diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index ef4ff94..4b946f9 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
     stralloc first.
   add stralloc_zero to clear a stralloc
   add buffer_putsflush
+  add stralloc_catm and stralloc_copym
+  add buffer_putm and buffer_putmflush
 
 0.20:
   add errmsg API
diff --git a/buffer.h b/buffer.h
index 6037bb5..a85c84d 100644
--- a/buffer.h
+++ b/buffer.h
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ int buffer_puts(buffer* b,const char* x);
 int buffer_putsalign(buffer* b,const char* x);
 int buffer_putsflush(buffer* b,const char* x);
 
+int buffer_putm_internal(buffer*b,...);
+int buffer_putm_internal_flush(buffer*b,...);
+#define buffer_putm(b,...) buffer_putm_internal(b,__VA_ARGS__,0)
+#define buffer_putmflush(b,...) buffer_putm_internal_flush(b,__VA_ARGS__,0)
+
 int buffer_putspace(buffer* b);
 int buffer_putnlflush(buffer* b); /* put \n and flush */
 
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_getline.3 b/buffer/buffer_getline.3
index fc1063c..cb304ab 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_getline.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_getline.3
@@ -11,10 +11,9 @@ buffer_getline copies data from \fIb\fR to \fIx\fR[0], \fIx\fR[1], ...,
 new-line character ('\\n') is encountered.  That character is also
 copied.
 
