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Macros

Macros

In addition to indexing, I also develop software and create macros to make common indexing tasks faster and more efficient. I'm teaching a course on macros in October 2024 and am available for paid consulting and macro development. Contact me at elizabeth.bartmess@gmail.com with a description of what you want to do and we can discuss an estimate.

Indexers who want to make their own macros may find the instructions and sample macro below helpful.

Copy page number macro

This macro copies the current page number in Acrobat, creates a new entry in Cindex indexing software, pastes the page number into the locator field, and leaves the cursor at the main heading. If you do not have Cindex, you can download Cindex free.

Note that if you are viewing your document using continuous scrolling, you may have part of more than one page visible on the screen at a time. To ensure the macro correctly selects the page you're looking at, use Single Page View instead (under View → Page Display).

Macro Express (Windows)

This was created for Macro Express version 5 and has not been tested in other versions.

  1. Download Macro Express (paid or trial version), then install and run it. You will need to grant any permissions it requests or it will not work.
  2. Download the Macro Express copy page number macro.
  3. Navigate to where you saved the macro file and double-click to open it in Macro Express.
  4. Open up a document in Acrobat.
  5. Start a new index in Cindex, or open an existing one.
  6. Navigate to the page you wish to create an entry for and press Ctrl-Shift-P (for Page).

AutoHotKey (Windows)

An AutoHotKey script is available on request. Email elizabeth.bartmess@gmail.com for a copy. You can download AutoHotKey here.

Keysmith (Mac)

  1. Download Keysmith (paid or free version), then install and run it. You will need to grant any permissions it requests or it will not work.
  2. Download the Keysmith copy page number macro.
  3. Navigate to where you saved the macro file and double-click to open it in Keysmith.
  4. Open up a document in Acrobat.
  5. Start a new index in Cindex, or open an existing one.
  6. Navigate to the page you wish to create an entry for and press Ctrl-Shift-P (for Page).

Keyboard Maestro (Mac)

  1. For Cindex 4.4 (and possibly 4.3), you must first drag Cindex out of the "Cindex" subfolder and into the main level of the Applications folder—otherwise your macros will not consistently work.
  2. Next, download Keyboard Maestro (paid or trial version). Install and run it. You will need to grant any permissions it requests or it will not work.
  3. Download the Keyboard Maestro copy page number macro.
  4. Navigate to where you saved the macro file and double-click to open it in Keyboard Maestro's Editor.
  5. In the Editor's left pane, click the "Cindex-Acrobat" folder. (It will look like it's already selected, but it isn't.)
  6. In the Editor's center pane, click the "Enable macro group" checkbox.
  7. If you are using a different version or Cindex or Acrobat Pro instead of Reader, change the dropdowns in the Editor's center pane to reflect the programs you are using.
  8. Open up a document in Acrobat.
  9. Start a new index in Cindex, or open an existing one.
  10. Navigate to the page you wish to create an entry for and press Ctrl-Shift-P (for Page).

If nothing happens, try Keyboard Maestro's troubleshooting process.