diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index a870fe50..bfa09060 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 
-# turn off libvipsCC if C++ is disabled
+# turn off C++ APIs if C++ is disabled
 if ENABLE_CXX
-C_COMPILE_DIR = libvipsCC
+C_COMPILE_DIR = libvipsCC cplusplus
 C_DIST_DIR =
-C_PKGCONFIG = vipsCC.pc
+C_PKGCONFIG = vipsCC.pc vips-cc.pc
 
 # turn on Python if we can (requires C++)
 if HAVE_PYTHON
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ endif
 
 else
 C_COMPILE_DIR =
-C_DIST_DIR = libvipsCC 
+C_DIST_DIR = libvipsCC  cplusplus
 C_PKGCONFIG =
 P_COMPILE_DIR =
 P_DIST_DIR = swig
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
 	bootstrap.sh \
 	vips.pc.in \
 	vipsCC.pc.in \
+	vips-cc.pc.in \
 	libvips.supp \
 	acinclude.m4 \
 	depcomp \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 63483c80..b6eb15a5 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -794,6 +794,7 @@ AC_SUBST(PACKAGES_USED)
 AC_OUTPUT([
 	vips.pc
 	vipsCC.pc
+	vips-cc.pc
 	Makefile 
 	libvips/include/vips/version.h 
 	libvips/include/Makefile 
@@ -817,6 +818,9 @@ AC_OUTPUT([
 	libvipsCC/include/Makefile 
 	libvipsCC/include/vips/Makefile 
 	libvipsCC/Makefile 
+	cplusplus/include/Makefile 
+	cplusplus/include/vips/Makefile 
+	cplusplus/Makefile 
 	tools/Makefile 
 	tools/batch_crop 
 	tools/batch_image_convert 
diff --git a/cplusplus/Makefile.am b/cplusplus/Makefile.am
index 9ab3717a..08fa22dd 100644
--- a/cplusplus/Makefile.am
+++ b/cplusplus/Makefile.am
@@ -8,28 +8,28 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = \
 
 lib_LTLIBRARIES = libvips-cc.la
 
-libvipsCC_la_SOURCES = \
+libvips_cc_la_SOURCES = \
 	VImage.cc \
 	VError.cc 
 
-libvipsCC_la_LDFLAGS = \
+libvips_cc_la_LDFLAGS = \
 	-no-undefined \
 	-version-info @LIBRARY_CURRENT@:@LIBRARY_REVISION@:@LIBRARY_AGE@
 
-libvipsCC_la_LIBADD = \
+libvips_cc_la_LIBADD = \
 	$(top_builddir)/libvips/libvips.la @VIPS_LIBS@
 
 # swap the 'awk' line for this:
 # awk '{if($$1!="deprecated") print $$1}'` ; \
 # to not generate the wrappers for deprecated functions
-vipsc++.cc:
+vips-operators.cc:
 	packages=`vips list packages | \
 	  awk '{print $$1}'` ; \
-	  echo > vipsc++.cc ; \
+	  echo > vips-operators.cc ; \
 	  for name in $$packages; do \
-	    echo "// bodies for package $$name" >> vipsc++.cc ; \
-	    vips cppc $$name >> vipsc++.cc ; \
-	    echo >> vipsc++.cc ; \
+	    echo "// bodies for package $$name" >> vips-operators.cc ; \
+	    vips cppc $$name >> vips-operators.cc ; \
+	    echo >> vips-operators.cc ; \
 	  done 
 
 EXTRA_DIST = vips-operators.cc
diff --git a/cplusplus/VError.cc b/cplusplus/VError.cc
index 999d51e4..67e67348 100644
--- a/cplusplus/VError.cc
+++ b/cplusplus/VError.cc
@@ -32,69 +32,21 @@
 #endif /*HAVE_CONFIG_H*/
 #include <vips/intl.h>
 
-#include <cstdio>
-#include <cstdlib>
-
 #include <iostream>
 
-#include <vips/vips.h>
-
-#include <vips/vipscpp.h>
-
-#ifdef WITH_DMALLOC
-#include <dmalloc.h>
-#endif /*WITH_DMALLOC*/
+#include <vips/vips8>
 
 VIPS_NAMESPACE_START
 
-void VError::perror() 
-{ 
-	std::cerr << _what; 
-	exit( 1 );
+std::ostream &operator<<( std::ostream &file, const VError &err )
+{
+	err.ostream_print( file );
+	return( file );
 }
 
-void VError::perror( const char *name ) 
-{ 
-	std::cerr << name << ": " << _what; 
-	exit( 1 );
-}
-
-// Add a new bit to the end of the error buffer
-VError &VError::app( const int i )
-{ 
-	char buf[ 256 ];
-
-	sprintf( buf, "%d", i );
-	_what += buf;
-
-	return( *this );
-}
-
-VError &VError::app( std::string txt ) 
-{ 
-	_what += txt; 
-
-	return( *this );
-}; 
-
 void VError::ostream_print( std::ostream &file ) const
 {
 	file << _what;
 }
 
