Macrex is designed to help indexers in the preparation of indexes by automating the mundane parts of the task, leaving the indexer free to concentrate on the creative aspects.
MACREX is a computer program designed to assist an indexer working from printed proofs, text on disk, the author's manuscript, or an already completed book. The index is created as a completely independent document; it is not constructed by tagging or otherwise marking up the text. The purpose of MACREX is to help indexers improve consistency and increase productivity by automating routine tasks (sorting, printing, repagination, etc.) leaving the indexer free to concentrate on the wording and construction of the index entries. Version One of MACREX appeared over twenty years ago and the program has been under continuous development ever since. It has been written in close collaboration with our users, who include indexers in academic institutions, government departments, business and industrial concerns and publishing companies world-wide as well as freelance indexers and authors. MACREX is used to prepare the indexes for some of the world's leading books and journals. It is used extensively by members of the Society of Indexers, and over 85% of the indexers who mention using a commercial indexing package in Indexers Available,the Society's directory, have MACREX.
Return to Macrex Home Page
^ for ^underlining^ (or ^italicizing^) text
\ for \bold type\ or any other special feature(The above two codes are automatically translated to the word processor or printer format chosen by the indexer in the final index)
~ for ~moving~ entries out of alphabetical order when necessary
{} for {hiding }text from the sort
Special and accented characters, as well as bold and underlined text, appear
as such on screen and will sort correctly. Both arabic and roman numerals
can be recognized as page numbers. Super- and sub-scripts can be used.
With the exception of the codes mentioned above, the user may type entries freely of any type. Automatic corrections ensure that sorting is not affected by punctuation errors. A check is also made for unmatched ^^, \\ , ~~, and {}.
MACREX helps indexers type entries consistently:
Commas are used to separate headings from subheadings and subheadings from sub-subheadings; any number of levels of subheading can be used, although it is only possible to show twenty levels of subheading when printing. Apart from commas, virtually any punctuation mark can be used without alphabetical order being affected. Commas required within a heading or subheading are enclosed in curly brackets (a special key is designated for this so that unnecessary typing is avoided). Checks are made for unmatched ^^, \\ , ~~, and {} and also for unmatched (), <>, [] and "". The typing of entries is speeded up by the use of abbreviations which can be defined by the user at any time during the making of the index; a repeat key to duplicate headings, subheadings and page numbers from one entry to the next; by using a full flip (which swaps the heading and subheading of one entry in the next) and half flip (which makes a new entry from the subheading of the previous entry); by the yank feature which allows any heading or subheading on the screen to be "yanked" into the current one, the rotate option which allows the indexer to rotate headings and subheadings within an entry, and an option to duplicate the previous entry's headings in reverse order. There is also an extensive macro facility; up to 48 macros of 100 keystrokes each can be used in the same index.
The entries are copied into a file which can be accessed from a window on the add or add-on-edit screen. This file can be used for many purposes: to keep track of entries that have "scrolled" off the screen and call them back again; to give an exact indication of the last entry edited; to call back deleted entries; and to save typing by reusing entries already typed into the index.
As entries are typed into the program, page ranges are checked automatically, so that, for example, ranges such as "32-1" "44-4" will have to be corrected before the entry can be added to the index file.
Since MACREX can read standard ASCII files it is possible to make entries (in the form shown in the sample index at the end of this sheet) on any word processor or text editor and transfer them to MACREX for editing, sorting, merging and printing. Files produced from the automatic indexing modules supplied with word processing programs can, with simple modifications, be loaded into MACREX for correct sorting and editing. A utility within the program, CORRECT, can be used to expand any abbreviations you may have made and correct errors in punctuation which might affect sorting. Files made on databases and other programs can be converted to and from MACREX format without leaving the program. We also offer an inexpensive service to convert indexes on disk to MACREX format - or, alternatively, we can supply instructions to users to do this for themselves.
Entries have successfully been made using voice-recognition software and scanner pens.
ENTRY ORDER LIST FILE
A list of all the entries you have typed, in the reverse order that you typed them, is available at any time. These entries can be retrieved and edited and used again (Version 7 only). A list of the last 100 editing commands is also stored for re-use.
