diff --git a/ase/awk/awk.c b/ase/awk/awk.c
index beec3850..df44a2c3 100644
--- a/ase/awk/awk.c
+++ b/ase/awk/awk.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* 
- * $Id: awk.c,v 1.98 2006-12-13 14:13:06 bacon Exp $ 
+ * $Id: awk.c,v 1.99 2006-12-15 14:58:14 bacon Exp $ 
  */
 
 #if defined(__BORLANDC__)
@@ -11,16 +11,14 @@
 
 static void __free_afn (void* awk, void* afn);
 
-ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_sysfns_t* sysfns)
+ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_sysfns_t* sysfns, int* errnum)
 {
 	ase_awk_t* awk;
 
-	if (sysfns == ASE_NULL) return ASE_NULL;
-
-	if (sysfns->malloc == ASE_NULL || 
-	    sysfns->free == ASE_NULL) return ASE_NULL;
-
-	if (sysfns->is_upper  == ASE_NULL ||
+	if (sysfns            == ASE_NULL ||
+	    sysfns->malloc    == ASE_NULL || 
+	    sysfns->free      == ASE_NULL ||
+	    sysfns->is_upper  == ASE_NULL ||
 	    sysfns->is_lower  == ASE_NULL ||
 	    sysfns->is_alpha  == ASE_NULL ||
 	    sysfns->is_digit  == ASE_NULL ||
@@ -32,14 +30,16 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_sysfns_t* sysfns)
 	    sysfns->is_cntrl  == ASE_NULL ||
 	    sysfns->is_punct  == ASE_NULL ||
 	    sysfns->to_upper  == ASE_NULL ||
-	    sysfns->to_lower  == ASE_NULL) return ASE_NULL;
-
-	if (sysfns->sprintf == ASE_NULL || 
-	    sysfns->aprintf == ASE_NULL || 
-	    sysfns->dprintf == ASE_NULL || 
-	    sysfns->abort   == ASE_NULL) return ASE_NULL;
-
-	if (sysfns->pow == ASE_NULL) return ASE_NULL;
+	    sysfns->to_lower  == ASE_NULL ||
+	    sysfns->pow       == ASE_NULL ||
+	    sysfns->sprintf   == ASE_NULL || 
+	    sysfns->aprintf   == ASE_NULL || 
+	    sysfns->dprintf   == ASE_NULL || 
+	    sysfns->abort     == ASE_NULL) 
+	{
+		*errnum = ASE_AWK_ESYSFNS;
+		return ASE_NULL;
+	}
 
 #if defined(_WIN32) && defined(_MSC_VER) && defined(_DEBUG)
 	awk = (ase_awk_t*) malloc (ASE_SIZEOF(ase_awk_t));
@@ -47,7 +47,11 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_sysfns_t* sysfns)
 	awk = (ase_awk_t*) sysfns->malloc (
 		ASE_SIZEOF(ase_awk_t), sysfns->custom_data);
 #endif
-	if (awk == ASE_NULL) return ASE_NULL;
+	if (awk == ASE_NULL) 
+	{
+		*errnum = ASE_AWK_ENOMEM;
+		return ASE_NULL;
+	}
 
 	/* it uses the built-in ase_awk_memset because awk is not 
 	 * fully initialized yet */
@@ -64,6 +68,7 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_sysfns_t* sysfns)
 	if (ase_awk_str_open (&awk->token.name, 128, awk) == ASE_NULL) 
 	{
 		ASE_AWK_FREE (awk, awk);
+		*errnum = ASE_AWK_ENOMEM;
 		return ASE_NULL;	
 	}
 
@@ -73,6 +78,7 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_sysfns_t* sysfns)
 	{
 		ase_awk_str_close (&awk->token.name);
 		ASE_AWK_FREE (awk, awk);
+		*errnum = ASE_AWK_ENOMEM;
 		return ASE_NULL;	
 	}
 
@@ -81,6 +87,7 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_sysfns_t* sysfns)
 		ase_awk_str_close (&awk->token.name);
 		ase_awk_map_close (&awk->tree.afns);
 		ASE_AWK_FREE (awk, awk);
+		*errnum = ASE_AWK_ENOMEM;
 		return ASE_NULL;	
 	}
 
@@ -90,6 +97,7 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_sysfns_t* sysfns)
 		ase_awk_map_close (&awk->tree.afns);
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.globals);
 		ASE_AWK_FREE (awk, awk);
+		*errnum = ASE_AWK_ENOMEM;
 		return ASE_NULL;	
 	}
 
