macro virus

a single computer instruction that results in a series of instructions in machine language

{Caegory: Computer Programming|November 2006}} A macro instruction is a line of computer program coding that results in one or more lines of program coding in the target programming language. In the mid 1950s, when assembly language programming was commonly used to write programs for digital computers, the use of macro instructions was initiated for two main purposes: to reduce the amount of program coding that had to be written by generating several assembly language statements from one macro instructions and to enforce program writing standards, e.g. specifying input/output commands in standard ways. Macro instructions were effectively a middle step between assemly language programming and high-level programming languages that followed, such as FORTRAN and COBOL.

See macro call and macro.

Synonym for macro call.