diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 1ae8e68..3d9229f 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 TODO
 
-* move stdio functions into an implementation-specific file
-* make sure everything compiles without much library support
-* make printf() honour memory constraints
 * pointers
+* test character array pointers and dereferencing
 * operator precedence
-* enum
+* '->'
+* make printf() honour memory constraints
 * interactive mode
 * casts
+* enum
+* '+=' / '-=' for pointers
+* pointer arithmetic
 * change heap to use a single consistent freelist node struct
 * periodic heap cleanup
 * fix type comparison to take into account array size
@@ -15,8 +17,7 @@ TODO
 * expression and auto-cast support for all types
 * octal/hex character constants
 * fix #include
-* eliminate host puts use
-* move all system specific includes to a single file
+* assignment on declaration
 
 Need test/debug:
 * all break/continue variations
diff --git a/parse.c b/parse.c
index 6f76868..46949ed 100644
--- a/parse.c
+++ b/parse.c
@@ -5,11 +5,6 @@ int ParseArguments(struct ParseState *Parser, int RunIt);
 int ParseStatementMaybeRun(struct ParseState *Parser, int Condition);
 
 
-/* initialise the parser */
-void ParseInit()
-{
-}
-
 /* do a function call */
 void ParseFunctionCall(struct ParseState *Parser, struct Value **Result, const char *FuncName)
 {
@@ -157,6 +152,7 @@ int ParseValue(struct ParseState *Parser, struct Value **Result)
             VType = (*Result)->Typ;
             VariableStackPop(Parser, *Result);
             *Result = VariableAllocValueFromType(Parser, TypeGetMatching(Parser, VType, TypePointer, 0, StrEmpty), FALSE);
+            // XXX - need to rethink how to deal with lvalues - I need the original lvalue, not a copy of it for the segment
             (*Result)->Val->Pointer.Segment = LocalLValue;
             (*Result)->Val->Pointer.Data.Offset = 0;
             break;
@@ -292,23 +288,69 @@ int ParseExpression(struct ParseState *Parser, struct Value **Result)
                 }
                 continue;
             }
-            case TokenAssign: case TokenAddAssign: case TokenSubtractAssign:
+            case TokenAssign: 
                 LexGetToken(Parser, NULL, TRUE);
+            
+                if (!ParseExpression(Parser, &CurrentValue))
+                    ProgramFail(Parser, "expression expected");
+                    
+                if (Parser->Mode == RunModeRun)
+                { /* do the assignment */
+                    if (!TotalValue->IsLValue)
+                        ProgramFail(Parser, "can't assign to this");
+
+                    if (CurrentValue->Typ != TotalValue->Typ)
+                        ProgramFail(Parser, "can't assign incompatible types");
+
+                    if (TotalValue->Typ->Base != TypeArray)
+                        memcpy(TotalValue->Val, CurrentValue->Val, TotalValue->Typ->Sizeof);
+                    else
+                    { /* array assignment */
+                        if (TotalValue->Val->Array.Size != CurrentValue->Val->Array.Size)
+                            ProgramFail(Parser, "incompatible array sizes in assignment");
+                        
+                        //memcpy(TotalValue->Val->Array.Data, CurrentValue->Val->Array.Data, CurrentValue->Typ->Sizeof * CurrentValue->Val->Array.Size);
+                    }
+                    VariableStackPop(Parser, CurrentValue);
+                    *Result = TotalValue;
+                }
+                return TRUE;
+                
+            case TokenAddAssign: case TokenSubtractAssign:
+                LexGetToken(Parser, NULL, TRUE);
+            
                 if (!ParseExpression(Parser, &CurrentValue))
                     ProgramFail(Parser, "expression expected");
                 
                 if (Parser->Mode == RunModeRun)
-                {
-                    if (CurrentValue->Typ->Base != TypeInt || !TotalValue->IsLValue || TotalValue->Typ->Base != TypeInt)
+                { /* do the assignment */
+                    if (!TotalValue->IsLValue)
                         ProgramFail(Parser, "can't assign");
 
-                    switch (Token)
+                    if (CurrentValue->Typ->Base == TypeInt && TotalValue->Typ->Base == TypeInt)
                     {
-                        case TokenAddAssign: TotalValue->Val->Integer += CurrentValue->Val->Integer; break;
-                        case TokenSubtractAssign: TotalValue->Val->Integer -= CurrentValue->Val->Integer; break;
-                        default: TotalValue->Val->Integer = CurrentValue->Val->Integer; break;
+                        switch (Token)
+                        {
+                            case TokenAddAssign: TotalValue->Val->Integer += CurrentValue->Val->Integer; break;
+                            case TokenSubtractAssign: TotalValue->Val->Integer -= CurrentValue->Val->Integer; break;
+                            default: break;
+                        }
+                        VariableStackPop(Parser, CurrentValue);
                     }
-                    VariableStackPop(Parser, CurrentValue);
+#ifndef NO_FP
+                    else if (CurrentValue->Typ->Base == TypeFP && TotalValue->Typ->Base == TypeFP)
+                    {
+                        switch (Token)
+                        {
+                            case TokenAddAssign: TotalValue->Val->FP += CurrentValue->Val->FP; break;
+                            case TokenSubtractAssign: TotalValue->Val->FP -= CurrentValue->Val->FP; break;
+                            default: break;
+                        }
+                        VariableStackPop(Parser, CurrentValue);
+                    }
+#endif
+                    else
+                        ProgramFail(Parser, "can't operate and assign these types");
                 }
                 // fallthrough
             
diff --git a/picoc.c b/picoc.c
index 4b0fe06..8a3c189 100644
--- a/picoc.c
+++ b/picoc.c
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ void Initialise()
     TypeInit();
     LibraryInit(&GlobalTable, "c library", &CLibrary);
     LibraryInit(&GlobalTable, "platform library", &PlatformLibrary);
-    ParseInit();
 }
 
 /* platform-dependent code for running programs is in this file */
diff --git a/picoc.h b/picoc.h
index d23396b..b3e1b66 100644
--- a/picoc.h
+++ b/picoc.h
@@ -247,7 +247,6 @@ void LexInitParser(struct ParseState *Parser, void *TokenSource, const char *Fil
 enum LexToken LexGetToken(struct ParseState *Parser, struct Value **Value, int IncPos);
 
 /* parse.c */
-void ParseInit(void);
 int ParseExpression(struct ParseState *Parser, struct Value **Result);
 int ParseIntExpression(struct ParseState *Parser);
 int ParseStatement(struct ParseState *Parser);
diff --git a/tests/10_pointer.c b/tests/10_pointer.c
index 0fadf3e..765029d 100644
--- a/tests/10_pointer.c
+++ b/tests/10_pointer.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 int a;
 int *b;
+int c;
 
 a = 42;
 b = &a;