AutoTyper For Mac

This app automatically types the contents of a text script into an app. It's goal is to make it easier to make screen recordings where typing is necessary. Instead of doing it manually, the app will do it for you. Faster and without flubbing keys.

You can check out an intro video here:

Installation

• Download the AutoTyper.zip file. Unzip it and copy the AutoTyper.app file to your Applications folder.

Usage

1. Create a .txt file with instructions in it (the full list of available instructions is in the Instructions sections further below).

2. Use the 'Choose Instructions File' button to select your script file.

3. Click on the app you want to output the script to in the 'Select App' section.

4. Click 'Run'. You may be asked to allow the app permissions in the System Preferences. This is required to let AutoTyper simulate a keyboard to do that actual typing. (Note that sometimes you have to delete the AutoTyper item, click Run, and turn it back on to reset it.)

Examples

Here are a few scripts to get you started.

Hello, World

type: Hello, World!

---

Multiple Lines

type-line: Hello, 
type: World!

Outputs:

Hello, 
World!

---

Type, Pause, Type

type: Hello,
pause
press: space
type: World!

Outputs:

Hello

Then, waits for you to press F4 at which point it types a space followed by World!

---

Type A Block Of Text

start-lines
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur 
adipiscing elit. Donec velit ex, tincidunt 
vel posuere ut volutpat. 

In velit. Suspendisse euismod sed nisi 
id malesuada. Proin id lacus aliquet.
end-lines

Outputs the block of text between start-lines and end-lines

---

Type, Select, Overwrite In VS Code

type: alfa, bravo, charlie
pause: 0.8
repeat: 2: option: left-arrow
press: option: shift: right-arrow
pause: 0.8
type: DELTA

This example types:

alfa, bravo, charlie

then selects bravo and overwrites it with DELTA. Pauses are added in to make it easier to see what's going on.

This works in apps like VS Code where option + left/right-arrow jumps words and option + shift + left/right-arrow selects words.

---

Type, Select, Overwrite In Neovim

press: escape
type: i
type: alfa, bravo, charlie
pause: 0.8
press: escape
type: 3bdwi
type: DELTA

Presses escape to make sure you're not already in INSERT mode then i to switch to it. Next, it types alfa, bravo, charlie then pause before pressing escape again to switch to NORMAL mode and typing in the commands to back up 3 time, delete the word and switch back to INSERT mode before typing DELTA

General Notes

• The basic ways to type are type: TEXT, type-line: TEXT, and type-down:TEXT. For example:

  type: Hello, World

  type-line: Hello, World

  type-down: Hello, World

• The type: TEXT instruction doesn't add a return/enter after it finishes typing. (That it, it only types in the characters from your TEXT)

• type-line: TEXT presses return/enter after typing your TEXT

• type-down: TEXT presses the down arrow after typing your TEXT

• The press: KEY instruction is used for pressing a specific KEY. (The full list of available keys is in the Keys section further below)

• The press: MODIFIER: KEY instruction holds the specific MODIFIER while pressing the KEY. For example:

  press: command: a

• Multiple MODIFIER keys can be held while pressing a key like:

  press: option: shift: right-arrow

• The pause instruction pauses typing until you press F4 on your keyboard. This is the main thing I use to create breaks for talking when I'm doing scree recordings.

• The pause: TIME instruction pauses for the specified time (measured in seconds). I generally use this for little pauses (e.g. pause: 0.3) to make it easier to track when I do thing like highlight and delete code.

