The macros are stored in a .java file that contains a set of tasks for the program to perform. Macro files are Java language files that can be recorded as a journal of the user's interaction with the application. While it is most convenient to create the macro files from within a STAR-CCM+ session, they may be manually edited in a text editor. For example, they may be specialized for specific applications using the full power of the Java programming language.
The two most significant macro commands are play and record. As their names suggest, play causes an existing macro file to be executed and record causes the file to be opened for recording. Recording occurs until the stop recording command is executed. A pause option is also available to preclude certain interactions form being recorded into a given macro file while it is still open for recording.