diff --git a/entry.cc b/entry.cc
index 287f6555..e9b932fe 100644
--- a/entry.cc
+++ b/entry.cc
@@ -357,17 +357,23 @@ void entry_t::add_xact(xact_t * xact)
 }
 
 namespace {
-  value_t get_date(call_scope_t& scope)
-  {
-    entry_t& entry(downcast<entry_t>(*scope.parent));
+  value_t get_date(entry_t& entry) {
     return entry.date();
   }
 
-  value_t get_payee(call_scope_t& scope)
+  value_t get_payee(entry_t& entry)
   {
-    entry_t& entry(downcast<entry_t>(*scope.parent));
     return string_value(entry.payee);
   }
+
+  typedef value_t (*entry_func_t)(entry_t&);
+
+  template <entry_func_t Func>
+  value_t get_wrapper(call_scope_t& scope)
+  {
+    xact_t& xact(downcast<xact_t>(*scope.parent));
+    return (*Func)(*xact.entry);
+  }
 }
 
 expr_t::ptr_op_t entry_t::lookup(const string& name)
@@ -375,21 +381,14 @@ expr_t::ptr_op_t entry_t::lookup(const string& name)
   switch (name[0]) {
   case 'd':
     if (name[1] == '\0' || name == "date")
-      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(bind(get_date, _1));
+      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_wrapper<&get_date>);
     break;
   case 'p':
     if (name[1] == '\0' || name == "payee")
-      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(bind(get_payee, _1));
+      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_wrapper<&get_payee>);
     break;
   }
-
-#if 0
-  // jww (2008-07-29): Should it go to the containing journal next, or to the
-  // session?
-  return entry->lookup(name);
-#else
   return expr_t::ptr_op_t();
-#endif
 }
 
 bool entry_t::valid() const
@@ -465,10 +464,10 @@ void auto_entry_t::extend_entry(entry_base_t& entry, bool post)
   }
 }
 
-void extend_entry_base(journal_t * journal, entry_base_t& entry, bool post)
+void extend_entry_base(journal_t * journal, entry_base_t& base, bool post)
 {
   foreach (auto_entry_t * entry, journal->auto_entries)
-    entry->extend_entry(*entry, post);
+    entry->extend_entry(base, post);
 }
 
 } // namespace ledger
diff --git a/error.h b/error.h
index 4eaf72a8..fafef08e 100644
--- a/error.h
+++ b/error.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace ledger {
 extern std::ostringstream _desc_buffer;
 
 template <typename T>
-inline void throw_func(const std::string& message) {
+inline void throw_func(const string& message) {
   _desc_buffer.str("");
   throw T(message);
 }
diff --git a/expr.cc b/expr.cc
index c326944f..37433179 100644
--- a/expr.cc
+++ b/expr.cc
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ expr_t::expr_t() : compiled(false)
 }
 
 expr_t::expr_t(const expr_t& other)
-  : ptr(other.ptr), str(other.str), compiled(false)
+  : ptr(other.ptr), str(other.str), compiled(other.compiled)
 {
   TRACE_CTOR(expr_t, "copy");
 }
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ void expr_t::parse(std::istream& in, const unsigned int flags)
 
 void expr_t::compile(scope_t& scope)
 {
-  if (ptr.get()) {
+  if (ptr.get() && ! compiled) {
     ptr	     = ptr->compile(scope);
     compiled = true;
   }
@@ -127,9 +127,16 @@ value_t expr_t::calc(scope_t& scope)
 
 bool expr_t::is_constant() const
 {
+  assert(compiled);
   return ptr.get() && ptr->is_value();
 }
 
+bool expr_t::is_function() const
+{
+  assert(compiled);
+  return ptr.get() && ptr->is_function();
+}
+
 value_t& expr_t::constant_value()
 {
   assert(is_constant());
@@ -142,6 +149,12 @@ const value_t& expr_t::constant_value() const
   return ptr->as_value();
 }
 
+function_t& expr_t::get_function()
+{
+  assert(is_function());
+  return ptr->as_function_lval();
+}
+
 value_t expr_t::eval(const string& _expr, scope_t& scope)
 {
   return expr_t(_expr).calc(scope);
diff --git a/expr.h b/expr.h
index 3cdc77a6..8e1ee19a 100644
--- a/expr.h
+++ b/expr.h
@@ -102,9 +102,13 @@ public:
   value_t  calc(scope_t& scope) const;
 
   bool	   is_constant() const;
+  bool     is_function() const;
+
   value_t& constant_value();
   const value_t& constant_value() const;
 
+  function_t& get_function();
+
   void     print(std::ostream& out, scope_t& scope) const;
   void     dump(std::ostream& out) const;
   void     read(const char *& data);
diff --git a/format.cc b/format.cc
index 1255d25b..772fa0bc 100644
--- a/format.cc
+++ b/format.cc
@@ -242,11 +242,24 @@ void format_t::format(std::ostream& out_str, scope_t& scope)
 
     case element_t::EXPR:
       try {
-	if (elem->max_width == 0)
-	  elem->expr.calc(scope).dump(out, elem->min_width);
-	else
-	  out << truncate(elem->expr.calc(scope).as_string(),
-			  elem->max_width);
+	elem->expr.compile(scope);
+
+	if (elem->expr.is_function()) {
+	  call_scope_t args(scope);
+	  args.push_back(long(elem->max_width));
+
+	  if (elem->max_width == 0)
+	    elem->expr.get_function()(args).dump(out, elem->min_width);
+	  else
+	    out << truncate(elem->expr.get_function()(args).as_string(),
+			    elem->max_width);
+	} else {
+	  if (elem->max_width == 0)
+	    elem->expr.calc(scope).dump(out, elem->min_width);
+	  else
+	    out << truncate(elem->expr.calc(scope).as_string(),
+			    elem->max_width);
+	}
       }
       catch (const calc_error&) {
 	out << (string("%") + elem->chars);
diff --git a/format.h b/format.h
index 840ff564..585216bf 100644
--- a/format.h
+++ b/format.h
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ class format_t : public noncopyable
   static bool		 ansi_codes;
   static bool		 ansi_invert;
 
+  static element_t * parse_elements(const string& fmt);
+
 public:
   format_t() {
     TRACE_CTOR(format_t, "");
@@ -100,11 +102,8 @@ public:
       elem->dump(out);
   }
 
-private:
-  static element_t * parse_elements(const string& fmt);
-
   static string truncate(const string& str, unsigned int width,
-			      const bool is_account = false);
+			 const bool is_account = false);
 };
 
 } // namespace ledger
diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index f58578fd..78a9433b 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@
 namespace ledger {
   value_t register_command(call_scope_t& args)
   {
-    var_t<report_t>     report(args, 0);
-    var_t<std::ostream> ostream(args, 1);
+    ptr_t<report_t>     report(args, 0);
+    ptr_t<std::ostream> ostream(args, 1);
 
     report->xacts_report
       (xact_handler_ptr(new format_xacts
diff --git a/scope.h b/scope.h
index 1bf50a3e..f0badb54 100644
--- a/scope.h
+++ b/scope.h
@@ -56,8 +56,28 @@ public:
     else
       return NULL_VALUE;
   }
+
+  virtual optional<scope_t&> find_scope(const std::type_info&, bool = true) {
+    return none;
+  }
 };
 
+template <typename T>
+inline T& find_scope(scope_t& scope, bool skip_this = true) {
+  optional<scope_t&> found = scope.find_scope(typeid(T), skip_this);
+  assert(found);
+  return downcast<T>(*found);
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+inline optional<T&> maybe_find_scope(scope_t& scope, bool skip_this = true) {
+  optional<scope_t&> found = scope.find_scope(typeid(T), skip_this);
+  if (found)
+    return optional<T&>(downcast<T>(*found));
+  else
+    return none;
+}
+
 class child_scope_t : public noncopyable, public scope_t
 {
 public:
@@ -79,6 +99,17 @@ public:
       return parent->lookup(name);
     return expr_t::ptr_op_t();
   }
+
+  virtual optional<scope_t&> find_scope(const std::type_info& type,
+					bool skip_this = true) {
+    for (scope_t * ptr = (skip_this ? parent : this);
+	 ptr;
+	 ptr = polymorphic_downcast<child_scope_t *>(ptr)->parent)
+      if (typeid(ptr) == type)
+	return *ptr;
+
+    return none;
+  }
 };
 
 class symbol_scope_t : public child_scope_t
@@ -152,30 +183,55 @@ public:
 };
 
 template <typename T>
-class var_t : public noncopyable
+class ptr_t : public noncopyable
 {
   T * value;
 