Instructions

This is the list of available instructions

Instruction	Description	Notes	Example Usage
debug	Restores all pauses so the instruction runs with their specified delays and pauses.		debug: off
	Remove all delays and pauses to fast-forward until 'debug: off' or the end of the script.		debug: on
down: NUMBER	Presses the down arrow key the specified NUMBER of times.		down: 3
end-lines	Ends capturing lines that will be pasted via 'command + v' one at a time followed by pressing 'return' to move to a new line.		start-lines Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur dignissim pretium justo nec tincidunt. end-lines
end-lines-down	Ends capturing lines that will be pasted via 'command + v' one at a time followed by pressing the down arrow. The capture is started with 'start-lines-down'.		start-lines-down Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur dignissim pretium justo nec tincidunt. end-lines-down
left	Presses the left arrow key one time.		left
left: NUMBER	Presses the left arrow key the specified NUMBER of times.		left: 3
paste: TEXT	Pastes the TEXT by pressing 'command + v'.		paste: The quick brown fox
paste-down: TEXT	Pastes the TEXT by pressing 'command + v' then presses the down arrow.		paste-down: The quick brown fox
paste-line: TEXT	Pastes the TEXT by pressing 'command + v' then presses the return key to move to the next line.		paste-line: The quick brown fox
paste-file: PATH	Pastes the contents of the file at the given PATH by pressing 'command + v'.	You can get the PATH for a file by right clicking on it in the Finder then holding the 'option' key. When you do, the 'Copy' menu item will turn into 'Copy ... as Pathname' which is what PATH uses.	paste-file: /Users/alan/Desktop/example.txt
paste-file-lines: PATH	Pastes the contents of the file at the given PATH. Each line in the file is pasted individually via 'command + v'. The 'return' key is pressed after each line is pasted to move to the next line.	You can get the PATH for a file by right clicking on it in the Finder then holding the 'option' key. When you do, the 'Copy' menu item will turn into 'Copy ... as Pathname' which is what PATH uses.	paste-file-lines: /Users/alan/Desktop/example.txt
paste-file-lines-down: PATH	Pastes the contents of the file at the given PATH. Each line in the file is pasted individually via 'command + v'. The down arrow is pressed after each line is pasted to move to the next line.Pauses typing until F4 is pressed on the keyboard.	You can get the PATH for a file by right clicking on it in the Finder then holding the 'option' key. When you do, the 'Copy' menu item will turn into 'Copy ... as Pathname' which is what PATH uses.	paste-file-lines-down: /Users/alan/Desktop/example.txt
pause	Pauses typing until F4 is pressed on the keyboard.		pause
pause: TIME	Pauses typing for the given amount of TIME which is measured in seconds.		pause: 1 pause: 1.2 pause: 0.3
press: KEY	Presses the given KEY one time.	- Only lower case letters can be used with 'press:'. Use 'press: shift: KEY' to make them upper case. - The list of available KEYs is provided in the Keys tab above.	press: a press: space press: right-arrow
press: MODIFIERS: KEY	Press the given KEY one time while holding down the MODIFIERS.	The MODIFIERS are: command | control | option | shift - One or more MODIFIERS can be used at a time. - Only lower case letters can be used with 'press:'. Use 'press: shift: KEY' to make them upper case. - The list of available KEYs is provided in the Keys tab above.	press: command: a press: option: right-arrow press: option: shift: right-arrow
repeat: KEY	Presses the KEY the specified NUMBER of times.	- Only lower case letters can be used with 'repeat:'. Use 'repeat: NUMBER: shift: KEY' to make them upper case. - The list of available KEYs is provided in the Keys tab above.	repeat: 3: space repeat: 3: up-arrow
repeat: MODIFIERS: KEY	Press the given KEY the specified NUMBER of times while holding down the MODIFIERS.	The MODIFIERS are: command | control | option | shift - One or more MODIFIERS can be used at a time. - Only lower case letters can be used with 'press:'. Use 'press: shift: KEY' to make them upper case. - The list of available KEYs is provided in the Keys tab above.	repeat: 3: shift: a repeat: 5: option: right-arrow repeat: 2: option: shift: right-arrow
reset-delay	Resets the minimum and maximum times that the random delay between key presses uses to their default values.		reset-delay
return	Presses the 'return' key one time.		return
return: NUMBER	Presses the 'return' key the specified NUMBER of times.		return: 3
right	Presses the right arrow key one time.		right
right: NUMBER	Presses the right arrow key the specified NUMBER of times.		right: 3
set-delay: TIME	Sets the delay between key presses to TIME which is measured in seconds.		set-delay: 0.04
set-delay: MIN: MAX	Resets the minimum and maximum times that the random delay between key presses uses to MIN_TIME and MAX_TIME, respectively.		set-delay: 0.05: 0.1
space	Presses the 'space' key one time.		space
space: NUMBER	Presses the 'space' key the specified NUMBER of times.		space: 3
start-lines	Starts capturing lines that will be pasted via 'command + v' one at a time followed by pressing 'return' to move to a new line. The capture continues until an 'end-lines' instruction is found.		start-lines Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur dignissim pretium justo nec tincidunt. end-lines
start-lines-down	Starts capturing lines that will be pasted via 'command + v' one at a time followed by pressing the down arrow. The capture continues until an 'end-lines-down' instruction is found.		start-lines-down Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur dignissim pretium justo nec tincidunt. end-lines-down
stop	Stops the script from running.		stop
tab	Presses the 'tab' key one time.		tab
tab: NUMBER	Presses the 'tab' key the specified NUMBER of times.		tab: 3
type: TEXT	Types the given TEXT.	- Neither the 'return' key or down-arrow is presses after the TEXT is types. This provides as way to edit text in the middle of a line without making or moving to a new line. - Any spaces at the start of the TEXT are removed. - Any spaces at the end of the TEXT are removed. - Use a 'press: space' instruction to add spaces at either the start or the end of a piece of text if necessary.	type: The quick brown fox
type-down: TEXT	Types the given TEXT followed by pressing the down arrow key.	- Any spaces at the start of the TEXT are removed. - Any spaces at the end of the TEXT are removed. - Use a 'press: space' instruction to add spaces at either the start or the end of a piece of text if necessary.	type-down: The quick brown fox
type-line: TEXT	Types the given TEXT followed by pressing the 'return' key.	- Any spaces at the start of the TEXT are removed. - Any spaces at the end of the TEXT are removed. - Use a 'press: space' instruction to add spaces at either the start or the end of a piece of text if necessary.	type-line: The quick brown fox
up	Presses the up arrow one time.		up
up: NUMBER	Presses the up arrow the specified NUMBER of times		up: 3

