>Is there a way to expand macros only and not do the compile-to-php step?

So that it would just generate the Pharen code resulting from the expansion? Unfortunately, not yet. As soon as a macro is done executing it returns the node tree itself, which is then compiled. There might be a way to hack macro-expand in though.

Let me know how trying to work it into your project goes! I'll be glad to help with any problems that come up.