diff --git a/cesyms/cesyms.d b/cesyms/cesyms.d
index 907bb4a2..74fa6fc9 100644
--- a/cesyms/cesyms.d
+++ b/cesyms/cesyms.d
@@ -27,10 +27,11 @@ import std.getopt, std.json, std.conv;
 import dparse.lexer, dparse.ast, dparse.parser, dparse.rollback_allocator;
 import std.traits;
 
+
 enum ListFmt
 {
-    Pascal,
-    JSON
+    Pas,
+    Json
 }
 
 void main(string[] args)
@@ -62,47 +63,31 @@ void main(string[] args)
     else
         return;
 
-    // load and parse the file
+    // parses, visits and writes to stdout
     RollbackAllocator alloc;
     auto config = LexerConfig(fname, StringBehavior.source, WhitespaceBehavior.skip);
     auto scache = StringCache(StringCache.defaultBucketCount);
-    auto ast = parseModule(getTokensForParser(source, config, &scache), fname,
-        &alloc, &(SymbolListBuilder.astError));
 
-    // visit each root member
-    SymbolListBuilder slb = construct!SymbolListBuilder;
-    foreach (Declaration decl; ast.declarations)
+    if (!asJson)
     {
-        slb.resetRoot;
-        slb.visit(decl);
-    }
-
-    version (none)
-    {
-        int level = -1;
-        void print(Symbol* s)
-        {
-            foreach (i; 0 .. level)
-                write(".");
-            level++;
-            write(s.name, '\r');
-            foreach (ss; s.subs)
-                print(ss);
-
-            level--;
-        }
-
-        print(slb.root);
+        SymbolListBuilder!(ListFmt.Pas) slb = construct!(SymbolListBuilder!(ListFmt.Pas));
+        auto ast = parseModule(getTokensForParser(source, config, &scache), fname,
+            &alloc, &(slb.astError));
+        foreach (Declaration decl; ast.declarations)
+            slb.visit(decl);
+        write(slb.serialize);
+        slb.destruct;
     }
     else
     {
-        if (asJson)
-            write(slb.serializeJson);
-        else
-            write(slb.serializePascal);
+        SymbolListBuilder!(ListFmt.Json) slb = construct!(SymbolListBuilder!(ListFmt.Json));
+        auto ast = parseModule(getTokensForParser(source, config, &scache), fname,
+            &alloc, &(slb.astError));
+        foreach (Declaration decl; ast.declarations)
+            slb.visit(decl);
+        write(slb.serialize);
+        slb.destruct;
     }
-
-    slb.destruct;
 }
 
 // libdparse warnings includes some "'", which in Pascal are string delim
@@ -133,14 +118,14 @@ string patchPasStringLitteral(string p)
 // Memory utils ---------------------------------------------------------------+
 void* getMem(size_t size) nothrow
 {
-    import std.c.stdlib;
-
+    import std.c.stdlib: malloc;
     auto result = malloc(size);
     assert(result, "Out of memory");
     return result;
 }
 
-CT construct(CT, A...)(A a) if (is(CT == class) && !isAbstractClass!CT)
+CT construct(CT, A...)(A a)
+    if (is(CT == class) && !isAbstractClass!CT)
 {
     auto size = typeid(CT).init.length;
     auto memory = getMem(size);
@@ -153,20 +138,8 @@ CT construct(CT, A...)(A a) if (is(CT == class) && !isAbstractClass!CT)
     return cast(CT) memory;
 }
 
-ST* construct(ST, A...)(A a) if (is(ST == struct) || is(ST == union))
-{
-    import std.conv : emplace;
-
-    auto size = ST.sizeof;
-    auto memory = getMem(size)[0 .. size];
-    import core.memory : GC;
-
-    GC.addRange(memory.ptr, size, typeid(ST));
-    return emplace!(ST, A)(memory, a);
-}
-
 void destruct(T)(ref T instance)
-        if (is(T == class) || (isPointer!T && is(PointerTarget!T == struct)))
+    if (is(T == class) || (isPointer!T && is(PointerTarget!T == struct)))
 {
     if (!instance)
         return;
@@ -175,7 +148,6 @@ void destruct(T)(ref T instance)
 }
 //----
 
-// Serializable Symbol --------------------------------------------------------+
 enum SymbolType
 {
     _alias,
@@ -193,167 +165,152 @@ enum SymbolType
     _warning
 }
 
