diff --git a/compiler/cc.v b/compiler/cc.v
index ba07751e01..7874e6cbe6 100644
--- a/compiler/cc.v
+++ b/compiler/cc.v
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ fn (v mut V) cc() {
 	// Output executable name
 	a << '-o "$v.out_name"'
 	if os.dir_exists(v.out_name) {
-		cerror('\'$v.out_name\' is a directory')
+		verror('\'$v.out_name\' is a directory')
 	}
 	// macOS code can include objective C  TODO remove once objective C is replaced with C
 	if v.os == .mac {
@@ -176,12 +176,12 @@ fn (v mut V) cc() {
 		println(cmd)
 	}
 	ticks := time.ticks()
-	res := os.exec(cmd) or { cerror(err) return }
+	res := os.exec(cmd) or { verror(err) return }
 	if res.exit_code != 0 {
 
 		if res.exit_code == 127 {
 			// the command could not be found by the system
-			cerror('C compiler error, while attempting to run: \n' +
+			verror('C compiler error, while attempting to run: \n' +
 				'-----------------------------------------------------------\n' +
 				'$cmd\n' +
 				'-----------------------------------------------------------\n' +
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ fn (v mut V) cc() {
 				println('')
 			}
 		}
-		cerror('C error. This should never happen. ' +
+		verror('C error. This should never happen. ' +
 			'Please create a GitHub issue: https://github.com/vlang/v/issues/new/choose')
 	}
 	diff := time.ticks() - ticks
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ fn (v mut V) cc() {
 		obj_file +
 		' /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so ' +
 		'/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/crtn.o') or {
-			cerror(err)
+			verror(err)
 			return
 		}
 		println(ress.output)
diff --git a/compiler/cgen.v b/compiler/cgen.v
index 74fc3aaf03..12206e51af 100644
--- a/compiler/cgen.v
+++ b/compiler/cgen.v
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ fn build_thirdparty_obj_file(path string, moduleflags []CFlag) {
 	cmd := '$cc $cc_thirdparty_options $btarget -c -o "$obj_path" $cfiles $atarget '
 	res := os.exec(cmd) or {
 		println('failed thirdparty object build cmd: $cmd')
-		cerror(err)
+		verror(err)
 		return
 	}
 	println(res.output)
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ fn os_name_to_ifdef(name string) string {
 		case 'android': return '__BIONIC__'
 		case 'js': return '_VJS'
 	}
-	cerror('bad os ifdef name "$name"')
+	verror('bad os ifdef name "$name"')
 	return ''
 }
 
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ fn platform_postfix_to_ifdefguard(name string) string {
 		case '_lin.v': return '#ifdef __linux__'
 		case '_mac.v': return '#ifdef __APPLE__'
 	}
-	cerror('bad platform_postfix "$name"')
+	verror('bad platform_postfix "$name"')
 	return ''
 }
 
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ fn sort_structs(types []Type) []Type {
 	// sort graph
 	dep_graph_sorted := dep_graph.resolve()
 	if !dep_graph_sorted.acyclic {
-		cerror('error: cgen.sort_structs() DGNAC.\nplease create a new issue here: https://github.com/vlang/v/issues and tag @joe-conigliaro')
+		verror('error: cgen.sort_structs() DGNAC.\nplease create a new issue here: https://github.com/vlang/v/issues and tag @joe-conigliaro')
 	}
 	// sort types
 	mut types_sorted := []Type
diff --git a/compiler/fn.v b/compiler/fn.v
index 8971716acf..60a11d43bf 100644
--- a/compiler/fn.v
+++ b/compiler/fn.v
@@ -935,12 +935,12 @@ fn (p mut Parser) fn_call_args(f mut Fn) &Fn {
 		// Add `&` or `*` before an argument?
 		if !is_interface {
 			// Dereference
-			if got.contains('*') && !expected.contains('*') {
+			if got.ends_with('*') && !expected.ends_with('*') {
 				p.cgen.set_placeholder(ph, '*')
 			}
 			// Reference
 			// TODO ptr hacks. DOOM hacks, fix please.
-			if !got.contains('*') && expected.contains('*') && got != 'voidptr' {
+			if !got.ends_with('*') && expected.ends_with('*') && got != 'voidptr' {
 				// Special case for mutable arrays. We can't `&` function results,
 				// have to use `(array[]){ expr }` hack.
 				if expected.starts_with('array_') && expected.ends_with('*') {
diff --git a/compiler/main.v b/compiler/main.v
index 9661799766..76a9c93209 100644
--- a/compiler/main.v
+++ b/compiler/main.v
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ fn (v mut V) add_parser(parser Parser) {
 fn (v mut V) compile() {
 	// Emily: Stop people on linux from being able to build with msvc
 	if os.user_os() != 'windows' && v.os == .msvc {
-		cerror('Cannot build with msvc on ${os.user_os()}')
+		verror('Cannot build with msvc on ${os.user_os()}')
 	}
 
