diff --git a/compiler/fn.v b/compiler/fn.v
index fb5dac609e..3b1c2d3d8a 100644
--- a/compiler/fn.v
+++ b/compiler/fn.v
@@ -43,43 +43,31 @@ fn (f &Fn) find_var(name string) Var {
 }
 
 
-fn (f mut Fn) open_scope() {
-	f.defer_text << ''
-	f.scope_level++
+fn (p mut Parser) open_scope() {
+	p.cur_fn.defer_text << ''
+	p.cur_fn.scope_level++
 }
 
-fn (f mut Fn) close_scope() {
-	f.scope_level--
-	f.defer_text = f.defer_text.left(f.scope_level + 1)
-}
-
-fn (f mut Fn) mark_var_used(v Var) {
-	for i, vv in f.local_vars {
+fn (p mut Parser) mark_var_used(v Var) {
+	for i, vv in p.cur_fn.local_vars {
 		if vv.name == v.name {
-			//mut ptr := &f.local_vars[i]
-			//ptr.is_used = true
-			f.local_vars[i].is_used = true
-			return
+			p.cur_fn.local_vars[i].is_used = true
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-fn (f mut Fn) mark_var_returned(v Var) {
-	for i, vv in f.local_vars {
+fn (p mut Parser) mark_var_returned(v Var) {
+	for i, vv in p.cur_fn.local_vars {
 		if vv.name == v.name {
-			f.local_vars[i].is_returned = true
-			return
+			p.cur_fn.local_vars[i].is_returned = true
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-fn (f mut Fn) mark_var_changed(v Var) {
-	for i, vv in f.local_vars {
+fn (p mut Parser) mark_var_changed(v Var) {
+	for i, vv in p.cur_fn.local_vars {
 		if vv.name == v.name {
-			//mut ptr := &f.local_vars[i]
-			//ptr.is_used = true
-			f.local_vars[i].is_changed = true
-			// return
+			p.cur_fn.local_vars[i].is_changed = true
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -112,8 +100,8 @@ fn (p mut Parser) is_sig() bool {
 	(p.file_path.contains(ModPath))
 }
 
-fn new_fn(mod string, is_public bool) &Fn {
-	return &Fn {
+fn new_fn(mod string, is_public bool) Fn {
+	return Fn {
 		mod: mod
 		local_vars: [Var{}		; MaxLocalVars]
 		is_public: is_public
@@ -158,8 +146,9 @@ fn (p mut Parser) fn_decl() {
 			println('p.mod=$p.mod')
 			p.error('cannot define new methods on non-local type `$receiver_typ`')
 		}
-		// (a *Foo) instead of (a mut Foo) is a common mistake
-		if !p.builtin_mod && receiver_typ.contains('*') {
+		// `(f *Foo)` instead of `(f mut Foo)` is a common mistake
+		//if !p.builtin_mod && receiver_typ.contains('*') {
+		if receiver_typ.contains('*') {
 			t := receiver_typ.replace('*', '')
 			p.error('use `($receiver_name mut $t)` instead of `($receiver_name *$t)`')
 		}
@@ -463,7 +452,9 @@ _thread_so = CreateThread(0, 0, (LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE)&reload_so, 0, 0, 0);
 	if p.pref.is_prof && f.name != 'main' && f.name != 'time__ticks' {
 		p.genln('double _PROF_START = time__ticks();//$f.name')
 		cgen_name := p.table.cgen_name(f)
+		if f.defer_text.len > f.scope_level {
 		f.defer_text[f.scope_level] = '  ${cgen_name}_time += time__ticks() - _PROF_START;'
+		}
 	}
 	if is_generic {
 		// Don't need to generate body for the actual generic definition
@@ -477,7 +468,9 @@ _thread_so = CreateThread(0, 0, (LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE)&reload_so, 0, 0, 0);
 	}
 	// Counting or not, always need to add defer before the end
 	if !p.is_vweb {
+		if f.defer_text.len > f.scope_level {
 		p.genln(f.defer_text[f.scope_level])
+		}
 	}
 	if typ != 'void' && !p.returns && f.name != 'main' && f.name != 'WinMain' {
 		p.error('$f.name must return "$typ"')
@@ -658,7 +651,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) fn_call(f Fn, method_ph int, receiver_var, receiver_type strin
 			p.error('`$p.expr_var.name` is immutable, declare it with `mut`')
 		}
 		if !p.expr_var.is_changed {
-			p.cur_fn.mark_var_changed(p.expr_var)
+			p.mark_var_changed(p.expr_var)
 		}
 		// if receiver is key_mut or a ref (&), generate & for the first arg
 		if receiver.ref || (receiver.is_mut && !receiver_type.contains('*')) {
@@ -837,7 +830,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) fn_call_args(f mut Fn) &Fn {
 				p.error('`$arg.name` is a mutable argument, you need to provide a variable to modify: `$f.name(... mut a...)`')
 			}
 			if !v.is_changed {
-				p.cur_fn.mark_var_changed(v)
+				p.mark_var_changed(v)
 			}
 		}
 		p.expected_type = arg.typ
diff --git a/compiler/main.v b/compiler/main.v
index 91bc9063c2..25c5934508 100644
--- a/compiler/main.v
+++ b/compiler/main.v
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ fn main() {
 	if v.pref.is_test {
 		v.run_compiled_executable_and_exit()
 	}
-
+	
 }
 
