diff --git a/luprex/core/cpp/planemap.cpp b/luprex/core/cpp/planemap.cpp
index 29474442..94faf2c9 100644
--- a/luprex/core/cpp/planemap.cpp
+++ b/luprex/core/cpp/planemap.cpp
@@ -160,10 +160,13 @@ int PlaneMap::total_cells() const {
     return total;
 }
 
-PlaneMap::IdVector PlaneMap::scan_radius(const std::string &plane, float x, float y, float radius, int64_t prepend) const {
+PlaneMap::IdVector PlaneMap::scan_radius_unsorted(const std::string &plane, float x, float y, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere, int64_t special, bool omit) const {
     PlaneMap::IdVector result;
-    if (prepend != 0) {
-        result.push_back(prepend);
+    if ((special != 0)&&(!omit)) {
+        result.push_back(special);
+    }
+    if (exclude_nowhere && (plane == "nowhere")) {
+        return result;
     }
     auto piter = planes_.find(plane);
     if (piter != planes_.end()) {
@@ -176,7 +179,7 @@ PlaneMap::IdVector PlaneMap::scan_radius(const std::string &plane, float x, floa
                 if (liter != p.end()) {
                     for (PlaneItem *client : liter->second) {
                         if (util::distance_squared(client->x(), client->y(), x, y) <= radsq) {
-                            if (client->id() != prepend) {
+                            if (client->id() != special) {
                                 result.push_back(client->id());
                             }
                         }
@@ -188,6 +191,16 @@ PlaneMap::IdVector PlaneMap::scan_radius(const std::string &plane, float x, floa
     return result;
 }
 
+PlaneMap::IdVector PlaneMap::scan_radius(const std::string &plane, float x, float y, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere, int64_t special, bool omit) const {
+    PlaneMap::IdVector result = scan_radius_unsorted(plane, x, y, radius, exclude_nowhere, special, omit);
+    if ((special != 0)&&(!omit)) {
+        std::sort(result.begin() + 1, result.end());
+    } else {
+        std::sort(result.begin(), result.end());
+    }
+    return result;
+}
+
 LuaDefine(unittests_planemap, "c") {
     float SC = CELL_SCALE;
     float E = CELL_SCALE * 0.4;
@@ -287,13 +300,13 @@ LuaDefine(unittests_planemap, "c") {
     pia.set_id(123);
     pib.set_id(456);
     pib.set_pos("bar", 1100.0, 1000.0, 0.0);
-    ids = pm.scan_radius("bar", 1000.0, 1000.0, 1.0, 0);
+    ids = pm.scan_radius("bar", 1000.0, 1000.0, 1.0, false, 0, false);
     LuaAssert(L, ids.size() == 1);
     LuaAssert(L, ids[0] == 123);
-    ids = pm.scan_radius("bar", 1000.0, 1000.0, 99.9, 0);
+    ids = pm.scan_radius("bar", 1000.0, 1000.0, 99.9, false, 0, false);
     LuaAssert(L, ids.size() == 1);
     LuaAssert(L, ids[0] == 123);
-    ids = pm.scan_radius("bar", 1000.0, 1000.0, 100.0, 0);
+    ids = pm.scan_radius("bar", 1000.0, 1000.0, 100.0, false, 0, false);
     LuaAssert(L, ids.size() == 2);
     LuaAssert(L, ids[0] == 123);
     LuaAssert(L, ids[1] == 456);
diff --git a/luprex/core/cpp/planemap.hpp b/luprex/core/cpp/planemap.hpp
index e361cbef..0ecd4b6f 100644
--- a/luprex/core/cpp/planemap.hpp
+++ b/luprex/core/cpp/planemap.hpp
@@ -123,8 +123,15 @@ public:
     PlaneMap();
     ~PlaneMap();
 
-    // Caution: scan_radius is not deterministically ordered.
-    IdVector scan_radius(const std::string &plane, float x, float y, float radius, int64_t prepend) const;
+    // Caution: scan_radius is not deterministically ordered unless sort=true.
+    //
+    // exclude_nowhere - if true, and plane="nowhere", nothing is scanned.
+    // special - an ID that is considered special. If zero, there is no special ID.
+    // omit    - if true, remove the special ID from the list.
+    //           if false, prepend the special ID to the head of the list.
+    // 
+    IdVector scan_radius(const std::string &plane, float x, float y, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere, int64_t special, bool omit) const;
+    IdVector scan_radius_unsorted(const std::string &plane, float x, float y, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere, int64_t special, bool omit) const;
     
 private:
     // unit testing stuff.
diff --git a/luprex/core/cpp/table.hpp b/luprex/core/cpp/table.hpp
index 99d3e883..a572b43e 100644
--- a/luprex/core/cpp/table.hpp
+++ b/luprex/core/cpp/table.hpp
@@ -25,83 +25,4 @@ bool table_equal(LuaStack &LS0, LuaSlot tab1, LuaSlot tab2);
 //
 bool table_getpairs(LuaStack &LS0, LuaSlot tab, LuaSlot pairs, bool sort);
 
