Macros

Macros are short text statements that contain imbedded references to text data used by the program fldigi.   Macro definition files(s) are located in the $HOME/.fldigi/macros/ directory and all have the extention ".mdf".  The default set of macros are contained in the file $HOME/.fldigi/macros/macros.mdf.  Fldigi will create this file with a set of default macros on its first execution.

Fldigi supports up to 48 macro definitions in sets of 12.  Macro definitions are not recursive, that is; a macro cannot reference another macro or itself.

The imbedded references are similar to those used by DigiPan and other fine modem programs.  The imbedded reference is an uppercase plain text descriptor contained with the <> brackets.

Tag
Description
Tag
Description
<FREQ> my frequency <RX> receive, places ^r tag at end of expanded macro
always the last macro tag executed
<MODE> mode <TX> transmit
<MYCALL> my call <TX/RX>
toggle T/R
<MYLOC>
my locator <SRCHUP> search UP for signal
<MYNAME> my name <SRCHDN> search DOWN for signal
<MYQTH> my QTH <GOHOME> return to sweet spot
<MYRST> my RST <GOFREQ:NNNN> move to autdo freq NNNN
<VER> Fldigi version



<FILE:> insert text file
<CALL>
other call

<NAME> other name <IDLE:NN.nn> idle signal for NN.nn sec
<QTH> other QTH <TIMER:NN> repeat every NN sec
<LOC> other locator <TUNE:NN> tune signal for NN sec
<RST> other RST <WAIT:NN> delay xmt for NN sec
<INFO1> S/N etc. in status bar


<INFO2> IMD etc. in status bar
<CWID> CW identifier


<ID>
mode ID
<CLRRX> clear RX pane <TEXT> video text
<GET> text to NAME/QTH <TXRSID:on|off|t> Tx RSID on,off,toggle
<LOG> save QSO data immediate
<RXRSID:on|off|t> Rx RSID on,off,toggle
<LNW>
insert ^L tag into TX text stream
save log entries to logbook when ^L
is reached.






<QSOTIME> QSO time (HHMM) <POST:+/-nn.n> CW QSK post-timing
<ILDT> LDT in iso-8601 format <PRE:nn.n> CW QSK pre-timing
<LDT> Local datetime <RISE:nn.n> CW rise time
<IZDT> ZDT in iso-8601 format <WPM:NN> CW WPM
<ZDT>
UTC datetime

<LT>
current local time as HHMM
<ZT>
current Zulu time as HHMMZ
<LD>
current local date as YYYY-MM-DD
<ZD>
current Zulu date as YYYY-MM-DD Z






<AFC:on|off|t>
AFC  on,off,toggle
<CNTR> contest counter

<DECR> decrement counter <LOCK:on|off|t> LOCK on,off,toggle
<INCR> increment counter

<XOUT> insert exchange out text from contest dialog
<MACROS:> change macro defs file
<XBEG>
mark start of "Exchange Out" text
<MAPIT>
open default browser to maps.google.com
trying Postal Address / Lat-Lon / Locator in order
<XEND>
mark end of "Exchange Out" text, save to field
<MAPIT:adr/lat/loc>
Map starting with Postal Address / Lat-Lon / Locator in order.  <MAPIT:adr> is the same as <MAPIT>
<SAVEXCHG>
save entire expanded macro text to "Exchange Out"



Macro tags are also assigned to each supported modem type and sub-modem type that is supported by fldigi:

