Macros is another big feature of the Lobster application.Macros are slightly different in the way they appear and get executed in the Lobster application.In some softwares,they are just invoked thru a shortcut key while in others they appear in a combobox[dropdown list].On the contrary,Lobster application adds the macros to the 'User Defined' menu with each macro going in its respective cascading menu.For e.g :- If the macro was created with 'Xoring' filter,then the macro will appear in the 'Xoring' cascading menu of the 'User Defined' menu.The macros are also added immediately to the 'User Defined' menu when created and doesnot require the user to restart the Lobster application.User also has many options while creating the macro.User can use any name for the macro,can set a Icon which will appear before the menuitem of the respective cascading menu,can assign a shortcut key and also have a tooltip for the macro which will be displayed when the menuitem[macro] is selected in the cascading menu.Macros are implemented so powerfully that macros can also be created for 'Plugins' created by the user.Such macros donot require any different procedure and will be put in the 'Plugins' cascading menu of the 'Userdefined' menu.If the user wants to create a macro,then he should select the menuitem 'Save the Pattern as a Macro' and enter the attributes in the 'Save Pattern' tab.User should apply the filter just to test the filter and then enter the attributes in the 'Save Pattern' tab and use the 'Save Pattern' to create a macro.Macro is immediately added to the 'User Defined' menu when the Preview Dialogbox is closed.Following snapshot shows the 'Save Pattern' tab of the Preview Dialogbox.

Once a macro is created then the user can manipulate the macro the way he wants it.First and foremost,user can change the attributes of the menuitem like name of the macro,icon image,shortcut key and tooltip of the macro.Attributes of the filter can also be change completely though a thorough knowledge of the Lobster application's 'Interface' is required else the macro might give unexpected results as far as applying the filter is concerned.'Customize Macros' option from the 'Process' menu can be selected for manipulating the attributes of the macro.Macros created from 'Plugins' can also be customized using the 'Customize Macros' option.Following snapshot shows the 'MenuItem' tab of the Macro Dialogbox to manipulate the menuitem attributes like name of the macro,icon image,shortcut key and tooltip of the macro.

Following snapshot shows the 'Filter' tab of the Macro Dialogbox where the user can manipulate the filter attributes of the macro.Strong knowledge of the Lobster application's Interface is required else the macro will misbehave as far as applying the filter is concerned.There are as many as 59 attributes to be manipulated in the 'Filter' tab of the Macro Dialogbox shows how much the macro can be manipulated thru the Macro Dialogbox.Actually,even a new macro can be created by the user using any features of the Lobster application no matter how much the 'Interface' of the Lobster application is complex.

Macros of the Lobster application can be applied to the selected area of the image also and need not necessarily be the complete image.Following snapshot shows a macro being applied only to the selected area of the image.

Macros of the Lobster application can also be used by Dynamic Filtering Panel,Drawing Panel and Brush Panel as if it were the built in filters of the Lobster application.Following snapshot shows a macro being used by the Dynamic Filtering Panel where the macros are listed in 'Gradients/Macros' tab of the Dynamic Filtering Panel.

Following snapshot shows a macro being used by the Drawing Panel.User should keep in mind that all the attributes and features will be selected from the Dynamic Filtering Panel even if the user is using Drawing Panel.Macro is selected from the list in 'Gradients/Macros' tab of the Dynamic Filtering Panel.The selected shape in the Drawing Panel is 'Filled Oval' and therefore the macro also changes the shape to fit into the 'Filled Oval' shape.

Following snapshot shows a macro being used by the Brush Panel.User should keep in mind that all the attributes and features will be selected from the Dynamic Filtering Panel even if the user is using Brush Panel.Macro is selected from the list in 'Gradients/Macros' tab of the Dynamic Filtering Panel.Paint Brush is selected and therefore the macro is applied bit by bit by dragging the mouse on the image.

Macros can also be used as the background for any text while applying the text to the image.Following snapshot applies the 'Leaves Banner' macro as the background for the text 'Lobster'.

Macros can also be used inside any text while applying the text to the image.Following snapshot applies the 'Leaves Banner' macro as the 'Filter' for the text 'Lobster'.