Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.
Re: Let's talk about macros
Author: Ben Griffiths Posted: 4/3/2000; 12:17:12 PM Topic: Let's talk about macros Msg #: 15893 (In response to 15877) Prev/Next: 15892 / 15894
Macros are difficult in the same way that mail merge is difficult. If someone sits down with you and points a path through all the terminology, they're both easy. Macro itself is a difficult word. Not one in common usage, and certainly not very descriptive.A macro is something small that does something big. Let's use some a conventional macros to illustrate how they work...
I write 'PS' on a letter (I don't need to know it means post scriptum and I certainly don't need to know any latin) - it just works. It tells the recipient that the next sentence or two are outside context, an afterthought, a final sign-off. I don't need to write "Oh, by the way, here's another thought I had after finishing the letter" because those two simple letters do it for me. The recipient understands the 'PS' macro and fills in the blanks.
Likewise on your manila site, you let the site fill in the blanks. Write {day} and it fills in the day, write {navigatorLinks} and it sticks in the navigation bar.
Watch it work, play around and you'll see. It really is as easy as putting PS on a letter.
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