Confluence Docs 3.0 : Working with the Macro Browser This page last changed on May 31, 2009 by ggaskell. The Macro Browser allows you to browse through Confluence's extensive range of packaged macros and preview them using a combination of selected parameters before adding them to your page. The Macro Browser provides access to all available macros in a Confluence installation, with the exception of User Macros. If additional Confluence macros have been installed on your Confluence server (for example, via the installation of a non-bundled plugin), these will also be accessible from the Macro Browser. On this page: Accessing the Macro Browser Browsing for a Macro Restricting the Macro List by Category Restricting the Macro List by Word Search Choosing a Macro, Modifying and Inserting it onto a Page or Blog Post Editing an Existing Macro with the Macro Browser ## Accessing the Macro Browser You can access the Macro Browser whenever you add or edit a page, blog post or comment. To access the Macro Browser, Log in to Confluence, if you have not already done so. Add or edit a page or blog post. On either the Rich Text or Wiki Markup editor views, place the cursor at the macro insertion point and click the Macro Browser icon . Alternatively, if you are working in the Rich Text editor and have the Context Menu activated, place the cursor at the macro insertion point, right-click and select 'Insert/Edit Macro' from the Context Menu. The Macro Browser window opens. Screenshot: Macro Browser Each macro is presented on the right-hand side of the Macro Browser by its icon, its name and a brief description of its function. ## Browsing for a Macro Since the Macro Browser contains 80+ individual bundled macros, it is designed to facilitate the selection of the specific macro you require, by providing two quick methods for narrowing down the entire list of macros. When the Macro Browser is first opened, it is in 'macro selection' mode. #### Restricting the Macro List by Category Each macro is assigned to one of these categories. Clicking on one of these category names reduces the list of macros to those macros associated with the chosen category only. Screenshot: Macro Browser List Restricted by Category A very small proportion of macros are assigned to two (or rarely three) categories because their scope of functionality matches these categories. Hence, you may notice that some of these macros are appearing in two, possibly three categories. #### Restricting the Macro List by Word Search The search field at the top of the Macro Browser allows you to reduce the list of macros based on words (or parts of words) contained within the macro's name or its description. As you start typing a word, the macro list restricts to only those macros whose name or description matches the characters you have entered. Screenshot: Macro Browser List Restricted by Word Search If multiple words (including partial words) are used, then only macros whose name or description matches all these items in the Word Search field are listed. ## Choosing a Macro, Modifying and Inserting it onto a Page or Blog Post To choose a macro, modify and insert it onto a page or blog post, Access the Macro Browser and browse to the required macro, if you have not already done so. Click on the required macro to choose it. The Macro Browser window changes to the macro preview mode with its preview pane on the left and parameter pane on the right. If necessary, modify the macro's parameters in the parameter pane to your requirements. Any parameters marked by an asterisk (*) are mandatory and must be set before you can preview or insert the macro. To preview the macro with your selected parameters, click 'Refresh'. The preview pane shows the current content of your macro based on the parameters selected in the parameter pane. Macros can only be previewed if their mandatory fields have first been set. Click the 'Insert' button to insert the macro and its parameter selection into the page or blog post. If you wish to choose a different macro, click the 'Back' button. The Macro Browser reverts back to its macro selection mode, based on your prior restriction by category or word search criteria.
| Not all macros can be previewed in the Macro Browser. This is often the case with macros that require the page to be saved first to render correctly, such as the Table of Contents Macro, or macros that do not generate output, such as the Anchor Macro. Nevertheless, you can still use the Macro Browser to browse for these macros and set their specific parameters before inserting them into your page.
## Editing an Existing Macro with the Macro Browser It is possible to edit an existing macro using the Macro Browser, thereby allowing you to modify its existing parameters and preview the changes. To edit an existing macro with the Macro Browser, Edit the existing page or blog post containing the macro you wish to edit via the Rich Text or Wiki Markup editors. Place the cursor anywhere within the curly braces of the macro and click the Macro Browser icon . Alternatively, if you are working in the Rich Text editor and have the Context Menu activated, place the cursor anywhere within the curly braces of the macro, right-click and select 'Insert/Edit Macro' from the Context Menu. If the macro you wish to edit consists of two sets of curly braces surrounding some body text (for example, {`example-macro}some body text{example-macro`}), ensure that your cursor is placed within the macro's first set of curly braces. This is because many macros permit the insertion of other macros within their bodies. If you are using the Rich Text Editor, you can also edit the macro by placing your cursor in its second set of curly braces. The Macro Browser window opens in macro preview mode with its existing parameter values. Modify the macro's parameters to your requirements, previewing them if necessary. For more information on these processes, refer to the procedure above. Click the 'Save' button on the Macro Browser to save your changes.
| To leave the Macro Browser at any time, click its 'Cancel' button or simply press the ESC key.
Screenshot: Editing an Existing Macro with the Macro Browser in Macro Preview Mode ##### RELATED TOPICS Working with Macros Take me back to the Confluence User Guide. Attachments: macro-browser-category-selection.png (image/png) macro-browser-word-search-selection-highlights.png (image/png) confluence-3-0-macro-browser-all.png (image/png) confluence-3-0-macro-browser-parameters.png (image/png) confluence-3-1-macro-browser-smart-fields.png (image/png) confluence-3-1-macro-browser-smart-fields.png (image/png)

Document generated by Confluence on Nov 05, 2009 23:36