diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/array.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/array.rkt
index 3fa1167c..d8a957aa 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/array.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/array.rkt
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ approximates
 https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Array.coffee
 |#
 
-(define (xarray-decode xa [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/post-decode (xarray-decode xa [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (->input-port port-arg))
   (parameterize ([current-input-port port])
     (define new-parent (if (xint? (xarray-base-len xa))
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Array.coffee
       [else (for/list ([i (in-range decoded-len)])
               (decode (xarray-base-type xa) #:parent new-parent))])))
 
-(define (xarray-encode xa array [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/pre-encode (xarray-encode xa array [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (unless (sequence? array)
     (raise-argument-error 'xarray-encode "sequence" array))
   (define port (if (output-port? port-arg) port-arg (open-output-bytes)))
@@ -59,22 +59,21 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Array.coffee
       [else (encode-items parent)])
     (unless port-arg (get-output-bytes port))))
 
-(define (xarray-size xa [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/finalize-size (xarray-size xa [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
   (when val (unless (sequence? val)
               (raise-argument-error 'xarray-size "sequence" val)))
-  (finalize-size
-   (cond
-     [val (define-values (new-parent len-size) (if (xint? (xarray-base-len xa))
-                                                   (values (mhasheq 'parent parent) (size (xarray-base-len xa)))
-                                                   (values parent 0)))
-          (define items-size (for/sum ([item val])
-                               (size (xarray-base-type xa) item #:parent new-parent)))
-          (+ items-size len-size)]
-     [else (define item-count (resolve-length (xarray-base-len xa) #f #:parent parent))
-           (define item-size (size (xarray-base-type xa) #f #:parent parent))
-           (* item-size item-count)])))
+  (cond
+    [val (define-values (new-parent len-size) (if (xint? (xarray-base-len xa))
+                                                  (values (mhasheq 'parent parent) (size (xarray-base-len xa)))
+                                                  (values parent 0)))
+         (define items-size (for/sum ([item val])
+                              (size (xarray-base-type xa) item #:parent new-parent)))
+         (+ items-size len-size)]
+    [else (define item-count (resolve-length (xarray-base-len xa) #f #:parent parent))
+          (define item-size (size (xarray-base-type xa) #f #:parent parent))
+          (* item-size item-count)]))
 
-(struct xarray-base (type len) #:transparent)
+(struct xarray-base xbase (type len) #:transparent)
 (struct xarray xarray-base (length-type) #:transparent
   #:methods gen:xenomorphic
   [(define decode xarray-decode)
diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/bitfield.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/bitfield.rkt
index 7a346e7c..cf7928ba 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/bitfield.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/bitfield.rkt
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ approximates
 https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Bitfield.coffee
 |#
 
-(define (xbitfield-decode xb [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/post-decode (xbitfield-decode xb [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (->input-port port-arg))
   (parameterize ([current-input-port port])
     (define flag-hash (mhasheq))
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Bitfield.coffee
       (hash-set! flag-hash flag (bitwise-bit-set? val i)))
     flag-hash))
 
-(define (xbitfield-encode xb flag-hash [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/pre-encode (xbitfield-encode xb flag-hash [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (if (output-port? port-arg) port-arg (open-output-bytes)))
   (parameterize ([current-output-port port])
     (define bit-int (for/sum ([(flag i) (in-indexed (xbitfield-flags xb))]
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Bitfield.coffee
 (define (xbitfield-size xb [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
   (size (xbitfield-type xb)))
 
-(struct xbitfield (type flags) #:transparent
+(struct xbitfield xbase (type flags) #:transparent
   #:methods gen:xenomorphic
   [(define decode xbitfield-decode)
    (define encode xbitfield-encode)
diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/buffer.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/buffer.rkt
index 03d85ee6..c534a9f0 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/buffer.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/buffer.rkt
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ approximates
 https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Buffer.coffee
 |#
 
-(define (xbuffer-decode xb [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/post-decode (xbuffer-decode xb [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (->input-port port-arg))
   (parameterize ([current-input-port port])
     (define decoded-len (resolve-length (xbuffer-len xb) #:parent parent))
     (read-bytes decoded-len)))
 
