HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
Guidelines for Using Macros
In this section, we offer a few guidelines for using macros.
Playing Back a Macro
There are three considerations to keep in mind when playing back a macro:
1. A macro can act upon a connection, a logfile, a graph, a table, or
any combination of these resources. The resource that is acted
upon during playback is determined by the macro script file. If a
macro is self-contained (that is, if it opens or creates a
resource, uses the resource, and then closes it), the script file
includes an identification of the resources used by the macro.
These are the resources that will be used when the macro is played
back. The DRAW.REC macro created in the first example is a
self-contained macro.
2. If a macro is not self-contained and the resources that it needs
don't already exist, an error message will be displayed when you
try to play back the macro.
For example, if you have a macro that closes one or more graphs
and you attempt to play it back when no graphs are open, the macro
will fail.
3. If a macro is not self-contained and the resources that it needs
do already exist, HP LaserRX/MPE identifies the last active
connection, logfile, graph, and table and uses them when the macro
is played back.
Specifically, the last active connection is the last connection
that was made before playing back a macro; the last active logfile
is the last logfile that was opened before playing back a macro;
and last active graph is the last graph that was touched before
playing back a macro.
For example, if you play back a macro that acts on two logfiles
and you have four logfiles open, the macro will act on the last
two logfiles that were opened.
NOTE HP LaserRX/MPE tracks last active, last active less 1, and so on.
This lets you record a macro that closes more than one graph,
table, logfile, or connection.
Changing Options
If you change options (such as on the Draw Graphs dialog box) while
recording a macro, you change the defaults just as you do when not
recording a macro. For example, if you record a drawing macro in which
the Shift is set to 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, the Shift setting remains in
effect until you reset it or end the HP LaserRX/MPE session.
Relative and Absolute Dates
By default, a macro that draws a graph will draw the last period in the
logfile. You can change the starting date if you record changing the
Starting Day option on the Draw Graphs dialog box. However, you should
be careful; the method you use to change the Starting Day when you are
recording the macro will determine whether the macro records an absolute
date (a specific, numeric date), or a relative date (a date that is
relative to the last date that is defined when you play the macro).
* Clicking (relative dates).
As long as you click on the Starting Day arrows or in the shaded
bar area, the macro facility keeps the date relative to the last
day in the logfile. In this way, a macro script can specify the
last day in a logfile, the third to the last day, etc.
* Dragging (absolute dates).
If you click on and drag the scroll bar for the starting day, the
macro facility will keep the date as an absolute date rather than
a relative date. This would be useful only if you wanted to
continually graph that specific date.
Similarly, when you use a graph's scroll bar while recording a macro,
dragging it means the date is understood as absolute; while clicking the
shaded bar or arrow means the date is relative to the current one.
If you use some combination of clicking and dragging, the last movement
made determines whether the date is relative or absolute. That is, if
you click on the arrow several times then click on and drag the scroll
bar, the date selected will be absolute.
Also note that Last in the Starting Date option is always relative.
The LASERRX.ERR File
Errors that occur when you try to play back a macro from the MS-DOS
command line are not displayed. Instead, they are placed in a file
called LASERRX.ERR in the LASERRX directory.
Recording a Zoom
If you record a macro that includes zooming on a graph (that is, uses the
Zoom Time, Application, or Process commands), you must include the Draw
Graphs command in it. That is, you cannot effectively record any zoom
function without also recording the drawing of the graph.