-void verror( std::string str ) throw( VError )
-{
-	VError err;
-
-	err.app( "VIPS error: " );
-	if( str == "" ) {
-		err.app( im_error_buffer() );
-		im_error_clear();
-	}
-	else 
-		err.app( str ).app( "\n" );
-
-	throw( err );
-}
-
 VIPS_NAMESPACE_END
diff --git a/cplusplus/VImage.cc b/cplusplus/VImage.cc
index 5893adce..a09971c9 100644
--- a/cplusplus/VImage.cc
+++ b/cplusplus/VImage.cc
@@ -32,303 +32,221 @@
 #endif /*HAVE_CONFIG_H*/
 #include <vips/intl.h>
 
-#include <cstdlib>
-#include <cstring>
-#include <cstdio>
+#include <vips/vips8>
 
-#include <vips/vips.h>
 #include <vips/debug.h>
 
-#include <gobject/gvaluecollector.h>
-
-#include "include/vips/vips8"
-
-#ifdef WITH_DMALLOC
-#include <dmalloc.h>
-#endif /*WITH_DMALLOC*/
-
 /*
 #define DEBUG
  */
 
 VIPS_NAMESPACE_START
 
-/* Useful to have these as namespaced C++ functions.
- */
-void 
-init( const char *argv0 )
-	throw( VError )
+VOption::~VOption()
 {
-	if( vips_init( argv0 ) )
-		throw VError();
+	std::list<Pair *>::iterator i;
+
+	for( i = options.begin(); i != options.end(); i++ ) 
+		delete *i;
 }
 
-void shutdown()
+VOption *VOption::set( const char *name, const char *value )
 {
-	vips_shutdown(); 
+	Pair *pair = new Pair( name );
+
+	pair->input = true;
+	g_value_init( &pair->value, G_TYPE_STRING );
+	g_value_set_string( &pair->value, value );
+	options.push_back( pair );
+
+	return( this );
 }
 
-void thread_shutdown()
+VOption *VOption::set( const char *name, int value )
 {
-	vips_thread_shutdown(); 
+	Pair *pair = new Pair( name );
+
+	pair->input = true;
+	g_value_init( &pair->value, G_TYPE_INT );
+	g_value_set_int( &pair->value, value );
+	options.push_back( pair );
+
+	return( this );
 }
 
-static void
-call_get( GParamSpec *pspec, void *arg )
+VOption *VOption::set( const char *name, VImage value )
 {
-	/* We've read out of the VipsObject to the pointer. If it's a
-	 * VipsImage, we need to box it.
-	 */
-	if( G_IS_PARAM_SPEC_OBJECT( pspec ) ) {
-		VImage *image = new VImage( *((VipsImage **) arg) ); 
+	Pair *pair = new Pair( name );
 
-		*((VImage *) arg) = *image; 
-	}
+	pair->input = true;
+	g_value_init( &pair->value, VIPS_TYPE_IMAGE );
+	// we need to unbox
+	g_value_set_object( &pair->value, value.get_image() );
+	options.push_back( pair );
+
+	return( this );
 }
 
-static void
-call_set( GParamSpec *pspec, GValue *value )
+VOption *VOption::set( const char *name, VImage *value )
 {
-	if( G_VALUE_HOLDS( value, VIPS_TYPE_IMAGE ) ) {
-		/* A VImage has been written to the GValue, extract the VImage
-		 * and swap it for the underlying VipsImage* pointer.
-		 */
-		VImage *image = static_cast<VImage *>( 
-			g_value_peek_pointer( value ) );
+	Pair *pair = new Pair( name );
 
-		g_value_set_object( value, (gpointer) (image->image()) ); 
-	}
+	// note where we will write the VImage on success
+	pair->input = false;
+	pair->vimage = value;
+	g_value_init( &pair->value, VIPS_TYPE_IMAGE );
+
+	options.push_back( pair );
+
+	return( this );
 }
 
-/* Some systems do not have va_copy() ... this might work (it does on MSVC,
- * apparently).
- *
- * FIXME ... this should be in configure.in
- */
-#ifndef va_copy
-#define va_copy(d,s) ((d) = (s))
-#endif
-
-void
-call( const char *operation_name, ... )
-	throw( VError )
+// walk the options and set props on the operation 
+void VOption::set_operation( VipsOperation *operation )
 {
-	VipsCollect collect;
-	VipsOperation *operation;
-	int result;
-	va_list required;
-	va_list optional;
+	std::list<Pair *>::iterator i;
 
-	if( !(operation = vips_operation_new( operation_name )) )
-		throw VError(); 
+	for( i = options.begin(); i != options.end(); i++ ) 
+		if( (*i)->input ) {
+			printf( "set_operation: " );
+			vips_object_print_name( VIPS_OBJECT( operation ) );
+			char *str_value = 
+				g_strdup_value_contents( &(*i)->value );
+			printf( ".%s = %s\n", (*i)->name, str_value );
+			g_free( str_value );
 
