ASL STEM

Definition

a user-defined sequence of instructions for a computer. In assembly language and in programming languages such as C, macros are user-defined abbreviations for sequences of program statements. When the program is compiled, each occurrence of the macro is replaced by the instructions for which it stands. This contrasts with a FUNCTION, PROCEDURE, or METHOD, which is stored in one place in memory and called by the main program every time it is needed. In application programs, macros are user-defined sequences of operations, which can be assigned to specific keys, placed on menus, or combined with pre-existing operations such as Open and Close. In Microsoft Office applications, you can use the Macro Recorder to save a sequence of keystrokes or mouseclicks as a macro, or you can program a macro in VISUAL BASIC.

Source: Downing, Douglas, et al. Dictionary of Computer and Internet Terms. 10th ed. New York, 2009. Print.