diff --git a/+file/Attribute.m b/+file/Attribute.m
index e86faf39..ae2a3a11 100644
--- a/+file/Attribute.m
+++ b/+file/Attribute.m
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 classdef Attribute < handle
-    properties(SetAccess=private)
+    properties
         name; %attribute key
         doc; %doc string
         required; %bool regarding whether or not this Attribute is required for class
         value; %Value
         readonly; %determines whether value can be changed or not
         dtype; %type of value
+        dependent; %set externally.  If the attribute is actually dependent on an untyped dataset/group
     end
     
     methods
@@ -17,10 +18,12 @@
             obj.value = [];
             obj.readonly = false;
             obj.dtype = [];
+            obj.dependent = '';
             
             if nargin < 1
                 return;
             end
+            
             %source is a java.util.HashMap
             obj.name = source.get('name');
             obj.doc = source.get('doc');
diff --git a/+file/Dataset.m b/+file/Dataset.m
index 8460d087..c82a8844 100644
--- a/+file/Dataset.m
+++ b/+file/Dataset.m
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 classdef Dataset < handle
-    properties(SetAccess=private)
+    properties
         name;
         doc;
         type;
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@
                 attriter = attributes.iterator();
                 for i=1:len
                     nextattr = file.Attribute(attriter.next());
+                    if isempty(obj.type)
+                        nextattr.dependent = obj.name;
+                    end
                     obj.attributes.(nextattr.name) = nextattr;
                 end
             end
@@ -100,12 +103,10 @@
                 return;
             end
             
-            if isempty(obj.name)
-                propname = obj.type;
-            else
+            if ~isempty(obj.name)
                 propname = obj.name;
+                props(propname) = obj;
             end
-            props(propname) = obj;
             
             %there are only two classes that do this and they're all under
             %ecephys: ElectrodeTable and ElectrodeTableRegion.
diff --git a/+file/Group.m b/+file/Group.m
index 2a2b36f9..8e6d74be 100644
--- a/+file/Group.m
+++ b/+file/Group.m
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 classdef Group < handle
-    properties(SetAccess=private)
+    properties
         doc;
         name;
         canRename;
@@ -88,6 +88,9 @@
                 attriter = attributes.iterator();
                 for i=1:len
                     nextattr = file.Attribute(attriter.next());
+                    if isempty(obj.type)
+                        nextattr.dependent = obj.name;
+                    end
                     obj.attributes.(nextattr.name) = nextattr;
                 end
             end
@@ -100,10 +103,11 @@
                 datasetiter = datasets.iterator();
                 obj.datasets = repmat(file.Dataset, len, 1);
                 for i=1:len
-                    obj.datasets(i) = file.Dataset(datasetiter.next());
-                    if isempty(obj.datasets(i).name)
+                    ds = file.Dataset(datasetiter.next());
+                    if isempty(ds.name)
                         anonDataCnt = anonDataCnt + 1;
                     end
+                    obj.datasets(i) = ds;
                 end
             end
             
@@ -115,10 +119,11 @@
                 subgroupiter = subgroups.iterator();
                 obj.subgroups = repmat(file.Group, len, 1);
                 for i=1:len
-                    obj.subgroups(i) = file.Group(subgroupiter.next());
-                    if isempty(obj.subgroups(i).name)
+                    sg = file.Group(subgroupiter.next());
+                    if isempty(sg.name)
                         anonGroupCnt = anonGroupCnt + 1;
                     end
+                    obj.subgroups(i) = sg;
                 end
             end
             
@@ -149,16 +154,14 @@
             props = containers.Map;
             varargs = {};
             
