diff --git a/src/backend/lldb/lldb_backend.cpp b/src/backend/lldb/lldb_backend.cpp
index fd71240..f9d2be0 100644
--- a/src/backend/lldb/lldb_backend.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/lldb/lldb_backend.cpp
@@ -2146,6 +2146,100 @@ std::optional<std::pair<uint16_t, size_t>>
 				return std::make_pair(cache_idx, node.id);
 			}
 		}
+		case read_cstr:
+		{
+			using namespace lldb;
+			uint16_t cache_idx = 0;
+			if (auto found_idx = find_node_for_src_id(node.id); found_idx)
+			{
+				cache_idx = *found_idx;
+			} else
+			{
+				cache_idx = get_free_res_slot();
+			}
+
+			size_t addr_id    = std::get<data::source::ReadAsCStr>(node.data).src_id;
+			uint16_t addr_idx = *find_node_for_src_id(addr_id);
+			if (!_data_res[addr_idx] || !_data_res[addr_idx]->node.success)
+			{
+				return check_single_res_changed(data::result::Node{
+				  .idx     = cache_idx,
+				  .type_id = data::type_info::TypeID::none(),
+				  .success = false,
+				});
+			}
+
+			if (_data_res[addr_idx]->node.type_id.type != data::type_info::Type::ptr)
+			{
+				return check_single_res_changed(data::result::Node{
+				  .idx     = cache_idx,
+				  .type_id = data::type_info::TypeID::none(),
+				  .success = false,
+				});
+			}
+
+			auto addr = std::get<uint64_t>(_data_res[addr_idx]->node.data);
+			std::vector<uint8_t> buf{};
+
+			char tmp_buf[256];
+			auto success = true;
+			while (true)
+			{
+				auto lldb_addr = _target.ResolveLoadAddress(addr);
+				auto err       = SBError{};
+				err.Clear();
+				auto bytes_read =
+				  _target.ReadMemory(lldb_addr, tmp_buf, sizeof(tmp_buf), err);
+				if (bytes_read == 0)
+				{
+					success = false;
+					break;
+				}
+
+				auto null_pos = std::find(tmp_buf, tmp_buf + bytes_read, '\0');
+				if (null_pos != tmp_buf + bytes_read)
+				{
+					size_t len    = null_pos - tmp_buf;
+					auto old_size = buf.size();
+					buf.resize(old_size + len + 1);
+					std::copy(tmp_buf, null_pos + 1, buf.data() + old_size);
+					break;
+				}
+
+				if (bytes_read != sizeof(tmp_buf))
+				{
+					if (err.Fail())
+					{
+						printf("ReadAsCStr failed: %s\n", err.GetCString());
+						success = false;
+						break;
+					}
+				}
+
+				auto old_size = buf.size();
+				buf.resize(old_size + bytes_read);
+				std::copy(tmp_buf, tmp_buf + bytes_read, buf.data() + old_size);
+
+				addr += bytes_read;
+			}
+
+			if (!success)
+			{
+				return check_single_res_changed(data::result::Node{
+				  .idx     = cache_idx,
+				  .type_id = data::type_info::TypeID::none(),
+				  .success = false,
+				});
+			}
+
+			// TODO: embed the array size into the TypeID and then make this
+			// an i8 array type?
+			return check_single_res_changed(
+			  data::result::Node{.idx     = cache_idx,
+			                     .type_id = data::type_info::TypeID::custom(),
+			                     .success = true,
+			                     .data    = std::move(buf)});
+		}
 	}
 
 	printf("Unhandled data type\n");
@@ -3045,7 +3139,7 @@ dbgui::data::result::NodeIdx LLDBBackend::build_nodes_for_var_uncached(
 	// TODO: always get child info for first level
 	// TODO: depending on what is previewed?
 
-	res_node.success = true;
+	res_node.success = err.Success();
 	to_send.push_back(res_node);
 	_data_res[res_idx] =
 	  CachedDataRes{.node                    = std::move(res_node),
@@ -3132,7 +3226,7 @@ void LLDBBackend::build_nodes_for_var_cached(
 	// TODO: always get child info for first level
 	// TODO: depending on what is previewed?
 
