diff --git a/core/src/processing/core/PApplet.java b/core/src/processing/core/PApplet.java
index a5b4c939a..20b8ab97d 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/core/PApplet.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/core/PApplet.java
@@ -6051,7 +6051,7 @@ public class PApplet extends Applet
    */
   public XML loadXML(String filename, String options) {
     try {
-      return new XML(createInput(filename), options);
+      return new XML(createReader(filename), options);
     } catch (Exception e) {
       e.printStackTrace();
       return null;
@@ -6104,8 +6104,9 @@ public class PApplet extends Applet
 
 
   public JSONObject loadJSONObject(String filename) {
-    JSONTokener tokener = new JSONTokener(createReader(filename));
-    return new JSONObject(tokener);
+    //JSONTokener tokener = new JSONTokener(createReader(filename));
+    //return new JSONObject(tokener);
+    return new JSONObject(createReader(filename));
   }
 
 
@@ -6120,8 +6121,9 @@ public class PApplet extends Applet
 
 
   public JSONArray loadJSONArray(String filename) {
-    JSONTokener tokener = new JSONTokener(createReader(filename));
-    return new JSONArray(tokener);
+//    JSONTokener tokener = new JSONTokener(createReader(filename));
+//    return new JSONArray(tokener);
+    return new JSONArray(createReader(filename));
   }
 
 
diff --git a/core/src/processing/core/PGraphicsJava2D.java b/core/src/processing/core/PGraphicsJava2D.java
index ec5ddc410..f41136dae 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/core/PGraphicsJava2D.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/core/PGraphicsJava2D.java
@@ -1463,7 +1463,7 @@ public class PGraphicsJava2D extends PGraphics /*PGraphics2D*/ {
     } else if (extension.equals("svgz")) {
       try {
         InputStream input = new GZIPInputStream(parent.createInput(filename));
-        XML xml = new XML(input, options);
+        XML xml = new XML(PApplet.createReader(input), options);
         svg = new PShapeSVG(xml);
       } catch (Exception e) {
         e.printStackTrace();
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/FloatList.java b/core/src/processing/data/FloatList.java
index 5b7277126..d04b1f1f3 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/FloatList.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/FloatList.java
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import java.util.Random;
 import processing.core.PApplet;
 
 
-public class FloatList {
+public class FloatList implements Iterable<Float> {
   int count;
   float[] data;
 
@@ -550,9 +550,9 @@ public class FloatList {
 
 
   /**
-   * Returns the actual array being used to store the data. Suitable for
-   * iterating with a for() loop, but modifying the list could cause terrible
-   * things to happen.
+   * Returns the actual array being used to store the data. For advanced users,
+   * this is the fastest way to access a large list. Suitable for iterating
+   * with a for() loop, but modifying the list will have terrible consequences.
    */
   public float[] values() {
     crop();
@@ -560,7 +560,13 @@ public class FloatList {
   }
 
 
-  public Iterator<Float> valueIterator() {
+  /** Implemented this way so that we can use a FloatList in a for loop. */
+  @Override
+  public Iterator<Float> iterator() {
+//  }
+//
+//
+//  public Iterator<Float> valueIterator() {
     return new Iterator<Float>() {
       int index = -1;
 
@@ -583,8 +589,8 @@ public class FloatList {
    * Create a new array with a copy of all the values.
    * @return an array sized by the length of the list with each of the values.
    */
-  public int[] valueArray() {
-    return valueArray(null);
+  public int[] array() {
+    return array(null);
   }
 
 
@@ -592,7 +598,7 @@ public class FloatList {
    * Copy as many values as possible into the specified array.
    * @param array
    */
-  public int[] valueArray(int[] array) {
+  public int[] array(int[] array) {
     if (array == null || array.length != count) {
       array = new int[count];
     }
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/IntHash.java b/core/src/processing/data/IntHash.java
index 34d5991e4..16c8e4123 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/IntHash.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/IntHash.java
@@ -22,27 +22,27 @@ public class IntHash {
   private HashMap<String, Integer> indices = new HashMap<String, Integer>();
 
