diff --git a/src/other/brt.s b/src/other/brt.s
index 03ae284..b86b106 100644
--- a/src/other/brt.s
+++ b/src/other/brt.s
@@ -230,29 +230,23 @@ flush: 0
    jmp flush i
 
 initio: 0
+   law .argv      " build argument list
+   dac 8          " auto-inc pointer argvp = &argv[-1]
    lac 017777 i
-"   sad d4
-   jmp 2f
-   sad d8
-   jmp 1f
+   cll rtr
+   dac 8 i        " *++argvp = arg count
+   cma
+   tad d1
+   dac t1         " count = -argv[0]
+   lac 017777
+   dac lastv      " set top of heap
+   tad d1         " ac = addr of arg0
+1: 
+   dac 8 i        " *++argvp = ac
+   tad d4         " ac += 4
+   isz t1         " while ++count != 0
+   jmp 1b
 
-   law 9
-   tad 017777
-   dac .+3
-   law 017
-   sys creat; ..
-   spa
-   jmp stop
-   dac .fout
-1:
-   law 5
-   tad 017777
-   dac .+2
-   sys open; ..; 0
-   spa
-   jmp stop
-   dac .fin
-2:
    lac lastv
    dac eibufp
    dac cibufp
@@ -280,7 +274,7 @@ iflg: 0
 eobufp: 0
 cobufp: 0
 oflg: 0
-lastv: 017770
+lastv: 0
 
 o777: 0777
 d4:o4: 4
diff --git a/src/other/brtb.b b/src/other/brtb.b
index 8439a52..0c48c9a 100644
--- a/src/other/brtb.b
+++ b/src/other/brtb.b
@@ -2,12 +2,25 @@
 
 char(s, n) {
   if (n & 1) return(s[n/2] & 0777);
-  return ((s[n/2]/512) & 0777);
+  return((s[n/2]/512) & 0777);
 }
 
 lchar(s, n, c) {
   if (n & 1) s[n/2] = (s[n/2] & 0777000) | c;
   else s[n/2] = (s[n/2] & 0777) | (c*512);
+  return(c);
+}
+
+getstr(s) {
+  auto c, i;
+
+  i = 0;
+  while ((c = getchr()) != '*n') {
+    lchar(s,i,c);
+    i = i+1;
+  }
+  lchar(s,i,'*e');
+  return(s);
 }
 
 putstr(s) {
diff --git a/src/other/ctype.b b/src/other/ctype.b
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e05611
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/other/ctype.b
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/* ctype.b - character types */
+
+isalpha(c) {
+  return((c >= 'a' & c <= 'z') | (c >= 'A' & c <= 'Z'));
+}
+
+isdigit(c) {
+  return(c >= '0' & c <= '9');
+}
diff --git a/src/other/string.b b/src/other/string.b
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7731be8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/other/string.b
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/* string.b - B string library
+
+   mostly from: https://www.bell-labs.com/usr/dmr/www/btut.html
+*/
+
+strcopy(sl, s2) {
+  auto i;
+  i = 0;
+  while (lchar(sl,i,char(s2,i)) != '*e')
+    i = i+1;
+  return(s1);
+}
+
+strcat(s1, s2) {
+  auto i,j;
+  i = j = 0;
+  while (char(s1,i) != '*e')
+    i = i+1;
+  while(lchar(s1,i,char(s2,j)) != '*e') {
+    i = i+1;
+    j = j+1;
+  }    
+  return(s1);
+}
+
+strlen(s) {
+  auto i;
+  i = 0;
+  while (char(s,i) != '*e')
+    i = i+1;
+  return(i);
+}
+
+strcmp(s1, s2) {
+  auto c,i;
+  i = 0;
+  while ((c=char(s1,i)) == char(s2,i)) {
+    if (c == '*e')
+      return(0);
+    i = i+1;
+  }
+  return(c - char(s2,i));
+}
+
+/* convert command line argument into a string */
+strarg(s, a) {
+  auto i, c;
+  i = 0;
+  while (i < 8) {
+    if ((c = char(a,i)) == ' ')
+      goto done;
+    lchar(s,i,c);
+    i = i+1;
+  }
+done:
+  lchar(s,i,'*e');
+  return(s);
+}
diff --git a/src/other/test.b b/src/other/test.b
index c0259a8..e398c3d 100644
--- a/src/other/test.b
+++ b/src/other/test.b
@@ -7,14 +7,41 @@
    perl a7out test.out
 */
 
+/* convert command line argument into a string */
+strarg(s, a) {
+  auto i, c;
+  i = 0;
+  while (i < 8) {
+    if ((c = char(a,i)) == ' ')
+      goto done;
+    lchar(s,i,c);
+    i = i+1;
+  }
+done:
+  lchar(s,i,'*e');
+  return(s);
+}
+
 main {
-  extrn fname, fin;
-  auto ch,p;
+  extrn fname, fin, fout, argv;
+  auto ch,p,n,str 5;
 
   p = 017777;
   printf("mem[0%o] = 0%o*n",p,*p);
   printf("mem[0%o] = %d*n",*p,**p);
   
+  printf("argv = %d*n",argv);
+  printf("**argv = %d*n",*argv);
+  printf("argv[0] = %d*n",argv[0]);
+  n = 0;
+  while (n < argv[0]) {
+    n = n+1;
+    printf("argv[%d] = 0%o *"%s*"*n",n,argv[n],strarg(str,argv[n]));
+  }
+
+  printf("array(0)  = 0%o*n",array(0));
+  printf("array(64) = 0%o*n",array(64));
+  printf("array(0)  = 0%o*n",array(0));
   
 /*  fin = open(fname, 0); */
   fin = open("abc     ", 0);