-	res_node.success = true;
+	res_node.success = err.Success();
 	if (!_data_res[cache_idx]->node.success
 	    || _data_res[cache_idx]->node.data != res_node.data)
 	{
diff --git a/src/data.h b/src/data.h
index 35bcbef..48fff7d 100644
--- a/src/data.h
+++ b/src/data.h
@@ -321,7 +321,8 @@ namespace dbgui::data
 				uint16_t idx;
 			};
 
-			struct Variable {
+			struct Variable
+			{
 				std::string expr_path;
 			};
 
@@ -343,6 +344,14 @@ namespace dbgui::data
 			size_t src_id;
 		};
 
+		// need this as length is unbounded
+		// note: does not support wchar strings right now
+		struct ReadAsCStr
+		{
+			// node that provides the address to read at
+			size_t src_id;
+		};
+
 		struct Node
 		{
 			enum class Type : uint8_t
@@ -351,12 +360,14 @@ namespace dbgui::data
 				disassemble,
 				line_entry,
 				locals,
+				read_cstr,
 			};
 
 			size_t id;
 			Type type;
 			// when adding something here, remember to update LLDBBackend::add_data_node
-			std::variant<std::monostate, Source, Disassemble, LineEntry> data;
+			std::variant<std::monostate, Source, Disassemble, LineEntry, ReadAsCStr>
+			  data;
 		};
 	}  // namespace source
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/frontend.cpp b/src/frontend/frontend.cpp
index b8a9ace..f7a1486 100644
--- a/src/frontend/frontend.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/frontend.cpp
@@ -62,6 +62,14 @@ void Frontend::run_frame()
 
 	if (ImGui::Begin("Test", nullptr, win_flags))
 	{
+		if (this->target)
+		{
+			for (auto &entry : this->target->expr_cache)
+			{
+				entry.used_this_frame = false;
+			}
+		}
+
 		// TODO: if we just do SetNextWindowDockID in each of the windows
 		// this seems to crash once the first window is docked to it?
 		// so some id change is necessary
@@ -85,6 +93,22 @@ void Frontend::run_frame()
 			}
 			//this->dock_id = ImGui::GetWindowDockID();
 		}
+
+		if (this->target)
+		{
+			for (size_t i = 0; i < this->target->expr_cache.size();)
+			{
+				auto &entry = this->target->expr_cache[i];
+				if (!entry.used_this_frame)
+				{
+					this->target->backend->remove_data_node(entry.id);
+					this->target->expr_cache.erase(this->target->expr_cache.begin() + i);
+				} else
+				{
+					++i;
+				}
+			}
+		}
 	}
 	ImGui::End();
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/target.h b/src/frontend/target.h
index f81b3b9..782adac 100644
--- a/src/frontend/target.h
+++ b/src/frontend/target.h
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ namespace dbgui::frontend
 			}
 		};
 
+		struct ExprCacheEntry
+		{
+			std::string expr_path;
+			size_t id;
+			bool used_this_frame = false;
+		};
+
 		Target(std::string filename);
 
 		std::optional<uint16_t> data_idx_for_src_id(size_t id)
@@ -108,6 +115,29 @@ namespace dbgui::frontend
 			return &*data_res_nodes[*idx];
 		}
 
+		size_t find_or_create_expr_path(std::string &&path)
+		{
+			for (auto &entry : expr_cache)
+			{
+				if (entry.expr_path == path)
+				{
+					entry.used_this_frame = true;
+					return entry.id;
+				}
+			}
+
+			using namespace data::source;
+			auto id = this->id++;
+			this->backend->add_data_node(
+			  Node{.id   = id,
+			       .type = Node::Type::source,
+			       .data = Source{.type = Source::Type::variable,
+			                      .data = Source::Variable{.expr_path = path}}});
+			expr_cache.push_back(ExprCacheEntry{
+			  .expr_path = std::move(path), .id = id, .used_this_frame = true});
+			return id;
+		}
+
 		TargetState state = TargetState::stopped;
 		std::string filename;
 		uint64_t id;
@@ -124,6 +154,7 @@ namespace dbgui::frontend
 		std::vector<std::pair<size_t, uint16_t>> src_id_to_data_idx;
 		std::vector<std::optional<data::result::Node>> data_res_nodes;
 		std::vector<data::type_info::TypeInfo> types;
+		std::vector<ExprCacheEntry> expr_cache;
 
 		std::shared_ptr<backend::Backend> backend = nullptr;
 	};
diff --git a/src/frontend/window.cpp b/src/frontend/window.cpp
index 30273d0..7adfee0 100644
--- a/src/frontend/window.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/window.cpp
@@ -1014,6 +1014,8 @@ bool WatchWindow::draw(Frontend &frontend)
 		first = false;
 	}
 
