diff --git a/src/common/clipboard/ClipboardImpls.template.h b/src/common/clipboard/ClipboardImpls.template.h
index e0de0bcd0..13a4cfc7b 100644
--- a/src/common/clipboard/ClipboardImpls.template.h
+++ b/src/common/clipboard/ClipboardImpls.template.h
@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
-#ifdef CLIPBOARD_IMPLS_DECLARE
-# define IMPL_DEFINE(subsystem, factory) std::unique_ptr<ClipboardImpl> factory();
-#endif
-#ifdef CLIPBOARD_IMPLS_DEFINE
-# define IMPL_DEFINE(subsystem, factory) { subsystem, factory },
-#endif
+#pragma once
 
-@impl_defs@
-
-#undef IMPL_DEFINE
+#define CLIPBOARD_IMPLS(X) \
+	@clipboard_impls@
+	// last line of the macro, do not remove
diff --git a/src/common/clipboard/Dynamic.cpp b/src/common/clipboard/Dynamic.cpp
index 40dfb9f71..37b8030b2 100644
--- a/src/common/clipboard/Dynamic.cpp
+++ b/src/common/clipboard/Dynamic.cpp
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@
 #include "client/GameSave.h"
 #include "prefs/GlobalPrefs.h"
 #include "PowderToySDL.h"
+#include "ClipboardImpls.h"
 #include <SDL_syswm.h>
 #include <iostream>
 
 namespace Clipboard
 {
-#define CLIPBOARD_IMPLS_DECLARE
-#include "ClipboardImpls.h"
+#define CLIPBOARD_IMPLS_DECLARE(subsystem, factory) std::unique_ptr<ClipboardImpl> factory();
+		CLIPBOARD_IMPLS(CLIPBOARD_IMPLS_DECLARE)
 #undef CLIPBOARD_IMPLS_DECLARE
 
 	struct ClipboardImplEntry
@@ -17,8 +18,8 @@ namespace Clipboard
 		SDL_SYSWM_TYPE subsystem;
 		std::unique_ptr<ClipboardImpl> (*factory)();
 	} clipboardImpls[] = {
-#define CLIPBOARD_IMPLS_DEFINE
-#include "ClipboardImpls.h"
+#define CLIPBOARD_IMPLS_DEFINE(subsystem, factory) { subsystem, factory },
+		CLIPBOARD_IMPLS(CLIPBOARD_IMPLS_DEFINE)
 #undef CLIPBOARD_IMPLS_DEFINE
 		{ SDL_SYSWM_UNKNOWN, nullptr },
 	};
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 471e3ed96..e93542cf7 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -203,42 +203,42 @@ subdir('resampler')
 subdir('simulation')
 subdir('tasks')
 
-simulation_elem_defs = []
+element_numbers_x = []
 foreach elem_name_id : simulation_elem_ids
-	simulation_elem_defs += 'ELEMENT_DEFINE(' + elem_name_id[0] + ', ' + elem_name_id[1].to_string() + ');'
+	element_numbers_x += 'X(@0@, @1@) \\'.format(elem_name_id[0], elem_name_id[1])
 endforeach
-elements_conf_data = configuration_data()
-elements_conf_data.set('element_defs', '\n'.join(simulation_elem_defs))
 configure_file(
 	input: 'simulation/ElementNumbers.template.h',
 	output: 'ElementNumbers.h',
-	configuration: elements_conf_data
+	configuration: configuration_data({
+		'element_numbers': '\n\t'.join(element_numbers_x),
+	}),
 )
 
 if platform_clipboard
-	clipboard_impl_defs = []
+	clipboard_impls_x = []
 	foreach impl_subsys_factory : clipboard_impl_factories
-		clipboard_impl_defs += 'IMPL_DEFINE(' + impl_subsys_factory[0] + ', ' + impl_subsys_factory[1] + ')'
+		clipboard_impls_x += 'X(@0@, @1@) \\'.format(impl_subsys_factory[0], impl_subsys_factory[1])
 	endforeach
-	clipboard_impls_data = configuration_data()
-	clipboard_impls_data.set('impl_defs', '\n'.join(clipboard_impl_defs))
 	configure_file(
 		input: 'common/clipboard/ClipboardImpls.template.h',
 		output: 'ClipboardImpls.h',
-		configuration: clipboard_impls_data
+		configuration: configuration_data({
+			'clipboard_impls': '\n\t'.join(clipboard_impls_x),
+		}),
 	)
 endif
 
