LOTUS 123 script/macro tutorials or books

[masseyatgos]

Hi Guys, just wondering if anyone knows of any online tutorials that go fully into scripts and macros, or any book specific to the subject. It so hard to find any support for lotus 123.
Cheers!

 

[slotcardan]

If you have 123 96 (generally Smart Suite) that came on a CD, the Language Reference and Programmers Guide for Lotus Script is an extra and included on the disk. Macro help is also available, as well as the dialog editor.
For the lotus macro language, there is not much out there short of finding an old program before on line help became popular. Even then, it really is just a reference manual explaning how the different functions work. Best place to find any manuals is at a book fair or book store that specalizes in old print. Hope this helps

Slotcardan

 

[diogenes10]

If you're looking for stuff on macro language for R5 and prior, ebay or the old bookstores as mentioned above.

On ebay you can save a search with email notification for something like Lotus macros (include the titles and descriptions). I picked up a lot of 6-8 books that way several months ago. 2 titles handy are
Inside lotus 123 macros, Ridington and Tucker
Individual's Power Macros for the Lotus 123 user.

I can get you the other titles if you want them for search reference.

Another thing you can do searching for older books is to go to a site called

http://www.abebooks.com

. A lot of different dealers list books here and you might be able to find something that would be useful to you.

 

[slotcardan]

Just an update on training material. You are not going to find anything for Lotus much later than 1993-1994. Folks just didn't update information for Lotus after this period and you can rest assured Lotus did not. That leaves a pretty large hole with the advanced macro commands such as {DIALOG}and {CHOOSE-ONE}{CHOOSE-MANY}, to name just a few. Even Michael Lunsford's book of 1994 just glosses over these commands with no examples in his book, Classic 123 Macros. Another problem with any of these books is they approach the issue of macro writing with such a broad brush covering almost all of the commands, you loose touch with what you are trying to absorb and accomplish. Most people who write programs use a pretty limited variety of commands, especially with the advanced macro commands described above. You might not get all the bells and whistles, but nothing stops you from developing application programs where you just point and click in Lotus. Anyhow because I am pissed off at the lack of support from Lotus, and some of the 3rd party training publications, I am writing a training guide for macro programming targeting 123 Ver 5.0. It will include all of the advanced macro commands that Lotus had available with Ver 5.01 SS96.
One other place for example files is in Lotus itself. There is a file named UIMACROS.WK4, which is generally found in the 123R5W/123/SAMPLE directory. It has all of the advanced macro commands with operating examples.

Regards

Dan Radebaugh

 

[crazybird]

I still use R5.01, so I have access to the help menu, which is very good for the macro commands. I collect Lotus books and Lunsford's is the worst of them: it's so amateurish that it's an embarassment. A good resource is the PC World Magazine's Lotus editions from the years 1993-1995. I have a nearly complete set (as well as a complete set of Lotus magazines from way way back).

 

[diogenes10]

I would second crazybird on the Lotus magazines - if you're really into macros and other stuff - and if you can find a set.

I had an almost complete set at one time - had to get rid of them a few years ago because of lack of space. Again-a search with email notification on ebay-I did notice some listed not too long ago.

 

[diogenes10]

One other thing that I've done for Lotus ideas,
this is more for formulas and report ideas, is to look at excel books too and if I find something I like, try to study out how to convert the concepts to Lotus.

As an example (and as I say this one is more formulas and reports that macros) I have a book called Microsoft Excel Business Sourcebook by Charles Kyd. He wrote a number of articles for Lotus magazine and I believe a book on Lotus too, and then switched to Excel. I've found the book and some correspondence that I had with him useful, and have been able to copy ideas into Lotus structures.