| Screen Item | Description |
| Show splash screen when vTask starts | With this option chosen, the vTask program will show a graphic containing the vTask logo and copyright information for a few seconds. To disable showing the splash screen, uncheck this option. |
| Hide vTask while finding windows | With this option chosen, the vTask program will disappear when using the magnifying glass icon in the "Window" format action screen. This allows you to find a window that may be covered by the vTask window. This affects the following lookup buttons: find window, mouse coordinates, capture area, capture window, and capture screen. |
| Edit <custom> tag in Properties |
By default, vTask does not show the user-defined <custom> XML data tag in Properties.
To view and edit it, select this checkbox, and it will be available as a normal data field in the Properties box:
 |
| Automatically check for web updates: | Indicates how often vTask should check the its home website for software updates. To disable web updates, choose the "(never)" option. |
| Max Lines in Property Fields | The size that multi-line fields can expand to inside of the Property window. Examples of multi-line fields are Comments and Text. If there is room available inside of the Property window, these fields will expand and resize themselves up to the limit that is set in this option. |
| Variables Menu Custom Option |
When the Variables lookup menu is displayed, an extra entry is available at the bottom.
This option provides a shortcut for common variable selections.
This can be one of three options: 1) The last chosen variable; 2) A fixed variable entry; 3) Nothing.
 Note that a fixed entry does not need to be a variable; it can be any text, which will automatically be typed for you when chosen:  To not show the last chosen variable nor a fixed value (the "nothing" option mentioned above), uncheck the "Last Variable" box, and clear the text field. Then nothing extra will appear in the menu:  |
| Insert new steps | Determines where vTask will put new steps that are double-clicked in the Actions list. Dragging steps to new locations in the main step list will always put them where you drop them, regardless of this setting. |
| Initial Property Edit Mode | Sets the focus method for text fields in the Property window. The usual method for Windows programs is "All Text Selected", however if you quickly edit a step this may cause you to inadvertently delete the text, so other options are provided as well. |
| Reset All Settings to Original Values |
This button resets everything in the Options screen to the default installation settings.
The Options images in this file show the settings in their default states.
You will need to restart the vTask program for the changes to take effect.
This is due to the fact that many interface items are cached to improve performance.
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| Screen Item | Description | |
| Highlight current step in main list during playback | This option will highlight each line in a file as it is executed during a run. This can be helpful to follow the progress of a run. This option works best when combined with the Set Run Delay action. | |
| Show progress bar during playback | For especially large files, a progress bar at the bottom of the vTask window that fills up during a run may be more practical. If this option is turned on, a progress bar will be shown instead of the status bar. | |
| Minimize vTask during run | With this option chosen, the vTask window will minimize when you begin a run. This allows you to view the run without vTask being in the way of other windows. It is safer to run a file with this option chosen. However, you may want to view the execution inside of vTask during a run, in which case you would uncheck this option. | |
| Warn if multiple matches for "Window" actions |
If more than one window is found that matches your search criteria, then an error will be shown and the step will fail. This is very common if you choose to find a window with the "Button" class, for example. At any one time, many "Button" windows are running and visible. If you get this error, you should make your window search more specific. A good method is to combine the Title + Class + ID details of the window to ensure a unique match.
If you want to allow multiple windows matches, then un-check this option. vTask will find the first match and use that window without showing an error. It is likely that the first window is the one that you are looking for. However, this option should be left enabled (checked), unless there are no alternatives possible. |
|
| Reset user variables before each run |
With this option chosen, user variables (such as "%foo") are deleted when a script run completes, or when another script is called.
This means that if "%foo" is set to a value and then a child script is called, "%foo" will not be available in the second script. It will be undefined and displayed as "%foo". If this option is not chosen (unchecked), user variables will retain their values, even after a script completes - a future script will show the value without needing to define the variable. The installation default for this value is OFF (variables retain their values |
|
| Make all variables global scope (visible everywhere) |
User variables such as "%foo" are global by default, which means that they are always visible to all programs and scripts that are running.
Sometimes this behavior is not desired, for example, when calling a child script that needs to set the same variable, or recursively calling the same script.
When this option is unchecked, it will not be able to access any variables that were declared or set in another script (local scope). The installation default for this value is ON (variables have global scope). |
|
| Disable screen saver during runs |
To allow a script to run uninterrupted, you may want the screen saver to be disabled during a run.
This setting prevents the Windows screen saver from activating while the script is still running.
