diff --git a/hyper.h b/hyper.h
index d30bcae1..fe827a5b 100644
--- a/hyper.h
+++ b/hyper.h
@@ -674,6 +674,7 @@ string XLAT(string x);    // translate the sentence x
 string XLATN(string x);   // translate the sentence x
 string cts(char c);       // character to string
 string its(int i);        // int to string
+string itsh8(int i);      // int to string (8 hex digits)
 
 // a random integer from [0..i), generated by the game's main generator
 // we want the same world to be generated if the seed is the same. For this purpose,
@@ -4652,6 +4653,23 @@ template<class C, class C1, class... CS> void print(hstream& hs, const C& c, con
 
 template<class... CS> void println(hstream& hs, const CS&... cs) { print(hs, cs...); hs.write_char('\n'); }
 
+inline string spaced(int i) { return its(i); }
+inline string spaced(color_t col) { return itsh8(col); }
+inline string spaced(const string& s) { return s; }
+inline string spaced(ld x) { return fts(x, 10); }
+template<class T> string spaced_of(T a[], int q) { string s = spaced(a[0]); for(int i=1; i<q; i++) s += ' ', s += spaced(a[i]); return s; }
+template<class T, int i> string spaced(const array<T,i>& a) { return spaced_of(&a[0], isize(a)); }
+template<class C, class C1, class... CS> string spaced(const C& c, const C1& c1, const CS&... cs) { return spaced(c) + " " + spaced(c1, cs...); }
+
+bool scan(fhstream& hs, int&);
+bool scan(fhstream& hs, ld&);
+bool scan(fhstream& hs, string&);
+bool scan(fhstream& hs, color_t& c);
+template<class C, class C1, class... CS> bool scan(fhstream& hs, C& c, C1& c1, CS&... cs) { return scan(hs, c) && scan(hs, c1, cs...); }
+
+string scanline(fhstream& hs);
+template<class T> T scan(fhstream& hs) { T t {}; scan(hs, t); return t; }
+
 // copied from: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16387354/template-tuple-calling-a-function-on-each-element
 
 namespace detail
@@ -4681,6 +4699,7 @@ void for_each_in_tuple(std::tuple<Ts...> const& t, F f)
 inline void print(hstream& hs, const string& s) { hs.write_chars(s.c_str(), isize(s)); }
 inline void print(hstream& hs, int i) { print(hs, its(i)); }
 inline void print(hstream& hs, ld x) { print(hs, fts(x)); }
+inline void print(hstream& hs, color_t col) { print(hs, itsh8(col)); }
 
 template<class T> void print(hstream& hs, const walker<T>& w) { print(hs, "[", w.at, "/", w.spin, "/", w.mirrored, "]"); }
 
diff --git a/irregular.cpp b/irregular.cpp
index 61df385a..01c1c4b6 100644
--- a/irregular.cpp
+++ b/irregular.cpp
@@ -812,36 +812,35 @@ void start_game_on_created_map() {
   }
 
 bool save_map(const string& fname) {
-  FILE *f = fopen(fname.c_str(), "wt");
-  if(!f) return false;
+  fhstream f(fname, "wt");
+  if(!f.f) return false;
   auto& all = base->allcells();
   int origcells = 0;
   for(cellinfo& ci: cells) 
     if(ci.generation == 0) 
       origcells++;
-  fprintf(f, "%d %d %d\n", geometry, isize(all), origcells);
+  println(f, spaced(int(geometry), isize(all), origcells));
   
   for(auto h: all) {
     origcells = 0;
     for(auto i: cells_of_heptagon[h->master]) 
       if(cells[i].generation == 0)
         origcells++;
-    fprintf(f, "%d\n", origcells);
+    println(f, origcells);
     for(auto i: cells_of_heptagon[h->master]) if(cells[i].generation == 0) {
       auto &ci = cells[i];
-      fprintf(f, "%lf %lf %lf\n", double(ci.p[0]), double(ci.p[1]), double(ci.p[GDIM]));
+      println(f, spaced(ci.p[0], ci.p[1], ci.p[GDIM]));
       }
     }
-  fclose(f);
   return true;
   }
 
 bool load_map(const string &fname) {
-  FILE *f = fopen(fname.c_str(), "rt");
-  if(!f) return false;
+  fhstream f(fname, "rt");
+  if(!f.f) return false;
   auto& all = base->allcells();
   int g, sa;
-  ignore(fscanf(f, "%d %d %d\n", &g, &sa, &cellcount));
+  scan(f, g, sa, cellcount);
   if(sa != isize(all) || g != geometry) { printf("bad parameters\n"); addMessage(XLAT("bad format or bad map geometry")); return false; }
   density = cellcount * 1. / isize(all);
   
@@ -849,20 +848,19 @@ bool load_map(const string &fname) {
   
   for(auto h: all) {
     int q = 0;
-    ignore(fscanf(f, "%d\n", &q));
+    scan(f, q);
     if(q < 0 || q > cellcount) { runlevel = 0; return false; }
     while(q--) {
       cells.emplace_back();
       cellinfo& s = cells.back();
       s.patterndir = -1;
       double a, b, c;
-      ignore(fscanf(f, "%lf%lf%lf", &a, &b, &c));
+      scan(f, a, b, c);
       s.p = hpxyz(a, b, c);
       for(auto c0: all) s.relmatrices[c0] = calc_relative_matrix(c0, h, s.p);
       s.owner = h;
       }
     }
-  fclose(f);
 
   make_cells_of_heptagon();
   runlevel = 2;
diff --git a/mapeditor.cpp b/mapeditor.cpp
index 58c1108f..34fe4a35 100644
--- a/mapeditor.cpp
+++ b/mapeditor.cpp
@@ -1622,19 +1622,13 @@ namespace mapeditor {
     if(uni == COLORKEY) dsCur->color = colortouse;
     }
 
-  void writeHyperpoint(FILE *f, hyperpoint h) {
-    for(int i=0; i<MDIM; i++) fprintf(f, "%lf ", double(h[i]));
-    fprintf(f, "\n");
+  void writeHyperpoint(hstream& f, hyperpoint h) {
+    println(f, spaced_of(&h[0], MDIM));
     }
   
-  hyperpoint readHyperpoint(FILE *f) {
+  hyperpoint readHyperpoint(fhstream& f) {
     hyperpoint h;
-    for(int i=0; i<MDIM; i++) {
-      double d;
-      int err = fscanf(f, "%lf", &d);
-      if(err != 1) printf("Warning: read error\n");
-      h[i] = d;
-      }
+    for(int i=0; i<MDIM; i++) scan(f, h[i]);
     return h;
     }
   
@@ -1645,24 +1639,24 @@ namespace mapeditor {
   bool onelayeronly;
   
   bool loadPicFile(const string& s) {
-    FILE *f = fopen(picfile.c_str(), "rt");
-    if(!f) {
+    fhstream f(picfile, "rt");
+    if(!f.f) {
       addMessage(XLAT("Failed to load pictures from %1", picfile));
       return false;
       }
-    int err;
-    char buf[200];
-    if(!fgets(buf, 200, f)) { 
-      addMessage(XLAT("Failed to load pictures from %1", picfile));
-      fclose(f); return false; 
-      }
-    int vernum; err = fscanf(f, "%x", &vernum);
+    scanline(f);
+    color_t vernum;
+    scan(f, vernum);
     printf("vernum = %x\n", vernum);
+    if(vernum == 0) {
+      addMessage(XLAT("Failed to load pictures from %1", picfile));
+      return false;
+      }
 
     if(vernum >= 0xA0A0) {
       int tg, wp;
       int nt;
-      hr::ignore(fscanf(f, "%d%d%d%d\n", &tg, &nt, &wp, &patterns::subpattern_flags));
+      scan(f, tg, nt, wp, patterns::subpattern_flags);
       patterns::whichPattern = patterns::ePattern(wp);
       set_geometry(eGeometry(tg));
       set_variation(eVariation(nt));
@@ -1670,9 +1664,10 @@ namespace mapeditor {
       }
 
     while(true) {
-      int i, j, l, sym, rots, color, siz;
-      err = fscanf(f, "%d%d%d%d%d%x%d", &i, &j, &l, &sym, &rots, &color, &siz);
-      if(i == -1 || err < 6) break;
+      int i, j, l, sym, rots, siz;
+      color_t color;
+      if(!scan(f, i, j, l, sym, rots, color, siz)) break;
+      if(i == -1) break;
       if(siz < 0 || siz > 1000) break;
       