-simulation_tool_defs = []
+tool_numbers_x = []
 foreach tool_name_id : simulation_tool_ids
-	simulation_tool_defs += 'TOOL_DEFINE(' + tool_name_id[0] + ', ' + tool_name_id[1].to_string() + ');'
+	tool_numbers_x += 'X(@0@, @1@) \\'.format(tool_name_id[0], tool_name_id[1])
 endforeach
-tools_conf_data = configuration_data()
-tools_conf_data.set('tool_defs', '\n'.join(simulation_tool_defs))
 configure_file(
 	input: 'simulation/ToolNumbers.template.h',
 	output: 'ToolNumbers.h',
-	configuration: tools_conf_data
+	configuration: configuration_data({
+		'tool_numbers': '\n\t'.join(tool_numbers_x),
+	}),
 )
 
 configure_file(
diff --git a/src/simulation/Element.h b/src/simulation/Element.h
index cea5f6591..5b7ca091a 100644
--- a/src/simulation/Element.h
+++ b/src/simulation/Element.h
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 #pragma once
-#include <memory>
 #include "common/Vec2.h"
 #include "graphics/Pixel.h"
 #include "ElementDefs.h"
 #include "Particle.h"
 #include "StructProperty.h"
+#include "ElementNumbers.h"
+#include <memory>
 
 class Simulation;
 class Renderer;
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ public:
 	 by higher-level processes referring to them by name such as Lua or the property tool **/
 	static std::vector<StructProperty> const &GetProperties();
 
-#define ELEMENT_NUMBERS_DECLARE
-#include "ElementNumbers.h"
+#define ELEMENT_NUMBERS_DECLARE(name, id) void Element_ ## name ();
+	ELEMENT_NUMBERS(ELEMENT_NUMBERS_DECLARE)
 #undef ELEMENT_NUMBERS_DECLARE
 };
diff --git a/src/simulation/ElementClasses.cpp b/src/simulation/ElementClasses.cpp
index 2dc7ae7b6..34057d727 100644
--- a/src/simulation/ElementClasses.cpp
+++ b/src/simulation/ElementClasses.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "ElementCommon.h"
+#include "ElementNumbers.h"
 
 std::array<Element, PT_NUM> const &GetElements()
 {
@@ -8,8 +9,8 @@ std::array<Element, PT_NUM> const &GetElements()
 
 		DoOnce()
 		{
-#define ELEMENT_NUMBERS_CALL
-#include "ElementNumbers.h"
+#define ELEMENT_NUMBERS_CALL(name, id) elements[id].Element_ ## name ();
+			ELEMENT_NUMBERS(ELEMENT_NUMBERS_CALL)
 #undef ELEMENT_NUMBERS_CALL
 		}
 	};
diff --git a/src/simulation/ElementClasses.h b/src/simulation/ElementClasses.h
index a6f9a7100..697e2a6ac 100644
--- a/src/simulation/ElementClasses.h
+++ b/src/simulation/ElementClasses.h
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 #pragma once
-#include <array>
-
 #include "SimulationData.h"
 #include "Element.h"
-
-#define ELEMENT_NUMBERS_ENUMERATE
 #include "ElementNumbers.h"
+#include <array>
+
+#define ELEMENT_NUMBERS_ENUMERATE(name, id) constexpr int PT_ ## name = id;
+ELEMENT_NUMBERS(ELEMENT_NUMBERS_ENUMERATE);
 #undef ELEMENT_NUMBERS_ENUMERATE
 
 std::array<Element, PT_NUM> const &GetElements();
diff --git a/src/simulation/ElementNumbers.template.h b/src/simulation/ElementNumbers.template.h
index 73febb8d0..1abd807bb 100644
--- a/src/simulation/ElementNumbers.template.h
+++ b/src/simulation/ElementNumbers.template.h
@@ -1,13 +1,5 @@
-#ifdef ELEMENT_NUMBERS_CALL
-# define ELEMENT_DEFINE(name, id) elements[id].Element_ ## name ()
-#endif
-#ifdef ELEMENT_NUMBERS_DECLARE
-# define ELEMENT_DEFINE(name, id) void Element_ ## name ()
-#endif
-#ifdef ELEMENT_NUMBERS_ENUMERATE
-# define ELEMENT_DEFINE(name, id) constexpr int PT_ ## name = id
-#endif
+#pragma once
 
