diff --git a/hawk/lib/rio-prv.h b/hawk/lib/rio-prv.h
index 43f99b24..bb44eacf 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/rio-prv.h
+++ b/hawk/lib/rio-prv.h
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ int hawk_rtx_readio (
 	hawk_rtx_t* run, int in_type, 
 	const hawk_ooch_t* name, hawk_ooecs_t* buf);
 
+int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (
+	hawk_rtx_t* run, int in_type, 
+	const hawk_ooch_t* name, hawk_becs_t* buf);
+
 int hawk_rtx_writeioval (
 	hawk_rtx_t* run, int out_type, 
 	const hawk_ooch_t* name, hawk_val_t* v);
diff --git a/hawk/lib/rio.c b/hawk/lib/rio.c
index 0bcdd51f..cc7bbc59 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/rio.c
+++ b/hawk/lib/rio.c
@@ -666,7 +666,6 @@ int hawk_rtx_readio (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name, hawk
 
 int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name, hawk_becs_t* buf)
 {
-#if 1
 	hawk_rio_arg_t* p;
 	hawk_rio_impl_t handler;
 	int ret;
@@ -695,6 +694,7 @@ int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name,
 
 	ret = 1;
 
+
 	/* call the I/O handler */
 	while (1)
 	{
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@ int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name,
 				break;
 			}
 
-			x = handler(rtx, HAWK_RIO_CMD_READ_BYTES, p, p->in.buf, HAWK_COUNTOF(p->in.buf));
+			x = handler(rtx, HAWK_RIO_CMD_READ_BYTES, p, (hawk_bch_t*)p->in.buf, HAWK_SIZEOF(p->in.buf));
 			if (x <= -1)
 			{
 				ret = -1;
@@ -814,7 +814,7 @@ int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name,
 			}
 			while (p->in.pos < p->in.len);
 
-			tmp = hawk_becs_ncat(buf, &p->in.buf[start_pos], end_pos - start_pos);
+			tmp = hawk_becs_ncat(buf, &((hawk_bch_t*)p->in.buf)[start_pos], end_pos - start_pos);
 			if (tmp == (hawk_oow_t)-1)
 			{
 				ret = -1;
@@ -928,7 +928,7 @@ int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name,
 			}
 			while (p->in.pos < p->in.len);
 
-			tmp = hawk_becs_ncat(buf, &p->in.buf[start_pos], end_pos - start_pos);
+			tmp = hawk_becs_ncat(buf, &((hawk_bch_t*)p->in.buf)[start_pos], end_pos - start_pos);
 			if (tmp == (hawk_oow_t)-1)
 			{
 				ret = -1;
@@ -950,7 +950,7 @@ int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name,
 			 * to the buffer, it is the longest match.
 			 */
 
-			tmp = hawk_becs_ncat(buf, &p->in.buf[p->in.pos], p->in.len - p->in.pos);
+			tmp = hawk_becs_ncat(buf, &((hawk_bch_t*)p->in.buf)[p->in.pos], p->in.len - p->in.pos);
 			if (tmp == (hawk_oow_t)-1)
 			{
 				ret = -1;
@@ -972,10 +972,6 @@ int hawk_rtx_readiobytes (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, int in_type, const hawk_ooch_t* name,
 	hawk_rtx_refdownval (rtx, brs);
 
 	return ret;
-#else
-	hawk_rtx_seterrnum (rtx, HAWK_NULL, HAWK_ENOIMPL);
-	return -1;
-#endif
 }
 
 
diff --git a/hawk/lib/run.c b/hawk/lib/run.c
index 9e8752f0..d2c51ffe 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/run.c
+++ b/hawk/lib/run.c
@@ -6661,7 +6661,7 @@ static hawk_val_t* eval_pos (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_nde_t* nde)
 	return v;
 }
 
-static hawk_val_t* nde_to_str(hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_nde_t* nde, hawk_oocs_t* dst)
+static hawk_val_t* getline_target_nde_to_str(hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_nde_t* nde, hawk_oocs_t* dst)
 {
 	hawk_oow_t len;
 	hawk_val_t* v;
@@ -6677,9 +6677,10 @@ static hawk_val_t* nde_to_str(hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_nde_t* nde, hawk_oocs_t* dst
 		return HAWK_NULL;
 	}
 
-	while (dst->len > 0)
+	len = dst->len;
+	while (len > 0)
 	{
-		if (dst->ptr[--dst->len] == '\0')
+		if (dst->ptr[--len] == '\0')
 		{
 			dst->len = 0; /* indicate that the name is not valid */
 			break;
@@ -6708,7 +6709,7 @@ static hawk_val_t* __eval_getline (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_nde_t* nde)
 
 	if (p->in)
 	{
-		v = nde_to_str(rtx, p->in, &dst);
+		v = getline_target_nde_to_str(rtx, p->in, &dst);
 		if (!v) return HAWK_NULL;
 
 		if (dst.len <= 0) 
@@ -6816,7 +6817,7 @@ static hawk_val_t* __eval_getbline (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_nde_t* nde)
 
 	if (p->in)
 	{
-		v = nde_to_str(rtx, p->in, &dst);
+		v = getline_target_nde_to_str(rtx, p->in, &dst);
 		if (!v) return HAWK_NULL;
 
 		if (dst.len <= 0) 
@@ -6852,6 +6853,8 @@ read_console_again:
 	}
 	else if (n > 0)
 	{
+#if 0
+/* the implementation is not perfect yet.
 		if (p->in_type == HAWK_IN_CONSOLE)
 		{
 			HAWK_ASSERT (p->in == HAWK_NULL);
@@ -6867,7 +6870,7 @@ read_console_again:
 				}
 			}
 		}
-
+#endif
 		if (p->var == HAWK_NULL)
 		{
 			/* set $0 with the input value */
@@ -6893,12 +6896,14 @@ read_console_again:
 			if (tmp == HAWK_NULL) return HAWK_NULL;
 		}
 
+#if 0
 		/* update FNR & NR if reading from console */
 		if (p->in_type == HAWK_IN_CONSOLE &&
 		    update_fnr(rtx, rtx->gbl.fnr + 1, rtx->gbl.nr + 1) <= -1) 
 		{
 			return HAWK_NULL;
 		}
+#endif
 	}
 	
 skip_read:
diff --git a/hawk/lib/std.c b/hawk/lib/std.c
index 39bd3f5a..d7de8d7f 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/std.c
+++ b/hawk/lib/std.c
@@ -1854,7 +1854,7 @@ static hawk_ooi_t pio_handler_rest (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_rio_cmd_t cmd, hawk_ri
 			return hawk_pio_read((hawk_pio_t*)riod->handle, HAWK_PIO_OUT, data, size);
 
 		case HAWK_RIO_CMD_READ_BYTES:
-			return hawk_pio_readbytes((hawk_pio_t*)riod->handle, HAWK_PIO_IN, data, size);
+			return hawk_pio_readbytes((hawk_pio_t*)riod->handle, HAWK_PIO_OUT, data, size);
 
 		case HAWK_RIO_CMD_WRITE:
 			return hawk_pio_write((hawk_pio_t*)riod->handle, HAWK_PIO_IN, data, size);