diff --git a/main/settings/KeyMacro.scala b/main/settings/KeyMacro.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7d7c2ee6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/settings/KeyMacro.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package sbt
+package std
+
+	import language.experimental.macros
+	import scala.reflect._
+	import reflect.macros._
+
+object KeyMacro
+{
+	def settingKeyImpl[T: c.WeakTypeTag](c: Context)(description: c.Expr[String]): c.Expr[SettingKey[T]] =
+		keyImpl[T, SettingKey[T]](c) { (name, mf) =>
+			c.universe.reify { SettingKey[T](name.splice, description.splice)(mf.splice) }
+		}
+	def taskKeyImpl[T: c.WeakTypeTag](c: Context)(description: c.Expr[String]): c.Expr[TaskKey[T]] =
+		keyImpl[T, TaskKey[T]](c) { (name, mf) =>
+			c.universe.reify { TaskKey[T](name.splice, description.splice)(mf.splice) }
+		}
+	def inputKeyImpl[T: c.WeakTypeTag](c: Context)(description: c.Expr[String]): c.Expr[InputKey[T]] =
+		keyImpl[T, InputKey[T]](c) { (name, mf) =>
+			c.universe.reify { InputKey[T](name.splice, description.splice)(mf.splice) }
+		}
+
+	def keyImpl[T: c.WeakTypeTag, S: c.WeakTypeTag](c: Context)(f: (c.Expr[String], c.Expr[Manifest[T]]) => c.Expr[S]): c.Expr[S] =
+	{
+		import c.universe.{Apply=>ApplyTree,_}
+		val enclosingValName = definingValName(c)
+		val name = c.Expr[String]( Literal(Constant(enclosingValName)) )
+		val mf = c.Expr[Manifest[T]](c.inferImplicitValue( weakTypeOf[Manifest[T]] ) )
+		f(name, mf)
+	}
+	def definingValName(c: Context): String =
+	{
+		import c.universe.{Apply=>ApplyTree,_}
+		val methodName = c.macroApplication.symbol.name.decoded
+		val enclosingTrees = c.asInstanceOf[reflect.macros.runtime.Context].callsiteTyper.context.enclosingContextChain.map(_.tree.asInstanceOf[Tree])
+		enclosingTrees match {
+			case vd @ ValDef(_, name, _, _) :: ts => name.decoded
+			case _ =>
+				c.error(c.enclosingPosition, s"""$methodName must be directly assigned to a val, such as `val x = $methodName[Int]("description")`.""")
+				"<error>"
+		}
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main/settings/Structure.scala b/main/settings/Structure.scala
index 7e8b88f47..ea071e143 100644
--- a/main/settings/Structure.scala
+++ b/main/settings/Structure.scala
@@ -492,3 +492,16 @@ object SettingKey
 
 	def local[T: Manifest]: SettingKey[T] = apply[T](AttributeKey.local[T])
 }
+
+object settingKey
+{
+	def apply[T](description: String): SettingKey[T] = macro std.KeyMacro.settingKeyImpl[T]
+}
+object taskKey
+{
+	def apply[T](description: String): TaskKey[T] = macro std.KeyMacro.taskKeyImpl[T]
+}
+object inputKey
+{
+	def apply[T](description: String): TaskKey[T] = macro std.KeyMacro.taskKeyImpl[T]
+}
diff --git a/main/settings/src/test/scala/UsageTest.scala b/main/settings/src/test/scala/UsageTest.scala
index 91906fdbc..e9484cc10 100644
--- a/main/settings/src/test/scala/UsageTest.scala
+++ b/main/settings/src/test/scala/UsageTest.scala
@@ -24,19 +24,19 @@ object Assign
 	import Def.{Initialize,macroValueT,parserToInput}
 //	import UseTask.{x,y,z,a,set,plain}
 
-	val ak = TaskKey[Int]("a")
-	val bk = TaskKey[Seq[Int]]("b")
-	val ck = SettingKey[File]("c")
-	val sk = TaskKey[Set[_]]("s")
+	val ak = taskKey[Int]("a")
+	val bk = taskKey[Seq[Int]]("b")
+	val ck = settingKey[File]("c")
+	val sk = taskKey[Set[_]]("s")
 
-	val ik = InputKey[Int]("i")
-	val isk = InputKey[String]("is")
-	val mk = SettingKey[Int]("m")
-	val tk = TaskKey[Int]("t")
-	val name = SettingKey[String]("name")
-	val dummyt = TaskKey[complete.Parser[String]]("dummyt")
-	val dummys = SettingKey[complete.Parser[String]]("dummys")
-	val dummy3 = SettingKey[complete.Parser[(String,Int)]]("dummy3")
+	val ik = inputKey[Int]("i")
+	val isk = inputKey[String]("is")
+	val mk = settingKey[Int]("m")
+	val tk = taskKey[Int]("t")
+	val name = settingKey[String]("name")
+	val dummyt = taskKey[complete.Parser[String]]("dummyt")
+	val dummys = settingKey[complete.Parser[String]]("dummys")
+	val dummy3 = settingKey[complete.Parser[(String,Int)]]("dummy3")
 	val tsk: complete.Parser[TaskKey[String]] = ???
 