-  var_t();
+  ptr_t();
 
 public:
-  // jww (2008-07-21): Give a good exception here if we can't find "name"
-  var_t(scope_t& scope, const string& name)
+  ptr_t(scope_t& scope, const string& name)
     : value(scope.resolve(name).template as_pointer<T>()) {
-    TRACE_CTOR(var_t, "scope_t&, const string&");
+    TRACE_CTOR(ptr_t, "scope_t&, const string&");
   }
-  var_t(call_scope_t& scope, const unsigned int idx)
+  ptr_t(call_scope_t& scope, const unsigned int idx)
     : value(scope[idx].template as_pointer<T>()) {
-    TRACE_CTOR(var_t, "call_scope_t&, const unsigned int");
+    TRACE_CTOR(ptr_t, "call_scope_t&, const unsigned int");
   }
-  ~var_t() throw() {
-    TRACE_DTOR(var_t);
+  ~ptr_t() throw() {
+    TRACE_DTOR(ptr_t);
   }
 
   T& operator *() { return *value; }
   T * operator->() { return value; }
 };
 
+template <typename T>
+class var_t : public noncopyable
+{
+  value_t value;
+
+  var_t();
+
+public:
+  var_t(scope_t& scope, const string& name) : value(scope.resolve(name)) {
+    TRACE_CTOR(var_t, "scope_t&, const string&");
+  }
+  var_t(call_scope_t& scope, const unsigned int idx) : value(scope[idx]) {
+    TRACE_CTOR(var_t, "call_scope_t&, const unsigned int");
+  }
+  ~var_t() throw() {
+    TRACE_DTOR(var_t);
+  }
+
+  operator T() { assert(false); }
+};
+
+template <>
+inline var_t<long>::operator long() {
+  return value.to_long();
+}
+
 } // namespace ledger
 
 #endif // _SCOPE_H
diff --git a/system.hh b/system.hh
index ffefafb3..221b81ef 100644
--- a/system.hh
+++ b/system.hh
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <exception>
+#include <typeinfo>
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <streambuf>
diff --git a/textual.cc b/textual.cc
index ed0e6509..f9499e6e 100644
--- a/textual.cc
+++ b/textual.cc
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ struct time_entry_t
 #endif
 
 namespace {
-  optional<expr_t> parse_amount_expr(std::istream&   in,
-				     amount_t&       amount,
-				     xact_t * xact,
-				     unsigned short  flags = 0)
+  optional<expr_t> parse_amount_expr(std::istream&  in,
+				     amount_t&      amount,
+				     xact_t *	    xact,
+				     unsigned short flags = 0)
   {
     expr_t expr(in, flags | EXPR_PARSE_PARTIAL);
 
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ namespace {
   }
 }
 
-xact_t * parse_xact(char * line, account_t * account,
-				  entry_t * entry = NULL)
+xact_t * parse_xact(char * line, account_t * account, entry_t * entry = NULL)
 {
   std::istringstream in(line);
 
@@ -299,23 +298,25 @@ xact_t * parse_xact(char * line, account_t * account,
 	  amount_t amt;
 
 	  try {
-#if 0
-	    // jww (2008-08-02): This data must be saved so that it can be
-	    // restored on "print".
 	    unsigned long beg = static_cast<unsigned long>(in.tellg());
-#endif
 
-	    if (parse_amount_expr(in, amt, xact.get(),
-				  EXPR_PARSE_NO_MIGRATE))
+	    optional<expr_t> total_expr =
+	      parse_amount_expr(in, amt, xact.get(), EXPR_PARSE_NO_MIGRATE);
+
+	    if (amt.is_null())
 	      throw parse_error
 		("An assigned balance must evaluate to a constant value");
 
 	    DEBUG("ledger.textual.parse", "line " << linenum << ": " <<
 		  "XACT assign: parsed amt = " << amt);
 
