MixW Macro List V3.x, complete

MixW macro list v3.x:

Colin (2E0BPP), and Dave (G3VFP) have put together the MixW macro list v3.x; a list of all known Macros and a few more for MixW.  This list of macros is the most complete list of Macros available for MixW today.  This list is also available from the MixW group on Yahoo as well. You can download a more detailed copy of Colin’s original Word document here.  This is the most complete list of macros I have seen for MixW.  Many thanks to Colin, and Dave for putting this list together.  If you use MixW, please consider joining the Yahoo Group, “MixW”.

The following Macro commands are correct as at version 3.1

Collated from the help file by Dave G3VFP updated by Colin 2E0BPP

Text

Program

Frequency

Macros

Mode

Auto CQ

Contest

Rotor

CW

Hell

MFSK

Olivia

Contestia

RTTYM

RTTY

SSTV

Event

Further explanation on the use of MixW Macros

<CWID>

To add a CW ID to the default signoff macro you must first define it under Personal Data. Select Configure | Personal Data. This brings up the personal data window. Check the “use CWID” box and then enter your sign off CW ID text, then uncheck this box to avoid sending the CWID when you don’t want too. Next add <CWID> to the end of the macro, such as, 73 <CALL> DE <MYCALL> SK<CWID>. Of course, <CWID> can also be assigned to a separate function key, as can <TIME> and <DATE>, but MixW’s log also logs the time and date automatically. If you use CW ID, keep in mind that while it is executing, the other station is printing only garbage. For that reason, you might want to use CW ID only at the end of your signoff macro.

<AUTOCQ>

Auto CQ is a very handy Macro that enables you to transmit a predetermined CQ sequence at regular intervals. It will stop automatically when a call sign is received (indicating that your CQ has been answered). AutoCQ must first be configure by selecting Options | Auto CQ | Text and entering your required CQ call. When you’re done configuring this click OK to save it. Then select options | Auto CQ | Delay and enter the required delay, in seconds, between then end of the transmitted message and the start of the next transmission. Finally assign <AUTOCQ> to one of your macro buttons. To automatically stop use <ALARM:yourcall> and create the event macro <OnAlarm:ESCAPE>. This will only stop if the response to your CQ is in the form <MYCALL> de <CALL>.

You can initiate AutoCQ in three ways: Click on the button you have assigned it to, depress the key you have assigned it to, or select Options->Auto CQ->Start. You will see the AutoCQ indication box appear above your cursor in the spectrum or waterfall display. AutoCQ will cycle until the <ALARM:x> has been received in the RX window, when it will automatically stop (MixW knows that your CQ has been answered!). You can manually stop AutoCQ by the Escape Key, or by Selecting Options->Auto CQ->Stop.

By selecting Options->Auto CQ->Watch squelch AutoCQ will then only operate when your RX is squelched, thereby avoiding accidentally transmitting over the top of an existing QSO. 

<ASAUTOCQ>

Using this Macro command at the beginning of any Macro string will define it as the new AutoCQ text and commence to AutoCQ with it when selected. This enables MixW to have multiple AutoCQ strings. For instance you could define one for a contest or special event station, and still leave your default AutoCQ text for your normal operations.

<WAVE:filename>

Plays the indicated *.WAV file. This is very handy to use as a voice Keyer for contesting or otherwise calling CQ or other automated voice responses. Simply record wave files using the Windows Sound Recorder (included with Windows 9x, ME and 2000) or another digital recording program and save them as .WAV files. Then you can configure your Macros to replay your voice as recorded automatically. For instance the following Macro would be used for calling CQ in a contest:

<TX><WAVE:CQCONTEST><RX>

Where CQCONTEST is the name of the pre-recorded .WAV file of my voice saying, “CQ Contest CQ Contest CQ Contest CQ Contest, this is K4SET calling CQ Contest”. For this Macro to work, you should be in SSB, AM, or FM phone modes. Then by initiating this Macro (by clicking on, or depressing, the the assigned function key) MixW will automatically key your transceiver, then play your recorded voice calling CQ through the soundcard to your transceiver’s input audio, then it will switch back to receive while you just sit by and listen for answers. You can likewise pre-record any number of other transmissions including reports or QRZ type end of contact calls. This can really save you voice during a long contest or special even operation.

