diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4e934ad7..2edcca0b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,65 +33,64 @@ output:
 
     #include "nestlog/scope.hpp"
 
+    using namespace xo;
+
     int
     fib(int n) {
-        XO_SCOPE(log);
+        scope log(XO_ENTER0(info), ":n ", n);
 
         int retval = 1;
 
         if (n >= 2) {
-            log(":n ", n);
             retval = fib(n - 1) + fib(n - 2);
+            log && log(":n ", n);
         }
 
-        log(":n ", n, " -> :retval ", retval);
+        log.end_scope("<- :retval ", retval);
 
         return retval;
     }
 
     int
     main(int argc, char ** argv) {
-      XO_SCOPE(log);
+        log_config::min_log_level = xo::log_level::info;
+        log_config::indent_width = 4;
 
-       int n = 4;
-      int fn = fib(n);
+        int n = 4;
 
-      log(":n ", n, " :fib(n) ", fn);
+        scope log(XO_ENTER0(info), ":n ", 4);
+
+        int fn = fib(n);
+
+        log && log(":n ", n);
+        log && log("<- :fib(n) ", fn);
     }
 
 output:
 
-    +main
-     +fib
-      :n 4
-      +fib
-       :n 3
-       +fib
-        :n 2
-        +fib
-         :n 1 -> :retval 1
-        -fib
-        +fib
-         :n 0 -> :retval 1
-        -fib
-        :n 2 -> :retval 2
-       -fib
-       +fib
-        :n 1 -> :retval 1
-       -fib
-       :n 3 -> :retval 3
-      -fib
-      +fib
-       :n 2
-       +fib
-        :n 1 -> :retval 1
-       -fib
-       +fib
-        :n 0 -> :retval 1
-       -fib
-       :n 2 -> :retval 2
-      -fib
-      :n 4 -> :retval 5
-     -fib
-     :n 4 :fib(n) 5
-    -main
+    20:13:12.992909 +(0) main :n 4                                   [ex2.cpp:30]
+    20:13:12.992968     +(1) fib :n 4                                [ex2.cpp:9]
+    20:13:12.992986         +(2) fib :n 3                            [ex2.cpp:9]
+    20:13:12.992999             +(3) fib :n 2                        [ex2.cpp:9]
+    20:13:12.993002                 +(4) fib :n 1                    [ex2.cpp:9]
+    20:13:12.993012                 -(4) fib <- :retval 1
+    20:13:12.993022                 +(4) fib :n 0                    [ex2.cpp:9]
+    20:13:12.993032                 -(4) fib <- :retval 1
+                                    :n 2
+    20:13:12.993049             -(3) fib <- :retval 2
+    20:13:12.993059             +(3) fib :n 1                        [ex2.cpp:9]
+    20:13:12.993069             -(3) fib <- :retval 1
+                                :n 3
+    20:13:12.993085         -(2) fib <- :retval 3
+    20:13:12.993095         +(2) fib :n 2                            [ex2.cpp:9]
+    20:13:12.993105             +(3) fib :n 1                        [ex2.cpp:9]
+    20:13:12.993115             -(3) fib <- :retval 1
+    20:13:12.993124             +(3) fib :n 0                        [ex2.cpp:9]
+    20:13:12.993134             -(3) fib <- :retval 1
+                                :n 2
+    20:13:12.993145         -(2) fib <- :retval 2
+                            :n 4
+    20:13:12.993155     -(1) fib <- :retval 5
+                        :n 4
+                        <- :fib(n) 5
+    20:13:12.993172 -(0) main
diff --git a/example/ex2/ex2.cpp b/example/ex2/ex2.cpp
index 016fe177..23bb2b3e 100644
--- a/example/ex2/ex2.cpp
+++ b/example/ex2/ex2.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ fib(int n) {
 
     if (n >= 2) {
         retval = fib(n - 1) + fib(n - 2);
-        log(":n ", n);
+        log && log(":n ", n);
     }
 
     log.end_scope("<- :retval ", retval);
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ fib(int n) {
 
 int
 main(int argc, char ** argv) {
+    log_config::min_log_level = xo::log_level::info;
     log_config::indent_width = 4;
 
     int n = 4;
@@ -30,6 +31,6 @@ main(int argc, char ** argv) {
 
     int fn = fib(n);
 
-    log(":n ", n);
-    log("<- :fib(n) ", fn);
+    log && log(":n ", n);
+    log && log("<- :fib(n) ", fn);
 }
diff --git a/example/ex3/ex3.cpp b/example/ex3/ex3.cpp
index 0d9121dc..d20f0f65 100644
--- a/example/ex3/ex3.cpp
+++ b/example/ex3/ex3.cpp
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@ main(int argc, char ** argv) {
     log_config::time_local_flag = true;
     log_config::style = FS_Streamlined;
     log_config::indent_width = 4;
-    log_config::max_indent_width = 14;
-    log_config::location_tab = 80;
+    log_config::max_indent_width = 30;
+    log_config::location_tab = 100;
     log_config::encoding = CE_Xterm;
     log_config::function_entry_color = 69;
     log_config::function_exit_color = 70;
     log_config::code_location_color = 166;
 
