Implementation

During macro playback, when the macro runtime prepares to evaluate a descriptor or to perform an action, the macro runtime looks in the Host ID field of the descriptor or the action. If the Host ID field is missing, or blank, then the macro runtime applies the descriptor or the action to the original session, the session that launched the macro (for example, a 3270 Display session). But if the Host ID field is specified and non-blank, then the macro runtime:

1. Locates the active session to which the Host ID field refers (for example, a second 3270 Display session connected to a different host).
2. Applies the descriptor or action to the session window of that active session.

The following descriptors support this feature:

• Wait for OIA to Become Uninhibited
• Number of Fields
• Number of Input Fields
• String
• Cursor
• Attribute

That is, you can use any of these descriptors to refer to an active display emulation session other than the original session that launched the macro. The remaining descriptors (Condition, Custom) and the Variable update action do not refer to a particular session window and therefore do not support this feature. With the first three descriptors in the list above, there is a limitation with how many descriptors are displayed in the Macro Editor (see Referring to different sessions in the same macro screen).

The following macro actions support this feature:

• Box selection
• Comm wait
• Extract
• Input
• Mouse click
• Print Extract
• Prompt
• Xfer

You can apply any of these actions to an active display emulation session other than the original session that launched the macro. The remaining actions (Conditional, File Upload, and so on) do not act upon a particular session window and therefore do not support this feature.