diff --git a/Basic/Slices/slices.pd b/Basic/Slices/slices.pd
index 6077cdc41..45caab946 100644
--- a/Basic/Slices/slices.pd
+++ b/Basic/Slices/slices.pd
@@ -1042,20 +1042,12 @@ pp_def(
         'rld',
         GenericTypes => [ppdefs_all],
         Pars=>'indx a(n); b(n); [o]c(m);',
+        OtherPars=>'IV sumover_max => m',
         PMCode =>pp_line_numbers(__LINE__, <<'EOD'),
 sub PDL::rld {
   my ($x,$y) = @_;
-  my ($c);
-  if ($#_ == 2) {
-    $c = $_[2];
-  } else {
-# XXX Need to improve emulation of broadcasting in auto-generating c
-    my ($size) = $x->sumover->max->sclr;
-    my (@dims) = $x->dims;
-    shift @dims;
-    $c = $y->zeroes($size,@dims);
-  }
-  &PDL::_rld_int($x,$y,$c);
+  my ($c,$sm) = @_ == 3 ? ($_[2], $_[2]->dim(0)) : (PDL->null, $x->sumover->max->sclr);
+  PDL::_rld_int($x,$y,$c,$sm);
   $c;
 }
 EOD
@@ -1217,37 +1209,32 @@ EOD
 );
 
 pp_def('rldvec',
-       Pars => 'indx a(N); b(M,N); [o]c(M,N)',
-       PMCode =>pp_line_numbers(__LINE__, <<'EOC'),
+  Pars => 'indx a(uniqvals); b(M,uniqvals); [o]c(M,decodedvals)',
+  OtherPars=>'IV sumover_max => decodedvals',
+  PMCode =>pp_line_numbers(__LINE__, <<'EOC'),
 sub PDL::rldvec {
   my ($a,$b,$c) = @_;
-  if (!defined($c)) {
-# XXX Need to improve emulation of threading in auto-generating c
-    my ($rowlen) = $b->dim(0);
-    my ($size) = $a->sumover->max;
-    my (undef, @dims) = $a->dims;
-    $c = $b->zeroes($b->type,$rowlen,$size,@dims);
-  }
-  &PDL::_rldvec_int($a,$b,$c);
+  ($c,my $sm) = defined($c) ? ($c,$c->dim(1)) : (PDL->null,$a->sumover->max->sclr);
+  PDL::_rldvec_int($a,$b,$c,$sm);
   return $c;
 }
 EOC
        Code =>pp_line_numbers(__LINE__, <<'EOC'),
   PDL_Indx cn=0;
-  loop (N) %{
+  loop (uniqvals) %{
     PDL_Indx i, nrows = $a();
     for (i=0; i<nrows; i++) {
-      loop (M) %{ $c(N=>cn) = $b(); %}
+      loop (M) %{ $c(decodedvals=>cn) = $b(); %}
       cn++;
     }
    %}
 EOC
-       Doc =><<'EOD'
+  Doc =><<'EOD'
 =for ref
 
 Run-length decode a set of vectors, akin to a higher-order rld().
 
-Given a vector $a() of the number of occurrences of each row, and a set $c()
+Given a vector $a() of the number of occurrences of each row, and a set $b()
 of row-vectors each of length $M, run-length decode to $c().
 
 Can be used together with clump() to run-length decode "values" of arbitrary dimensions.
@@ -1295,29 +1282,26 @@ EOD
 );
 
 pp_def('rldseq',
-       Pars => 'indx a(N); b(N); [o]c(M)',
-       PMCode =>pp_line_numbers(__LINE__, <<'EOC'),
+  Pars => 'indx a(N); b(N); [o]c(M)',
+  OtherPars=>'IV sumover_max => M',
+  PMCode =>pp_line_numbers(__LINE__, <<'EOC'),
 sub PDL::rldseq {
   my ($a,$b,$c) = @_;
-  if (!defined($c)) {
-    my $size   = $a->sumover->max;
-    my (undef, @dims) = $a->dims;
-    $c = $b->zeroes($b->type,$size,@dims);
-  }
-  &PDL::_rldseq_int($a,$b,$c);
+  ($c,my $sm) = defined($c) ? ($c,$c->dim(1)) : (PDL->null,$a->sumover->max->sclr);
+  PDL::_rldseq_int($a,$b,$c,$sm);
   return $c;
 }
 EOC
        Code =>pp_line_numbers(__LINE__, <<'EOC'),
-  size_t mi=0;
+  PDL_Indx mi=0;
   loop (N) %{
-    size_t     len = $a(), li;
+    PDL_Indx     len = $a(), li;
     for (li=0; li < len; ++li, ++mi) {
       $c(M=>mi) = $b() + li;
     }
   %}
 EOC
-       Doc =><<'EOD'
+  Doc =><<'EOD'
 =for ref
 
