diff --git a/src/include/array/array_base.cc.h b/src/include/array/array_base.cc.h
index 8854a2b..0cab6c7 100644
--- a/src/include/array/array_base.cc.h
+++ b/src/include/array/array_base.cc.h
@@ -222,8 +222,7 @@ namespace CNORXZ
     OpRoot<T,Index> ArrayBase<T>::operator()(const Sptr<Index>& i)
     {
 	//CXZ_WARNING("FORMAT / BLOCKSIZES!!!");
-	auto j = moveToPtr( begin()->formatTo(i) ); // moveToPtr: keep original instance of sub indices
-	return oproot(*this, j);
+	return oproot(*this, i);
     }
 
     template <typename T>
@@ -231,16 +230,14 @@ namespace CNORXZ
     inline decltype(auto) ArrayBase<T>::operator()(const SPack<Indices...>& pack)
     {
 	//CXZ_WARNING("FORMAT / BLOCKSIZES!!!");
-	auto j = moveToPtr( begin()->formatTo(mindexPtr(pack)) );
-	return oproot(*this, j);
+	return oproot(*this, mindexPtr(pack));
     }
 
     template <typename T>
     inline decltype(auto) ArrayBase<T>::operator()(const DPack& pack)
     {
 	//CXZ_WARNING("FORMAT / BLOCKSIZES!!!");
-	auto j = moveToPtr( begin()->formatTo(yindexPtr(pack)) );
-	return oproot(*this, j);
+	return oproot(*this, yindexPtr(pack));
     }
 
     /*****************************
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/mrange.cc.h b/src/include/ranges/mrange.cc.h
index 0419742..3a6801b 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/mrange.cc.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/mrange.cc.h
@@ -390,41 +390,6 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	static_assert(is_index<Index>::value, "got non-index");
 	CXZ_ASSERT(ind.dim() >= dim(), "for formatting index of dimension " << dim()
 		   << " need index of at least the same dimension, got " << ind.dim());
-	
-	if constexpr(index_is_multi<Index>::value){
-	    if constexpr(has_static_sub<Index>::value){ // static dim (GMIndex)
-		// assert either same dim, dim == 1, or static sizes
-		CXZ_WARNING("not implemented!");
-	    }
-	    else { // YIndex
-		SizeT j = 0;
-		iter<0,NI>
-		    ( [&](auto i){
-			CXZ_ASSERT(j < ind.dim(), "no sub indices left");
-			const auto isize = pack()[i]->size();
-			SizeT ssize = 1;
-			for(; j < ind.dim() and ssize < isize; ++j){
-			    ssize *= ind.pack()[j];
-			}
-			CXZ_ASSERT(ssize == isize, "incompatible sizes: " << ssize
-				   << " vs " << isize);
-		    },
-			
-			);
-	    }
-	}
-	else {
-	    if(ind.dim() > 1) { // DIndex to YIndex
-		
-	    }
-	    else { // this->dim() == 1 and ind.dim() == 1
-		static_assert
-		    (std::is_same<FormatT,std::remove_reference<decltype(ind.format())>>::type,
-		     "got incompatible static index format types");
-		mFormat = ind.format();
-		// assert that all lower indices in ind have dim == 1!!!
-	    }
-	}
 	return *this;
     }
 
@@ -514,6 +479,13 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	return mLexFormat;
     }
 
+    template <class FormatT, class... Indices>
+    auto GMIndex<FormatT,Indices...>::deepFormat() const
+    {
+	return iter<0,NI>( [&](auto i) { return std::get<i>(mIPack)->deepFormat(); },
+			   [&](const auto&... e) { return (e * ...); } );
+    }
+
     template <class FormatT, class... Indices>
     GMIndex<FormatT,Indices...>& GMIndex<FormatT,Indices...>::setFormat(const FormatT& bs)
     {
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/mrange.h b/src/include/ranges/mrange.h
index ec7ec00..1ec4499 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/mrange.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/mrange.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	const SPack<Indices...>& pack() const;
 	const auto& format() const;
 	const auto& lexFormat() const;
+	auto deepFormat() const;
 	GMIndex& setFormat(const FormatT& bs);
 
     private: