diff --git a/doc/help.htm b/doc/help.htm
index cfb2efe..5114db6 100644
--- a/doc/help.htm
+++ b/doc/help.htm
@@ -188,6 +188,15 @@
     (qlog "x ~A y ~A" x y)
 
 
+<b>qnull (qt-object)</b>
+
+  Only useful if used with UNLESS, in order to check for a valid pointer.
+  Returns T if the argument is not of type QT-OBJECT.
+
+    (unless (qnull ui:*item*)
+      ...)
+
+
 <b>qobject-name (qt-object)</b>
 
   Returns the QObject::objectName() of passed QT-OBJECT.
diff --git a/examples/clog-demo/clog-assets/htm/js/boot.js b/examples/clog-demo/clog-assets/htm/js/boot.js
index df5c0a8..8a10340 100644
--- a/examples/clog-demo/clog-assets/htm/js/boot.js
+++ b/examples/clog-demo/clog-assets/htm/js/boot.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const ws = {
         if (ios) {
             _ws.send(message);
         } else {
-            // hack, seel QML 'onTitleChanged()'
+            // hack, see QML 'onTitleChanged()'
             document.title = message;
             document.title = "-"; // non empty
         }
diff --git a/src/cpp/ecl_ext.cpp b/src/cpp/ecl_ext.cpp
index 5d9a904..1f39b11 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ecl_ext.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ecl_ext.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ void iniCLFunctions() {
   DEFUN ("%qinvoke-method",     qinvoke_method2,     3)
   DEFUN ("%qload-c++",          qload_cpp,           2)
   DEFUN ("%qlog",               qlog2,               1)
+  DEFUN ("qnull",               qnull,               1)
   DEFUN ("%qml-get",            qml_get2,            2)
   DEFUN ("%qml-set",            qml_set2,            3)
   DEFUN ("qobject-name",        qobject_name,        1)
@@ -130,6 +131,30 @@ cl_object qset2(cl_object l_obj, cl_object l_args) {
   ///   (qset *quick-view* |x| 100 |y| 100)
   QObject* qobject = toQObjectPointer(l_obj);
   if (qobject != nullptr) {
+    QQuickItem* item = qobject_cast<QQuickItem*>(qobject);
+    if (item != nullptr) {
+      QByteArray name(toCString(cl_first(l_args)));
+      cl_object l_val = cl_second(l_args);
+      // special case for QQuickItem to:
+      // * not trigger animations while positioning
+      // * provide 'setParent()' for dynamic items, needed for 'objectName'
+      if (QByteArray("x y parent").indexOf(name) != -1) {
+        if (name == "x") {
+          item->setX(toReal(l_val));
+        } else if (name == "y") {
+          item->setY(toReal(l_val));
+        } else {
+          QObject* o = toQObjectPointer(l_val);
+          QQuickItem* parent = qobject_cast<QQuickItem*>(o);
+          if (parent != nullptr) {
+            // need to set both here
+            item->setParent(parent);
+            item->setParentItem(parent);
+          }
+        }
+        ecl_return2(ecl_process_env(), l_args, ECL_T);
+      }
+    }
     const QMetaObject* mo = qobject->metaObject();
     for (cl_object l_do = l_args; l_do != ECL_NIL; l_do = cl_cddr(l_do)) {
       cl_object l_name = cl_first(l_do);
@@ -406,6 +431,16 @@ cl_object qlog2(cl_object l_msg) {
   ecl_return1(ecl_process_env(), ECL_NIL);
 }
 
+cl_object qnull(cl_object l_arg) {
+  /// args: (qt-object)
+  /// Only useful if used with UNLESS, in order to check for a valid pointer.
+  /// Returns T if the argument is not of type QT-OBJECT.
+  ///   (unless (qnull ui:*item*)
+  ///     ...)
+  QObject* qobject = toQObjectPointer(l_arg);
+  ecl_return1(ecl_process_env(), (qobject == nullptr) ? ECL_T : ECL_NIL);
+}
+
 cl_object qinvoke_method2(cl_object l_obj, cl_object l_name, cl_object l_args) {
   // for internal use: this is used to call user defined JS functions, and to
   // call user defined Qt/C++ plugin functions.
diff --git a/src/cpp/ecl_ext.h b/src/cpp/ecl_ext.h
index c43d236..8a91152 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ecl_ext.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ecl_ext.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ cl_object qfrom_utf8          (cl_object);
 cl_object qinvoke_method2     (cl_object, cl_object, cl_object);
 cl_object qload_cpp           (cl_object, cl_object);
 cl_object qlog2               (cl_object);
+cl_object qnull               (cl_object);
 cl_object qml_get2            (cl_object, cl_object);
 cl_object qml_set2            (cl_object, cl_object, cl_object);
 cl_object qobject_name        (cl_object);
diff --git a/src/cpp/ecl_fun_plugin.h b/src/cpp/ecl_fun_plugin.h
index 7e5c2dc..f0983c4 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ecl_fun_plugin.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ecl_fun_plugin.h
@@ -49,30 +49,30 @@ QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 #define LIST10(a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a9, a10) \
     CONS(a1, LIST9(a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a9, a10))
 
-#define TO_CL_FLOAT_2(cap_name, name, x1, x2) \
+#define TO_CL_2(cap_name, name, make, x1, x2) \
 cl_object from_##name(const cap_name& q) { \
-  cl_object l_ret = LIST2(ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x1()), ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x2())); \
+  cl_object l_ret = LIST2(make(q.x1()), make(q.x2())); \
   return l_ret; \
 }
 
-#define TO_CL_FLOAT_4(cap_name, name, x1, x2, x3, x4) \
+#define TO_CL_4(cap_name, name, make, x1, x2, x3, x4) \
 cl_object from_##name(const cap_name& q) { \
-  cl_object l_ret = LIST4(ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x1()), ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x2()), ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x3()), ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x4())); \
+  cl_object l_ret = LIST4(make(q.x1()), make(q.x2()), make(q.x3()), make(q.x4())); \
   return l_ret; \
 }
 
-#define TO_QT_FLOAT_2(name) \
+#define TO_QT_2(name, toX) \
 name to##name(cl_object x) { \
   if (LISTP(x)) { \
-    return name(toReal(cl_first(x)), toReal(cl_second(x))); \
+    return name(toX(cl_first(x)), toX(cl_second(x))); \
   } \
   return name(); \
 }
 
-#define TO_QT_FLOAT_4(name) \
+#define TO_QT_4(name, toX) \
 name to##name(cl_object x) { \
   if (LISTP(x)) { \
-    return name(toReal(cl_first(x)), toReal(cl_second(x)), toReal(cl_third(x)), toReal(cl_fourth(x))); \
+    return name(toX(cl_first(x)), toX(cl_second(x)), toX(cl_third(x)), toX(cl_fourth(x))); \
   } \
   return name(); \
 }
@@ -201,9 +201,13 @@ QString toQString(cl_object l_str) {
   return s;
 }
 
-TO_QT_FLOAT_2 (QPointF)
-TO_QT_FLOAT_2 (QSizeF)
-TO_QT_FLOAT_4 (QRectF)
+TO_QT_2 (QPoint, toInt)
+TO_QT_2 (QSize,  toInt)
+TO_QT_4 (QRect,  toInt)
+
+TO_QT_2 (QPointF, toFloat)
+TO_QT_2 (QSizeF,  toFloat)
+TO_QT_4 (QRectF,  toFloat)
 
 QVariant     toQVariant(cl_object, int = -1);
 QVariant     toQVariantMap(cl_object);
@@ -213,8 +217,11 @@ QVariant toQVariant(cl_object l_arg, int type) {
   QVariant var;
   switch (type) {
     case QMetaType::QByteArray: var = toQByteArray(l_arg);    break;
+    case QMetaType::QPoint:     var = toQPoint(l_arg);        break;
     case QMetaType::QPointF:    var = toQPointF(l_arg);       break;
+    case QMetaType::QRect:      var = toQRect(l_arg);         break;
     case QMetaType::QRectF:     var = toQRectF(l_arg);        break;
+    case QMetaType::QSize:      var = toQSize(l_arg);         break;
     case QMetaType::QSizeF:     var = toQSizeF(l_arg);        break;
     case QMetaType::QUrl:       var = QUrl(toQString(l_arg)); break;
     default:
@@ -295,9 +302,13 @@ cl_object from_qstring(const QString& s) {
   return l_s;
 }
 
-TO_CL_FLOAT_2 (QPointF, qpointf, x, y)
-TO_CL_FLOAT_2 (QSizeF,  qsizef,  width, height)
-TO_CL_FLOAT_4 (QRectF,  qrectf,  x, y, width, height)
+TO_CL_2 (QPoint, qpoint, ecl_make_fixnum, x, y)
+TO_CL_2 (QSize,  qsize,  ecl_make_fixnum, width, height)
+TO_CL_4 (QRect,  qrect,  ecl_make_fixnum, x, y, width, height)
+
+TO_CL_2 (QPointF, qpointf, ecl_make_doublefloat, x, y)
+TO_CL_2 (QSizeF,  qsizef,  ecl_make_doublefloat, width, height)
+TO_CL_4 (QRectF,  qrectf,  ecl_make_doublefloat, x, y, width, height)
 
 cl_object from_qvariant(const QVariant& var) {
   cl_object l_obj = ECL_NIL;
@@ -312,8 +323,11 @@ cl_object from_qvariant(const QVariant& var) {
     case QMetaType::Int:        l_obj = ecl_make_integer(var.toInt());                break;
     case QMetaType::UInt:       l_obj = ecl_make_unsigned_integer(var.toUInt());      break;
     case QMetaType::ULongLong:  l_obj = ecl_make_unsigned_integer(var.toULongLong()); break;
+    case QMetaType::QPoint:     l_obj = from_qpoint(var.toPoint());                   break;
     case QMetaType::QPointF:    l_obj = from_qpointf(var.toPointF());                 break;
+    case QMetaType::QRect:      l_obj = from_qrect(var.toRect());                     break;
     case QMetaType::QRectF:     l_obj = from_qrectf(var.toRectF());                   break;
+    case QMetaType::QSize:      l_obj = from_qsize(var.toSize());                     break;
     case QMetaType::QSizeF:     l_obj = from_qsizef(var.toSizeF());                   break;
     case QMetaType::QString:
     case QMetaType::QUrl:       l_obj = from_qstring(var.toString());                 break;
diff --git a/src/cpp/marshal.cpp b/src/cpp/marshal.cpp
index 1b1ec3a..0ba55aa 100644
--- a/src/cpp/marshal.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/marshal.cpp
@@ -141,18 +141,30 @@ QStringList toQStringList(cl_object l_list) {
   return l;
 }
 
-TO_QT_FLOAT_2 (QPointF)
-TO_QT_FLOAT_2 (QSizeF)
-TO_QT_FLOAT_4 (QRectF)
+TO_QT_2 (QPoint, toInt)
+TO_QT_2 (QSize,  toInt)
+TO_QT_4 (QRect,  toInt)
+
+TO_QT_2 (QPointF, toFloat)
+TO_QT_2 (QSizeF,  toFloat)
+TO_QT_4 (QRectF,  toFloat)
 
 QVariant toQVariant(cl_object l_arg, int type) {
   QVariant var;
   switch (type) {
     case QMetaType::QByteArray: var = toQByteArray(l_arg);    break;
+    case QMetaType::QPoint:     var = toQPoint(l_arg);        break;
     case QMetaType::QPointF:    var = toQPointF(l_arg);       break;
+    case QMetaType::QRect:      var = toQRect(l_arg);         break;
     case QMetaType::QRectF:     var = toQRectF(l_arg);        break;
+    case QMetaType::QSize:      var = toQSize(l_arg);         break;
     case QMetaType::QSizeF:     var = toQSizeF(l_arg);        break;
     case QMetaType::QUrl:       var = QUrl(toQString(l_arg)); break;
+    case QMetaType::QObjectStar: {
+        QObject* o = toQObjectPointer(l_arg);
+        var = QVariant::fromValue<QObject*>(o);     // QObject*
+      }
+      break;
     default:
     if (cl_integerp(l_arg) == ECL_T) {              // int
       var = QVariant(toInt(l_arg));
@@ -170,8 +182,13 @@ QVariant toQVariant(cl_object l_arg, int type) {
             : toQVariantList(l_arg);
     } else if (cl_vectorp(l_arg) == ECL_T) {        // vector (of octets)
       var = QVariant(toQByteArray(l_arg));
-    } else {                                        // default: undefined
-      var = QVariant();
+    } else {
+      QObject* o = toQObjectPointer(l_arg);
+      if (o != nullptr) {
+        var = QVariant::fromValue<QObject*>(o);     // e.g. QQuickItem*
+      } else {
+        var = QVariant();                           // default: undefined
+      }
     }
   }
   return var;
@@ -270,9 +287,13 @@ cl_object from_qstringlist(const QStringList& l) {
   return l_list;
 }
 
