Macro timing and delay characteristics

This section addresses HCL ZIETrans macro timing parameters from a macro script level. For example, while there are multiple ways to affect the timing of macro execution from various places in the HCL ZIETrans Toolkit graphical user interface (including the macro editors), the explanations here deal with the results of those actions as they are implemented in the XML script of the macro itself, not with the various ways (tabs in the macro editors, and so on) of causing them to be placed in the script.

There are several timing parameters that influence macro execution. Most timing parameters control delays in various parts of the macro's execution. This allows the macro to be resilient, robust, and successful in an environment where host response time and certain other variables might be unpredictable. The most common reason for adding delay in a macro is to allow the screen coming from the host to complete its arrival before it is processed by the macro. This delay can usually be reduced or totally avoided if enough additional description — for example, looking for strings of characters on various parts of the screen — is added to the screens that the delay addresses.

In an HCL ZIETrans macro, there are elements and there are attributes that modify elements (attributes are also referred to as parameters). Elements are framed by opening and closing angle bracket tags and attributes are normally included within an element's tags, such as in this example of the screen element with a modifying pause attribute:

<screen pause=15000>