@@ -100,6 +108,7 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_sysfns_t* sysfns)
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.globals);
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.locals);
 		ASE_AWK_FREE (awk, awk);
+		*errnum = ASE_AWK_ENOMEM;
 		return ASE_NULL;	
 	}
 
diff --git a/ase/awk/awk.h b/ase/awk/awk.h
index d991bde2..2cce5a9b 100644
--- a/ase/awk/awk.h
+++ b/ase/awk/awk.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* 
- * $Id: awk.h,v 1.165 2006-12-14 07:55:51 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: awk.h,v 1.166 2006-12-15 14:58:14 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _ASE_AWK_AWK_H_
@@ -19,22 +19,22 @@ typedef struct ase_awk_runios_t ase_awk_runios_t;
 typedef struct ase_awk_runcbs_t ase_awk_runcbs_t;
 typedef struct ase_awk_runarg_t ase_awk_runarg_t;
 
-typedef void* (*ase_awk_malloc_t) (ase_size_t n, void* custom_data); 
+typedef void* (*ase_awk_malloc_t)  (ase_size_t n, void* custom_data); 
 typedef void* (*ase_awk_realloc_t) (void* ptr, ase_size_t n, void* custom_data);
-typedef void (*ase_awk_free_t) (void* ptr, void* custom_data); 
-typedef void* (*ase_awk_memcpy_t) (void* dst, const void* src, ase_size_t n);
-typedef void* (*ase_awk_memset_t) (void* dst, int val, ase_size_t n);
+typedef void  (*ase_awk_free_t)    (void* ptr, void* custom_data); 
+typedef void* (*ase_awk_memcpy_t)  (void* dst, const void* src, ase_size_t n);
+typedef void* (*ase_awk_memset_t)  (void* dst, int val, ase_size_t n);
 
 typedef ase_bool_t (*ase_awk_isctype_t) (ase_cint_t c);
 typedef ase_cint_t (*ase_awk_toctype_t) (ase_cint_t c);
 typedef ase_real_t (*ase_awk_pow_t) (ase_real_t x, ase_real_t y);
+
 typedef int (*ase_awk_sprintf_t) (
 	ase_char_t* buf, ase_size_t size, const ase_char_t* fmt, ...);
 typedef void (*ase_awk_aprintf_t) (const ase_char_t* fmt, ...); 
 typedef void (*ase_awk_dprintf_t) (const ase_char_t* fmt, ...); 
-typedef void (*ase_awk_abort_t) (void);
-
-typedef void (*ase_awk_lock_t) (ase_awk_t* awk, void* custom_data);
+typedef void (*ase_awk_abort_t)   (void);
+typedef void (*ase_awk_lock_t)    (ase_awk_t* awk, void* custom_data);
 
 typedef ase_ssize_t (*ase_awk_io_t) (
 	int cmd, void* arg, ase_char_t* data, ase_size_t count);
@@ -183,11 +183,14 @@ enum
 	/* support getline and print */
 	ASE_AWK_EXTIO       = (1 << 8), 
 
+	/* support co-process */
+	ASE_AWK_COPROC      = (1 << 9),
+
 	/* support blockless patterns */
-	ASE_AWK_BLOCKLESS   = (1 << 9), 
+	ASE_AWK_BLOCKLESS   = (1 << 10), 
 
 	/* use 1 as the start index for string operations */
-	ASE_AWK_STRINDEXONE = (1 << 10),
+	ASE_AWK_STRINDEXONE = (1 << 11),
 
 	/* strip off leading and trailing spaces when splitting a record
 	 * into fields with a regular expression.
@@ -202,13 +205,13 @@ enum
 	 * The program splits " a b c " into [a], [b], [c] when this
 	 * option is on while into [], [a], [b], [c], [] when it is off.
 	 */
-	ASE_AWK_STRIPSPACES = (1 << 11),
+	ASE_AWK_STRIPSPACES = (1 << 12),
 
 	/* enable the nextoutfile keyword */
-	ASE_AWK_NEXTOFILE   = (1 << 12),
+	ASE_AWK_NEXTOFILE   = (1 << 13),
 
 	/* a newline terminates a statement */
-	ASE_AWK_NEWLINE     = (1 << 13)
+	ASE_AWK_NEWLINE     = (1 << 14)
 };
 
 /* error code */
@@ -220,10 +223,12 @@ enum
 	ASE_AWK_EEXIST,         /* existing data found */
 	ASE_AWK_ENOENT,         /* no such data entry found */
 	ASE_AWK_EACCES,         /* access denied */
+
 	ASE_AWK_ERUNTIME,       /* run-time error */
 	ASE_AWK_ERUNNING,       /* there are running instances */
 	ASE_AWK_ETOOMANYRUNS,   /* too many running instances */
 	ASE_AWK_ERECURSION,     /* recursion too deep */
+	ASE_AWK_ESYSFNS,        /* system functions not proper */
 
