diff --git a/collects/parser-tools/examples/calc.ss b/collects/parser-tools/examples/calc.ss
index caeaa4f..871ac3c 100644
--- a/collects/parser-tools/examples/calc.ss
+++ b/collects/parser-tools/examples/calc.ss
@@ -13,14 +13,8 @@
 (define vars (make-hash-table))
 
 (define-lex-abbrevs
- (lower-letter (- a z))
+ (lower-letter (- "a" "z"))
 
- ;; In the following line if we used (- A Z) dr/mzscheme would read it as (- a z) if
- ;; case-sensitivity is not enabled.  (- #\A #\Z) will not be altered because dr/mzscheme
- ;; reads them as character constants and not as symbols.  (- "A" "Z") would work as well
- ;; since dr/mzscheme would read them as strings.  The lexer generator treates single character
- ;; strings and symbols the same as an actual #\ character.  #cs(- A Z) works too because the #cs
- ;; tells dr/mzscheme to read the next expression with case-sensitivity turned on.
  (upper-letter (- #\A #\Z))
 
  ;; (- 0 9) would not work because the lexer does not understand numbers.  (- #\0 #\9) is ok too.
@@ -34,17 +28,15 @@
    [(: #\tab #\space) (calcl input-port)]
    ;; The parser will treat the return of 'newline the same as (token-newline)
    [#\newline 'newline]
-   [(: = + - * / ^) (string->symbol lexeme)]
+   [(: "=" "+" "-" "*" "/" "^") (string->symbol lexeme)]
    ["(" 'OP]
    [")" 'CP]
-   [sin (token-FNCT sin)]
-   ;; It the parens are left off of an "invocation" of an abbreviation, it means the
-   ;; character sequence instead.
-   [(+ (: (lower-letter) (upper-letter))) (token-VAR (string->symbol lexeme))]
-   [(+ (digit)) (token-NUM (string->number lexeme))]
+   ["sin" (token-FNCT sin)]
+   [(+ (: lower-letter upper-letter)) (token-VAR (string->symbol lexeme))]
+   [(+ digit) (token-NUM (string->number lexeme))]
    ;; Strings which dr/mzscheme does not think of as symbols (such as . or ,) must be
    ;; entered as a string or character.  "." would also be ok.
-   [(@ (+ (digit)) #\. (* (digit))) (token-NUM (string->number lexeme))]))
+   [(@ (+ digit) #\. (* digit)) (token-NUM (string->number lexeme))]))
    
 
 (define calcp
diff --git a/collects/parser-tools/examples/read.ss b/collects/parser-tools/examples/read.ss
index 3a974b4..ea659b6 100644
--- a/collects/parser-tools/examples/read.ss
+++ b/collects/parser-tools/examples/read.ss
@@ -17,24 +17,24 @@
     (lexer-src-pos
      
      ;; Skip comments, without accumulating extra position information
-     [(: (whitespace) (comment)) (return-without-pos (scheme-lexer input-port))]
+     [(: whitespace comment) (return-without-pos (scheme-lexer input-port))]
 
      ["#t" (token-DATUM #t)]
      ["#f" (token-DATUM #f)]
-     [(@ "#\\" (any)) (token-DATUM (caddr (string->list lexeme)))]
+     [(@ "#\\" any) (token-DATUM (caddr (string->list lexeme)))]
      ["#\\space" (token-DATUM #\space)]
      ["#\\newline" (token-DATUM #\newline)]
-     [(: (@ (initial) (* (subsequent))) + - "...") (token-DATUM (string->symbol lexeme))]
+     [(: (@ initial (* subsequent)) "+" "-" "...") (token-DATUM (string->symbol lexeme))]
      [#\" (token-DATUM (list->string (get-string-token input-port)))]
      [#\( 'OP]
      [#\) 'CP]
      [#\[ 'OP]
      [#\] 'CP]
      ["#(" 'HASHOP]
-     [(num2) (token-DATUM (string->number lexeme 2))]
-     [(num8) (token-DATUM (string->number lexeme 8))]
-     [(num10) (token-DATUM (string->number lexeme 10))]
-     [(num16) (token-DATUM (string->number lexeme 16))]
+     [num2 (token-DATUM (string->number lexeme 2))]
+     [num8 (token-DATUM (string->number lexeme 8))]
+     [num10 (token-DATUM (string->number lexeme 10))]
+     [num16 (token-DATUM (string->number lexeme 16))]
      ["'" 'QUOTE]
      ["`" 'QUASIQUOTE]
      ["," 'UNQUOTE]
@@ -53,117 +53,113 @@
   