 
-  /**
-   * Create a new object by counting the number of times each unique entry
-   * shows up in the specified String array.
-   */
-  static public IntHash fromCount(String[] list) {
-    IntHash outgoing = new IntHash();
-    for (String s : list) {
-      outgoing.inc(s);
-    }
-    outgoing.crop();
-    return outgoing;
-  }
-
-
-  static public IntHash fromOrder(String[] list) {
-    IntHash outgoing = new IntHash();
-    for (int i = 0; i < list.length; i++) {
-      outgoing.set(list[i], i);
-    }
-    return outgoing;
-  }
+//  /**
+//   * Create a new object by counting the number of times each unique entry
+//   * shows up in the specified String array.
+//   */
+//  static public IntHash fromTally(String[] list) {
+//    IntHash outgoing = new IntHash();
+//    for (String s : list) {
+//      outgoing.inc(s);
+//    }
+//    outgoing.crop();
+//    return outgoing;
+//  }
+//
+//
+//  static public IntHash fromOrder(String[] list) {
+//    IntHash outgoing = new IntHash();
+//    for (int i = 0; i < list.length; i++) {
+//      outgoing.set(list[i], i);
+//    }
+//    return outgoing;
+//  }
 
 
   public IntHash() {
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/IntList.java b/core/src/processing/data/IntList.java
index 5af43468f..e0f454452 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/IntList.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/IntList.java
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import processing.core.PApplet;
  * sort() and shuffle() always act on the list itself. To get a sorted copy,
  * use list.copy().sort().
  */
-public class IntList {
+public class IntList implements Iterable<Integer> {
   protected int count;
   protected int[] data;
 
@@ -462,9 +462,9 @@ public class IntList {
 
 
   /**
-   * Returns the actual array being used to store the data. Suitable for
-   * iterating with a for() loop, but modifying the list could cause terrible
-   * things to happen.
+   * Returns the actual array being used to store the data. For advanced users,
+   * this is the fastest way to access a large list. Suitable for iterating
+   * with a for() loop, but modifying the list will have terrible consequences.
    */
   public int[] values() {
     crop();
@@ -472,7 +472,9 @@ public class IntList {
   }
 
 
-  public Iterator<Integer> valueIterator() {
+  @Override
+  public Iterator<Integer> iterator() {
+//  public Iterator<Integer> valueIterator() {
     return new Iterator<Integer>() {
       int index = -1;
 
@@ -495,8 +497,8 @@ public class IntList {
    * Create a new array with a copy of all the values.
    * @return an array sized by the length of the list with each of the values.
    */
-  public int[] valueArray() {
-    return valueArray(null);
+  public int[] array() {
+    return array(null);
   }
 
 
@@ -504,7 +506,7 @@ public class IntList {
    * Copy as many values as possible into the specified array.
    * @param array
    */
-  public int[] valueArray(int[] array) {
+  public int[] array(int[] array) {
     if (array == null || array.length != count) {
       array = new int[count];
     }
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/JSONArray.java b/core/src/processing/data/JSONArray.java
index 8c633df36..5955bd4fd 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/JSONArray.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/JSONArray.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.OutputStream;
 import java.io.PrintWriter;
+import java.io.Reader;
 import java.io.StringWriter;
 import java.io.Writer;
 import java.lang.reflect.Array;
@@ -93,7 +94,6 @@ import processing.core.PApplet;
  */
 public class JSONArray {
 
-
   /**
    * The arrayList where the JSONArray's properties are kept.
    */
@@ -107,12 +107,18 @@ public class JSONArray {
     this.myArrayList = new ArrayList<Object>();
   }
 