 /*	def azy = sk.value
diff --git a/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Artifacts.rst b/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Artifacts.rst
index 0eca6f8b6..59a391a0b 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Artifacts.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Artifacts.rst
@@ -93,14 +93,14 @@ For example:
 
 ::
 
+    val myTask = taskKey[Unit]("My task.")
+
     myTask :=  {
       val (art, file) = packagedArtifact.in(Compile, packageBin).value
       println("Artifact definition: " + art)
       println("Packaged file: " + file.getAbsolutePath)
     }
 
-where ``val myTask = TaskKey[Unit]``.
-
 Defining custom artifacts
 =========================
 
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ generates the artifact:
 
 ::
 
+    val myImageTask = taskKey[File](...)
+
     myImageTask := {
       val artifact: File = makeArtifact(...)
       artifact
@@ -145,8 +147,6 @@ generates the artifact:
 
     addArtifact( Artifact("myproject", "image", "jpg"), myImageTask )
 
-where ``val myImageTask = TaskKey[File](...)``.
-
 ``addArtifact`` returns a sequence of settings (wrapped in a
 `SettingsDefinition <../../api/#sbt.Init$SettingsDefinition>`_).
 In a full build configuration, usage looks like:
diff --git a/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Best-Practices.rst b/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Best-Practices.rst
index ecb9dbd36..abd9a2269 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Best-Practices.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Best-Practices.rst
@@ -92,11 +92,10 @@ For example:
 
 ::
 
-    lazy val makeFile = TaskKey[File]("makeFile")
+    lazy val makeFile = taskKey[File]("Creates a file with some content.")
 
     // define a task that creates a file,
     //  writes some content, and returns the File
-    // The write is completely 
     makeFile := {
         val f: File = file("/tmp/data.txt")
         IO.write(f, "Some content")
diff --git a/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Classpaths.rst b/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Classpaths.rst
index cac5e11ce..0ef80c777 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Classpaths.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Classpaths.rst
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ to the list of main source generators (``sourceGenerators in Compile``).
 To insert a named task, which is the better approach for plugins:
 
 ::
-    val mySourceGenerator = TaskKey[Seq[File]](...)
+    val mySourceGenerator = taskKey[Seq[File]](...)
 
     mySourceGenerator in Compile := 
         generate( (sourceManaged in Compile).value / "some_directory")
diff --git a/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Tasks.rst b/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Tasks.rst
index be4fa3fde..80b01d765 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Tasks.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/Detailed-Topics/Tasks.rst
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ build.sbt
 
 ::
 
-    val hello = TaskKey[Unit]("hello", "Prints 'Hello World'")
+    val hello = taskKey[Unit]("Prints 'Hello World'")
 
     hello := println("hello world!")
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ project/Build.scala
         scalaVersion := "2.9.0-1"
       )
 
-      val hello = TaskKey[Unit]("hello", "Prints 'Hello World'")
+      val hello = taskKey[Unit]("Prints 'Hello World'")
 
       val helloTask = hello := {
         println("Hello World")
@@ -103,21 +103,17 @@ To declare a new task, define a val of type ``TaskKey``, either in ``.sbt`` or `
 
 ::
 
-    val sampleTask = TaskKey[Int]("sampleTask")
+    val sampleTask = taskKey[Int]("A sample task.")
 
 The name of the ``val`` is used when referring to the task in Scala
-code. The string passed to the ``TaskKey`` method is used at runtime,
-such as at the command line. By convention, both the Scala identifier
-and the runtime identifier are camelCase. The type parameter
-passed to ``TaskKey`` (here, ``Int``) is the type of value produced by
-the task.
+code and at the command line. The string passed to the ``TaskKey`` method is a description of the task.  The type parameter passed to ``TaskKey`` (here, ``Int``) is the type of value produced by the task.
 
