Webster's Dictionary:
Main Entry: macro
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural macros
Etymology: short for macroinstruction
: a single computer instruction that stands for a sequence of operations
Those macros are part of Crimson, (so-called "application scope") sounds like. Not the OS.
You can find out what they are doing and write a script that does the same thing.
Macros refer to a bit of modular functionality to support repeated actions. So the word "macro" is a generic term. It often entails chaining together functional bits of a program into what could be considered a mini-workflow script. Frequently there are macro-recording buttons that will let you define your own by keystrokes, as well as standard ones included with the program which you then configure, and sometimes that you can import/export/share with others.
AFAIK there isn't a single macros standard, other than some popular code libs. I use TextPad, it has the same stuff.
You should use a real IDE, though. The code completion alone will cut your time by half and reveal things you might not see otherwise. Most languages have a free IDE, or there are plugins you can get for Eclipse, etc.