diff --git a/ase/awk/Awk.cpp b/ase/awk/Awk.cpp
index c1a73c0d..486b586c 100644
--- a/ase/awk/Awk.cpp
+++ b/ase/awk/Awk.cpp
@@ -1178,8 +1178,6 @@ int Awk::open ()
 
 	int opt = 
 		OPT_IMPLICIT |
-		OPT_UNIQUEFN | 
-		OPT_SHADING | 
 		OPT_EXTIO | 
 		OPT_BLOCKLESS | 
 		OPT_BASEONE |
diff --git a/ase/awk/Awk.hpp b/ase/awk/Awk.hpp
index 65cce213..208cf653 100644
--- a/ase/awk/Awk.hpp
+++ b/ase/awk/Awk.hpp
@@ -462,6 +462,7 @@ public:
 		ERR_AFNRED = ASE_AWK_EAFNRED,
 		ERR_GBLRED = ASE_AWK_EGBLRED,
 		ERR_PARRED = ASE_AWK_EPARRED,
+		ERR_VARRED = ASE_AWK_EVARRED,
 		ERR_DUPPAR = ASE_AWK_EDUPPAR,
 		ERR_DUPGBL = ASE_AWK_EDUPGBL,
 		ERR_DUPLCL = ASE_AWK_EDUPLCL,
@@ -538,8 +539,6 @@ public:
 	{
 		OPT_IMPLICIT = ASE_AWK_IMPLICIT,
 		OPT_EXPLICIT = ASE_AWK_EXPLICIT,
-		OPT_UNIQUEFN = ASE_AWK_UNIQUEFN,
-		OPT_SHADING = ASE_AWK_SHADING,
 		OPT_SHIFT = ASE_AWK_SHIFT,
 		OPT_IDIV = ASE_AWK_IDIV,
 		OPT_STRCONCAT = ASE_AWK_STRCONCAT,
diff --git a/ase/awk/Awk.java b/ase/awk/Awk.java
index b7eadcd8..13966756 100644
--- a/ase/awk/Awk.java
+++ b/ase/awk/Awk.java
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@ public abstract class Awk
 	// options
 	public static final int OPTION_IMPLICIT    = (1 << 0);
 	public static final int OPTION_EXPLICIT    = (1 << 1);
-	public static final int OPTION_UNIQUEFN    = (1 << 2);
-	public static final int OPTION_SHADING     = (1 << 3);
 	public static final int OPTION_SHIFT       = (1 << 4);
 	public static final int OPTION_IDIV        = (1 << 5);
 	public static final int OPTION_STRCONCAT   = (1 << 6);
diff --git a/ase/awk/awk.c b/ase/awk/awk.c
index f167f71a..cb7e4fb6 100644
--- a/ase/awk/awk.c
+++ b/ase/awk/awk.c
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_prmfns_t* prmfns, void* custom_data)
 		return ASE_NULL;	
 	}
 
-	if (ase_awk_tab_open (&awk->parse.afns, awk) == ASE_NULL)
+	awk->parse.afns = ase_awk_map_open (awk, 256, 70, ASE_NULL, ASE_NULL, awk);
+	if (awk->parse.afns == ASE_NULL)
 	{
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->tree.afns);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->rwtab);
@@ -106,9 +107,22 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_prmfns_t* prmfns, void* custom_data)
 		return ASE_NULL;	
 	}
 
