EmEditor Professional 4.0 creates functionally-rich macros using JavaScript or VBScript, allowing you to define most operations.

Not only can you define a macro which records keystrokes that you use and reference repeatedly, but you can also write your own macros that can manipulate other applications, Windows-based files, or network functionalities. The macros are based on the Windows Scripting Host (WSH) engine, so you can use all of the powerful, robust objects available under the Windows Scripting Host.

EmEditor Professional 4.0 features two newly added configurations: JavaScript for EmEditor and VBScript for EmEditor. When you open a macro file in EmEditor, keywords, such as macro objects, properties, or methods, are automatically highlighted. For assistance on certain keywords, move the cursor over the keyword and select Search for Keyword, or press F1. When an error occurs during the execution of a macro, a dialog box will appear showing the content of the error. If you click on the Edit button, you can jump to the location where the error occurred.

EmEditor uses JavaScript or VBScript for its macro language, so those who are familiar with HTML or Windows scripting will be able to write macros with little difficulty. For those unfamiliar with scripting languages, EmEditor can record keystrokes that can then be saved in a macro file, which can easily be loaded in different situations. With the use of JavaScript or VBScript, you can also troubleshoot your code easily. For example, in JavaScript, you can use the following statement to troubleshoot errors:

try { ... } catch(e) { ... }

When an error occurs, such as a file opening failure, the try-catch statement allows the script to continue executing, instead of forcing it to terminate.

EmEditor macros are based on the WSH engine, so you can use various Windows-based objects and Component Object Model (COM) components. For example, you can perform regular expression searches using the RegExp object, manipulate files using the FileSystemObject object, create a short-cut, manipulate the Windows Registry using the WshShell object, or work with networking functions using the WshNetwork object. Additionally, you can create and execute a macro that utilizes an external application that supports automation using COM components (such as Word and Excel) to copy a document created in EmEditor, then paste into, and print it from the external application.

EmEditor macros are modules designed independently of EmEditor executable and are implemented as a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) file. To conserve system resources, the DLL is loaded only during the macro execution.

EmEditor macros are built on the EmEditor Document Object Model (DOM), which can use 4 objects as well as 104 properties and methods in all. This structure allows you to execute most operations in EmEditor with macros.