diff --git a/tools/python/jwutils/stree/StringTree.py b/tools/python/jwutils/stree/StringTree.py
index 5bce6db..9e66cbf 100644
--- a/tools/python/jwutils/stree/StringTree.py
+++ b/tools/python/jwutils/stree/StringTree.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def cleanup_string(s: str) -> str:
 class StringTree: # export
 
     def __init__(self, path: str, content: str) -> None:
-        slog(DEBUG, "ctor, path =", path, "content =", content)
+        slog(DEBUG, f'Constructing StringTree(path="{path}", content="{content}")')
         self.children: OrderedDict[str, StringTree] = OrderedDict()
         self.content: Optional[str] = None
         self.__set(path, content)
@@ -51,21 +51,20 @@ class StringTree: # export
     #    regex ( content = regex, children = [ '[ \n\t\r]+' ] )
     #      '[ \n\t\r]+)' ( content = '\n\t\r]+)', children = [] )
 
-    def __add_children(self, rhs):
-        assert isinstance(rhs, StringTree)
-        slog(DEBUG, "{}: adding children of {}: ".format(str(self), str(rhs)), str(rhs.children))
-        #rhs.dump(INFO, "These children are added")
-        self.content = rhs.content
-        for name, c in rhs.children.items():
+    def __adopt_children(self, parent):
+        assert isinstance(parent, StringTree)
+        slog(DEBUG, f'At {self.content}: Adopting children of {parent}')
+        #parent.dump(INFO, "These children are added")
+        self.content = parent.content
+        for name, c in parent.children.items():
             if not name in self.children.keys():
-                slog(DEBUG, "{}: adding new child: {}".format(str(self), str(c)))
+                slog(DEBUG, f'At {self.content}: Adding new child {c}')
                 self.children[name] = c
             else:
-                self.children[name].__add_children(c)
+                self.children[name].__adopt_children(c)
 
     def __set(self, path_, content, split=True):
-        slog(DEBUG, "+ setting >" + str(content) + "< at path \"" + str(path_) + "\"" +
-            (', containing "{}"'.format(str(self.content))) if hasattr(self, "content") else "")
+        slog(DEBUG, ('At "{}": '.format(str(self.content)) if hasattr(self, "content") else "") + f'Setting "{path_}" -> "{content}"')
         assert self.content != str(content)
         if content is not None and not type(content) in [str, StringTree]:
             raise Exception("Tried to add content of unsupported type {}".format(type(content).__name__))
@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ class StringTree: # export
             if isinstance(content, str):
                 self.content = cleanup_string(content)
             elif isinstance(content, StringTree):
-                self.__add_children(content)
+                self.__adopt_children(content)
             else:
                 raise Exception("Tried to add content of unsupported type {}".format(type(content).__name__))
             slog(DEBUG, " -- content = >" + str(content) + "<, self.content = >" + str(self.content) + "<")
@@ -85,14 +84,15 @@ class StringTree: # export
             #assert self.content is None or (isinstance(content, StringTree) and content.content == self.content)
             if isinstance(content, StringTree):
                 #assert isinstance(content, StringTree), "Type: " + type(content).__name__
-                self.__add_children(content)
+                self.__adopt_children(content)
             else:
-                #self.content = cleanup_string(content)
-                self.content = content
-                slog(DEBUG, " -- content = >" + str(content) + "<, self.content = >" + str(self.content) + "<")
-                #assert(content != "'antlr_doesnt_understand_vertical_tab'")
-                assert(content != '"[a-zA-Z0-9+_*/-]"')
-                #self.children[content] = StringTree(None, content)
+                if self.content != content:
+                    #self.content = cleanup_string(content)
+                    slog(DEBUG, f'Changing content: "{self.content}" ->"{content}"')
+                    assert(content != '"[a-zA-Z0-9+_*/-]"')
+                    self.content = content
+                    #assert(content != "'antlr_doesnt_understand_vertical_tab'")
+                    #self.children[content] = StringTree(None, content)
             return self
 
         #assert self.content is not None, "tried to set empty content to {}".format(path_)
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class StringTree: # export
         self.content = content
 
     def add(self, path: str, content: Optional[Union[str, StringTree]] = None, split: bool = True) -> StringTree:
-        slog(DEBUG, "adding >{}< at >{}< to >{}<".format(content, path, self.content))
+        slog(DEBUG, f'-- At "{self.content}": Adding "{path}" -> "{content}"')
         return self.__set(path, content, split)
 
     def get(self, path_: str) -> Optional[StringTree]:
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ class StringTree: # export
             return child.value()
         if len(self.children) == 0:
             raise Exception('tried to get value from leave "{}"'.format(self.content))
+        slog(DEBUG, f'Returning value from children {self.children}')
         return self.children[next(reversed(self.children))].content # type: ignore
 
     def child_list(self, depth_first: bool=True) -> List[StringTree]:
diff --git a/tools/python/jwutils/stree/serdes.py b/tools/python/jwutils/stree/serdes.py
index 777a008..426c15d 100644
--- a/tools/python/jwutils/stree/serdes.py
+++ b/tools/python/jwutils/stree/serdes.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def parse(s: str, allow_full_lines: bool=True, root_content: str='root') -> Stri
     root = StringTree('', content=root_content)
     sec = ''
     for line in s.splitlines():
-        slog(DEBUG, "line=", line)
+        slog(DEBUG, f'Parsing: "{line}"')
         line = _cleanup_line(line)
         #slog(DEBUG, "cleaned line=", line)
         if not len(line):