diff --git a/ase/awk/Awk.cpp b/ase/awk/Awk.cpp
index a9a59780..7f0746d7 100644
--- a/ase/awk/Awk.cpp
+++ b/ase/awk/Awk.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: Awk.cpp,v 1.29 2007/05/16 06:43:32 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: Awk.cpp,v 1.30 2007/05/16 07:13:32 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/awk/Awk.hpp>
@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@
 #include <ase/cmn/str.h>
 #include <ase/cmn/mem.h>
 
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include <tchar.h>
-
 namespace ASE
 {
 
@@ -158,7 +155,7 @@ namespace ASE
 		}
 	}
 
-	void* Awk::Argument::operator new (size_t n, awk_t* awk)
+	void* Awk::Argument::operator new (size_t n, awk_t* awk) throw ()
 	{
 		void* ptr = ase_awk_malloc (awk, ASE_SIZEOF(awk) + n);
 		if (ptr == ASE_NULL) return ASE_NULL;
@@ -167,7 +164,7 @@ namespace ASE
 		return (char*)ptr+ASE_SIZEOF(awk);
 	}
 
-	void* Awk::Argument::operator new[] (size_t n, awk_t* awk)
+	void* Awk::Argument::operator new[] (size_t n, awk_t* awk) throw ()
 	{
 		void* ptr = ase_awk_malloc (awk, ASE_SIZEOF(awk) + n);
 		if (ptr == ASE_NULL) return ASE_NULL;
diff --git a/ase/awk/Awk.hpp b/ase/awk/Awk.hpp
index b285548c..8c3e75fe 100644
--- a/ase/awk/Awk.hpp
+++ b/ase/awk/Awk.hpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: Awk.hpp,v 1.27 2007/05/16 06:43:32 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: Awk.hpp,v 1.28 2007/05/16 07:13:32 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _ASE_AWK_AWK_HPP_
@@ -136,8 +136,8 @@ namespace ASE
 			~Argument ();
 
 			// initialization
-			void* operator new (size_t n, awk_t* awk);
-			void* operator new[] (size_t n, awk_t* awk);
+			void* operator new (size_t n, awk_t* awk) throw ();
+			void* operator new[] (size_t n, awk_t* awk) throw ();
 
