CRISTAL System Macros:

A macro command language is the heart of the application
development capabilities of the CRISTAL System described in
Section 4.2.5 and in Appendix 1 (Appdcris).  In CRISTAL, the
application developer uses macros to create the program structure
necessary to accommodate specific information management needs. 
CRISTAL macro statements can initiate an automated sequence of
actions or program functions, such as incremental movement
through a block of worksheet cells to facilitate data entry or to
validate data type.  Macro statements can prompt the application
user for passwords or data input, and retrieve program data from
inactive files stored in disk memory.  CRISTAL macro routines can
also activate the display of images, graphs, or worksheets in an
integrated information retrieval system or an interactive
instructional program.  

An application developer with a good understanding of the CRISTAL
macro language can assemble appropriately tailored programs for a
user base possessing varied levels of computer and professional
skills.  These application users would only require operational
knowledge of the specific application interface, and could become
skillful system operators without possessing any understanding of
the CRISTAL program itself.  As the application developer becomes
more familiar with the structure, utility, and application of the
CRISTAL macro command set, complex command sequences and routines
can be used to assemble the comprehensive structure for a
tailored program application.  

<cfile22>   Authoring Systems Using Macro Commands
<cfile24>   CRISTAL Data Links