diff --git a/ui_unix.h b/ui_unix.h
index 75b14ac8..f9682ae9 100644
--- a/ui_unix.h
+++ b/ui_unix.h
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ struct uiUnixControl {
 #define uiUnixDefineControl(type) \
 	uiUnixDefineControlWithOnDestroy(type, (void) this;)
 
+// TODO document
+#define uiNewControl(type) uiUnixNewControl(sizeof (type), type ## Signature, #type)
+_UI_EXTERN uiUnixControl *uiUnixNewControl(size_t n, uint32_t typesig, const char *typename);
+
 #define uiUnixFinishNewControl(variable, type) \
 	uiControl(variable)->CommitDestroy = _ ## type ## CommitDestroy; \
 	uiControl(variable)->Handle = _ ## type ## Handle; \
diff --git a/unix/area.c b/unix/area.c
index 8548dcfd..6dbdc63a 100644
--- a/unix/area.c
+++ b/unix/area.c
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ uiArea *uiNewArea(uiAreaHandler *ah)
 {
 	uiArea *a;
 
-	a = (uiArea *) uiNewControl(uiAreaType());
+	a = (uiArea *) uiNewControl(uiArea);
 
 	a->ah = ah;
 	a->scrolling = FALSE;
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ uiArea *uiNewScrollingArea(uiAreaHandler *ah, intmax_t width, intmax_t height)
 {
 	uiArea *a;
 
-	a = (uiArea *) uiNewControl(uiAreaType());
+	a = (uiArea *) uiNewControl(uiArea);
 
 	a->ah = ah;
 	a->scrolling = TRUE;
diff --git a/unix/box.c b/unix/box.c
index dc320e93..01cb380e 100644
--- a/unix/box.c
+++ b/unix/box.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ static uiBox *finishNewBox(GtkOrientation orientation)
 {
 	uiBox *b;
 
-	b = (uiBox *) uiNewControl(uiBoxType());
+	b = (uiBox *) uiNewControl(uiBox);
 
 	b->widget = gtk_box_new(orientation, 0);
 	b->container = GTK_CONTAINER(b->widget);
diff --git a/unix/button.c b/unix/button.c
index 198374c4..2365f046 100644
--- a/unix/button.c
+++ b/unix/button.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ uiButton *uiNewButton(const char *text)
 {
 	uiButton *b;
 
-	b = (uiButton *) uiNewControl(uiButtonType());
+	b = (uiButton *) uiNewControl(uiButton);
 
 	b->widget = gtk_button_new_with_label(text);
 	b->button = GTK_BUTTON(b->widget);
diff --git a/unix/checkbox.c b/unix/checkbox.c
index d56a8330..4ff23592 100644
--- a/unix/checkbox.c
+++ b/unix/checkbox.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ uiCheckbox *uiNewCheckbox(const char *text)
 {
 	uiCheckbox *c;
 
-	c = (uiCheckbox *) uiNewControl(uiCheckboxType());
+	c = (uiCheckbox *) uiNewControl(uiCheckbox);
 
 	c->widget = gtk_check_button_new_with_label(text);
 	c->button = GTK_BUTTON(c->widget);
diff --git a/unix/combobox.c b/unix/combobox.c
index 1e787b50..9826692b 100644
--- a/unix/combobox.c
+++ b/unix/combobox.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ static uiCombobox *finishNewCombobox(GtkWidget *(*newfunc)(void))
 {
 	uiCombobox *c;
 
-	c = (uiCombobox *) uiNewControl(uiComboboxType());
+	c = (uiCombobox *) uiNewControl(uiCombobox);
 
 	c->widget = (*newfunc)();
 	c->combobox = GTK_COMBO_BOX(c->widget);
diff --git a/unix/control.c b/unix/control.c
index 258e6a86..611361e9 100644
--- a/unix/control.c
+++ b/unix/control.c
@@ -1,15 +1,6 @@
 // 16 august 2015
 #include "uipriv_unix.h"
 
