diff --git a/toml/format.hpp b/toml/format.hpp
index 8d131f6..3bc147e 100644
--- a/toml/format.hpp
+++ b/toml/format.hpp
@@ -1,16 +1,40 @@
 #ifndef TOML11_FORMAT
 #define TOML11_FORMAT
 #include "value.hpp"
+#include <type_traits>
 #include <sstream>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <iomanip>
 
 namespace toml
 {
 
+// synopsis
+// toml::format("key", value, toml::make_inline(80))
+// toml::format("key", value, toml::forceinline)
+// std::cout << toml::make_inline(80) << value;
+// std::cout << toml::forceinline << value;
+
 template<typename traits = std::char_traits<toml::charactor>,
          typename alloc = std::allocator<toml::charactor>>
 std::basic_string<toml::charactor, traits, alloc>
 format(const value& v);
 
+template<typename traits = std::char_traits<toml::charactor>,
+         typename alloc = std::allocator<toml::charactor>>
+std::basic_string<toml::charactor, traits, alloc>
+format(const value& v, std::size_t mk);
+
+template<typename traits = std::char_traits<toml::charactor>,
+         typename alloc = std::allocator<toml::charactor>>
+std::basic_string<toml::charactor, traits, alloc>
+format(const toml::key& k, const value& v);
+
+template<typename traits = std::char_traits<toml::charactor>,
+         typename alloc = std::allocator<toml::charactor>>
+std::basic_string<toml::charactor, traits, alloc>
+format(const toml::key& k, const value& v, std::size_t mk);
+
 template<value_t Type>
 struct format_impl;
 
@@ -115,7 +139,6 @@ template<> struct format_impl<value_t::Table>
     }
 };
 
-
 template<typename traits, typename alloc>
 std::basic_string<toml::charactor, traits, alloc>
 format(const value& v)
@@ -135,10 +158,9 @@ format(const value& v)
     }
 }
 
-template<typename charT = charactor, typename traits = std::char_traits<charT>,
-         typename alloc = std::allocator<charT>>
-std::basic_string<charT, traits, alloc>
-format(std::basic_string<charT, traits, alloc>&& key, const value& val)
+template<typename traits, typename alloc>
+std::basic_string<toml::charactor, traits, alloc>
+format(std::basic_string<toml::charactor, traits, alloc>&& key, const value& val)
 {
     std::basic_string<charT, traits, alloc> retval(
             std::forward<std::basic_string<charT, traits, alloc>>(key));
@@ -147,5 +169,89 @@ format(std::basic_string<charT, traits, alloc>&& key, const value& val)
     return retval;
 }
 
+// ----------------------------- stream operators -----------------------------
+
+namespace detail
+{
+
+template<typename T = std::size_t>
+struct inline_limit
+{
+    static_assert(std::is_same<T, std::size_t>::value, "do not instantiate this");
+    static const int index;
+    T limit;
+    inline_limit() = default;
+    ~inline_limit() = default;
+    constexpr make_inline(T i): limit(i){}
+    constexpr operator T() const {return limit;}
+
+    static void callback(std::ios_base::event ev, std::ios_base& ios, int idx)
+    {
+        void*& info = ios.pword(idx);
+        switch (ev)
+        {
+            case std::ios_base::erase_event:
+            {
+                delete static_cast<std::size_t*>(info);
+                break;
+            }
+            case std::ios_base::copyfmt_event:
+            {
+                info = new std::size_t(*static_cast<std::size_t*>(info));
+                break;
+            }
+            case std::ios_base::imbue_event:
+            {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+};
+
+template<typename T>
+const int inline_limit<T>::index = std::ios_base::xalloc();
+
+} //detail
+
+template<typename sizeT, typename traits = std::char_traits<toml::charactor>>
+std::basic_ostream<toml::charactor, traits>&
+operator<<(std::basic_ostream<toml::charactor, traits>& os,
+           const detail::inline_limit<sizeT>& inl)
+{
+    void*& info = os.pword(detail::inline_limit<sizeT>::index);
+    if(!os.bad())
+    {
+        if(info == nullptr)
+        {
+            os.register_callback(detail::inline_limit<sizeT>::callback,
+                                 detail::inline_limit<sizeT>::index);
+            info = new std::size_t(inl.limit);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            *static_cast<std::size_t*>(info) = inl.limit;
+        }
+    }
+    return os;
+}
+
+constexpr static detail::inline_limit<std::size_t> forceinline =
+    detail::inline_limit(std::numeric_limits<std::size_t>::max());
+
+inline detail::inline_limit<std::size_t> make_inline(std::size_t sz)
+{
+    return detail::inline_limit<std::size_t>(sz);
+}
+
+template<typename T, typename traits = std::char_traits>
+std::basic_ostream<toml::charactor, traits>&
+operator<<(std::basic_ostream<toml::charactor, traits>& os,
+           const toml::value& v)
+{
+    std::size_t* info =
+        static_cast<std::size_t*>(os.pword(inline_limit<std::size_t>::index));
+    return os << (info == nullptr ? toml::format(v) : toml::format(v, *info));
+}
+
 }
 #endif // TOML11_FORMAT