diff --git a/libsrc/general/archive_base.hpp b/libsrc/general/archive_base.hpp
index 7b48d9a0..9e74b0e5 100644
--- a/libsrc/general/archive_base.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/general/archive_base.hpp
@@ -67,11 +67,13 @@ namespace ngstd
     std::map<void*,int> ptr2nr;
     std::vector<void*> nr2ptr;
 
+    /*
     // necessary for msvc ??? 
     Archive & operator& (string* & ps)
     {
       return operator&<string> (ps);
     }
+    */
     
     template <typename T>
     Archive & operator& (T *& p)
diff --git a/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.cpp b/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.cpp
index e9ad5ac7..6aa708ea 100644
--- a/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.cpp
@@ -147,6 +147,15 @@ namespace netgen
     
     return *this;
   }
+  
+  ngstd::Archive & Segment :: DoArchive (ngstd::Archive & ar)
+  {
+    return ar & pnums[0] & pnums[1] & pnums[2]
+      & edgenr & singedge_left & singedge_right
+      & si & cd2i & domin & domout & tlosurf
+      & surfnr1 & surfnr2
+      & bcname;
+  }
 
 
   ostream & operator<<(ostream  & s, const Segment & seg)
@@ -2416,7 +2425,18 @@ namespace netgen
     else
       bcn = &default_bcname;
   }
+  
+  ngstd::Archive & FaceDescriptor :: DoArchive (ngstd::Archive & ar)
+  {
+    return ar & surfnr & domin & domout & tlosurf & bcprop
+      & surfcolour.X() & surfcolour.Y() & surfcolour.Z()
+      & bcname   
+      & domin_singular & domout_singular ;
+      // don't need:  firstelement
+  }
+  
 
+  
   ostream & operator<<(ostream  & s, const FaceDescriptor & fd)
   {
     s << "surfnr = " << fd.SurfNr() 
diff --git a/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.hpp b/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.hpp
index 46345e08..5fe1d8a6 100644
--- a/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.hpp
@@ -1049,15 +1049,7 @@ namespace netgen
 #else
     int GetPartition () const { return 0; }
 #endif
-    ngstd::Archive & DoArchive (ngstd::Archive & ar)
-    {
-      return ar & pnums[0] & pnums[1] & pnums[2]
-        & edgenr & singedge_left & singedge_right
-        & si & cd2i & domin & domout & tlosurf
-        & surfnr1 & surfnr2
-        & bcname;
-    }
-    
+    ngstd::Archive & DoArchive (ngstd::Archive & ar);
   };
 
   inline ngstd::Archive & operator & (ngstd::Archive & archive, Segment & mp)
@@ -1150,15 +1142,7 @@ namespace netgen
     // friend ostream & operator<<(ostream  & s, const FaceDescriptor & fd);
     friend class Mesh;
 
-    ngstd::Archive & DoArchive (ngstd::Archive & ar)
-    {
-      return ar & surfnr & domin & domout & tlosurf & bcprop
-        & surfcolour.X() & surfcolour.Y() & surfcolour.Z()
-        & bcname   
-        & domin_singular & domout_singular ;
-      // don't need:  firstelement
-    }
-    
+    ngstd::Archive & DoArchive (ngstd::Archive & ar);
   };
 
   inline ngstd::Archive & operator & (ngstd::Archive & archive, FaceDescriptor & mp)