Getting Started with Macros
This is Chapter 17 of Getting Started with OpenOffice.org 2.x (Fourth edition), produced by the OOoAuthors group. A PDF of this chapter is available from the OOoAuthors Guides page at OpenOffice.org.
Your first macro
A macro is a saved sequence of commands or keystrokes that are stored for later use. An example of a simple macro is one that “types" your address. The OpenOffice.org macro language is very flexible, allowing automation of both simple and complex tasks. Macros are especially useful to repeat a task the same way over and over again.
OpenOffice.org macros are usually written in a language called StarBasic, or just abbreviated Basic. Although you can learn Basic and write macros, there is a steep learning curve to writing macros from scratch. The usual method for a beginner is to use the built-in macro recorder, which records your keystrokes and saves them for use.
Most tasks in OpenOffice.org are accomplished by “dispatching a command" (sending a command), which is intercepted and used. The macro recorder works by recording the commands that are dispatched (see The dispatch framework).
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