diff --git a/python/tmc_classes.py b/python/tmc_classes.py
index 2b20b29..719f901 100644
--- a/python/tmc_classes.py
+++ b/python/tmc_classes.py
@@ -110,7 +110,12 @@ class lcl:
     def get_point(self,LCD):
         return self.points[LCD]
     def get_name(self,NID):
-        return self.names[NID]["NAME"]
+      if NID=u"":
+        return u""
+      elif self.names.has_key(int(NID))
+        return self.names[int(NID)]["NAME"]
+      else:
+        return u"invalid nid: %i"%int(NID)
     def dat_to_tuple_dict(self,lcldir,filename,encoding,tuple_name):
         cache_version_str="v1.0"
         md5_hash=hashlib.md5(open(lcldir+filename, 'rb').read()+cache_version_str).hexdigest()
@@ -288,14 +293,18 @@ class tmc_area:
                     self.subtype=0
                     print("location subtype %s is invalid in location %i"%(area.STCD,lcn))
                 loc_dict=self.lcl_obj.areas[lcn]
-                if not area.NID==u"":
-                    self.name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(int(area.NID))
+                self.name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(area.NID)
                 self.is_valid=True
             elif self.tableobj.log or self.tableobj.debug:
                 print("area not found %i"%lcn)
         elif self.tableobj.log or self.tableobj.debug:
           print("lcn not allocated %i"%lcn)
-class tmc_segment:    
+class tmc_segment:  
+#used refs:
+#~ segment (linref):
+#~ first_name
+#~ second_name
+#~ roadnumber  
     def __init__(self,lcn,tableobj):
         self.lcn=lcn
         self.tableobj=tableobj
@@ -322,16 +331,25 @@ class tmc_segment:
                     self.subtype=0
                     print("location subtype %s is invalid in location %i"%(segment.STCD,lcn))
                 self.roadnumber=segment.ROADNUMBER
-                if not segment.RNID==u"":
-                    self.roadname=self.lcl_obj.get_name(int(segment.RNID))
-                if not segment.N1ID==u"":
-                    self.first_name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(int(segment.N1ID))
-                if not segment.N2ID==u"":
-                    self.second_name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(int(segment.N2ID))
+                self.roadname=self.lcl_obj.get_name(segment.RNID)
+                self.first_name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(segment.N1ID)
+                self.second_name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(segment.N2ID)
                 self.is_valid=True
         elif self.tableobj.log or self.tableobj.debug:
           print("lcn not allocated %i"%lcn)
 class tmc_location:
+#~ used refs:
+#~ is_valid
+#~ get_extent_location()
+ #~ positive_offset
+ #~ negative_offset
+#~ linRef
+#~ has_koord
+#~ first_name
+#~ second_name
+#~ roadnumber
+#~ reflocs
+#~ koord_str_google
     def __ref_locs(self,lcn,name_string=""):
         if(lcn==34196):#europe
             #print("reached eu: "+name_string)
@@ -339,7 +357,7 @@ class tmc_location:
         else:
             try:
                 area=self.lcl_obj.get_area(lcn)
-                loc_name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(int(area.NID)).encode('utf-8')
+                loc_name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(area.NID).encode('utf-8')
                 aref=int(area.POL_LCD)
                 return(self.__ref_locs(aref,name_string+","+loc_name))
             except KeyError as e:#no area with lcn
@@ -375,18 +393,9 @@ class tmc_location:
               except ValueError:#should not happen, all rows have int
                   self.subtype=0
                   print("location subtype %s is invalid in location %i"%(self.point.STCD,lcn))
-              if not self.point.RNID==u"":
-                  self.roadname=self.lcl_obj.get_name(int(self.point.RNID))
-              else:
-                  self.roadname=""
-              if not self.point.N1ID==u"":
-                  self.first_name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(int(self.point.N1ID))
-              else:
-                  self.first_name=""
-              if not self.point.N2ID==u"":
-                  self.second_name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(int(self.point.N2ID))
-              else:
-                  self.second_name=""
+              self.roadname=self.lcl_obj.get_name(self.point.RNID)
+              self.first_name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(self.point.N1ID)
+              self.second_name=self.lcl_obj.get_name(self.point.N2ID)
 
               if not self.point.SEG_LCD==u"":
                   self.linRef=tmc_segment(int(self.point.SEG_LCD),tableobj)