diff --git a/pwiki/page.js b/pwiki/page.js
index a01e91d..e224a9a 100755
--- a/pwiki/page.js
+++ b/pwiki/page.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ var markdown = require('./filters/markdown')
 var relProxy = 
 function(name){
 	var func = function(path='.:$ARGS', ...args){
+		path = this.resolvePathVars(path)
 		return this.store[name](
 			pwpath.relative(this.path, path), 
 			...args) } 
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ function(name){
 		if(path === true || path === false){
 			strict = path
 			path = '.:$ARGS' }
+		path = this.resolvePathVars(path)
 		return this.store[name](
 			pwpath.relative(this.path, path), 
 			strict) } 
@@ -755,9 +757,7 @@ object.Constructor('Page', BasePage, {
 			['name', 'default', ['local']],
 			function(args){
 				return this.macros.arg.call(this, args) }),
-		// XXX do we need this???
 		args: function(){
-			console.log('!!!!')
 			return pwpath.obj2args(this.args) },
 		//
 		// 	@filter(<filter-spec>)
@@ -1859,6 +1859,7 @@ module.System = {
 				(<a href="#@source(../resolved)/edit">edit</a>)<br>
 			Referrer: @source(../referrer)
 				(<a href="#@source(../referrer)/edit">edit</a>)<br>
+			Args: <args/><br>
 
 			type: @source(../type)<br>
 
diff --git a/pwiki/parser.js b/pwiki/parser.js
index 2cb844d..5f4e4ad 100755
--- a/pwiki/parser.js
+++ b/pwiki/parser.js
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ module.BaseParser = {
 			// @(arg ..)
 			'\\\\?@\\((?<argsUnnamed>UNNAMED_ARGS)\\)',
 			// <macro ..> | <macro ../>
-			'<\\s*(?<nameOpen>MACROS)(?<argsOpen>ARGS)?\\s*/?>',
+			'<\\s*(?<nameOpen>MACROS)(?<argsOpen>\\sARGS)?\\s*/?>',
 			// </macro>
 			'</\\s*(?<nameClose>MACROS)\\s*>',
 		].join('|'))+')',
diff --git a/pwiki2.js b/pwiki2.js
index 85c744e..2b2e5e7 100755
--- a/pwiki2.js
+++ b/pwiki2.js
@@ -1,55 +1,28 @@
 /**********************************************************************
 * 
 *
-* XXX BUG: this does not call the args macro...
-* 			await pwiki.get('/path/testDirect:x:y:z').parse('<args/>')
-* 		...syntax checking is done correctly though...
-* XXX ARGS: arg passing is a mess...
-* 		- need a consistent way to access args
-* 			- global
-* 				.root.args?
-* 			- render root
-* 			- local
-* 		use:
-* 			testDirect		- direct action
-* 			testDirect!		- energetic direct action
-* 			testPage		- page
-* 			testAction		- page action
-* 			testAction!		- energetic page action
-* 		examples:
-* 			// NOTE: .text is redered via _view and thus is on a different
-*			//		level to .raw...
-* 			// XXX should renderer.args be the same in .text and .parse(..)???
-*			// XXX for .text and .parse(..), the action is called twice...
+* XXX BUG?: the action is called twice here:
+* 			await pwiki.get('/path/testDirect:x:y:z').parse('@include(.:$ARGS)') 
+* 		and:
+* 			await pwiki.get('/path/testDirect:x:y:z').text
+* XXX ARGS: should the arg locations in these be the same???
 * 			// root path: /System/testAction:a:b:c
 * 			await pwiki.get('/path/testDirect:x:y:z').raw
 * 				.args			- x y z
-* 				.renderer.args	- a b c
-* 				.root.args		- a b c
-* 			await pwiki.get('/path/testAction:x:y:z').raw
-* 				.args			- x y z 
-* 				.renderer.args	- a b c
+* 				.renderer.args	- a b c (XXX seems logical)
 * 				.root.args		- a b c
 * 			await pwiki.get('/path/testDirect:x:y:z').parse('@include(.:$ARGS)') 
 * 				.args			- x y z
-* 				.renderer.args	- a b c
+* 				.renderer.args	- a b c (XXX odd)
 * 				.root.args		- a b c
-* 				XXX triggered twice...
-* 			await pwiki.get('/path/testAction:x:y:z').parse('@include(.:$ARGS)') 
-* 				.args			- x y z
-* 				.renderer.args	- a b c
-* 				.root.args		- a b c
-* 				XXX triggered twice...
 * 			await pwiki.get('/path/testDirect:x:y:z').text
 * 				.args			- x y z
-* 				.renderer.args	- x y z
+* 				.renderer.args	- x y z (XXX logical)
 * 				.root.args		- a b c
-* 				XXX triggered twice...
-* 			await pwiki.get('/path/testAction:x:y:z').text 
-* 				.args			- x y z
-* 				.renderer.args	- x y z
-* 				.root.args		- a b c
-* 				XXX triggered twice...
+* 		...this essentially boils down to how .renderer is handled...
+* 		currently it is inherited and since all pages are clones of the 
+* 		root page and the root is rendered it is always the .renderer 
+* 		unless we explicitly reassign it (.text)
 * XXX CACHE need to explicitly prevent caching of some actions/pages...
 * XXX FEATURE tags and accompanying API...
 * 		- add tags to page -- macro/filter