+	awk->parse.named = ase_awk_map_open (awk, 256, 70, ASE_NULL, ASE_NULL, awk);
+	if (awk->parse.named == ASE_NULL)
+	{
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.afns);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->tree.afns);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->rwtab);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->wtab);
+		ase_str_close (&awk->token.name);
+		ASE_AWK_FREE (awk, awk);
+		return ASE_NULL;	
+	}
+
 	if (ase_awk_tab_open (&awk->parse.globals, awk) == ASE_NULL) 
 	{
-		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.afns);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.named);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.afns);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->tree.afns);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->rwtab);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->wtab);
@@ -120,7 +134,8 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_prmfns_t* prmfns, void* custom_data)
 	if (ase_awk_tab_open (&awk->parse.locals, awk) == ASE_NULL) 
 	{
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.globals);
-		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.afns);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.named);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.afns);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->tree.afns);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->rwtab);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->wtab);
@@ -133,7 +148,8 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_prmfns_t* prmfns, void* custom_data)
 	{
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.locals);
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.globals);
-		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.afns);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.named);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.afns);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->tree.afns);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->rwtab);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->wtab);
@@ -181,7 +197,8 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_prmfns_t* prmfns, void* custom_data)
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.params);
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.locals);
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.globals);
-		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.afns);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.named);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.afns);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->tree.afns);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->rwtab);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->wtab);
@@ -209,7 +226,8 @@ ase_awk_t* ase_awk_open (const ase_awk_prmfns_t* prmfns, void* custom_data)
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.params);
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.locals);
 		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.globals);
-		ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.afns);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.named);
+		ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.afns);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->tree.afns);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->rwtab);
 		ase_awk_map_close (awk->wtab);
@@ -254,7 +272,8 @@ int ase_awk_close (ase_awk_t* awk)
 	ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.params);
 	ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.locals);
 	ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.globals);
-	ase_awk_tab_close (&awk->parse.afns);
+	ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.named);
+	ase_awk_map_close (awk->parse.afns);
 
 	ase_awk_map_close (awk->tree.afns);
 	ase_awk_map_close (awk->rwtab);
@@ -297,7 +316,8 @@ int ase_awk_clear (ase_awk_t* awk)
 
 	ase_awk_tab_clear (&awk->parse.locals);
 	ase_awk_tab_clear (&awk->parse.params);
-	ase_awk_tab_clear (&awk->parse.afns);
+	ase_awk_map_clear (awk->parse.named);
+	ase_awk_map_clear (awk->parse.afns);
 
 	awk->parse.nlocals_max = 0; 
 	awk->parse.depth.cur.block = 0;
diff --git a/ase/awk/awk.h b/ase/awk/awk.h
index 488ffa5e..e3381c6d 100644
--- a/ase/awk/awk.h
+++ b/ase/awk/awk.h
@@ -164,10 +164,10 @@ enum ase_awk_option_t
 	ASE_AWK_EXPLICIT    = (1 << 1), 
 
 	/* a function name should not coincide to be a variable name */
-	ASE_AWK_UNIQUEFN    = (1 << 2),
+	/*ASE_AWK_UNIQUEFN    = (1 << 2),*/
 
 	/* allow variable shading */
-	ASE_AWK_SHADING     = (1 << 3), 
+	/*ASE_AWK_SHADING     = (1 << 3),*/
 
 	/* support shift operators */
 	ASE_AWK_SHIFT       = (1 << 4), 
@@ -301,6 +301,7 @@ enum ase_awk_errnum_t
 	ASE_AWK_EAFNRED,        /* function redefined */
 	ASE_AWK_EGBLRED,        /* global variable redefined */
 	ASE_AWK_EPARRED,        /* parameter redefined */
+	ASE_AWK_EVARRED,        /* named variable redefined */
 	ASE_AWK_EDUPPAR,        /* duplicate parameter name */
 	ASE_AWK_EDUPGBL,        /* duplicate global variable name */
 	ASE_AWK_EDUPLCL,        /* duplicate local variable name */
diff --git a/ase/awk/awk_i.h b/ase/awk/awk_i.h
index 91210ad7..05ba2ef8 100644
--- a/ase/awk/awk_i.h
+++ b/ase/awk/awk_i.h
@@ -118,7 +118,10 @@ struct ase_awk_t
 		} depth;
 
 		/* function calls */
-		ase_awk_tab_t afns;
+		ase_awk_map_t* afns;
+
+		/* named variables */
+		ase_awk_map_t* named;
 