+
+  public JSONArray(Reader reader) {
+    this(new JSONTokener(reader));
+  }
+
+
   /**
    * Construct a JSONArray from a JSONTokener.
    * @param x A JSONTokener
    * @throws JSONException If there is a syntax error.
    */
-  public JSONArray(JSONTokener x) {
+  protected JSONArray(JSONTokener x) {
     this();
     if (x.nextClean() != '[') {
       throw new RuntimeException("A JSONArray text must start with '['");
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/JSONObject.java b/core/src/processing/data/JSONObject.java
index 92df70066..50803e53c 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/JSONObject.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/JSONObject.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ SOFTWARE.
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.PrintWriter;
+import java.io.Reader;
 import java.io.StringWriter;
 import java.io.Writer;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
@@ -214,13 +215,18 @@ public class JSONObject {
 //  }
 
 
+  public JSONObject(Reader reader) {
+    this(new JSONTokener(reader));
+  }
+
+
   /**
    * Construct a JSONObject from a JSONTokener.
    * @param x A JSONTokener object containing the source string.
    * @throws JSONException If there is a syntax error in the source string
    *  or a duplicated key.
    */
-  public JSONObject(JSONTokener x) {
+  protected JSONObject(JSONTokener x) {
     this();
     char c;
     String key;
@@ -336,7 +342,7 @@ public class JSONObject {
    * @param bean An object that has getter methods that should be used
    * to make a JSONObject.
    */
-  public JSONObject(Object bean) {
+  protected JSONObject(Object bean) {
     this();
     this.populateMap(bean);
   }
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/JSONTokener.java b/core/src/processing/data/JSONTokener.java
index 4bfa6fb1e..499f10a82 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/JSONTokener.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/JSONTokener.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ SOFTWARE.
  * @author JSON.org
  * @version 2012-02-16
  */
-public class JSONTokener {
+class JSONTokener {
 
   private long    character;
   private boolean eof;
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/StringList.java b/core/src/processing/data/StringList.java
index 8fb05a08a..3bee3f82b 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/StringList.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/StringList.java
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import java.util.Random;
 import processing.core.PApplet;
 
 
-public class StringList {
+public class StringList implements Iterable<String> {
   int count;
   String[] data;
 
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ public class StringList {
 
 
   // same as splice
-  public void insert(int index, int[] values) {
+  public void insert(int index, String[] values) {
     if (index < 0) {
       throw new IllegalArgumentException("insert() index cannot be negative: it was " + index);
     }
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ public class StringList {
   }
 
 
-  public void insert(int index, IntList list) {
+  public void insert(int index, StringList list) {
     insert(index, list.values());
   }
 
@@ -552,7 +552,13 @@ public class StringList {
   }
 
 
-  public Iterator<String> valueIterator() {
+  @Override
+  public Iterator<String> iterator() {
+//    return valueIterator();
+//  }
+//
+//
+//  public Iterator<String> valueIterator() {
     return new Iterator<String>() {
       int index = -1;
 
@@ -575,8 +581,8 @@ public class StringList {
    * Create a new array with a copy of all the values.
    * @return an array sized by the length of the list with each of the values.
    */
-  public int[] valueArray() {
-    return valueArray(null);
+  public String[] array() {
+    return array(null);
   }
 
 
@@ -584,11 +590,39 @@ public class StringList {
    * Copy as many values as possible into the specified array.
    * @param array
    */
-  public int[] valueArray(int[] array) {
+  public String[] array(String[] array) {
     if (array == null || array.length != count) {
-      array = new int[count];
+      array = new String[count];
     }
     System.arraycopy(data, 0, array, 0, count);
     return array;
   }
-}
+
+
+  /** Remove all non-unique entries. */
+  public void unique() {
+    IntHash cheat = getTally();
+    data = cheat.keyArray();
+    count = cheat.size();
+  }
+
+
+  /** Count the number of times each String entry is found in this list. */
+  public IntHash getTally() {
+    IntHash outgoing = new IntHash();
+    for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+      outgoing.inc(data[i]);
+    }
+    return outgoing;
+  }
+
+
+  /** Create a dictionary associating each entry in this list to its index. */
+  public IntHash getOrder() {
+    IntHash outgoing = new IntHash();
+    for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+      outgoing.set(data[i], i);
+    }
+    return outgoing;
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/Table.java b/core/src/processing/data/Table.java
index 01ecd3cd0..e6960ffb2 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/Table.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/Table.java
@@ -2975,7 +2975,7 @@ public class Table {
       }
     }
 
