diff --git a/qse/cmd/xli/xli.c b/qse/cmd/xli/xli.c
index 37381ff8..37f55ae4 100644
--- a/qse/cmd/xli/xli.c
+++ b/qse/cmd/xli/xli.c
@@ -128,9 +128,11 @@ static void print_usage (QSE_FILE* out, int argc, qse_char_t* argv[])
 	qse_fprintf (out, QSE_T("options as follows:\n"));
 	qse_fprintf (out, QSE_T(" -h/--help                 show this message\n"));
 	qse_fprintf (out, QSE_T(" --version                 show version\n"));
-	qse_fprintf (out, QSE_T(" -f                 file   specify an input file\n"));
+	qse_fprintf (out, QSE_T(" -i                 file   specify an input file\n"));
 	qse_fprintf (out, QSE_T(" -o                 file   specify an output file\n"));
 	qse_fprintf (out, QSE_T(" -n                        allow a key name\n"));
+	qse_fprintf (out, QSE_T(" -f                        keep file inclusion info\n"));
+	qse_fprintf (out, QSE_T(" -t                        keep comment text\n"));
 	qse_fprintf (out, QSE_T(" -m                 number specify the maximum amount of memory to use in bytes\n"));
 #if defined(QSE_BUILD_DEBUG)
 	qse_fprintf (out, QSE_T(" -X                 number fail the number'th memory allocation\n"));
@@ -157,9 +159,9 @@ static int handle_args (int argc, qse_char_t* argv[])
 	static qse_opt_t opt = 
 	{
 #if defined(QSE_BUILD_DEBUG)
-		QSE_T("hf:o:nm:X:"),
+		QSE_T("hi:o:nftm:X:"),
 #else
-		QSE_T("hf:o:nm:"),
+		QSE_T("hi:o:nftm:"),
 #endif
 		lng
 	};
@@ -193,7 +195,7 @@ static int handle_args (int argc, qse_char_t* argv[])
 				print_usage (QSE_STDOUT, argc, argv);
 				goto done;
 
-			case QSE_T('f'):
+			case QSE_T('i'):
 				g_input_file = opt.arg;
 				break;
 
@@ -205,6 +207,14 @@ static int handle_args (int argc, qse_char_t* argv[])
 				g_trait |= QSE_XLI_KEYNAME;
 				break;
 
+			case QSE_T('f'):
+				g_trait |= QSE_XLI_KEEPFILE;
+				break;
+
+			case QSE_T('t'):
+				g_trait |= QSE_XLI_KEEPTEXT;
+				break;
+
 			case QSE_T('m'):
 				g_memlimit = qse_strtoulong (opt.arg);
 				break;
diff --git a/qse/include/qse/xli/xli.h b/qse/include/qse/xli/xli.h
index cc42b98c..7e2452e3 100644
--- a/qse/include/qse/xli/xli.h
+++ b/qse/include/qse/xli/xli.h
@@ -73,9 +73,11 @@ typedef enum qse_xli_opt_t qse_xli_opt_t;
 
 enum qse_xli_trait_t
 {
-	QSE_XLI_KEYNODUP = (1 << 0),
-	QSE_XLI_KEYNAME  = (1 << 1),
-	QSE_XLI_NOTEXT   = (1 << 10)
+	QSE_XLI_KEYNODUP = (1 << 1),
+	QSE_XLI_KEYNAME  = (1 << 2),
+
+	QSE_XLI_KEEPTEXT = (1 << 3), /**< keep comment text */
+	QSE_XLI_KEEPFILE = (1 << 4), /**< keep inclusion file info */
 };
 typedef enum qse_xli_trait_t qse_xli_trait_t;
 
@@ -88,6 +90,7 @@ typedef struct qse_xli_atom_t qse_xli_atom_t;
 typedef struct qse_xli_pair_t qse_xli_pair_t;
 typedef struct qse_xli_text_t qse_xli_text_t;
 typedef struct qse_xli_file_t qse_xli_file_t;
+typedef struct qse_xli_eof_t qse_xli_eof_t;
 
 enum qse_xli_val_type_t
 {
@@ -102,6 +105,7 @@ enum qse_xli_atom_type_t
 	QSE_XLI_PAIR,
 	QSE_XLI_TEXT,
 	QSE_XLI_FILE,
+	QSE_XLI_EOF 
 };
 typedef enum qse_xli_atom_type_t qse_xli_atom_type_t;
 
