diff --git a/ase/awk/awk.h b/ase/awk/awk.h
index 793a654b..365c4c59 100644
--- a/ase/awk/awk.h
+++ b/ase/awk/awk.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* 
- * $Id: awk.h,v 1.72 2006-06-25 15:26:57 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: awk.h,v 1.73 2006-06-26 15:09:28 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _XP_AWK_AWK_H_
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ enum
 	XP_AWK_ENOSUCHFUNC,    /* no such function */
 	XP_AWK_ENOTASSIGNABLE, /* value not assignable */
 	XP_AWK_ENOTINDEXABLE,  /* not indexable value */
-	XP_AWK_EWRONGINDEX,    /* wrong index */
+	XP_AWK_EVALTYPE,       /* wrong value type */
 	XP_AWK_EPIPE,          /* pipe operation error */
 	XP_AWK_EIOIMPL,        /* wrong implementation of user io handler */
 	XP_AWK_EINTERNAL       /* internal error */
diff --git a/ase/awk/err.c b/ase/awk/err.c
index 4e43da9b..882df682 100644
--- a/ase/awk/err.c
+++ b/ase/awk/err.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: err.c,v 1.22 2006-06-21 15:37:51 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: err.c,v 1.23 2006-06-26 15:09:28 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <xp/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ const xp_char_t* xp_awk_geterrstr (xp_awk_t* awk)
 		XP_T("no such function"),
 		XP_T("value not assignable"),
 		XP_T("value not indexable"),
-		XP_T("wrong index value"),
+		XP_T("wrong value type"),
 		XP_T("pipe operation error"),
 		XP_T("wrong implementation of user-defined io handler"),
 
diff --git a/ase/awk/extio.c b/ase/awk/extio.c
index 7e221376..bbc52f0b 100644
--- a/ase/awk/extio.c
+++ b/ase/awk/extio.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: extio.c,v 1.10 2006-06-25 15:26:57 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: extio.c,v 1.11 2006-06-26 15:09:28 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <xp/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@ int xp_awk_readextio (
 
 	while (p != XP_NULL)
 	{
-		if (p->type == type &&
-		    xp_strcmp(p->name,name) == 0) break;
+		if (p->type == type && xp_strcmp(p->name,name) == 0) break;
 		p = p->next;
 	}
 
@@ -106,6 +105,7 @@ int xp_awk_writeextio (
 {
 	xp_awk_extio_t* p = run->extio;
 	xp_awk_io_t handler = run->awk->extio[type];
+	xp_str_t buf;
 	int ioopt;
 
 	if (handler == XP_NULL)
@@ -115,18 +115,34 @@ int xp_awk_writeextio (
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	/* TODO: optimize the buffer management. each xp_awk_run_t have a buffer for this operation???  */
+	if (xp_str_open (&buf, 256) == XP_NULL)
+	{
+		*errnum = XP_AWK_ENOMEM;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/* convert the value to string representation first */
+	if (xp_awk_valtostr(v, errnum, &buf) == XP_NULL)
+	{
+		xp_str_close (&buf);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/* look for the corresponding extio for name */
 	while (p != XP_NULL)
 	{
-		if (p->type == type &&
-		    xp_strcmp(p->name,name) == 0) break;
+		if (p->type == type && xp_strcmp(p->name,name) == 0) break;
 		p = p->next;
 	}
 
+	/* if there is not corresponding extio for name, create one */
 	if (p == XP_NULL)
 	{
 		p = (xp_awk_extio_t*) xp_malloc (xp_sizeof(xp_awk_extio_t));
 		if (p == XP_NULL)
 		{
+			xp_str_close (&buf);
 			*errnum = XP_AWK_ENOMEM;
 			return -1;
 		}
@@ -135,6 +151,7 @@ int xp_awk_writeextio (
 		if (p->name == XP_NULL)
 		{
 			xp_free (p);
+			xp_str_close (&buf);
 			*errnum = XP_AWK_ENOMEM;
 			return -1;
 		}
@@ -144,17 +161,18 @@ int xp_awk_writeextio (
 		p->next = XP_NULL;
 
 		if (type == XP_AWK_EXTIO_PIPE) 
-			ioopt = XP_AWK_IO_PIPE_READ;
+			ioopt = XP_AWK_IO_PIPE_WRITE;
 		else if (type == XP_AWK_EXTIO_FILE) 
-			ioopt = XP_AWK_IO_FILE_READ;
+			ioopt = XP_AWK_IO_FILE_WRITE;
 		else if (type == XP_AWK_EXTIO_CONSOLE)
-			ioopt = XP_AWK_IO_CONSOLE_READ;
+			ioopt = XP_AWK_IO_CONSOLE_WRITE;
 		else ioopt = 0; /* TODO: how to handle this??? */
 
 		if (handler (XP_AWK_IO_OPEN, ioopt, p, XP_NULL, 0) == -1)
 		{
 			xp_free (p->name);
 			xp_free (p);
+			xp_str_close (&buf);
 				