 	ASE_AWK_ESRCINOPEN,
 	ASE_AWK_ESRCINCLOSE,
@@ -383,7 +388,7 @@ enum
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_sysfns_t* sysfns);
+ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_sysfns_t* sysfns, int* errnum);
 int ase_awk_close (ase_awk_t* awk);
 int ase_awk_clear (ase_awk_t* awk);
 
diff --git a/ase/awk/err.c b/ase/awk/err.c
index 103e882f..f0d81200 100644
--- a/ase/awk/err.c
+++ b/ase/awk/err.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: err.c,v 1.58 2006-12-12 05:16:29 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: err.c,v 1.59 2006-12-15 14:58:14 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ const ase_char_t* ase_awk_geterrstr (int errnum)
 		ASE_T("one or more running instances"),
 		ASE_T("too many running instances"),
 		ASE_T("recursion too deep"),
+		ASE_T("system functions not provided or not proper"),
 
 		ASE_T("cannot open source input"),
 		ASE_T("cannot close source input"),
diff --git a/ase/awk/jni.c b/ase/awk/jni.c
index 563d12de..638ee9ed 100644
--- a/ase/awk/jni.c
+++ b/ase/awk/jni.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: jni.c,v 1.40 2006-12-13 14:16:12 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: jni.c,v 1.41 2006-12-15 14:58:15 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ JNIEXPORT void JNICALL Java_ase_awk_Awk_open (JNIEnv* env, jobject obj)
 	jthrowable except;
 	ase_awk_t* awk;
 	ase_awk_sysfns_t sysfns;
-	int opt;
+	int opt, errnum;
 	
 	memset (&sysfns, 0, sizeof(sysfns));
 	sysfns.malloc = __awk_malloc;
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ JNIEXPORT void JNICALL Java_ase_awk_Awk_open (JNIEnv* env, jobject obj)
 	sysfns.dprintf = __awk_dprintf;
 	sysfns.abort = abort;
 
-	awk = ase_awk_open (&sysfns);
+	awk = ase_awk_open (&sysfns, &errnum);
 	if (awk == NULL)
 	{
 		except = (*env)->FindClass (env, CLASS_EXCEPTION);
diff --git a/ase/awk/parse.c b/ase/awk/parse.c
index 8486561c..4a98d788 100644
--- a/ase/awk/parse.c
+++ b/ase/awk/parse.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: parse.c,v 1.221 2006-12-12 05:16:30 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: parse.c,v 1.222 2006-12-15 14:58:15 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -3608,7 +3608,7 @@ static int __get_token (ase_awk_t* awk)
 			ADD_TOKEN_CHAR (awk, c);
 			GET_CHAR (awk);
 		}
-		else if (c == ASE_T('&'))
+		else if ((awk->option & ASE_AWK_COPROC) && c == ASE_T('&'))
 		{
 			SET_TOKEN_TYPE (awk, TOKEN_BORAND);
 			ADD_TOKEN_CHAR (awk, c);
diff --git a/ase/test/awk/awk.c b/ase/test/awk/awk.c
index 7b1d10a6..25509d01 100644
--- a/ase/test/awk/awk.c
+++ b/ase/test/awk/awk.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: awk.c,v 1.136 2006-12-13 14:17:01 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: awk.c,v 1.137 2006-12-15 14:58:37 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/awk/awk.h>
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ static int __main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
 	ase_awk_runarg_t runarg[10];
 	ase_awk_sysfns_t sysfns;
 	struct src_io src_io = { NULL, NULL };
-	int opt, i, file_count = 0;
+	int opt, i, file_count = 0, errnum;
 #ifdef _WIN32
 	sysfns_data_t sysfns_data;
 #endif
@@ -753,6 +753,7 @@ static int __main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
 	      ASE_AWK_SHADING | 
 	      ASE_AWK_SHIFT | 
 	      ASE_AWK_EXTIO | 
+	      /*ASE_AWK_COPROC |*/
 	      ASE_AWK_BLOCKLESS | 
 	      ASE_AWK_STRINDEXONE | 
 	      ASE_AWK_STRIPSPACES | 
@@ -829,12 +830,14 @@ static int __main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
 	sysfns.custom_data = &sysfns_data;
 #endif
 
-	if ((awk = ase_awk_open(&sysfns)) == ASE_NULL) 
+	if ((awk = ase_awk_open(&sysfns, &errnum)) == ASE_NULL) 
 	{
 #ifdef _WIN32
 		HeapDestroy (sysfns_data.heap);
 #endif
-		xp_printf (ASE_T("Error: cannot open awk\n"));
+		xp_printf (
+			ASE_T("ERROR: cannot parse awk [%d] %s\n"), 
+			errnum, ase_awk_geterrstr(errnum));
 		return -1;
 	}