching the next tool. |
|
| /macro ToolSelect; |
Start the macro over from the beginning.
The name you use here must be the exact name you gave to the macro. |
Loop |
|
The Item Macro.
/nextCraftingStage;
/nextCraftingStage;
/nextCraftingStage;
/nextCraftingStage; |
Advance through all the other crafting screens. |
Item Creation |
/createPrototype
Practice noitem;
/createPrototype Practice noitem; |
Create an item in practice mode and close the crafting window. |
|
Part
III
How to modify the macro
Refer to the original macro guide for troubleshooting and modification information.
Only steps unique to the advanced version are listed here.
Can the Item Macro be changed to do more of the repetitive steps instead
of doing them in the Tool Macro?
Yes.
You could theoretically have the Tool Macro do nothing but select the crafting
tool and then execute the Item Macro with a single pause command to wait for
it to finish.
The Item Macro would then need to contain the rest of your pauses.
This would mean that you would only have to adjust macro timing in one place
rather than several.
However, this is why I recommend doing it my way instead:
The timing on the Tool Macro is critical and the timing on the Item Macro is
not.
This is why there are no pause commands in the Item Macro.
If they get out of sync, you're going to get very frustrated very fast.
Also, having it set up this way will make using my "Keystroke Macro"
easier.
Steps for it are listed in Part IV.
Part
IV
Semi-automation using keystrokes
This is the method I prefer for macro crafting.
Rather than have a macro to advance my crafting tools for me, I prefer to click
on them.
It's easy enough to do and it lets me craft at my own pace rather than one dictated
by the timing of a macro.
If I lag, I can slow down and wait for it to catch up.
If I'm on a roll, I can speed up.
I, personally, don't use the "Actions Can Be Fired from Toolbar" option.
I prefer to click the tool then right click, but that's just me.
It's a matter of personal preference and you can do it whichever way you want.
For me, it's also a matter of practicality.
That setting is global to the computer rather than the character so it sets
all my combat characters to fire by clicking rather than click-right click and
I don't like playing that way.
Step 1: Create Your Macros
1) The "DefaultButton" macro:
| /ui action defaultButton; |
2) The Item Macro from above:
/nextCraftingStage;
/nextCraftingStage;
/nextCraftingStage;
/nextCraftingStage;
/createPrototype Practice noitem;
/createPrototype Practice noitem; |
You will NOT need the Tool Macro.
Step 2: Setup Your Keymap
The secret to this method is binding these two macros to keypresses.
Go to Options > Keymap > Custom.
You will see a list of every macro you have and which (if any) keys you have bound
to them.
Note that you can bind multiple keys to the same command.
You should choose keys that you don't normally use so that you don't end up hitting
them by mistake all the time.
Find your DefaultButton macro and bind it to a key of your choosing.
I prefer binding it to the Left CTRL key because this button is useful for so
many things and that button is very convenient to hit.
Now find your MakeItem macro and bind it to another key.
I use Shift Z because it's right there by the CTRL key so there is not a lot of
extra hand movement involved when I'm crafting.
I'll also mention that I have Shift X bound to a different macro that actually
crafts the item rather than doing it in practice mode so I can quickly generate
an item to use.
Step 3: Begin Crafting
It is still technically necessary to "prime"
your crafting tool but this will be done as part of the actual crafting process
rather than as a separate step as required when using the Tool Macro method.
1) Select your first crafting tool.
2) Select the desired schematic (this step primes your tool and will not be
necessary again).
3) Press your DefaultButton key.
4) The crafting tool will advance to the resource input screen. You still must
manually put the resources in.
5) Press your MakeItem key.
6) The macro will close the crafting window with a system message that says:
"The crafting session has ended!"
7) You will see the timer on the first crafting tool start counting down.
8) Select your next crafting tool and repeat the process from #3.
By using this method, it is not necessary to /dump the macro because there is
no loop running.
You can also easily adjust your speed to slow down for lag or speed up for efficiency.
