diff --git a/harbour/ChangeLog b/harbour/ChangeLog
index 23239d4eb4..bf6121f95b 100644
--- a/harbour/ChangeLog
+++ b/harbour/ChangeLog
@@ -16,6 +16,30 @@
    The license applies to all entries newer than 2009-04-28.
 */
 
+2012-01-02 21:38 UTC+0100 Przemyslaw Czerpak (druzus/at/poczta.onet.pl)
+  * harbour/include/hbapistr.h
+  * harbour/src/vm/strapi.c
+    + added new C functions:
+         const char * hb_parastr( int iParam, HB_SIZE nIndex,
+                                  void * cdp,
+                                  void ** phString, HB_SIZE * pnLen );
+         const char * hb_parastr_utf8( int iParam, HB_SIZE nIndex,
+                                       void ** phString, HB_SIZE * pnLen );
+         const HB_WCHAR * hb_parastr_u16( int iParam, HB_SIZE nIndex,
+                                          int iEndian,
+                                          void ** phString, HB_SIZE * pnLen );
+
+  * harbour/include/hbwinuni.h
+    + added new C macros for windows builds:
+         HB_PARASTR( nItem, nIndex, phStr, pnLen )
+         HB_PARASTRDEF( nItem, nIndex, phStr, pnLen )
+
+  * harbour/src/vm/hashes.c
+    + added optional code for deleting items from hash arrays with
+      strict order. This code can be enabled by Harbour compile time
+      macro: HB_FAST_HASH_DEL.
+      I added it for testing only.
+
 2012-01-01 14:05 UTC-0800 Pritpal Bedi (bedipritpal@hotmail.com)
   * contrib/gtwvg/wvgcore.c
   * contrib/gtwvg/wvgcuig.c
diff --git a/harbour/include/hbapistr.h b/harbour/include/hbapistr.h
index 46a4e1ae7b..54c0e0f531 100644
--- a/harbour/include/hbapistr.h
+++ b/harbour/include/hbapistr.h
@@ -109,6 +109,10 @@ extern HB_EXPORT const char * hb_parstr( int iParam, void * cdp, void ** phStrin
 extern HB_EXPORT const char * hb_parstr_utf8( int iParam, void ** phString, HB_SIZE * pnLen );
 extern HB_EXPORT const HB_WCHAR * hb_parstr_u16( int iParam, int iEndian, void ** phString, HB_SIZE * pnLen );
 
+extern HB_EXPORT const char * hb_parastr( int iParam, HB_SIZE nIndex, void * cdp, void ** phString, HB_SIZE * pnLen );
+extern HB_EXPORT const char * hb_parastr_utf8( int iParam, HB_SIZE nIndex, void ** phString, HB_SIZE * pnLen );
+extern HB_EXPORT const HB_WCHAR * hb_parastr_u16( int iParam, HB_SIZE nIndex, int iEndian, void ** phString, HB_SIZE * pnLen );
+
 extern HB_EXPORT void hb_retstr( void * cdp, const char * szText );
 extern HB_EXPORT void hb_retstr_utf8( const char * szText );
 extern HB_EXPORT void hb_retstr_u16( int iEndian, const HB_WCHAR * szText );
diff --git a/harbour/include/hbwinuni.h b/harbour/include/hbwinuni.h
index 5d583af3a3..d41cc14cab 100644
--- a/harbour/include/hbwinuni.h
+++ b/harbour/include/hbwinuni.h
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
 #if defined( UNICODE )
    #define HB_PARSTR( n, h, len )                hb_parstr_u16( n, HB_CDP_ENDIAN_NATIVE, h, len )
