Zabbix Documentation 5.0

User macros are supported in Zabbix for greater flexibility, in addition to the macros supported out-of-the-box.

User macros can be defined on global, template and host level. These macros have a special syntax:

{$MACRO}

Zabbix resolves macros according to the following precedence:

1. host level macros (checked first)
2. macros defined for first level templates of the host (i.e., templates linked directly to the host), sorted by template ID
3. macros defined for second level templates of the host, sorted by template ID
4. macros defined for third level templates of the host, sorted by template ID, etc.
5. global macros (checked last)

In other words, if a macro does not exist for a host, Zabbix will try to find it in the host templates of increasing depth. If still not found, a global macro will be used, if exists.

If Zabbix is unable to find a macro, the macro will not be resolved.

User macros can be used in:

• item name
• item key parameter
• item update intervals and flexible intervals
• trigger name and description
• trigger expression parameters and constants (see examples)
• many other locations - see the full list

• use a global macro in several locations; then change the macro value and apply configuration changes to all locations with one click
• take advantage of templates with host-specific attributes: passwords, port numbers, file names, regular expressions, etc.

To define user macros, go to the corresponding location in the frontend:

• for global macros, visit Administration → General → Macros
• for host and template level macros, open host or template properties and look for the Macros tab

User macro has the following attributes:

Parameter	Description
Macro	Name of a macro. Must be wrapped in curly brackets. Text inside the brackets must start with a dollar sign. Example: {$FRONTEND_URL}. The following characters are allowed in the macro names: A-Z (uppercase only) , 0-9 , _ , .
Value	Content of a macro. Starting from Zabbix 5.0 two types of values are supported in user macros: Text (default) and Secret text. Secret text mode masks the content of a macro with asterisks, which could be useful to protect sensitive information such as passwords or shared keys. To select macro value type click on a button at the right end of the Value input field: icon indicates a text macro icon indicates a secret text macro. Upon hovering, the Value field transforms into button, which allows to enter a new value of the macro (to exit without saving a new value, click backwards arrow ()
Description	Text field used to provide more information about this macro.

Use of host-level macro in the “Status of SSH daemon” item key:

net.tcp.service[ssh,,{$SSH_PORT}]

This item can be assigned to multiple hosts, providing that the value of {$SSH_PORT} is defined on those hosts.

Use of host-level macro in the “CPU load is too high” trigger:

{ca_001:system.cpu.load[,avg1].last()}>{$MAX_CPULOAD}

Such a trigger would be created on the template, not edited in individual hosts.

Use of two macros in the “CPU load is too high” trigger:

{ca_001:system.cpu.load[,avg1].min({$CPULOAD_PERIOD})}>{$MAX_CPULOAD}

Note that a macro can be used as a parameter of trigger function, in this example function min().

Synchronize the agent unavailability condition with the item update interval:

• define {$INTERVAL} macro and use it in the item update interval;
• use {$INTERVAL} as parameter of the agent unavailability trigger:

{ca_001:agent.ping.nodata({$INTERVAL})}=1

Centralize configuration of working hours:

• create a global {$WORKING_HOURS} macro equal to 1-5,09:00-18:00;
• use it in Administration → General → Working time;
• use it in User → Media → When active;
• use it to set up more frequent item polling during working hours:

• use it in the Time period action condition;
• adjust the working time in Administration → General → Macros, if needed.

Use host prototype macro to configure items for discovered hosts:

• on a host prototype define user macro {$SNMPVALUE} with {#SNMPVALUE} low-level discovery macro as a value:

• assign Template Module Generic SNMPv2 to the host prototype;
• use {$SNMPVALUE} in the SNMP OID field of Template Module Generic SNMPv2 items.

See user macros with context.