@@ -163,6 +167,12 @@ struct qse_xli_file_t
 	const qse_char_t* path;
 };
 
+struct qse_xli_eof_t
+{
+	QSE_XLI_ATOM_HDR;
+};
+
+
 /**
  * The qse_xli_ecb_close_t type defines the callback function
  * called when an xli object is cloxli.
@@ -487,6 +497,26 @@ QSE_EXPORT qse_xli_pair_t* qse_xli_insertpairwithstr (
 	const qse_cstr_t* value
 );
 
+QSE_EXPORT qse_xli_text_t* qse_xli_inserttext (
+        qse_xli_t* xli,
+	qse_xli_list_t* parent,
+	qse_xli_atom_t* peer,
+	const qse_char_t* str
+);
+
+QSE_EXPORT qse_xli_file_t* qse_xli_insertfile (
+        qse_xli_t* xli,
+	qse_xli_list_t* parent,
+	qse_xli_atom_t* peer,
+	const qse_char_t* path
+);
+
+QSE_EXPORT qse_xli_eof_t* qse_xli_inserteof (
+        qse_xli_t* xli,
+	qse_xli_list_t* parent,
+	qse_xli_atom_t* peer
+);
+
 QSE_EXPORT qse_xli_list_t* qse_xli_getroot (
 	qse_xli_t* xli
 );
diff --git a/qse/lib/xli/read.c b/qse/lib/xli/read.c
index 17b609a0..8715052f 100644
--- a/qse/lib/xli/read.c
+++ b/qse/lib/xli/read.c
@@ -174,15 +174,13 @@ static int skip_comment (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_tok_t* tok)
 		{ 
 			GET_CHAR_TO (xli, c); 
 			if (c == QSE_T('\n') || c == QSE_CHAR_EOF) break;
-#if 0
-			ADD_TOKEN_CHAR (xli, tok, c);
-#endif
+
+			if  (xli->opt.trait & QSE_XLI_KEEPTEXT) ADD_TOKEN_CHAR (xli, tok, c);
 		}
 		while (1);
 
-#if 0
-		if (qse_xli_inserttext (xli, list, QSE_NULL, QSE_STR_PTR(tok->name)) <= -1) return -1;
-#endif
+		if ((xli->opt.trait & QSE_XLI_KEEPTEXT) && 
+		    qse_xli_inserttext (xli, xli->parlink->list, QSE_NULL, QSE_STR_PTR(tok->name)) == QSE_NULL) return -1;
 
 		GET_CHAR (xli); /* eat the new line letter */
 		return 1; /* comment by # */
@@ -271,13 +269,14 @@ static int get_symbols (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_cint_t c, qse_xli_tok_t* tok)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int end_include (qse_xli_t* xli)
+static int end_include (qse_xli_t* xli, int noeof)
 {
 	int x;
 	qse_xli_io_arg_t* cur;
 
 	if (xli->sio.inp == &xli->sio.arg) return 0; /* no include */
 
+
 	/* if it is an included file, close it and
 	 * retry to read a character from an outer file */
 
@@ -298,6 +297,9 @@ static int end_include (qse_xli_t* xli)
 	QSE_MMGR_FREE (xli->mmgr, cur);
 	/* xli->parse.depth.incl--; */
 
+	if ((xli->opt.trait & QSE_XLI_KEEPFILE) && !noeof && 
+	    qse_xli_inserteof (xli, xli->parlink->list, QSE_NULL) == QSE_NULL) return -1;
+
 	if (x != 0)
 	{
 		/* the failure mentioned above is returned here */
@@ -349,12 +351,19 @@ static int begin_include (qse_xli_t* xli)
 	 * from this file. */
 	if (get_char (xli) <= -1 || get_token (xli) <= -1) 
 	{
-		end_include (xli); 
+		end_include (xli, 1); 
 		/* i don't jump to oops since i've called 
 		 * end_include() where xli->sio.inp/arg is freed. */
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	if ((xli->opt.trait & QSE_XLI_KEEPFILE) &&
+	    qse_xli_insertfile (xli, xli->parlink->list, QSE_NULL, arg->name) == QSE_NULL) 
+	{
+		end_include (xli, 1);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 
 oops:
@@ -389,7 +398,7 @@ retry:
 
 	if (c == QSE_CHAR_EOF) 
 	{
-		n = end_include (xli);
+		n = end_include (xli, 0);
 		if (n <= -1) return -1;
 		if (n >= 1) 
 		{
@@ -526,18 +535,21 @@ static int get_token (qse_xli_t* xli)
 	return get_token_into (xli, &xli->tok);
 }
 