   (define-lex-abbrevs
    [any (- #\000 #\377)]
-   [letter (: (- a z) (- #\A #\Z))]
+   [letter (: (- "a" "z") (- #\A #\Z))]
    [digit (- #\0 #\9)]
    [whitespace (: #\newline #\return #\tab #\space #\vtab)]
-   [initial (: (letter) ! $ % & * / : < = > ? ^ _ ~ @)]
-   [subsequent (: (initial) (digit) + - #\. @)]
+   [initial (: letter "!" "$" "%" "&" "*" "/" ":" "<" "=" ">" "?" "^" "_" "~" "@")]
+   [subsequent (: initial digit "+" "-" #\. "@")]
    [comment (@ #\; (* (^ #\newline)) #\newline)]
    
-;   [numR (@ (prefixR) (complexR))]
-;   [complexR (: (realR) 
-;                (@ (realR) @ (realR))
-;                (@ (realR) + (urealR) i)
-;                (@ (realR) - (urealR) i)
-;                (@ (realR) + i)
-;                (@ (realR) - i)
-;                (@ + (urealR) i)
-;                (@ - (urealR) i)
-;                (@ + i)
-;                (@ - i))]
-;   [realR (@ (sign) (urealR))]
-;   [urealR (: (uintegerR) (@ (uintegerR) / (uintegerR)) (decimalR))]
-;   [uintegerR (@ (+ (digitR)) (* #\#))]
-;   [prefixR (: (@ (radixR) (exactness))
-;               (@ (exactness) (radixR)))]
-;   [numR (@ (prefixR) (complexR))]
-;   [complexR (: (realR) 
-;                (@ (realR) @ (realR))
-
-   [num2 (@ (prefix2) (complex2))]
-   [complex2 (: (real2) 
-                (@ (real2) @ (real2))
-                (@ (real2) + (ureal2) i)
-                (@ (real2) - (ureal2) i)
-                (@ (real2) + i)
-                (@ (real2) - i)
-                (@ + (ureal2) i)
-                (@ - (ureal2) i)
-                (@ + i)
-                (@ - i))]
-   [real2 (@ (sign) (ureal2))]
-   [ureal2 (: (uinteger2) (@ (uinteger2) / (uinteger2)))]
-   [uinteger2 (@ (+ (digit2)) (* #\#))]
-   [prefix2 (: (@ (radix2) (exactness))
-               (@ (exactness) (radix2)))]
-   [radix2 "#b"]
-   [digit2 (: #\0 #\1)]
+;   [numR (@ prefixR complexR)]
+;   [complexR (: realR
+;                (@ realR "@" realR)
+;                (@ realR "+" urealR "i")
+;                (@ realR "-" urealR "i")
+;                (@ realR "+i")
+;                (@ realR "-i")
+;                (@ "+" urealR "i")
+;                (@ "-" urealR "i")
+;                (@ "+i")
+;                (@ "-i"))]
+;   [realR (@ sign urealR)]
+;   [urealR (: uintegerR (@ uintegerR "/" uintegerR) decimalR)]
+;   [uintegerR (@ (+ digitR) (* #\#))]
+;   [prefixR (: (@ radixR exactness)
+;               (@ exactness radixR))]
    
-   [num8 (@ (prefix8) (complex8))]
-   [complex8 (: (real8) 
-                (@ (real8) @ (real8))
-                (@ (real8) + (ureal8) i)
-                (@ (real8) - (ureal8) i)
-                (@ (real8) + i)
-                (@ (real8) - i)
-                (@ + (ureal8) i)
-                (@ - (ureal8) i)
-                (@ + i)
-                (@ - i))]
-   [real8 (@ (sign) (ureal8))]
-   [ureal8 (: (uinteger8) (@ (uinteger8) / (uinteger8)))]
-   [uinteger8 (@ (+ (digit8)) (* #\#))]
-   [prefix8 (: (@ (radix8) (exactness))
-               (@ (exactness) (radix8)))]
+   [num2 (@ prefix2 complex2)]
+   [complex2 (: real2
+                (@ real2 "@" real2)
+                (@ real2 "+" ureal2 "i")
+                (@ real2 "-" ureal2 "i")
+                (@ real2 "+i")
+                (@ real2 "-i")
+                (@ "+" ureal2 "i")
+                (@ "-" ureal2 "i")
+                (@ "+i")
+                (@ "-i"))]
+   [real2 (@ sign ureal2)]
+   [ureal2 (: uinteger2 (@ uinteger2 "/" uinteger2))]
+   [uinteger2 (@ (+ digit2) (* #\#))]
+   [prefix2 (: (@ radix2 exactness)
+               (@ exactness radix2))]
+   [radix2 "#b"]
+   [digit2 (: "0" "1")]
+   [num8 (@ prefix8 complex8)]
+   [complex8 (: real8
+                (@ real8 "@" real8)
+                (@ real8 "+" ureal8 "i")
+                (@ real8 "-" ureal8 "i")
+                (@ real8 "+i")
+                (@ real8 "-i")
+                (@ "+" ureal8 "i")
+                (@ "-" ureal8 "i")
+                (@ "+i")
+                (@ "-i"))]
+   [real8 (@ sign ureal8)]
+   [ureal8 (: uinteger8 (@ uinteger8 "/" uinteger8))]
+   [uinteger8 (@ (+ digit8) (* #\#))]
+   [prefix8 (: (@ radix8 exactness)
+               (@ exactness radix8))]
    [radix8 "#o"]
-   [digit8 (- #\0 #\7)]
+   [digit8 (- "0" "7")]
    