 		/* global variables */
 		ase_awk_tab_t globals;
diff --git a/ase/awk/err.c b/ase/awk/err.c
index d592b8c1..deecba57 100644
--- a/ase/awk/err.c
+++ b/ase/awk/err.c
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ static const ase_char_t* __geterrstr (int errnum)
 		ASE_T("function '%.*s' redefined"),
 		ASE_T("global variable '%.*s' redefined"),
 		ASE_T("parameter '%.*s' redefined"),
+		ASE_T("variable '%.*s' redefined"),
 		ASE_T("duplicate parameter name '%.*s'"),
 		ASE_T("duplicate global variable '%.*s'"),
 		ASE_T("duplicate local variable '%.*s'"),
diff --git a/ase/awk/jni.c b/ase/awk/jni.c
index 59942a48..17a5db77 100644
--- a/ase/awk/jni.c
+++ b/ase/awk/jni.c
@@ -524,8 +524,6 @@ JNIEXPORT void JNICALL Java_ase_awk_Awk_open (JNIEnv* env, jobject obj)
 	(*env)->SetLongField (env, obj, handle, (jlong)awk);
 
 	opt = ASE_AWK_IMPLICIT |
-	      ASE_AWK_UNIQUEFN | 
-	      ASE_AWK_SHADING | 
 	      ASE_AWK_EXTIO | 
 	      ASE_AWK_BLOCKLESS | 
 	      ASE_AWK_BASEONE | 
diff --git a/ase/awk/parse.c b/ase/awk/parse.c
index 85020391..4a455141 100644
--- a/ase/awk/parse.c
+++ b/ase/awk/parse.c
@@ -524,25 +524,28 @@ static int parse (ase_awk_t* awk)
 		if ((awk->option & ASE_AWK_EXPLICIT) &&
 		    !(awk->option & ASE_AWK_IMPLICIT))
 		{
-			ase_size_t sz;
+			ase_awk_pair_t* p;
+			ase_size_t buckno;
 
-			sz = awk->parse.afns.size;
-			while (sz > 0)
+			p = ase_awk_map_getfirstpair (awk->parse.afns, &buckno);
+			while (p != ASE_NULL)
 			{
-				sz--;
-
 				if (ase_awk_map_get (awk->tree.afns, 
-					awk->parse.afns.buf[sz].name.ptr,
-					awk->parse.afns.buf[sz].name.len) == ASE_NULL)
+					p->key.ptr, p->key.len) == ASE_NULL)
 				{
-					/* TODO: set proper error number */
-					SETERRARG (awk, ASE_AWK_EFNNONE, 0, 
-						awk->parse.afns.buf[sz].name.ptr,
-						awk->parse.afns.buf[sz].name.len);	
+					/* TODO: set better error no & line */
+					/* this line number might be truncated as 
+			 		 * sizeof(line) could be > sizeof(void*) */
+					SETERRARG (awk, ASE_AWK_EFNNONE, 
+						(ase_size_t)p->val, 
+						p->key.ptr, p->key.len);
 					n = -1;
 					goto exit_parse;	
 				}
+
+				p = ase_awk_map_getnextpair (awk->parse.afns, p, &buckno);
 			}
+
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1091,6 +1094,8 @@ static ase_awk_nde_t* parse_function (ase_awk_t* awk)
 	afn->name_len = ASE_AWK_PAIR_KEYLEN(pair);
 	ASE_AWK_FREE (awk, name_dup);
 
+	/* remove the undefined function call entries from parse.afn table */
+	ase_awk_map_remove (awk->parse.afns, afn->name, name_len);
 	return body;
 }
 
@@ -1465,7 +1470,7 @@ static int add_global (
 
 		/* check if it conflict with a function name 
 		 * caught in the function call table */
-		if (ase_awk_tab_find (&awk->parse.afns, 0, name, len) != (ase_size_t)-1)
+		if (ase_awk_map_get (awk->parse.afns, name, len) != ASE_NULL)
 		{
 			SETERRARG (
 				awk, ASE_AWK_EAFNRED, line, 
@@ -1655,7 +1660,7 @@ static ase_awk_t* collect_locals (
 
