diff --git a/Classes/PHPWord/Shared/File.php b/Classes/PHPWord/Shared/File.php
index 84cd2e84..3e3e147d 100755
--- a/Classes/PHPWord/Shared/File.php
+++ b/Classes/PHPWord/Shared/File.php
@@ -38,26 +38,8 @@ class PHPWord_Shared_File
      */
     public static function file_exists($pFilename)
     {
-        // Sick construction, but it seems that
-        // file_exists returns strange values when
-        // doing the original file_exists on ZIP archives...
-        if (strtolower(substr($pFilename, 0, 3)) == 'zip') {
-            // Open ZIP file and verify if the file exists
-            $zipFile = substr($pFilename, 6, strpos($pFilename, '#') - 6);
-            $archiveFile = substr($pFilename, strpos($pFilename, '#') + 1);
-
-            $zip = new ZipArchive();
-            if ($zip->open($zipFile) === true) {
-                $returnValue = ($zip->getFromName($archiveFile) !== false);
-                $zip->close();
-                return $returnValue;
-            } else {
-                return false;
-            }
-        } else {
-            // Regular file_exists
-            return file_exists($pFilename);
-        }
+        // Regular file_exists
+        return file_exists($pFilename);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/Classes/PHPWord/Shared/String.php b/Classes/PHPWord/Shared/String.php
index 2aa68d3f..64abdf1d 100755
--- a/Classes/PHPWord/Shared/String.php
+++ b/Classes/PHPWord/Shared/String.php
@@ -37,20 +37,6 @@ class PHPWord_Shared_String
      */
     private static $_controlCharacters = array();
 
-    /**
-     * Is mbstring extension avalable?
-     *
-     * @var boolean
-     */
-    private static $_isMbstringEnabled;
-
-    /**
-     * Is iconv extension avalable?
-     *
-     * @var boolean
-     */
-    private static $_isIconvEnabled;
-
     /**
      * Build control characters array
      */
@@ -65,40 +51,6 @@ class PHPWord_Shared_String
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Get whether mbstring extension is available
-     *
-     * @return boolean
-     */
-    public static function getIsMbstringEnabled()
-    {
-        if (isset(self::$_isMbstringEnabled)) {
-            return self::$_isMbstringEnabled;
-        }
-
-        self::$_isMbstringEnabled = function_exists('mb_convert_encoding') ?
-            true : false;
-
-        return self::$_isMbstringEnabled;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Get whether iconv extension is available
-     *
-     * @return boolean
-     */
-    public static function getIsIconvEnabled()
-    {
-        if (isset(self::$_isIconvEnabled)) {
-            return self::$_isIconvEnabled;
-        }
-
-        self::$_isIconvEnabled = function_exists('iconv') ?
-            true : false;
-
-        return self::$_isIconvEnabled;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Convert from OpenXML escaped control character to PHP control character
      *
@@ -155,115 +107,4 @@ class PHPWord_Shared_String
     {
         return $value === '' || preg_match('/^./su', $value) === 1;
     }
-
-    /**
-     * Formats a numeric value as a string for output in various output writers
-     *
-     * @param mixed $value
-     * @return string
-     */
-    public static function FormatNumber($value)
-    {
-        return number_format($value, 2, '.', '');
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Converts a UTF-8 string into BIFF8 Unicode string data (8-bit string length)
-     * Writes the string using uncompressed notation, no rich text, no Asian phonetics
-     * If mbstring extension is not available, ASCII is assumed, and compressed notation is used
-     * although this will give wrong results for non-ASCII strings
-     * see OpenOffice.org's Documentation of the Microsoft Excel File Format, sect. 2.5.3
-     *
-     * @param string $value UTF-8 encoded string
-     * @return string
-     */
-    public static function UTF8toBIFF8UnicodeShort($value)
-    {
-        // character count
-        $ln = self::CountCharacters($value, 'UTF-8');
-
-        // option flags
-        $opt = (self::getIsMbstringEnabled() || self::getIsIconvEnabled()) ?
