Features I think would greatly benefit to what MacroDroid can do

[Endercraft]

MacroDroid is incredible with a lot that we can do, however there are limit at what we can do.

First off : Magic text and/or variables everywhere it's possible.
Magic text and variables greatly expand what we can do, but sometimes we can't use them. For example :

• I want to generate an integer between two numbers that can change by using a simple method like set variable. I use random number, right ? But they're only numbers and you can't enter any variable.
• I want to make a macro that check which apps are foreground, or background, or not active. I have a list in a dictionary. I use an app foreground (or other) constraint, insert my variable but I can't insert it! I'm forced to choose apps without being able to choose a variable.

Next : Big difference between dictionary/array
I feel like dictionaries and arrays are too far away from each other. It seems logic, because that's due to the difference in programming (I think), but to the MacroDroid scale, they seem very similar, so it seems it would be great to have more interactions between the two. For example :

• I want to choose a dictionary for the copy other dictionary option. But I have a problem, my dictionary is contained within an array. MacroDroid won't let me choose the array to go further and choose a dictionary. I encountered this problem while creating my editor macro and have not been able to bypass yet.
• I can copy from another dictionary, but what if I want to copy an array instead ? If I theoretically change the var type from an array to a dictionary it should be the same. It seems easy to do after having learned how MacroDroid variables are saved in JSON.

 

[JohnnyPDX]

• I want to make a macro that check which apps are foreground, or background, or not active. I have a list in a dictionary. I use an app foreground (or other) constraint, insert my variable but I can't insert it! I'm forced to choose apps without being able to choose a variable.

I just ran into this problem myself. I want to be able to set an app as a variable so all dependent actions don't have to be changed manually. Would be an awesome update.