 			// deletion when initialization fails
 			void operator delete (void* p, awk_t* awk);
diff --git a/ase/awk/StdAwk.cpp b/ase/awk/StdAwk.cpp
index 0c905b90..281ee32f 100644
--- a/ase/awk/StdAwk.cpp
+++ b/ase/awk/StdAwk.cpp
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 /*
- * $Id: StdAwk.cpp,v 1.12 2007/05/13 10:49:32 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: StdAwk.cpp,v 1.14 2007/05/16 14:44:13 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/awk/StdAwk.hpp>
+#include <ase/cmn/str.h>
+#include <ase/utl/stdio.h>
+#include <ase/utl/ctype.h>
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <math.h>
@@ -195,4 +198,270 @@ namespace ASE
 		return n;
 	#endif
 	}
+
+	int StdAwk::openPipe (Pipe& io) 
+	{ 
+		Awk::Pipe::Mode mode = io.getMode();
+		FILE* fp = NULL;
+
+		switch (mode)
+		{
+			case Awk::Pipe::READ:
+				fp = ase_popen (io.getName(), ASE_T("r"));
+				break;
+			case Awk::Pipe::WRITE:
+				fp = ase_popen (io.getName(), ASE_T("w"));
+				break;
+		}
+
+		if (fp == NULL) return -1;
+
+		io.setHandle (fp);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	int StdAwk::closePipe (Pipe& io) 
+	{
+		fclose ((FILE*)io.getHandle());
+		return 0; 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::ssize_t StdAwk::readPipe (Pipe& io, char_t* buf, size_t len) 
+	{ 
+		// TODO: change this implementation...
+		FILE* fp = (FILE*)io.getHandle();
+		if (ase_fgets (buf, len, fp) == ASE_NULL)
+		{
+			if (ferror(fp)) return -1;
+			return 0;
+		}
+
+		return ase_strlen(buf);
+	}
+
+	
+	StdAwk::ssize_t StdAwk::writePipe (Pipe& io, char_t* buf, size_t len) 
+	{ 
+		FILE* fp = (FILE*)io.getHandle();
+		size_t left = len;
+
+		while (left > 0)
+		{
+			if (*buf == ASE_T('\0')) 
+			{
+			#if defined(ASE_CHAR_IS_WCHAR) && defined(__linux)
+				if (fputc ('\0', fp) == EOF)
+			#else
+				if (ase_fputc (*buf, fp) == ASE_CHAR_EOF) 
+			#endif
+				{
+					return -1;
+				}
+				left -= 1; buf += 1;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+			#if defined(ASE_CHAR_IS_WCHAR) && defined(__linux)
+			// fwprintf seems to return an error with the file
+			// pointer opened by popen, as of this writing. 
+			// anyway, hopefully the following replacement 
+			// will work all the way.
+				int n = fprintf (fp, "%.*ls", left, buf);
+				if (n >= 0)
+				{
+					size_t x;
+					for (x = 0; x < left; x++)
+					{
+						if (buf[x] == ASE_T('\0')) break;
+					}
+					n = x;
+				}
+			#else
+				int n = ase_fprintf (fp, ASE_T("%.*s"), left, buf);
+			#endif
+
+				if (n < 0 || n > left) return -1;
+				left -= n; buf += n;
+			}
+		}
+
+		return len;
+	}
+
+	int StdAwk::flushPipe (Pipe& io) 
+	{ 
+		return ::fflush ((FILE*)io.getHandle()); 
+	}
+
+	// file io handlers 
+	int StdAwk::openFile (File& io) 
+	{ 
+		Awk::File::Mode mode = io.getMode();
+		FILE* fp = NULL;
+
+		switch (mode)
+		{
+			case Awk::File::READ:
+				fp = ase_fopen (io.getName(), ASE_T("r"));
+				break;
+			case Awk::File::WRITE:
+				fp = ase_fopen (io.getName(), ASE_T("w"));
+				break;
+			case Awk::File::APPEND:
+				fp = ase_fopen (io.getName(), ASE_T("a"));
+				break;
+		}
+
+		if (fp == NULL) return -1;
+
+		io.setHandle (fp);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	int StdAwk::closeFile (File& io) 
+	{ 
+		fclose ((FILE*)io.getHandle());
+		return 0; 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::ssize_t StdAwk::readFile (File& io, char_t* buf, size_t len) 
+	{
+		// TODO: replace ase_fgets by something else
+		FILE* fp = (FILE*)io.getHandle();
+		if (ase_fgets (buf, len, fp) == ASE_NULL)
+		{
+			if (ferror(fp)) return -1;
+			return 0;
+		}
+
+		return ase_strlen(buf);
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::ssize_t StdAwk::writeFile (File& io, char_t* buf, size_t len)
+	{
+		FILE* fp = (FILE*)io.getHandle();
+		size_t left = len;
+
+		while (left > 0)
+		{
+			if (*buf == ASE_T('\0')) 
+			{
+				if (ase_fputc (*buf, fp) == ASE_CHAR_EOF) return -1;
+				left -= 1; buf += 1;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				int n = ase_fprintf (fp, ASE_T("%.*s"), left, buf);
+				if (n < 0 || n > left) return -1;
+				left -= n; buf += n;
+			}
+		}
+
+		return len;
+	}
+
+	int StdAwk::flushFile (File& io) 
+	{ 
+		return ::fflush ((FILE*)io.getHandle()); 
+	}
+
+	// memory allocation primitives
+	void* StdAwk::allocMem (size_t n) 
+	{ 
+		return ::malloc (n); 
+	}
+
+	void* StdAwk::reallocMem (void* ptr, size_t n) 
+	{ 
+		return ::realloc (ptr, n); 
+	}
+
+	void  StdAwk::freeMem (void* ptr) 
+	{ 
+		::free (ptr); 
+	}
+
+	// character class primitives
+	StdAwk::bool_t StdAwk::isUpper (cint_t c)
+	{ 
+		return ase_isupper (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::bool_t StdAwk::isLower (cint_t c) 
+	{
+		return ase_islower (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::bool_t StdAwk::isAlpha (cint_t c) 
+	{ 
+		return ase_isalpha (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::bool_t StdAwk::isDigit (cint_t c) 
+	{
+		return ase_isdigit (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::bool_t StdAwk::isXdigit (cint_t c)
+	{
+		return ase_isxdigit (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::bool_t StdAwk::isAlnum (cint_t c) 
+	{
+		return ase_isalnum (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::bool_t StdAwk::isSpace (cint_t c) 
+	{
+		return ase_isspace (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::bool_t StdAwk::isPrint (cint_t c) 
+	{
+		return ase_isprint (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::bool_t StdAwk::isGraph (cint_t c) 
+	{ 
+		return ase_isgraph (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::bool_t StdAwk::isCntrl (cint_t c) 
+	{ 
+		return ase_iscntrl (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::bool_t StdAwk::isPunct (cint_t c) 
+	{ 
+		return ase_ispunct (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::cint_t StdAwk::toUpper (cint_t c) 
+	{ 
+		return ase_toupper (c); 
+	}
+
+	StdAwk::cint_t StdAwk::toLower (cint_t c) 
+	{ 
+		return ase_tolower (c); 
+	}
+
+	// miscellaneous primitive
+	StdAwk::real_t StdAwk::pow (real_t x, real_t y) 
+	{ 
+		return ::pow (x, y); 
+	}
+
+	int StdAwk::vsprintf (
+		char_t* buf, size_t size, const char_t* fmt, va_list arg) 
+	{
+		return ase_vsprintf (buf, size, fmt, arg);
+	}
+
+	void StdAwk::vdprintf (const char_t* fmt, va_list arg) 
+	{
+		ase_vfprintf (stderr, fmt, arg);
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/ase/awk/StdAwk.hpp b/ase/awk/StdAwk.hpp
index 65a25900..28e609fb 100644
--- a/ase/awk/StdAwk.hpp
+++ b/ase/awk/StdAwk.hpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: StdAwk.hpp,v 1.7 2007/05/11 16:25:38 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: StdAwk.hpp,v 1.9 2007/05/16 14:44:13 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _ASE_AWK_STDAWK_HPP_
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 
 #include <ase/awk/Awk.hpp>
 