-(define (xbuffer-encode xb buf [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/pre-encode (xbuffer-encode xb buf [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (if (output-port? port-arg) port-arg (open-output-bytes)))
   (parameterize ([current-output-port port])
     (unless (bytes? buf)
@@ -23,15 +23,14 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Buffer.coffee
     (write-bytes buf)
     (unless port-arg (get-output-bytes port))))
 
-(define (xbuffer-size xb [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/finalize-size (xbuffer-size xb [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
   (when val (unless (bytes? val)
               (raise-argument-error 'xbuffer-size "bytes" val)))
-  (finalize-size
-   (if (bytes? val)
-       (bytes-length val)
-       (resolve-length (xbuffer-len xb) val #:parent parent))))
+  (if (bytes? val)
+      (bytes-length val)
+      (resolve-length (xbuffer-len xb) val #:parent parent)))
 
-(struct xbuffer (len) #:transparent
+(struct xbuffer xbase (len) #:transparent
   #:methods gen:xenomorphic
   [(define decode xbuffer-decode)
    (define encode xbuffer-encode)
diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/enum.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/enum.rkt
index 5929cc30..5cab0c07 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/enum.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/enum.rkt
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ approximates
 https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Enum.coffee
 |#
 
-(define (xenum-decode xe [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/post-decode (xenum-decode xe [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (->input-port port-arg))
   (parameterize ([current-input-port port])
   (define index (decode (xenum-type xe)))
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Enum.coffee
 (define (xenum-size xe [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
   (size (xenum-type xe)))
 
-(define (xenum-encode xe val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/pre-encode (xenum-encode xe val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (if (output-port? port-arg) port-arg (open-output-bytes)))
   (parameterize ([current-output-port port])
   (define index (index-of (xenum-options xe) val))
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Enum.coffee
   (encode (xenum-type xe) index)
   (unless port-arg (get-output-bytes port))))
 
-(struct xenum (type options) #:transparent
+(struct xenum xbase (type options) #:transparent
   #:methods gen:xenomorphic
   [(define decode xenum-decode)
    (define encode xenum-encode)
diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/helper.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/helper.rkt
index 652bf1b9..b972a62b 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/helper.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/helper.rkt
@@ -24,7 +24,28 @@
     (file-position p new-pos))
   (file-position p))
 
-(struct xbase (pre-encode post-decode) #:transparent #:mutable)
+(struct xbase ([pre-encode #:auto] [post-decode #:auto]) #:transparent #:mutable
+  #:auto-value values)
+
+(define (pre-encode xb val)
+  ((xbase-pre-encode xb) val))
+
+(define (set-pre-encode! xb func)
+  (set-xbase-pre-encode! xb func))
+
+(define (post-decode xb val)
+  ((xbase-post-decode xb) val))
+
+(define (set-post-decode! xb func)
+  (set-xbase-post-decode! xb func))
+
+(define-syntax-rule (define/post-decode (ID X VAL . ARGS) . BODY)
+  (define (ID X VAL . ARGS) (post-decode X (let () . BODY))))
+
+(define-syntax-rule (define/pre-encode (ID X VAL . ARGS) . BODY)
+  (define (ID X val-in . ARGS) (let ([VAL (pre-encode X val-in)]) . BODY)))
+
+(define-syntax-rule (define/finalize-size ID+ARGS . BODY) (define ID+ARGS (finalize-size (let () . BODY)))) 
 
 (define-generics xenomorphic
   (encode xenomorphic val [port] #:parent [parent])
diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/lazy-array.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/lazy-array.rkt
index c7af4345..e1739acf 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/lazy-array.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/lazy-array.rkt
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/LazyArray.coffee
           (pos port (+ starting-pos (* (size type #f #:parent parent) index)))
           ;; use explicit `port` arg below because this evaluation is delayed
           (begin0
-            (decode type port #:parent parent)
+            (post-decode xla (decode type port #:parent parent))
             (pos port orig-pos)))
         (pos port (+ (pos port) (* decoded-len (size (xarray-base-type xla) #f #:parent parent))))))))
 
diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/number.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/number.rkt
index dc0fcb11..4163df30 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/number.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/number.rkt
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Number.coffee
 
 (define system-endian (if (system-big-endian?) 'be 'le))
 
