diff --git a/data/Sandbox/TimeTrackerViewTemplate.txt b/data/Sandbox/TimeTrackerViewTemplate.txt
index 86f737b..3e4df37 100644
--- a/data/Sandbox/TimeTrackerViewTemplate.txt
+++ b/data/Sandbox/TimeTrackerViewTemplate.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-%META:TOPICINFO{author="ProjectContributor" comment="reprev" date="1332763650" format="1.1" reprev="1" version="1"}%
+%META:TOPICINFO{author="ProjectContributor" comment="reprev" date="1335361593" format="1.1" reprev="1" version="3"}%
 %META:TOPICPARENT{name="TimeTracker"}%
 %{<verbatim class="tml">}%
 %TMPL:INCLUDE{"view"}%
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 }%
 </noautolink>
 
-%TMPL:P{"metadata::new" meta="effort" title="Add effort"}%
+%NEWMETADATA{"effort" title="Add effort"}%
 %INCLUDE{"%SYSTEMWEB%/JSCalendarContribInline"}%
 
 <style>
diff --git a/data/System/MetaDataPlugin.txt b/data/System/MetaDataPlugin.txt
index f5f8ccb..22374e4 100644
--- a/data/System/MetaDataPlugin.txt
+++ b/data/System/MetaDataPlugin.txt
@@ -1,13 +1,165 @@
+%META:TOPICINFO{author="ProjectContributor" comment="reprev" date="1335363042" format="1.1" reprev="2" version="2"}%
 ---+!! %TOPIC%
 %SHORTDESCRIPTION%
 