-
 namespace ASE
 {
 	class StdAwk: public Awk
@@ -18,6 +17,8 @@ namespace ASE
 		int open ();
 
 	protected:
+
+		// builtin functions 
 		int sin (Return* ret, const Argument* args, size_t nargs);
 		int cos (Return* ret, const Argument* args, size_t nargs);
 		int tan (Return* ret, const Argument* args, size_t nargs);
@@ -33,6 +34,45 @@ namespace ASE
 		int strfgmtime (Return* ret, const Argument* args, size_t nargs);
 		int system (Return* ret, const Argument* args, size_t nargs);
 
+
+		// pipe io handlers 
+		int openPipe (Pipe& io);
+		int closePipe (Pipe& io);
+		ssize_t readPipe  (Pipe& io, char_t* buf, size_t len);
+		ssize_t writePipe (Pipe& io, char_t* buf, size_t len);
+		int flushPipe (Pipe& io);
+
+		// file io handlers 
+		int openFile (File& io);
+		int closeFile (File& io);
+		ssize_t readFile (File& io, char_t* buf, size_t len);
+		ssize_t writeFile (File& io, char_t* buf, size_t len);
+		int flushFile (File& io);
+
+		// primitive handlers 
+		void* allocMem   (size_t n);
+		void* reallocMem (void* ptr, size_t n);
+		void  freeMem    (void* ptr);
+
+		bool_t isUpper  (cint_t c);
+		bool_t isLower  (cint_t c);
+		bool_t isAlpha  (cint_t c);
+		bool_t isDigit  (cint_t c);
+		bool_t isXdigit (cint_t c);
+		bool_t isAlnum  (cint_t c);
+		bool_t isSpace  (cint_t c);
+		bool_t isPrint  (cint_t c);
+		bool_t isGraph  (cint_t c);
+		bool_t isCntrl  (cint_t c);
+		bool_t isPunct  (cint_t c);
+		cint_t toUpper  (cint_t c);
+		cint_t toLower  (cint_t c);
+
+		real_t pow (real_t x, real_t y);
+		int    vsprintf (char_t* buf, size_t size,
+		                 const char_t* fmt, va_list arg);
+		void   vdprintf (const char_t* fmt, va_list arg);
+
 	protected:
 		unsigned int seed; 
 	};
diff --git a/ase/change.log b/ase/change.log
index e6ee034b..282733c2 100644
--- a/ase/change.log
+++ b/ase/change.log
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 * added awk c++ classes (awk/Awk.hpp awk/Awk.cpp awk/StdAwk.hpp awk/StdAwk.cpp)
 * added c++ test program (test/awk/Awk.cpp)
 
