diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a217780..fdf7fc3 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ set( sources
   src/log.cpp 
   src/time.cpp 
   src/iostream.cpp
+  src/fstream.cpp
   src/sstream.cpp
   src/exception.cpp
   src/thread.cpp
diff --git a/include/fc/filesystem.hpp b/include/fc/filesystem.hpp
index b7e5235..551dc42 100644
--- a/include/fc/filesystem.hpp
+++ b/include/fc/filesystem.hpp
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ namespace fc {
   void     create_directories( const path& p );
   path     canonical( const path& p );
   uint64_t file_size( const path& p );
+  bool     remove( const path& p );
+  void     copy( const path& from, const path& to );
 }
 
 #endif // _FC_FILESYSTEM_HPP_
diff --git a/include/fc/fstream.hpp b/include/fc/fstream.hpp
index 349d6f9..1704e1e 100644
--- a/include/fc/fstream.hpp
+++ b/include/fc/fstream.hpp
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 #pragma once 
-#include <fc/fwd.hpp>
+#include <fc/shared_ptr.hpp>
+#include <fc/iostream.hpp>
 
 namespace fc {
-
-  class ofstream //: virtual public ostream {
+  class path;
+  class ofstream : virtual public ostream {
     public:
       enum mode { out, binary };
       ofstream();
-      ofstream( const fc::string& file, int m );
+      ofstream( const fc::path& file, int m = binary );
       ~ofstream();
 
-      void open( const fc::string& file, int m );
+      void open( const fc::path& file, int m = binary );
       ofstream& write( const char* buf, size_t len );
       void   put( char c );
       void   close();
@@ -18,26 +19,23 @@ namespace fc {
 
     private:
       class impl;
-      fwd<impl,896> my;
+      fc::shared_ptr<impl> my;
   };
 
-  class ifstream //: virtual public istream {
+  class ifstream : virtual public istream {
     public:
       enum mode { in, binary };
       ifstream();
-      ifstream( const fc::string& file, int m );
+      ifstream( const fc::path& file, int m );
       ~ifstream();
 
-      void open( const fc::string& file, int m );
+      void open( const fc::path& file, int m );
       ifstream& read( char* buf, size_t len );
       void   close();
-      void   flush();
-
       bool    eof()const;
-
     private:
       class impl;
-      fwd<impl,904> my;
+      fc::shared_ptr<impl> my;
   };
   
 } // namespace fc 
diff --git a/include/fc/json_rpc_connection.hpp b/include/fc/json_rpc_connection.hpp
index a2d4ff0..f8369f3 100644
--- a/include/fc/json_rpc_connection.hpp
+++ b/include/fc/json_rpc_connection.hpp
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ namespace fc {  namespace json {
 
       template<typename InterfaceType>
       void add_interface( const fc::ptr<InterfaceType>& it ) {
-        it->template visit<InterfaceType>( detail::add_method_visitor<InterfaceType>( it, *this ) );
+        it->template visit( detail::add_method_visitor<InterfaceType>( it, *this ) );
       }
 
       void add_method( const fc::string& name, const fc::json::rpc_server_method::ptr& func );
diff --git a/include/fc/sha1.hpp b/include/fc/sha1.hpp
index cef850f..7d95e5b 100644
--- a/include/fc/sha1.hpp
+++ b/include/fc/sha1.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <fc/reflect.hpp>
 
 namespace fc {
+  class path;
 
   class sha1 {
     public:
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ namespace fc {
 
       static sha1 hash( const char* d, uint32_t dlen );
       static sha1 hash( const fc::string& );
+      static sha1 hash( const fc::path& );
 
       template<typename T>
       static sha1 hash( const T& t ) { sha1::encoder e; e << t; return e.result(); } 
diff --git a/include/fc/value.hpp b/include/fc/value.hpp
index 11d1354..120d9f8 100644
--- a/include/fc/value.hpp
+++ b/include/fc/value.hpp
@@ -127,6 +127,14 @@ namespace fc {
         bool         is_null()const;
 
