Macro (ne’s manual)

#### 4.6.3 Macro

Syntax: `Macro [filename]`
Abbreviation: `MA`

executes the given file name as a macro.

If the optional filename argument is not specified, the file requester is opened, and you are prompted to select a file. (You can inhibit the file requester opening by using the `NoFileReq` command; see NoFileReq.)

If you escape from the file requester, you can input the file name on the command line.

Note that macros whose names do not conflict with a command can be called without using `Macro`. Whenever `ne` is required to perform a command it cannot find in its internal tables, it will look for a macro by that name in the current directory. If this search also fails, `ne` looks in `~/.ne` and finally in the `macros` subdirectory of `ne`’s global directory (defined when `ne` was built, or in a place specified by your `NE_GLOBAL_DIR` environment variable) for a macro file by that name.

Warning: the first time a macro is executed it is cached into a hash table and is kept forever in memory unless the `UnloadMacros` command is issued; see UnloadMacros. The next time a macro with the same file name is invoked, the cached list is searched for it before accessing the file using a case insensitive string comparison. That is, if you call `~/foobar/macro`, a subsequent call for `/usr/MACRO` or even just `MaCrO` will use the cached version of `~/foobar/macro`. Note that the cache table is global to `ne` and not specific to any single document. This greatly improves efficiency when macros are used repeatedly.