+* changed the way to invoke the main function (utl/main.h utl/main.c)
+
 [0.1.0]
 
 * initial release
diff --git a/ase/test/awk/Awk.cpp b/ase/test/awk/Awk.cpp
index edcb6fcf..3429c173 100644
--- a/ase/test/awk/Awk.cpp
+++ b/ase/test/awk/Awk.cpp
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 /*
- * $Id: Awk.cpp,v 1.12 2007/05/14 08:40:13 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: Awk.cpp,v 1.15 2007/05/16 14:44:13 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/awk/StdAwk.hpp>
 #include <ase/cmn/str.h>
-
-#include <ase/utl/ctype.h>
 #include <ase/utl/stdio.h>
 #include <ase/utl/main.h>
 
@@ -22,6 +20,9 @@ public:
 	TestAwk (): srcInName(ASE_NULL), srcOutName(ASE_NULL), 
 	            numConInFiles(0), numConOutFiles(0)
 	{
+	#ifdef _WIN32
+		heap = ASE_NULL;
+	#endif
 	}
 
 	~TestAwk ()
@@ -29,6 +30,30 @@ public:
 		close ();
 	}
 
+	int open ()
+	{
+	#ifdef _WIN32
+		ASE_ASSERT (heap == ASE_NULL);
+		heap = HeapCreate (0, 1000000, 1000000);
+		if (heap == ASE_NULL) return -1;
+	#endif
+
+		return StdAwk::open ();
+	}
+
+	void close ()
+	{
+		StdAwk::close ();
+
+		numConInFiles = 0;
+		numConOutFiles = 0;
+
+	#ifdef _WIN32
+		HeapDestroy (heap); 
+		heap = ASE_NULL;
+	#endif
+	}
+
 	int addConsoleInput (const char_t* file)
 	{
 		if (numConInFiles < ASE_COUNTOF(conInFile))
@@ -114,13 +139,19 @@ protected:
 
 	ssize_t readSource (Source& io, char_t* buf, size_t len)
 	{
-		if (len <= 0) return -1;
+		FILE* fp = (FILE*)io.getHandle();
+		ssize_t n = 0;
 
-		// TOOD: read more characters...
-		cint_t c = ase_fgetc ((FILE*)io.getHandle());
-		if (c == ASE_CHAR_EOF) return 0;
-		buf[0] = (ase_char_t)c;
-		return 1;
+		while (n < len)
+		{
+			ase_cint_t c = ase_fgetc (fp);
+			if (c == ASE_CHAR_EOF) break;
+
+			buf[n++] = c;
+			if (c == ASE_T('\n')) break;
+		}
+
+		return n;
 	}
 
 	ssize_t writeSource (Source& io, char_t* buf, size_t len)
@@ -146,164 +177,6 @@ protected:
 		return len;
 	}
 