-    void writeln(PrintWriter writer) throws IOException {
+    private void writeln(PrintWriter writer) throws IOException {
       for (String str : indexToData) {
         writer.println(str);
       }
@@ -2998,63 +2998,67 @@ public class Table {
   // . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 
 
-  class HashMapSucks extends HashMap<String,Integer> {
-
-    void increment(String what) {
-      Integer value = get(what);
-      if (value == null) {
-        put(what, 1);
-      } else {
-        put(what, value + 1);
-      }
-    }
-
-    void check(String what) {
-      if (get(what) == null) {
-        put(what, 0);
-      }
-    }
-  }
+//  class HashMapSucks extends HashMap<String,Integer> {
+//
+//    void increment(String what) {
+//      Integer value = get(what);
+//      if (value == null) {
+//        put(what, 1);
+//      } else {
+//        put(what, value + 1);
+//      }
+//    }
+//
+//    void check(String what) {
+//      if (get(what) == null) {
+//        put(what, 0);
+//      }
+//    }
+//  }
 
 
   // . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 
 
-  /** Not to be documented yet, API not complete. */
-  public String[] listUnique(String column) {
-    return listUnique(getColumnIndex(column));
-  }
+  // replaced with StringList.fromUnique(String[] list)
+//  public String[] listUnique(String column) {
+//    return listUnique(getColumnIndex(column));
+//  }
 
 
-  /** Not to be documented yet, API not complete. */
-  public String[] listUnique(int column) {
-    HashMapSucks found = new HashMapSucks();
-    for (int row = 0; row < getRowCount(); row++) {
-      found.check(getString(row, column));
-    }
-    String[] outgoing = new String[found.size()];
-    found.keySet().toArray(outgoing);
-    return outgoing;
-  }
+//  IntHash found = IntHash.fromTally(getStringColumn(column));
+//  return found.keyArray();
+
+  // replaced with StringList.fromUnique(String[] list)
+//  public String[] listUnique(int column) {
+//    HashMapSucks found = new HashMapSucks();
+//
+//    for (int row = 0; row < getRowCount(); row++) {
+//      found.check(getString(row, column));
+//    }
+//    String[] outgoing = new String[found.size()];
+//    found.keySet().toArray(outgoing);
+//    return outgoing;
+//  }
 
 
-  /** Not to be documented yet, API not complete. */
-  public HashMap<String,Integer> tallyUnique(String columnName) {
-    return tallyUnique(getColumnIndex(columnName));
-  }
+  // replaced with StringDict.fromTally(String[] list)
+//  public HashMap<String,Integer> tallyUnique(String columnName) {
+//    return tallyUnique(getColumnIndex(columnName));
+//  }
 
 
-  /** Not to be documented yet, API not complete. */
-  public HashMap<String,Integer> tallyUnique(int column) {
-    HashMapSucks outgoing = new HashMapSucks();
-    for (int row = 0; row < rowCount; row++) {
-      String entry = getString(row, column);
-      if (entry != null) {
-        outgoing.increment(entry);
-      }
-    }
-    return outgoing;
-  }
+  // replaced with StringDict.fromTally(String[] list)
+//  public HashMap<String,Integer> tallyUnique(int column) {
+//    HashMapSucks outgoing = new HashMapSucks();
+//    for (int row = 0; row < rowCount; row++) {
+//      String entry = getString(row, column);
+//      if (entry != null) {
+//        outgoing.increment(entry);
+//      }
+//    }
+//    return outgoing;
+//  }
 
