Macro extras. (Symphony extras)

MACRO EXTRAS

A 1-2-3 file that you retrieve in Symphony may not perform just as you'd like. The formulas and some of the settings will be intact, but many of the macros will behave as collections of random keystrokes. The menu structures of Symphony and 1-2-3 are sufficiently different that most keystroke macros won't work when moved between products.

For those who want to bring their macros over from 1-2-3, rewriting each macro to work in Symphony appears a daunting task. However, if you're not interested in redesigning and rewriting your macros to take advantage of Symphony's broader capabilities, you'll probably get a kick out of the Macro Conversion Aid.

MCA.APP

The Macro Conversion Aid (MCA) IS AN ADD-in created by Lotus Development Corp. MCA has been available for about two years, but unless you're a CompuServe subscriber, or you've called Lotus and asked specifically for such a tool, you probably have not heard of the add-in.

Once attached to Symphony, MCA can translate 1-2-3 macro code into Symphony macro code. The add-in changes 1-2-3 menu sequences into Symphony menu sequences so that the effects approximate those of the original 1-2-3 keystrokes. MCA also translates /X commands into equivalent Symphony Command Language commands.

You use MCA as you use any other add-in. To attach MCA to Symphony, select SERVICES Application Attach, enter the full path name of the directory containing the add-in (if the file named MCA.APP is on a disk in the B drive, enter b:; if the file is in a directory named ADDINS on your C drive, enter c:addins), then point to the file named MCA.APP and press Return. Select Quit to leave the menu.

To translate a macro, retrieve into Symphony the file that contains the macro. Then press SERVICES, select Application Invoke, indicate MCA, and press Return. Symphony prompts for the range to translate. Indicate the range that contains …