-// table_findremove
-//
-// Given a vector and a value, remove the specified value from
-// the vector, and shift elements downward to fill the gaps.
-//
-int lfn_table_findremove(lua_State *L);
-
-// table_push
-//
-// Given a vector and a value, push the value onto the end.
-//
-int lfn_table_push(lua_State *L);
-
-// table_find
-//
-// Given a vector and a value, search for the first occurrence
-// of that value.  Return the index.
-//
-int lfn_table_find(lua_State *L);
-
-// table_empty
-//
-// Return true if the table has no key/value pairs.
-//
-int lfn_table_empty(lua_State *L);
-
-// table_count
-//
-// Return the number of key/value pairs in the table.
-//
-int lfn_table_count(lua_State *L);
-
-//
-// Create and return an empty deque.  Queues are implemented
-// as tables which are used as dynamically-expandable circular
-// buffers.
-//
-int lfn_deque_create(lua_State *L);
-
-//
-// Given a deque and a value, pushes the value onto the
-// left or right end.
-//
-int lfn_deque_pushl(lua_State *L);
-int lfn_deque_pushr(lua_State *L);
-
-//
-// Given a deque, pop from the left or right end.  Returns the
-// value and removes it from the deque.   If the deque is
-// empty, returns nil.
-//
-int lfn_deque_popl(lua_State *L);
-int lfn_deque_popr(lua_State *L);
-
-//
-// Return the nth element from the left or right end of a deque. 
-//
-int lfn_deque_nthl(lua_State *L);
-int lfn_deque_nthr(lua_State *L);
-
-// Set (overwrite) the nth element in a deque.
-//
-int lfn_deque_setl(lua_State *L);
-int lfn_deque_setr(lua_State *L);
-
-//
-// Search a deque for a value.
-//
-// Search starts on the specified end and indices are relative
-// to specified end.
-//
-int lfn_deque_findl(lua_State *L);
-int lfn_deque_findr(lua_State *L);
-
-//
-// Return the number of values in the deque.
-//
-int lfn_deque_size(lua_State *L);
-
 #endif // TABLE_HPP
diff --git a/luprex/core/cpp/world-accessor.cpp b/luprex/core/cpp/world-accessor.cpp
index a64ad4cf..54b87795 100644
--- a/luprex/core/cpp/world-accessor.cpp
+++ b/luprex/core/cpp/world-accessor.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,24 @@ LuaDefine(tangible_setclass, "c") {
     return LS.result();
 }
 
+LuaDefine(tangible_getclass, "c") {
+    LuaArg tanobj;
+    LuaVar mt, classtab;
+    LuaRet classname;
+    LuaStack LS(L, tanobj, mt, classtab, classname);
+    World *w = World::fetch_global_pointer(L);
+    w->tangible_get(LS, tanobj);
+    LS.getmetatable(mt, tanobj);
+    LS.rawget(classtab, mt, "__index");
+    std::string name = LS.classname(classtab);
+    if (name == "") {
+        LS.set(classname, LuaNil);
+    } else {
+        LS.set(classname, name);
+    }
+    return LS.result();
+}
+
 LuaDefine(tangible_delete, "c") {
     LuaArg tanobj;
     LuaStack LS(L, tanobj);
@@ -179,6 +197,40 @@ LuaDefine(tangible_place, "c") {
     return LS.result();
 }
 
