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Macros, tips, and templates for Corel® WordPerfect® for Windows®
© Copyright 1996-2010 by Barry MacDonnell. All Rights Reserved.

How to put instructions or comments inside a macro

Related tip:

How to copy plain-text macro code from the Internet (i.e., web page, newsgroup post, or e-mail) into WordPerfect to create a functioning macro

There are several ways a macro writer can put programmer comments or other, non-command information into a macro. Examples of these are shown in dark red below.

Open the macro for editing with Tools, Macro, Edit. Then -

1. Precede the comment with two slash (//) marks:

// This is a comment.

These comments can be on a separate line or on the same line as a macro command, following the command.

Two (or more) slash marks are often used to temporarily disable -- "toggle off" -- a macro command.

Note that each paragraph -- text or commands that end with a hard return -- cannot exceed 512 characters.

2. Bracket the comment -- or even macro commands you want to temporarily disable -- like this:

/* This is a comment. */

-- or like this:

/*
This is a comment.
And this is a comment.
*/

Note that this method is not available in some earlier versions of WordPerfect.

Note that each paragraph -- text or commands that end with a hard return -- cannot exceed 512 characters.

3. For longer comments, such as those that introduce the macro, put the comment inside a "dummy" IfPlatform macro command. The command's (parameter) can be anything that is not recognized by WP as legitimate. For example:

IfPlatform ("My comments begin here.")

This is a comment.

EndIfPlatform

Here, WP will simply ignore the IfPlatform command and everything inside it.

Note that each paragraph -- text that ends with a hard return -- cannot exceed 512 characters.

4. Put the comment in a footnote. You can even put macros commands in the footnote: they will not execute when the macro plays.

5. Put comments inside a header and/or footer.

6. Since a macro being edited always displays -- initially, at least -- in Draft mode, you can use regular WP Comments (Insert, Comment).

7. Put the comment inside a text box, which can be anchored to the page or to a paragraph. Note that text boxes are prone to shift and/or not display all material, so it is better to avoid this method.

This is a comment.