-struct Symbol
-{
-    size_t line;
-    size_t col;
-    string name;
-    SymbolType type;
-    Symbol*[] subs;
-
-    ~this()
-    {
-        foreach_reverse (i; 0 .. subs.length)
-            subs[i].destruct;
-    }
-
-    void serialize(List)(auto ref List list)
-    {
-        static if (is(List == Appender!string))
-            serializePascal(list);
-        else static if (is(List == JSONValue))
-            serializeJson(list);
-        else
-            static assert(0, "serialization kind cannot be deduced from list");
-    }
-
-    void serializePascal(ref Appender!string lfmApp)
-    {
-        lfmApp.put("\ritem\r");
-
-        lfmApp.put(format("line = %d\r", line));
-        lfmApp.put(format("col = %d\r", col));
-        lfmApp.put(format("name = '%s'\r", name));
-        lfmApp.put(format("symType = %s\r", type));
-
-        lfmApp.put("subs = <");
-        if (subs.length)
-            foreach (Symbol* sub; subs)
-                sub.serialize(lfmApp);
-        lfmApp.put(">\r");
-        lfmApp.put("end");
-    }
-
-    void serializeJson(ref JSONValue json)
-    {
-        auto vobj = parseJSON("{}");
-        vobj["line"] = JSONValue(line);
-        vobj["col"] = JSONValue(col);
-        vobj["name"] = JSONValue(name);
-        vobj["type"] = JSONValue(to!string(type));
-        if (subs.length)
-        {
-            auto vsubs = parseJSON("[]");
-            foreach (Symbol* sub; subs)
-                sub.serializeJson(vsubs);
-            vobj["items"] = vsubs;
-        }
-        json.array ~= vobj;
-    }
-}
-//----
-
 // AST visitor/Symbol list ----------------------------------------------------+
-class SymbolListBuilder : ASTVisitor
+class SymbolListBuilder(ListFmt Fmt): ASTVisitor
 {
-    Symbol* root;
-    Symbol* parent;
 
-    // for some reason (?) the .name of a (static Symbol* []) item was lost
-    __gshared static Symbol[] illFormed;
-
-    size_t count;
+    static if (Fmt == ListFmt.Pas)
+    {
+        static Appender!string pasStream;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        static JSONValue json;
+        static JSONValue* jarray;
+    }
 
     alias visit = ASTVisitor.visit;
 
-    this()
+    static this()
     {
-        root = construct!Symbol;
-        resetRoot;
-    }
-
-    ~this()
-    {
-        root.destruct;
+        static if (Fmt == ListFmt.Pas)
+        {
+            pasStream.put("object TSymbolList\rsymbols = <");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            json = parseJSON("[]");
+            jarray = &json;
+        }
     }
 
     static void astError(string fname, size_t line, size_t col, string msg, bool isErr)
     {
-        Symbol* newSym = construct!Symbol;
-        newSym.col = col;
-        newSym.line = line;
-        newSym.name = patchPasStringLitteral(msg);
-        newSym.type = isErr ? SymbolType._error : SymbolType._warning;
-        illFormed ~= *newSym;
-    }
-
-    final void resetRoot()
-    {
-        parent = root;
-    }
-
-    final string serializePascal()
-    {
-        Appender!string lfmApp;
-        lfmApp.reserve(count * 64);
-
-        lfmApp.put("object TSymbolList\rsymbols = <");
-        foreach (sym; illFormed)
-            sym.serialize(lfmApp);
-        foreach (sym; root.subs)
-            sym.serialize(lfmApp);
-        lfmApp.put(">\rend\r\n");
-
-        return lfmApp.data;
-    }
-
-    final string serializeJson()
-    {
-        JSONValue result = parseJSON("{}");
-        JSONValue vsubs = parseJSON("[]");
-        foreach (sym; illFormed)
-            sym.serialize(vsubs);
-        foreach (sym; root.subs)
-            sym.serialize(vsubs);
-        result["items"] = vsubs;
-        version (assert)
-            return result.toPrettyString;
-        // else: release mode
+        SymbolType type = isErr ? SymbolType._error : SymbolType._warning;
+        static if (Fmt == ListFmt.Pas)
+        {
+            pasStream.put("\ritem\r");
+            pasStream.put(format("line = %d\r", line));
+            pasStream.put(format("col = %d\r", col));
+            pasStream.put(format("name = '%s'\r", patchPasStringLitteral(msg)));
+            pasStream.put(format("symType = %s\r", type));
+            pasStream.put("end");
+        }
         else
-            return result.toString;
+        {
+            JSONValue item = parseJSON("{}");
+            item["line"] = JSONValue(line);
+            item["col"]  = JSONValue(col);
+            item["name"] = JSONValue(msg);
+            item["type"] = JSONValue(to!string(type));
+            jarray.array ~= item;
+        }
+    }
+
+    final string serialize()
+    {
+        static if (Fmt == ListFmt.Pas)
+        {
+            pasStream.put(">\rend\r\n");
+            return pasStream.data;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            JSONValue result = parseJSON("{}");
+            result["items"] = json;
+            version (assert)
+                return result.toPrettyString;
+            else
+                return result.toString;
+        }
     }
 