-@element_defs@
-
-#undef ELEMENT_DEFINE
+#define ELEMENT_NUMBERS(X) \
+	@element_numbers@
+	// last line of the macro, do not remove
diff --git a/src/simulation/SimTool.h b/src/simulation/SimTool.h
index 7b69dfe23..46c15dc1a 100644
--- a/src/simulation/SimTool.h
+++ b/src/simulation/SimTool.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "gui/game/tool/Tool.h"
 #include "common/String.h"
 #include "graphics/Pixel.h"
+#include "ToolNumbers.h"
 
 class Simulation;
 struct Particle;
@@ -17,9 +18,8 @@ public:
 	void (*PerformDrawFill)(SimTool *tool, Simulation *sim, const Brush &brush, ui::Point position);
 	void (*PerformSelect  )(SimTool *tool, int toolSelection);
 
-
-#define TOOL_NUMBERS_DECLARE
-#include "ToolNumbers.h"
+#define TOOL_NUMBERS_DECLARE(name, id) void Tool_ ## name ();
+TOOL_NUMBERS(TOOL_NUMBERS_DECLARE)
 #undef TOOL_NUMBERS_DECLARE
 
 	SimTool();
diff --git a/src/simulation/ToolClasses.cpp b/src/simulation/ToolClasses.cpp
index de8732a66..57b32170f 100644
--- a/src/simulation/ToolClasses.cpp
+++ b/src/simulation/ToolClasses.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "ToolClasses.h"
+#include "ToolNumbers.h"
 
 std::vector<SimTool> const &GetTools()
 {
@@ -8,8 +9,8 @@ std::vector<SimTool> const &GetTools()
 
 		DoOnce()
 		{
-#define TOOL_NUMBERS_CALL
-#include "ToolNumbers.h"
+#define TOOL_NUMBERS_CALL(name, id) tools.push_back(SimTool()), tools.back().Tool_ ## name ();
+TOOL_NUMBERS(TOOL_NUMBERS_CALL)
 #undef TOOL_NUMBERS_CALL
 		}
 	};
diff --git a/src/simulation/ToolClasses.h b/src/simulation/ToolClasses.h
index eb947e616..4fddaf2c4 100644
--- a/src/simulation/ToolClasses.h
+++ b/src/simulation/ToolClasses.h
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 #pragma once
+#include "SimTool.h"
+#include "ToolNumbers.h"
 #include <vector>
 #include <memory>
 
-#include "SimTool.h"
-
-#define TOOL_NUMBERS_ENUMERATE
-#include "ToolNumbers.h"
+#define TOOL_NUMBERS_ENUMERATE(name, id) constexpr int TOOL_ ## name = id;
+TOOL_NUMBERS(TOOL_NUMBERS_ENUMERATE)
 #undef TOOL_NUMBERS_ENUMERATE
 
 std::vector<SimTool> const &GetTools();
diff --git a/src/simulation/ToolNumbers.template.h b/src/simulation/ToolNumbers.template.h
index d964fa2f1..3259ed6d1 100644
--- a/src/simulation/ToolNumbers.template.h
+++ b/src/simulation/ToolNumbers.template.h
@@ -1,13 +1,5 @@
-#ifdef TOOL_NUMBERS_CALL
-# define TOOL_DEFINE(name, id) tools.push_back(SimTool()), tools.back().Tool_ ## name ()
-#endif
-#ifdef TOOL_NUMBERS_DECLARE
-# define TOOL_DEFINE(name, id) void Tool_ ## name ()
-#endif
-#ifdef TOOL_NUMBERS_ENUMERATE
-# define TOOL_DEFINE(name, id) constexpr int TOOL_ ## name = id
-#endif
+#pragma once
 
-@tool_defs@
-
-#undef TOOL_DEFINE
+#define TOOL_NUMBERS(X) \
+	@tool_numbers@
+	// last line of the macro, do not remove