-	/* We have to break the va_list into separate required and optional 
-	 * components.
-	 *
-	 * Note the start, grab the required, then copy and reuse.
-	 */
-	va_start( required, operation_name );
-
-	va_copy( optional, required );
-
-	VIPS_ARGUMENT_FOR_ALL( operation, 
-		pspec, argument_class, argument_instance ) {
-
-		g_assert( argument_instance );
-
-		if( (argument_class->flags & VIPS_ARGUMENT_REQUIRED) ) {
-			VIPS_ARGUMENT_COLLECT_SET( pspec, argument_class, 
-				optional );
-
-			VIPS_ARGUMENT_COLLECT_GET( pspec, argument_class, 
-				optional );
-
-			VIPS_ARGUMENT_COLLECT_END
+			g_object_set_property( G_OBJECT( operation ),
+				(*i)->name, &(*i)->value );
 		}
-	} VIPS_ARGUMENT_FOR_ALL_END
-
-	collect.get = call_get;
-	collect.set = call_set;
-	result = vips_call_required_optional( &operation, 
-		&collect, required, optional );
-
-	va_end( required );
-	va_end( optional );
-
-	/* Build failed: junk args.
-	 */
-	if( result ) 
-		vips_object_unref_outputs( VIPS_OBJECT( operation ) );
-
-	/* The operation we have built should now have been reffed by one of 
-	 * its arguments or have finished its work. Either way, we can unref.
-	 */
-	g_object_unref( operation );
-
-	if( result )
-		throw VError(); 
 }
 
-int
-call_split( const char *operation_name, va_list optional, ... ) 
+// walk the options and do any processing needed for output objects
+void VOption::get_operation( VipsOperation *operation )
+{
+	std::list<Pair *>::iterator i;
+
+	for( i = options.begin(); i != options.end(); i++ ) 
+		if( not (*i)->input ) {
+			g_object_get_property( G_OBJECT( operation ),
+				(*i)->name, &(*i)->value );
+
+			printf( "get_operation: " );
+			vips_object_print_name( VIPS_OBJECT( operation ) );
+			char *str_value = 
+				g_strdup_value_contents( &(*i)->value );
+			printf( ".%s = %s\n", (*i)->name, str_value );
+			g_free( str_value );
+
+			// rebox object
+			VipsImage *image = VIPS_IMAGE( 
+				g_value_get_object( &(*i)->value ) );  
+			if( (*i)->vimage )
+				*((*i)->vimage) = VImage( image ); 
+		}
+}
+
+void VImage::call_option_string( const char *operation_name, 
+	const char *option_string, VOption *options ) 
+	throw( VError )
 {
 	VipsOperation *operation;
-	va_list required;
-	VipsCollect collect;
-	int result;
 
-	if( !(operation = vips_operation_new( operation_name )) )
-		throw VError(); 
+	VIPS_DEBUG_MSG( "vips_call_by_name: starting for %s ...\n", 
+		operation_name );
 
-	va_start( required, optional );
+	if( !(operation = vips_operation_new( operation_name )) ) {
+		if( options )
+			delete options;
+		throw( VError() ); 
+	}
 
-	collect.get = call_get;
-	collect.set = call_set;
-	result = vips_call_required_optional( &operation, 
-		&collect, required, optional );
-
-	va_end( required );
-
-	/* Build failed: junk args.
+	/* Set str options before vargs options, so the user can't 
+	 * override things we set deliberately.
 	 */
-	if( result ) 
+	if( option_string &&
+		vips_object_set_from_string( VIPS_OBJECT( operation ), 
+			option_string ) ) {
 		vips_object_unref_outputs( VIPS_OBJECT( operation ) );
+		g_object_unref( operation ); 
+		delete options; 
+		throw( VError() ); 
+	}
 
-	/* The operation we have built should now have been reffed by one of 
-	 * its arguments or have finished its work. Either way, we can unref.
+	if( options )
+		options->set_operation( operation );
+
+	/* Build from cache.
+	 */
+	if( vips_cache_operation_buildp( &operation ) ) {
+		vips_object_unref_outputs( VIPS_OBJECT( operation ) );
+		delete options; 
+		throw( VError() ); 
+	}
+
+	/* Walk args again, writing output.
+	 */
+	if( options )
+		options->get_operation( operation );
+
+	/* We're done with options!
+	 */
+	delete options; 
+
+	/* The operation we have built should now have been reffed by 
+	 * one of its arguments or have finished its work. Either 
+	 * way, we can unref.
 	 */
 	g_object_unref( operation );
-
-	if( result )
-		throw VError(); 
 }
 
-// see vips_image_new_from_file()
-VImage::VImage( const char *name, ... ) 
-	throw( VError ) 
+void VImage::call( const char *operation_name, VOption *options ) 
+	throw( VError )
+{
+	call_option_string( operation_name, NULL, options ); 
+}
+
+VImage VImage::new_from_file( const char *name, VOption *options )
+	throw( VError )
 {
 	char filename[VIPS_PATH_MAX];
 	char option_string[VIPS_PATH_MAX];
 	const char *operation_name;
-	va_list ap;
-	int result;
+
+	VImage out; 
 
 	vips__filename_split8( name, filename, option_string );
-	if( !(operation_name = vips_foreign_find_load( filename )) )
+	if( !(operation_name = vips_foreign_find_load( filename )) ) {
+		delete options; 
 		throw VError(); 
+	}
 
