[POLL] Should IMacros Include Simple Conditional Statements?

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Would you like to see simple conditional statements built into IMacros (if X=1 then do Y else do Z)?

Yes, it would be really helpful
11
73%
No, not necessary
4
27%
 
Total votes: 15
Deep
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:25 pm

[POLL] Should IMacros Include Simple Conditional Statements?

Post by Deep » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:07 pm

http://wiki.imacros.net/conditionals
The iMacros language itself is designed as a descriptive language (similar to HTML) and does not contain conditional statements. We did not add such statements as we do not think that our customers should have to attend week-long seminars just to learn yet another proprietary scripting or programming language.
I strongly suggest that you add conditional statements into IMacros.

Because they are not here, the exact opposite of what you described happens - I now have to go out and spend weeks, learning 3rd party programming languages.

The whole point of the IMacros is that you don't have to be a programmer to record some simple automation.

I am able to do simple macros but I'm not a programmer which means as soon as I need to add the simplest condition statement I'm 100% out of luck.

Now I need to spend time and money to find someone else to write a few lines that would not be necessary if the most basic commands where supported by IMarcos itself.

I'm pretty sure that majority of IMacros users would LOVE the most basic statements built into IMacros.

Everyone, please answer the POLL to back up my request or post a reply how you get around conditional statements problems.
billbell52
Posts: 125
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2010 8:45 pm

Re: [POLL] Should IMacros Include Simple Conditional Stateme

Post by billbell52 » Mon Nov 29, 2010 6:06 pm

I disagree. Keep iMacros simple. If you put in conditional statements it becomes yet another programming language. There are already too many. There is never simple conditionals. You need everything to make it useful. In addition to that I would still need to use a programming language in my iMacros program. I almost always use a GUI to control program. I almost always call other programs (email, image processing...etc). Besides learning another programming can be useful for other things.
daveaton
Posts: 93
Joined: Wed Sep 15, 2010 10:38 am

Re: [POLL] Should IMacros Include Simple Conditional Stateme

Post by daveaton » Mon Nov 29, 2010 8:14 pm

Hi.

I admit it would be very nice, even if I had to learn a new program language. Especially small things! It took me about 3 days to fully understand Pascal how hard could it be ?

But after hammering around with the code, the way it is now is very amazing! We don't want to loose the ability it already has. You can include and do almost anything!

Although it would be really nice if I could include iMacros in my own projects like a integrated web browser for vb.net!

Thanks,
Dave
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iToo
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:28 am

Re: [POLL] Should IMacros Include Simple Conditional Stateme

Post by iToo » Thu Dec 02, 2010 7:30 am

I'm pro "conditional statements", good middle way could be releasing as add-on for iMacro full version.
This way you keep it "simple" for the average user and if needed users can decide themselves if they want all-in-one solution.

Anyone any feedback about this idea?
coolcocky
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:45 pm

Re: [POLL] Should IMacros Include Simple Conditional Stateme

Post by coolcocky » Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:10 pm

another reason to add simple conditionals is repeatedly going back to the controlling language and transferring data which reduces speed and increases overhead

say for eg: i have a macro which required to evaluate 5 conditionals or error checking at each step. everytime i have to transmit some data either websource etc. to checking which makes me break my macro script into 5 different scripts and slows the whole process also.

having inbuilt conditionals can benefit the coding as well as macro handling and increase speed also

just my 2 cents

regards,
buckley
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:42 pm

Re: [POLL] Should IMacros Include Simple Conditional Stateme

Post by buckley » Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:46 pm

Of course I would not mind that imacros contained conditional and loop constructs but I voted no. I am a programmer and know how to write this stuff in another language. Baking this in imacros is not trivial and it would distract the team from their core, that is, automating browser actions.

I do sympathise with the non programmers though :wink:
jdbranham
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2012 5:55 pm

Re: [POLL] Should IMacros Include Simple Conditional Stateme

Post by jdbranham » Fri Jul 20, 2012 5:59 pm

I am a programmer, AND would like to have simple IF/THEN conditional clause added to iMacros.
focusedlife
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 5:49 pm

Re: [POLL] Should IMacros Include Simple Conditional Stateme

Post by focusedlife » Sat Nov 10, 2012 10:11 pm

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for setting up this poll. I am new to the world of automation and macros but I love it.

My vote for yes is because whenever it comes to doing stuff, there are always road bumps...bottleneck decision making points.

For instance: Recently, I started automating the task of following people on a social site that discuss certain topics. I learned how to setup the macro to not only go down the list of topics that I see for the person that I'd like to follow, but as I setup the macro I realized that there wasn't a way to skip the step if I was already following them but I would instead unfollow and possibly refollow them as they continued the discussion somewhere down this list.

As for the if/then thing...I realize that its out there...but I have no idea how to incorporate it and get it in here.

If there were the simplest of if/then or skip a step fuctions in imacros...I do believe it would go far in getting an even broader appeal and following to this online automation platform.

I do love it by the way, but wish this was part of the deal.

By the way, if any of you can offer a SIMPLE solution to this one specific problem I'd be super grateful. I'm even willing to pay.

VERSION BUILD=8021970
Windows 7 Ultimate N
Internet Explorer and Chrome
The Demo macros all work just fine

Regards

Carlos :?:

P.S. I discovered that FireFox might have a way to incorporate some of that javascript stuff, which might be something I could dabble in...scared of going down that rabbit hole.
janib4all
Posts: 132
Joined: Wed Jul 21, 2010 6:44 am
Location: Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
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Re: [POLL] Should IMacros Include Simple Conditional Stateme

Post by janib4all » Thu Nov 15, 2012 7:19 am

I believe, iMacro should be kept as simple as it is at the moment - if anyone like to use logical operation, they can use java-script. Making it complex will make it look like some programmers' stuff, which this is not supposed to be!
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