-    int n = 4;
+    int n = 9;
 
     scope log(XO_ENTER0(info), ":n ", 4);
 
diff --git a/include/nestlog/color.hpp b/include/nestlog/color.hpp
index 2c2419c2..20ea0bb1 100644
--- a/include/nestlog/color.hpp
+++ b/include/nestlog/color.hpp
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ namespace xo {
         void print(std::ostream & os) const {
             if ((flags_ & CF_ColorOn) && (color_ > 0)) {
                 switch(encoding_) {
+                case CE_None:
+                    break;
                 case CE_Ansi:
                     os << "\033[" << color_ << "m";
                     break;
@@ -45,8 +47,16 @@ namespace xo {
             if (flags_ & CF_Contents)
                 os << contents_;
 
-            if ((flags_ & CF_ColorOff) && (color_ > 0))
-                os << "\033[0m";
+            if ((flags_ & CF_ColorOff) && (color_ > 0)) {
+                switch(encoding_) {
+                case CE_None:
+                    break;
+                case CE_Ansi:
+                case CE_Xterm:
+                    os << "\033[0m";
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
         } /*print*/
 
     private:
diff --git a/include/nestlog/log_level.hpp b/include/nestlog/log_level.hpp
index f5d5f4db..55c4f2a4 100644
--- a/include/nestlog/log_level.hpp
+++ b/include/nestlog/log_level.hpp
@@ -5,13 +5,28 @@
 namespace xo {
     enum class log_level : std::uint32_t {
         /* control log message severity
-         *   silent > severe > error > warning > info > chatty
+         *   silent > always > severe > error > warning > info > chatty > never
+         *
+         * never:
+         *   used internally e.g. by XO_ENTER1()
+         *   a log message with this severity will never be printed
+         *
+         * always:
+         *   use with XO_ENTER1():
+         *     scope log(XO_ENTER1(always, mydebug_flag));
+         *   to log message whenever mydebug_flag is true (for any .min_log_level except silent)
+         *
+         * silent:
+         *   use in log_config to suppress all log messages
          */
+        never,
+        verbose,
         chatty,
         info,
         warning,
         error,
         severe,
+        always,
         silent,
 
         default_level = error
diff --git a/include/nestlog/scope.hpp b/include/nestlog/scope.hpp
index f15515df..fac759c2 100644
--- a/include/nestlog/scope.hpp
+++ b/include/nestlog/scope.hpp
@@ -17,7 +17,13 @@ namespace xo {
     class state_impl;
 
 #  define XO_ENTER0(lvl) xo::scope_setup(xo::log_level::lvl, xo::log_config::style, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __FILE__, __LINE__)
-#  define XO_ENTER1(lvl, debug_flag) xo::scope_setup(xo::log_level::lvl, xo::log_config::style, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __FILE__, __LINE__, debug_flag)
+#  define XO_ENTER1(lvl, debug_flag) XO_ENTER2(lvl, debug_flag, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__)
+#  define XO_ENTER2(lvl, debug_flag, name1) xo::scope_setup((debug_flag ? xo::log_level::lvl : xo::log_level::never), xo::log_config::style, name1, __FILE__, __LINE__)
+
+#  define XO_DEBUG(debug_flag) XO_ENTER1(always, debug_flag)
+#  define XO_DEBUG2(debug_flag, name1) XO_ENTER2(always, debug_flag, name1)
+
+#  define XO_LITERAL(lvl, name1, name2) xo::scope_setup(xo::log_level::lvl, FS_Literal, name1, name2, __FILE__, __LINE__)
 
 //#  define XO_SSETUP0() xo::scope_setup(__FUNCTION__)
 //#  define XO_SSETUP0(lvl) xo::scope_setup(xo::log_level::lvl, xo::log_config::style, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __FILE__, __LINE__)
@@ -27,8 +33,8 @@ namespace xo {
     /* establish scope using current function name */
 #  define XO_SCOPE(name, lvl) xo::scope name(xo::scope_setup(xo::log_level::lvl, xo::log_config::style, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __FILE__, __LINE__))
     /* like XO_SCOPE(name),  but also set enabled flag */
-#  define XO_SCOPE2(name, debug_flag) xo::scope name(xo::scope_setup(xo::log_config::style, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __FILE__, __LINE__, debug_flag))
-#  define XO_SCOPE_DISABLED(name) xo::scope name(xo::scope_setup(xo::log_config::style, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __FILE__, __LINE__, false))
+//#  define XO_SCOPE2(name, debug_flag) xo::scope name(xo::scope_setup(xo::log_config::style, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __FILE__, __LINE__, debug_flag))
+#  define XO_SCOPE_DISABLED(name) xo::scope name(xo::scope_setup(xo::log_level::never, xo::log_config::style, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __FILE__, __LINE__))
 #  define XO_STUB() { XO_SCOPE(logr); logr.log("STUB"); }
 
     /* convenience class for basic_scope<..> construction (see below).