diff --git a/src/latex.jl b/src/latex.jl
index 984d7d8..c86e349 100644
--- a/src/latex.jl
+++ b/src/latex.jl
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # conversion of LaTeX directives to plain text, markdown, etc.
 #
-# The basic idea is that we search for `\foo{arg}`, `{\foo arg}`,
-# or `{\foo{arg}}`, and look up `foo` in a dictionary of substitutions
+# The basic idea is that we search for `\foo{argument}`, `{\foo argument}`,
+# or `{\foo{argument}}`, and look up `foo` in a dictionary of substitutions
 # like `\textit` -> `*#1*` where #1 is where the (first) argument is
 # substituted.  Then we have separate dictionary entries for text/plain,
 # text/markdown, etcetera.
@@ -10,158 +10,185 @@
 # parsing LaTeX directives:
 
 const BACKSLASH = UInt8('\\')
-const BRACEOPEN = UInt8('{')
-const BRACECLOSE = UInt8('}')
+const BRACE_OPEN = UInt8('{')
+const BRACE_CLOSE = UInt8('}')
 const SPACE = UInt8(' ')
 const DOLLAR = UInt8('$')
 const CARET = UInt8('^')
 const UNDERSCORE = UInt8('_')
-isalpha8(x::UInt8) = UInt8('a') ≤ x ≤ UInt8('z') || UInt8('A') ≤ x ≤ UInt8('Z')
-isalnum8(x::UInt8) = UInt8('0') ≤ x ≤ UInt8('9') || isalpha8(x)
+is_letter(x::UInt8) = UInt8('a') ≤ x ≤ UInt8('z') || UInt8('A') ≤ x ≤ UInt8('Z')
+is_alphanumeric(x::UInt8) = UInt8('0') ≤ x ≤ UInt8('9') || is_letter(x)
 
 """
-    search_latexdirective(string, istart=1, inbrace=false)
+    search_latex_directive(astring, start_position = 1, inbrace=false)
 
-Search for a LaTeX directive \\directive{arg} or similar in `string`, returning
-`(ds, de, ae)` such that `string[ds:de]` gives `\\directive` and `string[de+1:ae]`
-gives `{arg}`.   Use [`striparg`](@ref) to remove surrounding braces and whitespace
-from the `arg`.
+Search for a LaTeX directive \\directive{argument} or similar in `string`, returning
+`(start_position, directive_end, argument_end)` such that `string[start_position:directive_end]` gives `\\directive` and `string[directive_end+1:argument_end]`
+gives `{argument}`.   Use [`strip_argument`](@ref) to remove surrounding braces and whitespace
+from the `argument`.
 """
-function search_latexdirective(s::Union{String,SubString{String}}, istart::Int=1)
-    e = sizeof(s)
-    0 < istart ≤ e || return 0,0,0
-    p = Vector{UInt8}(s)
-    i = istart
-    allspaces=true
+function search_latex_directive(astring, start_position = 1)
+    string_length = sizeof(astring)
+    if !(0 < start_position ≤ string_length)
+        0, 0, 0
+    else
+        character_vector = Vector{UInt8}(astring)
+        index = start_position
+        all_spaces = true
 
