MACST Macro Process

To access this process:

Home ribbon >> Automate >> Macro >> Record Macro.
Enter "MACST" into the Command Line and press <ENTER>.

Macro Process Overview

Start the storage of all subsequent interactive input in a character format system macro file.

The macro name may be specified following the MACST command name. The macro name supplied is then appended to the !START command and written to the system macro file. If no macro name is specified in this way, a message is immediately displayed and the user must supply one interactively in response to a prompt.

Once the !MACST command has been given it remains in force until the !MACEND command is executed.

If the macro name is not specified following the MACST command name, this message displays:

MACRO NAME NOT SUPPLIED, PLEASE SUPPLY NAME

This is followed by a prompt for the name:

If no errors are detected the message displays:

STORAGE OF INTERACTIVE INPUT TO MACRO STARTED

If the system file specified already exists, all subsequent interactive input is appended to the existing contents of the file. In this way, a number of macros can be created in a macro library (in this case a single *.mac system file) from different interactive sessions.

Example

!MACST M1 SYSFILE>MYMAC1.DAT STORAGE OF INTERACTIVE INPUT TO MACRO STARTED . . . !MACEND

Error and Warning Messages

Message	Description	Solution
>>> ERROR READING FROM MACRO SYSTEM FILE ffffffff.fff <<<	An error has been detected in reading from the specified system macro file. Fatal; the process is exited.	Check that the file exists; check that it has Read/Write attributes; open the file in a text editor and check that it is not corrupt.
>>> ERROR WRITING TO MACRO SYSTEM FILE ffffffff.fff <<<	An error has been detected in writing !START <macroname> to the system macro file. Fatal; the process is exited.	Check that the file exists; check that it has Read/Write attributes; open the file in a text editor and check that it is not corrupt.