+	auto expr_path_vec = std::vector<ExprPathPart>{};
+
 	// ImGuiTableFlags_SizingFixedFit
 	if (ImGui::BeginTable("##Variables", 2,
 	                      ImGuiTableFlags_RowBg | ImGuiTableFlags_Resizable))
@@ -1053,9 +1055,10 @@ bool WatchWindow::draw(Frontend &frontend)
 					  reinterpret_cast<const char *>(locals_data.data() + cur_off + 2),
 					  str_len};
 					auto node_idx = local_node.children[cur_idx];
+					expr_path_vec.clear();
 					this->draw_value(frontend,
 					                 frontend.target->data_res_nodes[node_idx]->type_id,
-					                 name, node_idx, 0);
+					                 name, node_idx, 0, expr_path_vec);
 
 					cur_idx += 1;
 					cur_off += 2 + str_len;
@@ -1078,8 +1081,9 @@ bool WatchWindow::draw(Frontend &frontend)
 					no_success = false;
 					const auto &child_node =
 					  *frontend.target->data_res_nodes[node.children[0]];
+					expr_path_vec.clear();
 					this->draw_value(frontend, child_node.type_id, &extra_slots[i],
-					                 node.children[0], 0);
+					                 node.children[0], 0, expr_path_vec);
 
 					if (extra_slots[i].bak == "")
 					{
@@ -1192,7 +1196,8 @@ bool WatchWindow::draw(Frontend &frontend)
 void WatchWindow::draw_value(Frontend &frontend,
                              data::type_info::TypeID type_id,
                              std::variant<std::string_view, ExtraSlot *> name,
-                             data::result::NodeIdx node_idx, size_t off)
+                             data::result::NodeIdx node_idx, size_t off,
+                             std::vector<ExprPathPart> &expr_path)
 {
 	ImGui::TableNextRow();
 	ImGui::TableSetColumnIndex(0);
@@ -1367,8 +1372,12 @@ void WatchWindow::draw_value(Frontend &frontend,
 						continue;
 					}
 
+					expr_path.push_back(ExprPathPart{
+					  .ident = std::string_view{name_begin, name_end - name_begin},
+					  .deref = false});
 					this->draw_value(frontend, member.type_id, member.name, node_idx,
-					                 off + member.offset);
+					                 off + member.offset, expr_path);
+					expr_path.pop_back();
 				}
 			} else
 			{
@@ -1379,15 +1388,21 @@ void WatchWindow::draw_value(Frontend &frontend,
 				size_t el_count =
 				  frontend.target->types[type_id.idx].byte_size / member_size;
 
+				expr_path.push_back(ExprPathPart{
+				  .ident = std::string_view{name_begin, name_end - name_begin},
+				  .array = true});
+
 				char buf[32];
 				size_t member_off = 0;
 				for (size_t i = 0; i < el_count; ++i)
 				{
 					std::snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "[%lu]", i);
 					this->draw_value(frontend, member_ty_id, buf, node_idx,
-					                 off + member_off);
+					                 off + member_off, expr_path);
 					member_off += member_size;
 				}
+
+				expr_path.pop_back();
 			}
 
 			ImGui::TreePop();
@@ -1435,17 +1450,22 @@ void WatchWindow::draw_value(Frontend &frontend,
 			}
 		}
 