EDITING ENTRIES
The index is presented for editing in fully sorted order and in an indented format so that discrepancies between adjacent entries can easily be noticed and corrected. The mouse can be used for scrolling through the index and for calling up entries to be edited. Corrections may be made to entries on the screen at any point in the making of an index; entries are called up a screen at a time by typing the first letter or letters of the entry required. Entries can be added during an editing session, and headings - and whole entries - can be picked up from the screen and used as the basis for new entries. You can search the index forwards or backwards for successive occurrences of any chosen word or phrase and can group entries containing the same word or phrase together on screen for editing (grouped entries can also be printed out). A "wildcard" search allows you to find and group words which may have more than one spelling (e.g. judgment and judgement) or related words with letters in common (e.g. France/French, Spain/Spanish). It is also possible to group together entries containing two or more common elements. Any search can be stopped immediately by pressing any key. Text can be added, inserted or deleted within an entry - the entry does not have to be rewritten. The global search/replace facility makes it possible to change any letter or letters, word, phrase or page reference to any other - any number of times - at any point during the preparation of the index. The macro facility makes it possible to perform manipulations consisting of a sequence of keystrokes which can include commands such as 'carriage return', 'delete heading', 'delete entry', 'advance one line' etc., as well as text or keywords. The last 100 editing commands are stored in a buffer and can be recalled at any time by pressing a single key.
SORTING THE INDEX
Entries are placed in fully sorted order almost instantly, and the section of the index containing the new entry appears immediately on the screen. The size of index that can be accommodated on automatic sort is limited only by the amount of RAM available on the system used, and more than a million entries are possible on automatic sort using suitable hardware. An unsorted list in entry order may be produced simultaneously on the printer or in a separate disk file. As they are typed in, up to the last 10,000 entries are stored in reverse order. These can be called up un a window and used as the basis for making a new entry. This facility is also extremely useful when restarting and indexing session since you can immediately find the last entry that you typed.
The index can be alphabetized in either word-by-word or letter-by-letter order. The "default" alphabetical sequence closely follows the recommendations of ISO 999 and the Chicago manual of style, but the user can set up the sort to take account of the alphabetization standards in any country. It is possible to choose to have a list of conjunctions, articles and prepositions always ignored by the sorting process. This stop list may be changed at any time by the user. In addition a second list of "replaced words" allows any word or phrase you choose to be sorted as though it were something else: for example you can instruct MACREX to sort Mc as though it were Mac. Numbers within headings and subheadings are sorted correctly. Accented characters are sorted as their non-accented counterparts (although this can be changed if required). Any word or phrase may also be ignored for sorting purposes by being enclosed in curly brackets. An entry may also be "forced" into any position at all in an index using tildes (~~). The relative position of annotated, bold and italic page references can be decided by the user.
Cross-references can be positioned automatically, either run on from the main heading or separately at the beginning or end of the sequence of subheadings. Information on how to set up five different styles of cross-references as the default is provided. We provide a cross-reference checking facility so that you can ensure that each see and see also reference leads to a valid entry in the index.
Custom-designed files for sorting and merging can be saved for future use and loaded when needed.
SORTING TIMES
Sorting times will vary dramatically depending on the speed of machine used. As a general rule, when the automatic sort is used, entries are positioned in the alphabetical sequence in less than 0.5 seconds. The time taken to sort and merge a completely unsorted index depends on the type and length of the index entries and the number of page references per entry as well as speed of disk access and the type of machine used. As a very rough guide, an unsorted 1000 entry index on a typical Pentium machine would take 5 seconds to sort and merge.
MERGING (CONFLATING) ENTRIES
Entries identical except for page numbers are merged to form one entry with the appropriate page or volume-page references in ascending order. The style of presentation of hyphenated (elided) page numbers can be set by the user, and files following the specification of different publishers can be saved and loaded when needed. We make automatic provision for Oxford University Press' Hart's rules and Chicago manual of style formats. If you choose to convert your index back into page number order the entries are automatically "unmerged". The merge part of the program also contains options to add or remove volume numbers and to change pagination by adding or subtracting any number from a defined range of existing page numbers when the pagination is changed at the last moment. The index statistics feature (see below) can tell you which entries have an excessive number of page references.
PAGE/VOLUME REFERENCES
As well as volume/page references in the form 12.34-5, the program can sort and print correctly a very wide range of mixed references such as A5/443 (p23) or 23 Jan 1993, 334-6. To make this possible references are coded as they are entered and "translated" to the required style in the print program. The same coded numbers can be translated in any number of different ways, so that the same file can, for instance, be used in a single volume index and in a cumulation. References can also be entered in any format and anything (including text and HTML coding) can be treated as a references and sorted and merged as such.
PRINTING THE INDEX
The index can be printed out either in hard copy or written to a disk file with main headings and up to 20 levels of subheading. A substantial introductory note can be added.
Users can set up their own printing layouts by choosing options from the print menu. These can be saved as separate files and called up when required. Experimental layouts may be tried out on screen before printing.
Automatically-generated options include:-
REPAGINATING
Indexes of books in proof or manuscript form can be made before the page numbers are known by giving each page (or each entry in the case of a manuscript) a provisional number. These provisional numbers can be changed quickly throughout the index using a simple macro when the final numbers are known. In addition automatic renumbering of any section of the index is possible at any time using a feature in the MERGE program. Indexes to papers in conference proceedings, etc., can be made before the final order is decided, using temporary page numbers, and these temporary page numbers can be changed in a few seconds when the final order of papers is known.