-	// pipe io handlers 
-	int openPipe (Pipe& io) 
-	{ 
-		Awk::Pipe::Mode mode = io.getMode();
-		FILE* fp = NULL;
-
-		switch (mode)
-		{
-			case Awk::Pipe::READ:
-				fp = ase_popen (io.getName(), ASE_T("r"));
-				break;
-			case Awk::Pipe::WRITE:
-				fp = ase_popen (io.getName(), ASE_T("w"));
-				break;
-		}
-
-		if (fp == NULL) return -1;
-
-		io.setHandle (fp);
-		return 1;
-	}
-
-	int closePipe (Pipe& io) 
-	{
-		fclose ((FILE*)io.getHandle());
-		return 0; 
-	}
-
-	ssize_t readPipe  (Pipe& io, char_t* buf, size_t len) 
-	{ 
-		FILE* fp = (FILE*)io.getHandle();
-		if (ase_fgets (buf, len, fp) == ASE_NULL)
-		{
-			if (ferror(fp)) return -1;
-			return 0;
-		}
-
-		return ase_strlen(buf);
-	}
-
-	ssize_t writePipe (Pipe& io, char_t* buf, size_t len) 
-	{ 
-		FILE* fp = (FILE*)io.getHandle();
-		size_t left = len;
-
-		while (left > 0)
-		{
-			if (*buf == ASE_T('\0')) 
-			{
-			#if defined(ASE_CHAR_IS_WCHAR) && defined(__linux)
-				if (fputc ('\0', fp) == EOF)
-			#else
-				if (ase_fputc (*buf, fp) == ASE_CHAR_EOF) 
-			#endif
-				{
-					return -1;
-				}
-				left -= 1; buf += 1;
-			}
-			else
-			{
-			#if defined(ASE_CHAR_IS_WCHAR) && defined(__linux)
-			/* fwprintf seems to return an error with the file
-			 * pointer opened by popen, as of this writing. 
-			 * anyway, hopefully the following replacement 
-			 * will work all the way. */
-				int n = fprintf (fp, "%.*ls", left, buf);
-				if (n >= 0)
-				{
-					size_t x;
-					for (x = 0; x < left; x++)
-					{
-						if (buf[x] == ASE_T('\0')) break;
-					}
-					n = x;
-				}
-			#else
-				int n = ase_fprintf (fp, ASE_T("%.*s"), left, buf);
-			#endif
-
-				if (n < 0 || n > left) return -1;
-				left -= n; buf += n;
-			}
-		}
-
-		return len;
-	}
-
-	int flushPipe (Pipe& io) { return ::fflush ((FILE*)io.getHandle()); }
-
-	// file io handlers 
-	int openFile (File& io) 
-	{ 
-		Awk::File::Mode mode = io.getMode();
-		FILE* fp = NULL;
-
-		switch (mode)
-		{
-			case Awk::File::READ:
-				fp = ase_fopen (io.getName(), ASE_T("r"));
-				break;
-			case Awk::File::WRITE:
-				fp = ase_fopen (io.getName(), ASE_T("w"));
-				break;
-			case Awk::File::APPEND:
-				fp = ase_fopen (io.getName(), ASE_T("a"));
-				break;
-		}
-
-		if (fp == NULL) return -1;
-
-		io.setHandle (fp);
-		return 1;
-	}
-
-	int closeFile (File& io) 
-	{ 
-		fclose ((FILE*)io.getHandle());
-		return 0; 
-	}
-
-	ssize_t readFile (File& io, char_t* buf, size_t len) 
-	{
-		FILE* fp = (FILE*)io.getHandle();
-		if (ase_fgets (buf, len, fp) == ASE_NULL)
-		{
-			if (ferror(fp)) return -1;
-			return 0;
-		}
-
-		return ase_strlen(buf);
-	}
-
-	ssize_t writeFile (File& io, char_t* buf, size_t len)
-	{
-		FILE* fp = (FILE*)io.getHandle();
-		size_t left = len;
-
-		while (left > 0)
-		{
-			if (*buf == ASE_T('\0')) 
-			{
-				if (ase_fputc (*buf, fp) == ASE_CHAR_EOF) return -1;
-				left -= 1; buf += 1;
-			}
-			else
-			{
-				int n = ase_fprintf (fp, ASE_T("%.*s"), left, buf);
-				if (n < 0 || n > left) return -1;
-				left -= n; buf += n;
-			}
-		}
-
-		return len;
-	}
-
-	int flushFile (File& io) { return ::fflush ((FILE*)io.getHandle()); }
-
 	// console io handlers 
 	int openConsole (Console& io) 
 	{ 
@@ -373,14 +246,18 @@ protected:
 	{
 		ConTrack* t = (ConTrack*)io.getHandle();
 		FILE* fp = t->handle;
+		ssize_t n = 0;
 
-		if (ase_fgets (buf, len, fp) == ASE_NULL)
+		while (n < len)
 		{
-			if (ferror(fp)) return -1;
-			return 0;
+			ase_cint_t c = ase_fgetc (fp);
+			if (c == ASE_CHAR_EOF) break;
+
+			buf[n++] = c;
+			if (c == ASE_T('\n')) break;
 		}
 
