I'm wondering why I should use these as any button can be a macro is there an advantage?


Thanks guys

Macro Groups are what you use when programming macros through your Pronto, not ProntoEdit. Likewise "IsTimerGroup" is only relevant to programming timers directly onto the handset.

When programming through ProntoEdit the distinction between Devices and MacroGroups all but disappears, as you have obviously guessed. :)

The advantage for using them in ProntoEdit is that you can do whatever you want either on the left dropdown or the right dropdown.

On mine (had it for a whole week now) I ONLY put devices on the device list, basically a straight copy of the original remote control.

On the home menu pages I have complex actions (like others have done) like watch ...

On the Macro list are the specific actions from the home menus.

Ok, it's a purely arbitrary division but it does separate simple devices from compound item and general operations (scenes in 'X-10' speak) from the actions required.

There IS a significant reason to place the macros under the macro list, but for the typical person at home it's not that big a deal. Where the benefit really comes in is when you are setting up the timing of the macros and troubleshooting things to make sure they work every time. Macros in this section of the remote can be edited directly on the remote rather than having to go back to the PC. This makes editing and testing of macros infinitely faster, and also allows you to make fixes on the fly as you discover them, rather than having to remember to go fix it on the computer. This is of huge value to anyone who has programmed a remote for someone else, as I have in the passed walked a customer through a minor timing fix or added button and thereby saved myself a 2 hour round trip.

Mark Seaton

Think of it as three seperate lists, Home, Device,and Macro. Each list remembers where it was when you Jumped to another. This can be used to your advantage as sort of a "Back" capability.

I use the Macro side for functions that are common across Devices like:

Audio-EQ adjustment, Center/Rear Vol, Sound Fields, etc
Power-To turn off/on other components then back
Record-Record to tape then jump back . . . .

Works for me! Check it out.

PS. To "Learn" it must be on the Devce side.

Thanks guys,

So do you typically put alias's to you macro's on the Macro list or just keep them There?

Yes, I hide all of the actual macro panels, and alias to them with the actual button the user sees and presses on the Home screen or in a device. To edit them, you can just go to "edit" mode, and now you can scroll through to the hidden panel. As Leo said, you also have the flexibility to use the macro section to locate commands which might be used at any random time. If I want acess to the various surround and sound field modes I will usually place these under the macro area. This way where ever you are in the devices, you just have to press the macro icon and when you're done you just go back to the devices side.

Mark Seaton

Thanks alot guys I think thats what I'll be doing