INDEX IN PAGE NUMBER ORDER
The index can be converted to page number order and back to alphabetical order without leaving the program. This can be useful for checking entries for a section of the index against proofs or for altering a block of entries when the text has been changed. Entries that have multiple page references are duplicated as many times as is necessary. Volume and page numbers and roman numerals are also positioned correctly. Conversion of a file to page number order is very speedy, a typical index only taking a few seconds. When corrections have been made the index can be converted back to alphabetical order - again, without leaving the program. The program also makes it possible to extract entries from a range of page numbers into a separate index, or to make an index excluding all entries without page numbers (for instance when an index has been created using already existing headings). Both of these procedures can be achieved without leaving the program.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
MACREX offers an automatic timed save to reduce the danger of losing data in power cuts. The interval between saves can be chosen by the user.
Long filenames –- of up to 80 characters – can be used. All files – the index file itself and style sheets for sorting, merging and printing – can be given a distinctive description which will appear on screen when files are being loaded and saved. Help screens are provided at crucial points in the program.
Backup files have been designed to be compatible between all versions of MACREX: a file made in 1983 on MACREX version 1 can be loaded into MACREX version 7 in 2000. Our policy is to continue to make this possible. It is now possible, if you are really paranoid about losing data, to make a series of incremental backup files, each with a distinctive name.
UTILITIES SUPPLIED WITH MACREX
The MACREX package contains utilities to help you locate or delete your index files on the hard disk and to check the number of words and the length of the longest record in a file. We also have our own text editor, SCREDX, which can load, edit and save very large files and has a maximum line length of 32,000 characters and can be very useful for editing MBK files or files destined for MACREX from other programs, as the long line length possible ensures that no unwanted line breaks will occur. CORRECT, HEADINGS, SELECT and STRIP are described elsewhere in this information sheet.
CUMULATION, SPLITTING AND UPDATING OF INDEXES
QUERY FILE
A separate, unsorted file makes it possible for the indexer to make notes while making the index without leaving the program. This can be very helpful for noting queries and typos for publishers, inspiration for magnum opus etc. It can also be used as a repository for entries you are not sure about deleting. If you subsequently change your mind and decide to include them after all you can delete the ? and restore them to the body of the index.
RESTYLING HEADINGS AND PAGE NUMBERS
If, for example, you want to capitalize all your main headings and leave subheadings in lower case; if you want your main heading in bold and your first subheading in italics; if your publisher wants the first letter of every heading capitalized . . . you can change the entire file in a few seconds to the style you want without leaving the program. In addition, entries can be 'un-restyled', and cross-referenced headings can be restyled to match the main headings - or left alone.
MAKING DISK FILES
MACREX will produce a file which may be sent directly to the printer. You can define codes - for different fonts and special characters, for indention of any level of subheading and wrap-around lines, end of line, left margin, line-feed characters etc. We also provide style files for the major word processing formats - WordPerfect and Microsoft Word. Word's Rich Text Format (the file format used by MACREX) is compatible with Apple Macintosh versions of Word as well as all PC versions. Files can be made for Chicago Manual of Style, Quark Xpress, Ventura Publisher, SGML, TeX and other systems directly from the program. We can also set up new style files according to your specification. For all these formats the user does not have to have the word processing program or typesetting system themselves.
INDEX STATISTICS
MACREX provides information on the total number of entries and cross-references, average length of entry, proportion of entries exceeding a certain length, amount of disk space available, total number of cross-references, the number of index entries per page indexed, and the number of page references per entry.
CAPACITY
MACREX is limited mainly by disk capacity. The approximate maximum number of entries which can be stored on one disk can be calculated by multiplying the disk capacity (in bytes) by 0.8 and dividing this number by the maximum record length (length of the longest entry). Using hard disk machines the maximum number of entries is several million, depending on the hardware used.
COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER SOFTWARE
MACREX versions are compatible with, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT and Windows 2000. Running MACREX through Windows allows multi-tasking and cut-and-paste: several indexes can be seen at once; the text can be in one window while the index is in another.
Files made with MACREX can be transferred to and from most well-known word-processors and text formatting systems (see the section on Disk Files above). Codes for page layout, underline, bold and most accented characters are automatically translated so that no extra work is needed. Extra features, such as running headers and footers, can then be added to the file. Files made with MACREX can also be transferred to and from standard database formats, and ASCII files made with other software can be loaded directly into MACREX if the style of entry used by MACREX (see sample index) is followed.
DOCUMENTATION
A comprehensive manual, fully indexed, containing detailed descriptions of all MACREX features and incorporating special sections on preparing indexes on disk, working on cumulations etc., is included in the full MACREX package; a text version can also be downloaded from our website. A tutorial provided with the program makes it possible to produce a basic index within a short time.