-            0x0001 : 0x0000;
-
-        // characters
-        $chars = self::ConvertEncoding($value, 'UTF-16LE', 'UTF-8');
-
-        $data = pack('CC', $ln, $opt) . $chars;
-        return $data;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Converts a UTF-8 string into BIFF8 Unicode string data (16-bit string length)
-     * Writes the string using uncompressed notation, no rich text, no Asian phonetics
-     * If mbstring extension is not available, ASCII is assumed, and compressed notation is used
-     * although this will give wrong results for non-ASCII strings
-     * see OpenOffice.org's Documentation of the Microsoft Excel File Format, sect. 2.5.3
-     *
-     * @param string $value UTF-8 encoded string
-     * @return string
-     */
-    public static function UTF8toBIFF8UnicodeLong($value)
-    {
-        // character count
-        $ln = self::CountCharacters($value, 'UTF-8');
-
-        // option flags
-        $opt = (self::getIsMbstringEnabled() || self::getIsIconvEnabled()) ?
-            0x0001 : 0x0000;
-
-        // characters
-        $chars = self::ConvertEncoding($value, 'UTF-16LE', 'UTF-8');
-
-        $data = pack('vC', $ln, $opt) . $chars;
-        return $data;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Convert string from one encoding to another. First try mbstring, then iconv, or no convertion
-     *
-     * @param string $value
-     * @param string $to Encoding to convert to, e.g. 'UTF-8'
-     * @param string $from Encoding to convert from, e.g. 'UTF-16LE'
-     * @return string
-     */
-    public static function ConvertEncoding($value, $to, $from)
-    {
-        if (self::getIsMbstringEnabled()) {
-            $value = mb_convert_encoding($value, $to, $from);
-            return $value;
-        }
-
-        if (self::getIsIconvEnabled()) {
-            $value = iconv($from, $to, $value);
-            return $value;
-        }
-
-        // else, no conversion
-        return $value;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Get character count. First try mbstring, then iconv, finally strlen
-     *
-     * @param string $value
-     * @param string $enc Encoding
-     * @return int Character count
-     */
-    public static function CountCharacters($value, $enc = 'UTF-8')
-    {
-        if (self::getIsMbstringEnabled()) {
-            $count = mb_strlen($value, $enc);
-            return $count;
-        }
-
-        if (self::getIsIconvEnabled()) {
-            $count = iconv_strlen($value, $enc);
-            return $count;
-        }
-
-        // else strlen
-        $count = strlen($value);
-        return $count;
-    }
 }
diff --git a/Tests/PHPWord/DocumentPropertiesTest.php b/Tests/PHPWord/DocumentPropertiesTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..421f3269
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/PHPWord/DocumentPropertiesTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+<?php
+namespace PHPWord\Tests;
+
+use PHPWord_DocumentProperties;
+
+class DocumentPropertiesTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
+{
+    public function testCreator()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setCreator();
+      $this->assertEquals('', $oProperties->getCreator());
+
+      $oProperties->setCreator('AAA');
+      $this->assertEquals('AAA', $oProperties->getCreator());
+    }
+
+    public function testLastModifiedBy()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setLastModifiedBy();
+      $this->assertEquals('', $oProperties->getLastModifiedBy());
+
+      $oProperties->setLastModifiedBy('AAA');
+      $this->assertEquals('AAA', $oProperties->getLastModifiedBy());
+    }
+
+    public function testCreated()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setCreated();
+      $this->assertEquals(time(), $oProperties->getCreated());
+
+      $iTime = time() + 3600;
+      $oProperties->setCreated($iTime);
+      $this->assertEquals($iTime, $oProperties->getCreated());
+    }
+
+    public function testModified()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setModified();
+      $this->assertEquals(time(), $oProperties->getModified());
+
+      $iTime = time() + 3600;
+      $oProperties->setModified($iTime);
+      $this->assertEquals($iTime, $oProperties->getModified());
+    }
+
+    public function testTitle()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setTitle();
+      $this->assertEquals('', $oProperties->getTitle());
+
+      $oProperties->setTitle('AAA');
+      $this->assertEquals('AAA', $oProperties->getTitle());
+    }
+
+    public function testDescription()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setDescription();
+      $this->assertEquals('', $oProperties->getDescription());
+
+      $oProperties->setDescription('AAA');
+      $this->assertEquals('AAA', $oProperties->getDescription());
+    }
+
+    public function testSubject()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setSubject();