 %TOC%
 
----++ Usage
+This plugin allows to store data sets to Foswiki topics. Foswiki itself 
+is a structured wiki already using %SYSTEMWEB%.DataForms which are attached a topic.
+This in essence makes each topic a database _record_. !MetaDataPlugin goes one step
+further by making each Foswiki topic a full _database_. That way each topic can serve as a container
+for _multiple_ data records, even of different kind.
+
+Technically, !MetaDataPlugin combines technologies in a new way that are already part of Foswiki:
+
+   1 !MetaData types are defined using %SYSTEMWEB%.DataForms (like normal forms).
+   1 !MetaData types are registered to the Foswiki store using =Foswiki::Meta::registerMETA()=
+   1 Records are stored as =%<nop>META:MYDATA{...}%= hashes.
+   1 Records are rendered using the =renderForEdit()= and =renderForDisplay()= API of =Foswiki::Form=
+     leveraged to wiki application programming similar to Foswiki:Extensions/FlexFormPlugin
+
+In short: !MetaDataPlugin marries !DataForms with custom =%META= data.
+
+!MetaDataPlugin comes with an example UI to list records and make them editable. See the Sandbox.TimeTracker
+application for example.
+
+Below screenshot 3 shows an integration with Foswiki:Extensions/HolidayListPlugin and Foswiki:Extensions/ICalPlugin
+to render a ical driven resource view where all events are stored in =%<nop>META:EVENT{}%= records.
+
+%X% Note: this plugin requires a Foswiki engine >= 1.1.0.
+
+---++ Screenshots
+<a href='%ATTACHURLPATH%/MetaDataPluginSnap1.png' class='foswikiImage' title='screenshot 1'><img src='%ATTACHURLPATH%/MetaDataPluginSnap1.png' width='300' /></a>
+
+<a href='%ATTACHURLPATH%/MetaDataPluginSnap2.png' class='foswikiImage' title='screenshot 2'><img src='%ATTACHURLPATH%/MetaDataPluginSnap2.png' width='300' /></a>
+
+<a href='%ATTACHURLPATH%/MetaDataPluginSnap3.png' class='foswikiImage' title='screenshot 3'><img src='%ATTACHURLPATH%/MetaDataPluginSnap3.png' width='300' /></a>
+
+---++ Syntax
+
+---+++ =%<nop>RENDERMETADATA{...}%=
+
+This macro allows to access !MetaData records attached to a topic. It can operate in two modes - =view= and =edit= - to either
+display records or render an editor for one specific record. By default RENDERMETADATA will list all records found as a table.
+Rows of the table can be clicked to edit the related editor. A modal dialog opens with an appropriate edit interface based on
+the [[%SYSTEMWEB%.DataForms][DataForm]] definition, similar to the interface when editing a !DataForm as part of a normal
+topic edit screen.
+
+| *Parameter* | *Description* | *Default* |
+| "..." | key of the !MetaData to be rendered; this name is derived from the topic name holding the !DataForm definition (see below) | |
+| action | indicates the action to perform on the records, can be =edit= or =view= | view |
+| field(s) | list of formfields to render the interface for | all known formfields of a !DataForm |
+| name | select the id of a !MetaData record to be extracted | all records attached to the given topic |
+| topic | the topic to extract the !MetaData from | the current topic |
+| web | the web part of the topic to be processed; note: a web part in the =topic= parameter will override any value specified via the =web= parameter | the current web |
+| format | format string to render each formfield with, more info below |  |
+| header | header string to be put in front of the output | |
+| footer | footer string to apped to the output | |
+| separator | string to be put between each formatted output per formfield | |
+| valueseparator | | |
+| include | regular expression fieldnames must match to be included in the output | |
+| exclude | regular expression fieldnames must match to be excluded from the output | |
+| includeattr | regular expression field attributes must match to be included in the output | |
+| excludeattr | regular expression field attributes must match to be excluded from the output | |
+| mandatory | string to be inserted when a field is mandatory | <span class='foswikiAlert'>**</span> |
+| hiddenformat | format string to be used to render hidden formfields | |
+| hideempty | boolean flag to hide/show empty formfields | off |
+| autolink | boolean flag to enable/prevent !WikiWord linking | on |
+| fieldformat | format string for a single formfield value in a row | |
+| &lt;field_name>_attributes, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_autolink, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_default, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_description, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_format, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_hidden, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_size, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_sort, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_title, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_tooltip, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_type, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_value, %BR% \
+  &lt;field_name>_values  | these parameters allow to override properties of a record as specified in the !DataForm definition temporarily, or specify field-specific rendering parameters while iterating over all !MetaData | |
+
+If all three =format=, =header= and =footer= are undefined a =foswikiFormSteps= block will be rendered as illustrated in the example below.
+
+The =format= parameter may contain the following pseudo-variables:
+   * =$actions=: edit actions per row; these are normally appended to each row to display the pencil and trashcan icons while hovering over the row
+   * =$attrs=: attribute string as given in the !DataForm definition
+   * =$count=: total number of records rendered
+   * =$default=: this is the default value if no value is specified in the topic itself
+   * =$description=: formfield description in !DataForm 
+   * =$edit=: the HTML form element as specified by the !DataForm definition, that is a input field, a textarea, a select box, whatever
+   * =$extra=: the "extra" return value of the =Foswiki::Form::renderForEdit()= call
+   * =$form=: topic of the !DataForm definition for the !MetaData being rendered
+   * =$index=: running index while iterating over all !MetaData records
+   * =$mandatory=: placeholder to display the =mandatory= flag when a formfield is mandatory; the format of the mandatroy flag can be defined in the =mandatory= parameter
+   * =$metadata=: key of the !MetaData used interally
+   * =$name=: the original fieldname
+   * =$origvalue=: current value of the formfield; for =+value= formfields this is the original _unmapped_ value of the formfield
+   * =$origvalues=: list of all allowed values; for =+value= formfields this is the original _unmapped_ value of the formfield
+   * =$size=: size parameter of the formfield as given in the !DataForm definition
+   * =$title=: the fieldtitle derived from the fieldname and remapped as specified in the =map= parameter
+   * =$type=: type of formfield as given in the !DataForm definition
+   * =$value=: current value of the formfield; for =+value= formfields this is the _mapped_ value use =$origvalue= to get the original one
+   * =$values=: list of all allowed values for the formfield as defined in the !DataForm definition
+   * =$&lt;field_name>=: value of the given field
+
+---+++ =%<nop>NEWMETADATA{...}%=
+
+This macro is used to render a button to start the "Add record" dialog. It takes a known !MetaData key and a display title and will
+render a modal edit dialog according to the associated !DataForm definition.
+
+| *Parameter* | *Description* | *Default* |
+| "..." | !MetaData key | |
+| format | format string to render the button | defined in the =metadataplugin.tmpl= template |
+| template | name of the TMPL:DEF to render the button | metadata::new |
+| title | display title for the button |
+
+---++ Registering !MetaData 
+
+Foswiki's store has got the ability to register additional !MetaData definitions. The store will then take care that data passed to
+it is valid and well defined according to the !MetaData definitions available. While the Foswiki core already knows about its native
+!MetaData, like =%<nop>META:PREFERENCE=, =%<nop>META:ATTACHMENT=, =%<nop>META:FIELD= and =%<nop>META:FORM=, all additional _custom_
+definitions have to be registered early in the process. This is done using the =WEBMETADATA= preference setting, similar in use
+to the =WEBFORMS= preference settings to register plain old !DataForms to be attached to topics. 
+
+Only !MetaData registered using =WEBMETADATA= may be processed any further.
+
+Example:
+<pre>
+   * Set <!-- -->WEBMETADATA = Applications.ProjectApp.InvoiceForm, 
+                       Applications.ProjectApp.EffortForm, 
+                       Applications.MovieApp.Role, 
+                       Applications.CalendarApp.EventTopic
+</pre>
+
+=WEBMETADATA= is a list of topics holding the !DataForm definition to be registered as !MetaData to the store. While doing so each !DataForm
+definition is associated with a _key_ to be used storing a record in a topic. This key is then used to store data in the form =%<nop>META:&lt;key>{...}%=.
+
+In the above example !MetaDataPlugin will register !MetaData to store:
+
+   * =%<nop>META:INVOICE=,
+   * =%<nop>META:EFFORT=,
+   * =%<nop>META:ROLE= and
+   * =%<nop>META:EVENT= records. 
+
+A !MetaData _key_ is derived from the !DataForm definition by stripping off any "Topic" and "Form" suffix and translating the remaining name to uppercase.
+The resulting key is also available using an all-lowercase alias, that is =invoice=, =effort=, =role= and =event= in the above example.
 
