jQuery.macro aims to lower the barrier to extending jQuery's API -- to rid your global namespace of misplaced functions -- to spare you the superfluous function notation when creating a plugin that only calls a bunch of jQuery methods.
More info: http://james.padolsey.com/javascript/macros-in-jquery/
jQuery.macro allows you to record a set of jQuery method calls, and it will create a regular jQuery plugin that will play back the macro. E.g.
jQuery.macro('foo').css('color','red').addClass('foo');
// Use the macro:
jQuery('.someElements').foo(); // Sets color to red and adds the class, "foo"
jQuery.macro is not a replacement for jQuery plugins; it's simply a neat way of recording multiple simple behaviours. Nothing complicated... just a list of commands.
Calling jQuery.macro will give you a macro object, which you can think of as a blank disc that will record anything you do. The object itself can be referenced and recorded to a later time -- doing so will affect the behaviour of the corresponding plugin. For example:
var myMacro = jQuery.macro('myMacro');
myMacro.css('color','red');
jQuery('div').myMacro(); // Applies a color of red to all DIVS
myMacro.addClass('whoa');
jQuery('div').myMacro(); // Does the same as before PLUS adds a class of whoa!
The methods available through jQuery.macro() reflect the initial jQuery.prototype. If you need to register a new plugin to be usable within macros all you need to do is the following:
jQuery.fn.somePlugin = function() {/* some plugin you've downloaded */};
jQuery.macro.register('somePlugin'); // Now it can be used within jQuery.macro()
You can access and manipulate all recorded methods in any macro via the recorded property:
var myMacro = jQuery.macro('myMacro');
myMacro.recorded; // => []
myMacro.css('color','red');
myMacro.recorded; // [{name:'css', args:['color','red']}]
myMacro.addClass('wow');
myMacro.recorded; // [{name:'css', args:['color','red']}, {name:'addClass', args:['wow']}]
Have fun! And remember, this isn't a replacement for jQuery plugins!!!