Using macros to help remind you when cooldowns are up (with /wait and /echo)

This is a nifty trick I discovered on my AST today.

If you're like me and find yourself struggling to remember to keep your cards up, this can be an invaluable macro.

To use it, first go to your start/escape menu, System, and then User Macros.

Create a new macro containing the following:

Code:

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/micon Draw
/ac Draw
/wait 30
/echo Draw ready! <se.2>

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Then drag and drop it over your previous Draw spell slot on your action bar.

The way it works is simple. As Draw has a 30 second cooldown, this macro will toggle a 30 second timer on cast and echo a notice reminding you when Draw is available again.

The "<se.2>" bit will have the echo play a sound effect to get your attention.

The best thing is the echo command only displays to you, so you don't have to worry about annoying anyone else with it.

You can use this for virtually any ability you find yourself struggling with! Just replace the icon, action, and cooldown timers respectively.

This can be useful, but like all macros with /wait in them, you cannot use any other macro with a /wait command in them during that time because it will mess it up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stellafreyja

This can be useful, but like all macros with /wait in them, you cannot use any other macro with a /wait command in them during that time because it will mess it up.

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Ah, I actually didn't know that! This is the first macro I've actually made so this is definitely useful to know going forward, thanks!

Keep in mind Macros cannot use the games skill queue.
You may end up not executing the skill or ability.

This is why I've long since stopping with Provoke macros.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stellafreyja

This can be useful, but like all macros with /wait in them, you cannot use any other macro with a /wait command in them during that time because it will mess it up.

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Actually, using any macro during the wait will cancel the macro. Only one macro can execute at a time.

You can avoid breaking it with a /mlock, which will guarantee that the original macro finishes, but other macros will be blocked until that one finishes. However, this brings its own problem -- namely that if you attempt to Draw during the cooldown and Draw fails, you will still have to wait the 30s anyway.

Code:

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/micon Draw
/mlock
/ac Draw <wait.30>
/echo Draw ready! <se.2>

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So you'll need a plain Draw button to get around this, and then at that point, why not just use the plain Draw button?



If one is having difficulty keeping track of cooldowns, one should explore options like creating an oversized hotbar for just use-on-cooldown abilities, or arranging the HUD or hotbars better. If a use-on-cooldown ability is so out of the way that one forgets to use it on cooldown because one doesn't see it, the ability is not in a good place. Frequently used abilities should be much closer to home position for both the fingers and the eyes.