iKey 2.0 review

'Do less, accomplish more' is the proud boast on the iKey page of Script Software's website.

It's a bold claim but, in the main, it's something that iKey enables you to achieve. In short, iKey is an automation utility. You can use it to automate countless tasks, freeing you up to do more interesting things. Almost any task can be automated, including typing chunks of text (such as your email signature or address when writing letters); regular maintenance and back-up procedures when you shut down; opening applications, menu items, or Finder folders; mounting servers every morning; and many, many more.

Automated tasks are created in iKey Editor - new to this version. Here, you build shortcuts from a series of commands, chosen from 17 categories (Application, Clipboard, Document, Folder, and so on), each of which contains a number of items. Each step's number of repetitions can be defined, and it shows what the iKey should do upon success or failure at each stage when the shortcut is run. Each shortcut's context can be defined - for instance, a shortcut can be universal, or restricted to a single application. Furthermore, 'launchers' can be set, enabling you to determine when and how a shortcut is activated (such as via a hotkey, at a specific time, or when a system event happens). Custom menus and palettes can also be created to house shortcuts.

The interface is a definite improvement on iKey 1.0, although it's still a little confusing. We used iKey Editor to create several shortcuts, menus and palettes - a process that went quite smoothly. The way the application stores and orders items and shortcuts seems cryptic at first, but its logic becomes clearer after a quick read of the excellent (and essential) manual that's included. That said, even with this help, problems still occurred. The application quit a couple of times, leaving just iKey Editor open, and editing a custom menu froze iKey, leading to a force quit.

However, iKey performs well generally, and if you have the time and patience to learn how to use it, you'll save hours in the long run.