 fn (v mut V) compile() {
@@ -234,8 +234,8 @@ fn (v mut V) compile() {
 
 	imports_json := 'json' in v.table.imports
 	// TODO remove global UI hack
-	if v.os == .mac && ((v.pref.build_mode == .embed_vlib && 'ui' in 
-		v.table.imports) || (v.pref.build_mode == .build_module && 
+	if v.os == .mac && ((v.pref.build_mode == .embed_vlib && 'ui' in
+		v.table.imports) || (v.pref.build_mode == .build_module &&
 		v.dir.contains('/ui'))) {
 		cgen.genln('id defaultFont = 0; // main.v')
 	}
@@ -992,5 +992,5 @@ fn vhash() string {
 	mut buf := [50]byte
 	buf[0] = 0
 	C.snprintf(buf, 50, '%s', C.V_COMMIT_HASH )
-	return tos_clone(buf)  
+	return tos_clone(buf)
 }
diff --git a/compiler/parser.v b/compiler/parser.v
index 7b36357f13..cbd0bf2487 100644
--- a/compiler/parser.v
+++ b/compiler/parser.v
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ mut:
 	expected_type  string
 	tmp_cnt        int
 	is_script      bool
-	pref           &Preferences // Setting and Preferences shared from V struct
+	pref           &Preferences // Preferences shared from V struct
 	builtin_mod    bool
 	vh_lines       []string
 	inside_if_expr bool
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ mut:
 	for_expr_cnt   int // to detect whether `continue` can be used
 	ptr_cast       bool
 	calling_c      bool
-	cur_fn         &Fn
+	cur_fn         Fn
 	returns        bool
 	vroot          string
 	is_c_struct_init bool
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ mut:
 }
 
 const (
-	EmptyFn = &Fn { }
-	MainFn= &Fn{name:'main'}
+	EmptyFn = Fn { }
+	MainFn= Fn{name:'main'}
 )
 
 const (
@@ -121,8 +121,9 @@ fn (v mut V) new_parser(path string) Parser {
 	return p
 }
 
-fn (p mut Parser) set_current_fn(f &Fn) {
+fn (p mut Parser) set_current_fn(f Fn) {
 	p.cur_fn = f
+	//p.cur_fn = p.table.fns[f.name]
 	p.scanner.fn_name = '${f.mod}.${f.name}'
 }
 
@@ -882,9 +883,10 @@ fn (p mut Parser) get_type() string {
 		return typ
 	}
 	//
+	mut warn := false
 	for p.tok == .mul {
 		if p.first_pass() {
-			p.warn('use `&Foo` instead of `*Foo`')
+			warn = true
 		}
 		mul = true
 		nr_muls++
@@ -908,6 +910,9 @@ fn (p mut Parser) get_type() string {
 		typ = p.lit
 	}
 	else {
+		if warn {
+			p.warn('use `&Foo` instead of `*Foo`')
+		}
 		// Module specified? (e.g. gx.Image)
 		if p.peek() == .dot {
 			// try resolve full submodule
@@ -1010,7 +1015,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) statements() string {
 }
 
 fn (p mut Parser) statements_no_rcbr() string {
-	p.cur_fn.open_scope()
+	p.open_scope()
 
 	if !p.inside_if_expr {
 		p.genln('')
@@ -1055,39 +1060,45 @@ fn (p mut Parser) close_scope() {
 	mut i := p.cur_fn.var_idx - 1
 	for ; i >= 0; i-- {
 		v := p.cur_fn.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 for V compiler for now
 		if p.pref.building_v && v.is_alloc && !p.pref.is_test {
+			mut free_fn := 'free'
 			if v.typ.starts_with('array_') {
-				//if false && p.returns {
-				if p.returns {
-					if !v.is_returned {
-						prev_line := p.cgen.lines[p.cgen.lines.len-2]
-						p.cgen.lines[p.cgen.lines.len-2] =
-							'v_array_free($v.name); /* :) close_scope free */' + prev_line
-					}
-				} else {
-					p.genln('v_array_free($v.name); // close_scope free')
+				free_fn = 'v_array_free'
+			} else if v.typ == 'string' {
+				free_fn = 'v_string_free'
+				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]
+					p.cgen.lines[p.cgen.lines.len-2] =
+						'$free_fn($v.name); /* :) close_scope free $v.typ */' + prev_line
 				}
-			}
-			else if v.typ == 'string' {
-				//p.genln('v_string_free($v.name); // close_scope free')
-			}
-			else if v.ptr {
-				//p.genln('free($v.name); // close_scope free')
+			} else {
+				p.genln('$free_fn($v.name); // close_scope free')
 			}
 		}
 	}
-
 	if p.cur_fn.defer_text.last() != '' {
 		p.genln(p.cur_fn.defer_text.last())
 		//p.cur_fn.defer_text[f] = ''
 	}
-	
-	p.cur_fn.close_scope()
+	p.cur_fn.scope_level--
+	p.cur_fn.defer_text = p.cur_fn.defer_text.left(p.cur_fn.scope_level + 1)
 	p.cur_fn.var_idx = i + 1
 	// println('close_scope new var_idx=$f.var_idx\n')
 }
@@ -1225,7 +1236,7 @@ fn ($v.name mut $v.typ) $p.cur_fn.name (...) {
 		p.error('`$v.name` is immutable.')
 	}
 	if !v.is_changed {
-		p.cur_fn.mark_var_changed(v)
+		p.mark_var_changed(v)
 	}
 	is_str := v.typ == 'string'
 	switch tok {
@@ -1270,7 +1281,7 @@ fn ($v.name mut $v.typ) $p.cur_fn.name (...) {
 	// p.assigned_var = ''
 	p.assigned_type = ''
 	if !v.is_used {
-		p.cur_fn.mark_var_used(v)
+		p.mark_var_used(v)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1337,6 +1348,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) var_decl() {
 		is_mut: is_mut
 		is_alloc: p.is_alloc
 	})
+	//if p.is_alloc { println('REG VAR IS ALLOC $name') }
 	if !or_else {
 		gen_name := p.table.var_cgen_name(name)
 		mut nt_gen := p.table.cgen_name_type_pair(gen_name, typ)
@@ -1544,7 +1556,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) name_expr() string {
 		}
 		if p.inside_return_expr {
 			//println('marking $v.name returned')
-			p.cur_fn.mark_var_returned(v)
+			p.mark_var_returned(v)
 			// v.is_returned = true // TODO modifying a local variable
 			// that's not used afterwards, this should be a compilation
 			// error
@@ -1706,13 +1718,17 @@ fn (p mut Parser) name_expr() string {
 		return typ
 	}
 	p.log('end of name_expr')
+	
+	if f.typ.ends_with('*') {
+		p.is_alloc = true
+	}	
 	return f.typ
 }
 
 fn (p mut Parser) var_expr(v Var) string {
 	p.log('\nvar_expr() v.name="$v.name" v.typ="$v.typ"')
 	// println('var expr is_tmp=$p.cgen.is_tmp\n')
-	p.cur_fn.mark_var_used(v)
+	p.mark_var_used(v)
 	fn_ph := p.cgen.add_placeholder()
 	p.expr_var = v
 	p.gen(p.table.var_cgen_name(v.name))
@@ -1761,7 +1777,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) var_expr(v Var) string {
 			p.error('`$v.name` is immutable')
 		}
 		if !v.is_changed {
-			p.cur_fn.mark_var_changed(v)
+			p.mark_var_changed(v)
 		}
 		if typ != 'int' {
 			if !p.pref.translated && !is_number_type(typ) {
@@ -1895,6 +1911,9 @@ struct $f.parent_fn {
 		// if is_indexer {
 		//return p.index_expr(method.typ, method_ph)
 	//}
+	if method.typ.ends_with('*') {
+		p.is_alloc = true
+	}	
 	return method.typ
 }
 
