diff --git a/libqnono/cnonogram.cpp b/libqnono/cnonogram.cpp
index 2b43989..9c9650e 100644
--- a/libqnono/cnonogram.cpp
+++ b/libqnono/cnonogram.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace libqnono {
 	}
 	
 	CNonogram::CNonogram(QDataStream & stream) : m_Data(NULL), m_MaximumNumberCount(0) {
-		loadFromStream(stream);
+		readFromStream(stream);
 	}
 	
 	CNonogram::~CNonogram() {
@@ -55,19 +55,98 @@ namespace libqnono {
 				m_Data[ix][iy] = !(image.pixel(ix, iy) & 0x00FFFFFF);
 	}
 	
-	void CNonogram::loadFromStream(QDataStream & stream) {
-		qDebug("loading picture from stream...");
-		stream >> m_Name; qDebug("m_Name = %s", qPrintable(m_Name));
-		int imageWidth, imageHeight;
-		stream >> imageWidth; qDebug("imageWidth = %i", imageWidth);
-		stream >> imageHeight; qDebug("imageHeight = %i", imageHeight);
-		resize(QSize(imageWidth, imageHeight));
+	bool CNonogram::readFromStream(QDataStream & stream) {
+		unsigned char data;
+		QString stringBuffer;
+		qint32 intBuffer;
+		QSize sizeBuffer;
 		
-		stream >> m_Timeout;
+		stream >> stringBuffer; qDebug("reading image: %s", qPrintable(stringBuffer));
+		if (stream.atEnd()) {
+			qCritical("invalid nonogram");
+			cleanup();
+			return false;
+		}
 		
-		for (int iy = 0; iy < m_Size.height(); iy++)
-			for (int ix = 0; ix < m_Size.width(); ix++)
-				stream >> m_Data[ix][iy];
+		stream >> intBuffer; qDebug("width %i", intBuffer);
+		if (stream.atEnd()) {
+			qCritical("invalid nonogram");
+			cleanup();
+			return false;
+		}
+		
+		sizeBuffer.setWidth(intBuffer);
+		
+		stream >> intBuffer; qDebug("height %i", intBuffer);
+		if (stream.atEnd()) {
+			qCritical("invalid nonogram");
+			cleanup();
+			return false;
+		}
+		
+		sizeBuffer.setHeight(intBuffer);
+		
+		m_Name = stringBuffer;
+		
+		stream >> intBuffer; qDebug("timeout %i", intBuffer);
+		if (stream.atEnd()) {
+			qCritical("invalid nonogram");
+			cleanup();
+			return false;
+		}
+		
+		m_Timeout = intBuffer;
+		
+		resize(sizeBuffer);
+		
+		for (int x = 0; x < sizeBuffer.width(); x++) {
+			int y = 0;
+			
+			while (y < sizeBuffer.height()) {
+				if (stream.atEnd()) {
+					qCritical("invalid nonogram");
+					cleanup();
+					return false;
+				}
+				
+				stream.readRawData((char *)&data, 1);
+				
+				int b;
+				for (b = 0; b < 8; b++) {
+					if (y < sizeBuffer.height())
+						m_Data[x][y] = (bool)(data & 0x80);
+					data = data << 1;
+					y++;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		
+		return true;
+	}
+	
+	void CNonogram::writeToStream(QDataStream & stream) {
+		stream << m_Name;
+		stream << qint32(m_Size.width());
+		stream << qint32(m_Size.height());
+		stream << qint32(m_Timeout);
+		
+		unsigned char data;
+		
+		for (int x = 0; x < m_Size.width(); x++) {
+			data = 0x00;
+			int y = 0;
+			while (y < m_Size.height()) {
+				int b;
+				for (b = 0; b < 8; b++) {
+					data = data << 1;
+					if (y < m_Size.height() && m_Data[x][y])
+						data |= 0x01;
+					y++;
+				}
+				
+				stream.writeRawData((char *)&data, 1);
+			}
+		}
 	}
 	
 	void CNonogram::resize(QSize size) {
@@ -155,21 +234,12 @@ namespace libqnono {
 	}
 	
 	QDataStream & operator<<(QDataStream & stream, CNonogram & nonogram) {
-		stream << nonogram.name();
-		stream << nonogram.width();
-		stream << nonogram.height();
-		stream << nonogram.timeout();
-		
-		for (int iy = 0; iy < nonogram.height(); iy++)
-			for (int ix = 0; ix < nonogram.width(); ix++)
-				stream << nonogram.pixel(ix, iy);
-		
+		nonogram.writeToStream(stream);
 		return stream;
 	}
 	
 	QDataStream & operator>>(QDataStream & stream, CNonogram & nonogram) {
-		nonogram.loadFromStream(stream);
-		
+		nonogram.readFromStream(stream);
 		return stream;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/libqnono/cnonogram.h b/libqnono/cnonogram.h
index 4ec6fd7..4c11624 100644
--- a/libqnono/cnonogram.h
+++ b/libqnono/cnonogram.h
@@ -38,9 +38,11 @@ namespace libqnono {
 		~CNonogram();
 		
 		void loadFromImage(QImage & image);
-		void loadFromStream(QDataStream & stream);
 		void resize(QSize size);
 		
+		bool readFromStream(QDataStream & stream);
+		void writeToStream(QDataStream & stream);
+		
 		inline QString name() const { return m_Name; }
 		inline void setName(QString value) { m_Name = value; }