-   [num10 (@ (prefix10) (complex10))]
-   [complex10 (: (real10) 
-                (@ (real10) @ (real10))
-                (@ (real10) + (ureal10) i)
-                (@ (real10) - (ureal10) i)
-                (@ (real10) + i)
-                (@ (real10) - i)
-                (@ + (ureal10) i)
-                (@ - (ureal10) i)
-                (@ + i)
-                (@ - i))]
-   [real10 (@ (sign) (ureal10))]
-   [ureal10 (: (uinteger10) (@ (uinteger10) / (uinteger10)) (decimal10))]
-   [uinteger10 (@ (+ (digit10)) (* #\#))]
-   [prefix10 (: (@ (radix10) (exactness))
-               (@ (exactness) (radix10)))]
+   [num10 (@ prefix10 complex10)]
+   [complex10 (: real10
+                (@ real10 "@" real10)
+                (@ real10 "+" ureal10 "i")
+                (@ real10 "-" ureal10 "i")
+                (@ real10 "+i")
+                (@ real10 "-i")
+                (@ "+" ureal10 "i")
+                (@ "-" ureal10 "i")
+                (@ "+i")
+                (@ "-i"))]
+   [real10 (@ sign ureal10)]
+   [ureal10 (: uinteger10 (@ uinteger10 "/" uinteger10) decimal10)]
+   [uinteger10 (@ (+ digit10) (* #\#))]
+   [prefix10 (: (@ radix10 exactness)
+               (@ exactness radix10))]
    [radix10 (: (@) "#d")]
-   [digit10 (digit)]
-   [decimal10 (: (@ (uinteger10) (suffix))
-                 (@ #\. (+ (digit10)) (* #\#) (suffix))
-                 (@ (+ (digit10)) #\. (* (digit10)) (* #\#) (suffix))
-                 (@ (+ (digit10)) (+ #\#) #\. (* #\#) (suffix)))]
+   [digit10 digit]
+   [decimal10 (: (@ uinteger10 suffix)
+                 (@ #\. (+ digit10) (* #\#) suffix)
+                 (@ (+ digit10) #\. (* digit10) (* #\#) suffix)
+                 (@ (+ digit10) (+ #\#) #\. (* #\#) suffix))]
    
-   [num16 (@ (prefix16) (complex16))]
-   [complex16 (: (real16) 
-                (@ (real16) @ (real16))
-                (@ (real16) + (ureal16) i)
-                (@ (real16) - (ureal16) i)
-                (@ (real16) + i)
-                (@ (real16) - i)
-                (@ + (ureal16) i)
-                (@ - (ureal16) i)
-                (@ + i)
-                (@ - i))]
-   [real16 (@ (sign) (ureal16))]
-   [ureal16 (: (uinteger16) (@ (uinteger16) / (uinteger16)))]
-   [uinteger16 (@ (+ (digit16)) (* #\#))]
-   [prefix16 (: (@ (radix16) (exactness))
-               (@ (exactness) (radix16)))]
+   [num16 (@ prefix16 complex16)]
+   [complex16 (: real16
+                (@ real16 "@" real16)
+                (@ real16 "+" ureal16 "i")
+                (@ real16 "-" ureal16 "i")
+                (@ real16 "+i")
+                (@ real16 "-i")
+                (@ "+" ureal16 "i")
+                (@ "-" ureal16 "i")
+                "+i"
+                "-i")]
+   [real16 (@ sign ureal16)]
+   [ureal16 (: uinteger16 (@ uinteger16 "/" uinteger16))]
+   [uinteger16 (@ (+ digit16) (* #\#))]
+   [prefix16 (: (@ radix16 exactness)
+               (@ exactness radix16))]
    [radix16 "#x"]
-   [digit16 (: (digit) (- #\a #\f) (- #\A #\F))]
+   [digit16 (: digit (- #\a #\f) (- #\A #\F))]
     
    
-   [suffix (: (@) (@ (exponent-marker) (sign) (+ (digit10))))]
-   [exponent-marker (: e s f d l)]
-   [sign (: (@) + -)]
+   [suffix (: (@) (@ exponent-marker sign (+ digit10)))]
+   [exponent-marker (: "e" "s" "f" "d" "l")]
+   [sign (: (@) "+" "-")]
    [exactness (: (@) "#i" "#e")])