 			/* check if it conflict with a function name 
 			 * caught in the function call table */
-			if (ase_awk_tab_find (&awk->parse.afns, 0, local, local_len) != (ase_size_t)-1)
+			if (ase_awk_map_get (awk->parse.afns, local, local_len) != ASE_NULL)
 			{
 				SETERRARG (
 					awk, ASE_AWK_EAFNRED, awk->token.line, 
@@ -1681,7 +1686,7 @@ static ase_awk_t* collect_locals (
 		/* check if it conflicts with other local variable names */
 		n = ase_awk_tab_find (
 			&awk->parse.locals, 
-			((awk->option & ASE_AWK_SHADING)? nlocals: 0),
+			nlocals, /*((awk->option&ASE_AWK_SHADING)? nlocals:0)*/
 			local, local_len);
 		if (n != (ase_size_t)-1)
 		{
@@ -1704,6 +1709,7 @@ static ase_awk_t* collect_locals (
 				return ASE_NULL;
 			}
 
+			#if 0
 			if (!(awk->option & ASE_AWK_SHADING))
 			{
 				/* conflicting with a normal global variable */
@@ -1712,6 +1718,7 @@ static ase_awk_t* collect_locals (
 					local, local_len);
 				return ASE_NULL;
 			}
+			#endif
 		}
 
 		if (ase_awk_tab_getsize(&awk->parse.locals) >= ASE_AWK_MAX_LOCALS)
@@ -3225,7 +3232,13 @@ static ase_awk_nde_t* parse_primary_ident (ase_awk_t* awk, ase_size_t line)
 
 		if (awk->option & ASE_AWK_IMPLICIT)
 		{
-			/*TODO: check if it conflicts any named variables collected so far.... XXXX */
+			if (ase_awk_map_get (awk->parse.named, name_dup, name_len) != ASE_NULL)
+			{
+				/* a function call conflicts with a named variable */
+				SETERRARG (awk, ASE_AWK_EVARRED, line, name_dup, name_len);
+				ASE_AWK_FREE (awk, name_dup);
+				return ASE_NULL;
+			}
 		}
 
 		nde = parse_fncall (awk, name_dup, name_len, ASE_NULL, line);
@@ -3277,7 +3290,7 @@ static ase_awk_nde_t* parse_primary_ident (ase_awk_t* awk, ase_size_t line)
 					goto exit_func;
 				}
 
-				if (ase_awk_tab_find (&awk->parse.afns, 0, name_dup, name_len) != (ase_size_t)-1)
+				if (ase_awk_map_get (awk->parse.afns, name_dup, name_len) != ASE_NULL)
 				{
 					/* is it one of the function calls found so far? */
 					SETERRARG (awk, ASE_AWK_EAFNRED, line, name_dup, name_len);
@@ -3295,7 +3308,13 @@ static ase_awk_nde_t* parse_primary_ident (ase_awk_t* awk, ase_size_t line)
 			nde->id.idxa = (ase_size_t)-1;
 			nde->idx = ASE_NULL;
 
-			/* TODO: add this named variable to the parse.named map... XXXX */
+			/* collect unique instances of a named variables for reference */
+			if (ase_awk_map_put (awk->parse.named,
+				name_dup, name_len, (void*)line) == ASE_NULL)
+			{
+				  SETERRLIN (awk, ASE_AWK_ENOMEM, line);
+				  goto exit_func;
+			}
 
 			return (ase_awk_nde_t*)nde;
 		}
@@ -3452,7 +3471,7 @@ static ase_awk_nde_t* parse_hashidx (
 				goto exit_func;
 			}
 
