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Macros, turbo, and toggle

The Press Behavior part of a row's Options changes what a press means. Toggle latches. Turbo repeats while held. Repeat fires a fixed number of times. Macro replaces the output with a timed sequence. They cover everything from a sticky Shift key to a one-button combo.

Toggle mode

One press turns the output on and holds it; the next press releases it. It makes sticky modifiers (hold Shift without holding Shift), push-to-talk that stays on, auto-run in a game, and a held mouse button for dragging with one hand. The built-in Toggle Mode preset shows four variations.

Turbo

While the control is held, the output is pressed and released over and over at the rate you set, in presses per second. Rapid fire in a game, a scroll key that keeps going, a drum pad that rolls. The Macros & Turbo preset fires the space bar at 12 presses a second from RB.

Repeat

One press fires the output a fixed number of times with a delay between each. Three presses of J from one bumper, five arrow-downs from one pad. It is turbo with a count instead of a hold.

Macros

A macro is a list of steps. Each step is an output with a delay before it and, for key presses, a hold time. Steps can be any output type, so a macro can press keys, click, type a phrase, send MIDI, and run a system function in one sequence.

Tap presses and releases a key, holding it for the hold time.
Hold down presses a key and keeps it held while later steps run. This is how chords are built: hold down Command, tap C, release Command.
Release lets go of a held key.
Interrupt on release stops the macro the moment the control is let go, for macros that should only run while a button is held.

The Macros & Turbo preset's A button runs copy, switch app, paste as a single macro, which is a good template to duplicate.

Timing that works

Most apps read a keystroke reliably with a 30 to 50 millisecond hold and a 50 millisecond gap. App switching and window changes need longer, 300 to 500 milliseconds, before the next step. If a macro drops characters, lengthen the delay before the step that misses.

Questions

Can a macro type a whole sentence?

Yes, with a Type Text step, which types any string in one go. It is faster than one step per letter and easier to edit.

Can turbo and toggle be combined?

Yes. Toggle plus turbo gives a rapid-fire that stays on until pressed again.

Is there a limit on macro length?

No practical one. Very long macros are easier to maintain as a Siri Shortcut run from a System Function.