 	mut cgen := v.cgen
@@ -431,11 +431,11 @@ string _STR_TMP(const char *fmt, ...) {
 		}
 		else if v.pref.is_test {
 			if v.table.main_exists() {
-				cerror('test files cannot have function `main`')
+				verror('test files cannot have function `main`')
 			}	
 			// make sure there's at least on test function
 			if !v.table.has_at_least_one_test_fn() {
-				cerror('test files need to have at least one test function')
+				verror('test files need to have at least one test function')
 			}	
 			// Generate `main` which calls every single test function
 			cgen.genln('int main() { init_consts();')
@@ -492,9 +492,9 @@ fn (v V) run_compiled_executable_and_exit() {
 fn (v &V) v_files_from_dir(dir string) []string {
 	mut res := []string
 	if !os.file_exists(dir) {
-		cerror('$dir doesn\'t exist')
+		verror('$dir doesn\'t exist')
 	} else if !os.dir_exists(dir) {
-		cerror('$dir isn\'t a directory')
+		verror('$dir isn\'t a directory')
 	}
 	mut files := os.ls(dir)
 	if v.pref.is_verbose {
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ fn (v mut V) add_v_files_to_compile() {
 			import_path := '$ModPath/vlib/$mod_path'
 			vfiles := v.v_files_from_dir(import_path)
 			if vfiles.len == 0 {
-				cerror('cannot import module $mod (no .v files in "$import_path").')
+				verror('cannot import module $mod (no .v files in "$import_path").')
 			}
 			// Add all imports referenced by these libs
 			for file in vfiles {
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ fn (v mut V) add_v_files_to_compile() {
 		import_path := v.find_module_path(mod)
 		vfiles := v.v_files_from_dir(import_path)
 		if vfiles.len == 0 {
-			cerror('cannot import module $mod (no .v files in "$import_path").')
+			verror('cannot import module $mod (no .v files in "$import_path").')
 		}
 		// Add all imports referenced by these libs
 		for file in vfiles {
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ fn (v mut V) add_v_files_to_compile() {
 	deps_resolved := dep_graph.resolve()
 	if !deps_resolved.acyclic {
 		deps_resolved.display()
-		cerror('Import cycle detected.')
+		verror('Import cycle detected.')
 	}
 	// add imports in correct order
 	for mod in deps_resolved.imports() {
@@ -928,7 +928,7 @@ fn update_v() {
 	println('Updating V...')
 	vroot := os.dir(os.executable())
 	s := os.exec('git -C "$vroot" pull --rebase origin master') or {
-		cerror(err)
+		verror(err)
 		return
 	}
 	println(s.output)
@@ -939,13 +939,13 @@ fn update_v() {
 		}
 		os.mv('$vroot/v.exe', v_backup_file)
 		s2 := os.exec('"$vroot/make.bat"') or {
-			cerror(err)
+			verror(err)
 			return
 		}
 		println(s2.output)
 	} $else {
 		s2 := os.exec('make -C "$vroot"') or {
-			cerror(err)
+			verror(err)
 			return
 		}
 		println(s2.output)
@@ -978,20 +978,20 @@ fn install_v(args[]string) {
 		//println('Building vget...')
 		os.chdir(vroot + '/tools')
 		vgetcompilation := os.exec('$vexec -o $vget vget.v') or {
-			cerror(err)
+			verror(err)
 			return
 		}
 		if vgetcompilation.exit_code != 0 {
-			cerror( vgetcompilation.output )
+			verror( vgetcompilation.output )
 			return
 		}
 	}
 	vgetresult := os.exec('$vget ' + names.join(' ')) or {
-		cerror(err)
+		verror(err)
 		return
 	}
 	if vgetresult.exit_code != 0 {
-		cerror( vgetresult.output )
+		verror( vgetresult.output )
 		return
 	}
 }
@@ -1086,7 +1086,7 @@ fn create_symlink() {
 	}
 }
 