       if(i >= 4) {
@@ -1683,19 +1678,18 @@ namespace mapeditor {
 
       initShape(i, j);
       usershapelayer& ds(usershapes[i][j]->d[l]);
-      if(VERNUM_HEX >= 0xA608) { double z; err = fscanf(f, "%lf", &z); ds.zlevel = z; }
+      if(vernum >= 0xA608) scan(f, ds.zlevel);
       ds.shift = readHyperpoint(f);
       ds.spin = readHyperpoint(f);
       ds.list.clear();
       for(int i=0; i<siz; i++) {
         ds.list.push_back(readHyperpoint(f));
-        writeHyperpoint(stdout, ds.list[i]);
+        writeHyperpoint(hlog, ds.list[i]);
         }
       ds.sym = sym;
       ds.rots = rots;
       ds.color = color;
       }
-    fclose(f);
     addMessage(XLAT("Pictures loaded from %1", picfile));
     
     buildpolys();
@@ -1703,33 +1697,31 @@ namespace mapeditor {
     }
   
   bool savePicFile(const string& s) {
-    FILE *f = fopen(picfile.c_str(), "wt");
-    if(!f) {
+    fhstream f(picfile, "wt");
+    if(!f.f) {
       addMessage(XLAT("Failed to save pictures to %1", picfile));
       return false;
       }
-    fprintf(f, "HyperRogue saved picture\n");
-    fprintf(f, "%x\n", VERNUM_HEX);
+    println(f, "HyperRogue saved picture");
+    println(f, format("%x\n", VERNUM_HEX));
     if(VERNUM_HEX >= 0xA0A0)
-      fprintf(f, "%d %d %d %d\n", geometry, int(variation), patterns::whichPattern, patterns::subpattern_flags);
+      println(f, spaced(geometry, int(variation), patterns::whichPattern, patterns::subpattern_flags));
     for(int i=0; i<USERSHAPEGROUPS; i++) for(auto usp: usershapes[i]) {
       usershape *us = usp.second;
       if(!us) continue;
       
       for(int l=0; l<USERLAYERS; l++) if(isize(us->d[l].list)) {
         usershapelayer& ds(us->d[l]);
-        fprintf(f, "\n%d %d %d %d %d %6x %d\n", 
-          i, usp.first, l, ds.sym, ds.rots, ds.color, int(isize(ds.list)));
-        fprintf(f, "\n%lf", double(ds.zlevel));
+        println(f, spaced(i, usp.first, l, ds.sym, ds.rots, ds.color, int(isize(ds.list))));
+        print(f, spaced(ds.zlevel), " ");
         writeHyperpoint(f, ds.shift);
         writeHyperpoint(f, ds.spin);
-        fprintf(f,"\n");
+        println(f);
         for(int i=0; i<isize(ds.list); i++)
           writeHyperpoint(f, ds.list[i]);
         }
       }
-    fprintf(f, "\n-1\n");
-    fclose(f);
+    println(f, "-1");
     addMessage(XLAT("Pictures saved to %1", picfile));
     return true;
     }
@@ -1916,13 +1908,13 @@ namespace mapeditor {
           
           for(int l=0; l<USERLAYERS; l++) if(isize(us->d[l].list)) {
             usershapelayer& ds(us->d[l]);
-            printf("// %d %d %d [%06X %lf]\n", i, usp.first, l, ds.color, double(ds.zlevel));
-            printf(" ID, %d, %d, ", us->d[l].rots, us->d[l].sym?2:1); 
+            println(hlog, spaced("//", i, usp.first, l, "[", ds.color, double(ds.zlevel), "]"));
+            print(hlog, " ID, ", us->d[l].rots, ", ", us->d[l].sym?2:1, ", "); 
             for(int i=0; i<isize(us->d[l].list); i++) {
-              for(int d=0; d<DIM; d++) printf("%lf,", double(us->d[l].list[i][d]));
-              printf(" ");
+              for(int d=0; d<DIM; d++) print(hlog, fts(us->d[l].list[i][d]), ", ");
+              print(hlog, " ");
               }
-            printf("\n");
+            println(hlog);
             }
           }
         }
diff --git a/netgen.cpp b/netgen.cpp
index 132df5fa..55b6031d 100644
--- a/netgen.cpp
+++ b/netgen.cpp
@@ -134,28 +134,25 @@ namespace hr { namespace netgen {
   
   void loadData() {
 
-    FILE *f = fopen("papermodeldata.txt", "rt");
-    if(!f) return;
+    fhstream f("papermodeldata.txt", "rt");
+    if(!f.f) return;
 
-    int err = fscanf(f, "%d %d %d %d %d %d %d %lf %d\n\n", 
-      &CELLS, &SX, &SY, &PX, &PY, &SCALE, &BASE, &el, &created);
-    if(err != 9) { fclose(f); return; }
+    if(!scan(f, CELLS, SX, SY, PX, PY, SCALE, BASE, el, created)) return;
     
     loaded = true;
       
