diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..259bdce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+.cproject
+.project
+Debug
+Release
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 2d443ea..2cde54a 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -29,12 +29,37 @@
 using namespace metacall;
 
 
+//
+// Serialization
+//
+
+namespace metacall {
+
+
+bool serialize(Serializer* serializer, const char str[]) {
+    serializer->writeRaw(str, strlen(str) + 1);
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool deserialize(Deserializer* deserializer, const char ** str) {
+    *str = reinterpret_cast<const char*>(deserializer->readRaw(1));
+    if (*str == NULL) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return deserializer->readRaw(strlen(*str)) != NULL;
+}
+
+
+}
+
+
 //
 // Local functions
 //
 
-static void serverTest1(int value) {
-    printf("Server function %d\n", value);
+static void serverTest1(const char str[], int num) {
+    printf("Server function params are \"%s\" and \"%d\"\n", str, num);
 }
 
 
@@ -60,7 +85,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     server.binding()->bind(FPARAM(serverTest1));
 
     do {
-        client.protocol()->invoke("serverTest1", 1234);
+        client.protocol()->invoke("serverTest1", "OneTwoThreeFour", 1234);
         server.advance();
         client.advance();
     }
diff --git a/mc_protocol.cpp b/mc_protocol.cpp
index e8eb152..e2eddf1 100644
--- a/mc_protocol.cpp
+++ b/mc_protocol.cpp
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ void Protocol::setRate(int rate) {
     rate_ = rate;
 }
 
+bool Protocol::pendingTasks() const {
+    return taskMap_.size() > 0;
+}
+
 bool Protocol::setHandler(TaskId id, HandlerProc handler, void* userPtr) {
     const TaskMap::iterator iter = taskMap_.find(id);
     if (iter == taskMap_.end() || iter->second.state != TASK_STATE_PENDING) {
@@ -100,11 +104,6 @@ void Protocol::clearHandlers() {
     }
 }
 
-Protocol::TaskState Protocol::queryState(TaskId id) const {
-    const TaskMap::const_iterator iter = taskMap_.find(id);
-    return iter == taskMap_.end() ? TASK_STATE_UNDEFINED : iter->second.state;
-}
-
 Stream::State Protocol::advanceStream() {
     stream_->advance();
 
diff --git a/mc_protocol.hpp b/mc_protocol.hpp
index a61f406..c3cc595 100644
--- a/mc_protocol.hpp
+++ b/mc_protocol.hpp
@@ -55,15 +55,15 @@ public:
     Protocol(Stream* stream, Binding* binding);
 
     void            advance             ();
-
     void            setRate             (int rate);
-    bool            setHandler          (TaskId id, HandlerProc handler, void* userPtr = NULL);
-    void            clearHandler        (TaskId id);
-    void            clearHandlers       ();
 
     template        <typename R>
     TaskState       queryResult         (TaskId id, R* result);
-    TaskState       queryState          (TaskId id) const;
+    bool            pendingTasks        () const;
+
+    bool            setHandler          (TaskId id, HandlerProc handler, void* userPtr = NULL);
+    void            clearHandler        (TaskId id);
+    void            clearHandlers       ();
 
     TaskId          invoke              (const Token& token);
     template        <typename P1>