-pub fn cerror(s string) {
+pub fn verror(s string) {
 	println('V error: $s')
 	os.flush_stdout()
 	exit(1)
diff --git a/compiler/modules.v b/compiler/modules.v
index 62374f9aef..cf050a7677 100644
--- a/compiler/modules.v
+++ b/compiler/modules.v
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ fn (v &V) find_module_path(mod string) string {
 	if !os.dir_exists(import_path) {
 		import_path = '$ModPath/$mod_path'
 		if !os.dir_exists(import_path){
-			cerror('module "$mod" not found')
+			verror('module "$mod" not found')
 		}
 	}
 	return import_path
diff --git a/compiler/msvc.v b/compiler/msvc.v
index bea072fdb6..f6bd5aafd6 100644
--- a/compiler/msvc.v
+++ b/compiler/msvc.v
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ fn find_msvc() ?MsvcResult {
 		}
 	}
 	$else {
-		cerror('Cannot find msvc on this OS')
+		verror('Cannot find msvc on this OS')
 		return error('msvc not found')
 	}
 }
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ pub fn (v mut V) cc_msvc() {
 		if !v.pref.is_debug && v.out_name_c != 'v.c' && v.out_name_c != 'v_macos.c' {
 			os.rm(v.out_name_c)
 		}
-		cerror('Cannot find MSVC on this OS.')
+		verror('Cannot find MSVC on this OS.')
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -345,11 +345,11 @@ pub fn (v mut V) cc_msvc() {
 
 	res := os.exec(cmd) or {
 		println(err)
-		cerror('msvc error')
+		verror('msvc error')
 		return
 	}
 	if res.exit_code != 0 {
-		cerror(res.output)
+		verror(res.output)
 	}
 	// println(res)
 	// println('C OUTPUT:')
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ fn build_thirdparty_obj_file_with_msvc(path string, moduleflags []CFlag) {
 	//NB: the quotes above ARE balanced.
 	println('thirdparty cmd line: $cmd')
 	res := os.exec(cmd) or {
-		cerror(err)
+		verror(err)
 		return
 	}
 	println(res.output)
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ fn (cflags []CFlag) msvc_string_flags() MsvcStringFlags {
 		// by the compiler
 		if flag.name == '-l' {
 			if flag.value.ends_with('.dll') {
-				cerror('MSVC cannot link against a dll (`#flag -l $flag.value`)')
+				verror('MSVC cannot link against a dll (`#flag -l $flag.value`)')
 			}
 			// MSVC has no method of linking against a .dll
 			// TODO: we should look for .defs aswell
diff --git a/compiler/parser.v b/compiler/parser.v
index f2fbceb8d8..4782ee22f2 100644
--- a/compiler/parser.v
+++ b/compiler/parser.v
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) parse(pass Pass) {
 			}
 			if false && !p.first_pass() && p.fileis('main.v') {
 				out := os.create('/var/tmp/fmt.v') or {
-					cerror('failed to create fmt.v')
+					verror('failed to create fmt.v')
 					return
 				}
 				out.writeln(p.scanner.fmt_out.str())
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ fn key_to_type_cat(tok Token) TypeCategory {
 	case Token.key_union: return TypeCategory.union_
 	//Token.key_ => return .interface_
 	}
-	cerror('Unknown token: $tok')
+	verror('Unknown token: $tok')
 	return TypeCategory.builtin
 }
 
