Combining Macros

Combining macros gives you many more layout options. For example, you can put a Button macro inside a Tabs macro. Combining macros in this way gives you more control over your content. However, not all macros can be combined. Below are the most Frequently asked questions about combining macros.

How do I combine macros?

To combine macros you put one macro inside another one. For example, you could put a button inside a tab. Not every combination of macros works. To be able to combine macros you need one of them to be an open-box macro. This is the one that the other macros go inside. You can put closed box macros inside open box macros. You do this on the edit page in the same way you add any macro.

What’s the difference between an Open Box macro and a Closed Box macro?

The easiest way to tell the difference between these macros is to look at them on the edit page of Confluence.

Open Box Macros - These are macros that are ‘open’ to new content on the edit page. This is why you can put other macros inside them. You can use / or the + button to add inline macros.
Closed Box Macros - The content of these macros can’t be touched from the edit page. You have to open their editor to affect their content. On the edit page, they are just a placeholder image and may look a little different depending on the individual macro.

How can I figure out which macros can hold other macros?

Once you've set up a macro look at how it appears on the edit page. If you can add content to it on the edit page it is an open box macro, and in most cases, you can put closed box macros inside it.

If you can’t click inside a macro on the edit page and add content, then it’s a closed box macro. These macros can go inside open box macros.