-            if ~isempty(obj.type)
-                propertyname = obj.type;
-            else
+            if ~isempty(obj.name)
                 propertyname = obj.name;
             end
             
             if ~obj.elide
                 if obj.isConstrainedSet
                     varargs = {obj};
-                else
+                elseif ~isempty(propertyname)
                     props(propertyname) = obj;
                 end
             end
diff --git a/+file/fillClass.m b/+file/fillClass.m
index c56741d3..9006a0ad 100644
--- a/+file/fillClass.m
+++ b/+file/fillClass.m
@@ -5,8 +5,35 @@
 %% PROCESSING
 [processed, classprops, inherited] = processClass(name, namespace, pregen);
 class = processed(1);
-validationlist = setdiff(keys(classprops.named), {name});
-propertylist = setdiff(validationlist, inherited);
+
+allprops = keys(classprops.named);
+required = {};
+optional = {};
+readonly = {};
+defaults = {};
+%separate into readonly, required, and optional properties
+for i=1:length(allprops)
+    pnm = allprops{i};
+    prop = classprops.named(pnm);
+    
+    if ischar(prop) || isa(prop, 'java.util.HashMap') || isstruct(prop) || prop.required
+        required = [required {pnm}];
+    else
+        optional = [optional {pnm}];
+    end
+    
+    if isa(prop, 'file.Attribute') && prop.readonly
+        readonly = [readonly {pnm}];
+    end
+    
+    if isa(prop, 'file.Attribute') && ~isempty(prop.value)
+        defaults = [defaults {pnm}];
+    end
+end
+non_inherited = setdiff(allprops, inherited);
+ro_unique = intersect(readonly, non_inherited);
+req_unique = intersect(required, non_inherited);
+opt_unique = intersect(optional, non_inherited);
 
 %% CLASSDEF
 if length(processed) <= 1
@@ -17,59 +44,38 @@
     depnm = ['types.' pnamespace.name '.' parentname]; %WRITE
 end
 
-%% PROPERTIES
-%in format <name> -> <docstring>
-ro_props = struct();
-req_props = struct();
-opt_props = struct();
-for i=1:length(propertylist)
-    propname = propertylist{i};
-    prop = classprops.named(propname);
-
-    if isa(prop, 'file.Attribute') && prop.readonly
-        ro_props.(propname) = prop.doc;
-    elseif ischar(prop)
-        req_props.(propname) = ['property of type ' prop];
-    elseif isa(prop, 'java.util.HashMap')
-        req_props.(propname) = ['reference to type ' prop.get('target_type')];
-    elseif isstruct(prop)
-        req_props.(propname) = ['table with properties {' strtrim(evalc('disp(fieldnames(prop)'')')) '}'];
-    elseif prop.required
-        req_props.(propname) = prop.doc;
-    else
-        opt_props.(propname) = prop.doc;
-    end
-end
-
-%find all properties that contain hardcoded values or defaults
-vals_with_prop = {};
-for i=1:length(validationlist)
-    vlname = validationlist{i};
-    vprop = classprops.named(vlname);
-    if isa(vprop, 'file.Attribute') && ~isempty(vprop.value)
-        vals_with_prop = [vals_with_prop {vlname}];
-    end
-end
-
 %% return classfile string
 classDef = [...
     'classdef ' name ' < ' depnm newline... %header, dependencies
