diff --git a/Lib/python/pycontainer.i b/Lib/python/pycontainer.i
index b2364397e..6ed8d0dcb 100644
--- a/Lib/python/pycontainer.i
+++ b/Lib/python/pycontainer.i
@@ -255,42 +255,37 @@ namespace swigpy
   // __getitem__ is required to raise an IndexError for for-loops to work
   // other methods which can raise are made to throw an IndexError as well
   %exception __getitem__ {
-    try {
-      $action;
-    } catch (std::out_of_range& e) {
+    try { $action }
+    catch (std::out_of_range& e) {
       SWIG_exception(SWIG_IndexError,const_cast<char*>(e.what()));
     }
   }
 
   %exception __setitem__ {
-    try {
-      $action;
-    } catch (std::out_of_range& e) {
+    try { $action }
+    catch (std::out_of_range& e) {
       SWIG_exception(SWIG_IndexError,const_cast<char*>(e.what()));
     }
   }
 
   %exception __setslice__ {
-    try {
-      $action;
-    } catch (std::invalid_argument& e) {
+    try { $action }
+    catch (std::invalid_argument& e) {
       SWIG_exception(SWIG_TypeError,const_cast<char*>(e.what()));
     }
   }
 
   %exception __delitem__  {
-    try {
-      $action;
-    } catch (std::out_of_range& e) {
+    try { $action }
+    catch (std::out_of_range& e) {
       SWIG_exception(SWIG_IndexError,const_cast<char*>(e.what()));
     }
   }
 
   %exception pop  {
-    try {
-	$action;
-    } catch (std::out_of_range& e) {
-	SWIG_exception(SWIG_IndexError,const_cast<char*>(e.what()));
+    try { $action }
+    catch (std::out_of_range& e) {
+      SWIG_exception(SWIG_IndexError,const_cast<char*>(e.what()));
     }
   }
 
@@ -301,8 +296,7 @@ namespace swigpy
       return !(self->empty());
     }
 
-    size_type __len__() const 
-    {
+    size_type __len__() const {
       return self->size();
     }
   }
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_container.i b/Lib/python/std_container.i
index 1da599e77..7f3b3fe7e 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_container.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_container.i
@@ -175,3 +175,15 @@
   }
 %}
 
+
+//
+// Ignore member methods for Type with no default constructor
+//
+%define %std_nodefconst_type(...)
+%feature("ignore") std::vector<__VA_ARGS__ >::vector(size_type size);
+%feature("ignore") std::vector<__VA_ARGS__ >::resize(size_type size);
+%feature("ignore") std::deque<__VA_ARGS__ >::deque(size_type size);
+%feature("ignore") std::deque<__VA_ARGS__ >::resize(size_type size);
+%feature("ignore") std::list<__VA_ARGS__ >::list(size_type size);
+%feature("ignore") std::list<__VA_ARGS__ >::resize(size_type size);
+%enddef
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_deque.i b/Lib/python/std_deque.i
index 2ef88df0d..93d935ccd 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_deque.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_deque.i
@@ -54,18 +54,15 @@
   namespace swigpy {
     template <class T>
     struct traits_asptr<std::deque<T> >  {
-      typedef std::deque<T> deque_type;
-      typedef T value_type;
-      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, deque_type **vec) {
-	return traits_asptr_stdseq<deque_type>::asptr(obj, vec);
+      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, std::deque<T>  **vec) {
+	return traits_asptr_stdseq<std::deque<T> >::asptr(obj, vec);
       }
     };
 
     template <class T>
     struct traits_from<std::deque<T> > {
-      typedef std::deque<T> deque_type;
-      static PyObject *from(const deque_type& vec) {
-	return traits_from_stdseq<deque_type>::from(vec);
+      static PyObject *from(const std::deque<T> & vec) {
+	return traits_from_stdseq<std::deque<T> >::from(vec);
       }
     };
   }
@@ -102,7 +99,7 @@ namespace std {
 
     %typemap_traits_ptr(SWIG_CCode(DEQUE), std::deque<T >);
   
-    %std_deque_methods(std::deque<T >);
+    %std_deque_methods(deque);
     %pysequence_methods(std::deque<T >);
   };
 
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_list.i b/Lib/python/std_list.i
index faceb8b67..844728b94 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_list.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_list.i
@@ -12,12 +12,8 @@
   void pop_front();
   void push_front(const value_type& x);
   		
-  void remove(const value_type& x);
-  void unique();
   void reverse();
-  void sort();
   