-static uintmax_t type_uiUnixControl = 0;
-
-uintmax_t uiUnixControlType(void)
-{
-	if (type_uiUnixControl == 0)
-		type_uiUnixControl = uiRegisterType("uiUnixControl", uiControlType(), sizeof (uiUnixControl));
-	return type_uiUnixControl;
-}
-
 static void defaultCommitShow(uiControl *c)
 {
 	gtk_widget_show(GTK_WIDGET(uiControlHandle(c)));
@@ -38,3 +29,10 @@ void uiUnixFinishControl(uiControl *c)
 	c->CommitShow = defaultCommitShow;
 	c->CommitHide = defaultCommitHide;
 }
+
+#define uiUnixControlSignature 0x556E6978
+
+uiUnixControl *uiUnixNewControl(size_t n, uint32_t typesig, const char *typename)
+{
+	return uiUnixControl(newControl(n, uiUnixControlSignature, typesig, typename));
+}
diff --git a/unix/datetimepicker.c b/unix/datetimepicker.c
index e965aa88..c2fa4533 100644
--- a/unix/datetimepicker.c
+++ b/unix/datetimepicker.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ uiDateTimePicker *finishNewDateTimePicker(OSTHING OSARG)
 {
 	uiDateTimePicker *d;
 
-	d = (uiDateTimePicker *) uiNewControl(uiDateTimePickerType());
+	d = (uiDateTimePicker *) uiNewControl(uiDateTimePicker);
 
 	d->widget = gtk_label_new("TODO uiDateTimePicker not implemented");
 
diff --git a/unix/entry.c b/unix/entry.c
index 0b8572cc..8dc2692c 100644
--- a/unix/entry.c
+++ b/unix/entry.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ uiEntry *uiNewEntry(void)
 {
 	uiEntry *e;
 
-	e = (uiEntry *) uiNewControl(uiEntryType());
+	e = (uiEntry *) uiNewControl(uiEntry);
 
 	e->widget = gtk_entry_new();
 	e->entry = GTK_ENTRY(e->widget);
diff --git a/unix/fontbutton.c b/unix/fontbutton.c
index fd2b08ff..896fcd81 100644
--- a/unix/fontbutton.c
+++ b/unix/fontbutton.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ uiFontButton *uiNewFontButton(void)
 {
 	uiFontButton *b;
 
-	b = (uiFontButton *) uiNewControl(uiFontButtonType());
+	b = (uiFontButton *) uiNewControl(uiFontButton);
 
 	b->widget = gtk_font_button_new();
 	b->button = GTK_BUTTON(b->widget);
diff --git a/unix/group.c b/unix/group.c
index a13a5d58..07a8d418 100644
--- a/unix/group.c
+++ b/unix/group.c
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ uiGroup *uiNewGroup(const char *text)
 	PangoAttribute *bold;
 	PangoAttrList *boldlist;
 
-	g = (uiGroup *) uiNewControl(uiGroupType());
+	g = (uiGroup *) uiNewControl(uiGroup);
 
 	g->widget = gtk_frame_new(text);
 	g->container = GTK_CONTAINER(g->widget);
diff --git a/unix/label.c b/unix/label.c
index 1c0e6407..e2f69a45 100644
--- a/unix/label.c
+++ b/unix/label.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ uiLabel *uiNewLabel(const char *text)
 {
 	uiLabel *l;
 
-	l = (uiLabel *) uiNewControl(uiLabelType());
+	l = (uiLabel *) uiNewControl(uiLabel);
 
 	l->widget = gtk_label_new(text);
 	l->misc = GTK_MISC(l->widget);
diff --git a/unix/menu.c b/unix/menu.c
index ebc907ab..cf276dac 100644
--- a/unix/menu.c
+++ b/unix/menu.c
@@ -8,13 +8,11 @@ static gboolean hasPreferences = FALSE;
 static gboolean hasAbout = FALSE;
 
 struct uiMenu {
-	uiTyped t;
 	char *name;
 	GArray *items;					// []*uiMenuItem
 };
 
 struct uiMenuItem {
-	uiTyped t;
 	char *name;
 	int type;
 	void (*onClicked)(uiMenuItem *, uiWindow *, void *);
@@ -140,7 +138,6 @@ static uiMenuItem *newItem(uiMenu *m, int type, const char *name)
 		complain("attempt to create a new menu item after menus have been finalized");
 
 	item = uiNew(uiMenuItem);
-	uiTyped(item)->Type = uiMenuItemType();
 
 	g_array_append_val(m->items, item);
 
@@ -238,7 +235,6 @@ uiMenu *uiNewMenu(const char *name)
 		menus = g_array_new(FALSE, TRUE, sizeof (uiMenu *));
 
 	m = uiNew(uiMenu);
-	uiTyped(m)->Type = uiMenuType();
 
 	g_array_append_val(menus, m);
 
diff --git a/unix/multilineentry.c b/unix/multilineentry.c
index cb25f3a0..08bfe1fc 100644
--- a/unix/multilineentry.c
+++ b/unix/multilineentry.c
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ uiMultilineEntry *uiNewMultilineEntry(void)
 {
 	uiMultilineEntry *e;
 