 			/* TODO: set ERRNO */
 			*errnum = XP_AWK_ENOERR;
@@ -165,8 +183,9 @@ int xp_awk_writeextio (
 		{
 			xp_free (p->name);
 			xp_free (p);
+			xp_str_close (&buf);
 
-			/* wrong implementation of user io handler.
+			/* wrong implementation of the user io handler.
 			 * the correct io handler should set p->handle to
 			 * non XP_NULL when it returns 0. */
 			*errnum = XP_AWK_EIOIMPL;
@@ -178,21 +197,14 @@ int xp_awk_writeextio (
 		run->extio = p;
 	}
 
+	if (handler (XP_AWK_IO_WRITE, 0, 
+		p, XP_STR_BUF(&buf), XP_STR_LEN(&buf)) == 0)
 	{
-		xp_awk_printval (v);
-#if 0
-xp_char_t buf[1024] = XP_T("temp...");;
-
-	if (handler (XP_AWK_IO_WRITE, 0, p, buf, xp_countof(buf)) == 0)
-	{
-		/* no more data. end of data stream */
+		xp_str_close (&buf);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-xp_printf(XP_TEXT("%s"), buf);
-#endif
-	}
-
+	xp_str_close (&buf);
 	return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/ase/awk/run.c b/ase/awk/run.c
index 59852dca..c41d3acc 100644
--- a/ase/awk/run.c
+++ b/ase/awk/run.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: run.c,v 1.107 2006-06-25 15:26:57 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: run.c,v 1.108 2006-06-26 15:09:28 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <xp/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -1080,125 +1080,121 @@ static int __run_nextfile_statement (xp_awk_run_t* run, xp_awk_nde_nextfile_t* n
 static int __run_print_statement (xp_awk_run_t* run, xp_awk_nde_print_t* nde)
 {
 	xp_awk_nde_print_t* p = (xp_awk_nde_print_t*)nde;
+	xp_char_t* out = XP_NULL;
+	const xp_char_t* dst;
 	xp_awk_val_t* v;
+	xp_awk_nde_t* np;
+	int extio_type, errnum, n;
 
-	if (p->out_type == XP_AWK_PRINT_PIPE)
+	static int __print_extio_map[] =
 	{
-		xp_awk_val_t* out;
-		xp_char_t* dst;
-		int errnum, n;
+		/* the order should match the order of the 
+		 * XP_AWK_PRINT_XXX values in tree.h */
+		XP_AWK_EXTIO_PIPE,
+		XP_AWK_EXTIO_COPROC,
+		XP_AWK_EXTIO_FILE,
+		XP_AWK_EXTIO_FILE,
+		XP_AWK_EXTIO_CONSOLE
+	};
 
-		out = __eval_expression (run, p->out);
+	xp_assert (
+		(p->out_type == XP_AWK_PRINT_PIPE && p->out != XP_NULL) ||
+		(p->out_type == XP_AWK_PRINT_COPROC && p->out != XP_NULL) ||
+		(p->out_type == XP_AWK_PRINT_FILE && p->out != XP_NULL) ||
+		(p->out_type == XP_AWK_PRINT_FILE_APPEND  && p->out != XP_NULL) ||
+		(p->out_type == XP_AWK_PRINT_CONSOLE && p->out == XP_NULL));
+
+	xp_assert (p->out_type >= 0 && p->out_type < xp_countof(__print_extio_map));
+	extio_type = __print_extio_map[p->out_type];
+
+	if (p->out != XP_NULL)
+	{
+		v = __eval_expression (run, p->out);
 		if (out == XP_NULL) return -1;
 
-		xp_awk_refupval (out);
-		dst = xp_awk_valtostr (out, &errnum, XP_NULL);
-		if (dst == XP_NULL) 
+		xp_awk_refupval (v);
+		out = xp_awk_valtostr (v, &errnum, XP_NULL);
+		if (out == XP_NULL) 
 		{
-			xp_awk_refdownval (run, out);
+			xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
 			PANIC_I (run, errnum);
 		}
-		xp_awk_refdownval (run, out);
+		xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
+	}
 