     /// visitor implementation if the declaration has a "name".
     final void namedVisitorImpl(DT, SymbolType st, bool dig = true)(const(DT) dt)
     if (__traits(hasMember, DT, "name"))
     {
-        ++count;
-        Symbol* newSymbol = construct!Symbol;
-        newSymbol.name = dt.name.text;
-        newSymbol.line = dt.name.line;
-        newSymbol.col = dt.name.column;
-        newSymbol.type = st;
-        parent.subs ~= newSymbol;
-        static if (dig)
+        static if (Fmt == ListFmt.Pas)
         {
-            auto previousParent = parent;
-            scope (exit)
-                parent = previousParent;
-            parent = newSymbol;
-            dt.accept(this);
+            pasStream.put("\ritem\r");
+            pasStream.put(format("line = %d\r", dt.name.line));
+            pasStream.put(format("col = %d\r", dt.name.column));
+            pasStream.put(format("name = '%s'\r", dt.name.text));
+            pasStream.put(format("symType = %s\r", st));
+            static if (dig)
+            {
+                pasStream.put("subs = <");
+                dt.accept(this);
+                pasStream.put(">\r");
+            }
+            pasStream.put("end");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            JSONValue item = parseJSON("{}");
+            item["line"] = JSONValue(dt.name.line);
+            item["col"]  = JSONValue(dt.name.column);
+            item["name"] = JSONValue(dt.name.text);
+            item["type"] = JSONValue(to!string(st));
+            static if (dig)
+            {
+                JSONValue subs = parseJSON("[]");
+                JSONValue* old = jarray;
+                jarray = &subs;
+                dt.accept(this);
+                item["items"] = subs;
+                jarray = old;
+            }
+            json.array ~= item;
         }
     }
 
     /// visitor implementation for special cases.
-    final void otherVisitorImpl(SymbolType st, string name, size_t line, size_t col)
+    final void otherVisitorImpl(DT, bool dig = true)
+        (const(DT) dt, SymbolType st, string name, size_t line, size_t col)
     {
-        count++;
-        Symbol* result = construct!Symbol;
-        result.name = name.idup;
-        result.line = line;
-        result.col = col;
-        result.type = st;
-        parent.subs ~= result;
+        static if (Fmt == ListFmt.Pas)
+        {
+            pasStream.put("\ritem\r");
+            pasStream.put(format("line = %d\r", line));
+            pasStream.put(format("col = %d\r", col));
+            pasStream.put(format("name = '%s'\r", name));
+            pasStream.put(format("symType = %s\r", st));
+            static if (dig)
+            {
+                pasStream.put("subs = <");
+                dt.accept(this);
+                pasStream.put(">\r");
+            }
+            pasStream.put("end");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            JSONValue item = parseJSON("{}");
+            item["line"] = JSONValue(line);
+            item["col"]  = JSONValue(col);
+            item["name"] = JSONValue(name);
+            item["type"] = JSONValue(to!string(st));
+            static if (dig)
+            {
+                JSONValue subs = parseJSON("[]");
+                JSONValue* old = jarray;
+                jarray = &subs;
+                dt.accept(this);
+                item["items"] = subs;
+                jarray = old;
+            }
+            json.array ~= item;
+        }
     }
 
     final override void visit(const AliasDeclaration decl)
@@ -376,7 +333,7 @@ class SymbolListBuilder : ASTVisitor
     {
         if (decl.identifiers.length)
         {
-            otherVisitorImpl(SymbolType._variable, decl.identifiers[0].text,
+            otherVisitorImpl(decl, SymbolType._variable, decl.identifiers[0].text,
                 decl.identifiers[0].line, decl.identifiers[0].column);
         }
     }
@@ -388,12 +345,12 @@ class SymbolListBuilder : ASTVisitor
 
     final override void visit(const Constructor decl)
     {
-        otherVisitorImpl(SymbolType._function, "this", decl.line, decl.column);
+        otherVisitorImpl(decl, SymbolType._function, "this", decl.line, decl.column);
     }
 
     final override void visit(const Destructor decl)
     {
-        otherVisitorImpl(SymbolType._function, "~this", decl.line, decl.column);
+        otherVisitorImpl(decl, SymbolType._function, "~this", decl.line, decl.column);
     }
 
     final override void visit(const EnumDeclaration decl)
@@ -429,7 +386,7 @@ class SymbolListBuilder : ASTVisitor
                 modules ~= ident.text;
                 modules ~= ".";
             }
-            otherVisitorImpl(SymbolType._import, modules[0 .. $ - 1].join,
+            otherVisitorImpl(decl, SymbolType._import, modules[0 .. $ - 1].join,
                 si.identifierChain.identifiers[0].line,
                 si.identifierChain.identifiers[0].column);
         }
@@ -466,12 +423,13 @@ class SymbolListBuilder : ASTVisitor
 
     final override void visit(const StaticConstructor decl)
     {
-        otherVisitorImpl(SymbolType._function, "static this", decl.line, decl.column);
+        otherVisitorImpl(decl, SymbolType._function, "static this", decl.line, decl.column);
     }
 
     final override void visit(const StaticDestructor decl)
     {
-        otherVisitorImpl(SymbolType._function, "static ~this", decl.line, decl.column);
+
+        otherVisitorImpl(decl, SymbolType._function, "static ~this", decl.line, decl.column);
     }
 }
 //----