SpotCollector Macros

Each DXCluster, PacketCluster, and CQDX window provides access to two banks of eight macros, each of which allow you to transmit information with a single mouse click or keystroke. To invoke a macro in the first bank, click on its button, or strike its associated function key. To invoke a macro in the second bank, depress and hold the ALT key to display the second bank, and then click the appropriate macro button, or strike its associated function key. Checking the ALT checkbox, located between the 4th and 5th macro buttons, displays the second bank of macros until you uncheck it.

The macro panel includes a textbox; the contents of this textbox can be included in any macro by using the <textbox> substitution command, as described below.

To modify a macro, depress the Ctrl key while clicking on the macro's associated button or striking its associated function key. SpotCollector will display its macro definition window, which displays two components for each macro: title, and contents. The title is used to label the macro buttons on the PacketCluster, DXCluster, and CQDX windows. The contents determine what is transmitted when the macro is invoked.

For macros whose length exceeds that of the macro definition window display, double-clicking in the contents field will invoke a resizable editing dialog.

You can save a macro bank's eight macros to a file by clicking the bank's Load button and selecting a destination pathname. You can load a macro bank's eight macros from a file by clicking the bank's Save button and selecting a source pathname.

In a macro's contents, any information not surrounded by a pair of angle brackets is transmitted verbatim. Valid substitution commands begin and end with an angle bracket; SpotCollector processes such commands in a macro's content by replacing them as enumerated in the following table:

Command	Replacement
<n>	the character whose ASCII code is n (for 0 <= n < 255)
<textbox>	the contents of the Macro panel's textbox
<datetime format>	the current UTC date and/or time, as direct by the format specification
<display: filename>	displays the contents of the designated file or URL
<enter>	the character whose ASCII code is 13
<file: filename>	the contents of the designated file filename should begin with a drive letter and include all intervening directories use the macro definition screen's Select button to choose a file, then drag and drop its filename from the filename textbox to the desired macro's contents
<mycall>	the operator's callsign
<newline>	the character whose ASCII code is 10
<packetconnect callsign>	directs the packetcluster window to connect to the specified callsign
<packetconnect>	directs the packetcluster window to clear any current connection
<UTC>	the current UTC time
<date>	the current UTC date
<revision>	SpotCollector's revision level

(:)	Time separator. In some locales, other characters may be used to represent the time separator. The time separator separates hours, minutes, and seconds when time values are formatted. The actual character used as the time separator in formatted output is determined by your system settings.
(/)	Date separator. In some locales, other characters may be used to represent the date separator. The date separator separates the day, month, and year when date values are formatted. The actual character used as the date separator in formatted output is determined by your system settings.
c	Display the date as `ddddd` and display the time as `ttttt`, in that order. Display only date information if there is no fractional part to the date serial number; display only time information if there is no integer portion.
d	Display the day as a number without a leading zero (1 – 31).
dd	Display the day as a number with a leading zero (01 – 31).
ddd	Display the day as an abbreviation (Sun – Sat).
dddd	Display the day as a full name (Sunday – Saturday).
ddddd	Display the date as a complete date (including day, month, and year), formatted according to your system's short date format setting. The default short date format is `m/d/yy`.
dddddd	Display a date serial number as a complete date (including day, month, and year) formatted according to the long date setting recognized by your system. The default long date format is `mmmm dd, yyyy`.
w	Display the day of the week as a number (1 for Sunday through 7 for Saturday).
ww	Display the week of the year as a number (1 – 54).
m	Display the month as a number without a leading zero (1 – 12). If `m` immediately follows `h` or `hh`, the minute rather than the month is displayed.
mm	Display the month as a number with a leading zero (01 – 12). If `m` immediately follows `h` or `hh`, the minute rather than the month is displayed.
mmm	Display the month as an abbreviation (Jan – Dec).
mmmm	Display the month as a full month name (January – December).
q	Display the quarter of the year as a number (1 – 4).
y	Display the day of the year as a number (1 – 366).
yy	Display the year as a 2-digit number (00 – 99).
yyyy	Display the year as a 4-digit number (100 – 9999).
h	Display the hour as a number without leading zeros (0 – 23).
Hh	Display the hour as a number with leading zeros (00 – 23).
N	Display the minute as a number without leading zeros (0 – 59).
Nn	Display the minute as a number with leading zeros (00 – 59).
S	Display the second as a number without leading zeros (0 – 59).
Ss	Display the second as a number with leading zeros (00 – 59).
t t t t t	Display a time as a complete time (including hour, minute, and second), formatted using the time separator defined by the time format recognized by your system. A leading zero is displayed if the leading zero option is selected and the time is before 10:00 A.M. or P.M. The default time format is `h:mm:ss`.
AM/PM	Use the 12-hour clock and display an uppercase AM with any hour before noon; display an uppercase PM with any hour between noon and 11:59 P.M.
am/pm	Use the 12-hour clock and display a lowercase AM with any hour before noon; display a lowercase PM with any hour between noon and 11:59 P.M.
A/P	Use the 12-hour clock and display an uppercase A with any hour before noon; display an uppercase P with any hour between noon and 11:59 P.M.
a/p	Use the 12-hour clock and display a lowercase A with any hour before noon; display a lowercase P with any hour between noon and 11:59 P.M.
AMPM	Use the 12-hour clock and display the AM string literal as defined by your system with any hour before noon; display the PM string literal as defined by your system with any hour between noon and 11:59 P.M. AMPM can be either uppercase or lowercase, but the case of the string displayed matches the string as defined by your system settings. The default format is AM/PM.