-static int read_pair (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* list)
+static int read_pair (qse_xli_t* xli)
 {
 	qse_char_t* key = QSE_NULL;
 	qse_char_t* name = QSE_NULL;
 	qse_xli_pair_t* pair;
+	qse_xli_list_t* parlist;
+
+	parlist = xli->parlink->list;
 
 	if (xli->opt.trait & QSE_XLI_KEYNODUP)
 	{
 		qse_xli_atom_t* atom;
 
 		/* find any key conflicts in the current scope */
-		atom = list->tail;
+		atom = parlist->tail;
 		while (atom)
 		{
 			if (atom->type == QSE_XLI_PAIR &&
@@ -567,7 +579,7 @@ static int read_pair (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* list)
 		{
 			qse_xli_atom_t* atom;
 
-			atom = list->tail;
+			atom = parlist->tail;
 			while (atom)
 			{
 				if (atom->type == QSE_XLI_PAIR &&
@@ -630,7 +642,7 @@ static int read_pair (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* list)
 			}
 			
 			pair = qse_xli_insertpairwithstr (
-				xli, list, QSE_NULL, key, name, QSE_STR_CSTR(xli->tmp[0]));
+				xli, parlist, QSE_NULL, key, name, QSE_STR_CSTR(xli->tmp[0]));
 			if (pair == QSE_NULL) goto oops;
 
 			/* semicolon is mandatory for a string */
@@ -653,7 +665,7 @@ static int read_pair (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* list)
 		if (get_token (xli) <= -1) goto oops;
 
 		/* insert a pair with an empty list */
-		pair = qse_xli_insertpairwithemptylist (xli, list, QSE_NULL, key, name);
+		pair = qse_xli_insertpairwithemptylist (xli, parlist, QSE_NULL, key, name);
 		if (pair == QSE_NULL) goto oops;
 	
 		if (read_list (xli, (qse_xli_list_t*)pair->val) <= -1) goto oops;
@@ -676,7 +688,7 @@ static int read_pair (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* list)
 	else if (MATCH (xli, TOK_SEMICOLON))
 	{
 		/* no value has been specified for the pair */
-		pair = qse_xli_insertpair (xli, list, QSE_NULL, key, name, &xli->xnil);
+		pair = qse_xli_insertpair (xli, parlist, QSE_NULL, key, name, &xli->xnil);
 		if (pair == QSE_NULL) goto oops;
 
 		/* skip the semicolon */
@@ -698,8 +710,17 @@ oops:
 	return -1;
 }
 
-static int read_list (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* list)
+static int read_list (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* parlist)
 {
+	qse_xli_list_link_t* link = QSE_NULL;
+
+	link = (qse_xli_list_link_t*) qse_xli_callocmem (xli, QSE_SIZEOF(*link));
+	if (link == QSE_NULL) goto oops;
+
+	link->list = parlist;
+	link->next = xli->parlink;
+	xli->parlink = link;
+
 	while (1)
 	{
 		if (MATCH (xli, TOK_XINCLUDE))
@@ -716,7 +737,7 @@ static int read_list (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* list)
 		}
 		else if (MATCH (xli, TOK_IDENT))
 		{
-			if (read_pair (xli, list) <= -1) goto oops;
+			if (read_pair (xli) <= -1) goto oops;
 		}
 		else if (MATCH (xli, TOK_TEXT))
 		{
@@ -728,9 +749,19 @@ static int read_list (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* list)
 		}
 	}
 
+	QSE_ASSERT (link == xli->parlink);
+	xli->parlink = link->next;
+	qse_xli_freemem (xli, link);
+
 	return 0;
 
 oops:
+	if (link)
+	{
+		QSE_ASSERT (link == xli->parlink);
+		xli->parlink = link->next;
+		qse_xli_freemem (xli, link);
+	}
 	return -1;
 }
 