The same action can be performed manually by going to the Control Panel - Display Properties - Screen Saver. This command is also available in the System - Disable Screen Saver action. The installation default for this value is OFF (the screen saver is left as it is). |
|
| Default Save Output |
Sets the "Save Output To" option for new steps.
This provides a method to avoid having to set the result option each time a new step is added, expecially if it is usually the same one for all steps. This option is not automatically loaded for actions that normally do not use the return code, such as Loops and Start Program. |
|
| Default Failure Mode |
Sets the failure option for new steps.
This provides a method to avoid having to set the failure option each time a new step is added, expecially if it is usually the same one for all steps. |
|
| Default Return Code |
Sets the integer that is returned after a script completes.
This is especially important when a script is compiled into an EXE, because it allows other programs to
access this return code and determine how the run terminated.
The "Exit Run" command shows how to access this return code,
and how to set the value to something dynamic while the script is running.
Note: there are a few actions that do not use the default. Due to safety reasons, they need to be manually configured. These include Run Program, Use Window, the IF commands, and Windows API. |
| Screen Item | Description |
| vTask Commands |
This screen allows you to configure custom keyboard mappings in vTask.
vTask is installed with a set of keyboard combinations that are mapped to certain commands, for example, "Ctrl+F" brings up the "Find" dialog.
This list displays all vTask features that can be mapped, as well as their current mapping. Only the commands that can be mapped are included in the list, for example "Help-About" is not included in the list because it isn't a frequently-used task management command. To change or remove a mapping, you must first select an item in this list. |
| New Shortcut Key |
The keyboard combination that will be mapped to a new command.
The recommended mappings use multiple keys together, such as "Ctrl+Alt+F5".
This ensures that it will not conflict with other common keyboard codes.
The field will automatically fill in values based on the keys you press - it watches as you type, and translates the key codes. Use the Backspace or Escape key to clear out the field to enter in a new mapping. The field will also clear by itself when you click inside of it. |
| Assign |
This button saves the command in the list with the shortcut key that you have entered.
A verification process takes place before the save. The shortcut key combination cannot be used bu another command, nor can it be used by a standard Windows command (such as Ctrl+C for copy). |
| Remove |
Deletes a previously mapped key combination.
No confirmation is shown prior to removing the mapping. |
| Reset All Keyboard Mappings |
This button will clear all mappings that you have made, and replace them with the default vTask mappings.
These are the mappings that were available when vTask was first installed.
You are prompted once before the reset, after you confirm the change, it is not possible to retrieve previous mappings. |
| Screen Item | Description |
| Grid Columns | Allows you to set the columns that are visible in the main list. You may also hide a column by resizing it to a width of 0. |
| Indent Size (spaces) | Determines the size of indentation for steps that are indented in the main step list. The value is based on spaces. |
| Indent all columns | With this option checked, all columns in the main action list will be indented together. Otherwise, only the "Action" and "Command Text" columns will be indented (default). This is because normally it is preferable to have the "Step #" and "Comment" fields vertically aligned. |
| Auto-indent steps |
When new steps are added to the script, they will be intelligently indented according to industry standards.
For example, this allows new steps inside of a LOOP and IF blocks to automatically be aligned with the other steps.
Not only will steps be indented according to the block they are placed in, but steps that close blocks, such as NEXT LOOP and END IF will automatically be un-indented correctly. |
| Indent Comments |
Determines the indentation mode for Comment steps.
The options are:
Never Indent Comment lines are always left-aligned: 
Standard Indent Comment lines are indented like all other lines: 
Align with "Action" column (if indented) Comment lines are aligned with the "Action" column when indented, otherwise they are left-aligned: 
Align with "Action" column (always) Comment lines are always aligned with the "Action" column, whether indented or not: 
Align with "Command Text" column Comment lines are always aligned with the "Command Text" column, whether indented or not: 
|
| Edit Grid Fields |
Allows inline grid modification. Certain fields, such as the Command Text, Timeout, and Comment, can be edited directly in the main grid when the cells are double-clicked. |
| Allow Dragging | Allows you to change the sequence of steps by moving them with the mouse in the main script listing. Disable this setting if you don't use it, or accidentally move steps around while editing scripts (like we do). |
|
This screen allows you to set the text color, fill color, and other formatting of the text in the vTask main step list. The changes will not take effect until vTask is restarted. The "Output Text" will take effect in the Output and Variables toolboxes. |
| Screen Item | Description |
| Interface Theme |
Allows you to set the User Interface style, also known as a "Theme".
