Macros offer a great method for improving the look, feel, and functionality of your wiki space.
So what is a macro?
A macro by definition is a recorded pattern or sequence used to eliminate or shorten repetitive tasks. Macros in the wiki are small functions that allow you to focus on designing your wiki rather than coding. Macros can be used to insert image galleries, tables, graphs, a list of contributors, and a table of contents. There are a lot of macros available and the best way to learn about their capabilities is to browse the macro gallery.
How to use a macro?
- For starters, visit the macro gallery. Whether you are in the Rich Text mode or Wiki Markup, you can find it by clicking the "plus" icon on the toolbar and selecting Other macros:
- You can browse through the macros by scrolling, selecting a category (left hand side), or by entering a search term. Here, we have entered the word 'search':
- Suppose you want to add an instant search box to your page. Select the Livesearch macro, which allows for searches to be completed as you type.
- Each macro has a different set of parameters. Here are some of the parameters available to edit in the Livesearch macro:
- To restrict it to a specific wiki space, we will need the spacekey. Enter in the exact title of your wiki and select from the dropdown list.
- Once you have entered in the parameters for the macro, click the circular arrow icon directly to the left of the word Preview. This will now display your macro with the parameters specified.
- If the changes look good, click the 'Insert' button to save and insert the macro into your wiki page.
Depending on the macro, it will display a placeholder block showing that the macro has been inserted into the page. Here we can see the block indicating that a Livesearch macro has been inserted in the page.
- Macros can be powerful tools. Feel free to experiment and contact the ITS Help Desk if you need help!
