diff --git a/splubp.p8 b/splubp.p8
index 5550d61..30f7206 100644
--- a/splubp.p8
+++ b/splubp.p8
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ end
 --[[preserve-keys]] splubp = mknew{
  ptr = 0x8000,
  init = function(self)
+  self.fmts,self.defers,self.files = {},{},{}
   -- fill from ffile or saved file
-  self.fmts = {}
   if (not self.ffile) self.ffile, self.ptr = self:e()
   for f in all(split(self.ffile, "===", false)) do
    local tok = shatter(f)
@@ -146,18 +146,19 @@ function splubp:emit_item(obj)
  if DEBUG then
   --[[global]] splubp_last_emit = obj
  end
- -- todo: should _addr skip the
- -- filename, instead?
  obj._addr = self.ptr
  self:write_s(obj._file)
- for row in all(self.fmts[split(filename, ".")[2]]) do
+ local srow, scri = self.row, self.cri
+ for row in all(self.fmts[split(obj._file, ".")[2]]) do
+  self.row, self.cri = row, 1
   local alt = self.wdirectives[row[1]]
   if alt then
-   alt(self, obj, row)
+   alt(self, obj)  -- they should check row
   else
-   self:write_fmt(obj[row[1]], row, 2)
+   self:wnx(obj[row[1]])
   end
  end
+ self.row, self.cri = srow, scri
 end
 
 -- TODO: splubp.wdirectives -- a
@@ -165,7 +166,21 @@ end
 --       special values to
 --       functions to write them     
 -- TODO: write_fmt: recursive
---       writing thing
+--       writing thing. args:
+--   item
+--   fmt row (parsed)
+--   next column
+--   NOTE: args row and col might actually be self.row, self.cri.
+--         we probably need to push old values into locals and pop
+--         on return, in the emit_content_of_type helper, to support
+--         obj and potentially other nested parse scenarios
+--   NOTE: not actually recursive.
+--   right, this is literally just wnx isn't it? because the read version is rnx.
+--     now I have it based off wnx, setting row and cri appropriately.
+-- TODO: split emit_item up
+--   because write-without-name
+--   needs to be a thing, and
+--   write-with-name uses it
 
 -- Write each argument as one
 -- byte at self.ptr, then
@@ -262,3 +277,22 @@ function splubp:t()
  end
  return ret
 end
+
+-- read data of type (filetype)
+-- into table dest, without
+-- filename; do not set
+-- _file or _addr
+-- restores self.row and self.cr on return
+function splubp:rtp(dest, tp)
+ local srow, scri = self.row, self.cri
+ for row in all(self.fmts[tp]) do
+  self.row, self.cri=row, 1
+  local alt = self.rz[row[1]]  -- rz: counterpart to wdirectives
+  if alt then
+   alt(self, dest)
+  else
+   dest[row[1]] = self:rnx()
+  end
+ end
+ self.row, self.cri = srow, scri
+end