 ---++ Examples
 
-See Sandbox.TimeTracker
+To illustrate the use of !MetaData, an example wiki application is shipped with !MetaDataPlugin. The !TimeTracker application may be used to track
+working efforts and compute resulting earnings based on standard rates and taxes. The application allows to create new !TimeTracker topics which
+have a database of efforts recorded on that tracker.
+
+   * %SANDBOXWEB%.TimeTracker: this is the starting point of the application; and defines the !DataForm for each !TimeTracker topic 
+   * %SANDBOXWEB%.EffortForm: this is a !DataForm definition for effort !MetaData
+   * %SANDBOXWEB%.TimeTrackerTemplate: this is a minimal template topic that basically makes sure the WEBMETADATA is set properly
+     (note: that this is _not_ recommended way to go in production environments; set the WEBMETADATA preference either in the !WebPreferences or !SitePreferences instead)
+   * %SANDBOXWEB%.TimeTrackerEditTemplate: this is the edit template to edit !TimeTracker topics
+   * %SANDBOXWEB%.TimeTrackerViewTemplate: this is the view template to view a !TimeTracker topic and all tracked efforts for it.
+
+%X% Note: to run this application, you'll need the Foswiki:Extensions/JQGridPlugin as well as the Foswiki:Extensions/FlexFormPlugin.
 
