diff --git a/src/nall/config.hpp b/src/nall/config.hpp
index c713d0b0..1e1f8162 100644
--- a/src/nall/config.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/config.hpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ namespace nall {
           case signed_t:   *(signed*)data = strsigned(s);     break;
           case unsigned_t: *(unsigned*)data = strunsigned(s); break;
           case double_t:   *(double*)data = strdouble(s);     break;
-          case string_t:   trim(s, "\""); *(string*)data = s; break;
+          case string_t:   s.trim("\""); *(string*)data = s;  break;
         }
       }
     };
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ namespace nall {
 
           lstring part;
           part.qsplit(" = ", line[i]);
-          trim(part[0]);
-          trim(part[1]);
+          part[0].trim();
+          part[1].trim();
 
           for(unsigned n = 0; n < list.size(); n++) {
             if(part[0] == list[n].name) {
diff --git a/src/nall/dictionary.hpp b/src/nall/dictionary.hpp
index 9e0a1620..1bdc87dc 100644
--- a/src/nall/dictionary.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/dictionary.hpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace nall {
     bool import(const char *filename) {
       string data;
       if(data.readfile(filename) == false) return false;
-      ltrim_once(data, "\xef\xbb\xbf"); //remove UTF-8 marker, if it exists
+      data.ltrim_once("\xef\xbb\xbf"); //remove UTF-8 marker, if it exists
       data.replace("\r", "");
 
       lstring line;
@@ -39,12 +39,12 @@ namespace nall {
         if(part.size() != 2) continue;
 
         //remove whitespace
-        trim(part[0]);
-        trim(part[1]);
+        part[0].trim();
+        part[1].trim();
 
         //remove quotes
-        trim_once(part[0], "\"");
-        trim_once(part[1], "\"");
+        part[0].trim_once("\"");
+        part[1].trim_once("\"");
 
         unsigned n = index_input.size();
         index_input[n]  = part[0];
diff --git a/src/nall/file.hpp b/src/nall/file.hpp
index 4c8ca8ee..6c73e544 100644
--- a/src/nall/file.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/file.hpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #include <nall/stdint.hpp>
+#include <nall/string.hpp>
 #include <nall/utf8.hpp>
 #include <nall/utility.hpp>
 
@@ -83,9 +84,10 @@ namespace nall {
       while(length--) write(*buffer++);
     }
 
-    void print(const char *string) {
-      if(!string) return;
-      while(*string) write(*string++);
+    template<typename... Args> void print(Args... args) {
+      string data(args...);
+      const char *p = data;
+      while(*p) write(*p++);
     }
 
     void flush() {
diff --git a/src/nall/input.hpp b/src/nall/input.hpp
index 83c4a484..28b10453 100644
--- a/src/nall/input.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/input.hpp
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ struct Keyboard {
   static uint16_t decode(const char *name) {
     string s(name);
     if(!strbegin(name, "KB")) return 0;
-    ltrim(s, "KB");
+    s.ltrim("KB");
     unsigned id = strunsigned(s);
     auto pos = strpos(s, "::");
     if(!pos) return 0;
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ struct Mouse {
   static uint16_t decode(const char *name) {
     string s(name);
     if(!strbegin(name, "MS")) return 0;
-    ltrim(s, "MS");
+    s.ltrim("MS");
     unsigned id = strunsigned(s);
     auto pos = strpos(s, "::");
     if(!pos) return 0;
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ struct Joypad {
   static uint16_t decode(const char *name) {
     string s(name);
     if(!strbegin(name, "JP")) return 0;
-    ltrim(s, "JP");
+    s.ltrim("JP");
     unsigned id = strunsigned(s);
     auto pos = strpos(s, "::");
     if(!pos) return 0;
diff --git a/src/nall/qt/file-dialog.moc.hpp b/src/nall/qt/file-dialog.moc.hpp
index 6528289b..3cb8989e 100644
--- a/src/nall/qt/file-dialog.moc.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/qt/file-dialog.moc.hpp
@@ -212,8 +212,8 @@ inline void FileDialog::filterBoxChanged() {
     fileSystemModel->setNameFilters(QStringList() << "*");
   } else {
     filters = substr(filters, strpos(filters, "(")());
-    ltrim(filters, "(");
-    rtrim(filters, ")");
+    filters.ltrim("(");
+    filters.rtrim(")");
     lstring part;
     part.split(" ", filters);
     QStringList list;
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ inline void FileDialog::setNameFilters(const string &filters) {
 inline void FileDialog::acceptAction() {
   string path = fileSystemModel->rootPath().toUtf8().constData();
   path << "/" << notdir(fileNameEdit->text().toUtf8().constData());
-  rtrim(path, "/");
+  path.rtrim("/");
   if(QDir(path).exists()) {
     emit accepted(path);
     setPath(path);
diff --git a/src/nall/string/base.hpp b/src/nall/string/base.hpp
index cc83e2bc..6feb51f6 100644
--- a/src/nall/string/base.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/string/base.hpp
@@ -52,6 +52,16 @@ namespace nall {
     inline string& replace (const char*, const char*);
     inline string& qreplace(const char*, const char*);
 
