             doc               : new StringDocument(opts.default)
 
     set: (value) ->
-        @_doc.set(value)
+        @_doc.from_str(value)
 
     get: ->
-        @_doc.get()
+        @_doc.to_str()
 
 # A document that represents an arbitrary JSON-able Javascript object.
 class ObjectDocument
     constructor: (@_value={}) ->
-    set: (value) ->
+    from_str: (value) ->
         try
             @_value = misc.from_json(value)
         catch err
             console.warn("error parsing JSON", err)
             # leaves @_value unchanged, so JSON stays valid
-    get: ->
+    to_str: ->
         misc.to_json(@_value)
     # Underlying Javascript object -- safe to directly edit
-    obj: ->
+    to_obj: ->
         return @_value
 
 class exports.SyncObject extends SyncDoc

                        @_file_watcher.close()
                        return
                    dbg("delete: setting deleted=true and closing")
                    @set('')
                    @save () =>
                        # NOTE: setting deleted=true must be done **after** setting document to blank above,
                        # since otherwise the set would set deleted=false.

                        exists = x
                        if not exists
                            dbg("file no longer exists")
                            @_doc.from_str('')
                        cb(err)
            (cb) =>
                if exists