+LuaDefine(tangible_near, "c") {
+    LuaArg ltan, lradius, lomit_nowhere, lomit_self;
+    LuaRet list;
+    LuaStack LS(L, ltan, lradius, lomit_nowhere, lomit_self, list);
+    World *w = World::fetch_global_pointer(L);
+    Tangible *tan = w->tangible_get(LS, ltan);
+    double radius = LS.cknumber(lradius);
+    bool omit_nowhere = LS.ckboolean(lomit_nowhere);
+    bool omit_self = LS.ckboolean(lomit_self);
+    const AnimStep &aqback = tan->anim_queue_.back();
+    util::IdVector idv = w->plane_map_.scan_radius(aqback.plane(), aqback.xyz().x, aqback.xyz().y, radius, omit_nowhere, tan->id(), omit_self);
+    LS.set(list, LuaNewTable);
+    int index = 1;
+    for (int64_t id : idv) LS.rawset(list, index++, id);
+    return LS.result();
+}
+
+LuaDefine(tangible_scan, "c") {
+    LuaArg lplane, lx, ly, lradius, lomit_nowhere;
+    LuaRet list;
+    LuaStack LS(L, lplane, lx, ly, lradius, lomit_nowhere, list);
+    World *w = World::fetch_global_pointer(L);
+    std::string plane = LS.ckstring(lplane);
+    double x = LS.cknumber(lx);
+    double y = LS.cknumber(ly);
+    double radius = LS.cknumber(lradius);
+    bool omit_nowhere = LS.ckboolean(lomit_nowhere);
+    util::IdVector idv = w->plane_map_.scan_radius(plane, x, y, radius, omit_nowhere, 0, false);
+    LS.set(list, LuaNewTable);
+    int index = 1;
+    for (int64_t id : idv) LS.rawset(list, index++, id);
+    return LS.result();
+}
+
 LuaDefine(world_wait, "f") {
     if ((lua_gettop(L) != 1) || (lua_type(L, -1) != LUA_TNUMBER)) {
         luaL_error(L, "Argument to wait must be a number.");
diff --git a/luprex/core/cpp/world-core.cpp b/luprex/core/cpp/world-core.cpp
index b525350f..d5e7a5c5 100644
--- a/luprex/core/cpp/world-core.cpp
+++ b/luprex/core/cpp/world-core.cpp
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ void World::tangible_delete(int64_t id) {
     LS.result();
 }
 
-util::IdVector World::get_near_unsorted(int64_t player_id, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere) const {
+util::IdVector World::get_near_unsorted(int64_t player_id, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere, bool omit_player) const {
     const Tangible *player = tangible_get(player_id);
     if (player == nullptr) {
         return IdVector();
@@ -236,19 +236,18 @@ util::IdVector World::get_near_unsorted(int64_t player_id, float radius, bool ex
 
     // Find out where's the center of the world.
     const AnimStep &aqback = player->anim_queue_.back();
-    if (exclude_nowhere && (aqback.plane() == "nowhere")) {
-        IdVector idv;
-        idv.push_back(player_id);
-        return idv;
-    }
-    
-    return plane_map_.scan_radius(aqback.plane(), aqback.xyz().x, aqback.xyz().y, radius, player_id);
+    return plane_map_.scan_radius_unsorted(aqback.plane(), aqback.xyz().x, aqback.xyz().y, radius, exclude_nowhere, player_id, omit_player);
 }
 
-util::IdVector World::get_near(int64_t player_id, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere) const {
-    util::IdVector v = get_near_unsorted(player_id, radius, exclude_nowhere);
-    std::sort(v.begin(), v.end());
-    return v;
+util::IdVector World::get_near(int64_t player_id, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere, bool omit_player) const {
+    const Tangible *player = tangible_get(player_id);
+    if (player == nullptr) {
+        return IdVector();
+    }
+
+    // Find out where's the center of the world.
+    const AnimStep &aqback = player->anim_queue_.back();
+    return plane_map_.scan_radius(aqback.plane(), aqback.xyz().x, aqback.xyz().y, radius, exclude_nowhere, player_id, omit_player);
 }
 
 World::Redirects World::fetch_redirects() {
diff --git a/luprex/core/cpp/world-diffxmit.cpp b/luprex/core/cpp/world-diffxmit.cpp
index d36c29a9..fbfc3054 100644
--- a/luprex/core/cpp/world-diffxmit.cpp
+++ b/luprex/core/cpp/world-diffxmit.cpp
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 
 util::IdVector World::get_visible_union(int64_t actor_id, World *master) {
     return util::sort_union_id_vectors(
-            master->get_near_unsorted(actor_id, RadiusVisibility, true),
-            get_near_unsorted(actor_id, RadiusVisibility, true));
+            master->get_near_unsorted(actor_id, RadiusVisibility, true, false),
+            get_near_unsorted(actor_id, RadiusVisibility, true, false));
 }
 
 int64_t World::patch_actor(StreamBuffer *sb, DebugCollector *dbc) {
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ void World::patch_luatabs(StreamBuffer *sb, DebugCollector *dbc) {
     int64_t actor_id = sb->read_int64();
     util::HashValue closehash = sb->read_hashvalue();
     int ncreate = sb->read_int32();
-    util::IdVector closetans = get_near(actor_id, RadiusClose, true);
+    util::IdVector closetans = get_near(actor_id, RadiusClose, true, false);
     assert(closehash == util::hash_id_vector(closetans));
     int nt = number_lua_tables(closetans);
     create_new_tables(ncreate);
@@ -182,8 +182,8 @@ void World::diff_luatabs(int64_t actor_id, World *master, StreamBuffer *xsb) {
     StreamBuffer tsb;
 