-	va_start( ap, name );
-	result = vips_call_split_option_string( operation_name, 
-		option_string, ap, filename, &im );
-	va_end( ap );
+	call_option_string( operation_name, option_string,
+		(options ? options : VImage::option())-> 
+			set( "filename", filename )->
+			set( "out", &out ) );
 
-	if( result )
-		throw VError(); 
+	return( out ); 
 }
 
-// see vips_image_new_from_buffer()
-VImage::VImage( void *buffer, size_t length, const char *option_string, ... )
-	throw( VError )
-{
-	const char *operation_name;
-	VipsBlob *blob;
-	va_list ap;
-	int result;
-
-	if( !(operation_name = 
-		vips_foreign_find_load_buffer( buffer, length )) )
-		throw VError();
-
-	/* We don't take a copy of the data or free it. 
-	 */
-	blob = vips_blob_new( NULL, buffer, length );
-
-	va_start( ap, option_string );
-	result = vips_call_split_option_string( operation_name, 
-			option_string, ap, blob, &im );
-	va_end( ap );
-
-	vips_area_unref( VIPS_AREA( blob ) );
-
-	if( result )
-		throw VError();
-}
-
-// see vips_image_write_to_file()
-void VImage::write_to_file( const char *name, ... ) 
+void VImage::write_to_file( const char *name, VOption *options )
 	throw( VError )
 {
 	char filename[VIPS_PATH_MAX];
 	char option_string[VIPS_PATH_MAX];
 	const char *operation_name;
-	va_list ap;
-	int result;
 
 	vips__filename_split8( name, filename, option_string );
-	if( !(operation_name = vips_foreign_find_save( filename )) )
+	if( !(operation_name = vips_foreign_find_save( filename )) ) {
+		delete options; 
 		throw VError(); 
+	}
 
-	va_start( ap, name );
-	result = vips_call_split_option_string( operation_name, option_string,
-		ap, this->im, filename );
-	va_end( ap );
-
-	if( result )
-		throw VError(); 
+	call_option_string( operation_name, option_string, 
+		(options ? options : VImage::option())-> 
+			set( "in", *this )->
+			set( "filename", filename ) );
 }
 
-// see vips_image_write_to_buffer()
-void *VImage::write_to_buffer( const char *suffix, size_t *size, ... )
-	throw( VError )
-{
-	char filename[VIPS_PATH_MAX];
-	char option_string[VIPS_PATH_MAX];
-	const char *operation_name;
-	va_list ap;
-	VipsBlob *blob;
-	int result;
-	void *buf;
-
-	vips__filename_split8( suffix, filename, option_string );
-	if( !(operation_name = vips_foreign_find_save_buffer( filename )) )
-		throw VError(); 
-
-	va_start( ap, size );
-	result = vips_call_split_option_string( operation_name, option_string,
-		ap, this->im, &blob );
-	va_end( ap );
-
-	if( result )
-		throw VError(); 
-
-	g_assert( blob );
-
-	buf = VIPS_AREA( blob )->data;
-	VIPS_AREA( blob )->free_fn = NULL;
-	if( size )
-		*size = VIPS_AREA( blob )->length;
-
-	vips_area_unref( VIPS_AREA( blob ) );
-
-	return( buf );
-}
-
-
-/* Insert automatically generated wrappers for vips operators.
- */
 #include "vips-operators.cc"
 
 VIPS_NAMESPACE_END
-
-
-int
-main( int argc, char **argv )
-{
-	vips8::init( argv[0] ); 
-
-	vips8::VImage x( "/home/john/pics/k2.jpg", NULL );
-
-	printf( "width = %d\n", x.width() ); 
-
-	return( 0 ); 
-}
diff --git a/cplusplus/examples/a.out b/cplusplus/examples/a.out
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..3d0c6cb2
Binary files /dev/null and b/cplusplus/examples/a.out differ
diff --git a/cplusplus/examples/invert.cc b/cplusplus/examples/invert.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5eb27b00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cplusplus/examples/invert.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/* 
+ * compile with:
+ *
+ *      g++ -g -Wall invert.cc `pkg-config vips-cc --cflags --libs`
+ *
+ */
+
+#include <vips/vips8>
+
+using namespace vips8;
+
+int
+main( int argc, char **argv )
+{
+	GOptionContext *context;
+	GOptionGroup *main_group;
+	GError *error = NULL;
+
+	if( vips_init( argv[0] ) )
+		vips_error_exit( NULL ); 
+
+	context = g_option_context_new( "" ); 
+
+	main_group = g_option_group_new( NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL );
+	g_option_context_set_main_group( context, main_group );
+	g_option_context_add_group( context, vips_get_option_group() );
+
+	if( !g_option_context_parse( context, &argc, &argv, &error ) ) {
+		if( error ) {
+			fprintf( stderr, "%s\n", error->message );
+			g_error_free( error );
+		}
+
+		vips_error_exit( NULL );
+	}
+
+
+	printf( "these should match if VImage is compile-time-only\n" ); 
+	printf( "sizeof( VipsImage *) = %zd\n", sizeof( VipsImage *) ); 
+	printf( "sizeof( VImage ) = %zd\n", sizeof( VImage ) ); 
+
+{ 
+	VImage in = VImage::new_from_file( argv[1] ); 
+	VImage out; 
+
+	out = in.invert();
+
+	out.write_to_file( argv[2] );
+}
+
+	vips_shutdown();
+
+        return( 0 );
+}
diff --git a/cplusplus/include/vips/Makefile.am b/cplusplus/include/vips/Makefile.am
index 94eceef4..c14ef992 100644
--- a/cplusplus/include/vips/Makefile.am
+++ b/cplusplus/include/vips/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 pkginclude_HEADERS = \
-	VError.h \
-	VImage.h \
+	VError8.h \
+	VImage8.h \
 	vips8 \
 	vips-operators.h 
 
