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3 Macro Construction

A macro construction is similar to a programmed procedure or function, receiving as input items from the sketch and providing as outputs another set of items in the sketch. A macro is built according to a model defined by the user. That means that the user first needs to do the complete construction sequence in the sketch, then ask to Dr.Geo to record it in a macro construction. The macro construction can then be replayed and saved in a file like any sketch.

To record a construction sequence, Dr.Geo needs to know the initial items of the sequence and the final – output – items. Of course, the final items must depend only on the input items, otherwise Dr.Geo cannot deduce the final items from the initial ones.

Thus, Dr.Geo traces the logic of the construction sequence for the specified outputs, and records it in a macro construction. Then, the user can repeat this sequence. When playing the macro construction, it only asks for the initial items – of the types specified – in the sketch and constructs the resulting – output – items.

 note Intermediate invisible items are constructed by the macro construction. They are necessary to reproduce to complete the construction sequence and the resulting output items.

To illustrate the use of a macro construction, we take the example of a circle going through three points.

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Figure 3.1: The initial sketch

Before creating the macro construction, the user has to construct the final sketch to serve as a model, as shown in the figure below.

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Figure 3.2: The sketch with the final construction

3.1 Creating a macro construction

The user now tells Dr.Geo he wants to define a macro construction from this sequence.

He activates the function Build a macro from the toolbar fig26 or from the menu macro construction→Build macro.

In the newly displayed dialog box, the user selects the input and output objects, and enters a name and description of the macro construction.

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Figure 3.3: Introduction page in the dialog box to construct a macro construction

The second page in the dialog box lets the user select the input objects. In our example, it is the three initial points. The user just needs to go to this second page and then click on the three points A, B and C in the sketch. The selected points blink and the names are displayed in the dialog box.

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Figure 3.4: The second page with the three points selected

In the third page, the user selects the output objects. In our example, we want the circle and its centre as the result of the macro construction. The user clicks on these two objects in the sketch. When selected they blink, and their names are displayed in the dialog box.

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Figure 3.5: The third page with the circle and the centre selected

In the fourth page, the user inputs a name and a description for the macro construction. This information is displayed when the user plays a macro construction. It helps to disambiguate macro constructions.

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Figure 3.6: The fourth page with the name and description of the macro construction

Next, the user validates the definition of the macro construction by pressing the Apply button and examining the results. He can also step back to the previous steps to adjust the parameter objects.

 note If the selections of the input and output objects do not match (Dr.Geo cannot extract a construction sequence, because an output depends on an object not selected as an input), the macro construction cannot be created. In this case the user needs to reconsider the input and output parameters. He or she can step back to the second or third page in the dialog box to adjust the choices.

A this stage, the macro construction is created and recorded in Dr.Geo. In the next section, we will see how to use it.

3.2 Play a macro construction

3.2.1 With the dialog box

To execute a macro construction, the user clicks on the fig27 button in the toolbar or selects the menu macro construction→Execute macro in the sketch window. A dialog box describing the procedure appears.

On the second page of this dialog box the user selects the macro construction in the upper list, and then the input parameters in the sketch. Once all are selected, the macro construction is executed automatically and the output parameters are built and displayed in the sketch.

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Figure 3.7: The user selects the input parameters in the sketch

In our example, the macro construction expects three input parameters (three points) and constructs a circle and its centre. Therefore, to execute it, you need a sketch with at least three points.

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Figure 3.8: Sketch with three points

Once we feed three points to the macro we get the expected circle and centre.

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Figure 3.9: A final sketch with the circle and its centre

3.2.2 With the macro construction menu

The macro construction loaded in memory are listed in the window menu macro construction. Selecting a macro construction from this menu let you execute it directly. After choosing one in the menu, select the input parameters in the sketch. The macro construction is executed as soon as all the input parameters are selected.

It is a dialog-less mode of execution.

As described in the Files and documents chapter, to save a macro or collection of macros to a single file, select File→ Save multiple, and then select the items to include in the saved file. The same process works for saving a sketch with multiple macros.

To add a macro from a saved file to a sketch, create or open the sketch and open a file containing just the macro.


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