Keys

This is the list of keys available for use in press: and repeat: instructions.

• =

• '

• ,

• -

• .

• /

• 0

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

• 5

• 6

• 7

• 8

• 9

• ;

• [

• \

• ]

• a

• b

• c

• caps-lock

• command

• control

• d

• delete

• down-arrow

• e

• end

• enter

• escape

• f

• f1

• f10

• f11

• f12

• f13

• f14

• f15

• f16

• f17

• f18

• f19

• f2

• f20

• f3

• f4

• f5

• f6

• f7

• f8

• f9

• F1

• F2

• F3

• F4

• F5

• F6

• F7

• F8

• F9

• F10

• F11

• F12

• F13

• F14

• F15

• F16

• F17

• F18

• F19

• forward-delete

• function

• g

• h

• help

• home

• i

• iso-section

• j

• jis-eisu

• jis-underscore

• jis-yen

• jis_kana

• k

• keypad-0

• keypad-1

• keypad-2

• keypad-3

• keypad-4

• keypad-5

• keypad-6

• keypad-7

• keypad-8

• keypad-9

• keypad-clear

• keypad-decimal

• keypad-divide

• keypad-enter

• keypad-equals

• keypad-jis-comma

• keypad-minus

• keypad-multiply

• keypad-plus

• l

• left-arrow

• m

• mute

• n

• o

• option

• p

• page-down

• page-up

• q

• r

• return

• right-arrow

• s

• shift

• space

• t

• tab

• u

• up-arrow

• v

• volume-down

• volume-up

• w

• x

• y

• z

• ~

Notes

• The app works on macOS 14.x. I'm not currently set up to test other versions.

• The app was built on a U.S. keyboard. I'm not currently set up to test other keyboards. I think there will be some work to do to get other character sets to work. I don't know enough about that yet to know what to expect or what would need to be done.