Looking for macro recording software

[JDS]

Hi,

I’m looking for a macro recorder that will work similarly to razer synapse’s macro recording software (doesn’t have to be razer exclusive) where I’ll be able to record a set of key strokes and be able to play them back through a keybind.

I’ve tried to do my own research but I can only find 2 orphaned AUR packages being atbswp and xmacro.

Can anyone please recommend me any and all suggestions for a working up to date macro recording software? I’m willing to try unstable/git projects as well.

[Kresimir]

I do this with shell scripting and xdotool. For example, I have bound Meta+V to a shell script which runs another my yt-dlp wrapper script by finding a terminal window and sending the following keystrokes to it:

• Ctrl+A: move cursor to the beginning of the line
• Ctrl+K: clear everything in front of the cursor
•    Space   , Y, T, P: type the name of the script, ytp, after a space so that the command does not get saved in the shell history.
• Return
   : to run the script.

This is what the script looks like:

#!/bin/bash

CLIPBOARD="$(xclip -o -sel c)"
[[ $CLIPBOARD = http* ]] || exit 1

TERMINAL_NAME="Konsole"
TERMINAL_EXEC="/usr/bin/konsole"

readarray -t WINDOW_LIST < <(xdotool search --all --class "$TERMINAL_NAME")
for WINDOW in "${WINDOW_LIST[@]}"; do
  OUTPUT=$(xdotool "windowactivate" "$WINDOW" 2>&1)
  if [ -z $OUTPUT ]; then
    if [[ $(xset -q) =~ (Caps Lock: *on) ]]; then
      CAPS=1
      xdotool key Caps_Lock
    fi

    xdotool key --clearmodifiers --window "$WINDOW" ctrl+a ctrl+k space y t p Return

    if (( CAPS )); then
      xdotool key Caps_Lock
    fi
    
    # unstick keys if stuck
    sleep 0.5 && xdotool keyup Meta_L Meta_R Alt_L Alt_R Super_L Super_R
    exit 0
  fi
done

#otherwise
$TERMINAL_EXEC -e "$HOME/bin/ytp"

The script also checks if the clipboard contains a URL (actually, a string starting with “http”), because if it doesn’t then running my ytp script is pointless.

This is how I watch all online videos, my browser does not play multimedia.

I use the exact same approach to program keyboard macros for use in, say, a text editor, or wherever I need a sequence of keys typed exactly.

Here is another example, a video of an xdotool based shell script automatically playing Snek:

xdotool macro

Of course, such UI automation is one of the wonderful things about using X11. If you use Wayland, you’re out of luck (there are some similar utilities, but they all suck), consider using X11.

[JDS]

Thanks for that, I found a neat AUR package that does the trick nicely without having to dabble in shell scripts everytime: xdotool-gui

I wished they had put the keyword “macro” in their description so I would’ve been able to find it sooner ! haha

Also, I just realised that razer saves my config probably to the device’s firmware so since I dual-boot linux and windows, whenever I feel extra lazy, I can use razer synapse again to make long-term key binds I need.