diff --git a/qse/cmd/scm/scm.c b/qse/cmd/scm/scm.c
index 5ad8aeb1..c807c9c0 100644
--- a/qse/cmd/scm/scm.c
+++ b/qse/cmd/scm/scm.c
@@ -223,9 +223,13 @@ int scm_main (int argc, qse_char_t* argv[])
 		qse_scm_io_t io = { get_input, put_output };
 		qse_scm_attachio (scm, &io);
 	}
+
 
-{
-pio1 (QSE_T("pstat"), QSE_PIO_READOUT|QSE_PIO_WRITEIN|QSE_PIO_SHELL|QSE_PIO_DROPERR, QSE_PIO_OUT);   
+
+{
+   int i;
+   for (i = 0; i<200; i++) 
+pio1 (QSE_T("pstat.exe /c"), QSE_PIO_READOUT|QSE_PIO_WRITEIN|/*QSE_PIO_SHELL|*/QSE_PIO_DROPERR, QSE_PIO_OUT);   
 }
 
 {
diff --git a/qse/include/qse/cmn/str.h b/qse/include/qse/cmn/str.h
index ae486c1c..a5bdbfbf 100644
--- a/qse/include/qse/cmn/str.h
+++ b/qse/include/qse/cmn/str.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: str.h 404 2011-03-20 14:16:54Z hyunghwan.chung $
+ * $Id: str.h 405 2011-03-21 14:01:10Z hyunghwan.chung $
  *
     Copyright 2006-2009 Chung, Hyung-Hwan.
     This file is part of QSE.
@@ -136,13 +136,29 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 
 /**
- * The qse_strlen() function returns the number of characters in a 
- * null-terminated string. The length returned excludes a terminating null.
+ * The qse_mbslen() function returns the number of characters in a 
+ * multibyte null-terminated string. The length returned excludes a 
+ * terminating null.
  */
-qse_size_t qse_strlen (
-	const qse_char_t* str
+qse_size_t qse_mbslen (
+	const qse_mchar_t* mbs
 );
 
+/**
+ * The qse_wcslen() function returns the number of characters in a 
+ * wide-character null-terminated string. The length returned excludes 
+ * a terminating null.
+ */
+qse_size_t qse_wcslen (
+	const qse_wchar_t* wcs
+);
+
+#ifdef QSE_CHAR_IS_MCHAR
+#	define qse_strlen(str) qse_mbslen(str)
+#else
+#	define qse_strlen(str) qse_wcslen(str)
+#endif
+
 /**
  * The qse_strbytes() function returns the number of bytes a null-terminated
  * string is holding excluding a terminating null.
@@ -151,19 +167,6 @@ qse_size_t qse_strbytes (
 	const qse_char_t* str
 );
 
-qse_size_t qse_mbslen (
-	const qse_mchar_t* mbs
-);
-
-qse_size_t qse_wcslen (
-	const qse_wchar_t* wcs
-);
-
-qse_size_t qse_strcpy (
-	qse_char_t*       buf,
-	const qse_char_t* str
-);
-
 qse_size_t qse_mbscpy (
 	qse_mchar_t*       buf,
 	const qse_mchar_t* str
@@ -174,6 +177,12 @@ qse_size_t qse_wcscpy (
 	const qse_wchar_t* str
 );
 
+#ifdef QSE_CHAR_IS_MCHAR
+#	define qse_strcpy(buf,str) qse_mbscpy(buf,str)
+#else
+#	define qse_strcpy(buf,str) qse_wcscpy(buf,str)
+#endif
+
 qse_size_t qse_strxcpy (
 	qse_char_t*       buf,
 	qse_size_t        bsz,
@@ -401,16 +410,33 @@ qse_char_t* qse_strxdup2 (
 );
 
 /**
- * The qse_strstr() function searchs a string @a str for the first occurrence 
+ * The qse_mbsstr() function searchs a string @a str for the first occurrence 
  * of a substring @a sub.
  * @return pointer to the first occurrence in @a str if @a sub is found, 
  *         QSE_NULL if not.
  */
-qse_char_t* qse_strstr (
-	const qse_char_t* str, 
-	const qse_char_t* sub
+qse_mchar_t* qse_mbsstr (
+	const qse_mchar_t* str, 
+	const qse_mchar_t* sub
 );
 
