Editing actions


    You can edit actions in the following ways:

    • Rearrange actions, or rearrange commands within an action to change their order of execution.
    • Add commands to an action.
    • Record new commands or new values for actions with dialog boxes.
    • Change action options such as the action name, button color, and shortcut key.
    • Duplicate actions and commands. This helps you experiment with changing an action without losing the original version, and with creating an action based on an existing one.
    • Delete actions and commands.
    • Reset the actions to the default list.

To move an action to a different set:

    In the Actions palette, drag the action to a different set. When the highlighted line appears in the desired position, release the mouse button.

To rearrange commands within an action:

    In the Actions palette, drag the command to its new location within the same action. When the highlighted line appears in the desired position, release the mouse button.

To record additional commands:

  1. Do one of the following:
    • Select the action name to insert the new command at the end of the action.
    • Select a command in the action to insert the command after it.
  2. Click the Begin Recording button Begin Recording button on the Actions palette.
  3. Record the additional commands.
  4. Click the Stop Playing/Recording button to stop recording.
  5. Note: You can also insert nonrecordable commands or drag commands from other actions. (See Inserting nonrecordable commands.)

To record an action again:

  1. Select an action and choose Record Again from the Actions palette menu.
  2. If a modal tool appears, do one of the following:
    • Use the tool differently, and press Enter or Return to change the tool's effect.
    • Press Enter or Return to retain the same settings.
  3. If a dialog box appears, do one of the following:
    • Change the values and click OK to record them.
    • Click Cancel to retain the same values.

To record a single command again:

  1. Select an object of the same type for which you want to rerecord the action. For example, if a command is only available for vector objects, then you must have a vector object selected when you rerecord.
  2. In the Actions palette, double-click the command.
  3. Enter the new values, and click OK.

To change action options:

  1. Do one of the following:
    • Double-click the action name.
    • Select the action, and choose Action Options from the Actions palette menu.
  2. Do any of the following:
    • Type a new name for the action.
    • Assign a Function key for an action shortcut; select the Shift or Ctrl key (Windows) or the Command key (Mac OS) to combine with the function key.
    • Choose a color for the action button.
  3. Click OK.

To duplicate a set, action, or command:

    Do one of the following:

    • Select a single set, action, or command. You can Shift-click or Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) to select multiple items. Then choose Duplicate from the Actions palette menu. The copied sets appear at the bottom of the Actions palette. The copied commands or actions appear after the original command or action.
    • Drag an action or command to the Create New Action button at the bottom of the Actions palette, or drag a set to the Create New Set button at the bottom of the Actions palette. The copied action appears at the bottom of the Actions palette. The copied command appears after the original command. The copied set appears after the original set.

To delete a set, action, or command:

  1. In the Actions palette, select the set, action, or command you want to delete. You can Shift-click, or Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) to select multiple commands within an action.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • Click the Delete Selection button on the Actions palette. Click Yes to delete the action or command.
    • Drag the selection to the Delete Selection button on the Actions palette.
    • Choose Delete from the Actions palette menu.

To delete all actions:

    Choose Clear Actions from the Actions palette menu. Click Yes to delete all the actions.

    Tip iconTo delete a selected action or command automatically, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the Delete Selection button.

To reset actions to the default set:

  1. Choose Reset Actions from the Actions palette menu.
  2. Click Append to add the set of default actions to the current actions in the Actions palette, or OK to replace the current actions in the Actions palette with the default set.