-buffer_getline returns the number of bytes read (excluding the '\\n') or
--1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR appropriately).
-
 Note that line is not 0-terminated to make reading lines with 0-bytes
 possible through this interface.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+Number of bytes read (without '\\n'), -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_init(3), buffer_feed(3), buffer_peek(3), buffer_seek(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_put.3 b/buffer/buffer_put.3
index 1e0baaf..93cbb03 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_put.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_put.3
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ The difference to buffer_putalign is that, when there isn't enough space
 for new data, buffer_put calls buffer_flush before copying any data,
 while buffer_putalign fills all available space with data before calling
 buffer_flush.
-
-On success, buffer_put returns 0. On error, buffer_put returns -1,
-setting \fIerrno\fR appropriately.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+buffer_put returns 0 if everything was fine, -1 on error (setting
+errno).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_putalign(3), buffer_puts(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_put8long.3 b/buffer/buffer_put8long.3
index a1d9537..8811cea 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_put8long.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_put8long.3
@@ -9,5 +9,7 @@ int \fBbuffer_put8long\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,unsigned long \fIx\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_put8long is similar to passing the result of fmt_8long to
 buffer_put.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 fmt_8long(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putalign.3 b/buffer/buffer_putalign.3
index 883422c..977cffd 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putalign.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putalign.3
@@ -12,5 +12,7 @@ The difference to buffer_put is that, when there isn't enough space for
 new data, buffer_put calls buffer_flush before copying any data, while
 buffer_putalign fills all available space with data before calling
 buffer_flush.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_put(3), buffer_putsalign(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_puterror.3 b/buffer/buffer_puterror.3
index a679537..c7ef97b 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_puterror.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_puterror.3
@@ -7,5 +7,7 @@ buffer_puterror \- write error string to buffer and flush
 int \fBbuffer_puterror\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_puterror is equivalent to calling buffer_puterror2 with errno.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_puterror2(3), buffer_puts(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_puterror2.3 b/buffer/buffer_puterror2.3
index 3e0996d..e64bb84 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_puterror2.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_puterror2.3
@@ -9,5 +9,7 @@ int \fBbuffer_puterror2\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,int \fIerrnum\fR);
 buffer_puterror2 writes the error message corresponding to the error
 number in \fIerrnum\fR to the buffer (e.g. "No such file or directory"
 for ENOENT).
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_puterror(3), buffer_puts(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putflush.3 b/buffer/buffer_putflush.3
index 96be0f5..3adef3a 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putflush.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putflush.3
@@ -9,5 +9,7 @@ int \fBbuffer_putflush\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_putflush is similar to calling
 buffer_put(\fIb\fR,\fIx\fR,\fIlen\fR) and then buffer_flush(\fIb\fR).
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putlong.3 b/buffer/buffer_putlong.3
index 9e2e688..9dc9fb3 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putlong.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putlong.3
@@ -9,5 +9,7 @@ int \fBbuffer_putlong\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,signed long \fIx\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_putlong is similar to passing the result of fmt_long to
 buffer_put.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 fmt_long(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putlonglong.3 b/buffer/buffer_putlonglong.3
index d0fff3b..5fb40a1 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putlonglong.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putlonglong.3
@@ -9,5 +9,7 @@ int \fBbuffer_putlonglong\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,signed long long \fIx\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_putlonglong is equivalent to passing the result of fmt_longlong to
 buffer_put.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 fmt_longlong(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putm.3 b/buffer/buffer_putm.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9fe6698
--- /dev/null
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putm.3
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+.TH buffer_putm 3
+.SH NAME
+buffer_putm \- write ASCIIZ string(s) to buffer
+.SH SYNTAX
+.B #include <buffer.h>
+
+int \fBbuffer_putm\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,const char* \fIx\fR,...);
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+buffer_putm is like buffer_puts, but it can be passed more than one
+string.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+buffer_putm returns 0 if everything was fine, -1 on error (setting
+errno).
+.SH "SEE ALSO"
+buffer_putsalign(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putm_internal.c b/buffer/buffer_putm_internal.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1370600
--- /dev/null
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putm_internal.c
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include "buffer.h"
+
+int buffer_putm_internal(buffer* b, ...) {
+  int r=0;
+  va_list a;
+  const char* s;
+  va_start(a,b);
+  while ((s=va_arg(a,const char*)))
+    if (buffer_puts(b,s)==-1) {
+      r=-1;
+      break;
+    }
+  va_end(a);
+  return r;
+}
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putm_internal_flush.c b/buffer/buffer_putm_internal_flush.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a5afbcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putm_internal_flush.c
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include "buffer.h"
+
+int buffer_putm_internal_flush(buffer* b, ...) {
+  int r=0;
+  va_list a;
+  const char* s;
+  va_start(a,b);
+  while ((s=va_arg(a,const char*)))
+    if (buffer_puts(b,s)==-1) {
+      r=-1;
+      break;
+    }
+  va_end(a);
+  buffer_flush(b);
+  return r;
+}
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putnlflush.3 b/buffer/buffer_putnlflush.3
index d2d79fd..52f5532 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putnlflush.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putnlflush.3
@@ -8,5 +8,7 @@ int \fBbuffer_putnlflush\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_putnlflush writes a single ASCII new-line character ('\\n') to
 \fIb\fR and calls buffer_flush(\fIb\fR).
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_puts(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_puts.3 b/buffer/buffer_puts.3
index c93b706..72a16c5 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_puts.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_puts.3
@@ -13,5 +13,8 @@ The difference to buffer_putsalign is that, when there isn't enough space
 for new data, buffer_puts calls buffer_flush before copying any data,
 while buffer_putsalign fills all available space with data before calling
 buffer_flush.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+buffer_puts returns 0 if everything was fine, -1 on error (setting
+errno).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_putsalign(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putsa.3 b/buffer/buffer_putsa.3
index df0e494..ed1c3c3 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putsa.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putsa.3
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ buffer_putsa \- write stralloc to buffer
 int \fBbuffer_putsa\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,const char* \fIx\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_putsa is equivalent to buffer_put(b,x.sa,x.len).
-
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_puts(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putsaflush.3 b/buffer/buffer_putsaflush.3
index bf797fd..aed30d6 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putsaflush.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putsaflush.3
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ buffer_putsa \- write stralloc to buffer and flush
 int \fBbuffer_putsaflush\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,const char* \fIx\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_putsaflush is equivalent to buffer_putflush(b,x.sa,x.len).
-
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_puts(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putsalign.3 b/buffer/buffer_putsalign.3
index fe53593..49912d8 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putsalign.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putsalign.3
@@ -8,5 +8,7 @@ int \fBbuffer_putsalign\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,const char* \fIx\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_putsalign is like buffer_putalign with \fIlen\fR determined as
 the number of bytes before the first \\0 in \fIx\fR.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_puts(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putspace.3 b/buffer/buffer_putspace.3
index 456fe72..dc94130 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putspace.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putspace.3
@@ -7,5 +7,7 @@ buffer_putspace \- write ASCII space to buffer
 int \fBbuffer_putspace\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_putspace writes a single ASCII space character to \fIb\fR.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 buffer_puts(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putulong.3 b/buffer/buffer_putulong.3
index 812c0c2..aee2e9d 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putulong.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putulong.3
@@ -9,5 +9,7 @@ int \fBbuffer_putulong\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,unsigned long \fIx\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_putulong is similar to passing the result of fmt_ulong to
 buffer_put.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 fmt_ulong(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putulonglong.3 b/buffer/buffer_putulonglong.3
index 3c7c387..c5bf94a 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putulonglong.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putulonglong.3
@@ -9,5 +9,7 @@ int \fBbuffer_putulonglong\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,unsigned long long \fIx\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_putulonglong is equivalent to passing the result of fmt_ulonglong to
 buffer_put.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 fmt_ulonglong(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/buffer/buffer_putxlong.3 b/buffer/buffer_putxlong.3
index 1f6005e..3ca0c1b 100644
--- a/buffer/buffer_putxlong.3
+++ b/buffer/buffer_putxlong.3
@@ -9,5 +9,7 @@ int \fBbuffer_putxlong\fP(buffer* \fIb\fR,unsigned long \fIx\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 buffer_putxlong is similar to passing the result of fmt_xlong to
 buffer_put.
+.SH "RETURN VALUE"
+0 if everything is fine, -1 on error (setting \fIerrno\fR).
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 fmt_xlong(3), buffer_put(3), buffer_flush(3), buffer(3)
diff --git a/stralloc.h b/stralloc.h
index 802a7a5..08c3754 100644
--- a/stralloc.h
+++ b/stralloc.h
@@ -63,6 +63,14 @@ int stralloc_catb(stralloc* sa,const char* in,unsigned int len);
 /* stralloc_cats is analogous to stralloc_copys */
 int stralloc_cats(stralloc* sa,const char* in);
 