-(define (xint-encode i val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/pre-encode (xint-encode i val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (unless (xint? i)
     (raise-argument-error 'encode "xint instance" i))
   (define-values (bound-min bound-max) (bounds i))
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Number.coffee
     (define res (apply bytes ((if (eq? (xint-endian i) 'be) values reverse) bs)))
     (if port-arg (write-bytes res) res)))
 
-(define (xint-decode i [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/post-decode (xint-decode i [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (unless (xint? i)
     (raise-argument-error 'decode "xint instance" i))
   (define port (->input-port port-arg))
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Number.coffee
                    (arithmetic-shift b (* 8 i))))
     (if (xint-signed i) (unsigned->signed uint (bits i)) uint)))
 
-(struct xnumber () #:transparent)
+(struct xnumber xbase () #:transparent)
 
 (struct xint xnumber (size signed endian) #:transparent
   #:methods gen:xenomorphic
@@ -157,13 +157,13 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Number.coffee
   (check-equal? (encode int8 -1 #f) (bytes 255))
   (check-equal? (encode int8 127 #f) (bytes 127)))
 
-(define (xfloat-decode xf [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/post-decode (xfloat-decode xf [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (unless (xfloat? xf)
     (raise-argument-error 'decode "xfloat instance" xf))
   (define bs (read-bytes (xfloat-size xf) (->input-port port-arg)))
   (floating-point-bytes->real bs (eq? (xfloat-endian xf) 'be)))
 
-(define (xfloat-encode xf val [port (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/pre-encode (xfloat-encode xf val [port (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (unless (xfloat? xf)
     (raise-argument-error 'encode "xfloat instance" xf))
   (unless (or (not port) (output-port? port))
@@ -192,13 +192,13 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Number.coffee
 (define doublebe (+xfloat 8 #:endian 'be))
 (define doublele (+xfloat 8 #:endian 'le))
 
-(define (xfixed-decode xf [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/post-decode (xfixed-decode xf [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (unless (xfixed? xf)
     (raise-argument-error 'decode "xfixed instance" xf))
   (define int (xint-decode xf port-arg))
   (exact-if-possible (/ int (fixed-shift xf) 1.0)))
 
-(define (xfixed-encode xf val [port (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/pre-encode (xfixed-encode xf val [port (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (unless (xfixed? xf)
     (raise-argument-error 'encode "xfixed instance" xf))
   (define int (exact-if-possible (floor (* val (fixed-shift xf)))))
diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/optional.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/optional.rkt
index 2ca2c0bc..2ade74e5 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/optional.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/optional.rkt
@@ -13,25 +13,24 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Optional.coffee
       (maybe-proc parent)
       maybe-proc))
 
-(define (xoptional-decode xo [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/post-decode (xoptional-decode xo [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (->input-port port-arg))
   (parameterize ([current-input-port port])
     (when (resolve-condition xo parent)
       (decode (xoptional-type xo) #:parent parent))))
 
-(define (xoptional-encode xo val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/pre-encode (xoptional-encode xo val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (if (output-port? port-arg) port-arg (open-output-bytes)))
   (parameterize ([current-output-port port])
     (when (resolve-condition xo parent)
       (encode (xoptional-type xo) val #:parent parent))
     (unless port-arg (get-output-bytes port))))
 
-(define (xoptional-size xo [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
-  (finalize-size
-   (when (resolve-condition xo parent)
-     (size (xoptional-type xo) val #:parent parent))))
+(define/finalize-size (xoptional-size xo [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
+  (when (resolve-condition xo parent)
+     (size (xoptional-type xo) val #:parent parent)))
 
-(struct xoptional (type condition) #:transparent
+(struct xoptional xbase (type condition) #:transparent
   #:methods gen:xenomorphic
   [(define decode xoptional-decode)
    (define encode xoptional-encode)
diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/pointer.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/pointer.rkt
index 842055a4..b5b3a91d 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/pointer.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/pointer.rkt
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Pointer.coffee
     [(dict-ref parent 'parent #f) => find-top-parent]
     [else parent]))
 
-(define (xpointer-decode xp [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/post-decode (xpointer-decode xp [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (->input-port port-arg))
   (parameterize ([current-input-port port])
   (define offset (decode (xpointer-offset-type xp) #:parent parent))
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Pointer.coffee
     [(xvoid-pointer? val) (values (xvoid-pointer-type val) (xvoid-pointer-value val))]
     [else (raise-argument-error 'Pointer:size "VoidPointer" val)]))
 