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/TableODS.java b/core/src/processing/data/TableODS.java
index 660c02ee2..10231c17f 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/TableODS.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/TableODS.java
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public class TableODS extends Table {
 //  protected void read(BufferedReader reader, String worksheet, boolean actual) throws IOException, ParserConfigurationException, SAXException {
 //    XML xml = new XML(reader);
   protected void read(InputStream input, String worksheet, boolean actual) throws IOException, ParserConfigurationException, SAXException {
-    XML xml = new XML(input);
+    XML xml = new XML(PApplet.createReader(input));
 
 //    XML x = new XML(reader);
 //    PApplet.saveStrings(new File("/Users/fry/Desktop/namespacefix.xml"), new String[] { xml.toString() });
diff --git a/core/src/processing/data/XML.java b/core/src/processing/data/XML.java
index 71711e8b5..53beb8018 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/data/XML.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/data/XML.java
@@ -95,20 +95,25 @@ public class XML implements Serializable {
   }
 
 
-  /**
-   * @param input description TBD
-   */
-  public XML(InputStream input) throws IOException, ParserConfigurationException, SAXException {
-    this(input, null);
+//  /**
+//   * @param input description TBD
+//   */
+//  public XML(InputStream input) throws IOException, ParserConfigurationException, SAXException {
+//    this(input, null);
+//  }
+
+
+//  public XML(InputStream input, String options) throws IOException, ParserConfigurationException, SAXException {
+//    this(PApplet.createReader(input), options);
+//  }
+
+
+  public XML(Reader reader) throws IOException, ParserConfigurationException, SAXException {
+    this(reader, null);
   }
 
 
-  public XML(InputStream input, String options) throws IOException, ParserConfigurationException, SAXException {
-    this(PApplet.createReader(input), options);
-  }
-
-
-  protected XML(Reader reader, String options) throws IOException, ParserConfigurationException, SAXException {
+  public XML(Reader reader, String options) throws IOException, ParserConfigurationException, SAXException {
     DocumentBuilderFactory factory = DocumentBuilderFactory.newInstance();
 
     // Prevent 503 errors from www.w3.org
@@ -191,17 +196,21 @@ public class XML implements Serializable {
   }
 
 
-  protected boolean save(OutputStream output) {
-    return save(PApplet.createWriter(output));
-  }
+//  protected boolean save(OutputStream output) {
+//    return write(PApplet.createWriter(output));
+//  }
 
 
   public boolean save(File file, String options) {
-    return save(PApplet.createWriter(file));
+    PrintWriter writer = PApplet.createWriter(file);
+    boolean result = write(writer);
+    writer.flush();
+    writer.close();
+    return result;
   }
 
 
-  public boolean save(PrintWriter output) {
+  public boolean write(PrintWriter output) {
     output.print(format(2));
     output.flush();
     return true;
diff --git a/core/src/processing/opengl/PGraphics2D.java b/core/src/processing/opengl/PGraphics2D.java
index 21a516554..a1ad432d8 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/opengl/PGraphics2D.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/opengl/PGraphics2D.java
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ public class PGraphics2D extends PGraphicsOpenGL {
       try {
         InputStream input =
           new GZIPInputStream(pg.parent.createInput(filename));
-        XML xml = new XML(input);
+        XML xml = new XML(PApplet.createReader(input));
         svg = new PShapeSVG(xml);
       } catch (Exception e) {
         e.printStackTrace();
diff --git a/core/todo.txt b/core/todo.txt
index 7e8e87924..a0f5250f7 100644
--- a/core/todo.txt
+++ b/core/todo.txt
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ _   rsort(), sortReverse(), sortKeysReverse,
 _   sortDescend, sortDescending, sortKeysDescending, 
 _   sortHighLow, sortHigh, sortHighest, sortDown
 
+it's going to be File or Reader (mostly BufferedReader) everywhere
+  though TableODS needs an InputStream... 
+
+setMissingXxxx() -> should this live in PApplet? be static?
+  cons: static stinks, diff tables might use diff values
+
 "hash.toJSONObject()" or "new JSONObject(hash)"
 
 hash/dict/etc