+    inline string& lower();
+    inline string& upper();
+    inline string& transform(const char *before, const char *after);
+    inline string& ltrim(const char *key = " ");
+    inline string& rtrim(const char *key = " ");
+    inline string& trim (const char *key = " ");
+    inline string& ltrim_once(const char *key = " ");
+    inline string& rtrim_once(const char *key = " ");
+    inline string& trim_once (const char *key = " ");
+
   protected:
     char *data;
     unsigned size;
@@ -66,7 +76,7 @@ namespace nall {
   public:
     template<typename T> inline lstring& operator<<(T value);
 
-    inline int find(const char*);
+    inline optional<unsigned> find(const char*);
     inline void split (const char*, const char*, unsigned = 0);
     inline void qsplit(const char*, const char*, unsigned = 0);
 
@@ -116,15 +126,7 @@ namespace nall {
   inline unsigned strlcpy(string &dest, const char *src, unsigned length);
   inline unsigned strlcat(string &dest, const char *src, unsigned length);
   inline string substr(const char *src, unsigned start = 0, unsigned length = 0);
-  inline string& strlower(string &str);
-  inline string& strupper(string &str);
   inline string& strtr(string &dest, const char *before, const char *after);
-  inline string& ltrim(string &str, const char *key = " ");
-  inline string& rtrim(string &str, const char *key = " ");
-  inline string& trim (string &str, const char *key = " ");
-  inline string& ltrim_once(string &str, const char *key = " ");
-  inline string& rtrim_once(string &str, const char *key = " ");
-  inline string& trim_once (string &str, const char *key = " ");
   template<unsigned length = 0, char padding = '0'> inline string strhex(uintmax_t value);
   template<unsigned length = 0, char padding = '0'> inline string strsigned(intmax_t value);
   template<unsigned length = 0, char padding = '0'> inline string strunsigned(uintmax_t value);
diff --git a/src/nall/string/convert.hpp b/src/nall/string/convert.hpp
index 12a6c1ff..3b8f155d 100644
--- a/src/nall/string/convert.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/string/convert.hpp
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ char* strtr(char *dest, const char *before, const char *after) {
   return dest;
 }
 
+string& string::lower() { nall::strlower(data); return *this; }
+string& string::upper() { nall::strupper(data); return *this; }
+string& string::transform(const char *before, const char *after) { nall::strtr(data, before, after); return *this; }
+
 uintmax_t strhex(const char *str) {
   if(!str) return 0;
   uintmax_t result = 0;
diff --git a/src/nall/string/core.hpp b/src/nall/string/core.hpp
index 3326691b..12245378 100644
--- a/src/nall/string/core.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/string/core.hpp
@@ -122,11 +122,11 @@ bool string::readfile(const char *filename) {
   return true;
 }
 