     '% ' name ' ' class.doc]; %name, docstr
-propsDef = strjoin({...
-    file.fillProps(ro_props, 'READONLY', 'SetAccess=private')...%readonly properties
-    file.fillProps(req_props, 'REQUIRED')... %required properties
-    file.fillProps(opt_props, 'OPTIONAL')... %optional properties
-    }, newline);
+propgroups = {...
+    @()file.fillProps(classprops.named, ro_unique, 'SetAccess=protected')...
+    @()file.fillProps(classprops.named, req_unique)...
+    @()file.fillProps(classprops.named, opt_unique)...
+    };
+docsep = {...
+    '% READONLY'...
+    '% REQUIRED'...
+    '% OPTIONAL'...
+    };
+propsDef = '';
+for i=1:length(propgroups)
+    pg = propgroups{i};
+    pdef = pg();
+    if ~isempty(pdef)
+        propsDef = [propsDef newline docsep{i} newline pdef];
+    end
+end
+
 constructorBody = file.fillConstructor(name,...
-    namespace.name,...
     depnm,...
-    vals_with_prop,... %we need these values to determine if we can hardcode or not
-    [fieldnames(ro_props); fieldnames(req_props)]',...
-    fieldnames(opt_props)',...
+    defaults,... %all defaults, regardless of inheritance
+    req_unique,...
+    opt_unique,...
     classprops);
-setterFcns = file.fillSetters(propertylist);
-validatorFcns = file.fillValidators(validationlist, classprops, namespace);
-exporterFcns = file.fillExport(name, propertylist, classprops);
+setterFcns = file.fillSetters(setdiff(non_inherited, ro_unique));
+validatorFcns = file.fillValidators(allprops, classprops, namespace);
+exporterFcns = file.fillExport(name, [req_unique opt_unique], classprops);
 methodBody = strjoin({constructorBody...
     '%% SETTERS' setterFcns...
     '%% VALIDATORS' validatorFcns...
@@ -91,7 +97,7 @@
 for i=length(branch):-1:1
     node = branch(i);
     nodename = node.get('neurodata_type_def');
-
+    
     if ~isKey(pregen, nodename)
         if isgroup
             class = file.Group(node);
diff --git a/+file/fillConstructor.m b/+file/fillConstructor.m
index 9d1e8851..b6d10585 100644
--- a/+file/fillConstructor.m
+++ b/+file/fillConstructor.m
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
-function fcstr = fillConstructor(name, namespacename, parentname, pwithval, req_names, opt_names, props)
+function fcstr = fillConstructor(name, parentname, defaults, required, optional, props)
 caps = upper(name);
 fcnbody = strjoin({['% ' caps ' Constructor for ' name]...
     ['%     obj = ' caps '(parentname1,parentvalue1,..,parentvalueN,parentargN,name1,value1,...,nameN,valueN)']...
     }, newline);
 fcns = {...
-    @() fillParamDocs('REQUIRED', req_names, props.named)...
-    @() fillParamDocs('OPTIONAL', opt_names, props.named)...
-    @() fillSetDocs(name, props.varargs, namespacename)...
-    @() fillBody(parentname, pwithval, req_names, opt_names, props)...
+    @()fillParamDocs('REQUIRED', required, props.named)...
+    @()fillParamDocs('OPTIONAL', optional, props.named)...
+    @()fillBody(parentname, defaults, required, optional, props)...
     };
 for i=1:length(fcns)
     fcn = fcns{i};
@@ -22,17 +21,6 @@
     'end'}, newline);
 end
 
