Atari XL Personal Computer User Manual


 
The Last Word 3.0 Reference Manual
7-42
field. To actually get input from the user, you MUST include the
<CTRL+L>ine Input macro command as normal. The macro will
then pause, allowing the text entry until <RETURN> is pressed.
The input is sent to the paste buffer and overwrites its contents,
even if a null string was entered. If the <CTRL+B>ranch Macro is
used before the Ask command, the branch will occur if the input
string was EMPTY.
The input string can be pasted into the document in the same way
as any normal paste operation. It can also be inserted into a
filename/search/replace input line with the <CTRL+B> command
(see below).
The Ask for Input command has virtually unlimited scope for
macro development, allowing the creation of truly interactive,
professional looking applications. Just remember that the contents
of the paste buffer are lost when this command is used.
<CTRL+B> Branch to macro. Use this macro to create a branching condition.
Follow with a macro identifier before a LOAD MACROS
command, and the program will attempt to run this macro as soon
as the new macros are loaded. Used before a FIND command,
LW will branch to the macro if the string is NOT FOUND. Used
before a GOTO MARKER/NEXT MARKER/PREVIOUS MARKER
command, the branch will occur if the marker is NOT FOUND.
Used before a special macro CONFIRM (Y/N) command
<CTRL+C>, the macro will be branched to if the user responds
NO. Used before a <CTRL+A> Macro Ask for Input String, the
branch will occur if the subsequent input string is EMPTY. See the
<CTRL+Z> command for more conditional branching commands.
<CTRL+C> Confirm (Y/N). Follow with a message terminated with
<RETURN>. LW will print the message, followed by a question
mark, then "(Y/N):". The user responds with the appropriate key.
"Y" will allow the macro to continue. "N" will terminate all macros
(even if the macro running is nested), or, if a branch macro is
pending after a <CTRL+B>ranch command, that macro will be
run. NOTE: Before the introduction of "macro conditionals" in later
TextPro versions, that program's <equivalent "Y/N" command,
<SELECT+CTRL+A>sk, always attempted to run the "&" macro if
"N" was pressed. LW does NOT include this feature: use the
<CTRL+B>ranch to pre-select a macro to run if "N" is pressed.
<CTRL+J> Macro menu. Follow with a line of text terminated with
<RETURN>. The text should be in the form of some kind of small
menu. This message will be printed, then the program will run the
macro attached to the next key pressed.
The macro menu has been augmented somewhat since version
2.1 of LW. Since the macro menu command is by definition the
last command in a macro, it’s now possible to add two extra
parameters after the menu text. On a new line, type all the valid
keystrokes for the menu options, ending in <Return>. Then, on
the next line, type the ID characters for the macros you want each