         void         visit( const_visitor&& v )const;
+
+        /*  sets the subkey key with v and return *this */
+        value&       set( const char* key,       fc::value v );
+        value&       set( const fc::string& key, fc::value v );
+
+        template<typename S, typename T>
+        value&       set( S&& key, T&& v ) { return set( fc::forward<S>(key), fc::value( fc::forward<T>(v) ) ); }
+
       private:
         /** throws exceptions on errors 
          *
diff --git a/src/filesystem.cpp b/src/filesystem.cpp
index 10236b8..d56fa0e 100644
--- a/src/filesystem.cpp
+++ b/src/filesystem.cpp
@@ -75,4 +75,7 @@ namespace fc {
   bool is_directory( const path& p ) { return boost::filesystem::is_directory(p); }
   bool is_regular_file( const path& p ) { return boost::filesystem::is_regular_file(p); }
   uint64_t file_size( const path& p ) { return boost::filesystem::file_size(p); }
+  void copy( const path& f, const path& t ) { boost::filesystem::copy( f, t ); }
+  bool remove( const path& f ) { return boost::filesystem::remove( f ); }
+  fc::path canonical( const fc::path& p ) { return boost::filesystem::canonical(p); }
 }
diff --git a/src/fstream.cpp b/src/fstream.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3295fdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/fstream.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+#include <fc/fstream.hpp>
+#include <fc/filesystem.hpp>
+#include <fstream>
+
+namespace fc {
+   class ofstream::impl : public fc::retainable {
+      public:
+         std::ofstream ofs;
+   };
+   class ifstream::impl : public fc::retainable {
+      public:
+         std::ifstream ifs;
+   };
+
+   ofstream::ofstream()
+   :my( new impl() ){}
+
+   ofstream::ofstream( const fc::path& file, int m )
+   :my( new impl() ) { this->open( file, m ); }
+   ofstream::~ofstream(){}
+
+   void ofstream::open( const fc::path& file, int m ) {
+      my->ofs.open( file.string().c_str(), std::ios::binary );
+   }
+   ofstream& ofstream::write( const char* buf, size_t len ) {
+        my->ofs.write(buf,len);
+        return *this;
+   }
+   void   ofstream::put( char c ) {
+        my->ofs.put(c);
+   }
+   void   ofstream::close() {
+        my->ofs.close();
+   }
+   void   ofstream::flush() {
+        my->ofs.flush();
+   }
+
+   ifstream::ifstream()
+   :my(new impl()){}
+   ifstream::ifstream( const fc::path& file, int m )
+   :my(new impl())
+   {
+      this->open( file, m );
+   }
+   ifstream::~ifstream(){}
+
+   void ifstream::open( const fc::path& file, int m ) {
+      my->ifs.open( file.string().c_str(), std::ios::binary );
+   }
+   ifstream& ifstream::read( char* buf, size_t len ) {
+        my->ifs.read(buf,len);
+        return *this;
+   }
+   void   ifstream::close() { return my->ifs.close(); }
+
+   bool   ifstream::eof()const { return my->ifs.eof(); }
+
+  
+} // namespace fc 
diff --git a/src/sha1.cpp b/src/sha1.cpp
index 613e7e7..74ba66b 100644
--- a/src/sha1.cpp
+++ b/src/sha1.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 #include <fc/fwd_impl.hpp>
 #include <openssl/sha.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <fc/filesystem.hpp>
+#include <fc/interprocess/file_mapping.hpp>
 
 namespace fc {
   
@@ -36,6 +38,14 @@ namespace fc {
   sha1 sha1::hash( const fc::string& s ) {
     return hash( s.c_str(), s.size() );
   }
+  sha1 sha1::hash( const fc::path& s ) {
+    file_mapping fmap( s.string().c_str(), read_only );
+    size_t       fsize = file_size(s);
+    mapped_region mr( fmap, fc::read_only, 0, fsize );
+
+    const char* pos = reinterpret_cast<const char*>(mr.get_address());
+    return hash( pos, fsize );
+  }
 