-    # find \foo directive or {...}:
-    c = UInt8(0)
-    while i ≤ e
-        c = p[i]
-        (c == BACKSLASH || c == BRACEOPEN || c == CARET || c == UNDERSCORE) && break
-        c != SPACE && (allspaces = false)
-        i += 1
-    end
-    if i ≤ e && c != BRACEOPEN
-        directive_start = i
-        if c == BACKSLASH
-            i += 2
-            i-1 > e && return 0,0,0
-            if isalpha8(p[i-1])
-                while i ≤ e && isalpha8(p[i])
-                    i += 1
+        # find \foo directive or {...}:
+        character = UInt8(0)
+        while index ≤ string_length
+            character = character_vector[index]
+            if (character == BACKSLASH || character == BRACE_OPEN || character == CARET || character == UNDERSCORE)
+                break
+            end
+            if character != SPACE
+                all_spaces = false
+            end
+            index += 1
+        end
+        if index ≤ string_length && character != BRACE_OPEN
+            directive_start = index
+            if character == BACKSLASH
+                index += 2
+                if index - 1 > string_length
+                    return 0,0,0
                 end
-            end
-            directive_end = i-1
-        else
-            directive_end = directive_start # ^ or _
-            i += 1
-        end
-
-        # look for optional opening brace
-        while i ≤ e && p[i] == SPACE
-            i += 1
-        end
-        i > e && return directive_start, directive_end, e
-        inbrace = p[i] == BRACEOPEN
-        if !inbrace
-            # search backwards from \foo to look for { \foo ...}
-            j = directive_start - 1
-            while j ≥ istart && p[j] == SPACE
-                j -= 1
-            end
-            if j < istart || p[j] != BRACEOPEN
-                if p[i] == BACKSLASH
-                    # argument is another latex directive
-                    ds,de,ae = search_latexdirective(s, i)
-                    return directive_start, directive_end, ae
-                elseif c != BACKSLASH
-                    # in an equation, token is a single char
-                    return directive_start, directive_end, i
-                elseif allspaces
-                    # if `\directive ...` was preceded only
-                    # by whitespace, then assume arguments
-                    # extend to the end of the string.  This
-                    # happens when we recurse on `{\directive ...}`.
-                    return directive_start, directive_end, e
-                else
-                    # argument is not in braces … get next token
-                    while i ≤ e && isalnum8(p[i])
-                        i += 1
+                if is_letter(character_vector[index - 1])
+                    while index ≤ string_length && is_letter(character_vector[index])
+                        index += 1
+                    end
+                end
+                directive_end = index - 1
+            else
+                directive_end = directive_start # ^ or _
+                index += 1
+            end
+
+            # look for optional opening brace
+            while index ≤ string_length && character_vector[index] == SPACE
+                index += 1
+            end
+            if index > string_length
+                return directive_start, directive_end, string_length
+            end
+            in_braces = character_vector[index] == BRACE_OPEN
+            if !in_braces
+                # search backwards from \foo to look for { \foo ...}
+                backwards_index = directive_start - 1
+                while backwards_index ≥ start_position && character_vector[backwards_index] == SPACE
+                    backwards_index -= 1
+                end
+                if backwards_index < start_position || character_vector[backwards_index] != BRACE_OPEN
+                    if character_vector[index] == BACKSLASH
+                        # argument is another latex directive
+                        inner_start_position, inner_directive_end, inner_argument_end = search_latex_directive(astring, index)
+                        return directive_start, directive_end, inner_argument_end
+                    elseif character != BACKSLASH
+                        # in an equation, token is a single char
+                        return directive_start, directive_end, index
+                    elseif all_spaces
+                        # if `\directive ...` was preceded only
+                        # by whitespace, then assume arguments
+                        # extend to the end of the string.  This
+                        # happens when we recurse on `{\directive ...}`.
+                        return directive_start, directive_end, string_length
+                    else
+                        # argument is not in braces … get next token
+                        while index ≤ string_length && is_alphanumeric(character_vector[index])
+                            index += 1
+                        end
+                        return directive_start, directive_end, index - 1
                     end
-                    return directive_start, directive_end, i-1
                 end
             end
+            index += 1
+        elseif index > string_length
+            return 0, 0, 0
+        else # { ... }
+            directive_start = index
+            directive_end = index - 1
+            in_braces = true
+            index += 1
         end
-        i += 1
-    elseif i > e
-        return 0,0,0
-    else # { ... }
-        directive_start = i
-        directive_end = i - 1
-        inbrace = true
-        i += 1
-    end
 
-    # search for end of argument (closing brace)
-    nbraces = 1
-    while i ≤ e
-        c = p[i]
-        if c == BRACEOPEN
-            nbraces += 1
-        elseif c == BRACECLOSE
-            nbraces -= 1
-            if nbraces == 0
-                return directive_start, directive_end, inbrace ? i : i-1
+        # search for end of argument (closing brace)
+        number_of_braces = 1
+        while index ≤ string_length
+            character = character_vector[index]
+            if character == BRACE_OPEN
+                number_of_braces += 1
+            elseif character == BRACE_CLOSE
+                number_of_braces -= 1
+                if number_of_braces == 0
+                    argument_end = if in_braces
+                        index
+                    else
+                        index - 1
+                    end
+                    return directive_start, directive_end, argument_end
+                end
             end
+            index += 1
         end
-        i += 1
+        directive_start, directive_end, string_length
     end
-    return directive_start, directive_end, e
 end
 