-			if (ase_awk_tab_find (&awk->parse.afns, 0, name, name_len) != (ase_size_t)-1)
+			if (ase_awk_map_get (awk->parse.afns, name, name_len) != ASE_NULL)
 			{
 				/* is it one of the function calls found so far? */
 				SETERRARG (awk, ASE_AWK_EAFNRED, line, name, name_len);
@@ -3601,8 +3620,11 @@ static ase_awk_nde_t* parse_fncall (
 		    (awk->option & ASE_AWK_UNIQUEFN)*/)
 		{
 		#endif
-			if (ase_awk_tab_adduniq (
-				&awk->parse.afns, name, name_len) == (ase_size_t)-1)
+
+			/* this line number might be truncated as 
+			 * sizeof(line) could be > sizeof(void*) */
+			if (ase_awk_map_put (awk->parse.afns, 
+				name, name_len, (void*)line) == ASE_NULL)
 			{
 				ASE_AWK_FREE (awk, call);
 				if (head != ASE_NULL) ase_awk_clrpt (awk, head);
diff --git a/ase/test/awk/AseAwkPanel.java b/ase/test/awk/AseAwkPanel.java
index 1ecc87e9..6062e882 100644
--- a/ase/test/awk/AseAwkPanel.java
+++ b/ase/test/awk/AseAwkPanel.java
@@ -354,8 +354,6 @@ public class AseAwkPanel extends Panel implements DropTargetListener
 	{
 		new Option("IMPLICIT", StdAwk.OPTION_IMPLICIT, true),
 		new Option("EXPLICIT", StdAwk.OPTION_EXPLICIT, false),
-		new Option("UNIQUEFN", StdAwk.OPTION_UNIQUEFN, true),
-		new Option("SHADING", StdAwk.OPTION_SHADING, true),
 		new Option("SHIFT", StdAwk.OPTION_SHIFT, false),
 		new Option("IDIV", StdAwk.OPTION_IDIV, false),
 		new Option("STRCONCAT", StdAwk.OPTION_STRCONCAT, false),
diff --git a/ase/test/awk/Awk.cpp b/ase/test/awk/Awk.cpp
index 0a179fbb..5f066900 100644
--- a/ase/test/awk/Awk.cpp
+++ b/ase/test/awk/Awk.cpp
@@ -632,8 +632,6 @@ static struct
 {
 	{ ASE_T("implicit"),    TestAwk::OPT_IMPLICIT },
 	{ ASE_T("explicit"),    TestAwk::OPT_EXPLICIT },
-	{ ASE_T("uniquefn"),    TestAwk::OPT_UNIQUEFN },
-	{ ASE_T("shading"),     TestAwk::OPT_SHADING },
 	{ ASE_T("shift"),       TestAwk::OPT_SHIFT },
 	{ ASE_T("idiv"),        TestAwk::OPT_IDIV },
 	{ ASE_T("strconcat"),   TestAwk::OPT_STRCONCAT },
diff --git a/ase/test/awk/awk.c b/ase/test/awk/awk.c
index 9eaa0278..fbc8b305 100644
--- a/ase/test/awk/awk.c
+++ b/ase/test/awk/awk.c
@@ -842,8 +842,6 @@ static struct
 {
 	{ ASE_T("implicit"),    ASE_AWK_IMPLICIT },
 	{ ASE_T("explicit"),    ASE_AWK_EXPLICIT },
-	{ ASE_T("uniquefn"),    ASE_AWK_UNIQUEFN },
-	{ ASE_T("shading"),     ASE_AWK_SHADING },
 	{ ASE_T("shift"),       ASE_AWK_SHIFT },
 	{ ASE_T("idiv"),        ASE_AWK_IDIV },
 	{ ASE_T("strconcat"),   ASE_AWK_STRCONCAT },
@@ -978,8 +976,6 @@ static int awk_main (int argc, ase_char_t* argv[])
 	int deparse = 0;
 
 	opt = ASE_AWK_IMPLICIT |
-	      ASE_AWK_UNIQUEFN | 
-	      ASE_AWK_SHADING | 
 	      ASE_AWK_EXTIO | 
 	      ASE_AWK_BLOCKLESS | 
 	      ASE_AWK_BASEONE |