diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/FloatDict.java b/core/src/processing/data/FloatDict.java
index eafa0943d..cb06c2b15 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/FloatDict.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/FloatDict.java
@@ -68,6 +68,28 @@ public class FloatDict {
     }
   }
 
+
+  /**
+   * Constructor to allow (more intuitive) inline initialization, e.g.:
+   * <pre>
+   * new FloatDict(new Object[][] {
+   *   { "key1", 1 },
+   *   { "key2", 2 }
+   * });
+   * </pre>
+   */
+  public FloatDict(Object[][] pairs) {
+    count = pairs.length;
+    this.keys = new String[count];
+    this.values = new float[count];
+    for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+      keys[i] = (String) pairs[i][0];
+      values[i] = (Float) pairs[i][1];
+      indices.put(keys[i], i);
+    }
+  }
+
+
   /**
    * @nowebref
    */
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/IntDict.java b/core/src/processing/data/IntDict.java
index 5b3efedbe..ba0bbaca0 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/IntDict.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/IntDict.java
@@ -83,6 +83,28 @@ public class IntDict {
     }
   }
 
+
+  /**
+   * Constructor to allow (more intuitive) inline initialization, e.g.:
+   * <pre>
+   * new FloatDict(new Object[][] {
+   *   { "key1", 1 },
+   *   { "key2", 2 }
+   * });
+   * </pre>
+   */
+  public IntDict(Object[][] pairs) {
+    count = pairs.length;
+    this.keys = new String[count];
+    this.values = new int[count];
+    for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+      keys[i] = (String) pairs[i][0];
+      values[i] = (Integer) pairs[i][1];
+      indices.put(keys[i], i);
+    }
+  }
+
+
   /**
    * Returns the number of key/value pairs
    *
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/StringDict.java b/core/src/processing/data/StringDict.java
index cb65c7f9b..69fb4b716 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/StringDict.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/StringDict.java
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ public class StringDict {
     }
   }
 
+
   /**
    * @nowebref
    */
@@ -84,6 +85,29 @@ public class StringDict {
     }
   }
 
+
+  /**
+   * Constructor to allow (more intuitive) inline initialization, e.g.:
+   * <pre>
+   * new StringDict(new String[][] {
+   *   { "key1", "value1" },
+   *   { "key2", "value2" }
+   * });
+   * </pre>
+   * It's no Python, but beats a static { } block with HashMap.put() statements.
+   */
+  public StringDict(String[][] pairs) {
+    count = pairs.length;
+    this.keys = new String[count];
+    this.values = new String[count];
+    for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+      keys[i] = pairs[i][0];
+      values[i] = pairs[i][1];
+      indices.put(keys[i], i);
+    }
+  }
+
+
   /**
    * @webref stringdict:method
    * @brief Returns the number of key/value pairs
diff --git a/core/todo.txt b/core/todo.txt
index 09921886c..1403530b4 100644
--- a/core/todo.txt
+++ b/core/todo.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ X pop() was not implemented correctly
 X fairly major rewrite of createShape() 
 X   prevents same code from appearing 5x (!) in the source
 X   improves bad api design with the static createShapeImpl() methods
+X add new String/Int/FloatDict constructors for easier initialization
 
 
 _ need reference update for createShape()
@@ -128,6 +129,7 @@ _   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/2778
 _ make join() work with Iterable?
 _   will this collide with the current String[] version?
 _ remove OPENGL constant (tell people to use P3D or P2D)
+_ exec() and open() to use varargs
 
 
 under consideration
diff --git a/todo.txt b/todo.txt
index 467fe2d61..d114ed0d2 100644
--- a/todo.txt
+++ b/todo.txt
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ contribs
 X Window size not passing into Tweak Mode
 X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/3208
 X   https://github.com/processing/processing/pull/3227
+X preferences window fixes for Linux
+X   https://github.com/processing/processing/pull/3232
+X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/3231
 
 
 _ we've lost arrow keys to expand items in the examples window