diff --git a/cplusplus/include/vips/VError.h b/cplusplus/include/vips/VError8.h
similarity index 60%
rename from cplusplus/include/vips/VError.h
rename to cplusplus/include/vips/VError8.h
index 9cfdb41f..0cb7478d 100644
--- a/cplusplus/include/vips/VError.h
+++ b/cplusplus/include/vips/VError8.h
@@ -27,57 +27,31 @@
 
  */
 
-#ifndef IM_VERROR_H
-#define IM_VERROR_H
 
-/* SWIG includes this file directly rather than going through vipscpp.h ... so
- * we have to define these macros here as well.
- */
-#ifdef SWIG
-#define VIPS_NAMESPACE_START namespace vips {
-#define VIPS_NAMESPACE_END }
-#endif /*SWIG*/
+#ifndef VIPS_VERROR_H
+#define VIPS_VERROR_H
 
-/* Don't include these when parsing for SWIG.
- */
-#ifndef SWIG
-# include <string>
-# include <iosfwd>
-# include <exception>
-#endif /*!SWIG*/
+#include <string>
+#include <iosfwd>
+#include <exception>
+
+#include <vips/vips.h>
 
 VIPS_NAMESPACE_START
 
-// Error type
 class VError : public std::exception {
 	std::string _what;
 
 public:
 	VError( std::string what ) : _what( what ) {}
-	VError() {}
+	VError() : _what( vips_error_buffer() ) {}
 	virtual ~VError() throw() {}
 
-	// Print message and exit
-	void perror( const char * );
-	void perror();
-
-	// Append some more text to the message
-	VError &app( std::string txt );
-	VError &app( const int i );
-
 	// Extract string
 	virtual const char *what() const throw() { return _what.c_str(); }
 	void ostream_print( std::ostream & ) const;
 };
 
-inline std::ostream &operator<<( std::ostream &file, const VError &err )
-{
-	err.ostream_print( file );
-	return( file );
-}
-
-void verror( std::string str = "" ) throw( VError );
-
 VIPS_NAMESPACE_END
 
