Run-time requirements

When an end user runs a macro that interacts with more than one session, the macro runtime has two requirements:

Each session that the macro interacts with has to be started and connected, before the end user launches the macro.
Each session that the macro interacts with has to be positioned at the first application screen expected by the macro.

For the first requirement, whenever the end user launches a macro, the macro runtime, as part of the preparations for running the macro, scans the entire macro script for Host ID fields and compiles a list of sessions that the macro accesses. The macro runtime then verifies that each session in the list is started and connected. If one of the sessions is not started and connected, then the macro runtime displays an error message and terminates the macro playback.

The second requirement is just an extension of the ordinary requirement that the end user position the session that launches the macro at the application screen expected by the first macro screen of the macro. Just as the first macro screen of an ordinary macro expects to find the session window positioned at a particular application screen, so the first macro screen that interacts with a session other than the original session expects to find the session window of that session positioned at a particular application screen.