 ---++ Installation Instructions
 
@@ -19,7 +171,7 @@ See Sandbox.TimeTracker
 -->
 
 |  Author(s): | Michael Daum|
-|  Copyright: | &copy; 2011 Michael Daum http://michaeldaumconsulting.com |
+|  Copyright: | &copy; 2011-2012 Michael Daum http://michaeldaumconsulting.com |
 |  License: | [[http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html][GPL (Gnu General Public License)]] |
 |  Release: | %$RELEASE% |
 |  Version: | %$VERSION% |
@@ -27,3 +179,7 @@ See Sandbox.TimeTracker
 |  Dependencies: | %$DEPENDENCIES% |
 |  Home page: | Foswiki:Extensions/%TOPIC% |
 |  Support: | Foswiki:Support/%TOPIC% |
+
+%META:FILEATTACHMENT{name="MetaDataPluginSnap1.png" attachment="MetaDataPluginSnap1.png" attr="" comment="" date="1335356137" size="27517" user="ProjectContributor" version="1"}%
+%META:FILEATTACHMENT{name="MetaDataPluginSnap2.png" attachment="MetaDataPluginSnap2.png" attr="" comment="" date="1335354029" size="18653" user="ProjectContributor" version="1"}%
+%META:FILEATTACHMENT{name="MetaDataPluginSnap3.png" attachment="MetaDataPluginSnap3.png" attr="" comment="" date="1335354684" size="33426" user="ProjectContributor" version="1"}%
diff --git a/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/Core.pm b/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/Core.pm
index 34a1122..a51a3a0 100644
--- a/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/Core.pm
+++ b/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/Core.pm
@@ -71,8 +71,16 @@ sub registerDeleteHandler {
 sub NEWMETADATA {
   my ($this, $params) = @_;
 
+  my $theMetaData = lc($params->{_DEFAULT} || $params->{meta} || '');
+  my $theTitle = $params->{title} || '';
+  my $theFormat = $params->{format};
+  my $theTemplate = $params->{template} || 'metadata::new';
+
+  $theFormat = Foswiki::Func::expandTemplate($theTemplate) unless defined $theFormat;
+  $theFormat =~ s/%meta%/$theMetaData/g;
+  $theFormat =~ s/%title%/$theTitle/g;
   
-  return 'todo';
+  return $theFormat;
 }
 
 ##############################################################################
@@ -110,7 +118,6 @@ sub renderMetaData {
 
   my $theAction = $params->{action} || 'view';
   my $theFields = $params->{field} || $params->{fields};
-  my $theTopic = $params->{topic} || $this->{baseTopic};
   my $theFormat = $params->{format};
   my $theHeader = $params->{header};
   my $theFooter = $params->{footer};
@@ -123,7 +130,7 @@ sub renderMetaData {
   my $theMandatory = $params->{mandatory};
   my $theHiddenFormat = $params->{hiddenformat};
   my $theHideEmpty = Foswiki::Func::isTrue($params->{hideempty}, 0);
-  my $theSort = Foswiki::Func::isTrue($params->{sort}, 0);
+  #my $theSort = Foswiki::Func::isTrue($params->{sort}, 0);
   my $theAutolink = Foswiki::Func::isTrue($params->{autolink}, 1);
   my $theFieldFormat = $params->{fieldformat};
 
@@ -217,7 +224,7 @@ sub renderMetaData {
         grep {$_->{name} ne 'name'}
         @selectedFields).' $actions |$n';
     } else {
-      $theFormat = '<div class=\'foswikiFormStep $form\'>$n<table class=\'foswikiLayoutTable\'>$n'.
+      $theFormat = '<div class=\'foswikiFormStep $metadata\'>$n<table class=\'foswikiLayoutTable\'>$n'.
         join('$n', map {'$'.$_->{name}} @selectedFields).
         '$n</table></div>';
     }
@@ -227,7 +234,7 @@ sub renderMetaData {
     if ($theAction eq 'view') {
       $theFieldFormat = '$value';
     } else {
-      $theFieldFormat = '  <tr class="$form $name">$n'.
+      $theFieldFormat = '  <tr class="$metadata $name">$n'.
         '    <th>$title:</th>$n'.
         '    <td>$n$edit$n</td>'.
         '    <td><div class=\'foswikiFormDescription foswikiHidden\'>$description</div></td>$n'.
@@ -335,6 +342,12 @@ sub renderMetaData {
       }
       #writeDebug("fieldOrigAllowedValues=$fieldOrigAllowedValues");
 
+      # get the default value
+      my $fieldDefault = '';
+      if ($field->can('getDefaultValue')) {
+        $fieldDefault = $field->getDefaultValue() || '';
+      } 
+
       my $fieldValue = $record->{$fieldName};
 
