diff --git a/src/include/helper_tools.h b/src/include/helper_tools.h
index b5c11c1..3754dbb 100644
--- a/src/include/helper_tools.h
+++ b/src/include/helper_tools.h
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
     auto createExplicit(std::shared_ptr<RangeFactory> rfp)
 	-> std::shared_ptr<typename RangeFactory::oType>;
 
+    template <class Range>
+    auto createRange(const std::vector<char>& cvec)
+	-> std::shared_ptr<Range>;
 }
 
 /* ========================= *
@@ -112,7 +115,19 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
     {
 	return std::dynamic_pointer_cast<typename RangeFactory::oType>( rfp->create() );
     }
-    
+
+    template <class Range>
+    auto createRange(const std::vector<char>& cvec)
+	-> std::shared_ptr<Range>
+    {
+	const char* dp = cvec.data();
+	auto ff = createRangeFactory(&dp);
+	auto rbptr = ff->create();
+	assert(rbptr->spaceType() == Range::STYPE);
+	// CATCH CAST ERROR HERE !!!
+	return std::dynamic_pointer_cast<Range>( rbptr );
+    }
+
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/multi_range.h b/src/include/ranges/multi_range.h
index e13666c..a81db50 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/multi_range.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/multi_range.h
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
     }
 
     // -> define in range_base.cc
-    std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> mkMULTI(char** dp);
+    std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> mkMULTI(const char** dp);
     
     /******************
      *   MultiIndex   *
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/range_base.h b/src/include/ranges/range_base.h
index 1824755..a35593b 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/range_base.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/range_base.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 	void setSelf();
     };
 
-    std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> createRangeFactory(char** dp);
+    std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> createRangeFactory(const char** dp);
     
     class RangeBase
     {
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/range_types/null_range.h b/src/include/ranges/range_types/null_range.h
index d875d54..d0a83b9 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/range_types/null_range.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/range_types/null_range.h
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
     typedef SingleRange<size_t,SpaceType::NUL> NullRange;
     typedef SingleRangeFactory<size_t,SpaceType::NUL> NullRF;
     
-    std::shared_ptr<NullRF> mkNUL(char* dp, size_t size);
+    std::shared_ptr<NullRF> mkNUL(const char* dp, size_t size);
 	
 }
 
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/range_types/space_range.h b/src/include/ranges/range_types/space_range.h
index 18c5595..8758a0d 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/range_types/space_range.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/range_types/space_range.h
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
     typedef SingleRange<int,SpaceType::PSPACE> PSpaceRange;
     typedef SingleRangeFactory<int,SpaceType::PSPACE> PSpaceRF;
 
-    std::shared_ptr<PSpaceRF> mkPSPACE(char* dp, size_t size);
+    std::shared_ptr<PSpaceRF> mkPSPACE(const char* dp, size_t size);
     
     template <class SpaceRange>
     struct PromoteMSpaceRange
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/range_types/spin_range.h b/src/include/ranges/range_types/spin_range.h
index 05e8025..80031cd 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/range_types/spin_range.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/range_types/spin_range.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
     typedef SingleRange<size_t,SpaceType::SPIN> SpinRange;
     typedef SingleRangeFactory<size_t,SpaceType::SPIN> SpinRF;
 
-    std::shared_ptr<SpinRF> mkSPIN(char* dp, size_t size);
+    std::shared_ptr<SpinRF> mkSPIN(const char* dp, size_t size);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/type_map.h b/src/include/ranges/type_map.h
index 645faa5..2a33bc1 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/type_map.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/type_map.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
+//#include <iostream>
 
 namespace MultiArrayTools
 {
@@ -34,9 +35,9 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
     }
 	
     template <typename T>
-    inline void metaCat(std::vector<T>& vec, char* begin, size_t size)
+    inline void metaCat(std::vector<T>& vec, const char* begin, size_t size)
     {
-	T* tp = reinterpret_cast<T*>( begin );
+	const T* tp = reinterpret_cast<const T*>( begin );
 	vec.insert(vec.end(), tp, tp + size / sizeof(T));
     }
 
@@ -62,10 +63,11 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
     }
     
     template <>
-    inline void metaCat<std::string>(std::vector<std::string>& vec, char* begin, size_t size)
+    inline void metaCat<std::string>(std::vector<std::string>& vec, const char* begin, size_t size)
     {
 
 	std::string tmp(begin, size);
+	//std::cout << tmp << std::endl;
 	size_t pos = 0;
 	while(pos != tmp.size()){
 	    std::string es = "\n";
diff --git a/src/lib/ranges/range_base.cc b/src/lib/ranges/range_base.cc
index 7a70339..26417fa 100644
--- a/src/lib/ranges/range_base.cc
+++ b/src/lib/ranges/range_base.cc
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 	return id;
     }
 