+      $this->assertEquals('', $oProperties->getSubject());
+
+      $oProperties->setSubject('AAA');
+      $this->assertEquals('AAA', $oProperties->getSubject());
+    }
+
+    public function testKeywords()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setKeywords();
+      $this->assertEquals('', $oProperties->getKeywords());
+
+      $oProperties->setKeywords('AAA');
+      $this->assertEquals('AAA', $oProperties->getKeywords());
+    }
+
+    public function testCategory()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setCategory();
+      $this->assertEquals('', $oProperties->getCategory());
+
+      $oProperties->setCategory('AAA');
+      $this->assertEquals('AAA', $oProperties->getCategory());
+    }
+
+    public function testCompany()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setCompany();
+      $this->assertEquals('', $oProperties->getCompany());
+
+      $oProperties->setCompany('AAA');
+      $this->assertEquals('AAA', $oProperties->getCompany());
+    }
+
+    public function testManager()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setManager();
+      $this->assertEquals('', $oProperties->getManager());
+
+      $oProperties->setManager('AAA');
+      $this->assertEquals('AAA', $oProperties->getManager());
+    }
+
+    public function testCustomProperty()
+    {
+      $oProperties = new PHPWord_DocumentProperties();
+      $oProperties->setCustomProperty('key1', null);
+      $oProperties->setCustomProperty('key2', true);
+      $oProperties->setCustomProperty('key3', 3);
+      $oProperties->setCustomProperty('key4', 4.4);
+      $oProperties->setCustomProperty('key5', 'value5');
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_STRING, $oProperties->getCustomPropertyType('key1'));
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_BOOLEAN, $oProperties->getCustomPropertyType('key2'));
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_INTEGER, $oProperties->getCustomPropertyType('key3'));
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_FLOAT, $oProperties->getCustomPropertyType('key4'));
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_STRING, $oProperties->getCustomPropertyType('key5'));
+      $this->assertEquals(null, $oProperties->getCustomPropertyType('key6'));
+      $this->assertEquals(null, $oProperties->getCustomPropertyValue('key1'));
+      $this->assertEquals(true, $oProperties->getCustomPropertyValue('key2'));
+      $this->assertEquals(3, $oProperties->getCustomPropertyValue('key3'));
+      $this->assertEquals(4.4, $oProperties->getCustomPropertyValue('key4'));
+      $this->assertEquals('value5', $oProperties->getCustomPropertyValue('key5'));
+      $this->assertEquals(null, $oProperties->getCustomPropertyValue('key6'));
+      $this->assertEquals(true, $oProperties->isCustomPropertySet('key5'));
+      $this->assertEquals(false, $oProperties->isCustomPropertySet('key6'));
+      $this->assertEquals(array('key1', 'key2', 'key3', 'key4', 'key5'), $oProperties->getCustomProperties());
+    }
+
+    public function testConvertProperty()
+    {
+      $this->assertEquals('', PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertProperty('a', 'empty'));
+      $this->assertEquals(null, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertProperty('a', 'null'));
+      $this->assertEquals(8, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertProperty('8', 'int'));
+      $this->assertEquals(8, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertProperty('8.3', 'uint'));
+      $this->assertEquals(8.3, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertProperty('8.3', 'decimal'));
+      $this->assertEquals('8.3', PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertProperty('8.3', 'lpstr'));
+      $this->assertEquals(strtotime('10/11/2013'), PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertProperty('10/11/2013', 'date'));
+      $this->assertEquals(true, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertProperty('true', 'bool'));
+      $this->assertEquals(false, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertProperty('1', 'bool'));
+      $this->assertEquals('1', PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertProperty('1', 'array'));
+      $this->assertEquals('1', PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertProperty('1', ''));
+
+
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_INTEGER, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertPropertyType('int'));
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_INTEGER, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertPropertyType('uint'));
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_FLOAT, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertPropertyType('decimal'));
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_STRING, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertPropertyType('lpstr'));
