diff --git a/dotscape b/dotscape
index 79f1b7c..569f6b7 100755
Binary files a/dotscape and b/dotscape differ
diff --git a/fcore/common-update.sml b/fcore/common-update.sml
index 7ece0d5..d51c285 100644
--- a/fcore/common-update.sml
+++ b/fcore/common-update.sml
@@ -16,9 +16,10 @@ struct
       (model, [FILE msg])
     end
 
-  (* unimplemented *)
-  fun getLoadSquaresMsg model = (model, [])
+  fun getLoadSquaresMsg model =
+    (model, [FILE LOAD_SQUARES])
 
+  (* unimplemented *)
   fun getExportSquaresMsg model = (model, [])
 
   fun useSquaresInNormalMode (model, squares) = (model, [])
diff --git a/fcore/parser/int-dfa.sml b/fcore/parser/int-dfa.sml
index 1dba3da..2f70b75 100644
--- a/fcore/parser/int-dfa.sml
+++ b/fcore/parser/int-dfa.sml
@@ -8,12 +8,10 @@ struct
     let
       val chr = Char.chr i
     in
-      if chr >= #"0" orelse chr < #"9" then
-        final
-      else dead
+      if Char.isDigit chr then final else dead
     end
 
-  val deadTable = SpaceDfa.deadTable
+  val deadTable = Vector.tabulate (255, fn _ => dead)
   val startTable  = Vector.tabulate (255, makeStart)
   val finalTable = startTable
 
diff --git a/fcore/parser/lexer.sml b/fcore/parser/lexer.sml
index 9e97769..9c23714 100644
--- a/fcore/parser/lexer.sml
+++ b/fcore/parser/lexer.sml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ struct
         SOME (lastSpace, acc)
       else
         let
-          val str = String.substring (str, min, finish - min)
+          val str = String.substring (str, min, finish - min + 1)
         in
           if min = lastInt then
             case Int.fromString str of
@@ -33,14 +33,15 @@ struct
     end
 
   fun scanStep (pos, str, acc, dfa, finish) =
-    if AllDfa.areAllDead dfa then
+    if pos < 0 orelse AllDfa.areAllDead dfa then
       addToken (acc, dfa, str, finish)
     else
       let
         val chr = String.sub (str, pos)
         val dfa = AllDfa.update (chr, dfa, pos)
       in
-        scanStep (pos - 1, str, acc, dfa, finish)
+        if AllDfa.areAllDead dfa then addToken (acc, dfa, str, finish)
+        else scanStep (pos - 1, str, acc, dfa, finish)
       end
 
   fun scanLoop (pos, str, acc) =
diff --git a/fcore/parser/parser.sml b/fcore/parser/parser.sml
index 098f14a..2011981 100644
--- a/fcore/parser/parser.sml
+++ b/fcore/parser/parser.sml
@@ -18,18 +18,21 @@ struct
         end
     | _ => SOME (tokens, grid)
 
-  fun parse tokens =
-    case tokens of
-      T.INT canvasWidth :: T.INT canvasHeight :: T.L_BRACE :: tl =>
-        let
-          val grid = ParseGrid.make (canvasWidth, canvasHeight)
-        in
-          case parseItems (tl, grid) of
-            SOME (tokens, grid) =>
-              (case tokens of
-                 [T.R_BRACE] => SOME grid
-               | _ => NONE)
-            | NONE => NONE
-        end
-    | _ => NONE
+  fun parse string =
+    case Lexer.scan string of
+      SOME tokens =>
+        (case tokens of
+           T.INT canvasWidth :: T.INT canvasHeight :: T.L_BRACE :: tl =>
+             let
+               val grid = ParseGrid.make (canvasWidth, canvasHeight)
+             in
+               case parseItems (tl, grid) of
+                 SOME (tokens, grid) =>
+                   (case tokens of
+                      [T.R_BRACE] => SOME (canvasWidth, canvasHeight, grid)
+                    | _ => NONE)
+               | NONE => NONE
+             end
+         | _ => NONE)
+    | NONE => NONE
 end
diff --git a/fcore/quad-tree.sml b/fcore/quad-tree.sml
index 7076764..d4d30a0 100644
--- a/fcore/quad-tree.sml
+++ b/fcore/quad-tree.sml
@@ -381,23 +381,6 @@ struct
       else y
   end
 
-  fun printItem {x, y, ex, ey, data} =
-    let
-      val msg = String.concat
-        [ "{x = "
-        , Int.toString x
-        , ", y = "
-        , Int.toString y
-        , ", ex = "
-        , Int.toString ex
-        , ", ey = "
-        , Int.toString ey
-        , "}\n"
-        ]
-    in
-      print msg
-    end
-
   local
     fun loop (tree, grid) =
       case tree of
diff --git a/green.dsc b/green.dsc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ea7afb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/green.dsc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+4 4 { {0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 } {1 2 1 2 0 0 0 1 } }
diff --git a/imperative-shell/file-thread.sml b/imperative-shell/file-thread.sml
index 078d7f4..6d9197e 100644
--- a/imperative-shell/file-thread.sml
+++ b/imperative-shell/file-thread.sml
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ struct
   open FileMessage
   open InputMessage
 
-  datatype parse_result = OK of unit | PARSE_ERROR
-
   val structureName = "Green"
   val filename = "green.dsc"
   val exportFilename = "green.sml"
@@ -49,7 +47,21 @@ struct
 
   fun parse (io, acc) = ()
 
-  fun loadSquares (path, inputMailbox) = ()
+  fun loadIO (io, str) =
+    case TextIO.inputLine io of
+      SOME line => loadIO (io, str ^ line)
+    | NONE => str
+
+  fun loadSquares (path, inputMailbox) =
+    let
+      val io = TextIO.openIn filename
+      val str = loadIO (io, "")
+      val () = TextIO.closeIn io
+    in
+      case Parser.parse str of
+        SOME (canvasWidth, canvasHeight, grid) => ()
+      | NONE => ()
+    end
 
   fun saveSquares squaresString =
     let