diff --git a/docs/manual.html b/docs/manual.html
index 7168b2994..e0ea9b782 100755
--- a/docs/manual.html
+++ b/docs/manual.html
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ public:
         torrent_info(const entry& torrent_file)
         torrent_info(int piece_size, const char* name);
 
-        entry create_torrent(const char* created_by = 0) const;
+        entry create_torrent() const;
         void set_comment(char const* str);
         void set_creator(char const* str);
         void set_hash(int index, const sha1_hash& h);
diff --git a/docs/manual.rst b/docs/manual.rst
index da5186e62..e9caf21a8 100755
--- a/docs/manual.rst
+++ b/docs/manual.rst
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ The ``torrent_info`` has the following synopsis::
 		torrent_info(const entry& torrent_file)
 		torrent_info(int piece_size, const char* name);
 
-		entry create_torrent(const char* created_by = 0) const;
+		entry create_torrent() const;
 		void set_comment(char const* str);
 		void set_creator(char const* str);
 		void set_hash(int index, const sha1_hash& h);
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/entry.hpp b/include/libtorrent/entry.hpp
index 4e9419192..b5094a6d1 100755
--- a/include/libtorrent/entry.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/entry.hpp
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		};
 	}
 
+	class entry;
 
 	class entry
 	{
@@ -171,13 +172,14 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		data_type m_type;
 
-#if defined(_MSC_VER)
-
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1300
 		// workaround for msvc-bug.
 		// assumes sizeof(map<string, char>) == sizeof(map<string, entry>)
+		// and sizeof(list<char>) == sizeof(list<entry>)
 		union
 		{
-			char data[detail::max4<sizeof(list_type)
+			char data[
+				detail::max4<sizeof(std::list<char>)
 				, sizeof(std::map<std::string, char>)
 				, sizeof(string_type)
 				, sizeof(integer_type)>::value];
diff --git a/src/allocate_resources.cpp b/src/allocate_resources.cpp
index c4fcefebc..561c5e9be 100644
--- a/src/allocate_resources.cpp
+++ b/src/allocate_resources.cpp
@@ -38,10 +38,11 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #include <cassert>
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <boost/limits.hpp>
-#include <boost/iterator/transform_iterator.hpp>
 
 #if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1300
 #define for if (false) {} else for
+#else
+#include <boost/iterator/transform_iterator.hpp>
 #endif
 
 namespace libtorrent
@@ -252,6 +253,68 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			, res);
 	}
 */
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1300
+
+	namespace detail
+	{
+		struct iterator_wrapper
+		{
+			typedef std::map<sha1_hash, boost::shared_ptr<torrent> >::iterator orig_iter;
+
+			orig_iter iter;
+
+			iterator_wrapper(orig_iter i): iter(i) {}
+			void operator++() { ++iter; }
+			torrent& operator*() { return *(iter->second); }
+			bool operator==(const iterator_wrapper& i) const
+			{ return iter == i.iter; }
+			bool operator!=(const iterator_wrapper& i) const
+			{ return iter != i.iter; }
+		};
+
+		struct iterator_wrapper2
+		{
+			typedef std::map<address, peer_connection*>::iterator orig_iter;
+
+			orig_iter iter;
+
+			iterator_wrapper2(orig_iter i): iter(i) {}
+			void operator++() { ++iter; }
+			peer_connection& operator*() { return *(iter->second); }
+			bool operator==(const iterator_wrapper2& i) const
+			{ return iter == i.iter; }
+			bool operator!=(const iterator_wrapper2& i) const
+			{ return iter != i.iter; }
+		};
+
+	}
+
+	void allocate_resources(
+		int resources
+		, std::map<sha1_hash, boost::shared_ptr<torrent> >& c
+		, resource_request torrent::* res)
+	{
+		allocate_resources_impl(
+			resources
+			, detail::iterator_wrapper(c.begin())
+			, detail::iterator_wrapper(c.end())
+			, res);
+	}
+
+	void allocate_resources(
+		int resources
+		, std::map<address, peer_connection*>& c
+		, resource_request peer_connection::* res)
+	{
+		allocate_resources_impl(
+			resources
+			, detail::iterator_wrapper2(c.begin())
+			, detail::iterator_wrapper2(c.end())
+			, res);
+	}
+
+#else
+
 	void allocate_resources(
 		int resources
 		, std::map<sha1_hash, boost::shared_ptr<torrent> >& c
@@ -283,5 +346,6 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			, new_iter(c.end(), &pick_peer2)
 			, res);
 	}
+#endif
 
 } // namespace libtorrent
diff --git a/src/peer_connection.cpp b/src/peer_connection.cpp
index 1e3d2e4c5..d1a073778 100755
--- a/src/peer_connection.cpp
+++ b/src/peer_connection.cpp
@@ -44,8 +44,13 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #include "libtorrent/invariant_check.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/io.hpp"
 
-#if defined(_MSC_VER)
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1300
 #define for if (false) {} else for
+namespace std
+{
+	using ::isprint;
+}
+
 #endif
 
 #define VERBOSE
diff --git a/src/session.cpp b/src/session.cpp
index a3a2f1a7f..a7a4c4ee5 100755
--- a/src/session.cpp
+++ b/src/session.cpp
@@ -872,6 +872,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		, const boost::filesystem::path& save_path
 		, const entry& resume_data)
 	{
+		if (ti.begin_files() == ti.end_files())
+			throw std::runtime_error("no files in torrent");
 
 		{
 			// lock the session
diff --git a/src/torrent_handle.cpp b/src/torrent_handle.cpp
index e665ea0db..67bfc654b 100755
--- a/src/torrent_handle.cpp
+++ b/src/torrent_handle.cpp
@@ -75,6 +75,64 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 	namespace
 	{
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1300
+
+		template<class T>
+		struct transform_void{ typedef T type; };
+
+		template<>
+		struct transform_void<void> { typedef int type; };
+
+		template<class Ret>
+		struct void_call_wrapper
+		{
+			template<class F>
+			static Ret call(F f, torrent& t)
+			{
+				return f(t);
+			}
+		};
+
+		template<>
+		struct void_call_wrapper<void>
+		{
+			template<class F>
+			static int call(F f, torrent& t)
+			{
+				f(t);
+				return 0;
+			}
+		};
+
+		template<class Ret, class F>
+			transform_void<Ret>::type call_member(
+			detail::session_impl* ses
+			, detail::checker_impl* chk
+			, sha1_hash const& hash
+			, F f)
+		{
+			typedef typename transform_void<Ret>::type ret;
+			if (ses == 0) throw invalid_handle();
+
+			{
+				boost::mutex::scoped_lock l(ses->m_mutex);
+				torrent* t = ses->find_torrent(hash);
+				if (t != 0) return void_call_wrapper<Ret>::call(f, *t);
+			}
+
+
+			if (chk)
+			{
+				boost::mutex::scoped_lock l(chk->m_mutex);
+
+				detail::piece_checker_data* d = chk->find_torrent(hash);
+				if (d != 0) return void_call_wrapper<Ret>::call(f, *d->torrent_ptr);
+			}
+			throw invalid_handle();
+		}
+
+#else
+
 		template<class Ret, class F>
 		Ret call_member(
 			detail::session_impl* ses
@@ -100,6 +158,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			}
 			throw invalid_handle();
 		}
+#endif
+	
 	}
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG