In addition to remapping individual keys, TinyTERM for iOS can create, edit and use macros. Macros record a series of user inputs and host responses. Recorded macros can also include placeholders for username and password, so that different logins can be run from a single macro. Secure text can be added as well, to prevent it from being read in the clear.

Recording a Macro

To record a macro, you don't need to connect to a host first. You can start recording before connecting, or at any time after that. To start recording, tap the Macro button in TinyTERM's title bar, or go to the list of configurations and select Macros.

Tap the Record Macro button, then return to the session. At this point everything sent to the host is recorded in the macro including text, function keys, etc. TinyTERM also recognizes incoming data from the host and automatically configures the macro to match.

Entering Secure Text

While recording a macro, tapping the Macro button brings up an Edit menu. This is not recorded as part of the macro.

Cancel Recording will stop the recording in progress without saving the macro.

Selecting Enter Username or Enter Password adds a placeholder to the macro. When the macro runs, the username or password from the connection settings will be inserted automatically at this point.

If there is no username or password entered, a dialog will open for each missing item as the macro runs. The dialog also offers the option to save the username or pasword. This allows one person to create a macro for distribution, with the users able to customize it at runtime.

The Enter Secure Text button opens a separate dialog that allows you to enter masked text. Secure text can't be read by looking at the configuration or macro, or by reading the screen as the macro plays back.

Once you've chosen any of the three Enter buttons, or chosen not to use any of the buttons at all, tapping the screen outside the edit menu returns you to the active TinyTERM session. This screen tap is not recorded as part of the macro.

Saving a Macro

To finish recording and save the macro, enter a Macro Name or accept the default. Then tap the Save Macro button.

If the Use for Autologin switch is on, this macro will also be set as the Autologin Macro in the current connection settings. The Autologin switch will also be turned on in the configuration.

Running a Macro

To run a macro, tap the Macro button while the session is connected. The macro menu comes up as before, with a list of Recorded Macros. Select the macro you want to run. The macro dialog comes up:

From here you can use the Run Macro button, which will also close this menu and return to the TinyTERM session. The Macro button will change to read Playing It will revert to the Macro label when the macro finishes. This change also happens while an autologin macro runs.

Keyboard Assignment

Touching the Assign to Key button brings up an image of the current keyboard layout. This allows you to select a key that will run the macro.

After selecting the key, enter a Key Label. The selected key will change to display that label. When a macro is run from the key, the Macro button will change to Playing, just as it does for macros run manually or at autologin.

Only one macro may be assigned to a key at a time. Nor can a key be remapped and also have a recorded macro assigned to it. If a second macro is desired, the first must be removed from the key. Or the two can be combined through editing.

Editing a Macro

Tap the Name field to change the macro name. You can also turn on or off the Use for Autologin option, which will affect only the current configuration.

To edit the strings the macro sends or waits for, go to the Macro Editing section. In this section, "^M" is used for the Enter key, ASCII value 13. Similar values can be used for any control character, such as "^S" for Ctrl-S, or "^I" for Tab.

You can also reorder the rows in the macro through use of the reorder icon at the right of each item. You can add a new step at the end. You can even change the type of step by tapping the name. Adding a step or tapping the name of an existing step produces the New Item Type dialog.

This allows you to add or alter an item's type. The Send Username and Send Password items use the username and password from the connection settings. Pause takes a number of seconds as its Value.

Once you're done making changes, you can tap Cancel to return to TinyTERM without saving the changes. Or tap Done for the changes to take effect immediately.

Deleting a Macro

To delete a macro, tap the Macro button to bring up the menu. Slide a finger from right to left over the macro name to bring up the Delete button. Tap the button to delete the macro, or tap anywyere else to cancel the delete.