Macros are key combinations for entering text. Final Draft comes with many built-in macros for entering the most frequently-used scriptwriting terms (INT., EXT., - DAY, CUT TO:, etc.). When a macro is typed, the associated text is automatically inserted into the script. Macros to create specific element paragraphs before and after their text is entered may also be created. Keystrokes that activate existing macros and change their behavior may be modified.
Macros for Mac Users
Choose Document > Macros and the macros dialogue appears:
The list displays the key combinations and the macro names.
Macro Name
Contains the name of the macro, which is displayed in the status area at the bottom of the script window when the appropriate keys are pressed.
Macro Text
Contains the text that is inserted into the script when the macro is invoked.
Macro Element
The Macro Element pop-up list determines what type of paragraph will be created when the macro is invoked. Unlike the Command key combinations, invoking a macro does not split the paragraph the cursor is currently in. The Macro Element mechanism eliminates the need to manually move to the end of a paragraph and create a new one before the macro is invoked. Select the desired element type for the paragraph where the text is to be inserted or choose General to leave the element unchanged.
For example, if the cursor is positioned in the middle of an action paragraph and Option + 1 is pressed, the appropriate text is entered and a new scene heading paragraph is added after the existing paragraph.
Transition To dropdown menu
Used to switch to another paragraph type after the Macro Text has been entered. This eliminates having to manually create a new paragraph after the Macro is invoked. Select the desired element type for the paragraph that is to be added or choose None to leave the element unchanged.
Example: If the cursor is currently at the end of a partially-entered scene heading and Option + 4 is pressed, the appropriate text is entered at the end of the scene heading and a new action paragraph will be added.
Custom Macros
There are two available Macro key combinations that can be fully customized: Option + 0 (zero) and Option + Shift + 0 (zero).
To create a custom Macro
- Select the macro (either Option + 0 or Option + Shift + 0) from the list;
- Enter a macro name in the text field above the list;
- Click in the Macro Text field and type the text to be entered when the macro is invoked;
- Set the behavior by selecting the element paragraphs desired from the Macro Element and Transition To dropdown menus.
- When finished, click OK.
Macros for Windows Users
Choose Document > Macros and the following dialogue appears:
Name
The Name edit field contains the name of the macro, which is displayed in the status bar at the bottom of the script window when the appropriate shortcut keys are pressed.
Shortcut
The Shortcut edit field contains the key combinations for the macro selected in the list, which can consist of:
- Control + <any key>
- Control + Alt + <any key>
- Control + Alt + Shift + <any key>
That is, any combination that is not assigned to a menu command.
In addition, a Function key may be used by itself or in combination with Control, Control + Alt, Control + Alt + Shift.
Macro element
The Macro element field contains the text that is inserted into the script when the macro is invoked.
To modify an existing macro:
Select the macro from the list to be changed;
- Type the new name in the Name edit field.;
- Enter the text to be inserted in when the macro is invoked in the Macro edit field.
To create a new macro:
- Click the New button. An item named “New[#]” appears in the Macros list;
- Set all attributes.
When finished, click OK.
Advanced Features
Macro Element popup list
Select what type of paragraph the insertion point should be in when the Macro Text is entered. If the macro invoked when the insertion point is not currently in this type of paragraph which has text, a new paragraph is created. If the macro invoked when the insertion point is not currently in this type of paragraph which has no text, the paragraph is changed appropriately.
For example, the first default macro, “INT.”, is a word which begins a scene heading, and its Macro Element setting indicates this. If the macro is invoked and Final Draft finds that the current insertion point position is not a scene heading, then it adds a new scene heading before entering the text into that scene heading.
To specify the element for the selected macro:
Select an element from the Macro Element popup list
- or -
choose None to leave the element unchanged (i.e. there is no paragraph change).
Transition To
The Transition To option is used to switch to another paragraph type after the macro text has been entered. Some macros, like “- DAY” and “- NIGHT”, are only used at the end of a scene heading. This option saves the additional keystrokes of having to create a new paragraph.
To specify the element for the transition paragraph:
Select an element from the Transition To popup list
- or -
choose None to leave the element unchanged (i.e. there is no paragraph added).
Macro Alias
Since a macro can be invoked only with a key combination, the number of macros is limited due to the relatively small amount of available key combinations.
Macro aliases are used to expand the number of macros available. A macro alias is composed of regular text (which can be considered a kind of abbreviation) that is used to invoke a macro. All previously-described functions are available, plus a few more.
An example of Alias use would be if a character frequently says “Absolutely!”, a macro that has as an Alias “abs” (without quotes) will enter “Absolutely!” whenever “abs” (without quotes) is typed.
Another example would be to correct common spelling mistakes. If the user frequently mistypes “thier” instead of “their” an alias can be created to correct it automatically.
Keep these two examples in mind as we present the following steps for creating macro aliases. The number of options may seem complicated, but they all have a logical purpose. The use of macro aliases will save more typing time.
Alias
The Alias edit field indicates the text that is entered in the script that invokes the selected macro. This is where the user would enter “abs” or “thier.”
Activate In
Indicates which element(s) an alias is triggered in. Elements may be excluded from being considered from using a specific alias. For example, “abs” can be set to be used only in dialogue paragraphs.
To exclude an element:
Click on the element(s) to exclude. Click again to activate.
Smart Replace
Check the Smart Replace option to have a macro alias transformed intelligently when it is entered in.
Smart Replace knows about proper capitalization. For example, in the case of “their,” if it is used to start a sentence, the letter ‘t’ is capitalized.
Smart Replace watches for proper spacing. For example, if the macro for “their” has a preceding space entered as part of the Macro Text, “their,” and a space is entered prior to invoking the macro, Smart Replace does not add a second space as part of text that is entered.
Confirm Macro
Check the Confirm Macro options to display the macro text for the alias in a popup window when the macro is invoked. This gives the user the option to execute the macro (by pressing Enter) or not execute it (by continuing to type).
Word Only
Check the Word Only option to have the alias used only when a complete word is typed. That is, a space, a punctuation mark or Enter must be pressed after the alias text before the macro is invoked.
Match Case
Check the Match Case option to have the alias used only when the case of the text entered in the script exactly matches the text entered in the Alias text box. For example, if this is checked, typing “THIER” would not trigger the example alias.
To delete a macro
- Select a non-default macro;
- Click Delete (there is no confirmation);
- When finished, click OK.
Apply Macro From...
If a Final Draft script has customized macros, they can be used in other scripts as well. Go to Document > Macros and click Apply Macro from... A standard Windows Open dialogue box is displayed; navigate to the script whose macros are to be used and click on it. Click Open and the custom macro settings in that script will be copied and made available in the currently-open script.