-  void merge(list& x);
 %enddef
 
 
@@ -69,18 +65,15 @@
   namespace swigpy {
     template <class T >
     struct traits_asptr<std::list<T> >  {
-      typedef std::list<T> list_type;
-      typedef T value_type;
-      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, list_type **lis) {
-	return traits_asptr_stdseq<list_type>::asptr(obj, lis);
+      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, std::list<T> **lis) {
+	return traits_asptr_stdseq<std::list<T> >::asptr(obj, lis);
       }
     };
 
     template <class T>
     struct traits_from<std::list<T> > {
-      typedef std::list<T> list_type;
-      static PyObject *from(const list_type& vec) {
-	return traits_from_stdseq<list_type>::from(vec);
+      static PyObject *from(const std::list<T> & vec) {
+	return traits_from_stdseq<std::list<T> >::from(vec);
       }
     };
   }
@@ -117,7 +110,7 @@ namespace std {
 
     %typemap_traits_ptr(SWIG_CCode(LIST), std::list<T >);
   
-    %std_list_methods(std::list<T >);
+    %std_list_methods(list);
     %pysequence_methods(std::list<T >);
   };
 
@@ -145,15 +138,26 @@ namespace std {
 
     %typemap_traits_ptr(SWIG_CCode(LIST), std::list<T* >);
 
-    %std_list_methods_val(std::list<T* >);
+    %std_list_methods_val(list);
     %pysequence_methods_val(std::list<T* >);
   };
 
 }
 
+%define %std_extequal_list(...)
+%extend std::list<__VA_ARGS__ > { 
+  void remove(const value_type& x) { self->remove(x); }  
+  void merge(std::list<__VA_ARGS__ >& x){ self->merge(x); }  
+  void unique() { self->unique(); }  
+  void sort() { self->sort(); }  
+}
+%enddef
+
 %define %std_list_ptypen(...) 
   %std_extcomp(list, __VA_ARGS__);
   %std_definst(list, __VA_ARGS__);
+  %evalif(SWIG_EqualType(__VA_ARGS__),
+	  SWIG_arg(%std_extequal_list(__VA_ARGS__)));
 %enddef
 
 #if defined(SWIG_STD_EXTEND_COMPARISON) || defined(SWIG_STD_DEFAULT_INSTANTIATION)
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_map.i b/Lib/python/std_map.i
index 4e858a633..1d8387449 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_map.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_map.i
@@ -34,6 +34,20 @@
 %enddef
 
 
+// **** Note ****
+// 
+// If you are going to use a map, you need to instantiate both the 
+// map and the pair class:
+//
+//   %template(pair_ii) std::pair<int, int>;
+//   %template(map_ii) std::map<int, int>;
+//
+// or
+//
+//   %template() std::pair<int, int>;
+//   %template(map_ii) std::map<int, int>;
+//
+// **** Note ****
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // std::map
 // 
@@ -82,8 +96,6 @@
     template <class K, class T>
     struct traits_asptr<std::map<K,T> >  {
       typedef std::map<K,T> map_type;
-      typedef K key_type;
-      
       static int asptr(PyObject *obj, map_type **val) {
 	if (PyDict_Check(obj)) {
 	  PyObject_var items = PyMapping_Items(obj);
@@ -157,7 +169,7 @@ namespace std {
 
     %typemap_traits_ptr(SWIG_CCode(MAP), std::map<K, T >);
   
-    %std_map_methods(std::map<K, T >);
+    %std_map_methods(map);
     %pydict_methods(SWIG_arg(std::map<K, T >));
   };
 
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_multimap.i b/Lib/python/std_multimap.i
index 42f13fe67..226cbd63c 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_multimap.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_multimap.i
@@ -57,10 +57,7 @@
 
     template <class K, class T>
     struct traits_asptr<std::multimap<K,T> >  {
-      typedef std::multimap<K,T> multimap_type;
-      typedef K key_type;
-      
-      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, multimap_type **val) {
+      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, std::multimap<K,T> **val) {
 	if (PyDict_Check(obj)) {
 	  PyObject_var items = PyMapping_Items(obj);
 	  return traits_asptr_stdseq<std::multimap<K,T>, std::pair<K, T> >
@@ -133,7 +130,7 @@ namespace std {
 
     %typemap_traits_ptr(SWIG_CCode(MULTIMAP), std::multimap<K, T >);
   