     // Calculate the set of close tangibles.
-    util::IdVector closetans = master->get_near(actor_id, RadiusClose, true);
-    assert(get_near(actor_id, RadiusClose, true) == closetans);
+    util::IdVector closetans = master->get_near(actor_id, RadiusClose, true, false);
+    assert(get_near(actor_id, RadiusClose, true, false) == closetans);
     util::HashValue closehash = util::hash_id_vector(closetans);
 
     // Number and pair tables in the synchronous and master model.
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ void World::diff_tanclass(int64_t actor_id, World *master, StreamBuffer *xsb) {
 
     // Calculate the set of close tangibles.
     // TODO: we've already calculated this in an earlier function. This is wasteful.
-    util::IdVector closetans = master->get_near(actor_id, RadiusClose, true);
+    util::IdVector closetans = master->get_near(actor_id, RadiusClose, true, false);
 
     tsb.write_int32(0);
     int write_count_after = tsb.total_writes();
diff --git a/luprex/core/cpp/world-testing.cpp b/luprex/core/cpp/world-testing.cpp
index ee96b0dd..ac4440a3 100644
--- a/luprex/core/cpp/world-testing.cpp
+++ b/luprex/core/cpp/world-testing.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ std::string World::tangible_ids_debug_string() const {
 
 std::string World::tangibles_near_debug_string(int64_t actor, int64_t distance) {
     std::ostringstream result;
-    for (int64_t id : get_near(actor, distance, true)) {
+    for (int64_t id : get_near(actor, distance, true, false)) {
         const Tangible *tan = tangible_get(id);
         const AnimStep &aqback = tan->anim_queue_.back();
         result << id << ": " << aqback.graphic() << " " << aqback.plane() << " " << aqback.xyz().debug_string() << std::endl;
diff --git a/luprex/core/cpp/world.hpp b/luprex/core/cpp/world.hpp
index 2851bdf1..41d56f65 100644
--- a/luprex/core/cpp/world.hpp
+++ b/luprex/core/cpp/world.hpp
@@ -119,8 +119,8 @@ public:
     // true, exclude any tangibles on the nowhere plane (but still include the player himself).
     // The unsorted version returns the tangibles in an unpredictable order.
     //
-    IdVector get_near(int64_t player_id, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere) const;
-    IdVector get_near_unsorted(int64_t player_id, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere) const;
+    IdVector get_near(int64_t player_id, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere, bool omit_player) const;
+    IdVector get_near_unsorted(int64_t player_id, float radius, bool exclude_nowhere, bool omit_player) const;
     
     // Make a tangible.
     //
@@ -476,6 +476,8 @@ private:
     friend int lfn_tangible_actor(lua_State *L);
     friend int lfn_tangible_place(lua_State *L);
     friend int lfn_tangible_nopredict(lua_State *L);
+    friend int lfn_tangible_near(lua_State *L);
+    friend int lfn_tangible_scan(lua_State *L);
 };
 
 using UniqueWorld = std::unique_ptr<World>;
diff --git a/luprex/core/lua/login.lua b/luprex/core/lua/login.lua
index 7ce7c811..5c8df9c7 100644
--- a/luprex/core/lua/login.lua
+++ b/luprex/core/lua/login.lua
@@ -12,3 +12,8 @@ function setfoo(n)
     tangible.nopredict()
     tangible.actor().inventory.foo = n
 end
+
+function buildq()
+    return tangible.build{class="login", x=10, y=0, z=0, plane="nowhere", graphic="what"}
+end
+
diff --git a/luprex/core/lua/player.lua b/luprex/core/lua/player.lua
index e68a8ae1..7b1def2a 100644
--- a/luprex/core/lua/player.lua
+++ b/luprex/core/lua/player.lua
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function player.interface(actor, place)
 end
 
 function player:printanimstate()
-    graphic,plane,x,y,z,facing = tangible.animstate(self)
+    local graphic,plane,x,y,z,facing = tangible.animstate(self)
     print("Resulting state: ", graphic, plane, x, y, z, facing)
 end