-int lstring::find(const char *key) {
+optional<unsigned> lstring::find(const char *key) {
   for(unsigned i = 0; i < size(); i++) {
-    if(operator[](i) == key) return i;
+    if(operator[](i) == key) return { true, i };
   }
-  return -1;
+  return { false, 0 };
 }
 
 inline lstring::lstring() {
diff --git a/src/nall/string/strpos.hpp b/src/nall/string/strpos.hpp
index 5d7e200a..8d880cce 100644
--- a/src/nall/string/strpos.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/string/strpos.hpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 namespace nall {
 
-optional<unsigned> inline strpos(const char *str, const char *key) {
+inline optional<unsigned> strpos(const char *str, const char *key) {
   unsigned ssl = strlen(str), ksl = strlen(key);
   if(ksl > ssl) return { false, 0 };
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ optional<unsigned> inline strpos(const char *str, const char *key) {
   return { false, 0 };
 }
 
-optional<unsigned> inline qstrpos(const char *str, const char *key) {
+inline optional<unsigned> qstrpos(const char *str, const char *key) {
   unsigned ssl = strlen(str), ksl = strlen(key);
   if(ksl > ssl) return { false, 0 };
 
diff --git a/src/nall/string/trim.hpp b/src/nall/string/trim.hpp
index b13ab9ba..4fda05ec 100644
--- a/src/nall/string/trim.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/string/trim.hpp
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ char* trim_once(char *str, const char *key) {
   return ltrim_once(rtrim_once(str, key), key);
 }
 
+string& string::ltrim(const char *key) { nall::ltrim(data, key); return *this; }
+string& string::rtrim(const char *key) { nall::rtrim(data, key); return *this; }
+string& string::trim (const char *key) { nall::trim (data, key); return *this; }
+string& string::ltrim_once(const char *key) { nall::ltrim_once(data, key); return *this; }
+string& string::rtrim_once(const char *key) { nall::rtrim_once(data, key); return *this; }
+string& string::trim_once (const char *key) { nall::trim_once (data, key); return *this; }
+
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/nall/string/utility.hpp b/src/nall/string/utility.hpp
index 2da2762b..d2bad881 100644
--- a/src/nall/string/utility.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/string/utility.hpp
@@ -25,18 +25,6 @@ string substr(const char *src, unsigned start, unsigned length) {
   return dest;
 }
 
-/* very simplistic wrappers to return string& instead of char* type */
-
-string& strlower(string &str) { strlower(str()); return str; }
-string& strupper(string &str) { strupper(str()); return str; }
-string& strtr(string &dest, const char *before, const char *after) { strtr(dest(), before, after); return dest; }
-string& ltrim(string &str, const char *key) { ltrim(str(), key); return str; }
-string& rtrim(string &str, const char *key) { rtrim(str(), key); return str; }
-string& trim (string &str, const char *key) { trim (str(), key); return str; }
-string& ltrim_once(string &str, const char *key) { ltrim_once(str(), key); return str; }
-string& rtrim_once(string &str, const char *key) { rtrim_once(str(), key); return str; }
-string& trim_once (string &str, const char *key) { trim_once (str(), key); return str; }
-
 /* arithmetic <> string */
 
 template<unsigned length, char padding> string strhex(uintmax_t value) {
diff --git a/src/nall/string/xml.hpp b/src/nall/string/xml.hpp
index 6a4c672d..411b477a 100644
--- a/src/nall/string/xml.hpp
+++ b/src/nall/string/xml.hpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ inline bool xml_element::parse_head(string data) {
   while(qstrpos(data, "  ")) data.qreplace("  ", " ");
   data.qreplace(" =", "=");
   data.qreplace("= ", "=");
-  rtrim(data);
+  data.rtrim();
 
   lstring part;
   part.qsplit(" ", data);
@@ -138,8 +138,8 @@ inline bool xml_element::parse_head(string data) {
     xml_attribute attr;
     attr.name = side[0];
     attr.content = side[1];
-    if(strbegin(attr.content, "\"") && strend(attr.content, "\"")) trim_once(attr.content, "\"");
-    else if(strbegin(attr.content, "'") && strend(attr.content, "'")) trim_once(attr.content, "'");
+    if(strbegin(attr.content, "\"") && strend(attr.content, "\"")) attr.content.trim_once("\"");
+    else if(strbegin(attr.content, "'") && strend(attr.content, "'")) attr.content.trim_once("'");
     else throw "...";
     attribute.append(attr);
   }
@@ -185,10 +185,10 @@ inline bool xml_element::parse_body(const char *&data) {
 