-    %std_multimap_methods(std::multimap<K, T >);
+    %std_multimap_methods(multimap);
     %pydict_methods(SWIG_arg(std::multimap<K, T >));
   };
 }
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_multiset.i b/Lib/python/std_multiset.i
index 10a141b70..790e05c69 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_multiset.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_multiset.i
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@
 
     template <class T>
     struct traits_asptr<std::multiset<T> >  {
-      typedef std::multiset<T> multiset_type;
-      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, multiset_type **m) {
+      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, std::multiset<T> **m) {
 	return traits_asptr_stdseq<std::multiset<T> >::asptr(obj, m);
       }
     };
@@ -98,7 +97,7 @@ namespace std {
 
     %typemap_traits_ptr(SWIG_CCode(MULTISET), std::multiset<T >);
   
-    %std_multiset_methods(std::multiset<T >);
+    %std_multiset_methods(multiset);
     %pycontainer_methods(std::multiset<T >);
   };
 
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_pair.i b/Lib/python/std_pair.i
index b60a5c29e..db7a4e2d6 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_pair.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_pair.i
@@ -9,16 +9,13 @@
   namespace swigpy {
     template <class T, class U >
     struct traits_asval<std::pair<T,U> >  {
-      typedef std::pair<T,U> value_type;
-      typedef T first_type;
-      typedef U second_type;
-
-      static int asval(PyObject *obj, value_type *val) {
+      static int asval(PyObject *obj, std::pair<T,U> *val) {
+	typedef std::pair<T,U> value_type;
 	if (PySequence_Check(obj) && (PySequence_Size(obj) == 2)) {
 	  swigpy::PyObject_var first = PySequence_GetItem(obj,0);
 	  swigpy::PyObject_var second = PySequence_GetItem(obj,1);
-	  first_type *pfirst = val ? &(val->first) : 0;
-	  second_type *psecond = val ? &(val->second) : 0;	  
+	  T *pfirst = val ? &(val->first) : 0;
+	  U *psecond = val ? &(val->second) : 0;	  
 	  if (swigpy::asval(first,pfirst) && swigpy::asval(second,psecond)) {
 	    return 1;
 	  }
@@ -40,8 +37,7 @@
 
     template <class T, class U >
     struct traits_from<std::pair<T,U> >   {
-      typedef std::pair<T,U> value_type;
-      static PyObject *from(const value_type& val) {
+      static PyObject *from(const std::pair<T,U>& val) {
 	PyObject* obj = PyTuple_New(2);
 	PyTuple_SetItem(obj,0,swigpy::from(val.first));
 	PyTuple_SetItem(obj,1,swigpy::from(val.second));
@@ -83,17 +79,12 @@ namespace std {
     U second;
 
     %extend
-    {
-      const T& f() {
-	return self->first;
-      }
-      
+    {      
       %pythoncode {
 	def __repr__(self):
 	  return "(%s, %s)" %(str(self.first),str(self.second))
       }
-    }
-    
+    }    
   };
 
   // ***
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_set.i b/Lib/python/std_set.i
index 6e1864352..b88fe79d6 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_set.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_set.i
@@ -73,8 +73,7 @@
 
     template <class T>
     struct traits_asptr<std::set<T> >  {
-      typedef std::set<T> set_type;
-      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, set_type **s) {
+      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, std::set<T> **s) {
 	return traits_asptr_stdseq<std::set<T> >::asptr(obj, s);
       }
     };
@@ -121,7 +120,7 @@ namespace std {
 
     %typemap_traits_ptr(SWIG_CCode(SET), std::set<T >);
   
-    %std_set_methods(std::set<T >);
+    %std_set_methods(set);
     %pycontainer_methods(std::set<T >);
   };
 
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_vector.i b/Lib/python/std_vector.i
index c4fb6a2e1..b0adb6a2a 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_vector.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_vector.i
@@ -57,18 +57,15 @@
   namespace swigpy {
     template <class T>
     struct traits_asptr<std::vector<T> >  {
-      typedef std::vector<T> vector_type;
-      typedef T value_type;
-      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, vector_type **vec) {
-	return traits_asptr_stdseq<vector_type>::asptr(obj, vec);
+      static int asptr(PyObject *obj, std::vector<T> **vec) {
+	return traits_asptr_stdseq<std::vector<T> >::asptr(obj, vec);
       }
     };
-
+    
     template <class T>
     struct traits_from<std::vector<T> > {
-      typedef std::vector<T> vector_type;
-      static PyObject *from(const vector_type& vec) {
-	return traits_from_stdseq<vector_type>::from(vec);
+      static PyObject *from(const std::vector<T>& vec) {
+	return traits_from_stdseq<std::vector<T> >::from(vec);
       }
     };
   }