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Troubleshooting [2021/11/01 20:55]
peternlewis [White Menus or White Switchers or Palettes]
Troubleshooting [2023/10/11 00:08] (current)
peternlewis
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 1. Immediately after you have installed Keyboard Maestro on a specific Mac -- See [[#​Situation_1_--_New_Install|Situation #1]]. 1. Immediately after you have installed Keyboard Maestro on a specific Mac -- See [[#​Situation_1_--_New_Install|Situation #1]].
-2. Immediately after you have updated Keyboard Maestro to a new version -- See [[#Situation_2_--_After_Update_to_New_Version_of_Keyboard_Maestro|Situation #2]]. +1. Immediately after you have update macOS -- See [[#​Situation_2_--_System_Update|Situation #2]]. 
-3. Keyboard Maestro’s behavior changes unexpectedly,​ and without apparent cause, some time (say a week or more) after it has been running as expected without any issues -- See [[#Situation_3_--_After_Working_Fine_for_a_While|Situation #3]]. +1. Immediately after you have updated Keyboard Maestro to a new version -- See [[#Situation_3_--_After_Update_to_New_Version_of_Keyboard_Maestro|Situation #3]]. 
-4. After you have created a new Macro, or added new Actions, that you have not used before -- See [[#Situation_4_--_After_New_Macros_or_Actions|Situation #4]].+1. Keyboard Maestro’s behavior changes unexpectedly,​ and without apparent cause, some time (say a week or more) after it has been running as expected without any issues -- See [[#Situation_4_--_After_Working_Fine_for_a_While|Situation #4]]. 
 +1. After you have created a new Macro, or added new Actions, that you have not used before -- See [[#Situation_5_--_After_New_Macros_or_Actions|Situation #5]].
  
 ===== General Troubleshooting ===== ===== General Troubleshooting =====
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   1. To fix, see [How to Enable Google Chrome to Respond to KM Actions](https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​announcement-google-chrome-68-disables-km-access-how-to-fix/​10969)   1. To fix, see [How to Enable Google Chrome to Respond to KM Actions](https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​announcement-google-chrome-68-disables-km-access-how-to-fix/​10969)
  
-==== Situation #2 -- After Update to New Version of Keyboard Maestro ====+==== Situation #2 -- After a System Update ==== 
 + 
 +If Keyboard Maestro had been running fine, and then does not work as expected after upgrading macOS: 
 + 
 +1. Immediately after a system update, it is wise to Restart an additional time. Many times we have found the system to not be in a totally stable state after an update, and a Restart gives a clean fresh start. 
 +1. If lots of macros are failing, run the _Interactive Help Wizard_ from the Keyboard Maestro Editor Help menu and see if that helps. 
 +1. Check the Security preferences pane and verify that you have all the relevant security permissions. 
 +1. Keep in mind that after a system update (or any specific application update), your macro might break simply because things in the system or application have changed since the macro was created. See if the macro simply needs adjusting. 
 + 
 +==== Situation #3 -- After Update to New Version of Keyboard Maestro ====
  
 If Keyboard Maestro had been running fine, and then does not work as expected after an upgrade, then do the following: If Keyboard Maestro had been running fine, and then does not work as expected after an upgrade, then do the following:
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   1. Upload example Macro that produces the issue.   1. Upload example Macro that produces the issue.
  
-==== Situation #-- After Working Fine for a While ====+==== Situation #-- After Working Fine for a While ====
  
 1. If Keyboard Maestro has been working well, as expected, for a while (let's say a week or more), and then it suddenly behaves in an unexpected manner, then most likely that is due to something that has recently changed.\\ 1. If Keyboard Maestro has been working well, as expected, for a while (let's say a week or more), and then it suddenly behaves in an unexpected manner, then most likely that is due to something that has recently changed.\\
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 1. If that does not help, then you can search (using the Browser Find menu) the below Keyboard Maestro specific issues to find one or more that relates to your situation. 1. If that does not help, then you can search (using the Browser Find menu) the below Keyboard Maestro specific issues to find one or more that relates to your situation.
  
-==== Situation #-- After New Macros or Actions ====+==== Situation #-- After New Macros or Actions ====
  
 1. The issue is most likely caused by improper use of the Action. 1. The issue is most likely caused by improper use of the Action.
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 Often, adding pauses to your macro will solve the timing issues. A pause of 0.3 seconds is often enough, but in some cases (e.g. a [[action:​Activate_a_Specific_Application|Activate a Specific Application]] action when there are many applications open and your system is running out of memory) longer pauses (several seconds) may be necessary. Often, adding pauses to your macro will solve the timing issues. A pause of 0.3 seconds is often enough, but in some cases (e.g. a [[action:​Activate_a_Specific_Application|Activate a Specific Application]] action when there are many applications open and your system is running out of memory) longer pauses (several seconds) may be necessary.
  