Note: <WAVE:filename> can also be used in conjunction with your <AUTOCQ> or <ASAUTOCQ> Macros to use the voice keyer to automatically call CQ.

<INIFILE>

<INIFILE:file,section,name> – insert a line from an ini-file.

Suppose I have a program that measures the temperature using a sensor outside of the house and periodically writes the value into d:tempsensor.ini file:

— start of d:tempsensor.ini —

[Sensor]

Temperature=xx

Humidity=yy

Illumination=zz

— end of d:tempsensor.ini —

Then I can make a macro:

The current temperature in Kiev is <INIFILE:d:tempsensor.ini,Sensor,Temperature> degrees centigrade.

Using RUN and SEARCH AND POUNCE

There are four macros to set the RUN or SEARCH AND POUNCE mode:

<SP1> sets search and pounce mode on.

<SP0> sets search and pounce mode off (run mode on).

<SP> switches to run mode (same as <SP0>.

<S/P> toggle between search and pounce and run modes.

When in Run mode <Run> is appended to the main Mixw window title text.  There are several macros which are dependent on each other and the contents of certain fields in the contest log.  The output of the <INT> macro, which is called by default by the OnCR macro when MixW is in contest mode, depends on whether Mixw is in Run or Search and Pounce mode and the content of the CALL and RX EXCHANGE (NRR) fields as shown in the following tables:

Search and Pounce Mode

Run Mode

Note:

The RUN and SEARCH AND POUNCE modes function whether Mixw is in contest mode or not.

Use of <PREV>IOUS

Previous data can be inserted in the transmit data stream using macros as detailed above. It is intended for contests but does function when Mixw is not in contest mode. The action of the PREV macros is not consistent however. For all macros except <PREVCTIME> Mixw will search back in the log for the last data entry for that particular log field whether it is a contest log entry or not.

For <PREVCTIME> the search back will find the last contest log entry.

<TXE> and <RXE>

The <RXE> macro can be inserted anywhere (including before <TX>) in the data to be transmitted. This allows data to be assembled in the transmit window as required without the requirement of an <RX> at the end of the data. Mixw will switch to RX when all the data in the TX buffer has been transmitted.  The <TXE> macro will only set Mixw to transmit when the carrier is dropped after the end of the previous received data. This has some limitations. If there is another carrier (eg someone tuning on your QSO frequency) or the band is very noisy then Mixw may not go into transmit. However it can be overridden by clicking on the RX button in the status bar at the bottom of the waterfall which puts Mixw into transmit mode.

Use of <LANG_>

This macro modifier makes it possible to change the contents of an associated macro to the language of the current QSO callsign.  It makes use of the lang.ini file delivered as part of the Mixw installation.

The content of lang.ini after installation is:

[MASK]

U*=RUS

R*=RUS

F*=FRA

I*=ITA

[DXCC]

DL=GER

EA=SPA

F=FRA

JA=JAP

As it stands this lang.ini file is assumed to be for an English speaking installation.  The MASK section defines calls where a complete initial prefix letter assigns the whole of that prefix group a language key. In the settings any call that starts with U or R is assumed to be Russian Language, F is French and I Italian. The DXCC section defines individual countries to a language key. France is included in both sections because as well as F prefix France can also have other letters as the first letter of a prefix (eg TM).

An example of the use of <LANG_>:

The end of a QSO is:

73 <CALL> de <MYCALL> bye SK<SENDEQSLNP><SAVEQSO><RXANDCLEAR>

This could be changed to:

73 <CALL> de <MYCALL> <LANG_BYE> SK<SENDEQSLNP><SAVEQSO><RXANDCLEAR>

A number of macros are created using edit macros menu:

Name:BYE

Label: doesn’t matter

Text:bye

Name:FRA_BYE

Label: doesn’t matter

Text:Au Revoir

Name:RUS_BYE

Label: doesn’t matter

Text:Doswidania

Name:GER_BYE

Label: doesn’t matter

Text:Auf Wiedersehen

Name:ITA_BYE

Label: doesn’t matter

Text:Ciao

When the <LANG_BYE> macro is actioned it will substitute the LANG with the prefix language key and then insert the text in the transmit window. If there is no prefix language entry in lang.ini the default macro BYE is used instead.  It is possible to associate multiple countries to one language. An entry in the DXCC section OE=GER would associate Austria with the German language and a Spanish entry could be used to link a number of countries.