-		if (p->args == XP_NULL)
+	dst = (out == XP_NULL)? XP_T(""): out;
+
+	if (p->args == XP_NULL)
+	{
+		/* TODO: get $0 ans use it for v */
+		v = xp_awk_makestrval0 (XP_T("<TODO: PRINT $0 WITH A TRAILING NEWLINE>\n"));
+		if (v == XP_NULL)
 		{
-			/* TODO: get $0 ans use it for v */
-			v = xp_awk_makestrval (XP_T("$0\n"), 1);
-			if (v == XP_NULL)
-			{
-				xp_free (dst);
-				PANIC_I (run, XP_AWK_ENOMEM);
-			}
-
-			xp_awk_refupval (v);
-			n = xp_awk_writeextio (
-				run, XP_AWK_EXTIO_PIPE, dst, v, &errnum);
-			if (n < 0 && errnum != XP_AWK_ENOERR) 
-			{
-				xp_free (dst);
-				xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
-				PANIC_I (run, errnum);
-			}
+			if (out != XP_NULL) xp_free (out);
+			PANIC_I (run, XP_AWK_ENOMEM);
+		}
 
+		xp_awk_refupval (v);
+		n = xp_awk_writeextio (run, extio_type, dst, v, &errnum);
+		if (n < 0 && errnum != XP_AWK_ENOERR) 
+		{
+			if (out != XP_NULL) xp_free (out);
 			xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
+			PANIC_I (run, errnum);
 		}
-		else
-		{
-			xp_awk_nde_t* np = p->args;
-			while (np != XP_NULL)
-			{
-				v = __eval_expression (run, np);
-				if (v == XP_NULL)
-				{
-					xp_free (dst);
-					return -1;
-				}
-				xp_awk_refupval (v);
-
-				n = xp_awk_writeextio (
-					run, XP_AWK_EXTIO_PIPE, dst, v, &errnum);
-				if (n < 0 && errnum != XP_AWK_ENOERR) 
-				{
-					xp_free (dst);
-					xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
-					PANIC_I (run, errnum);
-				}
-
-				xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
-				np = np->next;
-			}
-		}
-
-		xp_free (dst);
-		return 0;
-	}
-	else if (p->out_type == XP_AWK_PRINT_COPROC)
-	{
-		xp_printf (XP_T("eval_getline coprocess not properly implemented....\n"));
-		return -1;
-	}
-	else if (p->out_type == XP_AWK_PRINT_FILE)
-	{
-		xp_printf (XP_T("eval_print PRINT_FILE not properly implemented....\n"));
-		return -1;
-	}
-	else if (p->out_type == XP_AWK_PRINT_CONSOLE)
-	{
-		xp_awk_nde_t* np;
-		int n, errnum;
-
-		xp_assert (p->out == XP_NULL);
-
-		for (np = p->args; np != XP_NULL; np = np->next)
-		{
-			v = __eval_expression (run, np);
-			if (v == XP_NULL) return -1;
-			xp_awk_refupval (v);
-
-			/* console has the fixed name */
-			n = xp_awk_writeextio (
-				run, XP_AWK_EXTIO_CONSOLE, XP_T("console"), v, &errnum);
-			if (n < 0 && errnum != XP_AWK_ENOERR) 
-			{
-				xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
-				PANIC_I (run, errnum);
-			}
-
-			xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
-		}
-
-		return 0;
-	}
-	else if (p->out_type == XP_AWK_PRINT_FILE_APPEND)
-	{
-		xp_printf (XP_T("eval_print PRINT_FILE_APPEND not properly implemented....\n"));
-		return -1;
+		xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
+		/* TODO: how to handle n == -1 && errnum == XP_AWK_ENOERR. that is the user handler returned an error... */
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		xp_assert (!"should never happen - wrong out_type for print");
-		PANIC_I (run, XP_AWK_EINTERNAL);
+		for (np = p->args; np != XP_NULL; np = np->next)
+		{
+			v = __eval_expression (run, np);
+			if (v == XP_NULL) 
+			{
+				if (out != XP_NULL) xp_free (out);
+				return -1;
+			}
+			xp_awk_refupval (v);
+
+			n = xp_awk_writeextio (
+				run, extio_type, dst, v, &errnum);
+			if (n < 0 && errnum != XP_AWK_ENOERR) 
+			{
+				if (out != XP_NULL) xp_free (out);
+				xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
+				PANIC_I (run, errnum);
+			}
+			xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
+
+			/* TODO: how to handle n == -1 && errnum == XP_AWK_ENOERR. that is the user handler returned an error... */
+		}
+
+		/* TODO: predefine the new line string 
+		 *       for performance improvement*/
+		v = xp_awk_makestrval (XP_T("\n"), 1);
+		if (v == XP_NULL)
+		{
+			if (out != XP_NULL) xp_free (out);
+			PANIC_I (run, XP_AWK_ENOMEM);
+		}
+		xp_awk_refupval (v);
+
+		n = xp_awk_writeextio (
+			run, extio_type, dst, v, &errnum);
+		if (n < 0 && errnum != XP_AWK_ENOERR)
+		{
+			if (out != XP_NULL) xp_free (out);
+			xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
+			PANIC_I (run, errnum);
+		}
+		xp_awk_refdownval (run, v);
+
+		/* TODO: how to handle n == -1 && errnum == XP_AWK_ENOERR. that is the user handler returned an error... */
 	}
+
+	if (out != XP_NULL) xp_free (out);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static xp_awk_val_t* __eval_expression (xp_awk_run_t* run, xp_awk_nde_t* nde)
diff --git a/ase/awk/tree.h b/ase/awk/tree.h
index a560d8c3..9a3920a4 100644
--- a/ase/awk/tree.h
+++ b/ase/awk/tree.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: tree.h,v 1.49 2006-06-25 15:26:57 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: tree.h,v 1.50 2006-06-26 15:09:28 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _XP_AWK_TREE_H_
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ enum
 