 We'll define a couple of other of tasks for the examples:
 
 ::
 
-    val intTask = TaskKey[Int]("intTask")
-    val stringTask = TaskKey[String]("stringTask")
+    val intTask = taskKey[Int]("An int task")
+    val stringTask = taskKey[String]("A string task")
 
 The examples themselves are valid entries in a ``build.sbt`` or can be
 provided as part of a sequence to ``Project.settings`` (see
@@ -224,9 +220,9 @@ would go in a ``Build`` object in a ``.scala`` file or directly in a ``.sbt`` fi
 
 ::
 
-    val unitTask = TaskKey[Unit]("unitTask")
-    val intTask = TaskKey[Int]("intTask")
-    val stringTask = TaskKey[String]("stringTask")
+    val unitTask = taskKey[Unit]("A side-effecting task.")
+    val intTask = taskKey[Int]("A task that returns an integer.")
+    val stringTask = taskKey[String]("A task that returns String")
 
 The examples themselves are valid settings in a ``build.sbt`` file or as
 part of a sequence provided to ``Project.settings``.
diff --git a/src/sphinx/Extending/Input-Tasks.rst b/src/sphinx/Extending/Input-Tasks.rst
index 599c11034..a4d18b642 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/Extending/Input-Tasks.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/Extending/Input-Tasks.rst
@@ -14,12 +14,12 @@ Input Keys
 A key for an input task is of type ``InputKey`` and represents the input
 task like a ``SettingKey`` represents a setting or a ``TaskKey``
 represents a task. Define a new input task key using the
-``InputKey.apply`` factory method:
+``inputKey.apply`` factory method:
 
 ::
 
       // goes in <base>/project/Build.scala or in <base>/build.sbt
-      val demo = InputKey[Unit]("demo")
+      val demo = inputKey[Unit]("A demo input task.")
 
 The definition of an input task is similar to that of a normal task, but it can
 also use the result of a `Parser </Detailed-Topics/Parsing-Input>`_ applied to
diff --git a/src/sphinx/Extending/Plugins-Best-Practices.rst b/src/sphinx/Extending/Plugins-Best-Practices.rst
index 4250604d8..76a327241 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/Extending/Plugins-Best-Practices.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/Extending/Plugins-Best-Practices.rst
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Where possible, reuse them in your plugin. For instance, don't define:
 
 ::
 
-    val sourceFiles = SettingKey[Seq[File]]("sourceFiles")
+    val sourceFiles = settingKey[Seq[File]]("Some source files")
 
 Instead, simply reuse SBT's existing ``sources`` key.
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ Just use a ``val`` prefix
 
     package sbtobfuscate
     object Plugin extends sbt.Plugin {
-      val obfuscateStylesheet = SettingKey[File]("obfuscateStylesheet")
+      val obfuscateStylesheet = settingKey[File]("Obfuscate stylesheet")
     }
 
 In this approach, every ``val`` starts with ``obfuscate``. A user of the
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ Configurations should *not* be used to namespace keys for a plugin. e.g.
 ::
 
     val Config = config("my-plugin")
-    val pluginKey = SettingKey[String]("pluginSpecificKey")
+    val pluginKey = settingKey[String]("A plugin specific key")
     val settings = pluginKey in Config  // DON'T DO THIS!
 
 Playing nice with configurations
diff --git a/src/sphinx/Extending/Plugins.rst b/src/sphinx/Extending/Plugins.rst
index b8fa7d9f3..993f9df3d 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/Extending/Plugins.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/Extending/Plugins.rst
@@ -269,8 +269,8 @@ An example of a typical plugin:
     {
         // configuration points, like the built in `version`, `libraryDependencies`, or `compile`
         // by implementing Plugin, these are automatically imported in a user's `build.sbt`
-        val newTask = TaskKey[Unit]("newTask")
-        val newSetting = SettingKey[String]("newSetting")
+        val newTask = taskKey[Unit]("A new task.")
+        val newSetting = settingKey[String]("A new setting.")
 
         // a group of settings ready to be added to a Project
         // to automatically add them, do 
diff --git a/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Custom-Settings.rst b/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Custom-Settings.rst
index 4eb07797f..dd938e3f1 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Custom-Settings.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Custom-Settings.rst
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ Some examples from `Keys <../../sxr/Keys.scala.html>`_:
 
 ::
 
-    val scalaVersion = SettingKey[String]("scalaVersion", "The version of Scala used for building.")
-    val clean = TaskKey[Unit]("clean", "Deletes files produced by the build, such as generated sources, compiled classes, and task caches.")
+    val scalaVersion = settingKey[String]("The version of Scala used for building.")
+    val clean = taskKey[Unit]("Deletes files produced by the build, such as generated sources, compiled classes, and task caches.")
 
