Macro Command Language

The full grammar for a macro step — every channel, parameter and value you can type.

Every macro step holds one line of plain-language commands. Version T compiles that line the moment you enter it, so by showtime there’s nothing left to interpret — the step just fires. This page is the full grammar: every channel, parameter and value you can type. For building and firing macros, see Macros.

Matching is case-insensitive throughout — Input 1 Mute On and input 1 mute on are the same. Put several commands on one line by separating them with a semicolon (;).

The shape of a command

A console command names a channel, then narrows down to the one parameter you want to set, and ends with the value:

<channel> <number> [<section>] [<sub-parameter>] <value>

Numbers are 1-based — input 1 is the first channel, exactly as it’s labelled on the console. The address always carries one more name than it has numbers; that trailing name is the parameter being set.

A few worked examples:

Command	Sets
`input 1 mute on`	Channel 1 mute on
`input 1 level -10`	Channel 1 fader to −10 dB
`input 1 level -inf`	Channel 1 fader to −∞
`aux 3 level 0`	Aux 3 fader to 0 dB
`dca 2 mute on`	DCA 2 mute on
`input 1 send 3 level -5`	Channel 1’s send to aux 3 at −5 dB
`input 1 pan 50`	Channel 1 pan to 50
`input 1 phantom on`	Channel 1 phantom power on
`input 1 eq enable off`	Channel 1 EQ bypass
`input 1 comp threshold -20`	Channel 1 compressor threshold
`input 1 send 3 pre on`	Channel 1 send 3 set pre-fader
`matrix 1 level -20`	Matrix 1 fader to −20 dB
`main level 0`	Main stereo fader to 0 dB
`tracked input 1 mute on`	Tracked input slot 1 mute on
`tip 1 mute off`	Same, using the short alias
`routing set 3 recall 1`	Recall routing set 3

Channels

Type the channel token, then its number. Aliases are interchangeable.

Token	Aliases	Channel
`input`	`ch`, `ip`	Mono input
`inputstereo`		Stereo input
`group`	`grp`	Mono group
`groupstereo`		Stereo group
`aux`		Mono aux mix
`auxstereo`		Stereo aux mix
`bus`		Mono bus (WING)
`busstereo`		Stereo bus (WING)
`mix`		Mono mix (generic)
`mixstereo`		Stereo mix
`matrix`	`mtx`	Mono matrix
`matrixstereo`		Stereo matrix
`output`		Mono output
`outputstereo`		Stereo output
`dca`		DCA fader group
`mutegroup`		Mute group
`fxsend`	`fx`	Mono FX send
`fxsendstereo`		Stereo FX send
`fxreturn`	`fxr`	Mono FX return
`fxreturnstereo`		Stereo FX return
`mainstereo`	`main`	Main LR
`mainmono`		Main mono
`maincentre`		Main centre
`mainsub`		Main sub / LFE
`monstereo`	`mon`	PAFL / monitor bus
`headamp`		Physical headamp
`tracked input`	`tip`	Tracked input slot
`tracked dca`	`tdca`	Tracked DCA slot
`routing set`		Routing set

Parameters

After the channel and number, name what you’re setting. The most common:

Token	Aliases	Sets
`level`	`fader`, `vol`, `volume`	Fader position (dB)
`mute`		Mute on / off
`pan`		Pan position
`trim`		Trim / gain
`solo`		Solo state
`phantom`		Phantom power
`phase`		Phase / polarity
`source`		Input source
`send`		Send level to a bus (a crosspoint)
`delay`		Delay time

Reaching into processing

To set something inside a processing block, name the block, then the sub-parameter. Blocks: eq, comp, gate, highpass, insert, preamp, dynamics, limiter, deesser, geq.

Sub-parameters address the specific control: enable, bypass, freq, gain, q, threshold, ratio, attack, release, knee, range, hold, makeup, type, mode, slope, width, pre, post, wet, dry, depth, rate, feedback, size, weight.

So input 1 comp threshold -20 reads channel → comp block → threshold → value.

Values

The last word is the value. Version T reads it flexibly:

You type	Becomes
`on`, `true`, `yes`	On (1)
`off`, `false`, `no`	Off (0)
`-inf`, `-infinity`	−∞
`inf`, `infinity`	+∞
any number (`-10`, `0.5`, `127`)	That number

Special commands

Three commands don’t set a console parameter:

wait <milliseconds> — pause before the next step.

wait 500          Pause half a second
wait 1000         Pause one second

recall <cue> — fire a showcue by number.

recall 3          Fire cue 3

osc <host:port> <path> [args…] — send an OSC message to an external device, such as a Go to QLab.

osc 10.0.0.5:53000 /go
osc 10.0.0.5:53000 /cue/1/start
osc 192.168.1.50:8000 /fader 0.75

Two-word tokens

Some tokens are two words. Version T joins them automatically, or you can type them as one word — and several have a short alias:

Natural	One word	Short
`tracked input`	`trackedinput`	`tip`
`tracked dca`	`trackeddca`	`tdca`
`routing set`	`routingset`
`mute group`	`mutegroup`
`main stereo`	`mainstereo`	`main`
`fx send`	`fxsend`	`fx`
`fx return`	`fxreturn`	`fxr`

Several commands on one line

Chain steps with ;. Each segment compiles on its own, and all of them must compile for the step to go green:

input 1 mute on; wait 500; recall 6

How compiling works

Tap the hammer on a step to compile it.
Success turns the text your accent colour and swaps the hammer for a pencil.
A line that won’t compile stays a draft (hammer) and won’t fire.
Editing the text clears the compiled state — recompile to confirm.
For Toggle and Momentary steps, both the primary and the OFF/release command must compile.

Compiled steps are saved compiled, so a project loads ready to fire with no re-parsing.