You can choose any style on any version of Windows, however, certain styles will look best on the matching version of Windows. For example, you can choose "Vista Aero" while running on Windows XP, but certain elements such as the title bar (caption) and menu will not look the same as the sample image. If the operating system is not capable of displaying an element, it will be displayed in its default style. As another example, menu icons are not shown when using "Vista Aero" style if you are running with the "Windows Classic" theme chosen, because there is not enough room on the menu for the icons. Therefore, the "Vista Aero" style looks best on Windows Vista, and "Office 2003" style looks best on Windows XP. Also, the "Floating" palettes are not changed from the current operating system's style. This is to maintain compatibility, since a skinning engine would be required to override and customize floating windows. This same setting is also available in the "View" menu, as well as the right-click options in each docked palette. Yes, the "Windows 3.1" entry is just for fun, but be careful as it may cause flashbacks! |
| Border Size | Sets the width of the border between docked palettes (windows) in vTask Studio. A larger size may make it easier to resize windows. The normal setting is 5 pixels. A setting of 0 pixels will not allow resizing. |
| Screen Item | Description | ||||||
| Log Details | Sets the level of log information during a run. Low includes basic information. High includes all available information from the vTask internals. | ||||||
| Log file selection | This entry allows you to choose the file for logging. Use the File Open button to search for an existing file. | ||||||
| Restart log each time script is run (erase old log) | If this option is selected, the previous log file is deleted each time a new file is run. This means that only one run is stored in the log file. | ||||||
| Clear Output window before each run | Erases the previous contents of the Output window each time a script is restarted | ||||||
| Generate Output even when window is closed |
When selected, entries will always be generated in the Output window even if the palette is not displayed.
This has a significant effect on performance during a run.
This allows you to later open it, and view the results after a run completes.
However, if this information is not important, turning this setting OFF will improve script execution speed by approximately 500%.
When the Output window is visible, results are always generated and displayed. |
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| Run Tracking |
Provides an on-screen display of the current step being run.
The message will appear above all other windows, and can be placed at any of the 4 corners of the primary screen.
Also, the transparency (alpha channel) can be set to any range between 0% - 100%. Below is an example of a transparent run tracking message: 
To hide run tracking, uncheck the "Show Run Tracking" option. See also "Run Tracking" for more information. |
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| Track Usage Statistics |
Reports on your usage of vTask Studio, which displays interesting information about frequent categories, the amount of memory allocated, etc.
To disable tracking of usage statistics, uncheck this option.
Please see "Reports And Statistics" for further information. |
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| Reset Stats |
Erases all previous usage statistics.
Please see "Reports And Statistics" for further information. |
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| Run Result / Report Text |
Allows you to set the text output for the report for each step that is run.
There are the following possible results for a step:
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| Screen Item | Description |
| Automatically reload previous files on startup | This option is for convenience. It will cause vTask to re-open all the previous files that were open when the program was last shut down. Files that did not exist at shutdown will not be re-opened. |
| Prompt to save modified files | Indicates whether vTask will warn you when you try to close a modified file without saving it. With this option off, vTask will close without saving your work or providing any warning. It is highly recommended to leave this setting ON. |
| Show full Path + Filename in tabs |
Determines whether the entire path ("C:\MyFiles\File.VXM") is show in tabs, or simply the base file name ("File.VXM").
Showing only the base file name is usually preferable, since it allows more tabs to be visible on the screen at the same time.
However, even if only the base name is shown, you can still view the entire path by holding your mouse over the tab to see its popup tip :  |
| Recent File List Entries |
Sets the maximum number of files that will be remembered under the "File - Recent Files" menu.
vTask can store up to a maximum of 32 recently opened files. To disable the recent file list, enter "0" for the amount of entries. |
| Load the file into vTask for editing |
When you double-click a vTask file (.VTP), it will load into vTask for editing when this option is chosen.
This has the same effect as the "/E" command switch. |
| Run the file inside of vTask |
When you double-click a vTask file (.VTP), it will load into vTask and
immediately start running when this option is chosen.
This has the same effect as the "/V" command switch. |
| Run the file by itself |
When you double-click a vTask file (.VXM), it will run automatically without showing vTask when this option is chosen.
When the file is done running, vTask and the file will close.
This has the same effect as the "/R" command switch. For all three of the above options, you can right mouse click on a file in Explorer to see all of the possible actions for a vTask file. |
| Associate .VXM extension with vTask Studio |
This button will re-establish the association with vTask files (.VXM).
It will point to the currently executing copy of vTask as the program for opening and executing .VXM files.
It is safe to press this button at any time. |