+/**
+ * The qse_wcsstr() function searchs a string @a str for the first occurrence 
+ * of a substring @a sub.
+ * @return pointer to the first occurrence in @a str if @a sub is found, 
+ *         QSE_NULL if not.
+ */
+qse_wchar_t* qse_wcsstr (
+	const qse_wchar_t* str, 
+	const qse_wchar_t* sub
+);
+
+#ifdef QSE_CHAR_IS_MCHAR
+#	define qse_strstr(str,sub) qse_mbsstr(str,sub)
+#else
+#	define qse_strstr(str,sub) qse_wcsstr(str,,sub)
+#endif
+
 qse_char_t* qse_strxstr (
 	const qse_char_t* str,
 	qse_size_t        size,
@@ -466,11 +492,22 @@ qse_char_t* qse_strxnrstr (
 	qse_size_t        subsz
 );
 
-qse_char_t* qse_strchr (
-	const qse_char_t* str,
-	qse_cint_t c
+qse_mchar_t* qse_mbschr (
+	const qse_mchar_t* str,
+	qse_mcint_t        c
 );
 
+qse_wchar_t* qse_wcschr (
+	const qse_wchar_t* str,
+	qse_wcint_t        c
+);
+
+#ifdef QSE_CHAR_IS_MCHAR
+#	define qse_strchr(str,c) qse_mbschr(str,c)
+#else
+#	define qse_strchr(str,c) qse_wcschr(str,c)
+#endif
+
 qse_char_t* qse_strxchr (
 	const qse_char_t* str,
 	qse_size_t len,
diff --git a/qse/lib/cmn/pio.c b/qse/lib/cmn/pio.c
index de57e30a..0bbbcab2 100644
--- a/qse/lib/cmn/pio.c
+++ b/qse/lib/cmn/pio.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: pio.c 404 2011-03-20 14:16:54Z hyunghwan.chung $
+ * $Id: pio.c 405 2011-03-21 14:01:10Z hyunghwan.chung $
  *
     Copyright 2006-2009 Chung, Hyung-Hwan.
     This file is part of QSE.
@@ -294,14 +294,12 @@ qse_pio_t* qse_pio_init (
 
 #elif defined(__OS2__)
 
-#define DOS_DUP_HANDLE(x,y) QSE_BLOCK ( \
-	if (DosDupHandle(x,y) != NO_ERROR) goto oops; \
-)
+	#define DOS_DUP_HANDLE(x,y) QSE_BLOCK ( \
+		if (DosDupHandle(x,y) != NO_ERROR) goto oops; \
+	)
 
 	if (oflags & QSE_PIO_WRITEIN)
 	{
-		ULONG state;
-
 		/* child reads, parent writes */		
 		if (DosCreatePipe (
 			&handle[0], &handle[1], pipe_size) != NO_ERROR) goto oops;
@@ -310,7 +308,8 @@ qse_pio_t* qse_pio_init (
 		 * handle[0] inherited. set the flag not to inherit handle[1]. */
 		if (DosSetFHState (handle[1], OPEN_FLAGS_NOINHERIT) != NO_ERROR) goto oops;
 
-		/* Need to do somthing like this to set the flag instead? 
+		/* Need to do somthing like this to set the flag instead? 
+		ULONG state;               
 		DosQueryFHState (handle[1], &state);
 		DosSetFHState (handle[1], state | OPEN_FLAGS_NOINHERIT); */
 
@@ -319,8 +318,6 @@ qse_pio_t* qse_pio_init (
 
 	if (oflags & QSE_PIO_READOUT)
 	{
-		ULONG state;
-
 		/* child writes, parent reads */
 		if (DosCreatePipe (
 			&handle[2], &handle[3], pipe_size) != NO_ERROR) goto oops;
@@ -335,8 +332,6 @@ qse_pio_t* qse_pio_init (
 
 	if (oflags & QSE_PIO_READERR)
 	{
-		ULONG state;
-
 		/* child writes, parent reads */
 		if (DosCreatePipe (
 			&handle[4], &handle[5], pipe_size) != NO_ERROR) goto oops;
@@ -444,9 +439,8 @@ qse_pio_t* qse_pio_init (
 	if (oflags & QSE_PIO_DROPIN) DosClose (std_in);
 	if (oflags & QSE_PIO_DROPOUT) DosClose (std_out);
 	if (oflags & QSE_PIO_DROPERR) DosClose (std_err);
-#if 0
+
 	if (oflags & QSE_PIO_SHELL) 
-#endif
 	{
 		qse_size_t n, mn;
 