 Run-length decode a subsequence vector.
@@ -1364,7 +1348,7 @@ sub rleND {
   my @vdimsN = $data->dims;
 
   ##-- construct output pdls
-  my $counts = $#_ >= 0 ? $_[0] : zeroes(long, $vdimsN[$#vdimsN]);
+  my $counts = $#_ >= 0 ? $_[0] : PDL->null;
   my $elts   = $#_ >= 1 ? $_[1] : zeroes($data->type, @vdimsN);
 
   ##-- guts: call rlevec()
diff --git a/Libtmp/Compression/compression.pd b/Libtmp/Compression/compression.pd
index 32d1a09cf..65a1885b6 100644
--- a/Libtmp/Compression/compression.pd
+++ b/Libtmp/Compression/compression.pd
@@ -145,16 +145,13 @@ sub PDL::rice_compress {
 	) {
 	die("rice_compress: input needs to have type byte, short, ushort, or long, not ".($in->type)."\n");
     }
-    # output buffer starts the same size; truncate at the end.
-    my ($out) = zeroes($in);
-    # lengths go here
-    my ($len) = zeroes(long, $in->slice("(0)")->dims);
-    PDL::_rice_compress_int( $in, $out, $len, $blocksize  );
-    my $l = $len->max;
+    PDL::_rice_compress_int( $in, my $out=PDL->null, my $len=PDL->null, $blocksize );
+    my $l = $len->max->sclr;
     $out = $out->slice("0:".($l-1))->sever;
     return wantarray ? ($out, $in->dim(0), $blocksize, $len) : $out;
 }
 EOD
+	RedoDimsCode => '$SIZE(m) = $SIZE(n);', # output same size; truncate after
 	Code => <<'EOD',
 int len;
 char *err = rcomp( $P(in),
@@ -174,7 +171,8 @@ pp_def(
 	"rice_expand",
 	HandleBad=>0,
 	Pars=>'in(n); [o]out(m);',
-	OtherPars=>'int blocksize',
+	OtherPars=>'IV dim0 => m; int blocksize',
+	OtherParsDefaults=>{ blocksize=>32 },
 	GenericTypes=>['B','S','US','L'],
 	Doc=><<'EOD',
 =for ref
@@ -185,17 +183,6 @@ Unsquishes a PDL that has been squished by rice_compress.
 
      ($out, $len, $blocksize, $dim0) = $pdl->rice_compress;
      $copy = $out->rice_expand($dim0, $blocksize);
-EOD
-	PMCode => <<'EOD',
-sub PDL::rice_expand {
-    my $squished = shift;
-    my $dim0 =shift;
-    my $blocksize = shift || 32;
-    # Allocate output array
-    my $out = zeroes( $squished->slice("(0),*$dim0") );
-    PDL::_rice_expand_int( $squished, $out, $blocksize );
-    return $out;
-}
 EOD
 	Code=><<'EOD',
 char *err = rdecomp( (unsigned char *)($P(in)),
diff --git a/Libtmp/Filter/Linear.pm b/Libtmp/Filter/Linear.pm
index 3f96dc766..8efccce3e 100644
--- a/Libtmp/Filter/Linear.pm
+++ b/Libtmp/Filter/Linear.pm
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ use strict;
 sub new($$) {
 	my($type,$npoints,$sigma) = @_;
 	my $cent = int($npoints/2);
-	my $x = ((PDL->zeroes($npoints )->xvals) - $cent)->float;
+	my $x = PDL->zeroes(float, $npoints )->xvals - $cent;
 	my $y = exp(-($x**2)/(2*$sigma**2));
 # Normalize to unit total
 	$y /= sum($y);
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ use strict;
 sub new($$) {
 	my($type,$deg,$nleft,$nright) = @_;
 	my $npoints = $nright + $nleft + 1;
-	my $x = ((PDL->zeroes($npoints )->xvals) - $nleft)->float;
-	my $mat1 = ((PDL->zeroes($npoints,$deg+1)->xvals))->float;
+	my $x = PDL->zeroes(float, $npoints )->xvals - $nleft;
+	my $mat1 = PDL->zeroes(float, $npoints,$deg+1)->xvals;
 	for(0..$deg-1) {
 		(my $tmp = $mat1->slice(":,($_)")) .= ($x ** $_);
 	}
@@ -88,4 +88,4 @@ sub new($$) {
 			Point => $nleft});
 }
 
