tcl.create-macro
Creates macro from 'top' (last) command on TCL stack.
Syntax
create-macro macro.name {(option}
Description
creates an executable 'macro' from the last TCL command entered and places the macro in the md of the current account.
The macro is stored in the master dictionary and is executed by entering the macro name at the TCL prompt.
If attribute 1 of the macro is an 'm', the macro.name must be enclosed in quotes when referenced from TCL. An 'm' type is the default when using 'create-macro'.
If the macro.name already exists, a proper message will be given. The (O) option allows overwriting it.
During activation of the macro, any additional parameters following the macro name at the TCL prompt are passed into the first executable command in the macro, but do not affect any other commands in the macro.
Any number of valid TCL commands may be placed in a macro. The first value of each attribute must be a valid TCL command. Subsequent values are treated as data to the command.
Advanced Pick only allows macro's to be placed in the md of an account.
Options
m (default if no option is given). Creates a 'pause and display' type macro. When activated, the TCL command contained in the macro displays at the command prompt and can be modified before executing. Attribute 1 becomes an 'm'.
n Creates a 'non-stop' macro which executes immediately upon activation, without displaying the TCL command being issued by the macro. Attribute 1 becomes an 'n'.
o Overwite the macro if it already exists.
Example
If the last command on the stack was the Access sentence:
list entity name phone
and the next command is:
create-macro show.entity (m
Assuming that the item is NOT already present, the message:
show.entity created
appears on the screen.
If the 'show.entity' macro had been present, the message:
[415] 'show.entity' exists on file.
Executing macros:
Assuming that the macro 'show.entity' is stored in the md, and is
defined as shown in this example, following are various methods by which it may
be executed:
First, simply executing the macro by itself:
show.entity<return>
list entity name address
The 'list entity name address' appears on the next line at TCL, with
the cursor under the 'l' in 'list'. Any aspect of the
sentence may be modified prior to execution. The entire Update processor
command set is available for modifying the command.
Pressing <return> issues the sentence as presented.
Secondly, passing input from the command line:
show.entity hdr-supp leg-supp<return>
list entity name address hdr-supp leg-supp
Again, because this a 'pause'-type macro, the TCL command is
displayed prior to execution, with the 'hdr-supp' and
'leg-supp' modifiers appended to the command string.
An alternate example of passing input to the command:
show.entity with phone '714]' hdr-supp leg-supp<return>
list entity name address with phone '714]' hdr-supp leg-supp
Again, any element that is valid with the first TCL command in the macro may be
provided from the TCL command line. The input is only passed to the first valid
TCL command within the macro.
Modifying macros:
Since 'show.entity' is an 'm'-type macro, to modifiy it,
the item-id must be referenced within quotes:
u md 'show.entity'<return>
md 'show.entity' size = 46
01 M
02 list entity name address
At this point, the full complement of Update processor commands are available.
Additional TCL commands may be placed on subsequent attributes. The
'M' may be changed to an 'n' to make it a
'non-stop' macro, which means that it executes the first TCL command
immediately upon activation. Since macro's are executable, if the UP
command <ctrl>+xr is used, the macro will be filed and automatically
executed.
See Also
User Comments
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