Insert Text (like a template) without having it typed out

[caserichard]

I'd like to create a macro that will insert text like a template does (i.e. all at once rather than inserting each subsequent character). As it is, my macro is something like this:

InsertMode
ColumnModeOff
HexOff
"TEXT I WANT
TO HAVE INSERTED
IS HERE"

But should I want to undo this, I'd have to hit undo as many times as there are characters inserted.

To get around this, I could use a template, but I've used my 50 global templates up and I want to assign a keyboard shortcut to it.
I could also make a macro that would paste the text to surround a selection, i.e.:

InsertMode
ColumnModeOff
HexOff
UltraEditReOn
Find SelectText "^s"
Replace All "^sTEXT I WANT
TO HAVE INSERTED
IS HERE"

But this requires that I select something, even if it's a blank space. Is there anything I can do to get around this? I just want to insert a text/string block cleanly.

Hah. I think I've kind of solved my own question talking through this, but I want to post this should anyone else need something similar:

InsertMode
ColumnModeOff
HexOff
" "
StartSelect
Key LEFT ARROW
UltraEditReOn
Find SelectText "^s"
Replace All "TEXT I WANT
TO HAVE INSERTED
IS HERE"

This adds a space, selects it, and replaces it with the text you want. Voila, more room for templates in your Macro library. Still, if there's an even cleaner way, please let me know~!

Thanks for your help,
Rick

[Mofi]

Your final macro is a little bit dangerous. If something is currently selected it will be overwritten with a space. Also your last version needs always 2 undo steps. Here is a much more complicated solution which either uses the current selection or selects something left or right the cursor position depening on the current column before running the replace. If that all fails it inserts a space, selects it and inserts the text with the replace. Only the last one produces 2 undo steps. With the standard settings the last one is needed only on an empty file.

InsertMode
ColumnModeOff
HexOff
UltraEditReOn
IfSel
Find SelectText "^s"
Replace "^sTEXT I WANT
TO HAVE INSERTED
IS HERE"
ExitMacro
EndIf
IfColNum 1
StartSelect
Key RIGHT ARROW
EndSelect
IfSel
Find SelectText "^s"
Replace "TEXT I WANT
TO HAVE INSERTED
IS HERE^s"
Key LEFT ARROW
ExitMacro
EndIf
EndIf
StartSelect
Key LEFT ARROW
EndSelect
EndIf
IfSel
Find SelectText "^s"
Replace "^sTEXT I WANT
TO HAVE INSERTED
IS HERE"
ExitMacro
EndIf
" "
StartSelect
Key LEFT ARROW
EndSelect
Find SelectText " "
Replace "TEXT I WANT
TO HAVE INSERTED
IS HERE"

[caserichard]

OOoh, very nice. And such a quick response from the famous Mofi! Thanks very much for your kind reply and efficient solution.