-
+1;
diff --git a/Libtmp/Slatec/Gaussian.pm b/Libtmp/Slatec/Gaussian.pm
index 3616f6b55..606727362 100644
--- a/Libtmp/Slatec/Gaussian.pm
+++ b/Libtmp/Slatec/Gaussian.pm
@@ -130,12 +130,12 @@ sub new {
 	}
 	my $ndims1 = ($#{$ndims==0} ? $ndims : [1]);
 	bless {
-		Mu => (PDL->zeroes (@$ndims1,@$nfuncs)->double),
-		ICV => (PDL->zeroes (@$ndims1,@$ndims1,@$nfuncs)->double),
-		CV => (PDL->zeroes (@$ndims1,@$ndims1,@$nfuncs)->double),
-		lnPrefactor=> (PDL->zeroes(@$nfuncs)->double),
-		EigVec => (PDL->zeroes (@$ndims1,@$ndims1,@$nfuncs)->double),
-		EigVal => (PDL->zeroes (@$ndims1,@$nfuncs)->double),
+		Mu => PDL->zeroes(PDL::double, @$ndims1,@$nfuncs),
+		ICV => PDL->zeroes(PDL::double, @$ndims1,@$ndims1,@$nfuncs),
+		CV => PDL->zeroes(PDL::double, @$ndims1,@$ndims1,@$nfuncs),
+		lnPrefactor=> PDL->zeroes(PDL::double, @$nfuncs),
+		EigVec => PDL->zeroes(PDL::double, @$ndims1,@$ndims1,@$nfuncs),
+		EigVal => PDL->zeroes(PDL::double, @$ndims1,@$nfuncs),
 		NDims => $ndims,
 		NFuncs => $nfuncs,
 	},$type;
@@ -193,9 +193,9 @@ sub upd_icovariance {
 sub _eigs {
 	my($this,$mat) = @_;
 	my $tmpvec = $this->{EigVec}->float;
-	my $fvone = (PDL->zeroes(@{$this->{NDims}}))->float;
-	my $fvtwo = (PDL->zeroes(@{$this->{NDims}}))->float;
-	my $ierr = (PDL->zeroes(@{$this->{NFuncs}}))->long;
+	my $fvone = PDL->zeroes(PDL::float, @{$this->{NDims}});
+	my $fvtwo = PDL->zeroes(PDL::float, @{$this->{NDims}});
+	my $ierr = PDL->zeroes(PDL::long, @{$this->{NFuncs}});
 	my $tmp = $mat->float; # Copy, since is destroyed.
 	my $tmpval = $this->{EigVal}->float;
 
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ sub calc_value ($$$) {
 sub calc_lnvalue ($$$) {
 	my($this,$xorig,$p) = @_;
 	my $x = $xorig;
-	my $muxed = (PDL->zeroes(@{$this->{NDims}},@{$p->{Dims}}))->double;
+	my $muxed = PDL->zeroes(PDL::double, @{$this->{NDims}},@{$p->{Dims}});
 
 #	print "MUXED1: $muxed\n";
 
diff --git a/Libtmp/Slatec/LinPred.pm b/Libtmp/Slatec/LinPred.pm
index 385852534..2f58fe998 100644
--- a/Libtmp/Slatec/LinPred.pm
+++ b/Libtmp/Slatec/LinPred.pm
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ sub _mk_mat {
 
 	my $auc = $this->{AutoCor};
 