-    if(!created) { fclose(f); return; }
+    if(!created) return;
     
-    for(int i=0; i<CELLS; i++) err = fscanf(f, "%d", &ct[i]);
+    for(int i=0; i<CELLS; i++) scan(f, ct[i]);
 
-    for(int i=0; i<CELLS; i++) for(int j=0; j<16; j++)
-      err = fscanf(f, "%lf" ,&vx[i][j]);
+    for(int i=0; i<CELLS; i++) for(int j=0; j<16; j++) scan(f, vx[i][j]);
 
     for(int i=0; i<CELLS; i++) 
     for(int j=0; j<7; j++) nei[i][j] = -1;
 
     while(true) {
-      int a, b, c;      
-      err = fscanf(f, "%d%d%d", &a, &b, &c);
+      int a, b, c;
+      scan(f, a, b, c);
       if(a < 0) break;
       else nei[a][c] = b;
       }
@@ -163,51 +160,41 @@ namespace hr { namespace netgen {
     for(int i=0; i<CELLS; i++) {
       double dx, dy, dr;
       int g;
-      err = fscanf(f, "%lf%lf%lf%d\n", &dx, &dy, &dr, &g);
+      scan(f, dx, dy, dr, g);
       center[i] = vec(dx, dy);
       rot[i] = dr;
       glued[i] = g;
       }
-    
-    fclose(f);
     }
 
   void saveData() {
     // global parameters
-    FILE *f = fopen("papermodeldata2.txt", "wt");
-    if(!f) {
+    fhstream f("papermodeldata2.txt", "wt");
+    if(!f.f) {
       addMessage("Could not save the paper model data");
       return;
       }
-    fprintf(f, "%d %d %d %d %d %d %d %lf %d\n\n", CELLS, SX, SY, PX, PY, SCALE, BASE, el, created);
+    println(f, spaced(CELLS, SX, SY, PX, PY, SCALE, BASE, el, created), "\n");
 
     // net parameters: cell types    
-    for(int i=0; i<CELLS; i++)
-      fprintf(f, "%d ", ct[i]);
-    fprintf(f, "\n");
+    println(f, spaced_of(ct, CELLS));
     
     // net parameters: hcenters    
     for(int i=0; i<CELLS; i++) {
-      for(int k=0; k<16; k++)
-        fprintf(f, "%9.6lf ", vx[i][k]);
-      fprintf(f, "\n");
+      println(f, spaced_of(vx[i], 16));
       }
-    fprintf(f, "\n\n");
+    println(f, "\n");
     
     // create netgen
     for(int i=0; i<CELLS; i++) for(int j=0; j<CELLS; j++) {
       for(int k=0; k<ct[i]; k++) if(nei[i][k] == j)
-        fprintf(f, "%d %d %d  ", i, j, k);
+        print(f, spaced(i, j, k), "  ");
       }
-    fprintf(f, "-1 -1 -1\n\n");
+    println(f, "-1 -1 -1");
     
     // graphics
     for(int i=0; i<CELLS; i++) 
-      fprintf(f, "%12.7lf %12.7lf %10.7lf %d\n",
-        center[i].x, center[i].y, rot[i], glued[i]
-        );
-      
-    fclose(f);
+      println(f, spaced(center[i].x, center[i].y, rot[i], glued[i]));
     }  
 
   // Simple graphical functions
diff --git a/util.cpp b/util.cpp
index d800b1ea..1a08e0d0 100644
--- a/util.cpp
+++ b/util.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@ string ftssmart(ld x) {
   return buf;
   }
 
+bool scan(fhstream& hs, int& i) { return fscanf(hs.f, "%d", &i) == 1; }
+bool scan(fhstream& hs, color_t& c) { return fscanf(hs.f, "%x", &c) == 1; }
+bool scan(fhstream& hs, ld& x) { return fscanf(hs.f, "%lf", &x) == 1; }
+bool scan(fhstream& hs, string& s) { char t[10000]; t[0] = 0; int err = fscanf(hs.f, "%9500s", t); s = t; return err == 1 && t[0]; }
+string scanline(fhstream& hs) { char buf[10000]; buf[0] = 0; fgets(buf, 10000, hs.f); return buf; }
+
 /*
 string fts_smartdisplay(ld x, int maxdisplay) {
   string rv;