-===== Action ​Issues =====+===== Typing ​Issues =====
  
 ==== Sometimes Typing in Password Fields Drops Characters ==== ==== Sometimes Typing in Password Fields Drops Characters ====
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 This happens most commonly when you have a hot key trigger with the same key (eg Control-T) as a key you want to type in to a password field (eg "Hello there"​). ​ Because it is a password field, the only indication will be a missing bullet (•) (so ten instead of 11 bullets) and then an "​invalid password"​ error, which makes this problem hard do diagnose.  ​ This happens most commonly when you have a hot key trigger with the same key (eg Control-T) as a key you want to type in to a password field (eg "Hello there"​). ​ Because it is a password field, the only indication will be a missing bullet (•) (so ten instead of 11 bullets) and then an "​invalid password"​ error, which makes this problem hard do diagnose.  ​
 +
 +==== Sometimes Typing results in Characters Missing or out of Order ====
 +
 +This typically happens in web fields (especially Facebook) or cross platform apps.
 +
 +The system has a queue for keyboard events, so they are sent by Keyboard Maestro in the correct order and then processed by the system ​ in that order. The problems happen after that.
 +
 +Typically you see this in fields where the app is processing the field. Essentially the app reads the field, does some processing or checking and then writes the field back, and the typing happens fast enough (as could keyboard typing if you could type fast enough) that changes happen while the field is being read/​written and so characters are jumbled or lost.
 +
 +You can slow the typing down by using Set Action Delay action (https://​wiki.keyboardmaestro.com/​action/​Set_Action_Delay) to increase the delay for normal typing. Only do it for the current macro (not permanently) since this issue is relatively rare, and generally only applies to certain apps or fields.
 +
 +==== Everything is lowercase in remote desktops/​virtual machines ====
 +
 +Yes, unfortunately these types of environments seem to miss the shift key and the consequential uppercasing of lettings and symbols.
  
 ===== Clipboard Issues ===== ===== Clipboard Issues =====
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 ===== Script Issues ===== ===== Script Issues =====
- 
-==== Execute Script Actions are Not Working ==== 
- 
-Your variables are sent to your scripts by placing them in environment variables. However, the total size of the environment variables is 256k.  Therefore if the total size of your variables exceeds about 256k scripts will stop working. ​ Adjust your variables to reduce the total size. 
- 
  
  
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 To learn how to set a path in a Keyboard Maestro Execute Shell Script Action, see  To learn how to set a path in a Keyboard Maestro Execute Shell Script Action, see 
-[[action:​Execute_a_Shell_Script#​Path_in_Shell_Scripts|Execute a Shell Script]]+[[action:​Execute_a_Shell_Script#​Path_in_Shell_Scripts|Execute a Shell Script]].
  
  
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 ===== macOS Issues ===== ===== macOS Issues =====
  
-==== Yosemite and Accessibility Settings Problems ==== 
  
-Yosemite (10.10 GM1 through 10.10.2) has a serious problem adding applications to the accessibility pane properly. ​ This is affecting other applications that require accessibility as well.  It seems to commonly impact Keyboard Maestro by the Keyboard Maestro Engine not being added to the accessibility settings pane. +==== Mojave and Later Security Preferences Issues ====
  
-This bug was finally resolved in Yosemite 10.10.3.  So if you are having problems ​with accessibility under Yosemiteupgrade to 10.10.3 ​or later, and then launch Keyboard Maestro Then ensure both Keyboard Maestro and Keyboard Maestro Engine are listed and checked. +Sadly the System Security Permissions have been rather buggy since Mojave, and this continues right through to MontereyCombined with the increasing number of different permissions ​you need to enable can make it challenging when starting out with Keyboard Maestro, or after major system updatesThese forum topics cover various issues:
- +
-If you must stay on version 10.10.0-2 for any reason, see the forum topic on [possible solutions](http://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​yosemite-accessibility-permission-problems/​541/​18). +
- +
-==== Mojave and Catalina Issues ====+
  
 See Forum topics: See Forum topics:
   - [Resolving Catalina/​Mojave Accessibility/​Security Permissions Issues ](https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​tip-resolving-catalina-mojave-accessibility-security-permissions-issues/​16620)   - [Resolving Catalina/​Mojave Accessibility/​Security Permissions Issues ](https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​tip-resolving-catalina-mojave-accessibility-security-permissions-issues/​16620)
- 
- 
-==== Big Sur Issues ==== 
- 
-See Forum topics ​ 
   - [Resolving Big Sur Accessibility,​ Security, and Other Issues ](https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​tip-resolving-big-sur-accessibility-security-and-other-issues/​20159)   - [Resolving Big Sur Accessibility,​ Security, and Other Issues ](https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​tip-resolving-big-sur-accessibility-security-and-other-issues/​20159)
   - [macOS Big Sur: Using and Upgrading To ](https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​macos-big-sur-using-and-upgrading-to/​19637)   - [macOS Big Sur: Using and Upgrading To ](https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​macos-big-sur-using-and-upgrading-to/​19637)
- 
  
 ===== Virtual Machine Issues ===== ===== Virtual Machine Issues =====
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 In Parallels, make sure the ”Enabled Mac OS X system shortcuts” preference is enabled, which will ensure Parallels reads the keyboard from the keyboard queue. In Parallels, make sure the ”Enabled Mac OS X system shortcuts” preference is enabled, which will ensure Parallels reads the keyboard from the keyboard queue.
- 
- 
  
 ===== Other Issues ===== ===== Other Issues =====
Troubleshooting.1635814553.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/11/01 20:55 by peternlewis