Expert's Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
QuicKeys X 1.0 brought OS X compatibility to the popular macro utility at the expense of a leaner feature set ( ; February 2002). Version 1.5.4 — which requires Jaguar and costs more than version 1.0 — edges QuicKeys closer to the power of QuicKeys 5 by giving you more control over the Mac interface.
Two helpful new shortcuts, Menu Selection and Menu Clicks, let you activate menus in OS X applications, which required a cumbersome workaround in version 1.0. (The manual claims that the Menu Clicks user actions also function in Classic, but we found that unreliable. QuicKeys 5 remains the best choice for Classic applications.) QuicKeys’ new Windows shortcut lets you close, collapse, or zoom windows or toggle their toolbars; you can specify which window to control by position or name.
Other welcome additions include shortcuts to start or stop Classic and to activate the Mac’s screen saver. An enhanced Servers shortcut makes it easier to mount remote AppleShare servers, and a revamped Clicks shortcut lets you adjust the location and duration of simulated mouse clicks, releases, and drags.
Although we still miss power features such as conditional branching, QuicKeys X offers you the fastest route to Mac automation without having to learn AppleScript.