A macro is a playlist of commands
You already know TrueCommander commands — type one in the navigator, it does something useful. A macro chains multiple commands into a sequence that runs with a single trigger. You click once. The macro runs step 1, waits for it to finish, runs step 2, waits, step 3, and so on. Each step can have its own parameters.
Think of it as recording your workflow and replaying it on demand. Here are five macros worth building on every WordPress site you manage.
1. The weekly maintenance macro
This is the macro you'll use more than any other. It handles everything a responsible admin does weekly — but compresses it into one click.
When to use it: Every Monday morning. Or add it to Cron Schedules and let it run every Sunday at 3am. You start the week with a clean, fast, backed-up site without touching anything.
2. The pre-update safety net
You're about to update WooCommerce, or a major plugin, or WordPress itself. This macro gives you a rollback point and a diagnostic baseline before you click Update.
When to use it: Before any major version jump. Run the macro, review the update list, apply updates one at a time, then check the debug log for errors. If something breaks, you have a named backup from 2 minutes ago.
3. The WooCommerce product launch
You just added 50 new products to the store. They need images compressed, alt texts filled in, the catalog exported for the marketing team, and a QR code for the hero product's packaging.
When to use it: After any bulk product import or seasonal catalog refresh. The marketing team gets an updated spreadsheet, the images are optimized for speed, and every product is discoverable in image search.
4. The client site handoff
The site is built. You're handing it over to the client. This macro ensures the site is clean, protected, and documented before you walk away.
-activateIf the client's site is still on the parent theme, create and activate a child theme now. Protects customizations from theme updates.-archive_name=handoffFinal backup of the delivered state. Proof of what was delivered, in case anything changes after handoff.When to use it: The day you hand over every client project. The child theme protects their future updates, images are optimized, links work, the database is clean, and you have a backup that proves the state of the site at delivery.
5. The security audit
Something feels off. A client mentioned suspicious activity. Or you're doing a routine security check. This macro gathers the diagnostic information you need.
-archive_name=pre-auditCapture the current state before touching anything. If the site is compromised, this is evidence.-slug=team-portalMove the login page off the default URL. Brute-force bots hammering /wp-login.php now hit a 404.When to use it: After any security incident, or quarterly as a preventive check. The backup preserves the pre-audit state, updates close known holes, debug mode surfaces hidden errors, and hiding the login blocks the most common attack vector permanently.
How to build a macro
Building any of these takes about a minute:
- Open TrueCommander → Macro Commands in the admin
- Click Create Macro
- Add each command as a step — select the command, set its parameters
- Save the macro
- Run it from the navigator by typing the macro name, or bind it to a keyboard shortcut
Every command in these macros supports the macro usage type, meaning they're designed to run in sequence without user interaction between steps.
Macros + Cron = autopilot. Any macro can also be added to Cron Schedules. The weekly maintenance macro running every Sunday at 3am means you never think about it again.