automate keystrokes w simple keyboard command

[JayElDee]

I am using 13.6.7. I wish to automate a series of keystrokes so that when I press a shortcut, eg command-h, the series of keystrokes appears.
For example if I want to enter qwerty:uiop by simply pressing command-h, how can I do this?
Thanks in advance.

 

[VitoBotta]

I don't know if there is a better way, but I did something similar by creating a service with Automator that does what I want, and assigning a shortcut in System Settings (under the keyboard shortcuts settings, section "services").

I am pretty sure there are some apps that can simplify this, for example I have heard of Karabiner Elements but I haven't tried them.

 

[JayElDee]

I don't know if there is a better way, but I did something similar by creating a service with Automator that does what I want, and assigning a shortcut in System Settings (under the keyboard shortcuts settings, section "services").

I am pretty sure there are some apps that can simplify this, for example I have heard of Karabiner Elements but I haven't tried them.

I went to Automator and do not see "services" as an option.

 

[VitoBotta]

I went to Automator and do not see "services" as an option.

Sorry for the confusion. I think it's called Workflow in Automator but then you will see it under Services->General in the keyboard shortcuts.

 

[bogdanw]

I think it's called Workflow in Automator but then you will see it under Services->General in the keyboard shortcuts.

Not Workflow, Quick Action



AppleScript:

tell application "System Events"
    keystroke "qwerty:uiop"
end tell

For example if I want to enter qwerty:uiop by simply pressing command-h, how can I do this?

You can’t use Command-H, it’s used for hide in most apps. You can use Command+Shift+H

Create a workflow in Automator on Mac
https://support.apple.com/guide/automator/aut7cac58839/mac
Mac keyboard shortcuts
https://support.apple.com/102650
"Command-H: Hide the windows of the front app. To view the front app but hide all other apps, press Option-Command-H."

 

[zevrix]

In addition to other suggestions:

There's Keyboard maestro that can do this easily (not free but worth every penny):

Keyboard Maestro 11.0.4: Work Faster with Macros for macOS

I also think that Mac's built-in Shortcuts app can do this too, and possibly in a more straightforward way than Automator, but I'm not completely sure about it.

 

[JayElDee]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I had found shortcut.app and created the shortcut, but I don't see how to execute it, ie I don't see how I could make the shortcut run by a certain keystroke combo.
As I said I would like , eg "cmd shift h", to automatically type in qwerty:uiop and don't see how to accomplish that in shortcut.app.
I will look at Keyboard Maestro, but if able to be done free, that's abviously better.

 

[zevrix]

I had found shortcut.app and created the shortcut, but I don't see how to execute it, ie I don't see how I could make the shortcut run by a certain keystroke combo.

It's not that easy to figure out.

First, you need to click this "info" circle icon:

Which doesn't actually lead you to any info - but reveals additional settings.

Unfortunately, Apple now misleadingly uses this "info" icon to hide various settings everywhere.

(It's truly a DUMB, idiotic idea to use the info icon to access settings.)

Then you can use these settings to assign a keyboard shortcut:

(My UI is in Spanish as part of an experiment of immersive Spanish learning but I'm sure you'll figure it out.)

 

[bogdanw]

As I said I would like , eg "cmd shift h", to automatically type in qwerty:uiop and don't see how to accomplish that in shortcut.app.

You can use the same AppleScript from above.

 

[zevrix]

You can use the same AppleScript from above.

The OP did create a shortcut; he just couldn't figure out how to assign a keyboard shortcut to the shortcut:

created the shortcut, but I don't see how to execute it, ie I don't see how I could make the shortcut run by a certain keystroke combo

 

[bogdanw]

The OP did create a shortcut; he just couldn't figure out how to assign a keyboard shortcut to the shortcut:

Read again.
I would like to know if there is another way to type/insert text with the Shortcut app, so please post a screenshot of the created shortcut.

 

[JayElDee]

Thanks for the tip about the "i" key. That pointed me in a useful direction and allowed a hotkey to be set, in this case "fn f6."
I ticked both "services menu" and "provide output." if both are not checked it doesn't work. In the text to enter I typed the desired input "about:home" and then hit <enter> to make that part of the macro. I also checked "pin in menu bar."
It mostly works, but although the text is entered, the return doesn't engage, so I have to hit <enter> to make it work. Also, though I checked "pin in menu bar" it does not pin in menu bar.
I tried the trial version of Keyboard Maestro and it works fine, but not worth $36 to me.
Thanks or all the tips. Appreciated.

 

[bogdanw]

In the text to enter I typed the desired input "about:home" and then hit <enter> to make that part of the macro.

Are you trying to make a shortcut for Home in Firefox?

Option + home is the default, option (⌥) + Fn + left arrow for keyboards that don’t have the home key. You can change in Firefox that with an extension

Firefox Help - Keyboard shortcuts https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/keyboard-shortcuts-perform-firefox-tasks-quickly

Mozilla Support - Change the homepage hotkey https://support.mozilla.org/ro/questions/1326327

Shortkeys (Custom Keyboard Shortcuts) for Firefox https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/shortkeys/