@@ -774,6 +805,8 @@ int qse_xli_read (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_io_impl_t io)
 	if (get_char (xli) <= -1 || get_token (xli) <= -1) goto oops;
 	if (read_list (xli, &xli->root) <= -1) goto oops;
 
+	QSE_ASSERT (xli->parlink == QSE_NULL);
+
 	if (!MATCH (xli, TOK_EOF))
 	{
 		qse_xli_seterror (xli, QSE_XLI_ESYNTAX, QSE_NULL, &xli->tok.loc);
diff --git a/qse/lib/xli/write.c b/qse/lib/xli/write.c
index 08f0ba66..c1ab51ea 100644
--- a/qse/lib/xli/write.c
+++ b/qse/lib/xli/write.c
@@ -84,10 +84,13 @@ static int write_list (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* list, int depth)
 
 			case QSE_XLI_FILE:
 				/* TODO filename escaping.... */
-				qse_printf (QSE_T("@include \"%s\";\n"),(( qse_xli_file_t*)curatom)->path);
+				qse_printf (QSE_T("@include \"%s\";\n"),((qse_xli_file_t*)curatom)->path);
 
 				/* TODO: open a new stream */
 				break;
+
+			case QSE_XLI_EOF:
+				break;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/qse/lib/xli/xli.c b/qse/lib/xli/xli.c
index 8f605bd6..b03bbbdc 100644
--- a/qse/lib/xli/xli.c
+++ b/qse/lib/xli/xli.c
@@ -300,11 +300,48 @@ qse_xli_text_t* qse_xli_inserttext (
 	text->type = QSE_XLI_TEXT;
 	text->ptr = (const qse_char_t*)(text + 1);
 
+	qse_strcpy ((qse_char_t*)(text + 1), str);
+
 	insert_atom (xli, parent, peer, (qse_xli_atom_t*)text);
 
 	return text;
 }
 
+qse_xli_file_t* qse_xli_insertfile (
+	qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* parent, qse_xli_atom_t* peer, const qse_char_t* path)
+{
+	qse_xli_file_t* file;
+	qse_size_t plen;
+
+	plen = qse_strlen (path);
+
+	file = qse_xli_callocmem (xli, QSE_SIZEOF(*file) + ((plen + 1) * QSE_SIZEOF(*path)));
+	if (file == QSE_NULL) return QSE_NULL;
+
+	file->type = QSE_XLI_FILE;
+	file->path = (const qse_char_t*)(file + 1);
+
+	qse_strcpy ((qse_char_t*)(file + 1), path);
+
+	insert_atom (xli, parent, peer, (qse_xli_atom_t*)file);
+
+	return file;
+}
+
+qse_xli_eof_t* qse_xli_inserteof (
+	qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* parent, qse_xli_atom_t* peer)
+{
+	qse_xli_eof_t* eof;
+
+	eof = qse_xli_callocmem (xli, QSE_SIZEOF(*eof));
+	if (eof == QSE_NULL) return QSE_NULL;
+
+	eof->type = QSE_XLI_EOF;
+	insert_atom (xli, parent, peer, (qse_xli_atom_t*)eof);
+
+	return eof;
+}
+
 /* ------------------------------------------------------ */
 
 static void free_list (qse_xli_t* xli, qse_xli_list_t* list);
diff --git a/qse/lib/xli/xli.h b/qse/lib/xli/xli.h
index 865fefde..062bb30a 100644
--- a/qse/lib/xli/xli.h
+++ b/qse/lib/xli/xli.h
@@ -34,6 +34,14 @@ struct qse_xli_tok_t
      qse_xli_loc_t loc;
 };
 
+typedef struct qse_xli_list_link_t qse_xli_list_link_t;
+
+struct qse_xli_list_link_t
+{
+	qse_xli_list_link_t* next;
+	qse_xli_list_t* list;
+};
+
 struct qse_xli_t
 {
 	qse_mmgr_t* mmgr;
@@ -50,8 +58,9 @@ struct qse_xli_t
 
 	qse_xli_ecb_t* ecb;
 
-	qse_xli_list_t root;
 	qse_xli_nil_t xnil;
+	qse_xli_list_t  root;
+	qse_xli_list_link_t* parlink;
 
 	qse_str_t* tmp[1];
 	qse_xli_tok_t tok;