-	e = (uiMultilineEntry *) uiNewControl(uiMultilineEntryType());
+	e = (uiMultilineEntry *) uiNewControl(uiMultilineEntry);
 
 	e->widget = gtk_scrolled_window_new(NULL, NULL);
 	e->scontainer = GTK_CONTAINER(e->widget);
diff --git a/unix/progressbar.c b/unix/progressbar.c
index 64cf9471..5767476a 100644
--- a/unix/progressbar.c
+++ b/unix/progressbar.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ uiProgressBar *uiNewProgressBar(void)
 {
 	uiProgressBar *p;
 
-	p = (uiProgressBar *) uiNewControl(uiProgressBarType());
+	p = (uiProgressBar *) uiNewControl(uiProgressBar);
 
 	p->widget = gtk_progress_bar_new();
 	p->pbar = GTK_PROGRESS_BAR(p->widget);
diff --git a/unix/radiobuttons.c b/unix/radiobuttons.c
index 4a216870..af1436de 100644
--- a/unix/radiobuttons.c
+++ b/unix/radiobuttons.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ uiRadioButtons *uiNewRadioButtons(void)
 {
 	uiRadioButtons *r;
 
-	r = (uiRadioButtons *) uiNewControl(uiRadioButtonsType());
+	r = (uiRadioButtons *) uiNewControl(uiRadioButtons);
 
 	r->widget = gtk_box_new(GTK_ORIENTATION_VERTICAL, 0);
 	r->container = GTK_CONTAINER(r->widget);
diff --git a/unix/separator.c b/unix/separator.c
index b432e67f..72af9393 100644
--- a/unix/separator.c
+++ b/unix/separator.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ uiSeparator *uiNewHorizontalSeparator(void)
 {
 	uiSeparator *s;
 
-	s = (uiSeparator *) uiNewControl(uiSeparatorType());
+	s = (uiSeparator *) uiNewControl(uiSeparator);
 
 	s->widget = gtk_separator_new(GTK_ORIENTATION_HORIZONTAL);
 	s->separator = GTK_SEPARATOR(s->widget);
diff --git a/unix/slider.c b/unix/slider.c
index a23589c4..8b2f39ba 100644
--- a/unix/slider.c
+++ b/unix/slider.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ uiSlider *uiNewSlider(intmax_t min, intmax_t max)
 {
 	uiSlider *s;
 
-	s = (uiSlider *) uiNewControl(uiSliderType());
+	s = (uiSlider *) uiNewControl(uiSlider);
 
 	s->widget = gtk_scale_new_with_range(GTK_ORIENTATION_HORIZONTAL, min, max, 1);
 	s->range = GTK_RANGE(s->widget);
diff --git a/unix/spinbox.c b/unix/spinbox.c
index fdf3caa4..13d6082f 100644
--- a/unix/spinbox.c
+++ b/unix/spinbox.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ uiSpinbox *uiNewSpinbox(intmax_t min, intmax_t max)
 	if (min >= max)
 		complain("error: min >= max in uiNewSpinbox()");
 
-	s = (uiSpinbox *) uiNewControl(uiSpinboxType());
+	s = (uiSpinbox *) uiNewControl(uiSpinbox);
 
 	s->widget = gtk_spin_button_new_with_range(min, max, 1);
 	s->entry = GTK_ENTRY(s->widget);
diff --git a/unix/tab.c b/unix/tab.c
index 3b2ac6a4..ab2aa082 100644
--- a/unix/tab.c
+++ b/unix/tab.c
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ uiTab *uiNewTab(void)
 {
 	uiTab *t;
 
-	t = (uiTab *) uiNewControl(uiTabType());
+	t = (uiTab *) uiNewControl(uiTab);
 
 	t->widget = gtk_notebook_new();
 	t->container = GTK_CONTAINER(t->widget);
diff --git a/unix/window.c b/unix/window.c
index 1fabb9f0..e442d8d9 100644
--- a/unix/window.c
+++ b/unix/window.c
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ uiWindow *uiNewWindow(const char *title, int width, int height, int hasMenubar)
 {
 	uiWindow *w;
 
-	w = (uiWindow *) uiNewControl(uiWindowType());
+	w = (uiWindow *) uiNewControl(uiWindow);
 
 	w->widget = gtk_window_new(GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
 	w->container = GTK_CONTAINER(w->widget);