Automating Tasks for Groups of Users: A System-Wide 'Epiphyte' Approach

摘要

End-users have to sue macro-recordeers when they want to automate tedious tasks. Their tasks of often include actions from multiple applications. While some application-speciifc macro facilities or PBD systems have proved efficient to automate single-application tasks, system-wide-and hence application-independent-systems are few. Most system-wide rec0orders operate on low-level events whereas most repetitive activities repetitive at a somewhat higher level of abstraction. We present a so-called "epiphyte" paproach allowing automation of some of the repetitive tasks only, but working with unmodified applications. It uses external and partial appliation models to allow recording of hierarchical event histories which in turn dactilitate the detection, generalization, anticipation and completion of repetitive sequences of actions. In this approach, expers are in change of building external application models. We present soem features which facilitate and quicken their work particularly in the context of a group of users.