Use the Template Library to open or insert reusable workflows

Prerequisites

• RunMacro is open in the macro editor rather than the QMacro Runner window.
• The current macro contains at least one command when you want to save a new template.
• The main file declared by the manifest still exists and is readable before opening or inserting.
• Referenced files, images, or sub-macros should be available; RunMacro warns before opening or inserting when dependencies are missing.

Supported modes

• Desktop Mode — The gallery and management actions work in Desktop Mode. The window, chrome_cdp, or mixed metadata is only a recommendation; you still need to verify that the commands are valid for Desktop Mode.
• Browser Mode — The gallery also works in Browser Mode. A CDP template may need a connected Chrome session at run time, but Chrome is not required merely to search, preview, copy, or insert it.

What it does

Template Library brings built-in templates, templates you saved, and templates cached from Team Cloud into one gallery. It supports text search, category filters, metadata, a preview of up to 12 commands, and a dependency report before use. Copy & Open creates an editable workspace copy; Add clones commands into a new group below the selection. You can also save the current macro as a template, import a file, and edit, duplicate, or delete personal entries without modifying built-in originals.

When to use it

• Start from a complete workflow instead of building every command manually.
• Insert a login, validation, or data-processing block into the macro being edited.
• Save a tested command sequence for reuse in other macros.
• Add a received .pmacro-template or .pmacro file to My Templates.

When not to use it

• You only need to invoke an external macro at run time — use Insert PMacro or Insert QMacro.
• You want to modify a built-in entry in place; open a copy or save your own template instead.
• You need fully automatic distribution across machines — Team Template Cloud still requires recipients to press Sync, so use another deployment process when synchronization must be unattended.
• The template comes from an untrusted source and you have not reviewed its commands, dependencies, or safety warnings.

Configuration steps

1. Open File › Open macro template...; to insert at a chosen position, select a row and use the Insert macro template context-menu action.
2. Let the built-in template check finish, or click Reload to run the check manually.
3. Type in Search templates..., choose a category chip, and expand My Templates, Full Workflows, Block, or Team templates.
4. Select an entry and review its description, source, readiness, recommended mode, version, tags, and command preview.
5. Check the dependency line. If it reports missing items, inspect the details and prepare the required files before continuing.
6. Choose Copy & Open to create a separate macro, or Add to clone the commands into the current macro.
7. If you open while the command table already has content, choose Add to current macro or Create new macro; RunMacro asks about unsaved work when necessary.
8. Accept the dependency warning only if you want to continue. Insertion lists and skips unsupported commands; Import silently omits them, logs their names, and can still report a successful import.
9. Review the new group or macro, replace sample values with your own data, test it, and save it to disk.

Every option explained

Expected result

When opened, RunMacro copies the template into Downloads/RunMacroTemplates/<id> under a unique folder and loads that editable copy. When inserted, cloned commands appear in a new group below the selection, labels are renamed to avoid collisions, and the macro becomes dirty; the source template remains unchanged.

Real example

Limitations and failure cases

• The library belongs to the macro editor and is not available in QMacro Runner.
• Recommended mode and readiness are advisory metadata; they do not switch the workspace or guarantee that the template can run in the current mode.
• Command types unavailable in the installed RunMacro build are skipped. Insertion shows a warning and list; Import only logs their names, can still report success, and saves the supported remainder without a dialog warning.
• Dependency analysis is a warning only. You may continue with missing files, images, or sub-macros, so failure can still occur at run time.
• System template sync downloads missing IDs only; Reload does not upgrade or overwrite an existing built-in entry with the same ID.
• Built-in templates cannot be edited or deleted in place; all changes must happen in a copied macro or personal template.
• Full and Block are grouping and display metadata; the library does not prove that the commands form a complete workflow or an independent snippet.
• Opening always creates another copy under the default Downloads workspace; old copies are not cleaned automatically.
• IDs are slugged to lowercase letters, digits, -, or _ and capped at 80 characters; different titles can collapse to the same ID and trigger overwrite handling.

Tips & common mistakes

Verification details

• core/template_library.py
• ui/main_window.py
• storage/json_store.py
• tests/test_system_template_sync.py

Related commands