Almost all spreadsheets, databases, word processors and most other large scale application programs allow you to either record macros or create subroutines that can be invoked with a hot key while you are working within the application. For example when you write a subroutine in Excel, you can assign the subroutine to a "Shortcut Key" so that all you have to do to run the subroutine is press the shortcut key keystroke. Similar to the previous discussion about using the Wedge to invoke Recorder macros, you could invoke Excel subroutines from the Wedge by placing the shortcut key keystroke for a subroutine in either the "Record Preamble Keystrokes" or the "Field Postamble Keystrokes" when you define your "Input Data Record Structure" in the Wedge. You could also use the "Pre-Transfer Character Translation Table" to translate specific characters that might appear in your serial data to keystrokes that would invoke different Excel subroutines.

More Cool Wedge Tricks