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Wizard

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Wizard

The Wizard is a right-click menu in the action editor that inserts common syntax for you, so you don't have to remember the commands. It appears when you create or edit Substitute Text, Substitute Content, Open URL, and other action types. What you see in the Wizard depends on the action type you're creating or editing. The Wizard is new in ActiveWords 5 and makes scripting features easier and more accessible.

Where to Find the Wizard

When creating a new action, right-click in the content or description field. The Wizard appears in the context menu. Choose an option and the corresponding syntax is inserted at the cursor position.

Wizard Options for Substitute Text and Other Actions

For Substitute Text, Substitute Content, Open URL, and similar action types (everything except Script), the Wizard offers three options:

  • Input prompts – Inserts the syntax for a user input dialog. Use this when you need the person to type something that gets inserted into the action. For example, a letter heading that starts with "Dear [person's name]" and then the rest of the letter. You can use one or more input prompts in a single action.
  • Selected text – Inserts the syntax for using the user's selected (highlighted) text. Use this when the action should include whatever text the user has selected. For example, appending selected text to the end of a URL for a search query. Works with Selected Text actions. You can also combine selected text with input prompts.
  • Current browser URL – New in ActiveWords 5. Inserts the syntax for the URL of the page your browser is currently on. Use this when the action should include the current page address.

Wizard Options for Script Actions

Script is the main reason the Wizard exists—scripting is where you can do the most. For Script actions, the Wizard offers many options so you don't have to remember the syntax: open a program (e.g., Sublime Text), show a message, trigger another Word, copy or empty the clipboard, send key presses (including modified keys and media keys), insert long date (expanded when you trigger the action), and various other functions. One more category is still being added (managing windows, launching apps and waiting for them to be visible). The Script Wizard is still being expanded; options for Substitute Text and other action types are complete. For the full list of script commands and syntax, see Scripts and Syntax.

Example: Edit Action with Input Box

ActiveWords includes an "edit" action (triggered by activewords://edit) that opens a specific action for editing. Using the Wizard's input prompt, you can create a Word that asks which Word you want to edit, then launches the edit action with that Word. The input box lets you type the Word name, and the action opens the corresponding editor.

Why the Wizard Exists

Many users avoided scripting because they had to remember the syntax. The Wizard makes these features easier to use. You choose from the menu and the correct syntax is inserted. Script is the primary focus: you can build automated sequences (e.g., open an app, wait for it, send keys to navigate, then combine with an input prompt for text). For advanced scripting, the Wizard complements the full Scripts and Syntax documentation.

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