The Esstu Pack

VX-REXX Macros

All of the macros in the VXMacros subdirectory are designed to run under VX-REXX in the design environment. As such most of them are useless outside VX-REXX (although some can be used in a VX-REXX program). Also many (the ones marked Low Level in the opening comment) are for "low level" work, and are for advanced users only - poor usage can crash VX-REXX, or possibly even corrupt your program. Use at your own risk!

Macros in this distribution are all Copyright (c) Chris Angelico 2000. All rights reserved. If you find a genuine bug, I'll try to fix it. If it wrecks your current project completely, restore from a backup. (You do make regular backups, don't you?) If it helps you to work more efficiently, I'll accept full responsibility. If it breaks anything, it was your choice to install it! <g>

To download, hit the link!

Installation

Simple install (get everything): Append the lines from this Profile.VRM onto your own Profile.VRM (in VXREXX\Macros). Copy all the .VRM files into your Macros directory. Restart VX-REXX if needed. All done!

Custom install (be selective): Take the appropriate lines from this Profile.VRM and append them onto your own Profile.VRM. Copy the desired .VRM files into your Macros directory. Restart VX-REXX if needed. All done!

Macro Index

Macros marked with Yes in the LowLevel column should not be executed unless the user understands what the macro does and how it works. Usage without full knowledge can be dangerous. You have been warned.

File Name Low Level? Description
CHECKNUM.VRM No Check objects for numeric tags
COMPILE.VRM No Compile a REXX .CMD into a Presentation Manager executable
COPYCAPT.VRM No Copy the Caption of an object onto the clipboard, in a form suitable for the name of an object
PASTENAME.VRM Yes Paste the name of an object from the clipboard; keeps the prefix. Use after COPYCAPT.
UPDNAMES.VRM Yes Update the names of the selected objects based on the caption of the selected object. See ObjNames.TXT for details.
REXXCODE.VRM Yes Execute REXX code (designed for Extras menu)
REXXPOPUP.VRM Yes Execute REXX code (designed for object popup)

File Name	Low Level?	Description
CHECKNUM.VRM	No	Check objects for numeric tags
COMPILE.VRM	No	Compile a REXX .CMD into a Presentation Manager executable
COPYCAPT.VRM	No	Copy the Caption of an object onto the clipboard, in a form suitable for the name of an object
PASTENAME.VRM	Yes	Paste the name of an object from the clipboard; keeps the prefix. Use after COPYCAPT.
UPDNAMES.VRM	Yes	Update the names of the selected objects based on the caption of the selected object. See ObjNames.TXT for details.
REXXCODE.VRM	Yes	Execute REXX code (designed for Extras menu)
REXXPOPUP.VRM	Yes	Execute REXX code (designed for object popup)

All of these macros are donationware. If you like them, please send money (in Australian dollars) in proportion to the amount of value you get out of them.

Terminology

If you don't understand my usage of these terms you will have difficulty understanding the descriptions below.

Prefix: The part of an object name before the underscore.
Tail: The part of an object name after the underscore.

Object Naming

In my projects, I use a distinctive style of names for VX-REXX objects. This is evident in the macros and assumed in the documentation. If your style is different, you will need to change some of the programs before they can be useful.

Each object has a prefix to indicate the type of object (Window and Menu/MenuItem objects excepted). This is always the same as the default prefix given by VX-REXX (eg PB for pushbuttons, EF for entryfields, or DT for descriptivetexts). Also, if an object is in a logical group (eg 16 checkboxes for the bits in a word), there will be a middle portion (separated from prefix and tail by underscores). The tail is usually based on the caption of the object (or for entry fields, the caption of the associated DT), hence UPDNAMES.VRM. Numerics on the ends of object names usually indicate failure to rename some object, hence CHECKNUM.VRM.

MACRO DETAILS

Check Numerics

This macro, when triggered from a Window or GroupBox, checks all the children of the selected object (and their children, if any) for trailing numerics in object names. Names of all found are displayed in a message box.

Usage: Install into popup menu, select.
Macro file: CHECKNUM.VRM

Compile .CMD

Compile a REXX .CMD into an OS/2 PM Executable. Simpler than making a project, loading the .CMD as a code-only file, making an .EXE, and cleaning up.

Usage: Install into Extras menu, select, choose .CMD (from file dialog), choose location for .EXE (also file dialog).
Macro file: COMPILE.VRM

Copy Caption to Clipboard

Copies the caption of an object onto the clipboard. Use before PASTENAME.

Usage: Install into popup menu, select.
Macro file: COPYCAPT.VRM

Paste Name from Clipboard

Pastes the name of an object from the clipboard. Use after COPYCAPT.

Usage: Install into popup menu, select.
Macro file: PASTENAME.VRM

Update Names

Updates the names of all selected objects based on the caption of the object popuped on.

Usage: Install into popup menu, select all objects to be renamed, popup on object with caption (can be selected as well if it's to have its name changed), select.
Macro file: UPDNAMES.VRM

REXX Code

Two macros to execute REXX code (REXXTry style). One for Extras menu (executes code inside VX-REXX), and one for the popup menu (executes inside macro). Use at your own risk! These two, even more than the others, can crash VX-REXX if used incorrectly. I accept no responsibility for damage incurred through misuse.

Usage: Install, select, enter code, press enter.
Macro files: REXXCODE.VRM and REXXPOPUP.VRM.