Shortcut Macros

You can now have MixEffect run a shortcut when executing a macro on your ATEM switcher. This is similar in principle to SuperSource Macros, which let you run a macro before or after a SuperSource preset transition.

Types of Shortcut Macros

There are two kinds of Shortcut Macros:

  • Manual Shortcut Macro

  • Auto Shortcut Macro

Manual Shortcut Macros

Manual Shortcut Macros run when they are initiated from MixEffect, either directly from the MixEffect app, or when the app is instructed to run a macro via a Shortcut action or OSC message. The shortcut runs right after the call to run the macro is sent to the ATEM switcher.

Auto Shortcut Macros

An Auto Shortcut Macro is called when MixEffect is notified that a macro is running on the ATEM. The macro could be executed by pressing a macro button on the ATEM switcher, calling the macro via Companion or ATEM Software Control, tapping a macro in MixEffect, running a shortcut or sending MixEffect an OSC message. The shortcut is run once MixEffect is notified that the macro is running.

When to Use Manual or Auto Shortcut Macros?

If you use MixEffect to run macros and want control over when you want a shortcut to run, you could configure your macros to use Manual Shortcut Macros.

If you use other applications to run macros, or if you press the physical buttons on an ATEM switcher to run macros, you should use Auto Shortcut Macros. This allows you to trigger the macro from a wider variety of sources. As long as MixEffect is running and detects the execution of the macro, your shortcut will run.

Caveats with Auto Shortcut Macros

The downside to using Auto Shortcut Macros is when you have multiple copies of MixEffect running, connected to the same ATEM switcher, and with Enable Shortcut Macros turned on. When a macro is run, each copy of MixEffect will receive the message and try to run the same shortcut. This may lead to unintended circumstances depending on the shortcut does.

Enabling Shortcut Macros

Configuring Shortcut Macros is a two-step process in MixEffect.

  • Enable Shortcut Macros in Automations

  • Enable Shortcut Macros for a Switcher Connection

Enable Shortcut Macros in Automations

This is the global setting which allows MixEffect to run shortcuts when executing macros. If this toggle is disabled, you will not be able to run shortcuts when executing macros, even if they are defined at the Switcher Connection level.

  1. Open MixEffect.

  2. Tap Settings (the gear icon).

  3. Tap Automations.

  4. Tap Enable Shortcut Macros.

The setting here is specific to this particular instance of MixEffect running on your iPhone, iPad, or macOS computer. It is shared via iCloud.

Enable Shortcut Macros for a Switcher Connection

In order to run Shortcut Macros for your ATEM switcher, the Switcher Connection entry must be enabled by following these steps:

  1. Open MixEffect.

  2. Find and tap on the Switcher Connection entry for the ATEM you wish to edit.

  3. Tap Enable Shortcut Macros.

  4. Tap Save.

Remember that Switcher Connection entries are shared in iCloud with all of your devices using the same Apple ID. If you want to Shortcut Macros to run on your iPad but not your iPhone, either disable Shortcut Macros in MixEffect Settings > Automations or create a duplicate Switcher Connection entry for this ATEM on the iPhone.

Adding Shortcut References to Macros

To instruct MixEffect to run a shortcut when executing a macro, you must first add a reference to it in your macro.

  1. Go to the Macros section in MixEffect.

  2. Tap the … icon in the macro you want to edit.

  3. In the Notes field, add one of the three following strings at the beginning of the Notes field:

  • MS: EXACT_NAME_OF_SHORTCUT

  • AS: EXACT_NAME_OF_SHORTCUT

Where MS stands for Manual Shortcut Before and AS stands for Auto Shortcut, and EXACT_NAME_OF_SHORTCUT is the exact name of the shortcut as shown in the Shortcuts application.

In the screenshot below, macro 85 is set up to run the VFA Work Color shortcut when executed on this copy of MixEffect.

There is a character limit between the name of a shortcut and its notes field. If you have defined custom labels, colors, and icons for your macro, this will reduce the total number of characters available. Keep this in mind when naming your macros and your shortcuts.

Recording a Macro or a Blank Macro

A macro that has a reference to a macro can be blank or have actions associated with it. To create a blank macro, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Macro section in MixEffect.

  2. Tap the plus icon.

  3. Select the macro index.

  4. Enter the name of your macro.

  5. Enter the Manual or Auto Shortcut reference in the Notes field.

  6. Tap Record.

  7. Tap Stop in the Macro Recording Floating window.

Use Cases

Here are a number of use cases for Shortcut Macros.

  • Video Follows Audio Shortcuts

  • Binding SuperSource Presets to Physical Macro Buttons

  • Controlling Multiple ATEM Switchers

Video Follows Audio Shortcuts

Suppose you have the following setup:

  • You use Video Follows Audio to switch between a wide and closeup shot when audio level changes are detected by MixEffect.

  • You also have HomeKit compatible lighting installed in your studio.

  • You use H2R Graphics to display lower thirds.

You can configure a Video Follows Audio trigger for each audio input to run a macro. In each macro, you enter a reference to a Manual Shortcut Macro in the Notes field to run a shortcut that changes the lighting in your studio. Finally, whenever VFA is triggered for an audio input, the macro will run and call the shortcut.

Binding SuperSource Presets to Physical Macro Buttons

The ATEM Mini Extreme line of switchers have six physical buttons for running macros. You may want to use those buttons to execute MixEffect SuperSource presets.

You can create Auto Shortcut Macros that run shortcuts on MixEffect to execute SuperSource presets:

  1. Create a blank macro in first six macro slots.

  2. Enter an Auto Shortcut Macro reference in the Notes field of the macro with the name of the shortcut to run (i.e. Four Grid Preset)

  3. Open Shortcuts.

  4. Tap the plus button to create a new shortcut.

  5. Rename the shortcut to the exact name you specified in Step 2: Four Grid Preset.

  6. In the shortcut, add a Set SuperSource Preset Layout action.

  7. Select the SuperSource Preset to run.

  8. Tap Done to save the shortcut.

  9. Press the physical macro button on the ATEM switcher.

If you have multiple copies of MixEffect with Shortcut Macros enabled, running multiple SuperSource preset commands may lead to stuttering because each copy of MixEffect will be instructing the ATEM to move the SuperSource boxes.

Controlling Multiple ATEM Switchers

Suppose you have two ATEM switchers, an ATEM Mini Extreme and an ATEM Mini Pro. The Mini Pro is plugged into the Extreme and provides additional inputs to the Extreme. You have a macro 2 that configures the Extreme which you have assigned to a physical macro button in the Extreme. When running this macro, you also want to run a macro on the Mini Pro.

  1. Add a reference to an Auto Shortcut Macro to macro 2 that runs a shortcut that does one of two actions.

  2. Calls an OSC action to the ATEM Mini Pro to run its corresponding macro to configure the second ATEM. This requires another instance of MixEffect connected to the ATEM Mini Pro that will receive this OSC message.

  3. Use the Get Contents of URL action to call a Companion button.

Running Shortcuts and MixEffect at the Same Time

If you are using MixEffect on an iPad, it’s recommended that you do one of the following things:

  • Run Shortcuts alongside MixEffect in Slide Over.

  • Place MixEffect and the Shortcuts app in Split View.

  • Run Shortcuts and MixEffect in Stage Manager.

Using one of these methods may prevent a switch to the Shortcuts app when a Shortcut Macro is invoked, which might interrupt the connection between the ATEM switcher and MixEffect.

PreviousMacrosNextTransitions

Last updated