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 directory and all have the extention ".mdf".  The default set of macros are contained in the file macros.mdf which is in the $HOME/.fldigi directory.  Fldigi will create this file with a set of default macros on its first execution.

Fldigi supports up to 20 macro definitions.  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.

Reference definitions:

<MYCALL>  my call   <CALL> remote call
<LDT>  local date time Zone
format : %x %H:%M%Z 
  • %x is preferred short form date ie: MM/DD/YY or DD/MM/YYYY etc for your locale
  • %H is hour with leading 0
  • %M is minute with leading 0
  • %Z is abbreviated time zone ie: EDT or GMT
<ZDT>  GMT date time Zone
format : %x %H:%M %Z
  • %x is preferred short form date ie: MM/DD/YY or DD/MM/YYYY etc for your locale
  • %H is hour with leading 0
  • %M is minute with leading 0
  • %Z is abbreviated time zone ie: EDT or GMT
<FREQ> my frequency
<ID>  send waterfall video mode identifier
<TEXT> send user specified video text
<CWID> send AFCW "DE <MYCALL>" at end of transmission
<MYLOC>  my locator <LOC>  remote locator
<MODE>  my mode
<MYNAME>  my name  <NAME>  remote name
<MYQTH>  my qth   <QTH>  remote qth
<RX>  return to receive <TX> start transmit
<MYRST>  my RST <RST>  remote RST
<CNTR> insert current contest serial number into the text stream
<INCR> increment contest serial number
<DECR> decrement contest serial number
<TIMER>NNN auto repeat this macro after NNN seconds
<LOG>  submit QSO data to logbook program & clear the QSO data fields.  This macro reference is not constrained to a particular position in the macro.  The macro reference action takes place when macro is expanded, so effect is seen immediately after pressing the macro function key which contains this macro reference.

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.  The macro reference 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 will exceed the width of the button for the default sized main dialog.

The <TIMER> macro reference should be followed by an integer value for the number of seconds to wait before repeating that macro.  For example:

<TX>CQ CQ de <MYCALL> <MYCALL> k<TIMER>20 <RX>
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.

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