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QUIT │ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ Chapter 11. Advanced Features ... This chapter can easily be broken down into three different sections or parts.
This first part is called: "Macros", which covers the use of the macro
capabilities in Black Magic. The second section is called: "Custom Magic",
which is a guide to the configuration of Black Magic as best suits your preferences. Finally the third section is devoted to the use of TSR type
utilities. TSR's and Black Magic Macros Configuration
TSR's and Black Magic NTERGAID recognizes that many users of Black Magic will also run TSR programs in conjunction with Black Magic. However with Black Magic and some TSR programs this can present a problem. Black Magic uses a bit mapped display and some TSR programs do not properly return the screen to its previous bit mapped state. To avoid problems like this Black Magic includes what we have termed a TSR wait state. TSR Wait State A TSR Wait State is just that. It puts Black Magic into a holding pattern from
which a TSR can be executed. After the TSR is executed and you return to Black
Magic from the TSR the TSR Wait State command will ensure that the screen is updated properly according to Black Magic rather than the TSR. This command is
executed by typing: <Shift> <F10> After this is typed, go ahead and press the key strokes for the your TSR.
After you're done, exit the TSR to Black Magic, and all should be well. Macros Macros & Commands About Macros Macros - Summary Macros are one of Black Magic's most useful features. A macro is a collection
of key strokes that has been assigned to a single key combination. By striking
the key combination that represents a macro, the keystrokes that are stored in it are fed to the computer just as if you had typed them. Example Using Macros Using macros is actually a very simple process. The first step in using
macros, is to define a macro. This is done by pressing the Macro Definition
key, giving the macro a name, and then typing what is to be assigned to the
macro. Example - Defining A Macro Let's walk through the macro definition process as an example. We want to
define a macro that will automatically type a letter's salutation. To do this,
type the following: (For this example, all the indented text is as always part of the example, however only the bold face text is the user, the normal text
represents program output) <Shift> <F7> Here the program will prompt you for the name of the macro, let's call it: S. Mac: S If there was already a macro defined with the name of "S" then Black Magic
would prompt as to whether or not that macro was to be overwritten. Since
there wasn't, you can go ahead and define the macro. Here anything that would
be used as a letters salutation could be used, but we'll use the following.
Type this: Greetings My Friend: <Enter> Now the salutation is done, and its time to end defining the macro. This is
done by pressing: <Shift> <F7> You will notice that the <Shift> <F7> keystroke that is used to end defining
the macro is the same keystroke to start defining a macro. After the macro is
defined, it is automatically saved to disk. If you are creating a new macro
with the same name as one already on the disk, Black Magic will prompt you as
to whether or not the original macro is to be overwritten. Now with the macro
defined, it is time to test it. This is done by positioning the cursor at the
place where you want the macro placed and pressing: <F7> S This will insert the letter salutation in your document at the cursor
location. You will notice that the entire macro was inserted, including the
<Enter> at the end. This brings to the next aspect of macros: command
simplification. Macros & Commands The above first example does demonstrate the use of macros, but in a very
limited fashion. A macro can be any combination of keystrokes, they do not
have to be limited to text. A macro could contain only commands and no text. Example For example a macro could be defined to save your file directly rather than
follow through all of the prompts. This macro would be defined by toggling the
macro definition mode on (<Shift> <F7>), and then going through all of the steps to save your document. After the document is saved, and BEFORE anything
else is done toggle the macro definition mode off, and the macro is saved. An example of this type of macro is shown below. This macro will reset the tab
value to forty (40) spaces. <Shift> <F7> Mac: T <Alt> T 40 <Enter> <Shift> <F7> This above macro, which would be invoked merely by pressing <F7> T, would
reset the tab value to forty. While this is a trivial example, it does
illustrate how macros can be used to simplify commands. About Macros After macros are created, they are saved to disk. This creates a file with the
name of the letter name of the macro and the extension ".MAC". An example of
the filename created would be "A.MAC". However despite macros being a useful tool, they do have their limitations. Limitations The first limitation of a Macro is that it cannot access other macros. It is
independent from the rest. This means that you cannot use a macro to either
create a macro or run another macro. The reason for this is that when a macro
is being created, if any of the other macro keys (<Shift> <F7> or <F7>) are
struck it will end the macro, saving it to disk. The second limitation is that Macros cannot be edited. If you make a mistake
when defining a macro, that macro must be finished by pressing <Shift> <F7>
and then that macro redefined from scratch. Macros - Summary The below list is a summary of the steps involved in creating macros: 1. Press <Shift> <F7> 2. Type the macro's name 3. Type the macro 4. Press <Shift> <F7> again to terminate the macro 5. You're done, macro automatically saved to disk The below list is a summary of the steps involved in using a macro. 1. Press <F7> 2. Type the macro's name (1 character) 3. Macro is executed by Black Magic Lets consider the phrase below: NTERGAID 2490 Black Rock Tpke. Suite 337 Fairfield, CT 06430 This phrase, our address, is probably typed
several thousand separate times, but
realistically why ever type it more than once? With the use of macros, this phrase could be
assigned to a key combination and never typed
again. Once the macro was defined with this
phrase, repeating the phrase could be as simple
as <F7> A ("A" for Address ...). This is a very simple example of the use of macros, but it does
illustrate the use of them. Custom Magic More on Configuration Black Magic, like most well written software, allows some degree of
customization through its Config. option. Additionally Black Magic saves any configuration changes to disk for future
use any time Black Magic is run. This option is located on the <F10> menu or
it can be accessed from <Alt> C. When activated, it calls up a full screen of information about Black Magic's configuration and default settings. The things
in Black Magic that can be configured include: Default Note Window size. Default Left and Right margins Default Tab Size Automatic bookmark/Query for bookmark Video color for normal text Video color for Block marked text Option to show or hide link markers Option to show or hide link colors Default directories for files and program To change items on this menu, it must be first be brought upon screen. This is
done by pressing: <Alt> C Once it is on screen configuration menu displays a full screen of information
with a blue highlighting bar that is stepped through the menu with the arrow
keys. The Configuration options are modified using the arrow keys, "Y"/"N",
and the number keys. The only options that can be changed are those that the blue highlighting bar
stops at. When the the bar stops, the entry is modified in the following
manner. 1. If the entry is numeric (Width - ) enter a number and <Enter> 2. If the entry has a "Yes" or a "No" next to it, Press "Y" or "n" to change it. 3. If the entry has nothing, press the <RightArrow> or <LeftArrow> to change it. 4. To change the BackGround color, press the "+" and "-" keys. Notes about Configuration Options The other option that could cause users confusion are the Text Color and
BackGround Color options. To change the text color, press the <LeftArrow> and
the <RightArrow>. To change the BackGround color press the "+" and "-" keys. C12 C12 C10 CONTENTS m cls MANSUPP