     if(strend(tag, "?") == true) {
       self_terminating = true;
-      rtrim_once(tag, "?");
+      tag.rtrim_once("?");
     } else if(strend(tag, "/") == true) {
       self_terminating = true;
-      rtrim_once(tag, "/");
+      tag.rtrim_once("/");
     }
 
     parse_head(tag);
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ inline bool xml_element::parse_body(const char *&data) {
           tag.replace("\r", " ");
           tag.replace("\n", " ");
           while(strpos(tag, "  ")) tag.replace("  ", " ");
-          rtrim(tag);
+          tag.rtrim();
 
           if(name != tag) throw "...";
           return true;
diff --git a/src/snes/cheat/cheat.cpp b/src/snes/cheat/cheat.cpp
index f08e9561..6f954b95 100644
--- a/src/snes/cheat/cheat.cpp
+++ b/src/snes/cheat/cheat.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ Cheat::Cheat() {
 
 bool Cheat::decode(const char *s, unsigned &addr, uint8 &data, Type &type) {
   string t = s;
-  strlower(t);
+  t.lower();
 
   #define ischr(n) ((n >= '0' && n <= '9') || (n >= 'a' && n <= 'f'))
 
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ bool Cheat::decode(const char *s, unsigned &addr, uint8 &data, Type &type) {
     for(unsigned i = 0; i < 8; i++) if(!ischr(t[i])) return false;
 
     type = Type::GameGenie;
-    strtr(t, "df4709156bc8a23e", "0123456789abcdef");
+    t.transform("df4709156bc8a23e", "0123456789abcdef");
     unsigned r = strhex((const char*)t);
     //8421 8421 8421 8421 8421 8421
     //abcd efgh ijkl mnop qrst uvwx
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ bool Cheat::encode(string &s, unsigned addr, uint8 data, Type type) {
          | (!!(r & 0x020000) <<  3) | (!!(r & 0x010000) <<  2)
          | (!!(r & 0x000800) <<  1) | (!!(r & 0x000400) <<  0);
     s = string(strhex<2>(data), strhex<2>(addr >> 16), "-", strhex<4>(addr & 0xffff));
-    strtr(s, "0123456789abcdef", "df4709156bc8a23e");
+    s.transform("0123456789abcdef", "df4709156bc8a23e");
     return true;
   } else {
     return false;
diff --git a/src/snes/snes.hpp b/src/snes/snes.hpp
index c6e4d9b6..8d141836 100644
--- a/src/snes/snes.hpp
+++ b/src/snes/snes.hpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-static const char bsnesVersion[] = "065.03";
+static const char bsnesVersion[] = "065.04";
 static const char bsnesTitle[] = "bsnes";
 static const unsigned bsnesSerializerVersion = 10;
 
diff --git a/src/ui_qt/tools/cheateditor.cpp b/src/ui_qt/tools/cheateditor.cpp
index e2909293..a9348c74 100644
--- a/src/ui_qt/tools/cheateditor.cpp
+++ b/src/ui_qt/tools/cheateditor.cpp
@@ -102,10 +102,10 @@ void CheatEditorWindow::load(const char *filename) {
   for(unsigned i = 0; i < 128; i++) {
     lstring part;
     if(line.size() > i) part.qsplit(",", line[i]);
-    for(unsigned n = 0; n <= 2; n++) trim(part[n], " ");
-    trim(part[0], "\"");
-    trim(part[1], "\"");
-    trim(part[2], "\"");
+    for(unsigned n = 0; n <= 2; n++) {
+      part[n].trim(" ");
+      part[n].trim("\"");
+    }
     part[2].replace("\\q", "\"");
 
     auto item = new QTreeWidgetItem(list);