I want to record a keyboard typing as though a human is typing

Question

I am recording screencasts on OSX and Linux, and I am trying to set up some way to speed up recording of typing long blocks of code.

I need a way to take scripts or macros that I generate, and have it type during the recording, for smooth perfect typing. I also need to be able to control the speed - so sometimes typing is quick and sometimes it slows down (to help the viewer see what's going on).

I was thinking of generating vim macros, but they execute very fast and I can't figure out how to control the speed. Another option is keyboard macros (keyboard maestro, etc), but I can't find one that I can easily write scripts/macros for (they all seem to be GUI-focused).

OR: Is there a way for me to easily do this in post-production (video editing)? My current solution is to actually edit out the mistakes and typeovers. It produces a very nice video, but takes hours to edit a few minutes of typing.

Answer 1

As you have mentioned that you need Linux and OsX supported software/packages, here are some:

1. Python's automac package: Automated Testing on Mac - test GUI applications
2. Appium for mac: Proof of concept for automating a mac app with JSON wire protocol
3. Sikuli Script: (Cross Platform) automates anything you see on the screen. It uses image recognition to identify and control GUI components. It is useful when there is no easy access to a GUI's internal or source code
4. Autopy: A simple, cross-platform GUI automation toolkit for Python

In case, you want one for Windows, then AutoIT should be your choice.

Answer 2

If you are on the shell I would suggest playitagainsam - it supports 'fake typing' - meaning you press any key and it will be replaced by the correct one.

For simplicity script and scriptreplay might also be options.