-		return ase_strlen(buf);
+		return n;
 	}
 
 	ssize_t writeConsole (Console& io, char_t* buf, size_t len) 
@@ -456,39 +333,34 @@ protected:
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-
-	// primitive operations 
-	void* allocMem   (size_t n) { return ::malloc (n); }
-	void* reallocMem (void* ptr, size_t n) { return ::realloc (ptr, n); }
-	void  freeMem    (void* ptr) { ::free (ptr); }
-
-	bool_t isUpper  (cint_t c) { return ase_isupper (c); }
-	bool_t isLower  (cint_t c) { return ase_islower (c); }
-	bool_t isAlpha  (cint_t c) { return ase_isalpha (c); }
-	bool_t isDigit  (cint_t c) { return ase_isdigit (c); }
-	bool_t isXdigit (cint_t c) { return ase_isxdigit (c); }
-	bool_t isAlnum  (cint_t c) { return ase_isalnum (c); }
-	bool_t isSpace  (cint_t c) { return ase_isspace (c); }
-	bool_t isPrint  (cint_t c) { return ase_isprint (c); }
-	bool_t isGraph  (cint_t c) { return ase_isgraph (c); }
-	bool_t isCntrl  (cint_t c) { return ase_iscntrl (c); }
-	bool_t isPunct  (cint_t c) { return ase_ispunct (c); }
-	cint_t toUpper  (cint_t c) { return ase_toupper (c); }
-	cint_t toLower  (cint_t c) { return ase_tolower (c); }
-
-	real_t pow (real_t x, real_t y) 
+	void* allocMem (size_t n) 
 	{ 
-		return ::pow (x, y); 
+	#ifdef _WIN32
+		return ::HeapAlloc (heap, 0, n);
+	#else
+		return ::malloc (n);
+	#endif
 	}
 
-	int vsprintf (char_t* buf, size_t size, const char_t* fmt, va_list arg) 
-	{
-		return ase_vsprintf (buf, size, fmt, arg);
+	void* reallocMem (void* ptr, size_t n) 
+	{ 
+	#ifdef _WIN32
+		if (ptr == NULL)
+			return ::HeapAlloc (heap, 0, n);
+		else
+			return ::HeapReAlloc (heap, 0, ptr, n);
+	#else
+		return ::realloc (ptr, n);
+	#endif
 	}
 
-	void vdprintf (const char_t* fmt, va_list arg) 
-	{
-		ase_vfprintf (stderr, fmt, arg);
+	void freeMem (void* ptr) 
+	{ 
+	#ifdef _WIN32
+		::HeapFree (heap, 0, ptr);
+	#else
+		::free (ptr);
+	#endif
 	}
 
 private:
@@ -506,6 +378,10 @@ private:
 
 	size_t        numConOutFiles;
 	const char_t* conOutFile[128];
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+	void* heap;
+#endif
 };
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
@@ -683,15 +559,16 @@ int awk_main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
 	return 0;
 }
 
-extern "C" int ase_main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
+int ase_main (int argc, ase_achar_t* argv[])
 {
+
 	int n;
 
 #if defined(__linux) && defined(_DEBUG)
 	mtrace ();
 #endif
 
-	n = awk_main (argc, argv);
+	n = ase_runmain (argc,argv,awk_main);
 
 #if defined(__linux) && defined(_DEBUG)
 	muntrace ();
diff --git a/ase/test/awk/awk.c b/ase/test/awk/awk.c
index 12cc0d78..cbaaa92f 100644
--- a/ase/test/awk/awk.c
+++ b/ase/test/awk/awk.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: awk.c,v 1.6 2007/05/13 14:57:43 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: awk.c,v 1.8 2007/05/16 09:15:14 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/awk/awk.h>
@@ -46,13 +46,6 @@ struct mmgr_data_t
 };
 #endif
 
-#if defined(vms) || defined(__vms)
-/* it seems that the main function should be placed in the main object file
- * in OpenVMS. otherwise, the first function in the main object file seems
- * to become the main function resulting in program start-up failure. */
-#include <ase/utl/main.c>
-#endif
-
 #ifndef NDEBUG
 void ase_assert_abort (void)
 {
@@ -1096,7 +1089,7 @@ static int awk_main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int ase_main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
+int ase_main (int argc, ase_achar_t* argv[])
 {
 	int n;
 