 """
-    striparg(s, argstart=start(s), argend=endof(s))
+    strip_argument(astring, start_position = start(astring), end_position = endof(astring))
 
-Return the substring of `s` corresponding to the argument from `argstart:argend`, stripping
+Return the substring of `astring` corresponding to the argument from `start_position:end_position`, stripping
 leading/trailing whitespace and braces.
 """
-function striparg(s::Union{String,SubString{String}}, argstart::Int=start(s), argend::Int=endof(s))
-    argstart > argend && return SubString(s, 1, 0)
-    e = endof(s)
-    (1 ≤ argstart ≤ e && 1 ≤ argend ≤ e) || throw(BoundsError())
-
-    p = Vector{UInt8}(s)
-    if p[argend] == BRACECLOSE
-        argend -= 1 # omit brace
-        while argstart ≤ argend && p[argstart] != BRACEOPEN
-            argstart += 1
+function strip_argument(astring, start_position = start(astring), end_position = endof(astring))
+    if start_position > end_position
+        SubString(astring, 1, 0)
+    else
+        string_length = endof(astring)
+        if !(1 ≤ start_position ≤ string_length && 1 ≤ end_position ≤ string_length)
+            throw(BoundsError())
+        else
+            character_vector = Vector{UInt8}(astring)
+            if character_vector[end_position] == BRACE_CLOSE
+                end_position -= 1 # omit brace
+                while start_position ≤ end_position && character_vector[start_position] != BRACE_OPEN
+                    start_position += 1
+                end
+                if start_position > end_position
+                    error("malformed argument")
+                end
+                start_position += 1 # omit brace
+            end
+            while start_position ≤ end_position && character_vector[end_position] == SPACE
+                end_position -= 1
+            end
+            while start_position ≤ end_position && character_vector[start_position] == SPACE
+                start_position += 1
+            end
+            SubString(astring, start_position, end_position)
         end
-        argstart > argend && error("malformed argument")
-        argstart += 1 # omit brace
     end
-    while argstart ≤ argend && p[argend] == SPACE
-        argend -= 1
-    end
-    while argstart ≤ argend && p[argstart] == SPACE
-        argstart += 1
-    end
-    return SubString(s, argstart, argend)
 end
 
 # to make replace work for LaTeX directives with our
 # custom search function, all we need to do is to define
-# a LaTeXDirectiveSearch type such that search(s, ::LaTeXDirectiveSearch, i)
+# a LaTeXDirectiveSearch type such that search(s, ::LaTeXDirectiveSearch, index)
 # returns the range of the directive
 struct LaTeXDirectiveSearch; end
-function Base.search(s::AbstractString, ::LaTeXDirectiveSearch, i::Integer)
-    ds, de, ae = search_latexdirective(s, i)
-    return ds < i ? (0:-1) : (ds:ae)
+function Base.search(s::AbstractString, ::LaTeXDirectiveSearch, index)
+    start_position, directive_end, argument_end = search_latex_directive(s, index)
+    if start_position < index
+        0:-1
+    else
+        start_position:argument_end
+    end
 end
 ###########################################################################
 
 # Unicode substitutions for LaTeX directives
-const latex_unicode = Dict{String,String}(
+const latex_unicode = Dict(
     # accent escapes like `\"u` for `ü`, from the list at
     # https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/LaTeX/Special_Characters
     # converted to LaTeX characters (mostly combining marks)
@@ -200,7 +227,7 @@ const latex_unicode = Dict{String,String}(
 )
 