-#if 0
-	    unsigned long end = static_cast<unsigned long>(in.tellg());
-#endif
+	    if (total_expr) {
+	      unsigned long end = static_cast<unsigned long>(in.tellg());
+	      total_expr->set_text(string("=") +
+				   string(line, beg, end - beg));
+	    }
+
+	    // jww (2008-08-02): Save total_expr somewhere!
 
 	    amount_t diff;
 	    if (xdata.value.is_amount()) {
@@ -339,11 +340,10 @@ xact_t * parse_xact(char * line, account_t * account,
 		  "XACT assign: diff = " << diff);
 
 	    if (! diff.is_realzero()) {
-	      if (xact->amount) {
+	      if (! xact->amount.is_null()) {
 		xact_t * temp =
 		  new xact_t(xact->account, diff,
-				    XACT_GENERATED |
-				    XACT_CALCULATED);
+			     XACT_GENERATED | XACT_CALCULATED);
 		entry->add_xact(temp);
 
 		DEBUG("ledger.textual.parse", "line " << linenum << ": " <<
diff --git a/xact.cc b/xact.cc
index 6fb0d636..8c9014f4 100644
--- a/xact.cc
+++ b/xact.cc
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "xact.h"
 #include "journal.h"
 #include "account.h"
+#include "format.h"
 
 namespace ledger {
 
@@ -57,32 +58,31 @@ date_t xact_t::effective_date() const
 }
 
 namespace {
-  value_t get_amount(call_scope_t& scope)
+  value_t get_amount(xact_t& xact)
   {
-    xact_t& xact(downcast<xact_t>(*scope.parent));
     return xact.amount;
   }
 
-  value_t get_date(call_scope_t& scope)
+  value_t get_date(xact_t& xact)
   {
-    xact_t& xact(downcast<xact_t>(*scope.parent));
-    return xact.entry->date();
-  }
-
-  value_t get_payee(call_scope_t& scope)
-  {
-    xact_t& xact(downcast<xact_t>(*scope.parent));
-    return string_value(xact.entry->payee);
+    return xact.date();
   }
 
   value_t get_account(call_scope_t& scope)
   {
     xact_t& xact(downcast<xact_t>(*scope.parent));
 
+    long width = 0;
+    if (scope.size() == 1)
+      width = var_t<long>(scope, 0);
+
     // jww (2008-08-02): Accept a width here so that we can abbreviate the
     // string.
     string name = xact.account->fullname();
 
+    if (width > 2)
+      name = format_t::truncate(name, width - 2, true);
+
     if (xact.has_flags(XACT_VIRTUAL)) {
       if (xact.must_balance())
 	name = string("[") + name + "]";
@@ -92,11 +92,16 @@ namespace {
     return string_value(name);
   }
 
-  value_t get_account_base(call_scope_t& scope)
+  value_t get_account_base(xact_t& xact)
   {
     assert(false);
     return NULL_VALUE;
   }
+
+  template <value_t (*Func)(xact_t&)>
+  value_t get_wrapper(call_scope_t& scope) {
+    return (*Func)(find_scope<xact_t>(scope));
+  }
 }
 
 expr_t::ptr_op_t xact_t::lookup(const string& name)
@@ -104,15 +109,15 @@ expr_t::ptr_op_t xact_t::lookup(const string& name)
   switch (name[0]) {
   case 'a':
     if (name[1] == '\0' || name == "amount")
-      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_amount);
+      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_wrapper<&get_amount>);
     else if (name == "account")
       return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_account);
     else if (name == "account_base")
-      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_account_base);
+      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_wrapper<&get_account_base>);
     break;
   case 'd':
     if (name[1] == '\0' || name == "date")
-      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_date);
+      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_wrapper<&get_date>);
     break;
   case 'f':
     if (name.find("fmt_") == 0) {
@@ -120,10 +125,6 @@ expr_t::ptr_op_t xact_t::lookup(const string& name)
 	return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_account);
     }
     break;
-  case 'p':
-    if (name[1] == '\0' || name == "payee")
-      return WRAP_FUNCTOR(get_payee);
-    break;
   }
   return entry->lookup(name);
 }