-function fcstr = fillSetDocs(name, varprops, namespace)
-fcstr = '';
-for i=1:length(varprops)
-    nm = varprops{i}.type;
-    if strcmp(nm, name)
-        continue;
-    end
-    fcstr = [fcstr '%  ' nm ' = list of types.' namespace '.' nm newline];
-end
-end
-
 function fdfp = fillDocFromProp(prop, propnm)
 if ischar(prop)
     fdfp = prop;
@@ -86,59 +74,40 @@
 end
 end
 
-function bodystr = fillBody(pname, propwithvals, req_vars, opt_vars, props)
-all_vars = [req_vars opt_vars];
-
-upstream = {}; %kwargs to be sent to parent
-hardcoded = {}; %hardcoded defaults that should be instantiated now.
-for i=1:length(propwithvals)
-    pnm = propwithvals{i};
-    prop = props.named(pnm);
-    if any(strcmp(all_vars, pnm)) %that is, it's noninherited
-        [~, status] = str2num(prop.value);
-        if status
-            wrapped_assgn = prop.value;
-        else
-            wrapped_assgn = ['''' prop.value ''''];
-        end
-        
-        hardcoded = [hardcoded {['obj.' pnm ' = ' wrapped_assgn ';']}];
-    else
-        upstream = [upstream {pnm} {prop.value}];
-    end
-end
-if isempty(upstream)
+function bodystr = fillBody(pname, defaults, required, optional, props)
+if isempty(defaults)
     bodystr = '';
 else
-    bodystr = ['varargin = [' util.cellPrettyPrint(upstream) ' varargin];' newline];
+    usmap = containers.Map;
+    for i=1:length(defaults)
+        nm = defaults{i};
+        usmap(nm) = props.named(nm).value;
+    end
+    kwargs = io.map2kwargs(usmap);
+    bodystr = ['varargin = [' util.cellPrettyPrint(kwargs) ' varargin];' newline];
 end
 bodystr = [bodystr 'obj = obj@' pname '(varargin{:});'];
-
-if ~isempty(hardcoded)
-    bodystr = [bodystr newline strjoin(hardcoded, newline)];
-end
 bodystr = strjoin({bodystr...
     'p = inputParser;'...
     'p.KeepUnmatched = true;'... %suppress subclass/parent props
     'p.PartialMatching = false;'...
     'p.StructExpand = false;'}, newline);
-
-for i=1:length(all_vars)
-    var = all_vars{i};
+params = [required optional];
+for i=1:length(params)
+    var = params{i};
     bodystr = [bodystr newline 'addParameter(p, ''' var ''', []);'];
 end
-req_empty_vars = setdiff(req_vars, propwithvals); %check required values that don't have a set value
-req_vars_str = util.cellPrettyPrint(req_empty_vars);
+req_unset = setdiff(required, defaults); %check required values that don't have a set value
 req_body = strjoin({...
     'parse(p, varargin{:});'...
-    ['required = ' req_vars_str ';']...
+    ['required = ' util.cellPrettyPrint(req_unset) ';']...
     'missing = intersect(p.UsingDefaults, required);'...
     'if ~isempty(missing)'...
     '    error(''Missing Required Argument(s) { %s }'', strjoin(missing, '', ''));'...
     'end'}, newline);
 bodystr = [bodystr newline req_body];
-for i=1:length(all_vars)
-    var = all_vars{i};
+for i=1:length(params)
+    var = params{i};
     bodystr = [bodystr newline 'obj.' var ' = p.Results.' var ';'];
 end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/+file/fillProps.m b/+file/fillProps.m
index 1c33c18a..91742424 100644
--- a/+file/fillProps.m
+++ b/+file/fillProps.m
@@ -1,16 +1,18 @@
-%propstruct is a struct with name->docstring
-%options is a string containing prop attributes (i.e. Access=private)
-%s is the string output
-function s = fillProps(propstruct, propertydoc, options)
-propnames = fieldnames(propstruct);
-if isempty(propnames)
-    s = '';
-    return;
-end
-proplines = cell(size(propnames));
-for i=1:length(propnames)
-    pnm = propnames{i};
-    proplines{i} = ['    ' pnm '; % ' propstruct.(pnm)];
+function s = fillProps(props, names, options)
+proplines = cell(size(names));
+for i=1:length(names)
+    pnm = names{i};
+    p = props(pnm);
+    if ischar(p)
+        doc = ['property of type ' p];
+    elseif isa(p, 'java.util.HashMap')
+        doc = ['reference to type ' p.get('target_type')];
+    elseif isstruct(p)
+        doc = ['table with properties ' util.cellPrettyPrint(fieldnames(p)')];
+    else
+        doc = p.doc;
+    end
+    proplines{i} = [pnm '; % ' doc];
 end
 
