Is it possible to get a palette similar to the application palette but for running macros?
No, I mean a single palette, just the information as shown under the 'cancel' option in the menu but as a palette so can quickly see what is running.
You said "so I can quickly see what's running." Ok, what's wrong with opening the debugger window? (Click on the KM icon and then click on Start Debugging.) That will let you see what's running. Why do you need a palette do see what's running? Have you used the debugger yet? It's really great. (Personally I wish it could display variables, but it's still pretty good even without that.)
Since macros start and stop often, I'm not sure a palette would even work because the palettes that I use are static and don't change ten times a second. However when I'm running macros they can and do start and stop multiple times per second. I don't see how a palette could work if the running macros are constantly changing. I suspect that a palette is suited for situations where the data is static and not constantly changing.
It is always interesting the number of people that want to explain to me how to do something other than what I actually asked, or explain to me that I am wrong and what I actually want is..., rather than assume I do actually know what I want and try to help me.
I have used KM for years, I know all about the debugger, I know how to display variables, the fact that your macros start and stop often is great but doesn't actually have any bearing on MY requirements.
Someone out there will probably have done it, hence my asking, it is pointless reinventing the wheel.
Sorry for insulting you.
Apologies, this is just one of those things that winds me up.
Like when I ask a question on Amazon, there is ALWAYS at least one person who feels the need to respond with 'Well I don't own the product so can't help', I just want to scream into their faces 'THEN WHY DID YOU ANSWER', it really, really winds me up.
I have a number of macros that kick off at various times, some run very quickly, some take minutes as they are very complex and do a number of things and rely on a number of other apps.
I can drop down the cancel menu and they are listed there, but it's an extra step and sometimes the Mac is running very slowly and it can take a minute or more for that to happen, sometimes the KM menu becomes totally unresponsive and this method wouldn't work, depends what apps are running and what they are doing.
If I had a palette popup when they ran with a single list exactly as under the cancel menu then I could see it at a glance with no interaction necessary and then even if the mac is refusing to respond I still have an idea of what is going on.
I basically want a combination of the application palette and the information under the cancel menu so it is hopefully do-able but I don't use palettes very much.
I accept your apology. I would be pretty amoral if I didn't.
Let me talk about the Debug window's potential here before talking about the Palette solution.
The cancel menu is something I rarely use since I can also cancel using the (X) in the Debug window. Moreover, the Cancel window is updated exactly once per second, (based on the fact it is flickering at that rate) while the Debug window is updated instantaneously. So I get more timely information using the Debug window.
One additional reason for using the Debug window is that you can activate it using a keystroke rather than the mouse (if you create a macro to invoke it with a keystroke). So it's faster to access. You might like this because you said your Mac sometimes runs "very slowly" and because the KM menu is sometimes "unresponsive." So this is what I recommend for you:
If someone can think of a way to create palettes which are dynamically updated every second then maybe they can help you better than I can. However for reasons I gave earlier I think palettes are intended for static information. If I'm wrong, I will have learned something.
I agree, that would be very useful, and it's been asked for before, but has not been provided yet.
In the meantime, here's a crude method that uses the KM Found Image to open the KM Status menu to the Cancel Macros menu, that shows running macros:
This macro is designed to let the user select the macro to cancel, but you should be able to adapt to your needs. Of course, you will nee to replace the found image in the Pause Until action with your own.
This macro was written by Chris @ccstone, with a few mods by myself.
Macro: 2. Cancel SELECTED @KM Macros Macro
Looks interesting, I use found images a lot elsewhere, I haven't used the area bits so I will have a look at that..
I looked at using select menu item on the "Keyboard Maestro Engine" but can't find a menu title that works with it.
I can do it in AppleScript but there is a 5s delay that is unavoidable.
But none of these are what I want, the information is there so Peter could do it as he did with the application palette (just create another and populate it from the data in the cancel menu), but I can't see how to do it myself. As he didn't do it, it might be he didn't think it useful or there might be a good technical reason why it is not possible. Maybe the overhead would be too much.
I can use AS to determine a macro is running, but not which one(s).
Maybe there is some clever solution out there but I haven't found it yet.
Oh, and to be clear, I don't actually want to cancel anything. It's just that that is the only place I have found where I can see what macros are running.
Not sure if v9 changes anything, just upgrading now so will have a look, I suspect not though as it's a bit of a niche requirement.
v9 doesn't seem to change anything for this, though my themes got added yay.
Still going through the what's new bit. So there may well be stuff I haven't found yet!
There is a 'show status menu' action but I can't get it to then goto 'cancel', not sure what I am missing there but it's not worth investigating (pressing c should work but seems to go elsewhere, found image would work on it), but it's not the solution I wanted.
There is a for each option for running apps but not running macros 
No, there is no running macro palette. It is an interesting idea.
Version 9 does provide a number of possible tools, like the ExecutingInstances and related tokens, which should make it possible to proximate something.
Haven't seen that yet, I was just looking at smart groups with 'use:1m' but can't see anyway to make that work for this.
I will investigate ExecutingInstances, thanks for that.
v9 is an instant upgrade, I was just looking to ask if I could buy v9 while it was in beta when it told me it was out! Needless to say I have bought it already.
Should I see them in the popup?
Which list is that? Is that version 9.x?