 # LaTeX directives converted to Markdown
-const md_directives = Dict{String,String}(
+const markdown_directives = Dict(
     "\\emph" => "_#1_",
     "\\textit" => "_#1_",
     "\\it" => "_#1_",
@@ -218,7 +245,7 @@ const md_directives = Dict{String,String}(
 
 # directives that are stripped when converting
 # to text/plain
-const text_directives = Dict{String,String}(
+const text_directives = Dict(
     "\\emph" => "#1",
     "\\textit" => "#1",
     "\\it" => "#1",
@@ -232,7 +259,7 @@ const text_directives = Dict{String,String}(
 )
 
 # Unicode includes an incomplete set of super/subscript characters:
-const superscripts = Dict{Char,Char}(
+const superscripts = Dict(
     '0'=>'⁰', '1'=>'¹', '2'=>'²', '3'=>'³', '4'=>'⁴', '5'=>'⁵', '6'=>'⁶', '7'=>'⁷', '8'=>'⁸', '9'=>'⁹',
     'a'=>'ᵃ', 'b'=>'ᵇ', 'c'=>'ᶜ', 'd'=>'ᵈ', 'e'=>'ᵉ', 'f'=>'ᶠ', 'g'=>'ᵍ', 'h'=>'ʰ',
     'i'=>'ⁱ', 'j'=>'ʲ', 'k'=>'ᵏ', 'l'=>'ˡ', 'm'=>'ᵐ', 'n'=>'ⁿ', 'o'=>'ᵒ', 'p'=>'ᵖ',
@@ -242,83 +269,93 @@ const superscripts = Dict{Char,Char}(
     'U'=>'ᵁ', 'V'=>'ⱽ', 'W'=>'ᵂ', 'β'=>'ᵝ', 'γ'=>'ᵞ', 'δ'=>'ᵟ', 'ψ'=>'ᵠ', 'χ'=>'ᵡ', 'Θ'=>'ᶿ',
     '+'=>'⁺', '-'=>'⁻', '='=>'⁼', '('=>'⁽', ')'=>'⁾', ' '=>' ', '∘'=>'°',
 )
-const subscripts = Dict{Char,Char}(
+const subscripts = Dict(
     '0'=>'₀', '1'=>'₁', '2'=>'₂', '3'=>'₃', '4'=>'₄', '5'=>'₅', '6'=>'₆', '7'=>'₇', '8'=>'₈', '9'=>'₉',
     'a'=>'ₐ', 'e'=>'ₑ', 'h'=>'ₕ', 'i'=>'ᵢ', 'j'=>'ⱼ', 'k'=>'ₖ', 'l'=>'ₗ', 'm'=>'ₘ',
     'n'=>'ₙ', 'o'=>'ₒ', 'p'=>'ₚ', 'r'=>'ᵣ', 's'=>'ₛ', 't'=>'ₜ', 'u'=>'ᵤ', 'v'=>'ᵥ', 'x'=>'ₓ',
     'β'=>'ᵦ', 'γ'=>'ᵧ', 'ρ'=>'ᵨ', 'ψ'=>'ᵩ', 'χ'=>'ᵪ',
     '-'=>'₋', '+'=>'₊', '='=>'₌', '('=>'₍', ')'=>'₎', ' '=>' ',
 )
-function replacechars(s::AbstractString, charmap::Associative{Char,Char})
-    buf = IOBuffer()
-    for c in s
-        cm = get(charmap, c, '\0')
-        cm == '\0' && return ""
-        print(buf, cm)
+
+function replace_characters(astring, character_map)
+    buffer = IOBuffer()
+    for character in astring
+        mapped_character = get(character_map, character, '\0')
+        if mapped_character == '\0'
+            return ""
+        end
+        print(buffer, mapped_character)
     end
-    return String(take!(buf))
+    String(take!(buffer))
 end
 