+#define stralloc_zero(sa) stralloc_copys(sa,"")
+
+/* like stralloc_cats but can cat more than one string at once */
+int stralloc_catm_internal(stralloc* sa,...);
+
+#define stralloc_catm(sa,...) stralloc_catm_internal(sa,__VA_ARGS__,0)
+#define stralloc_copym(sa,...) (stralloc_zero(sa) && stralloc_catm_internal(sa,__VA_ARGS__,0))
+
 /* stralloc_cat is analogous to stralloc_copy */
 int stralloc_cat(stralloc* sa,stralloc* in);
 
@@ -91,8 +99,6 @@ int stralloc_diffs(const stralloc* a,const char* b) __pure__;
 /* stralloc_0 appends \0 */
 #define stralloc_0(sa) stralloc_append(sa,"")
 
-#define stralloc_zero(sa) stralloc_copys(sa,"")
-
 /* stralloc_catulong0 appends a '0' padded ASCII representation of in */
 int stralloc_catulong0(stralloc* sa,unsigned long in,unsigned int n);
 
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_catm.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_catm.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c7c331
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_catm.3
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+.TH stralloc_catm 3
+.SH NAME
+stralloc_catm \- append string(s) to a stralloc
+.SH SYNTAX
+.B #include <stralloc.h>
+
+int \fBstralloc_cats\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIs\fR, ...);
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+stralloc_cats appends \\0-terminated strings from \fIs\fR... to the
+end of the string stored in \fIsa\fR, allocating space if necessary, and
+returns 1. If \fIsa\fR is unallocated, stralloc_cats is the same as
+stralloc_copys.
+
+If it runs out of memory, stralloc_cats returns 0.  At that point, it
+may already have copied a few of the strings to sa.
+.SH "SEE ALSO"
+stralloc_cats(3)
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_catm_internal.c b/stralloc/stralloc_catm_internal.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..55beba8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_catm_internal.c
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include "stralloc.h"
+
+int stralloc_catm_internal(stralloc* sa, ...) {
+  va_list a;
+  const char* s;
+  va_start(a,sa);
+  while ((s=va_arg(a,const char*)))
+    if (stralloc_cats(sa,s)==0) {
+      va_end(a);
+      return 0;
+    }
+  va_end(a);
+  return 1;
+}
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_copym.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_copym.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc19334
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_copym.3
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+.TH stralloc_catm 3
+.SH NAME
+stralloc_copym \- copy string(s) to a stralloc
+.SH SYNTAX
+.B #include <stralloc.h>
+
+int \fBstralloc_copys\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIs\fR, ...);
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+stralloc_cats copies \\0-terminated strings from \fIs\fR... to \fIsa\fR,
+allocating space if necessary, and returns 1.  If there is data in the
+\fIsa\fR, it is cleared first.
+
+If it runs out of memory, stralloc_copys returns 0.  At that point, it
+may already have copied a few of the strings to sa.
+.SH "SEE ALSO"
+stralloc_copys(3)
diff --git a/t.c b/t.c
index fa16700..07420df 100644
--- a/t.c
+++ b/t.c
@@ -25,11 +25,19 @@
      __asm__ __volatile__ ("rdtsc" : "=a" (low) : : "edx")
 
 int main(int argc,char* argv[]) {
+#if 0
+  static stralloc sa;
+  stralloc_copym(&sa,"foo ","bar ","baz.\n");
+  write(1,sa.s,sa.len);
+#endif
+  buffer_putmflush(buffer_1,"foo ","bar ","baz.\n");
+#if 0
   char* c="fnord";
   int fd=open_read(c);
   errmsg_iam(argv[0]);
   carp("could not open file `",c,"'");
   diesys(23,"could not open file `",c,"'");
+#endif
 #if 0
   errmsg_warn("could not open file `",c,"'",0);
   errmsg_warnsys("could not open file `",c,"'",0);