diff --git a/src/packg/__init__.py b/src/packg/__init__.py
index ac8ab57..bad276b 100644
--- a/src/packg/__init__.py
+++ b/src/packg/__init__.py
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 from .misc import format_exception
 
 __all__ = ["Const", "format_exception"]
-__version__ = "0.22.2"
+__version__ = "0.22.3"
diff --git a/src/packg/constclass.py b/src/packg/constclass.py
index e95a365..0e79435 100644
--- a/src/packg/constclass.py
+++ b/src/packg/constclass.py
@@ -79,6 +79,14 @@ class Const(metaclass=InstanceToClassDelegator):
     # create the class properties with empty entries for the root parent
     _dict: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {"Const": {}}
 
+    @classmethod
+    def values_list(cls) -> List[Any]:
+        return list(cls.values())
+
+    @classmethod
+    def keys_list(cls) -> List[str]:
+        return list(cls.keys())
+
     @classmethod
     def _get_dict(cls):
         return cls._dict[cls.__name__]
diff --git a/src/packg/iotools/__init__.py b/src/packg/iotools/__init__.py
index b1d4005..0a266aa 100644
--- a/src/packg/iotools/__init__.py
+++ b/src/packg/iotools/__init__.py
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@
 )
 from .misc import (
     set_working_directory,
+    set_working_directory,
+    get_file_size,
+    get_file_size_in_mb,
+    format_b_in_mb,
+    format_b_in_gb,
+    format_bytes_human_readable,
 )
 from .pathspec_matcher import (
     make_git_pathspec,
@@ -37,6 +43,7 @@
     make_and_apply_pathspecs,
     make_pathspecs,
     PathSpecWithConversion,
+    PathSpecRepr,
 )
 from .yamlext import load_yaml, loads_yaml, dump_yaml, dumps_yaml
 
@@ -74,4 +81,11 @@
     "apply_pathspecs",
     "make_and_apply_pathspecs",
     "make_pathspecs",
+    "set_working_directory",
+    "get_file_size",
+    "get_file_size_in_mb",
+    "format_b_in_mb",
+    "format_b_in_gb",
+    "format_bytes_human_readable",
+    "PathSpecRepr",
 ]
diff --git a/src/packg/multiproc/multiproc_worker.py b/src/packg/multiproc/multiproc_worker.py
index afb0cec..4f3cc92 100644
--- a/src/packg/multiproc/multiproc_worker.py
+++ b/src/packg/multiproc/multiproc_worker.py
@@ -7,16 +7,16 @@
 # todo move the main() example outside of this file
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from multiprocessing import Process, Queue
+
 import random
 import time
-from multiprocessing import Process, Queue
+from attr import define, field
+from loguru import logger
 from timeit import default_timer
 from traceback import format_exception
 from typing import Optional
 
-from attr import define, field
-from loguru import logger
-
 from packg.dtime import format_seconds_adaptive
 from packg.log import configure_logger
 from packg.tqdmext import tqdm_max_ncols
@@ -149,6 +149,8 @@ def get(self):
     def close(self):
         # note: output queue has to be empty before workers can be joined otherwise this will hang
         logger.debug(f"Joining workers")
+        for w in self.worker_list:
+            w.close()
         for p in self.process_list:
             p.join()
             self.update_pbar(1)
@@ -222,6 +224,9 @@ def multi_fn_no_output(
             pbar.update(1)
         pbar.close()
 
+    def close(self):
+        pass
+
 
 class ExampleWorkerWithOutput(Worker):
     def setup(self):
diff --git a/src/packg/strings/__init__.py b/src/packg/strings/__init__.py
index b8b95f1..e904b44 100644
--- a/src/packg/strings/__init__.py
+++ b/src/packg/strings/__init__.py
@@ -11,3 +11,4 @@
 from .hasher import hash_object
 from .quote_urlparse import quote_with_urlparse, unquote_with_urlparse
 from .tabul import format_pseudo_table
+from .formatters import clean_string_for_filename, dict_to_str_comma_equals
diff --git a/src/packg/strings/formatters.py b/src/packg/strings/formatters.py
index fe5f56d..98fc7e7 100644
--- a/src/packg/strings/formatters.py
+++ b/src/packg/strings/formatters.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import re
+
 