<MODEM:CW> <MODEM:MFSK-8> <MODEM:BPSK31> <MODEM:OLIVIA> <MODEM:THOR4>
<MODEM:DomEX4> <MODEM:MFSK16> <MODEM:BPSK63> <MODEM:OLIVIA:250:8> <MODEM:THOR5>
<MODEM:DomEX5> <MODEM:MFSK-32> <MODEM:BPSK63F> <MODEM:OLIVIA:500:8> <MODEM:THOR8>
<MODEM:DomEX8> <MODEM:MFSK-4> <MODEM:BPSK125>
<MODEM:OLIVIA:500:16> <MODEM:THOR11>
<MODEM:DomX11> <MODEM:MFSK-11> <MODEM:BPSK250> <MODEM:OLIVIA:1000:8> <MODEM:THOR16>
<MODEM:DomX16> <MODEM:MFSK-22> <MODEM:BPSK500> <MODEM:OLIVIA:1000:32> <MODEM:THOR22>
<MODEM:DomX22> <MODEM:MFSK-31> <MODEM:QPSK31> <MODEM:RTTY> <MODEM:THROB1>
<MODEM:FELDHELL> <MODEM:MFSK-64> <MODEM:QPSK63> <MODEM:RTTY:170:45.45:5> <MODEM:THROB2>
<MODEM:SLOWHELL> <MODEM:MT63-500> <MODEM:QPSK125> <MODEM:RTTY:170:50:5> <MODEM:THROB4>
<MODEM:HELLX5> <MODEM:MT63-1XX> <MODEM:QPSK250> <MODEM:RTTY:850:75:5> <MODEM:THRBX1>
<MODEM:HELLX9> <MODEM:MT63-2XX> <MODEM:QPSK500>
<MODEM:THRBX2>
<MODEM:FSK-HELL>
<MODEM:PSK125R>
<MODEM:THRBX4>
<MODEM:FSK-H105>
<MODEM:PSK250R>
<MODEM:WWV>
<MODEM:HELL80>
<MODEM:PSK500R>
<MODEM:ANALYSIS>


Local references are specified during the program configuration and can be changed during program operation.

Remote references are all part of the qso log field definitions and are routinely changed from contact to contact.

Global references are for items like Greenwich Mean Time.

The macros.mdf file can be edited with any ascii text editor such as kedit, gedit, geany, nano etc.  But it is much easier to use the built-in macro editor provided in the program.

Right click on any macro key (or the alternate set) and a macro editing dialog opens with the current copy of that macro and its label.  This looks very similar to the DigiPan macro editor at the urging of Skip Teller, KH6TY.



The Text box is a mini-editor with a very limited set of control functions.  You can mark, bound and select text for deletion (ctrl-X), copy (ctrl-C), and paste (ctrl-V).  Marked text can also be deleted with the delete or the backspace keys.  Marked text modification can also be invoked by using the mouse right click after highlighting.  

The macro reference in the pick list can be transfered to the current editing cursor location.  Highlight the desired macro reference and then press the double << arrow key for each occurance of the reference to be put into the macro text.  You can change the label name but any more than 8 characters may exceed the width of the button for the default sized main dialog.

The <TIMER:NN> and <IDLE:NN> macro tags should have the NN replaced with the time interval in seconds.

<TX><IDLE:5>CQ CQ de <MYCALL> <MYCALL> k<RX><TIMER:20>
The label associated with each macro key can be individually annotated with a symbol.  Here are the symbols that are recognized by the button label drawing routine:


The @ sign may also be followed by the following optional "formatting" characters, in this order:

Thus, to show a very large arrow pointing downward you would use the label string "@+92->".

Here are my macro buttons suitably annotated:



There are 4 sets of 12 macro functions.  You can move between the 4 sets using the keyboard and the mouse.
  1. Left click on the "1" button to move to set #2.  Right click on the "1" button to move to set #4.
  2. Move the mouse to anywhere on the macro buttons.  Use the scroll wheel to move forward  & backward through the macro sets
  3. Press the Alt-1, Alt-2, Alt-3 or Alt-4 to immediately change to that macro set.

You could use any label that is symbolic to the function required. Refer to the FLTK web site for a full list of label types.

If you modify the macros and do not save them ("Files/Save Macros" on the main window) fldigi will prompt you to save the macros when you exit the program if you have the "Nag me" option selected.

The <EXEC>...</EXEC> macro tag provides a way to create external shell scripts and programs that can interact with fldigi.  See Exec Macro to learn more about the <EXEC> macro tag.

Using contest macro tags

Refer to Contest-How-To

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