   void sha1::encoder::write( const char* d, uint32_t dlen ) {
     SHA1_Update( &my->ctx, d, dlen); 
diff --git a/src/value.cpp b/src/value.cpp
index a1c8a18..c29ac2a 100644
--- a/src/value.cpp
+++ b/src/value.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ namespace fc {
       struct value_holder_impl<void> : value_holder {
         value_holder_impl(){};
        // typedef void_t T;
+      /*
         virtual const char* type()const             { return "void"; }
         virtual void visit( value::const_visitor&& v )const{ v(); }
         virtual void visit( value_visitor&& v )           { v(); }
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ namespace fc {
       
         virtual value_holder* move_helper( char* c ){ return new(c) value_holder_impl(); }
         virtual value_holder* copy_helper( char* c )const{ return new(c) value_holder_impl();}
+        */
       };
       
       
@@ -121,7 +123,10 @@ namespace fc {
       };
 
       value_holder::~value_holder(){}
-      const char* value_holder::type()const                  { return "null"; }
+      const char* value_holder::type()const  { return "void"; }
+      value_holder* value_holder::move_helper( char* c )      { return new(c) value_holder(); }
+      value_holder* value_holder::copy_helper( char* c )const { return new(c) value_holder(); }
+
       void value_holder::visit( value::const_visitor&& v )const     { v();           }
       void value_holder::visit( value_visitor&& v )                { v();           }
 
@@ -133,8 +138,8 @@ namespace fc {
       const value& value_holder::at( size_t )const           { FC_THROW_MSG("value type '%s' not an array", type()); return *((const value*)0); }
       void value_holder::push_back( value&& v )              { FC_THROW_MSG("value type '%s' not an array", type());  }
 
-      value_holder* value_holder::move_helper( char* c )     { return new(c) value_holder(); }
-      value_holder* value_holder::copy_helper( char* c )const{ return new(c) value_holder(); }
+     // value_holder* value_holder::move_helper( char* c )  = 0;
+     // value_holder* value_holder::copy_helper( char* c )const = 0;
 
       void value_holder_impl<value::array>::resize( size_t s )               { val.fields.resize(s);  }
       void value_holder_impl<value::array>::reserve( size_t s )              { val.fields.reserve(s); }
@@ -168,7 +173,7 @@ static const detail::value_holder* gh( const aligned<24>& h ) {
 }
   
 value::value() {
-  new (holder) detail::value_holder(); 
+  new (holder) detail::value_holder_impl<void>(); 
 }
 value::value( value&& m ) {
   gh(m.holder)->move_helper(holder._store._data);
@@ -271,7 +276,7 @@ value& value::operator=( const value& v ){
   return *this;
 }
 bool value::is_null()const {
-    return strcmp(gh(holder)->type(), "null") == 0;
+    return strcmp(gh(holder)->type(), "void") == 0;
 }
 
 
@@ -314,7 +319,7 @@ value&       value::operator[]( const char* key ) {
     }
     o->val.fields.push_back( key_val(key) );
     return o->val.fields.back().val;
-  } else if (strcmp(gh(holder)->type(), "null" ) == 0 ) {
+  } else if (strcmp(gh(holder)->type(), "void" ) == 0 ) {
     new (holder) detail::value_holder_impl<value::object>(value::object());
     return (*this)[key];
   }
@@ -359,5 +364,14 @@ void  value::visit( value::const_visitor&& v )const {
    auto h = ((detail::value_holder*)&holder[0]);
    h->visit( fc::move(v) );
 }
+/*  sets the subkey key with v and return *this */
+value&  value::set( const char* key,       fc::value v ) {
+    (*this)[key] = fc::move(v);
+    return *this;
+}
+value&  value::set( const fc::string& key, fc::value v ) {
+    (*this)[key.c_str()] = fc::move(v);
+    return *this;
+}
 
 } // namepace fc