-(define (xpointer-encode xp val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/pre-encode (xpointer-encode xp val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (if (output-port? port-arg) port-arg (open-output-bytes)))
   (unless parent ; todo: furnish default pointer context? adapt from Struct?
     (raise-argument-error 'xpointer-encode "valid pointer context" parent))
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Pointer.coffee
                                        (+ (dict-ref parent 'pointerSize) (size type val #:parent parent)))))
     (size (xpointer-offset-type xp))))
 
-(struct xpointer (offset-type type options) #:transparent
+(struct xpointer xbase (offset-type type options) #:transparent
   #:methods gen:xenomorphic
   [(define decode xpointer-decode)
    (define encode xpointer-encode)
diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/reserved.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/reserved.rkt
index e477ad98..9947b160 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/reserved.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/reserved.rkt
@@ -7,22 +7,22 @@ approximates
 https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Reserved.coffee
 |#
 
-(define (xreserved-decode xo [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/post-decode (xreserved-decode xo [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (->input-port port-arg))
   (pos port (+ (pos port) (size xo #f #:parent parent)))
   (void))
 
-(define (xreserved-encode xo val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/pre-encode (xreserved-encode xo val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (if (output-port? port-arg) port-arg (open-output-bytes)))
   (write-bytes (make-bytes (size xo val #:parent parent) 0) port)
   (unless port-arg (get-output-bytes port)))
 
-(define (xreserved-size xo [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/finalize-size (xreserved-size xo [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define item-size (size (xreserved-type xo)))
   (define count (resolve-length (xreserved-count xo) #f #:parent parent))
-  (finalize-size (* item-size count)))
+  (* item-size count))
 
-(struct xreserved (type count) #:transparent
+(struct xreserved xbase (type count) #:transparent
   #:methods gen:xenomorphic
   [(define decode xreserved-decode)
    (define encode xreserved-encode)
diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/string.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/string.rkt
index e15525cc..1fd7be66 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/string.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/string.rkt
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/String.coffee
       [(ascii utf8) string->bytes/utf-8]))
   (bytes-length (encoder (format "~a" val))))
 
-(define (xstring-decode xs [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/post-decode (xstring-decode xs [port-arg (current-input-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (->input-port port-arg))
   (parameterize ([current-input-port port])
     (let ([len (or (resolve-length (xstring-len xs) #:parent parent) (count-nonzero-chars port))]
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/String.coffee
       (pos port (+ (pos port) adjustment))
       string)))
 
-(define (xstring-encode xs val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
+(define/pre-encode (xstring-encode xs val [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent #f])
   (define port (if (output-port? port-arg) port-arg (open-output-bytes)))
   (parameterize ([current-output-port port])
     (let* ([val (format "~a" val)]
@@ -67,21 +67,20 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/String.coffee
       (when (not (xstring-len xs)) (write-byte #x00)) ; null terminated when no len
       (unless port-arg (get-output-bytes port))))) 
 
-(define (xstring-size xs [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
-  (finalize-size
-   (cond
-     [val (define encoding (if (procedure? (xstring-encoding xs))
-                               (or ((xstring-encoding xs) (and parent (dict-ref parent val)) 'ascii))
-                               (xstring-encoding xs)))
-          (define string-size (byte-length val (if (eq? encoding 'utf16be) 'utf16le encoding)))
-          (define strlen-size (cond
-                                [(not (xstring-len xs)) 1]
-                                [(xint? (xstring-len xs)) (size (xstring-len xs))]
-                                [else 0]))
-          (+ string-size strlen-size)]
-     [else (resolve-length (xstring-len xs) #f #:parent parent)])))
-
-(struct xstring (len encoding) #:transparent
+(define/finalize-size (xstring-size xs [val #f] #:parent [parent #f])
+  (cond
+    [val (define encoding (if (procedure? (xstring-encoding xs))
+                              (or ((xstring-encoding xs) (and parent (dict-ref parent val)) 'ascii))
+                              (xstring-encoding xs)))
+         (define string-size (byte-length val (if (eq? encoding 'utf16be) 'utf16le encoding)))
+         (define strlen-size (cond
+                               [(not (xstring-len xs)) 1]
+                               [(xint? (xstring-len xs)) (size (xstring-len xs))]
+                               [else 0]))
+         (+ string-size strlen-size)]
+    [else (resolve-length (xstring-len xs) #f #:parent parent)]))
+
+(struct xstring xbase (len encoding) #:transparent
   #:methods gen:xenomorphic
   [(define decode xstring-decode)
    (define encode xstring-encode)
diff --git a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/struct.rkt b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/struct.rkt
index d5a16fdc..48cd122a 100644
--- a/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/struct.rkt
+++ b/xenomorph/xenomorph/redo/struct.rkt
@@ -60,20 +60,20 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Struct.coffee
       (let* ([sdr (_setup port parent len)] ; returns StructDictRes
              [sdr (_parse-fields port sdr (xstruct-fields xs))])
         sdr))
-    (let* ([res ((xstruct-post-decode xs) res port parent)]
+    (let* ([res (post-decode xs res)]
            #;[res (inner res post-decode res . args)])
       (unless (d:dict? res) (raise-result-error 'xstruct-decode "dict" res))
       res)))
 