    #define HB_PARSTRDEF( n, h, len )             hb_wstrnull( hb_parstr_u16( n, HB_CDP_ENDIAN_NATIVE, h, len ) )
+   #define HB_PARASTR( n, i, h, len )            hb_parastr_u16( n, i, HB_CDP_ENDIAN_NATIVE, h, len )
+   #define HB_PARASTRDEF( n, i, h, len )         hb_wstrnull( hb_parastr_u16( n, i, HB_CDP_ENDIAN_NATIVE, h, len ) )
    #define HB_RETSTR( str )                      hb_retstr_u16( HB_CDP_ENDIAN_NATIVE, str )
    #define HB_RETSTRLEN( str, len )              hb_retstrlen_u16( HB_CDP_ENDIAN_NATIVE, str, len )
    #define HB_STORSTR( str, n )                  hb_storstr_u16( HB_CDP_ENDIAN_NATIVE, str, n )
@@ -85,6 +87,8 @@
 #else
    #define HB_PARSTR( n, h, len )                hb_parstr( n, hb_setGetOSCP(), h, len )
    #define HB_PARSTRDEF( n, h, len )             hb_strnull( hb_parstr( n, hb_setGetOSCP(), h, len ) )
+   #define HB_PARASTR( n, i, h, len )            hb_parastr( n, i, hb_setGetOSCP(), h, len )
+   #define HB_PARASTRDEF( n, i, h, len )         hb_strnull( hb_parastr( n, i, hb_setGetOSCP(), h, len ) )
    #define HB_RETSTR( str )                      hb_retstr( hb_setGetOSCP(), str )
    #define HB_RETSTRLEN( str, len )              hb_retstrlen( hb_setGetOSCP(), str, len )
    #define HB_STORSTR( str, n )                  hb_storstr( hb_setGetOSCP(), str, n )
diff --git a/harbour/src/vm/hashes.c b/harbour/src/vm/hashes.c
index d8398693b7..5059628958 100644
--- a/harbour/src/vm/hashes.c
+++ b/harbour/src/vm/hashes.c
@@ -443,6 +443,42 @@ static void hb_hashDelPair( PHB_BASEHASH pBaseHash, HB_SIZE nPos )
    {
       if( pBaseHash->pnPos )
       {
+#ifdef HB_FAST_HASH_DEL
+         HB_SIZE * pnPos, * pnDel, * pnLast;
+
+         pnPos = pBaseHash->pnPos + pBaseHash->nLen;
+         pnDel = pnLast = NULL;
+         for( ;; )
+         {
+            if( *pnPos == nPos )
+            {
+               pnDel = pnPos;
+               if( pnLast != NULL )
+                  break;
+            }
+            if( *pnPos == pBaseHash->nLen )
+            {
+               pnLast = pnPos;
+               if( pnDel != NULL )
+                  break;
+            }
+            if( pnPos-- == pBaseHash->pnPos )
+               hb_errInternal( HB_EI_ERRUNRECOV, "HB_HDEL(): corrupted hash index", NULL, NULL );
+         }
+         *pnLast = *pnDel;
+         if( pnDel < pBaseHash->pnPos + pBaseHash->nLen )
+            memmove( pnDel, pnDel + 1,
+                     ( pBaseHash->pnPos + pBaseHash->nLen - pnDel ) * sizeof( HB_SIZE ) );
+         if( nPos != pBaseHash->nLen )
+         {
+            HB_HASHPAIR pair;
+            memcpy( &pair, pBaseHash->pPairs + nPos, sizeof( HB_HASHPAIR ) );
+            memcpy( pBaseHash->pPairs + nPos, pBaseHash->pPairs + pBaseHash->nLen,
+                    sizeof( HB_HASHPAIR ) );
+            nPos = pBaseHash->nLen;
+            memcpy( pBaseHash->pPairs + nPos, &pair, sizeof( HB_HASHPAIR ) );
+         }
+#else
          HB_SIZE n = 0;