-TO_CL_FLOAT_2 (QPointF, qpointf, x, y)
-TO_CL_FLOAT_2 (QSizeF,  qsizef,  width, height)
-TO_CL_FLOAT_4 (QRectF,  qrectf,  x, y, width, height)
+TO_CL_2 (QPoint, qpoint, ecl_make_fixnum, x, y)
+TO_CL_2 (QSize,  qsize,  ecl_make_fixnum, width, height)
+TO_CL_4 (QRect,  qrect,  ecl_make_fixnum, x, y, width, height)
+
+TO_CL_2 (QPointF, qpointf, ecl_make_doublefloat, x, y)
+TO_CL_2 (QSizeF,  qsizef,  ecl_make_doublefloat, width, height)
+TO_CL_4 (QRectF,  qrectf,  ecl_make_doublefloat, x, y, width, height)
 
 cl_object from_qvariant(const QVariant& var) {
   cl_object l_obj = ECL_NIL;
@@ -281,26 +302,37 @@ cl_object from_qvariant(const QVariant& var) {
 #else
   const int type = var.typeId();
 #endif
-  switch (type) {
-    case QMetaType::Bool:       l_obj = var.toBool() ? ECL_T : ECL_NIL;               break;
-    case QMetaType::Double:     l_obj = ecl_make_doublefloat(var.toDouble());         break;
-    case QMetaType::Int:        l_obj = ecl_make_integer(var.toInt());                break;
-    case QMetaType::UInt:       l_obj = ecl_make_unsigned_integer(var.toUInt());      break;
-    case QMetaType::ULongLong:  l_obj = ecl_make_unsigned_integer(var.toULongLong()); break;
-    case QMetaType::QByteArray: l_obj = from_qbytearray(var.toByteArray());           break;
-    case QMetaType::QPointF:    l_obj = from_qpointf(var.toPointF());                 break;
-    case QMetaType::QRectF:     l_obj = from_qrectf(var.toRectF());                   break;
-    case QMetaType::QSizeF:     l_obj = from_qsizef(var.toSizeF());                   break;
-    case QMetaType::QString:
-    case QMetaType::QUrl:       l_obj = from_qstring(var.toString());                 break;
-    // special case (can be nested)
-    case QMetaType::QVariantList:
-      QVariantList list(var.value<QVariantList>());
-      for (QVariant v : qAsConst(list)) {
-        l_obj = CONS(from_qvariant(v), l_obj);
-      }
-      l_obj = cl_nreverse(l_obj);
-    break;
+  if ((type == QMetaType::QObjectStar) || // QObject*
+      (type >= QMetaType::User)) {        // e.g. QQuickItem*
+    QObject* o = var.value<QObject*>();
+    if (o != nullptr) {
+      l_obj = from_qobject_pointer(o);
+    }
+  } else {
+    switch (type) {
+      case QMetaType::Bool:       l_obj = var.toBool() ? ECL_T : ECL_NIL;               break;
+      case QMetaType::Double:     l_obj = ecl_make_doublefloat(var.toDouble());         break;
+      case QMetaType::Int:        l_obj = ecl_make_integer(var.toInt());                break;
+      case QMetaType::UInt:       l_obj = ecl_make_unsigned_integer(var.toUInt());      break;
+      case QMetaType::ULongLong:  l_obj = ecl_make_unsigned_integer(var.toULongLong()); break;
+      case QMetaType::QByteArray: l_obj = from_qbytearray(var.toByteArray());           break;
+      case QMetaType::QPoint:     l_obj = from_qpoint(var.toPoint());                   break;
+      case QMetaType::QPointF:    l_obj = from_qpointf(var.toPointF());                 break;
+      case QMetaType::QRect:      l_obj = from_qrect(var.toRect());                     break;
+      case QMetaType::QRectF:     l_obj = from_qrectf(var.toRectF());                   break;
+      case QMetaType::QSize:      l_obj = from_qsize(var.toSize());                     break;
+      case QMetaType::QSizeF:     l_obj = from_qsizef(var.toSizeF());                   break;
+      case QMetaType::QString:
+      case QMetaType::QUrl:       l_obj = from_qstring(var.toString());                 break;
+      // special case (can be nested)
+      case QMetaType::QVariantList:
+        QVariantList list(var.value<QVariantList>());
+        for (QVariant v : qAsConst(list)) {
+          l_obj = CONS(from_qvariant(v), l_obj);
+        }
+        l_obj = cl_nreverse(l_obj);
+      break;
+    }
   }
   return l_obj;
 }
diff --git a/src/cpp/marshal.h b/src/cpp/marshal.h
index 7da9330..0f0c0c1 100644
--- a/src/cpp/marshal.h
+++ b/src/cpp/marshal.h
@@ -43,30 +43,30 @@ QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 #define LIST10(a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a9, a10) \
     CONS(a1, LIST9(a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a9, a10))
 