-#endif /*IM_VERROR_H*/
+#endif /*VIPS_VERROR_H*/
diff --git a/cplusplus/include/vips/VImage.h b/cplusplus/include/vips/VImage.h
deleted file mode 100644
index f102f454..00000000
--- a/cplusplus/include/vips/VImage.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,334 +0,0 @@
-// VIPS image wrapper
-
-/*
-
-    This file is part of VIPS.
-    
-    VIPS is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
-    it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
-    the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
-    (at your option) any later version.
-
-    This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-    GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
-
-    You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
-    along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
-    Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA
-    02110-1301  USA
-
- */
-
-/*
-
-    These files are distributed with VIPS - http://www.vips.ecs.soton.ac.uk
-
- */
-
-#ifndef VIPS_VIMAGE_H
-#define VIPS_VIMAGE_H
-
-#include <list>
-#include <complex>
-#include <vector>
-
-#include <vips/vips.h>
-
-VIPS_NAMESPACE_START
-
-/* vips_init() and vips_shutdown as namespaced C++ functions.
- */
-void init( const char *argv0 = "nothing" ) throw( VError );
-void thread_shutdown( void ); 
-void shutdown( void ); 
-
-/* VIPS image class.
- */
-class VImage {
-protected:
-	VipsImage *im = NULL;		// Underlying vips pointer
-
-public:
-	VImage() 
-	{
-		im = NULL; 
-	}
-
-	// ref the VipsImage ... see new_steal() for one that steals the
-	// caller's ref
-	VImage( VipsImage *vips_image )
-	{
-		g_assert( !im );
-
-		im = vips_image;
-		g_object_ref( im ); 
-	}
-
-	// make a VImage, stealing the caller's ref
-	VImage new_steal( VipsImage *vips_image )
-	{
-		VImage image;
-
-		g_assert( !image.im );
-
-		image.im = vips_image;
-	}
-
-	VImage( const char *filename, const char *mode = "r" ) 
-		throw( VError )
-	{
-		if( !(im = vips_image_new_mode( filename, mode )) )
-			throw VError();
-	}
-
-	// see vips_image_new_from_file()
-	VImage( const char *name, ... ) 
-		throw( VError ) __attribute__((sentinel));
-
-	// see vips_image_new_from_buffer()
-	VImage( void *buffer, size_t length, const char *option_string, ... )
-		throw( VError ) __attribute__((sentinel));
-
-	// see vips_image_new_from_memory()
-	VImage( void *data, size_t size, int width, int height, 
-		int bands, VipsBandFormat format ) throw( VError )
-	{
-		if( !(im = vips_image_new_from_memory( data, size, 
-			width, height, bands, format )) )
-			throw VError();
-	}
-
-	// also do
-	// vips_image_new_matrix()
-	// vips_image_new_matrixv()
-	// vips_image_new_matrix_from_array()
-	// vips_image_new_from_file_raw:()
-	// vips_image_new_from_file_RW()
-	// vips_image_new_memory()
-
-	// Copy constructor 
-	VImage( const VImage &a )
-	{
-		g_assert( !im );
-
-		im = a.im;
-		g_object_ref( im );
-	}
-
-	// Assignment - delete old ref
-	VImage &operator=( const VImage &a ) 
-	{
-		VIPS_UNREF( im );
-		im = a.im;
-		g_object_ref( im );
-	}
-
-	// Destructor
-	~VImage() throw( VError ) { VIPS_UNREF( im ); }
-
-	// Peek at the underlying VipsImage pointer
-	VipsImage *image() const { return( im ); }
-
-	// get a pointer to the pixels ... can be very slow! this may render
-	// the whole image to a memory buffer
-	void *data()
-		throw( VError )
-	{
-		if( vips_image_wio_input( im ) )
-			throw VError();
-
-		return( VIPS_IMAGE_ADDR( im, 0, 0 ) ); 
-	}
-
-	// Write this to another VImage, to a file, or to a mem buffer
-	void write( VImage out ) 
-		throw( VError )
-	{
-		if( vips_image_write( im, out.im ) )
-			throw VError(); 
-	}
-
-	void write_to_file( const char *name, ... ) 
-		throw( VError )
-	{
-		if( vips_image_write_to_file( im, name, NULL ) )
-			throw VError(); 
-	}
-
-	// see vips_image_write_to_buffer()
-	void *write_to_buffer( const char *suffix, size_t *size, ... )
-		throw( VError );
-
-	// also need
-	//  vips_image_write_to_memory()
-
-	// Projection functions to get header fields
-	int width() { return( im->Xsize ); } 
-	int height() { return( im->Ysize ); } 
-	int bands() { return( im->Bands ); } 
-	VipsBandFormat format() { return( im->BandFmt ); } 
-	VipsCoding coding() { return( im->Coding ); } 
-	VipsInterpretation interpretation() { return( im->Type ); } 
-	float xres() { return( im->Xres ); } 
-	float yres() { return( im->Yres ); } 
-	int xoffset() { return( im->Xoffset ); } 
-	int yoffset() { return( im->Yoffset ); } 
-
-	// Derived fields
-	const char *filename() { return( im->filename ); } 
-	const char *hist() { return( vips_image_get_history( im ) ); } 
-
-	// metadata
-
-	/*
-
-	// base functionality
-	void meta_set( const char *field, GValue *value ) throw( VError );
-	void meta_get( const char *field, GValue *value_copy ) throw( VError );
-	gboolean meta_remove( const char *field );
-	GType meta_get_typeof( const char *field );
-
-	// convenience functions
-	int meta_get_int( const char *field ) throw( VError );
-	double meta_get_double( const char *field ) throw( VError );
-	const char *meta_get_string( const char *field ) throw( VError );
-	void *meta_get_area( const char *field ) throw( VError );
-	void *meta_get_blob( const char *field, size_t *length ) 
-		throw( VError );
-
-	void meta_set( const char *field, int value ) throw( VError );
-	void meta_set( const char *field, double value ) throw( VError );
-	void meta_set( const char *field, const char *value ) throw( VError );
-
-	void meta_set( const char *field, 
-		VCallback free_fn, void *value ) 
-		throw( VError );
-	void meta_set( const char *field, 
-		VCallback free_fn, void *value, size_t length ) 
-		throw( VError );
-
-	// Set header fields
-	void initdesc( int, int, int, 
-		VipsBandFormat, VipsCoding, VipsInterpretation, 
-		float = 1.0, float = 1.0, int = 0, int = 0 ) throw( VError );
-	 */
-
-	/* Insert automatically generated headers.
-	 */
-#include "vips-operators.h"
-
-	/*
-
-	// And some in-line operator equivalences done by hand
-	friend VImage operator+( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError ) 
-		{ return( a.add( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator+( double a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.lin( 1.0, a ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator+( VImage a, double b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.lin( 1.0, b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator-( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.subtract( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator-( double a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.lin( -1.0, a ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator-( VImage a, double b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.lin( 1.0, -b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator*( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.multiply( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator*( double a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.lin( a, 0.0 ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator*( VImage a, double b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.lin( b, 0.0 ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator/( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.divide( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator/( double a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.pow( -1.0 ).lin( a, 0.0 ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator/( VImage a, double b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.lin( 1.0/b, 0.0 ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator%( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.remainder( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator%( VImage a, double b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.remainder( b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator<( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.less( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator<( double a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.more( a ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator<( VImage a, double b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.less( b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator<=( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.lesseq( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator<=( double a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.moreeq( a ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator<=( VImage a, double b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.lesseq( b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator>( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.more( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator>( double a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.less( a ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator>( VImage a, double b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.more( b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator>=( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.moreeq( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator>=( double a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.lesseq( a ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator>=( VImage a, double b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.moreeq( b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator==( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.equal( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator==( double a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.equal( a ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator==( VImage a, double b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.equal( b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator!=( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.notequal( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator!=( double a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.notequal( a ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator!=( VImage a, double b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.notequal( b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator&( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.andimage( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator&( int a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.andimage( a ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator&( VImage a, int b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.andimage( b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator|( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.orimage( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator|( int a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.orimage( a ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator|( VImage a, int b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.orimage( b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator^( VImage a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.eorimage( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator^( int a, VImage b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( b.eorimage( a ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator^( VImage a, int b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.eorimage( b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator<<( VImage a, int b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.shiftleft( b ) ); }
-	friend VImage operator>>( VImage a, int b ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a.shiftright( b ) ); }
-
-	friend VImage operator-( VImage a ) throw( VError )
-		{ return( a * -1 ); }
-	 */
-
-};
-
-VIPS_NAMESPACE_END
-
-#endif /*VIPS_VIMAGE_H*/
diff --git a/cplusplus/include/vips/VImage8.h b/cplusplus/include/vips/VImage8.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b839acf8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cplusplus/include/vips/VImage8.h
@@ -0,0 +1,236 @@
+// VIPS image wrapper
+
+/*
+
+    This file is part of VIPS.
+    
+    VIPS is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+    it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+    GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+    along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+    Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA
+    02110-1301  USA
+
+ */
+
+/*
+
+    These files are distributed with VIPS - http://www.vips.ecs.soton.ac.uk
+
+ */
+
+#ifndef VIPS_VIMAGE_H
+#define VIPS_VIMAGE_H
+
+#include <list>
+#include <complex>
+#include <vector>
+
+#include <vips/vips.h>
+
+VIPS_NAMESPACE_START
+
+enum VSteal {
+	NOSTEAL = 0,
+	STEAL = 1
+};
+
+/* A smart VipsObject pointer class ... use g_object_ref()/_unref() for
+ * lifetime management.
+ */
+class VObject
+{
+private:
+	// can be NULL, see eg. VObject()
+	VipsObject *vobject; 
+
+public:
+	VObject( VipsObject *new_vobject, VSteal steal = STEAL ) : 
+		vobject( new_vobject )
+	{
+		// we allow NULL init, eg. "VImage a;"
+		g_assert( !new_vobject ||
+			VIPS_IS_OBJECT( new_vobject ) ); 
+
+		printf( "VObject constructor, obj = %p, steal = %d\n",
+			new_vobject, steal ); 
+		if( new_vobject ) { 
+			printf( "   obj " ); 
+			vips_object_print_name( VIPS_OBJECT( new_vobject ) );
+			printf( "\n" ); 
+		}
+		if( !steal ) {
+			printf( "   reffing object\n" ); 
+			g_object_ref( vobject ); 
+		}
+	}
+
+	VObject() :
+		vobject( 0 )
+	{
+	}
+
+	// copy constructor 
+	VObject( const VObject &a ) : 
+		vobject( a.vobject )
+	{
+		g_assert( VIPS_IS_OBJECT( a.vobject ) ); 
+
+		printf( "VObject copy constructor, obj = %p\n", 
+			vobject ); 
+		g_object_ref( vobject );
+		printf( "   reffing object\n" ); 
+	}
+
+	// assignment ... we must delete the old ref
+	// old can be NULL, new must not be NULL
+	VObject &operator=( const VObject &a )
+	{
+		VipsObject *old_vobject;
+
+		printf( "VObject assignment\n" );  
+		printf( "   reffing %p\n", a.vobject ); 
+		printf( "   unreffing %p\n", vobject ); 
+
+		g_assert( !vobject ||
+			VIPS_IS_OBJECT( vobject ) ); 
+		g_assert( a.vobject &&
+			VIPS_IS_OBJECT( a.vobject ) ); 
+
+		// delete the old ref at the end ... otherwise "a = a;" could
+		// unref before reffing again 
+		old_vobject = vobject;
+		vobject = a.vobject;
+		g_object_ref( vobject ); 
+		if( old_vobject )
+			g_object_unref( old_vobject );
+
+		return( *this ); 
+	}
+
+	// this mustn't be virtual: we want this class to only be a pointer,
+	// no vtable allowed
+	~VObject()
+	{
+		printf( "VObject destructor\n" );  
+		printf( "   unreffing %p\n", vobject ); 
+
+		g_assert( !vobject ||
+			VIPS_IS_OBJECT( vobject ) ); 
+		
+		if( vobject ) 
+			g_object_unref( vobject ); 
+	}
+
+	VipsObject *get_object()
+	{
+		g_assert( !vobject ||
+			VIPS_IS_OBJECT( vobject ) ); 
+
+		return( vobject ); 
+	}
+
+};
+
+class VImage; 
+class VOption; 
+
+class VOption
+{
+private:
+	struct Pair {
+		const char *name;
+
+		// the thing we pass to VipsOperation
+		GValue value;
+
+		// an input or output parameter ... we guess the direction
+		// from the arg to set()
+		bool input; 
+
+		// we need to box and unbox VImage ... keep a pointer to the
+		// VImage from C++ here
+		VImage *vimage;
+
+		Pair( const char *name ) : 
+			name( name ), input( false ), vimage( 0 )
+		{
+			G_VALUE_TYPE( &value ) = 0;
+		}
+
+		~Pair()
+		{
+			g_value_unset( &value );
+		}
+	};
+
+	std::list<Pair *> options;
+
+public:
+	VOption()
+	{
+	}
+
+	virtual ~VOption();
+
+	VOption *set( const char *name, const char *value );
+	VOption *set( const char *name, int value );
+	VOption *set( const char *name, VImage value );
+	VOption *set( const char *name, VImage *value );
+
+	void set_operation( VipsOperation *operation );
+	void get_operation( VipsOperation *operation );
+
+};
+
+class VImage : VObject
+{
+public:
+	VImage( VipsImage *image, VSteal steal = STEAL ) : 
+		VObject( (VipsObject *) image, steal )
+	{
+	}
+
+	// an empty (NULL) VImage, eg. "VImage a;"
+	VImage() :
+		VObject( 0 )
+	{
+	}
+
+	VipsImage *get_image()
+	{
+		return( (VipsImage *) VObject::get_object() );
+	}
+
+	static VOption *option()
+	{
+		return( new VOption() );
+	}
+
+	static void call_option_string( const char *operation_name, 
+		const char *option_string, VOption *options = 0 ) 
+		throw( VError );
+	static void call( const char *operation_name, VOption *options = 0 ) 
+		throw( VError );
+
+	static VImage new_from_file( const char *name, VOption *options = 0 )
+		throw( VError );
+
+	void write_to_file( const char *name, VOption *options = 0 )
+		throw( VError );
+
+#include "vips-operators.h"
+
+};
+
+VIPS_NAMESPACE_END
+
+#endif /*VIPS_VIMAGE_H*/
diff --git a/cplusplus/include/vips/vips-operators.h b/cplusplus/include/vips/vips-operators.h
index 4cf76864..6f75c822 100644
--- a/cplusplus/include/vips/vips-operators.h
+++ b/cplusplus/include/vips/vips-operators.h
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-
-VImage add( VImage add_in2, ... ) 
-	throw( VError ) __attribute__((sentinel));
+VImage invert( VOption *options = 0 ) throw( VError );
diff --git a/cplusplus/include/vips/vips8 b/cplusplus/include/vips/vips8
index fa08fd7e..19f5b8f2 100644
--- a/cplusplus/include/vips/vips8
+++ b/cplusplus/include/vips/vips8
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 #define VIPS_NAMESPACE_START namespace vips8 {
 #define VIPS_NAMESPACE_END }
 