-	my $autocov = PDL::float PDL->zeroes($nl*2,$nl*2);
+	my $autocov = PDL->zeroes(PDL::float, $nl*2,$nl*2);
 	$this->{AutoCov} = $autocov;
 
 	my $sal = $this->{SymAutoCor}->px->lags(0,1,$this->{NLags})->px;
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ sub _mk_mat {
 
 	my $autocinv = inv($autocov);
 #	print "$autocinv,$auc,$n\n"; $auc->slice("$n:-1");
-	$this->{AutoSliceUsed} = PDL->zeroes(2*$nl)->float;
+	$this->{AutoSliceUsed} = PDL->zeroes(PDL::float, 2*$nl);
 
 	($tmp = $this->{AutoSliceUsed}->slice("0:$nl1"))
 		.= $auc->slice(($n+$nl-1).":$n");
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ sub new ($$) {
 	$this->{AutoCor} = $auc;
 	my $n = $this->{NTotLags};
 	$this->{SymAutoCor} =
-		(PDL->zeroes($n * 2 - 1)->float);
+		PDL->zeroes(PDL::float, $n * 2 - 1);
 	my $tmp;
 	($tmp = $this->{SymAutoCor}->slice("0:".($n-2)))  .=
 		$auc->slice("-1:1");
diff --git a/Libtmp/Slatec/slatec.pd b/Libtmp/Slatec/slatec.pd
index 50803fb5f..343e31388 100644
--- a/Libtmp/Slatec/slatec.pd
+++ b/Libtmp/Slatec/slatec.pd
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ compute the determinant of an invertible matrix
 
 =for example
 
-  $mat = zeroes(5,5); $mat->diagonal(0,1) .= 1; # unity matrix
+  $mat = identity(5); # unity matrix
   $det = detslatec $mat;
 
 Usage:
diff --git a/Libtmp/Transform/Cartography/Cartography.pm b/Libtmp/Transform/Cartography/Cartography.pm
index 3135a6208..3bd33aedc 100644
--- a/Libtmp/Transform/Cartography/Cartography.pm
+++ b/Libtmp/Transform/Cartography/Cartography.pm
@@ -362,8 +362,8 @@ sub graticule {
 		    $yp->flat->append($ym->flat)
 	    )->mv(1,0);
     } else {
-	 our $pp = (zeroes($xp)-1); $pp->slice("(-1)") .= 0;
-	 our $pm = (zeroes($xm)-1); $pm->slice("(-1)") .= 0;
+	 our $pp = zeroes($xp)-1; $pp->slice("(-1)") .= 0;
+	 our $pm = zeroes($xm)-1; $pm->slice("(-1)") .= 0;
 
 	if(wantarray) {
 	    return (  pdl( $xp->flat->append($xm->flat),
diff --git a/Libtmp/Transform/transform.pd b/Libtmp/Transform/transform.pd
index 150091fac..925aade1d 100644
--- a/Libtmp/Transform/transform.pd
+++ b/Libtmp/Transform/transform.pd
@@ -1826,8 +1826,7 @@ sub map {
               croak("Whups -- got a nonlinear t_fits transformation.  Can't deal with it.");
           }
 
-          my $inv_sc_mat = zeroes($nd,$nd);
-          $inv_sc_mat->diagonal(0,1) .= $scale;
+          my $inv_sc_mat = PDL::MatrixOps::stretcher($scale);
           my $mat = $f_in->{params}->{matrix} x $inv_sc_mat;
           print "scale is $scale; mat is $mat\n" if($PDL::Transform::debug);
 
@@ -2456,7 +2455,7 @@ sub t_lookup {
         my $maxvals = $p->{table}->clump($me->{idim})->maximum;
 
         # Scale so that the range runs from 0 through the top pixel in the table
-        my $scale = (  pdl(  $itable->dims  )->slice("0:-2")-1  ) /
+        my $scale = (  $itable->shape->slice("0:-2")-1  ) /
                     (($maxvals - $minvals)+ (($maxvals-$minvals) == 0));
         my $offset = - ($minvals * $scale);
 
@@ -3843,8 +3842,7 @@ sub t_spherical {
     $me->{odim}=3;
 
     $me->{params}->{origin} = _opt($o,['o','origin','Origin']);
-    $me->{params}->{origin} = PDL->zeroes(3)
-        unless defined($me->{params}->{origin});
+    $me->{params}->{origin} //= PDL->zeroes(3);
     $me->{params}->{origin} = PDL->pdl($me->{params}->{origin});
 
     $me->{params}->{deg} = _opt($o,['d','degrees','Degrees']);