@@ -1109,7 +1102,7 @@ int ase_main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
 #endif
 */
 
-	n = awk_main (argc, argv);
+	n = ase_runmain (argc, argv, awk_main);
 
 #if defined(__linux) && defined(_DEBUG)
 	muntrace ();
diff --git a/ase/test/lsp/lsp.c b/ase/test/lsp/lsp.c
index ee5699e0..3bf4adfd 100644
--- a/ase/test/lsp/lsp.c
+++ b/ase/test/lsp/lsp.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: lsp.c,v 1.3 2007/04/30 08:32:50 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: lsp.c,v 1.5 2007/05/16 09:15:14 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/lsp/lsp.h>
@@ -25,13 +25,6 @@
 #include <mcheck.h>
 #endif
 
-#if defined(vms) || defined(__vms)
-/* it seems that the main function should be placed in the main object file
- * in OpenVMS. otherwise, the first function in the main object file seems
- * to become the main function resulting in program start-up failure. */
-#include <ase/utl/main.c>
-#endif
-
 #ifndef NDEBUG
 void ase_assert_abort (void)
 {
@@ -379,7 +372,7 @@ int lsp_main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int ase_main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
+int ase_main (int argc, ase_achar_t* argv[])
 {
 	int n;
 
@@ -387,7 +380,7 @@ int ase_main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
 	mtrace ();
 #endif
 
-	n = lsp_main (argc, argv);
+	n = ase_runmain (argc, argv, lsp_main);
 
 #if defined(__linux) && defined(_DEBUG)
 	muntrace ();
diff --git a/ase/utl/main.c b/ase/utl/main.c
index ad1a1111..5b895639 100644
--- a/ase/utl/main.c
+++ b/ase/utl/main.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: main.c,v 1.3 2007/04/30 08:32:50 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: main.c,v 1.5 2007/05/16 09:28:33 bacon Exp $
  *
  * {License}
  */
@@ -10,19 +10,18 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <locale.h>
 
-#if !defined(_WIN32) && defined(ASE_CHAR_IS_MCHAR)
+#if defined(_WIN32)
 
-int main (int argc, char* argv[], char** envp)
+int ase_runmain (int argc, ase_achar_t* argv[], int(*mf) (int,ase_char_t*[]))
 {
-	setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
-	return ase_main (argc, argv, envp);
+	return mf (argc, argv);
 }
 
-#elif !defined(_WIN32) && defined(ASE_CHAR_IS_WCHAR)
+#elif defined(ASE_CHAR_IS_WCHAR)
 
 #include <wchar.h>
 
-int main (int argc, char* argv[]/*, char** envp*/)
+int ase_runmain (int argc, ase_achar_t* argv[], int(*mf) (int,ase_char_t*[]))
 {
 	int i, ret;
 	ase_char_t** v;
@@ -73,7 +72,8 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[]/*, char** envp*/)
 	}
 
 	/* TODO: envp... */
-	ret = ase_main (argc, v, NULL);
+	//ret = mf (argc, v, NULL);
+	ret = mf (argc, v);
 
 exit_main:
 	for (i = 0; i < argc; i++) 
@@ -86,4 +86,3 @@ exit_main:
 }
 
 #endif
-
diff --git a/ase/utl/main.h b/ase/utl/main.h
index b9d83c2f..82de4a7e 100644
--- a/ase/utl/main.h
+++ b/ase/utl/main.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: main.h,v 1.4 2007/05/06 08:05:36 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: main.h,v 1.5 2007/05/16 09:14:10 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _ASE_UTL_MAIN_H_
@@ -9,18 +9,23 @@
 #include <ase/cmn/macros.h>
 
 #if defined(_WIN32)
-
 	#include <tchar.h>
 	#define ase_main _tmain
-
+	typedef ase_char_t ase_achar_t;
 #else
+	#define ase_main main
+	typedef ase_mchar_t ase_achar_t;
+#endif
 
-	#ifdef __cplusplus
-	/*extern "C" { int ase_main (...); }*/
-	#else
-	extern int ase_main ();
-	#endif
 
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+int ase_runmain (int argc, ase_achar_t* argv[], int(*mf) (int,ase_char_t*[]));
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
 #endif
 
 #endif