@@ -472,17 +466,39 @@ qse_pio_t* qse_pio_init (
 		
 		cmd_file = QSE_MT("cmd.exe");
 	}
-#if 0
 	else
-	{
-	#ifdef QSE_CHAR_IS_MCHAR
-	#else   
-		cmd_line = qse_strdup (cmd, mmgr);
+	{
+		qse_mchar_t* mptr;
+
+	#ifdef QSE_CHAR_IS_MCHAR
+		qse_size_t mn = qse_strlen(cmd);
+		cmd_line = qse_strdup2 (cmd, QSE_T(" "), pio->mmgr);
 		if (cmd_line == QSE_NULL) goto oops;
-	#endif
-		cmd_file...
+	#else   
+		qse_size_t n, mn;
+		n = qse_wcstombslen (cmd, &mn);
+		if (cmd[n] != QSE_T('\0')) goto oops; /* illegal sequence in cmd */
+
+		mn = mn + 1;
+		cmd_line = QSE_MMGR_ALLOC (pio->mmgr, mn * QSE_SIZEOF(qse_char_t));
+		if (cmd_line == QSE_NULL) goto oops;
+  
+		qse_wcstombs (cmd, cmd_line, &mn);
+	#endif
+
+		/* TODO: enhance this part by:
+		 *          supporting file names containing whitespaces.
+		 *          detecting the end of the file name better.
+		 *          doing better parsing of the command line.
+		 */
+
+		/* NOTE: you must separate the command name and the parameters with 
+		 *       a space. "pstat.exe /c" is ok while "pstat.exe/c" is not. */
+		mptr = qse_mbschr (cmd_line, QSE_MT(' '));
+		if (mptr) *mptr = QSE_MT('\0');
+		cmd_line[mn+1] = QSE_MT('\0'); /* the second '\0' at the end */
+		cmd_file = cmd_line;
 	}
-#endif
 
 	/* execute the command line */
 	rc = DosExecPgm (
@@ -681,7 +697,8 @@ qse_pio_t* qse_pio_init (
 				/* no field or an error */
 				goto child_oops;
 			}
-			
+			
+			/* calculate the length of the string after splitting */
 			for (wl = 0, n = fcnt; n > 0; )
 			{
 				if (wcmd[wl++] == QSE_T('\0')) n--;
@@ -690,7 +707,9 @@ qse_pio_t* qse_pio_init (
 			n = qse_wcsntombsnlen (wcmd, wl, &mn);
 			if (n != wl) goto child_oops;
 		}
-
+
+		/* prepare to reserve 1 more slot for the terminating '\0'
+		 * by incrementing mn by 1. */
 		mn = mn + 1;
 
 		if (mn <= QSE_COUNTOF(buf)) 
diff --git a/qse/lib/cmn/str_bas.c b/qse/lib/cmn/str_bas.c
index 5b10df25..510b7955 100644
--- a/qse/lib/cmn/str_bas.c
+++ b/qse/lib/cmn/str_bas.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: str_bas.c 404 2011-03-20 14:16:54Z hyunghwan.chung $
+ * $Id: str_bas.c 405 2011-03-21 14:01:10Z hyunghwan.chung $
  *
     Copyright 2006-2009 Chung, Hyung-Hwan.
     This file is part of QSE.
@@ -22,11 +22,18 @@
 #include <qse/cmn/chr.h>
 #include "mem.h"
 