@@ -2148,7 +2167,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) expression() string {
 				p.error('`$p.expr_var.name` is immutable (can\'t <<)')
 			}
 			if !p.expr_var.is_changed {
-				p.cur_fn.mark_var_changed(p.expr_var)
+				p.mark_var_changed(p.expr_var)
 			}
 			expr_type := p.expression()
 			// Two arrays of the same type?
@@ -2883,7 +2902,9 @@ fn (p mut Parser) struct_init(typ string, is_c_struct_init bool) string {
 			p.check(.rcbr)
 			return typ
 		}
-		p.gen('($no_star*)memdup(&($no_star)  {') //sizeof(Node));
+		p.gen('($no_star*)memdup(&($no_star)  {')
+		p.is_alloc = true
+		//println('setting is_alloc=true (ret $typ)')
 	}
 	mut did_gen_something := false
 	// Loop thru all struct init keys and assign values
@@ -3150,7 +3171,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) for_st() {
 	p.for_expr_cnt++
 	next_tok := p.peek()
 	//debug := p.scanner.file_path.contains('r_draw')
-	p.cur_fn.open_scope()
+	p.open_scope()
 	if p.tok == .lcbr {
 		// Infinite loop
 		p.gen('while (1) {')
@@ -3703,7 +3724,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) go_statement() {
 	if p.peek() == .dot {
 		var_name := p.lit
 		v := p.cur_fn.find_var(var_name)
-		p.cur_fn.mark_var_used(v)
+		p.mark_var_used(v)
 		p.next()
 		p.check(.dot)
 		typ := p.table.find_type(v.typ)
diff --git a/compiler/table.v b/compiler/table.v
index 4366136c44..7cba06a51c 100644
--- a/compiler/table.v
+++ b/compiler/table.v
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ mut:
 	is_used         bool
 	is_changed      bool
 	scope_level     int
+	is_c            bool // todo remove once `typ` is `Type`, not string
 }
 
 struct Type {
@@ -442,6 +443,7 @@ fn (table mut Table) add_method(type_name string, f Fn) {
 		print_backtrace()
 		cerror('add_method: empty type')
 	}
+	// TODO table.typesmap[type_name].methods << f
 	mut t := table.typesmap[type_name]
 	t.methods << f
 	table.typesmap[type_name] = t
diff --git a/vlib/builtin/builtin.v b/vlib/builtin/builtin.v
index 39061bd8b1..b16c8e57c9 100644
--- a/vlib/builtin/builtin.v
+++ b/vlib/builtin/builtin.v
@@ -99,14 +99,14 @@ pub fn print(s string) {
 }
 
 __global total_m i64 = 0
-//__global nr_mallocs int = 0 
+//__global nr_mallocs int = 0
 pub fn malloc(n int) byteptr {
 	if n < 0 {
 		panic('malloc(<0)')
 	}
-	//nr_mallocs++ 
-/* 
-TODO 
+	//nr_mallocs++
+/*
+TODO
 #ifdef VPLAY
 	if n > 10000 {
 		panic('allocating more than 10 KB is not allowed in the playground')
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ TODO
 	println('\n\n\nmalloc($n) total=$total_m')
 	print_backtrace()
 #endif
-*/ 
+*/
 	ptr := C.malloc(n)
 	if isnil(ptr) {
 		panic('malloc($n) failed')
@@ -141,5 +141,9 @@ fn memdup(src voidptr, sz int) voidptr {
 	return C.memcpy(mem, src, sz)
 }
 
+fn v_ptr_free(ptr voidptr) {
+	C.free(ptr)
+}	
+
 
 
diff --git a/vlib/builtin/map.v b/vlib/builtin/map.v
index 7f5f0c00c8..dfc8b1edcc 100644
--- a/vlib/builtin/map.v
+++ b/vlib/builtin/map.v
@@ -236,7 +236,24 @@ pub fn (m map) print() {
 	println('>>>>>>>>>>')
 }
 
-pub fn (m map) free() {
+fn (n mut mapnode) free() {
+	if n.val != 0 {
+		free(n.val)
+	}	
+	if n.left != 0 {
+		n.left.free()
+	}	
+	if n.right != 0 {
+		n.right.free()
+	}	
+	free(n)
+}
+
+pub fn (m mut map) free() {
+	if m.root == 0 {
+		return
+	}	
+	m.root.free()
 	// C.free(m.table)
 	// C.free(m.keys_table)
 }
diff --git a/vlib/builtin/string.v b/vlib/builtin/string.v
index 21feeb3aaf..116cbc6393 100644
--- a/vlib/builtin/string.v
+++ b/vlib/builtin/string.v
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ pub fn (s string) u64() u64 {
 
 // ==
 fn (s string) eq(a string) bool {
-	if isnil(s.str) {
+	if isnil(s.str) { // should never happen
 		panic('string.eq(): nil string')
 	}
 	if s.len != a.len {
diff --git a/vlib/os/os.v b/vlib/os/os.v
index 05795bca3b..e229cfe58c 100644
--- a/vlib/os/os.v
+++ b/vlib/os/os.v
@@ -289,8 +289,7 @@ pub fn (f File) close() {
 }
 
 // system starts the specified command, waits for it to complete, and returns its code.
-
-fn popen(path string) &FILE {
+fn popen(path string) *C.FILE {
 	$if windows {
 		mode := 'rb'
 		wpath := path.to_wide()
@@ -302,7 +301,7 @@ fn popen(path string) &FILE {
 	}
 }
 
-fn pclose(f &FILE) int {
+fn pclose(f *C.FILE) int {
 	$if windows {
 		return C._pclose(f)
 	}