          while( n < pBaseHash->nLen )
          {
@@ -454,6 +490,7 @@ static void hb_hashDelPair( PHB_BASEHASH pBaseHash, HB_SIZE nPos )
             else
                ++n;
          }
+#endif
       }
 
       if( nPos != pBaseHash->nLen )
diff --git a/harbour/src/vm/strapi.c b/harbour/src/vm/strapi.c
index 8dd7a03b41..1c431d0b75 100644
--- a/harbour/src/vm/strapi.c
+++ b/harbour/src/vm/strapi.c
@@ -770,6 +770,88 @@ const HB_WCHAR * hb_parstr_u16( int iParam, int iEndian,
 }
 
 
+const char * hb_parastr( int iParam, HB_SIZE nIndex,
+                         void * cdp, void ** phString, HB_SIZE * pnLen )
+{
+   HB_STACK_TLS_PRELOAD
+
+   HB_TRACE(HB_TR_DEBUG, ("hb_parastr(%d,%" HB_PFS "u,%p,%p,%p)", iParam, nIndex, cdp, phString, pnLen));
+
+   if( iParam >= -1 && iParam <= hb_pcount() )
+   {
+      PHB_ITEM pItem = ( iParam == -1 ) ? hb_stackReturnItem() : hb_stackItemFromBase( iParam );
+
+      if( HB_IS_BYREF( pItem ) )
+         pItem = hb_itemUnRef( pItem );
+
+      if( HB_IS_ARRAY( pItem ) )
+         return hb_arrayGetStr( pItem, nIndex, cdp, phString, pnLen );
+      else
+         return hb_itemGetStr( pItem, cdp, phString, pnLen );
+   }
+
+   if( pnLen )
+      * pnLen = 0;
+   * phString = NULL;
+
+   return NULL;
+}
+
+const char * hb_parastr_utf8( int iParam, HB_SIZE nIndex,
+                              void ** phString, HB_SIZE * pnLen )
+{
+   HB_STACK_TLS_PRELOAD
+
+   HB_TRACE(HB_TR_DEBUG, ("hb_parastr_utf8(%d,%" HB_PFS "u,%p,%p)", iParam, nIndex, phString, pnLen));
+
+   if( iParam >= -1 && iParam <= hb_pcount() )
+   {
+      PHB_ITEM pItem = ( iParam == -1 ) ? hb_stackReturnItem() : hb_stackItemFromBase( iParam );
+
+      if( HB_IS_BYREF( pItem ) )
+         pItem = hb_itemUnRef( pItem );
+
+      if( HB_IS_ARRAY( pItem ) )
+         return hb_arrayGetStrUTF8( pItem, nIndex, phString, pnLen );
+      else
+         return hb_itemGetStrUTF8( pItem, phString, pnLen );
+   }
+
+   if( pnLen )
+      * pnLen = 0;
+   * phString = NULL;
+
+   return NULL;
+}
+
+const HB_WCHAR * hb_parastr_u16( int iParam, HB_SIZE nIndex, int iEndian,
+                                 void ** phString, HB_SIZE * pnLen )
+{
+   HB_STACK_TLS_PRELOAD
+
+   HB_TRACE(HB_TR_DEBUG, ("hb_parastr_u16(%d,%" HB_PFS "u,%d,%p,%p)", iParam, nIndex, iEndian, phString, pnLen));
+
+   if( iParam >= -1 && iParam <= hb_pcount() )
+   {
+      PHB_ITEM pItem = ( iParam == -1 ) ? hb_stackReturnItem() : hb_stackItemFromBase( iParam );
+
+      if( HB_IS_BYREF( pItem ) )
+         pItem = hb_itemUnRef( pItem );
+
+      if( HB_IS_ARRAY( pItem ) )
+         return hb_arrayGetStrU16( pItem, nIndex, iEndian, phString, pnLen );
+      else
+         return hb_itemGetStrU16( pItem, iEndian, phString, pnLen );
+   }
+
+   if( pnLen )
+      * pnLen = 0;
+   * phString = NULL;
+
+   return NULL;
+}
+
+
 void hb_retstr( void * cdp, const char * szText )
 {
    HB_STACK_TLS_PRELOAD