-(define (xstruct-size xs [val #f] #:parent [parent-arg #f] [include-pointers #t])
+(define/finalize-size (xstruct-size xs [val #f] #:parent [parent-arg #f] [include-pointers #t])
   (define parent (mhasheq 'parent parent-arg
-                       'val val
-                       'pointerSize 0))
+                          'val val
+                          'pointerSize 0))
   (define fields-size (for/sum ([(key type) (d:in-dict (xstruct-fields xs))]
-               #:when (xenomorphic? type))
-       (size type (and val (d:dict-ref val key)) #:parent parent)))
+                                #:when (xenomorphic? type))
+                        (size type (and val (d:dict-ref val key)) #:parent parent)))
   (define pointers-size (if include-pointers (d:dict-ref parent 'pointerSize) 0))
-  (finalize-size (+ fields-size pointers-size)))
+  (+ fields-size pointers-size))
 
 (define (xstruct-encode xs val-arg [port-arg (current-output-port)] #:parent [parent-arg #f])
   (unless (d:dict? val-arg)
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Struct.coffee
   (define port (if (output-port? port-arg) port-arg (open-output-bytes)))
   (parameterize ([current-output-port port])
     ;; check keys first, since `size` also relies on keys being valid
-    (define val (let* ([val ((xstruct-pre-encode xs) val-arg port)]
+    (define val (let* ([val (pre-encode xs val-arg)]
                        #;[val (inner res pre-encode val . args)])
                   (unless (d:dict? val) (raise-result-error 'xstruct-encode "dict" val))
                   val))
@@ -90,10 +90,10 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Struct.coffee
                             (format "dict that contains superset of Struct keys: ~a" (d:dict-keys (xstruct-fields xs))) (d:dict-keys val)))
 
     (define parent (mhash 'pointers empty
-                       'startOffset (pos port)
-                       'parent parent-arg
-                       'val val
-                       'pointerSize 0))
+                          'startOffset (pos port)
+                          'parent parent-arg
+                          'val val
+                          'pointerSize 0))
 
     ; deliberately use `xstruct-size` instead of `size` to use extra arg
     (d:dict-set! parent 'pointerOffset (+ (pos port) (xstruct-size xs val #:parent parent #f))) 
@@ -104,17 +104,17 @@ https://github.com/mbutterick/restructure/blob/master/src/Struct.coffee
       (encode (d:dict-ref ptr 'type) (d:dict-ref ptr 'val) #:parent (d:dict-ref ptr 'parent)))
     (unless port-arg (get-output-bytes port))))
 
-(struct structish () #:transparent)
-(struct xstruct structish (fields post-decode pre-encode) #:transparent #:mutable
+(struct structish xbase () #:transparent)
+(struct xstruct structish (fields) #:transparent #:mutable
   #:methods gen:xenomorphic
   [(define decode xstruct-decode)
    (define encode xstruct-encode)
    (define size xstruct-size)])
 
-(define (+xstruct [fields null] [post-decode (λ (val port parent) val)] [pre-encode (λ (val port) val)])
+(define (+xstruct [fields null])
   (unless (d:dict? fields)
     (raise-argument-error '+xstruct "dict" fields))
-  (xstruct fields post-decode pre-encode))
+  (xstruct fields))
 
 (module+ test
   (require rackunit "number.rkt")