 def dict_to_str_comma_equals(in_dict: dict[str, any] | list[tuple[any, any]]):
     try:
@@ -10,3 +12,20 @@ def dict_to_str_comma_equals(in_dict: dict[str, any] | list[tuple[any, any]]):
     for k, v in items:
         str_list.append(f"{k}={v}")
     return ", ".join(str_list)
+
+
+def clean_string_for_filename(input_str):
+    """
+    Clean string to make it less annoying when used as a filename.
+
+    Replace spaces and some other special characters with underscores,
+    then remove any multiple underscores and underscore at the beginning or end.
+    """
+    output_str = input_str
+    output_str = output_str.replace('"', "_")
+    output_str = re.sub(r"\s+", "_", output_str)
+    output_str = re.sub(r"[()\[\]{}&*?!<>|\\/:;\"']", "_", output_str)
+    output_str = re.sub(r"_+", "_", output_str)
+    output_str = re.sub(r"^_+", "", output_str)
+    output_str = re.sub(r"_+$", "", output_str)
+    return output_str
diff --git a/src/packg/system/systemcall.py b/src/packg/system/systemcall.py
index 5cee796..e9397ec 100644
--- a/src/packg/system/systemcall.py
+++ b/src/packg/system/systemcall.py
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 """Helper to run system commands and process their output."""
 
 import subprocess
-from typing import Tuple, Optional
+from typing import Tuple, Optional, Union
 
 
 def systemcall(
-    call: str, verbose: bool = False, decode: Optional[str] = "utf-8", shell: bool = True
+    call: Union[str, list[str]], verbose: bool = False, decode: Optional[str] = "utf-8", shell: bool = True
 ) -> Tuple[str, str, int]:
     """Run a command with subprocess.Popen and process the output. This call
     is synchronous so output will only returned once the command is done.
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def assert_command_worked(errmsg: str, cmd: str, out: str, err: str, retcode: in
 
 
 def systemcall_with_assert(
-    call: str,
+    call: Union[str, list[str]],
     errmsg: str = "none",
     verbose: bool = False,
     decode: Optional[str] = "utf-8",
diff --git a/src/packg/web/robust_request.py b/src/packg/web/robust_request.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4df5c45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/packg/web/robust_request.py
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import requests
+import time
+from typing import Optional
+
+
+def send_robust_post_request(
+    url: str,
+    data: Optional[any] = None,
+    json: Optional[any] = None,
+    n_trials: int = 3,
+    n_retry_sleep: int = 5,
+    print_fn: callable = print,
+    **kwargs,
+) -> requests.Response:
+    """
+    Sends a robust POST request with retries and error logging.
+
+    Parameters:
+        url: The URL for the POST request.
+        data: dict, list of tuples, bytes, or file-like object to send in the body of the Request
+        json: A JSON serializable Python object to send in the body of the Request
+        n_trials: Number of retry attempts.
+        n_retry_sleep: Seconds to wait between retries.
+        print_fn: Function to use for logging.
+        **kwargs: Optional arguments that the request takes, e.g., the headers dict
+
+    Returns:
+        requests.Response: The response object if successful.
+
+    Raises:
+        Exception: If all retries fail.
+    """
+    for attempt in range(1, n_trials + 1):
+        try:
+            response = requests.post(url, data=data, json=json, **kwargs)
+            if response.status_code == 200:
+                return response
+            else:
+                print_fn(
+                    f"Attempt {attempt}/{n_trials}: Query failed with status code "
+                    f"{response.status_code}. Response: {response.text}"
+                )
+        except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
+            print_fn(f"Attempt {attempt}/{n_trials}: Request failed with exception: {e}")
+
+        if attempt < n_trials:
+            print_fn(f"Retrying in {n_retry_sleep} seconds...")
+            time.sleep(n_retry_sleep)
+
+    raise Exception(f"Failed to send POST request to {url} after {n_trials} attempts.")