diff --git a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py
index 7410353cb3..894a4ec02c 100644
--- a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py
+++ b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py
@@ -59,3 +59,6 @@ class file(object):
         return self.wrapped_data.remove(inst.wrapped_data)
     def __iter__(self):
         return iter(self[id] for id in self.wrapped_data.entity_names())
+    @staticmethod
+    def from_string(s):
+        return file(ifcopenshell_wrapper.read(s))
diff --git a/src/ifcparse/IfcFile.h b/src/ifcparse/IfcFile.h
index a121f45f00..8b2137514a 100644
--- a/src/ifcparse/IfcFile.h
+++ b/src/ifcparse/IfcFile.h
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ public:
 	/// attributes as a flat list. NB: includes the root instance specified
 	/// in the first function argument.
 	IfcEntityList::ptr traverse(IfcUtil::IfcBaseClass* instance, int max_level=-1);
-	
+
 #ifdef USE_MMAP
 	bool Init(const std::string& fn, bool mmap=false);
 #else
@@ -147,8 +147,6 @@ public:
 	bool Init(std::istream& fn, int len);
 	bool Init(void* data, int len);
 	bool Init(IfcParse::IfcSpfStream* f);
-	
-    bool Init(const std::string& data, unsigned int unused);
 
 	IfcEntityList::ptr getInverse(int instance_id, IfcSchema::Type::Enum type, int attribute_index);
 
@@ -176,4 +174,4 @@ public:
 
 }
 
-#endif
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/ifcparse/IfcParse.cpp b/src/ifcparse/IfcParse.cpp
index 591b7ffe45..1d46a4ab8f 100644
--- a/src/ifcparse/IfcParse.cpp
+++ b/src/ifcparse/IfcParse.cpp
@@ -108,19 +108,6 @@ void init_locale() {
 
 #endif
 
-IfcSpfStream::IfcSpfStream()
-	: stream(0)
-	, buffer(0)
-	, valid(false)
-	, eof(false)
-{
-    ptr   = 0;
-    len   = 0;
-    valid = false;
-    eof   = false;
-    size  = 0;
-}
-
 // 
 // Opens the file and gets the filesize
 //
@@ -221,18 +208,6 @@ IfcSpfStream::IfcSpfStream(void* data, int l)
 	len = l;
 }
 
-IfcSpfStream::IfcSpfStream(const std::string& data, unsigned int x)
-	: stream(0)
-	, buffer(0)
-{
-	eof = false;
-	size = (unsigned int) data.length();
-	buffer = data.c_str();
-	valid = true;
-	ptr = 0;
-	len = (unsigned int) data.length();
-}
-
 IfcSpfStream::~IfcSpfStream()
 {
 	Close();
@@ -1252,17 +1227,16 @@ void IfcEntityInstanceData::setArgument(unsigned int i, Argument* a, IfcUtil::Ar
 // Parses the IFC file in fn
 // Creates the maps
 //
-
 #ifdef USE_MMAP
 bool IfcFile::Init(const std::string& fn, bool mmap) {
 	return IfcFile::Init(new IfcSpfStream(fn, mmap));
 }
 #else
 bool IfcFile::Init(const std::string& fn) {
-    //return IfcFile::Init(new IfcSpfStream(fn, (unsigned int) 0));
 	return IfcFile::Init(new IfcSpfStream(fn));
 }
 #endif
+
 bool IfcFile::Init(std::istream& f, int len) {
 	return IfcFile::Init(new IfcSpfStream(f,len));
 }
@@ -1270,10 +1244,6 @@ bool IfcFile::Init(std::istream& f, int len) {
 bool IfcFile::Init(void* data, int len) {
 	return IfcFile::Init(new IfcSpfStream(data,len));
 }
-bool IfcFile::Init(const std::string& data, unsigned int unused) {
-    return IfcFile::Init(new IfcSpfStream(data, (unsigned int) 0));
-}
-
 
 bool IfcFile::Init(IfcParse::IfcSpfStream* s) {
 	// Initialize a "C" locale for locale-independent
diff --git a/src/ifcparse/IfcSpfStream.h b/src/ifcparse/IfcSpfStream.h
index 5ca3fa5303..820b69d275 100644
--- a/src/ifcparse/IfcSpfStream.h
+++ b/src/ifcparse/IfcSpfStream.h
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ namespace IfcParse {
 		bool valid;
 		bool eof;
 		unsigned int size;
-		IfcSpfStream();
 #ifdef USE_MMAP
 		IfcSpfStream(const std::string& fn, bool mmap=false);
 #else
@@ -62,7 +61,6 @@ namespace IfcParse {
 		IfcSpfStream(std::istream& f, int len);
 		IfcSpfStream(void* data, int len);
 		~IfcSpfStream();
-		IfcSpfStream(const std::string& data, unsigned int x);
 		/// Returns the character at the cursor 
 		char Peek();
 		/// Returns the character at specified offset