 The key constructors have two string parameters: the name of the key
 (``"scalaVersion"``) and a documentation string
diff --git a/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Full-Def.rst b/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Full-Def.rst
index 5e792c95d..83077e913 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Full-Def.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Full-Def.rst
@@ -103,10 +103,10 @@ The following two files illustrate. First, if your project is in
 
     object HelloBuild extends Build {
 
-        val sampleKeyA = SettingKey[String]("sampleKeyA", "demo key A")
-        val sampleKeyB = SettingKey[String]("sampleKeyB", "demo key B")
-        val sampleKeyC = SettingKey[String]("sampleKeyC", "demo key C")
-        val sampleKeyD = SettingKey[String]("sampleKeyD", "demo key D")
+        val sampleKeyA = settingKey[String]("demo key A")
+        val sampleKeyB = settingKey[String]("demo key B")
+        val sampleKeyC = settingKey[String]("demo key C")
+        val sampleKeyD = settingKey[String]("demo key D")
 
         override lazy val settings = super.settings ++
             Seq(sampleKeyA := "A: in Build.settings in Build.scala", resolvers := Seq())
diff --git a/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Library-Dependencies.rst b/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Library-Dependencies.rst
index 3aa2e0eb5..f0267042d 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Library-Dependencies.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/Library-Dependencies.rst
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ or like this, where ``configuration`` is also a string:
 
 ::
 
-    val libraryDependencies = SettingKey[Seq[ModuleID]]("library-dependencies", "Declares managed dependencies.")
+    val libraryDependencies = settingKey[Seq[ModuleID]]("Declares managed dependencies.")
 
 The ``%`` methods create ``ModuleID`` objects from strings, then you add
 those ``ModuleID`` to ``libraryDependencies``.
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ this:
 
 ::
 
-    val resolvers = SettingKey[Seq[Resolver]]("resolvers", "The user-defined additional resolvers for automatically managed dependencies.")
+    val resolvers = settingKey[Seq[Resolver]]("The user-defined additional resolvers for automatically managed dependencies.")
 
 The ``at`` method creates a ``Resolver`` object from two strings.
 
diff --git a/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/More-About-Settings.rst b/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/More-About-Settings.rst
index d5930a72a..92cb22ac7 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/More-About-Settings.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/Getting-Started/More-About-Settings.rst
@@ -197,8 +197,8 @@ Take these two keys (from `Keys <../../sxr/Keys.scala.html>`_):
 
 ::
 
-    val scalacOptions = TaskKey[Seq[String]]("scalac-options", "Options for the Scala compiler.")
-    val checksums = SettingKey[Seq[String]]("checksums", "The list of checksums to generate and to verify for dependencies.")
+    val scalacOptions = taskKey[Seq[String]]("Options for the Scala compiler.")
+    val checksums = settingKey[Seq[String]]("The list of checksums to generate and to verify for dependencies.")
 
 (``scalacOptions`` and ``checksums`` have nothing to do with each other,
 they are just two keys with the same value type, where one is a task.)
diff --git a/src/sphinx/faq.rst b/src/sphinx/faq.rst
index 7f1ba2438..07abb09c4 100644
--- a/src/sphinx/faq.rst
+++ b/src/sphinx/faq.rst
@@ -434,20 +434,12 @@ A basic run task is created by:
 
 ::
 
-      // this lazy val has to go in a full configuration
-      lazy val myRunTask = TaskKey[Unit]("myRunTask")
+      lazy val myRunTask = taskKey[Unit]("A custom run task.")
 
       // this can go either in a `build.sbt` or the settings member
       //   of a Project in a full configuration
       fullRunTask(myRunTask, Test, "foo.Foo", "arg1", "arg2")
 
-or, if you really want to define it inline (as in a basic ``build.sbt``
-file):
-
-::
-
-       fullRunTask(TaskKey[Unit]("myRunTask"), Test, "foo.Foo", "arg1", "arg2")
-
 If you want to be able to supply arguments on the command line, replace
 ``TaskKey`` with ``InputKey`` and ``fullRunTask`` with
 ``fullRunInputTask``. The ``Test`` part can be replaced with another
@@ -463,42 +455,6 @@ in the scope. For example:
 
     javaOptions in myRunTask += "-Xmx6144m"
 
-How can I delegate settings from one task to another task?
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
-Settings :doc:`scoped </Getting-Started/Scopes>` to one task can fall back to
-another task if undefined in the first task. This is called delegation.
-
-The following key definitions specify that settings for ``myRun``
-delegate to ``aRun``
-
-::
-
-    val aRun = TaskKey[Unit]("aRun", "A run task.")
-
-    //   The last parameter to TaskKey.apply here is a repeated one
-    val myRun = TaskKey[Unit]("myRun", "Custom run task.", aRun)
-
-In use, this looks like:
-
-::
-
-    // Make the run task as before.
-    fullRunTask(myRun, Compile, "pkg.Main", "arg1", "arg2")
-
-    // If fork in myRun is not explicitly set,
-    //   then this also configures myRun to fork.
-    // If fork in myRun is set, it overrides this setting
-    //   because it is more specific.
-    fork in aRun := true
-
-    // Appends "-Xmx2G" to the current options for myRun.
-    //   Because we haven't defined them explicitly,
-    //   the current options are delegated to aRun.
-    //   So, this says to use the same options as aRun
-    //   plus -Xmx2G.
-    javaOptions in myRun += "-Xmx2G"
-
 How should I express a dependency on an outside tool such as proguard?
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~