I will attempt to explain the macro feature's syntax.
First, the macro must be defined, which is done under Input - Edit Input Macro.
Each button corresponds to its plaintext representation during "show controller input", which includes:
<, >, v, ^ for directions. (Less than, greater than, lowercase V, carat)
A, B, X, Y, L, R for standard buttons.
S, s for start and select. Start is the capital S.
Other syntax that is used for macro building:
() (parenthesis) are used to group more than one button on the same frame.
[] (brackets) are used to group part of the macro together and repeat it several times within each total macro loop.
. (period) indicates a 'blank' frame where no buttons are pressed.
| (pipe) indicates a different starting point for the macro to loop. Without this character, the beginning is the default looping point.
! (exclamation point) indicates to end the macro instead of looping it.
Here are some example strings:
S^.^v.v<><>BAS! - The konami code (pressing "up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start"), and it does not repeat. Note that there is no character for indicating "go to the next frame" - it is assumed. Parenthesis must be used to group more than one button onto the same frame.
[Y]6 [(Y>)]5 - Presses Y for six frames, then presses Y and "right" for five frames, and repeats indefinitely. The space is ignored (but can be used for readability). This is part of the key sequence used for 6/5 in Super Mario World.
[(>A)]11(<A)(<)(<A) - Presses "right" and A for 11 frames, then switches to "left" and A for a frame, then releases A for a frame, then represses A for a frame, and repeats. This is a 14-frame right-side walljump macro for Super Metroid.
Second, the macro must have a hotkey defined, which is done under Input - Customize Hotkeys - Page 6 (new page). Each macro number corresponds to which player's macro you've filled out on the Edit Input Macro dialog box from earlier.
When a macro is "activated" with its hotkey during recording, the controller input given for it begins to cycle automatically as frames are advanced until the hotkey is used again to disable the macro.
There is a radio button on the Edit Input Macro dialog box, which is for selecting the "user input mode":
- Setting this to None will not allow any user input during a macro.
- Setting this to Overwrite will add any button presses that the user gives on any given frame. (AND logic)
- Setting this to Toggle will add any button presses that the user gives on any given frame, unless the button is already pressed by the macro on that frame - in that case, the button is "toggled" off. (XOR logic)
This feature is excellent when part of a process can be automated and part of it cannot. An example of this is 6/5 during Super Mario World, where jumping can be added in manually as needed.
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Ideas for improvement to this macro feature:
- The ability to define more than one active macro, and have separate hotkeys for them (rather than separate hotkeys for each player - instead, these could be set in individual macros, if desired).
- The ability to save and load macro sets, and the ability to name macros.
- The ability to "remember" the point a macro should be when a state is loaded in mid-macro (perhaps this is as easy as comparing (current frame - loading frame) to the (macro length)?)
