diff --git a/compiler/conv.nim b/compiler/conv.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4ff91a900e06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/conv.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+#[
+unfinished
+generic parser
+]#
+
+import parseutils
+from strutils import startsWith, continuesWith
+
+template enforce(a: untyped, msg: untyped) =
+  # todo: custom catchable exception
+  doAssert a, $msg
+
+proc skipWhitespace(src: string, start: var int) =
+  while start < src.len and src[start] == ' ': # CHECKME for ws
+    start.inc
+
+template skipWhitespace2() = skipWhitespace(src, start)
+
+template continuesWith2(pattern: string): bool=
+  src.continuesWith(pattern, start)
+
+
+template continuesWithAndAdvance(pattern: string): bool=
+  let old = start
+  skipWhitespace2()
+  if src.continuesWith(pattern, start):
+    start.inc pattern.len
+    true
+  else:
+    start = old
+    false
+
+proc eat(src: string, start: var int, pattern: string) =
+  enforce continuesWithAndAdvance(pattern), (src, start, pattern)
+
+template eat2(pattern: string) = eat(src, start, pattern)
+
+proc parseFrom*[T](dst: var T, src: string, start: var int) =
+  template process(parseCustom) =
+    let ret = parseCustom(src, dst, start)
+    enforce ret > 0, (start, src)
+    start += ret
+
+  skipWhitespace2()
+  when T is seq:
+    parseFromList(dst, src, start, "@[", "]")
+  elif T is array:
+    parseFromList(dst, src, start, "[", "]")
+  elif T is tuple:
+    parseFromTuple(dst, src, start, "(", ")")
+  elif T is int: process(parseInt)
+  elif T is float: process(parseFloat)
+  elif T is string: parseFromString(dst, src, start)
+  elif T is bool:
+    if continuesWithAndAdvance("true"): dst = true
+    elif continuesWithAndAdvance("false"): dst = false
+    else:
+      # else: enforce false, ($T, start, src) # nim BUG cgen error
+      doAssert false, $($T, start)
+  else:
+    static: doAssert false, $T
+
+proc parseFromString*(dst: var string, src: string, start: var int) =
+  if continuesWithAndAdvance "\"":
+    while true:
+      if continuesWithAndAdvance "\"": #IMRPOVE: handle correctly \" ; handle other stirng litterals
+        break
+      else:
+        dst.add src[start]
+        start.inc
+
+  # const triple = """""""""
+  # if continuesWithAndAdvance triple:
+  #   while true:
+  #     # PRTEMP
+  #     # if not endsWith triple:
+
+proc parseFromTuple*(dst: var tuple, src: string, start: var int, left, right: string) =
+  eat2(left)
+  var done = false
+  for k,v in fieldPairs(dst):
+    enforce not done, (src, start, k)
+    parseFrom(v, src, start)
+    if not continuesWithAndAdvance(","):
+      done = true
+  eat2(right)
+
+type seqLike = seq | array
+proc parseFromList*(dst: var seqLike, src: string, start: var int, left, right: string) =
+  type T = type(dst[0]) #CHECKME: ok for empty array?
+  eat2(left)
+  var count = 0
+  while true:
+    if continuesWithAndAdvance(right): return
+    var a: T
+    parseFrom(a, src, start)
+    when dst is seq:
+      dst.add a
+    elif dst is array:
+      dst[count] = a
+      count.inc
+    else:
+      static: doAssert false
+    if continuesWithAndAdvance(","):
+      continue
+    else:
+      break
+  eat2(right)
+
+proc parseFrom*[T](dst: var T, src: string) =
+  var start = 0
+  parseFrom(dst, src, start)
+  enforce start == src.len, (start, src.len)
+
+proc parse*[T](src: string): T =
+  parseFrom(result, src)
+
+when isMainModule:
+  proc runTest[T](a: T) =
+    proc toStr(a: T): string =
+      when T is string:
+        result.addQuoted a #CHECKME: quoteShellCommand?
+      else:
+        result = $a
+    let ret = parse[T](toStr(a))
+    doAssert a == ret, $(a, $a, $T)
+
+  runTest 123
+  runTest 3.14
+  runTest "foo bar"
+  runTest @[1,2]
+  runTest @[@[1,2], @[3], @[]]
+  runTest @[true, false]
+  runTest [true, false]
+  runTest (true, 12, 3.4, "foo")
+  runTest (true, [12.2], (3.4,32,), @[@[10,10],@[]])