-    std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> mkMULTI(char** dp, size_t metaSize)
+    std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> mkMULTI(char const** dp, size_t metaSize)
     {
 	std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> out = nullptr;
 	RVEC rvec(metaSize);
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 	return out;
     }
 
-    std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> mkANONYMOUS(char** dp, size_t metaSize)
+    std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> mkANONYMOUS(char const** dp, size_t metaSize)
     {
 	std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> out = nullptr;
 	auto arf = std::make_shared<AnonymousRangeFactory>();
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 	return out;
     }
 
-    std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> createRangeFactory(char** dp)
+    std::shared_ptr<RangeFactoryBase> createRangeFactory(char const** dp)
     {
 	DataHeader h = *reinterpret_cast<const DataHeader*>(*dp);
 	*dp += sizeof(DataHeader);
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 		if(h.metaType == -1){
 		    assert(0);
 		}
-#define register_type(x) else if(x == h.metaType) {\
+#define register_type(x) else if(x == h.metaType) {	\
 		    std::vector<TypeMap<x>::type> vd;\
 		    metaCat(vd, *dp, h.metaSize); \
 		    out = std::make_shared<SingleRangeFactory<TypeMap<x>::type, \
diff --git a/src/lib/ranges/range_types/null_range.cc b/src/lib/ranges/range_types/null_range.cc
index 86beaaf..5398e8f 100644
--- a/src/lib/ranges/range_types/null_range.cc
+++ b/src/lib/ranges/range_types/null_range.cc
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 namespace MultiArrayTools
 {
-    std::shared_ptr<NullRF> mkNUL(char* dp, size_t size)
+    std::shared_ptr<NullRF> mkNUL(const char* dp, size_t size)
     {
 	return std::make_shared<NullRF>();
     }
diff --git a/src/lib/ranges/range_types/space_range.cc b/src/lib/ranges/range_types/space_range.cc
index d28b7cf..3d537aa 100644
--- a/src/lib/ranges/range_types/space_range.cc
+++ b/src/lib/ranges/range_types/space_range.cc
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@
 
 namespace MultiArrayTools
 {
-    std::shared_ptr<PSpaceRF> mkPSPACE(char* dp, size_t size)
+    std::shared_ptr<PSpaceRF> mkPSPACE(const char* dp, size_t size)
     {
-	size_t max = *reinterpret_cast<size_t*>(dp);
+	size_t max = *reinterpret_cast<const size_t*>(dp);
 	return std::make_shared<PSpaceRF>(max);
     }
     
diff --git a/src/lib/ranges/range_types/spin_range.cc b/src/lib/ranges/range_types/spin_range.cc
index 501283e..c5c7b0e 100644
--- a/src/lib/ranges/range_types/spin_range.cc
+++ b/src/lib/ranges/range_types/spin_range.cc
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 namespace MultiArrayTools
 {
-    std::shared_ptr<SpinRF> mkSPIN(char* dp, size_t size)
+    std::shared_ptr<SpinRF> mkSPIN(const char* dp, size_t size)
     {
 	return std::make_shared<SpinRF>();
     }
diff --git a/src/tests/ranges/anonymous_unit_test.cc b/src/tests/ranges/anonymous_unit_test.cc
index 9a4f0f5..80e6f80 100644
--- a/src/tests/ranges/anonymous_unit_test.cc
+++ b/src/tests/ranges/anonymous_unit_test.cc
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ namespace {
     TEST_F(AnonymousTest, ToString1)
     {
 	std::vector<char> vv = sr1ptr->data();
-	char* dp = vv.data();
+	const char* dp = vv.data();
 	auto ff = createRangeFactory(&dp);
 	auto ss = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<SRange>( ff->create() );
 
@@ -151,9 +151,9 @@ namespace {
 	std::vector<char> cv = cr->data();
 	std::vector<char> sv = sr->data();
 	std::vector<char> nv = nr->data(); 
-	char* cp = cv.data();
-	char* sp = sv.data();
-	char* np = nv.data();
+	const char* cp = cv.data();
+	const char* sp = sv.data();
+	const char* np = nv.data();
 
 	auto crf2 = createRangeFactory(&cp);
 	auto cr2 = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<ClassicRange>( crf2->create() );
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ namespace {
     TEST_F(AnonymousTest, ToStringMulti)
     {
 	std::vector<char> vv = m3rptr->data();
-	char* dp = vv.data();
+	const char* dp = vv.data();
 	
 	auto ff2 = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<M3RF>( createRangeFactory(&dp) );
 	auto mr2 = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<M3Range>( ff2->create() );
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ namespace {
 	AnonymousRangeFactory arf2(sr1ptr,m3rptr,sr2ptr);
 	auto ar = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<AnonymousRange>( arf2.create() );
 	std::vector<char> vv = ar->data();
-	char* dp = vv.data();
+	const char* dp = vv.data();
 	
 	auto ff2 = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<AnonymousRangeFactory>( createRangeFactory(&dp) );
 	auto ar2 = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<AnonymousRange>( ff2->create() );