 # Given a (sub)string `s` that represents a LaTeX directive matched
-# by search_latexdirective, performs our Unicode substitutions and
+# by search_latex_directive, performs our Unicode substitutions and
 # also any additional substitutions given by extra_directives.
-function directive_substitution(s::AbstractString, extra_directives::Associative{String,String})
-    ds, de = search_latexdirective(s)
-    ae = endof(s)
-    directive = SubString(s, ds, de)
+function directive_substitution(astring, extra_directives)
+    start_position, directive_end, argument_end = search_latex_directive(astring)
+    string_length = endof(astring)
+    directive = SubString(astring, start_position, directive_end)
     for dict in (extra_directives, latex_unicode, Base.REPLCompletions.latex_symbols)
         if haskey(dict, directive)
-            sub = dict[directive]
-            if contains(sub, "#1")
-                arg = striparg(replace_directives(striparg(s, de+1, ae), extra_directives))
-                return replace(sub, "#1", arg)
+            substitution = dict[directive]
+            if contains(substitution, "#1")
+                argument = strip_argument(replace_directives(strip_argument(astring, directive_end + 1, string_length), extra_directives))
+                return replace(substitution, "#1", argument)
             else
-                arg = replace_directives(SubString(s, de+1, ae), extra_directives)
-                if strwidth(sub) == 0 # \hat{...} etc: combining chars go after argument
-                    return string(striparg(arg), sub)
+                argument = replace_directives(SubString(astring, directive_end+1, string_length), extra_directives)
+                if strwidth(substitution) == 0 # \hat{...} etc: combining chars go after argument
+                    return string(strip_argument(argument), substitution)
                 else
-                    return string(sub, arg) # don't strip for 0-arg macros
+                    return string(substitution, argument) # don't strip for 0-arg macros
                 end
             end
         end
     end
     if directive == "^" || directive == "_" # super/subscripts
-        arg = striparg(replace_directives(striparg(s, de+1, ae), extra_directives))
-        sarg = replacechars(arg, directive == "^" ? superscripts : subscripts)
-        !isempty(sarg) && return sarg
+        argument = strip_argument(replace_directives(strip_argument(astring, directive_end + 1, string_length), extra_directives))
+        dict = if directive == "^"
+            superscripts
+        else
+            subscripts
+        end
+        substitution = replace_characters(argument, dict)
+        if !isempty(substitution)
+            return substitution
+        end
     end
-    return s # ignore unrecognized directives
+    astring # ignore unrecognized directives
 end
 
 # replace all latex directives in `s` via `directive_substitution`
-replace_directives(s::AbstractString, extra_directives::Associative{String,String}) =
-    replace(s, LaTeXDirectiveSearch(), sub -> directive_substitution(sub, extra_directives))
+replace_directives(astring, extra_directives) =
+    replace(astring, LaTeXDirectiveSearch(), substitution -> directive_substitution(substitution, extra_directives))
 
 # strip unescaped $ signs from s
-function strip_dollars(s::Union{String,SubString{String}})
-    buf = IOBuffer()
-    p = Vector{UInt8}(s)
-    for i = 1:sizeof(s)
-        c = p[i]
-        if c == BACKSLASH && i < sizeof(s) && p[i+1] == DOLLAR
-            write(buf, DOLLAR) # \$ -> $
-        elseif c != DOLLAR
-            write(buf, c)
+function strip_dollars(astring)
+    buffer = IOBuffer()
+    character_vector = Vector{UInt8}(astring)
+    for index = 1:sizeof(astring)
+        character = character_vector[index]
+        if character == BACKSLASH && index < sizeof(astring) && character_vector[index + 1] == DOLLAR
+            write(buffer, DOLLAR) # \$ -> $
+        elseif character != DOLLAR
+            write(buffer, character)
         end
     end
-    return String(take!(buf))
+    return String(take!(buffer))
 end
 
 """
-    simplify_latex(s::AbstractString, extra_directives=BibTeX.text_directives)
+    simplify_latex(astring, extra_directives)
 
-Simplify a LaTeX string `s` into "plain text" if possible, stripping/converting
+Simplify a LaTeX string `astring` into "plain text" if possible, stripping/converting
 known LaTeX directives in favor of e.g Unicode.
 
