Friday 10 April 2020

USB Remote v1.52 (iOS)

Added Macro Authentication options:

Application can now request additional authentication (Face ID/Touch ID/password) before a Macro is executed, edited, duplicated or deleted. Each Macro has now individual Authentication parameter that can have one of following values:
  • Default  - authentication is NOT required as long as your device is unlocked
  • Always - authentication is required each time before executing, editing, duplicating or deleting the Macro. Use this mode if the Macro contains sensitive information (passwords etc.)
  • Never - authentication is not required even if device is locked (more details below)


Macro Authentication options

If USB Remote Macros widget (extension) is enabled, it is possible to execute Quick Macros from lock screen. By default, application will request authentication. If you want to skip this step, open the Macro in Macro Editor and change Authentication parameter to Never. Important: anyone with physical access to your iOS device will be able to execute such Macro, even when they do not know your passcode.

USB Remote Macros widget visible on lock screen

Added Macro Timing options:

It is now possible to set individual Timing options for each Macro:
  • Auto add delays - a short (100ms) delay is automatically added after each keyboard Macro Action and Mouse Click Macro Action
  • Auto sync. USB interfaces - prevents from executing keyboard and mouse actions simultaneously

Actions are automatically added when a macro is being executed and do not appear in Macro Editor. If a Delay Macro Action is added manually it overrides Auto add delays option. Main goal here is to reduce number of Macro Actions that you have to add manually when creating a Macro.

As a result of this change, option to Add short delays was removed from global app settings, since it worked almost exactly like Auto add delays.

Example: 
following Macro is created:
  • Type text: some_command
  • Press key: Enter
  • Delay: 500ms
  • Type text: some very long text....
  • Mouse click: 1x left button

executing the Macro can result in following problems:
  1. Enter key will be pressed immediately after some_command is typed. For some USB hosts this may be too fast
  2. because USB keyboard and mouse interfaces are independent, mouse click will occur before some very long text.... is typed (most likely right after typing "s")
a) if  Auto add delays is enabled, the Macro will be executed as:
  • Type text: some_command
  • Delay: 100ms (added during execution)
  • Press key: Enter
  • Delay: 500ms (overrides auto delay)
  • Type text: some very long text....
  • Delay: 100ms (added during execution)
  • Mouse click: 1x left button
Problem 1.: solved (*)
Problem 2.: may still occur if typing some very long text.... takes more than 100ms

b) if  Auto sync. USB interfaces is enabled, the Macro will be executed as:
  • Type text: some_command
  • Press key: Enter
  • Delay: 500ms (overrides auto delay)
  • Type text: some very long text....
  • Synchronize USB interfaces ( added during execution)
  • Mouse click: 1x left button
Problem 1.: NOT solved
Problem 2.: may still occur if USB host needs more time to process text input

c) if  both Auto add delays and Auto sync. USB interfaces are enabled, the Macro will be executed as:
  • Type text: some_command
  • Delay: 100ms (added during execution)
  • Press key: Enter
  • Delay: 500ms (overrides auto delay)
  • Type text: some very long text....
  • Synchronize USB interfaces (added during execution)
  • Delay: 100ms (added during execution)
  • Mouse click: 1x left button
Problem 1.: solved (*)
Problem 2.: solved (*)

(*) - assuming that a 100ms delay is enough for USB host. If not you must manually add long enough delay.

Macro Timing options

Other:


  • minor UI changes
  • bug fixes

Thursday 9 April 2020

InputStickUtility v2.03 (iOS)

More text-typing (InputStick test) features:

It is now possible to test different typing speeds (it may be necessary to use decrease typing speed on some USB hosts) and to type pre-defined demo text.


Other:

  • minor UI changes
  • bug fixes