simple verbs normally autotarget, complex ones normally don't and it is a pain

kill - autotargets
cman cmanname - typically will work on the current target but return an error message rather than autotargetting if there isn't one

Using "target" in the macro helps to force an autotarget in at least some cases, I don't know if it does for symbol symbolname target.

You can always stick a cursor in your macros. I think this is usually the @ symbol, but it depends on your FE.

Then you hit your macro, type something and hit enter.

I agree it's a bit 1999, but it works.

The most strange part, to me, is that Voln was overhauled in the last couple years or so. If it was just the old Voln I'd totally understand, but it does seem strange that this wasn't brought up to modern standards in the review.

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Not sure but here is roughly how I would do it in the old days using the Wizard FE (I think it works the same in StormFront but I also don't use that, either).

You example was like this: stanc o/ att/r

Or your test-case here: symb dim target

Let me show a slightly more complicated version, then show you for your case. In the old days, we had no targeting for spells, and had to cast them at our foe. We also had no incant in general, so for Mana Disruption my macro looked like this:

prep 702\r cast at @

The first prepares 702, send it, and then "cast at " is put to my command prompt with the cursor at the @ symbols. At least, as memory serves, this was the way.

So, you should just be able to do something like:

symb dim @

Then "symb dim " will be typed out on your command prompt, and you just type "skel" and hit enter.

If you want to do it like a lich alias, you can have a look at some of my examples, but they are NOT macros:

smash => ;execq waitrt?; multifput "stance off","attack \?"; sleep 1; waitrt?; fput "stance def"

That one will work with or without a parameter. Thus "smash" alone just attacks whatever is TARGETed (or select randomly...I don't think it's ever been the top of the room? Anyway). And "smash other troll" will attack the other troll. Of course this also includes stance dancing.

So, you can do this:

;alias add dimin=;eq waitrt? fput("symbol of dimin \?");

(hopefully exactly like I wrote you can paste into lich, assuming you like the style.

Then you can (without any preceeding . or ; characters)

>dimin mummy

And avoid a little typing.

I know the above isn't exactly what you wanted, but I hope it still helps some. It would be fairly straight forward to write a lich script to grab a target in the room and use the symbol on it, but this seems to me like it loses the control of how to choose the target yourself. It would be definitely good in the case of a single target, and then putting the script on a macro. Let me think about that one...

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"@" is a way of positioning the cursor in the middle of a macro. Its redundant if you use it at the end.

e.g. the join command in cobbling often needs two targets and when it does, the SF link stops working even though there is only one thing they can be. As a workround I use macros like this one and type in whatever is on the form (hide, skin etc.)

\xjoin @ on form with my leather

while my unstun macro just looks like

\xrelease\r prep 108\r cast

and then I type the name of the stunned character (or if its a regular partner I have a macro to chain for them)

partnername\r

If you've just got a few possible critter targets, you could do the same thing with your symbol macros, hit one macro for the symbol, and another for the particular critter.

\xsym dimin
\xsym holi
mummy\r
skele\r
ghoul\r
vaesp\r

First keystroke chooses the symbol, second directs it at the specified critter.

Thanks guys, this helps a lot. It was worth posting here for your help alone, but I also hope my posting about this leads to a change/update down the road.

Going to echo this:
"The most strange part, to me, is that Voln was overhauled in the last couple years or so. If it was just the old Voln I'd totally understand, but it does seem strange that this wasn't brought up to modern standards in the review."

...because you said it perfectly.

.lic is definitely ok