Waiting or slowing macro execution

There are a number of ways of slowing down execution, to overcome timing problems.  Executing the sequence <FQ:29600><MODE:FM> does not reliably execute on some transceivers but 

<FQ:29600><CATWAIT:300><MODE:FM> overcomes the problem.

To completely halt a macro sequence for an indeterminate period:

<macro>text<macro><ALERT:Macro pauses>Text <macro> will halt the sequence at the <ALERT> macro until the OK button in the message box is actioned.

CATWAIT only delays CAT command activity and the ALERT macro needs attention. To delay a macro sequence for a fixed period the Mixw Script command sleep must be used.

To delay a sequence for 5 seconds to allow an asynchronous action to take place like switching off the log display at Mixw start up, to overcome a problem of window sizes being incorrect:

<ASSCRIPT>sleep 5

runmacro “HIDE:LOGBAR”

close

This sequence is inserted as the last 3 lines of the <OnStartMixw> macro.

The <ASSCRIPT> macro tells Mixw to action all the following data using the Script interpreter not the Macro interpreter so after the <ASSCRIPT> is actioned no further Mixw macro format commands can be included. However Mixw Script language allows individual macros to be executed by runmacro “MACRONAME”. The Script commands are case sensitive, as are the Macro commands.  When the ASSCRIPT macro is executed a small window pops up. The close command clears it.  If a sequence of macro commands is to be part delayed then the following is the way to do it:

<TX>73 <CALL> de <MYCALL>sk <RXANDCLEAR>

<ASSCRIPT>sleep 7

runmacro “Ctrl-F5”

close

Macro Ctrl-F5 contains:

<TX>qrz qrz de <MYCALL> <MYCALL> pse k <RXANDCLEAR>

If the first <RXANDCLEAR> is left out the transmitter will be left on and idling for 7 seconds.  The parameter to sleep is in seconds.

Multimedia keyboard support

If Mixw is being driven by a multimedia keyboard a number of other keys become available which are actioned by:

<OnAPPCommandxx>

xx values identified:

7 – Home key

8 – Mute/Enable key

9 – Reduce volume key

10 – Increase volume key

11 – Fast forward key

12 – Fast reverse key

13 – Pause/Stop key

14 – Play Key

15 – Mail key

When any of the multimedia keys are depressed the corresponding OnAppCommand macro number is displayed in the status bar.  These keys will only work if the window focus is on the main Mixw window.  A warning. The sleep key (if the keyboard has one) cannot be used.

Creating or Changing Macros

The contents of macros can be changed by a number of different methods.  The Macro name is the key combination (eg Shift-F8) or the event name not the label name.  Use the Mixw menu Configure->Default Macros (or Macros for this mode) and select Edit from the file selection box.  Right Click on the Macro button to bring up the Edit user macro box. This method cannot be used to edit the 5 ‘Maths’ key macros (Gray+, Gray-, Gray*, Gray/ and INS), the Search and Pounce/Run integral macros nor the Event Macros.

Use the <EDITMACRO:macroname> macro

Use <macroname?>

This will bring up a small text input box. Input or change the text as required.  Using this method of creating or changing a macro has limitations. If you press the Enter key whilst the focus is in the text area the edit will terminate and the macro will be executed ‘as is’. It is not possible to create extra lines for the macro being changed and if it is being created only one line is possible. However by use of <CRLF> multiple transmitted lines can be created.

Use <macroname> to execute the macro if it is being created/changed as an event macro.

WARNING

If an attempt is made to use a text editor to edit the raw macro files it is possible Windows will corrupt the file when it is written back. This will occur if a ‘special’ character (eg the temperature degree symbol) is included in a macro text. Some text editors write the data back and include special characters at the start of the file, invisible to a text editor but confusing to Mixw and the default macro set are now appended to the back of the macro file and the user has ‘lost’ their macros.

REMEMBER BACK UP ALL YOUR MACRO FILES.

Sponsors