Preferences and Basics
Automaton, and the Auto* programs work with four types of files: autonotes, autoclips, autotyper and autofiler.
Most preferences are stored in these respective files and are accessed from the windows associated with those functions.
This has the benefit that you can work with various files, each having potentially different preferences.
None of the auto* files have anything in them specific to a particular installation. For example, you can freely copy an autofiler configuration from one computer to another. The background operation of AutoNotes, AutoTyper and AutoFiler, do not need to update their files. However AutoClips does update its file if you have it set to monitor the clipboard.
While there is no explicit support for Mobile Me (dot Mac) synching in Automaton, you can keep auto* files on your iDisk which achieves a similar result.
Also, all path names in AutoFiler that are in the user's home directory are stored relative to their home directory. So you can even share auto* files between different users.
Therefore, there are only a small number of global preferences:
Configs
This is where the program stores its data and configurations. Many people will be happy to have only one config location, but having them listed here gives you flexibility. You could store work data in one file, and home data in a separate file. Double click a config file to open it.
Creating and Editing Configs
You can create new config files with the File->New menu, and you can also open them with the File->Open menu.
Run On Startup
When first installed, Automaton is configured to "run" the default auto* files.
- For an AutoNotes files, "running" it means that it listens for its activation hot key.
- For an AutoClips file, "running" it means listening for additions to the clipboard and hotkeys.
- For an AutoTyper file, "running" it means monitoring keystrokes for the combinations that activate it.
- For an AutoFiler file, "running" it means monitoring the designated directories for rule matches.
You are not limited to running only one of each type of file at once. You could for example have a Notes repository activated by F1, and a different project activated by F2. Or different AutoFiler files with different sets of rules. Perhaps one you have set up for all users, and a different one for local customisations.
Open On Startup
This makes Automaton open the corresponding window associated with a particular file when Automaton starts up. You can also double click the file within Preferences to open it.
Updates
You can configure the program here whether to automatically check for software updates.
License
Here is where you can enter your software licesnes. If you enter an Automaton License (a license starting with the letter 'a'), then you can run AutoNotes, AutoClips, AutoTyper and AutoFiler, but you must enter the license while running Automaton, and not the individual programs. If you own four Auto* licenses for running individual programs, (licenses starting with the letter 'b') you can also run the all-in-one Automaton. In this case you can either enter them all into Automaton, or into each individual program (but you can't mix both).
Licenses can be optionally shared between all users of a single computer for your convenience. Check "Install for all users" when adding your license. You must have administrator priviledges to use this option.
Misc
Show Dock and/or menu bar
This makes Automaton either hide the dock icon and/or the menu bar menu.
Run Automaton on login
Because most of the benefits of Automaton are obtained by having it always running, it is recommended that you check "Run Automaton on login".