+		auto tree_open = false;
 		if (!is_editing)
 		{
 			char tree_id_buf[128];
 			std::snprintf(tree_id_buf, sizeof(tree_id_buf), "%u#off%lu", node_idx,
 			              off);
+			ImGuiTreeNodeFlags flags = ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_SpanFullWidth;
+			if (type_id.type != Type::ptr)
+			{
+				flags |= ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_Leaf | ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_NoTreePushOnOpen;
+			}
+
 			// TODO: better id
-			ImGui::TreeNodeEx(
-			  tree_id_buf,
-			  ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_SpanFullWidth | ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_Leaf
-			    | ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_NoTreePushOnOpen,
-			  "%.*s", static_cast<int>(name_end - name_begin), name_begin);
+			tree_open =
+			  ImGui::TreeNodeEx(tree_id_buf, flags, "%.*s",
+			                    static_cast<int>(name_end - name_begin), name_begin);
 			//ImGui::TextUnformatted(name_begin, name_end);
 			if (name.index() == 1
 			    && ImGui::IsMouseDoubleClicked(ImGuiMouseButton_Left)
@@ -1518,6 +1538,43 @@ void WatchWindow::draw_value(Frontend &frontend,
 			{
 				// TODO: ptr size
 				ImGui::Text("%lX", node.get_primitive<uint64_t>(off));
+				if (tree_open)
+				{
+					// TODO: make this func be able to not print the "outer" line
+					// and just accept a bool to only draw the containing value
+					std::string path{"*"};
+					// why cant i just path name_begin, name_end to string_view? :[
+					construct_expr_path(
+					  path, expr_path,
+					  std::string_view{name_begin,
+					                   static_cast<size_t>(name_end - name_begin)});
+
+					auto src_id =
+					  frontend.target->find_or_create_expr_path(std::move(path));
+					auto res_idx = frontend.target->data_idx_for_src_id(src_id);
+					if (res_idx)
+					{
+						const auto &node = *frontend.target->data_res_nodes[*res_idx];
+						if (node.success && node.children.size() == 1)
+						{
+							auto data_idx = node.children[0];
+							const auto &data_node =
+							  *frontend.target->data_res_nodes[data_idx];
+							expr_path.push_back(ExprPathPart{
+							  .ident = std::string_view{name_begin, static_cast<size_t>(
+							                                          name_end - name_begin)},
+							  .deref = true});
+
+							this->draw_value(frontend, data_node.type_id,
+							                 std::string_view{"<pointee>"}, data_idx, 0,
+							                 expr_path);
+
+							expr_path.pop_back();
+						}
+					}
+
+					ImGui::TreePop();
+				}
 				break;
 			}
 			case _enum:
@@ -1563,6 +1620,30 @@ void WatchWindow::draw_value(Frontend &frontend,
 	}
 }
 
+void WatchWindow::construct_expr_path(std::string &out,
+                                      const std::vector<ExprPathPart> &path,
+                                      std::string_view tail)
+{
+	for (const auto &entry : path)
+	{
+		// FIXME: BIGGEST HACK in cinema history
+		if (entry.ident == "<pointee>")
+		{
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		out += entry.ident;
+		if (entry.deref)
+		{
+			out += "->";
+		} else if (!entry.array)
+		{
+			out += '.';
+		}
+	}
+	out += tail;
+}
+
 void Window::handle_source_updated(Target &target, size_t id)
 {
 	switch (this->type)
diff --git a/src/frontend/window.h b/src/frontend/window.h
index 2f0b6d7..699ece4 100644
--- a/src/frontend/window.h
+++ b/src/frontend/window.h
@@ -135,11 +135,23 @@ namespace dbgui::frontend
 			bool edit_was_started = false;
 		};
 
+		// TODO: cache the expr_path by node_idx + off or smth?
+		struct ExprPathPart
+		{
+			std::string_view ident;
+			bool deref = false;
+			bool array = false;
+		};
+
 		bool draw(Frontend &);
 		void draw_value(Frontend &, data::type_info::TypeID,
 		                std::variant<std::string_view, ExtraSlot *> name,
-		                data::result::NodeIdx node_idx, size_t off);
+		                data::result::NodeIdx node_idx, size_t off,
+		                std::vector<ExprPathPart> &expr_path);
 		// void handle_source_updated(Target& target, size_t id);
+		void construct_expr_path(std::string &out,
+		                         const std::vector<ExprPathPart> &,
+		                         std::string_view tail);
 
 		std::string id;
 		bool open;
diff --git a/tmp/main b/tmp/main
index 5b76443..b19ca1a 100755
Binary files a/tmp/main and b/tmp/main differ
diff --git a/tmp/sec.cpp b/tmp/sec.cpp
index a8a6011..d592d95 100644
--- a/tmp/sec.cpp
+++ b/tmp/sec.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ namespace test {
 		uint32_t test_bits : 20;
 		uint32_t test_bits2: 12;
 		MyEnum enum_val;
+		std::string* ptr = nullptr;
 	};
 }
 
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ void helper_fn() {
 	unsigned int y = 30;
 	sleep(tmp.data);
 	{
-		test::MyType tmp = test::MyType{2};
+		test::MyType tmp = test::MyType{.data = 2, .ptr = &test};
 		sleep(tmp.data);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/todos.txt b/todos.txt
index 66a80a4..02fa295 100644
--- a/todos.txt
+++ b/todos.txt
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@
 - memory + cpu statistics like VS
 - visualization for branches (draw arror if branch is taken (or in both cases?))
 - allow (partial) path override for symbol source paths
+- check if classes with base classes work