-#include "VError.h"
-#include "VImage.h"
+#include "VError8.h"
+#include "VImage8.h"
 
 #endif /*VIPS_CPLUSPLUS*/
diff --git a/cplusplus/try92.cc b/cplusplus/old/try92.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from cplusplus/try92.cc
rename to cplusplus/old/try92.cc
diff --git a/cplusplus/try93.cc b/cplusplus/old/try93.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from cplusplus/try93.cc
rename to cplusplus/old/try93.cc
diff --git a/cplusplus/vips-operators.cc b/cplusplus/vips-operators.cc
index 27e360f8..0a644743 100644
--- a/cplusplus/vips-operators.cc
+++ b/cplusplus/vips-operators.cc
@@ -1,16 +1,14 @@
-VImage VImage::add( VImage in2, ... )
+
+VImage VImage::invert( VOption *options )
 	throw( VError )
 {
-	va_list ap;
-	VImage out; 
-	int result;
+	VImage out;
 
-	va_start( ap, in2 );
-	result = call_split( "add", ap, this, in2, &out );
-	va_end( ap );
-
-	if( result )
-		VError();
+	call( "invert", 
+		(options ? options : VImage::option())-> 
+			set( "in", *this )->
+			set( "out", &out ) );
 
 	return( out );
 }
+
diff --git a/vips-cc.pc.in b/vips-cc.pc.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b5f7b14b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vips-cc.pc.in
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+prefix=@prefix@
+exec_prefix=@exec_prefix@
+libdir=@libdir@
+includedir=@includedir@
+
+Name: vips-cc
+Description: C++ API for vips8 image processing library
+Version: @VERSION@
+Requires: vips = @VERSION@
+Libs: -L${libdir} -lvips-cc
diff --git a/vipsCC.pc.in b/vipsCC.pc.in
index 7175c53b..4484778a 100644
--- a/vipsCC.pc.in
+++ b/vipsCC.pc.in
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ libdir=@libdir@
 includedir=@includedir@
 
 Name: vipsCC
-Description: C++ API for vips image processing library
+Description: C++ API for vips7 image processing library
 Version: @VERSION@
 Requires: vips = @VERSION@
 Libs: -L${libdir} -lvipsCC