       $fieldSize = $params->{$fieldName.'_size'} if defined $params->{$fieldName.'_size'};
@@ -346,6 +359,7 @@ sub renderMetaData {
       $fieldType = $params->{$fieldName.'_type'} if defined $params->{$fieldName.'_type'};
       $fieldValue = $params->{$fieldName.'_value'} if defined $params->{$fieldName.'_value'}; # or get value from macro invocation
       $fieldFormat = $params->{$fieldName.'_format'} if defined $params->{$fieldName.'_format'};
+      $fieldDefault = $params->{$fieldName.'_default'} if defined $params->{$fieldName.'_default'};
 
       my $fieldIsHidden = Foswiki::Func::isTrue($params->{$fieldName.'_hidden'}, 0);
       my $fieldMandatory = $field->isMandatory?$theMandatory:'';
@@ -368,7 +382,7 @@ sub renderMetaData {
       next if $theIncludeAttr && $fieldAttrs !~ /^($theIncludeAttr)$/;
       next if $theExcludeAttr && $fieldAttrs =~ /^($theExcludeAttr)$/;
 
-      $fieldValue = '' unless defined $fieldValue;
+      $fieldValue = $fieldDefault unless defined $fieldValue;
       $fieldDescription = '' unless defined $fieldDescription;
       #writeDebug("metaData=$metaData, fieldName=$fieldName, fieldValue=$fieldValue");
 
@@ -447,6 +461,7 @@ sub renderMetaData {
       $line =~ s/\$size\b/$fieldSize/g;
       $line =~ s/\$attrs\b/$fieldAttrs/g;
       $line =~ s/\$(orig)?value\b/$fieldValue/g;
+      $line =~ s/\$default\b/$fieldDefault/g;
       $line =~ s/\$(tooltip|description)\b/$fieldDescription/g;
       $line =~ s/\$title\b/$fieldTitle/g;
       $line =~ s/\$extra\b/$fieldExtra/g;
@@ -475,7 +490,6 @@ sub renderMetaData {
     $fieldActions =~ s/\%meta\%/$metaData/g;
 
     $row =~ s/\$actions\b/$fieldActions/g;
-    $row =~ s/\$form\b/$metaData/g; # the meta data name
     $row =~ s/\$index\b/$index/g;
 
     push @result, $row;
@@ -485,6 +499,11 @@ sub renderMetaData {
   return '' if $theHideEmpty && !@result;
 
   my $result = $theHeader.join($theSep, @result).$theFooter;
+
+  $index--;
+  $result =~ s/\$count/$index/g;
+  $result =~ s/\$metadata\b/$metaData/g; # the meta data name
+  $result =~ s/\$form\b/$formWeb.$formTopic/g; # the meta data name
   $result =~ s/\$nop//g;
   $result =~ s/\$n/\n/g;
   $result =~ s/\$perce?nt/%/g;
diff --git a/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/DEPENDENCIES b/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/DEPENDENCIES
index d38f93e..3c29857 100644
--- a/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/DEPENDENCIES
+++ b/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/DEPENDENCIES
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
 Foswiki::Plugins,>=2.1,perl,Requires version 2.0 of handler API.
+Foswiki::Plugins::JQGridPlugin,>=2.0,perl,Optional
+Foswiki::Plugins::FlexFormPlugin,>=2.5,perl,Optional
diff --git a/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/MANIFEST b/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/MANIFEST
index f7c01df..8db5818 100644
--- a/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/MANIFEST
+++ b/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/MetaDataPlugin/MANIFEST
@@ -15,4 +15,7 @@ pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/metadata.js.gz 0644
 pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/metadata.uncompressed.css 0644
 pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/metadata.uncompressed.js 0644
 pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/trash.png 0644
+pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap1.png 0644
+pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap2.png 0644
+pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap3.png 0644
 templates/metadataplugin.tmpl 0644
diff --git a/pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap1.png b/pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap1.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6cc89fd
Binary files /dev/null and b/pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap1.png differ
diff --git a/pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap2.png b/pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap2.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4a65a05
Binary files /dev/null and b/pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap2.png differ
diff --git a/pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap3.png b/pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap3.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..310a90e
Binary files /dev/null and b/pub/System/MetaDataPlugin/MetaDataPluginSnap3.png differ