 enum
 {
+	/* the order of these values match __print_extio_map in run.c */
+
 	XP_AWK_PRINT_PIPE,
 	XP_AWK_PRINT_COPROC,
 	XP_AWK_PRINT_FILE,
diff --git a/ase/awk/val.c b/ase/awk/val.c
index e760d63a..8412c848 100644
--- a/ase/awk/val.c
+++ b/ase/awk/val.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: val.c,v 1.31 2006-06-21 11:44:55 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: val.c,v 1.32 2006-06-26 15:09:28 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <xp/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -78,6 +78,11 @@ xp_awk_val_t* xp_awk_makerealval (xp_awk_run_t* run, xp_real_t v)
 	return (xp_awk_val_t*)val;
 }
 
+xp_awk_val_t* xp_awk_makestrval0 (const xp_char_t* str)
+{
+	return xp_awk_makestrval (str, xp_strlen(str));
+}
+
 xp_awk_val_t* xp_awk_makestrval (const xp_char_t* str, xp_size_t len)
 {
 	xp_awk_val_str_t* val;
@@ -432,7 +437,7 @@ xp_char_t* xp_awk_valtostr (xp_awk_val_t* v, int* errnum, xp_str_t* buf)
 
 /* TODO: process more value types */
 
-	*errnum = XP_AWK_EWRONGINDEX;
+	*errnum = XP_AWK_EVALTYPE;
 	return XP_NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/ase/awk/val.h b/ase/awk/val.h
index f50aae22..c4418f14 100644
--- a/ase/awk/val.h
+++ b/ase/awk/val.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: val.h,v 1.24 2006-06-21 11:44:55 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: val.h,v 1.25 2006-06-26 15:09:28 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _XP_AWK_VAL_H_
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ extern xp_awk_val_t* xp_awk_val_nil;
 
 xp_awk_val_t* xp_awk_makeintval (xp_awk_run_t* run, xp_long_t v);
 xp_awk_val_t* xp_awk_makerealval (xp_awk_run_t* run, xp_real_t v);
+xp_awk_val_t* xp_awk_makestrval0 (const xp_char_t* str);
 xp_awk_val_t* xp_awk_makestrval (const xp_char_t* str, xp_size_t len);
 xp_awk_val_t* xp_awk_makestrval2 (
 	const xp_char_t* str1, xp_size_t len1, 
diff --git a/ase/test/awk/awk.c b/ase/test/awk/awk.c
index a2d4c8db..93f79e7c 100644
--- a/ase/test/awk/awk.c
+++ b/ase/test/awk/awk.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: awk.c,v 1.42 2006-06-25 15:26:57 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: awk.c,v 1.43 2006-06-26 15:09:28 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <xp/awk/awk.h>
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ static xp_ssize_t process_extio_console (
 		case XP_AWK_IO_CLOSE:
 		{
 			/* TODO: CloseConsole in GUI APPLICATION */
+			return 0;
 		}
 
 		case XP_AWK_IO_READ:
@@ -282,8 +283,8 @@ static xp_ssize_t process_extio_console (
 
 		case XP_AWK_IO_WRITE:
 		{
-			if (_fputts (data, /*size,*/ (FILE*)epa->handle) == XP_NULL) 
-				return 0;
+			/* TODO: how to return error or 0 */
+			_fputts (data, /*size,*/ (FILE*)epa->handle);
 			return size;
 		}