-qse_size_t qse_strlen (const qse_char_t* str)
+qse_size_t qse_mbslen (const qse_mchar_t* mbs)
 {
-	const qse_char_t* p = str;
-	while (*p != QSE_T('\0')) p++;
-	return p - str;
+	const qse_mchar_t* p = mbs;
+	while (*p != QSE_MT('\0')) p++;
+	return p - mbs;
+}
+
+qse_size_t qse_wcslen (const qse_wchar_t* wcs)
+{
+	const qse_wchar_t* p = wcs;
+	while (*p != QSE_WT('\0')) p++;
+	return p - wcs;
 }
 
 qse_size_t qse_strbytes (const qse_char_t* str)
@@ -36,27 +43,6 @@ qse_size_t qse_strbytes (const qse_char_t* str)
 	return (p - str) * QSE_SIZEOF(qse_char_t);
 }
 
-qse_size_t qse_mbslen (const qse_mchar_t* mbs)
-{
-	const qse_mchar_t* p = mbs;
-	while (*p != QSE_T('\0')) p++;
-	return p - mbs;
-}
-
-qse_size_t qse_wcslen (const qse_wchar_t* wcs)
-{
-	const qse_wchar_t* p = wcs;
-	while (*p != QSE_T('\0')) p++;
-	return p - wcs;
-}
-
-qse_size_t qse_strcpy (qse_char_t* buf, const qse_char_t* str)
-{
-	qse_char_t* org = buf;
-	while ((*buf++ = *str++) != QSE_T('\0'));
-	return buf - org - 1;
-}
-
 qse_size_t qse_mbscpy (qse_mchar_t* buf, const qse_mchar_t* str)
 {
 	qse_mchar_t* org = buf;
@@ -645,14 +631,14 @@ qse_char_t* qse_strxdup2 (
 	return tmp;
 }
 
-qse_char_t* qse_strstr (const qse_char_t* str, const qse_char_t* sub)
+qse_mchar_t* qse_mbsstr (const qse_mchar_t* str, const qse_mchar_t* sub)
 {
-	const qse_char_t* x, * y;
+	const qse_mchar_t* x, * y;
 
 	y = sub;
-	if (*y == QSE_T('\0')) return (qse_char_t*)str;
+	if (*y == QSE_MT('\0')) return (qse_mchar_t*)str;
 
-	while (*str != QSE_T('\0')) 
+	while (*str != QSE_MT('\0')) 
 	{
 		if (*str != *y) 
 		{
@@ -661,11 +647,42 @@ qse_char_t* qse_strstr (const qse_char_t* str, const qse_char_t* sub)
 		}
 
 		x = str;
-		while (1)
+		do
 		{
-			if (*y == QSE_T('\0')) return (qse_char_t*)str;
+			if (*y == QSE_MT('\0')) return (qse_mchar_t*)str;
 			if (*x++ != *y++) break;
 		}
+		while (1);
+
+		y = sub;
+		str++;
+	}
+
+	return QSE_NULL;
+}
+
+qse_wchar_t* qse_wcsstr (const qse_wchar_t* str, const qse_wchar_t* sub)
+{
+	const qse_wchar_t* x, * y;
+
+	y = sub;
+	if (*y == QSE_WT('\0')) return (qse_wchar_t*)str;
+
+	while (*str != QSE_WT('\0')) 
+	{
+		if (*str != *y) 
+		{
+			str++;
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		x = str;
+		do
+		{
+			if (*y == QSE_WT('\0')) return (qse_wchar_t*)str;
+			if (*x++ != *y++) break;
+		}
+		while (1);
 
 		y = sub;
 		str++;
@@ -817,11 +834,21 @@ qse_char_t* qse_strxnrstr (
 	return QSE_NULL;
 }
 
-qse_char_t* qse_strchr (const qse_char_t* str, qse_cint_t c)
+qse_mchar_t* qse_mbschr (const qse_mchar_t* str, qse_mcint_t c)
 {
-	while (*str != QSE_T('\0')) 
+	while (*str != QSE_MT('\0')) 
 	{
-		if (*str == c) return (qse_char_t*)str;
+		if (*str == c) return (qse_mchar_t*)str;
+		str++;
+	}
+	return QSE_NULL;
+}
+
+qse_wchar_t* qse_wcschr (const qse_wchar_t* str, qse_wcint_t c)
+{
+	while (*str != QSE_WT('\0')) 
+	{
+		if (*str == c) return (qse_wchar_t*)str;
 		str++;
 	}
 	return QSE_NULL;