@@ -1115,11 +1115,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) close_scope() {
 	mut i := p.var_idx - 1
 	for ; i >= 0; i-- {
 		v := p.local_vars[i]
-		//if p.cur_fn.name == 'main' {
-			//println('var in main $v.name $v.typ $v.is_alloc ptr=$v.ptr')
-		//}	
 		if v.scope_level ≠ p.cur_fn.scope_level {
-			// println('breaking. "$v.name" v.scope_level=$v.scope_level')
 			break
 		}
 		// Clean up memory, only do this if -autofree was passed for now
@@ -1129,14 +1125,16 @@ fn (p mut Parser) close_scope() {
 				free_fn = 'v_array_free'
 			} else if v.typ == 'string' {
 				free_fn = 'v_string_free'
-				continue
+				//if p.fileis('str.v') {
+					//println('freeing str $v.name')
+				//}
+				//continue
 			}	else if v.ptr || v.typ.ends_with('*') {
 				free_fn = 'v_ptr_free'
 				//continue
 			}	 else {
 				continue
 			}	
-			//if false && p.returns {
 			if p.returns {
 				if !v.is_returned && v.typ != 'FILE*' { //!v.is_c {
 					prev_line := p.cgen.lines[p.cgen.lines.len-2]
@@ -1407,8 +1405,10 @@ fn (p mut Parser) var_decl() {
 			scanner_pos: var_scanner_pos
 			line_nr: var_scanner_pos.line_nr
 		})
+		//if p.fileis('str.v') {
+			//if p.is_alloc { println('REG VAR IS ALLOC $name') }
+		//}
 	}
-	//if p.is_alloc { println('REG VAR IS ALLOC $name') }
 	p.var_decl_name = ''
 	p.is_empty_c_struct_init = false
 }
@@ -2673,7 +2673,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) string_expr() {
 		p.gen('_STR_TMP($format$args)')
 	}
 	else {
-		// Otherwise do ugly len counting + allocation + sprintf
+		// Otherwise do len counting + allocation + sprintf
 		p.gen('_STR($format$args)')
 	}
 }
@@ -3808,7 +3808,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) check_unused_imports() {
 	if output == '' { return }
 	output = '$p.file_path: the following imports were never used:$output'
 	if p.pref.is_prod {
-		cerror(output)
+		verror(output)
 	} else {
 		println('warning: $output')
 	}
diff --git a/compiler/query.v b/compiler/query.v
index c57853701e..3272342030 100644
--- a/compiler/query.v
+++ b/compiler/query.v
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ fn sql_params2params_gen(sql_params []string, sql_types []string, qprefix string
 			}else if paramtype == 'string' {
 				params_gen += '${qprefix}params[$i] = ${param}.str;\n'
 			}else{
-				cerror('orm: only int and string variable types are supported in queries')
+				verror('orm: only int and string variable types are supported in queries')
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/compiler/repl.v b/compiler/repl.v
index 9ce19bb70b..ff133750e1 100644
--- a/compiler/repl.v
+++ b/compiler/repl.v
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ fn run_repl() []string {
 			source_code := r.functions.join('\n') + r.lines.join('\n') + '\n' + line
 			os.write_file(file, source_code)
 			s := os.exec('$vexe run $file -repl') or {
-				cerror(err)
+				verror(err)
 				return []string
 			}
 			vals := s.output.split('\n')
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ fn run_repl() []string {
 			temp_source_code := r.functions.join('\n') + r.lines.join('\n') + r.temp_lines.join('\n') + '\n' + temp_line
 			os.write_file(temp_file, temp_source_code)
 			s := os.exec('$vexe run $temp_file -repl') or {
-				cerror(err)
+				verror(err)
 				return []string
 			}
 			if !func_call && s.exit_code == 0 {
diff --git a/compiler/scanner.v b/compiler/scanner.v
index b1292313e2..fe9991b0a6 100644
--- a/compiler/scanner.v
+++ b/compiler/scanner.v
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@ mut:
 
 fn new_scanner(file_path string) &Scanner {
 	if !os.file_exists(file_path) {
-		cerror('"$file_path" doesn\'t exist')
+		verror('"$file_path" doesn\'t exist')
 	}
 
 	mut raw_text := os.read_file(file_path) or {
-		cerror('scanner: failed to open "$file_path"')
+		verror('scanner: failed to open "$file_path"')
 		return 0
 	}
 
diff --git a/compiler/table.v b/compiler/table.v
index 0c8173cb7f..4fcf8790c1 100644
--- a/compiler/table.v
+++ b/compiler/table.v
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ fn (t mut Table) rewrite_type(typ Type) {
 fn (table mut Table) add_field(type_name, field_name, field_type string, is_mut bool, attr string, access_mod AccessMod) {
 	if type_name == '' {
 		print_backtrace()
-		cerror('add_field: empty type')
+		verror('add_field: empty type')
 	}
 	mut t := table.typesmap[type_name]
 	t.fields << Var {
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) add_method(type_name string, f Fn) {
 	}
 	if type_name == '' {
 		print_backtrace()
-		cerror('add_method: empty type')
+		verror('add_method: empty type')
 	}
 	// TODO table.typesmap[type_name].methods << f
 	mut t := p.table.typesmap[type_name]
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ fn (t &Table) fn_gen_types(fn_name string) []string {
 			return f.types
 		}
 	}
-	cerror('function $fn_name not found')
+	verror('function $fn_name not found')
 	return []string
 }
 
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ fn (fit mut FileImportTable) register_alias(alias string, mod string) {
 	// NOTE: come back here
 	// if alias in fit.imports && fit.imports[alias] == mod {}
 	if alias in fit.imports && fit.imports[alias] != mod {
-		cerror('cannot import $mod as $alias: import name $alias already in use in "${fit.file_path}".')
+		verror('cannot import $mod as $alias: import name $alias already in use in "${fit.file_path}".')
 	}
 	if mod.contains('.internal.') {
 		mod_parts := mod.split('.')
@@ -881,7 +881,7 @@ fn (fit mut FileImportTable) register_alias(alias string, mod string) {
 		}
 		internal_parent := internal_mod_parts.join('.')
 		if !fit.module_name.starts_with(internal_parent) {
-			cerror('module $mod can only be imported internally by libs.')
+			verror('module $mod can only be imported internally by libs.')
 		}
 	}
 	fit.imports[alias] = mod