-#define TO_CL_FLOAT_2(cap_name, name, x1, x2) \
+#define TO_CL_2(cap_name, name, make, x1, x2) \
 static cl_object from_##name(const cap_name& q) { \
-  cl_object l_ret = LIST2(ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x1()), ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x2())); \
+  cl_object l_ret = LIST2(make(q.x1()), make(q.x2())); \
   return l_ret; \
 }
 
-#define TO_CL_FLOAT_4(cap_name, name, x1, x2, x3, x4) \
+#define TO_CL_4(cap_name, name, make, x1, x2, x3, x4) \
 static cl_object from_##name(const cap_name& q) { \
-  cl_object l_ret = LIST4(ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x1()), ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x2()), ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x3()), ecl_make_doublefloat(q.x4())); \
+  cl_object l_ret = LIST4(make(q.x1()), make(q.x2()), make(q.x3()), make(q.x4())); \
   return l_ret; \
 }
 
-#define TO_QT_FLOAT_2(name) \
+#define TO_QT_2(name, toX) \
 static name to##name(cl_object x) { \
   if (LISTP(x)) { \
-    return name(toReal(cl_first(x)), toReal(cl_second(x))); \
+    return name(toX(cl_first(x)), toX(cl_second(x))); \
   } \
   return name(); \
 }
 
-#define TO_QT_FLOAT_4(name) \
+#define TO_QT_4(name, toX) \
 static name to##name(cl_object x) { \
   if (LISTP(x)) { \
-    return name(toReal(cl_first(x)), toReal(cl_second(x)), toReal(cl_third(x)), toReal(cl_fourth(x))); \
+    return name(toX(cl_first(x)), toX(cl_second(x)), toX(cl_third(x)), toX(cl_fourth(x))); \
   } \
   return name(); \
 }
diff --git a/src/lisp/ecl-ext.lisp b/src/lisp/ecl-ext.lisp
index 632155f..37b5b39 100644
--- a/src/lisp/ecl-ext.lisp
+++ b/src/lisp/ecl-ext.lisp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 (defun %qinvoke-method (a b c))
 (defun %qload-c++ (a b))
 (defun %qlog (a))
+(defun qnull (a))
 (defun %qml-get (a b))
 (defun %qml-set (a b c))
 (defun qobject-name (a))
diff --git a/src/lisp/package.lisp b/src/lisp/package.lisp
index 7847eb7..2f18785 100644
--- a/src/lisp/package.lisp
+++ b/src/lisp/package.lisp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
    #:qlater
    #:qload-c++
    #:qlog
+   #:qnull
    #:qprocess-events
    #:qq
    #:qquit