THE MACREX NETWORK
There is a network of MACREX users which includes some of the country's most distinguished indexers. In addition there are several projects involving MACREX users in different parts of the country working together to produce substantial cumulative indexes. We keep in close touch with our users (see also "Online Support" below) and regularly ask for their opinions on possible new features and ways of improving the existing program. All ideas for modifications and new features are seriously considered and over the years most of these have been incorporated into the program.
TRAINING, TUTORIALS, SEMINARS
We are available for tutorials on the program and have given on-site training to users in government departments, publishing houses and businesses. We also give tutorials to individuals both in London and Newcastle by prior arrangement. We regularly give workshops at Society of Indexers' conferences and in London and other centres around the country. Notification of all workshops and seminars is given to our users by post and email, in the Society of Indexers' newsletter, SIdelights, and on our website. We are also in the process of producing an introductory video for new users.
ONLINE SUPPORT
There is a well-established international MACREX online discussion group, which enables users from all over the world to compare notes, air their problems. and give us suggestions for new features. We have a comprehensive website which includes a downloadable demo of the program and a complete tutorial as well as a Tips section, testimonials, and links to sites of interest to indexers. A text version of the manual is also available online. Much of our user support is now done by email, and online support is also available from our American and Australian agents – email us for details.
INDEXING OF ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS
We have recently introduced a range of features to facilitate embedding
of index entries in electronically produced documents. Contact us for details.
UPGRADE POLICY
Upgrades from one version to the next are offered to all traceable users and are available to them at considerably reduced prices.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Macrex Version 7 requires Windows 95, 98, Windows ME, Windows NT or Windows 2000. The program will make use of as much free RAM as is available for automatic sorting, so the larger the amount of RAM available the larger the index possible on automatic sort; we recommend at least 32 Megabytes. MACREX can cope with indexes of many million lines on suitable equipment. A simple installation program allows the program to be set up for virtually any PC-compatible machine.
We also have a version of the program for older machines. Contact us for details.
A printer capable of the desired quality is essential. MACREX prints to the default Windows printer.
A recent release of one of the main word processing programs, either Word or WordPerfect, is definitely advisable so that files can be checked for accuracy before being sent to the publisher.
Any PC running one of the above operating systems should be fine for running MACREX.
TECHNICAL NOTE
MACREX has been written so that it should run without trouble on PC-compatible machines running one of the above versions of Windows. All communication with the hardware has been done using standard techniques (Windows 32 API calls).
Although not specifically designed to be "network aware" Version 7 of MACREX can accept network paths in the file names making it possible to use it across a network.
MACREX APPLICATIONS
Indexes to:
OTHER APPLICATIONS:
"I need powerful software that I can trust. That is why I use Macrex"
A detailed testimonial from Nancy Mulvany, author of Indexing Books, is on this site.
"I have yet to find an indexing problem that cannot be handled by MACREX"
Richard Raper, awarded the Wheatley Medal in 1990 for the index to the 29-volume Works of Charles Darwin (Pickering & Chatto)
"I could never have done it without MACREX"
Elizabeth Moys, awarded the Wheatley Medal in 1992 for the index to the seven-volume British tax encyclopaedia (Sweet & Maxwell)
"This is how I dreamed computer indexing should always be"
Paul Nash, awarded the Wheatley Medal in 1993 for the index to
The
World Environment (Source book for the Rio Summit on the Environment
1992) (United Nations)
SAMPLE INDEX
Entries were typed in a random order and then sorted (word-by-word) by MACREX. The following list shows the entries in the form in which they were typed:-
{1-}aminobutyric acid 66
{3-}aminobutyric acid 45
Calvert{,} Hélène 33
^Computer Terminology: a study^ (Guinness) 34
computers, use as word-processors 1001
computers, ^see also^ microcomputers
^Lactobacillus casei^ 12
\lamps\, electric 153
\lamps\, electric, development 85
\lamps\, electric, use in football grounds 42-3
{ß-}mercapotethanol, 99
WODEHOUSE{,} P.G., books 654
WODEHOUSE{,} P.G., personal habits 700-84
N.B. Automatic duplication of headings and subheadings when needed reduces
typing time; a key has been assigned to produce the "soft comma" {,}. {,}
is used in names and on other occasions when a comma is needed within the
main or subheading.
When printed by MACREX in our standard indented format the result will look something like this, depending on the printer being used:
1-aminobutyric acid 66
3-aminobutyric acid 45
C
Calvert, Hélène 33
Computer Terminology: a study (Guinness) 34
Computers
use
as word-processors 1001
see
also microcomputers
L
Lactobacillus casei 12
lamps
electric
153
development
85
use
in football grounds 42-3
M
ß-mercaptoethanol 99
W
WODEHOUSE, P.G.
books
654
personal
habits 700-84
Return to Macrex Home Page