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--- Found_Image [2016/11/05 00:21]
peternlewis [How To Use]
+++ Found_Image [2024/10/12 05:23] (current)
peternlewis [Specifying Fields in Found Image Actions]
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{:condition:image-icon.png?nolink|}}
 ====== Found Image ======
-Although it is generally better to use high level actions like Press Button or Resize Window, it is sometimes necessary to resort to looking at the screen for a specific image and responding appropriately (behaving differently if it exists, clicking on it, moving things to it, etc).
+Although it is generally better to use high level actions like [[action:Press_a_Button|Press Button]] or [[action:Resize_a_Window|Resize Window]] action, it is sometimes necessary to resort to looking at the screen for a specific image and responding appropriately (behaving differently if it exists, clicking on it, moving things to it, etc).
 There are various actions ([[action:Move or Click Mouse|Move or Click Mouse]], [[action:Find Image on Screen|Find Image on Screen]], [[condition:Found Image|conditions]] and [[collection:Found Images|collections]] that search the screen for a matching image.
+===== Example Click on Found Image =====
+This is how the Action appears when first inserted into your macro.
+{{ action:clickatfoundimagedescription.png?nolink&611x290 | Click at Found Image Description }}
 ===== How To Use =====
+==== Specifying Fields in Found Image Actions ====
 - **Specify the image to match**
@@ Line 12: / Line 20: @@
       * To view the image in the image well, click on it and press <key>SPACE</key>.
       * You can copy the image from the Image Well.
+      * Alternatively, you can get the image to search from the System Clipboard, Trigger Clipboard, a Named Clipboard, an Icon, a file, or from an image elsewhere on the screen.
 - **Specify the amount of fuzziness allowed**
         * Because of transparency and anti-aliasing almost all screen matches are fuzzy to some degree.
         * But usually about 20% is a good place to start.
-- **Optionally highlight Found Matches**
+- **//Unique// Menu**
-        * This can be helpful in determining the right amount of fuzz to use.
+        * By default, the image must be unique on the screen so that Keyboard Maestro knows where to click, otherwise the action will fail.
-        * It can also show when an image is being found in more than one location.
+        * Alternatively, you can have Keyboard Maestro click based on the best match, or (v9.0+) click on the topmost, leftmost, bottommost, or rightmost match.
+- **//Display// Checkbox -- If //checked//, it will highlight on the screen all found matches**
+        * This can be helpful in debugging, like determining the right amount of fuzz to use.
+        * It will also show when an image is being found in more than one location.
 - **Choose Where to Search for Image**
-      * All screens.
+  * You can search in all screens, or on a specific screen.
-      * Main screen.
+  * Alternatively, you can search within a specific window.
-      * Specified screen (counting from the left).
+    * However, the window must be in the frontmost, active, application, in order for it to be seen by this Action.
-      * Front window.
+  * Or you can search within a specific area on the screen.
-      * Window with a specified title.
+    * For instructions on how to get data for area, see [Determine Location of Area to Search for Found Image](https://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/t/using-mouse-display-window-to-get-window-specific-locations/7112/9)
-      * Window with a title containing a given string.
-      * Window with a title matching a given regular expression.
+==== Search in Specified Area ====
-      * Specified window (counting from the frontmost window).
-      * Specified area on the screen.
 Remember when specifying the area, as with all [numeric fields](:Text_Fields), the numbers can be calculations including [functions](:Functions), and the fields expand to allow for longer expressions as soon as you type something other than a number, so this allows very precise control of where you can match.
-Keyboard Maestro uses a relatively fast search to make the action perform in a reasonable amount of time, but it can result in not finding some images.  The most difficult images to match are small grey images (like icons or text).  Since the screen tends to be filled with small grey areas, it is hard for Keyboard Maestro to find the best locations to look.  If your search area is smaller than a quarter of the whole desktop, then Keyboard Maestro uses a slower but more accurate search method, so if you are having troubles finding certain images, especially small grey images, restricting the search area may help.
+{{ action:click-found-image-action-example.png?nolink&503x407 | Click at Found Image Example }}
+Note that in the above screen shot, the `WINDOW(0,Left)` function is referring to the frontmost window in the frontmost app.  To refer to other windows in the frontmost app, you need to change the `index` parameter of the [[function:WINDOW|WINDOW function]].
+===== Search Speed and Accuracy =====
+Keyboard Maestro uses a relatively fast search to make the action perform in a reasonable amount of time, but it can result in not finding some images.
+  * Images Difficult to Match
+      * The most difficult images to match are small grey images (like grey icons or text).
+      * Since the screen tends to be filled with small grey areas, it is hard for Keyboard Maestro to find the best locations to look.
+  * Increasing Search Accuracy
+      * Set Search Area to less than a quarter of the whole desktop.
+      * This will improve ability to find smaller images that have low contrast.
 ===== Testing =====
 When testing found image macros:
-* ALWAYS hide the Keyboard Maestro editor – as the image in the found image action may be found too under some circumstances.
+* Hide the action or the Keyboard Maestro editor as the image within the action may be found.
-* ALWAYS turn ON the “Display” checkmark, so you get visual confirmation an image has been found.
+* Turn on the “Display” checkmark, so you get visual confirmation an image has been found.
-* If the image is NOT found ALWAYS play with the fuzz slider.
+* If the image is not found, play with the fuzz slider.
-* It's generally a good idea to initially test on the main monitor in the front window.

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