 if nargin >= 3
@@ -19,15 +21,8 @@
     opt = '';
 end
 
-if nargin >= 2
-    pd = ['% ' propertydoc];
-else
-    pd = '';
-end
-
 s = strjoin({...
-    pd...
     ['properties' opt]...
-    strjoin(proplines, newline)...
+    file.addSpaces(strjoin(proplines, newline), 4)...
     'end'}, newline);
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/+file/writeDefStruct.m b/+file/writeDefStruct.m
deleted file mode 100644
index f11b2425..00000000
--- a/+file/writeDefStruct.m
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-function writeDefStruct(fid, def_struct, svalue, varargin)
-validateattributes(fid, {'double'}, {'scalar'});
-validateattributes(def_struct, {'struct'}, {'scalar'});
-validateattributes(svalue, {'string', 'char'}, {'scalartext'});
-p = inputParser;
-p.addParameter('spaces', 0, @(x)validateattributes(x, {'numeric'}, {'scalar'}));
-p.parse(varargin{:});
-
-names = fieldnames(def_struct);
-if ~isempty(names)
-  for i=1:length(names)
-    nm = names{i};
-    fprintf(fid, repmat(' ', 1, p.Results.spaces));
-    fprintf(fid, [svalue newline], nm, def_struct.(nm));
-  end
-end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/+file/writeExportFunction.m b/+file/writeExportFunction.m
deleted file mode 100644
index a5ea3dd0..00000000
--- a/+file/writeExportFunction.m
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-function writeExportFunction(fid, propType, nm, objnm, typenm, varargin)
-validateattributes(fid, {'double'}, {'scalar'});
-validateattributes(propType, {'char', 'string'}, {'scalartext'});
-validateattributes(nm, {'char', 'string'}, {'scalartext'});
-validateattributes(objnm, {'char', 'string'}, {'scalartext'});
-validateattributes(typenm, {'char', 'string'}, {'scalartext'});
-
-p = inputParser;
-p.addParameter('spaces', 0);
-p.addParameter('keepid', false);
-p.addParameter('idname', 'loc_id');
-p.parse(varargin{:});
-fprintf(fid, file.spaces(p.Results.spaces));
-if p.Results.keepid
-  fprintf(fid, 'id = ');
-end
-
-if any(strcmp(typenm, {'string', 'any'}))
-  fprintf(fid, ['h5util.write%s(%s, ''%s'', obj.%s'', ''%s'');' newline],...
-    propType, p.Results.idname, nm, objnm, typenm);
-else
-  fprintf(fid, ['h5util.write%s(%s, ''%s'', %s(obj.%s)'', ''%s'');' newline],...
-    propType, p.Results.idname, nm, typenm, objnm, typenm);
-end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/+io/parseGroup.m b/+io/parseGroup.m
index 96b03e56..9f1486a0 100644
--- a/+io/parseGroup.m
+++ b/+io/parseGroup.m
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@
     ds_info = info.Datasets(i);
     fp = [info.Name '/' ds_info.Name];
     [ds, dsrefs] = io.parseDataset(filename, ds_info, fp);
-    props = [props; ds];
+    if isa(ds, 'containers.Map')
+        props = [props; ds];
+    else
+        props(ds_info.Name) = ds;
+    end
+    
     refs = [refs; dsrefs];
 end
 
@@ -36,11 +41,12 @@
     keyboard;
 else
     %construct as kwargs and instantiate object
-    
     if isempty(root)
         %we are root
         parsed = types.core.NWBFile;
         return;
     end
+    kwargs = io.map2kwargs(props);
+    parsed = eval([typename '(kwargs{:})']);
 end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/+types/+util/checkDtype.m b/+types/+util/checkDtype.m
index 6b9a7410..ae2fb694 100644
--- a/+types/+util/checkDtype.m
+++ b/+types/+util/checkDtype.m
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ function checkDtype(name, type, val)
 %ref
 %any, double, int/uint, char
 errmsg = ['Property `' name '` must be a ' type '.'];
+if isempty(val)
+    return;
+end
 switch type
     case 'double'
         if ~isnumeric(val)
@@ -25,7 +28,7 @@ function checkDtype(name, type, val)
         end
         for i=1:length(val)
             subval = val{i};
-            if ~isa(subval(1), type)
+            if ~isa(subval, type)
                 error(errmsg);
             end
         end
diff --git a/+util/cellPrettyPrint.m b/+util/cellPrettyPrint.m
index e4332a2f..3218d302 100644
--- a/+util/cellPrettyPrint.m
+++ b/+util/cellPrettyPrint.m
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 s = '';
 for i=1:length(val)
     v = val{i};
-    [~, status] = str2num(v);
-    if status
+    if all(isstrprop(v, 'digit'))
         wrapped_v = v;
     else
         wrapped_v = ['''' v ''''];