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_DATE, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertPropertyType('date'));
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_BOOLEAN, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertPropertyType('bool'));
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_UNKNOWN, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertPropertyType('array'));
+      $this->assertEquals(PHPWord_DocumentProperties::PROPERTY_TYPE_UNKNOWN, PHPWord_DocumentProperties::convertPropertyType(''));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Tests/PHPWord/Shared/FileTest.php b/Tests/PHPWord/Shared/FileTest.php
index 89aa78cc..0f4df75e 100644
--- a/Tests/PHPWord/Shared/FileTest.php
+++ b/Tests/PHPWord/Shared/FileTest.php
@@ -16,12 +16,24 @@ class FileTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
      */
     public function testFileExists()
     {
-        $dir = join(
-            DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR,
-            array(PHPWORD_TESTS_DIR_ROOT, '_files', 'templates')
-        );
-        chdir($dir);
-        $this->assertTrue(PHPWord_Shared_File::file_exists('blank.docx'));
+      $dir = join(
+        DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR,
+        array(PHPWORD_TESTS_DIR_ROOT, '_files', 'templates')
+      );
+      chdir($dir);
+      $this->assertTrue(PHPWord_Shared_File::file_exists('blank.docx'));
+    }
+    /**
+     * Test file_exists()
+     */
+    public function testNoFileExists()
+    {
+      $dir = join(
+        DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR,
+        array(PHPWORD_TESTS_DIR_ROOT, '_files', 'templates')
+      );
+      chdir($dir);
+      $this->assertFalse(PHPWord_Shared_File::file_exists('404.docx'));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -29,13 +41,13 @@ class FileTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
      */
     public function testRealpath()
     {
-        $dir = join(
-            DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR,
-            array(PHPWORD_TESTS_DIR_ROOT, '_files', 'templates')
-        );
-        chdir($dir);
-        $file = 'blank.docx';
-        $expected = $dir . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $file;
-        $this->assertEquals($expected, PHPWord_Shared_File::realpath($file));
+      $dir = join(
+        DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR,
+        array(PHPWORD_TESTS_DIR_ROOT, '_files', 'templates')
+      );
+      chdir($dir);
+      $file = 'blank.docx';
+      $expected = $dir . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $file;
+      $this->assertEquals($expected, PHPWord_Shared_File::realpath($file));
     }
 }
diff --git a/Tests/PHPWord/Shared/StringTest.php b/Tests/PHPWord/Shared/StringTest.php
index 41bd6d59..e04ebc23 100644
--- a/Tests/PHPWord/Shared/StringTest.php
+++ b/Tests/PHPWord/Shared/StringTest.php
@@ -11,32 +11,22 @@ use PHPWord_Shared_String;
  */
 class StringTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
 {
-    /**
-     * Test getIsMbstringEnabled() and getIsIconvEnabled()
-     */
-    public function testGetIsMbstringAndIconvEnabled()
+    public function testIsUTF8()
     {
-        $features = array(
-            'mbstring' => 'mb_convert_encoding',
-            'iconv' => 'iconv',
-        );
-        foreach ($features as $key => $val) {
-            $expected = function_exists($val);
-            $get = "getIs{$key}Enabled";
-            $firstResult = PHPWord_Shared_String::$get();
-            $this->assertEquals($expected, $firstResult);
-            $secondResult = PHPWord_Shared_String::$get();
-            $this->assertEquals($firstResult, $secondResult);
-        }
+      $this->assertTrue(PHPWord_Shared_String::IsUTF8(''));
+      $this->assertTrue(PHPWord_Shared_String::IsUTF8('éééé'));
+      $this->assertFalse(PHPWord_Shared_String::IsUTF8(utf8_decode('éééé')));
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Test FormatNumber()
-     */
-    public function testFormatNumber()
-    {
-        $expected = '1022.12';
-        $returned = PHPWord_Shared_String::FormatNumber('1022.1234');
-        $this->assertEquals($expected, $returned);
-    }
+  public function testControlCharacterOOXML2PHP()
+  {
+    $this->assertEquals('', PHPWord_Shared_String::ControlCharacterOOXML2PHP(''));
+    $this->assertEquals(chr(0x08), PHPWord_Shared_String::ControlCharacterOOXML2PHP('_x0008_'));
+  }
+
+  public function testControlCharacterPHP2OOXML()
+  {
+    $this->assertEquals('', PHPWord_Shared_String::ControlCharacterPHP2OOXML(''));
+    $this->assertEquals('_x0008_', PHPWord_Shared_String::ControlCharacterPHP2OOXML(chr(0x08)));
+  }
 }
diff --git a/Tests/_files/documents/reader.docx.zip b/Tests/_files/documents/reader.docx.zip
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e2ceeb64
Binary files /dev/null and b/Tests/_files/documents/reader.docx.zip differ