 `extra_directives` is a dictionary (`String=>String`) that maps LaTeX directives
 to replacements.  It defaults to `BibTeX.text_directives`, which simply strips
-out things like bold and italics.  Alternatively, you can pass `BibTeX.md_directives`,
+out things like bold and italics.  Alternatively, you can pass `BibTeX.markdown_directives`,
 which uses Markdown syntax for such directives.
 """
-simplify_latex(s::AbstractString, extra_directives::Associative{String,String}=text_directives) =
-    strip_dollars(replace_directives(s, extra_directives))
+simplify_latex(astring, extra_directives = text_directives) =
+    strip_dollars(replace_directives(astring, extra_directives))
diff --git a/src/parser.jl b/src/parser.jl
index 76e0132..d710f34 100644
--- a/src/parser.jl
+++ b/src/parser.jl
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ parse_text(text) = matchall(r"[^\s\"#{}@,=\\]+|\s+|\"|#|{|}|@|,|=|\\", text) |>
 
 location(parser) = "on line $(parser.line)"
 
+Base.isempty(p::Parser) = isempty(p.tokens)
+
 next_token_default!(parser) =
     if isempty(parser.tokens)
         one(parser)
@@ -49,14 +51,15 @@ next_token!(parser, eol = "additional tokens") = begin
     end
 end
 
-expect(parser, result, expectation) =
-    if result != expectation
-        error("Expected $expectation $(location(parser))")
+expect(parser, result, eol) =
+    if result != eol
+        error("Expected $eol $(location(parser))")
     end
 
-expect!(parser, expectation) = expect(parser, next_token!(parser, expectation), expectation)
+expect!(parser, eol) =
+    expect(parser, next_token!(parser, eol), eol)
 
-token_and_counter!(parser, eol) = begin
+token_and_counter!(parser, eol = "}") = begin
     token = next_token_with_space!(parser, eol)
     if token == "{"
         parser.bracket_counter += 1
@@ -80,10 +83,10 @@ value!(parser, values = eltype(parser)[]) = begin
         end
     elseif token == "{"
         parser.bracket_counter += 1
-        token = token_and_counter!(parser, "}")
+        token = token_and_counter!(parser)
         while parser.bracket_counter > 0
             push!(values, token)
-            token = token_and_counter!(parser, "}")
+            token = token_and_counter!(parser)
         end
     else
         push!(values, getkey(parser.substitutions, token, String(token) ) )
diff --git a/test/runtests.jl b/test/runtests.jl
index 0904837..fc391a3 100644
--- a/test/runtests.jl
+++ b/test/runtests.jl
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 using BibTeX, Base.Test
 
+base_file = dirname(dirname(@__FILE__))
+
 import Documenter
 Documenter.makedocs(
     modules = [BibTeX],
     format = :html,
     sitename = "BibTeX.jl",
-    root = joinpath(dirname(dirname(@__FILE__)), "docs"),
+    root = joinpath(base_file, "docs"),
     pages = Any["Home" => "index.md"],
     strict = true,
     linkcheck = true,
@@ -14,7 +16,8 @@ Documenter.makedocs(
 )
 
 @testset "examples.bib" begin
-    b = open(Bibliography, joinpath("..", "example", "examples.bib"), "r")
+    # note: ".." does not work on windows
+    b = open(Bibliography, joinpath(base_file, "example", "examples.bib"), "r")
     @test length(b) == 92
     @test (b["angenendt"]::Citation{:article})["date"] == "2002"
 end
@@ -48,8 +51,8 @@ end
     @test isempty(sizehint!(empty!(x2),10))
 end
 
-import BibTeX: simplify_latex, md_directives
+import BibTeX: simplify_latex, markdown_directives
 @testset "latex" begin
-    @test simplify_latex(raw"foo \$$x_1x_2^\mathrm{3}$ \dot{\alpha} {quote} \% \{unquote\} \emph{bar \textbf{bold}} {\bf baz 2.0} {\^{u}}", md_directives) ==
+    @test simplify_latex(raw"foo \$$x_1x_2^\mathrm{3}$ \dot{\alpha} {quote} \% \{unquote\} \emph{bar \textbf{bold}} {\bf baz 2.0} {\^{u}}", markdown_directives) ==
           "foo \$x₁x₂³ α̇ quote % {unquote} _bar **bold**_ **baz 2.0** û"
 end