Tools»Source Code Macros
The Source Code Macros submenu contains menu items that you can use to create, execute, and manage macros. You can use a macro to repeat a series of actions, such as keystrokes and menu selections. For example, if all of your source files include the same header files or other common elements, you can record a macro that enters those elements and then save the macro for later use.
You can record two types of macros: temporary and permanent. A temporary macro is overwritten the next time you record another temporary macro. You can save permanent macros between sessions of LabWindows/CVI. You can then load saved macros into another instance of LabWindows/CVI. Saving and loading macros is helpful for sharing macros among multiple developers or storing macros in a source code control system.
The following menu items are available from the Source Code Macros submenu.
- Record/Stop Macro—Records all of the actions that you perform from the time you select Record Macro until you select Stop Macro.
- Record/Stop Temporary Macro—Records all of the actions that you perform from the time you select Record Temporary Macro until you select Stop Temporary Macro.
- Play Temporary Macro—Executes the current temporary macro.
- Pause/Continue—Temporarily stops recording a macro. Switching to a non-Source window pauses recording automatically.
- Manage—Opens the Manage Macros dialog box.
The Source Code Macros submenu also lists permanent, saved macros. You can select a permanent macro from the menu to execute that macro.
Recording and Managing Macros
To record a macro, select Tools»Source Code Macros»Record or select Tools»Source Code Macros»Record Temporary Macro. While you are in record mode, the status bar at the bottom of the Source window displays Rec Macro. To stop recording temporarily, select Tools»Source Code Macros»Pause. To stop recording the macro, select Tools»Source Code Macros»Stop Macro or select Tools»Source Code Macros»Stop Temporary Macro, depending on the type of macro you are recording.
When you record a temporary macro, LabWindows/CVI stores it as the Temporary Macro. You can execute the temporary macro by selecting Play Temporary Macro or by pressing <Ctrl-Shift-V>.
When you finish recording a permanent macro, LabWindows/CVI displays the Manage Macros dialog box. Use the Manage Macros dialog box to rename a macro or assign a shortcut key to the macro. If you do not rename a permanent macro, the macro appears as New Macro n in the Macros list. Permanent macros are saved within LabWindows/CVI until you manually delete them.
You also can save macros to a .ini file. Click the Save button to specify a filename for the .ini file. To load saved macros, click the Load button.
To save a temporary macro, right-click the Temporary Macro in the Macros list of the Manage Macros dialog box and select Rename. Renaming the temporary macro creates a copy of that macro with the name you specify. You must rename a temporary macro to save it.
The following table lists the actions that you can record in a macro.
Source Window Menu Selections | |
---|---|
Edit Menu | Edit»Balance Edit»Copy Edit»Cut Edit»Declare Parameter Variable Edit»Delete Edit»Find Edit»Next File Edit»Paste Edit»Quick Search Edit»Redo Edit»Replace Edit»Select All Edit»Toggle Exclusion Edit»Undo |
View Menu | View»Line View»Next Tag View»Previous Tag View»Toggle Tag |
Build Menu | Build»Build Errors in Next File Build»Next Error/Item Build»Previous Error/Item |
Source Window Context Menu | Copy Current Line Cut Current Line Paste Toggle Exclusion |
Error Window Context Menu | Copy All Items Save to File |
Keypress Actions | |
Key | <Shift-Tab> <Backspace> <Delete> <Enter> Generic ASCII keys <Ctrl-Shift-Backspace> <Tab> |
Source Window Miscellaneous Actions | |
Action | Change text selection mode Cut line to clipboard Delete to end of line Delete word Find next Find previous Insert line above (<Enter-Shift>) Insert line below (<Enter-Ctrl>) Overwrite Remove selection (<Esc>) Replace and find next Replace selection Reverse quick search Source code completion Switch Source windows Switch subwindows Use selection as find string Use selection as replace string |
Cursor Movement | |
Action | Move up one line Move down one line Move left one column Move left one word Move right one column Move right one word Move to beginning of line Move to end of line Move up one screen Move down one screen Move to top of window Move to bottom of window Move to top of file Move to bottom of file Scroll up one line Scroll down one line |
You also can use the shortcut keys of any of the actions listed in the table when you record a macro.
If you undo an action while you are recording, the undo becomes a part of the macro. When you execute the macro, each step is added to the undo stack. You can undo individual steps of the macro.