Macros and Add-ins

In the Platform Builder integrated development environment (IDE), you perform many tasks manually. For example, you use menu commands to open projects, change source code files, save changes to these files, and then rebuild applications that use the files.

If your tasks are routine or repetitive, you can benefit from automating them. Automation reduces the time spent on these tasks, and can help you prevent errors that often result from performing the tasks manually.

Macros and add-ins let you perform tasks by manipulating the IDE and its components as objects. For example, you open, edit, and close a document by manipulating it as an object. Similarly, you activate or size a window by manipulating it as an object.

An object represents one component of the IDE, or it represents a collection of related components. For example, a Document object represents one open document, whereas the Documents object represents all open documents. Similarly, a Window object represents one open window, whereas the Windows object represents all open windows. The Documents and Windows objects are called collection objects because they include collections of related objects.

You manipulate objects by using methods, properties, and events associated with the objects. Methods represent actions you take against the objects. Properties represent characteristics of the objects, such as their type or size. In addition, events represent conditions under which actions are taken against the objects.

You can use Microsoft® Visual Basic® Scripting Edition (VBScript) programming language macros to simplify your work in the IDE. VBScript macros are procedures that you write by using the VBScript language. You can use these macros to combine several commands, speed up routine editing, or automate a complex series of tasks

You can use Platform Builder add-ins to automate routine tasks in the IDE. For example, you can update a project by automatically opening the project, changing some project files, saving the changes, and then rebuilding the project.

With add-ins, you automate tasks by adding commands to the IDE. Each add-in can add one or more commands, and each command can perform one or more tasks. The number of commands and tasks is up to you. Optionally, add-ins can provide toolbar buttons and key sequences to carry out their commands. Without buttons or key sequences, however, you must carry out the commands from the command line.

See Also

Differences Between Macros and Add-ins | Macro Implementation | Renaming a Macro | Deleting a Macro | Writing a Macro Manually | Editing a Macro | Installing a Macro File | Assigning a Macro to a Toolbar Button | Assigning a Macro to a Key Sequence | Add-in Implementation | Creating Platform Builder Add-ins Using Visual C++

 Last updated on Friday, October 08, 2004

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