diff --git a/src/data/field.cpp b/src/data/field.cpp
index a093acff..7f9ed3e5 100644
--- a/src/data/field.cpp
+++ b/src/data/field.cpp
@@ -36,12 +36,12 @@ Field::Field()
 Field::~Field() {}
 
 IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(Field) {
-	if (!tag.reading()) {
+	REFLECT_IF_NOT_READING {
 		String type = typeName();
 		REFLECT(type);
 	}
 	REFLECT(name);
-	if (tag.reading()) name = cannocial_name_form(name);
+	REFLECT_IF_READING name = cannocial_name_form(name);
 	REFLECT(description);
 	REFLECT_N("icon", icon_filename);
 	REFLECT(editable);
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(Field) {
 	REFLECT(card_list_visible);
 	REFLECT(card_list_allow);
 	REFLECT(card_list_name);
-	if (tag.reading() && card_list_name.empty()) card_list_name = name;
+	REFLECT_IF_READING if(card_list_name.empty()) card_list_name = name;
 	REFLECT_N("card_list_alignment", card_list_align);
 	REFLECT(tab_index);
 }
diff --git a/src/data/field/choice.cpp b/src/data/field/choice.cpp
index eacedc77..10fbae1d 100644
--- a/src/data/field/choice.cpp
+++ b/src/data/field/choice.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(ChoiceField) {
 	REFLECT_N("default", default_script);
 	REFLECT(initial);
 	REFLECT(default_name);
-	if (tag.reading()) {
+	REFLECT_IF_READING {
 		choices->initIds();
 	}
 }
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION_ENUM(ChoiceRenderStyle) {
 }
 
 IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(ChoiceStyle) {
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("card list colors"), _("colors card list"));
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "card list colors", "colors card list");
 	REFLECT_BASE(Style);
 	REFLECT(popup_style);
 	REFLECT(render_style);
@@ -230,7 +230,6 @@ IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(ChoiceStyle) {
 	REFLECT(colors_card_list);
 	REFLECT(font);
 	REFLECT(choice_images);
-//	if (tag.reading() && choice_colors.empty())
 	REFLECT(choice_colors);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/data/set.cpp b/src/data/set.cpp
index 5437a99c..61fa6bb0 100644
--- a/src/data/set.cpp
+++ b/src/data/set.cpp
@@ -128,11 +128,11 @@ void Set::validate(Version file_app_version) {
 }
 
 IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(Set) {
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("style"),          _("stylesheet")); // < 0.3.0 used style instead of stylesheet
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("extra set info"), _("styling"));
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "style",          "stylesheet"); // < 0.3.0 used style instead of stylesheet
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "extra set info", "styling");
 	REFLECT(game);
 	if (game) {
-		if (tag.reading()) {
+		REFLECT_IF_READING {
 			data.init(game->set_fields);
 		}
 		WITH_DYNAMIC_ARG(game_for_reading, game.get());
diff --git a/src/data/settings.cpp b/src/data/settings.cpp
index 3282043c..d1bd44fb 100644
--- a/src/data/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/data/settings.cpp
@@ -150,8 +150,8 @@ String Settings::settingsFile() {
 }
 
 IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(Settings) {
-	tag.addAlias(300,         _("style settings"),         _("stylesheet settings"));
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("default style settings"), _("default stylesheet settings"));
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300,         "style settings",         "stylesheet settings");
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "default style settings", "default stylesheet settings");
 	REFLECT(locale);
 	REFLECT(recent_sets);
 	REFLECT(set_window_maximized);
diff --git a/src/data/stylesheet.cpp b/src/data/stylesheet.cpp
index 62d80cb2..43233764 100644
--- a/src/data/stylesheet.cpp
+++ b/src/data/stylesheet.cpp
@@ -51,14 +51,14 @@ StyleP StyleSheet::styleFor(const FieldP& field) {
 
 IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(StyleSheet) {
 	// < 0.3.0 didn't use card_ prefix
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("width"),      _("card width"));
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("height"),     _("card height"));
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("dpi"),        _("card dpi"));
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("background"), _("card background"));
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("info style"), _("set info style"));
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("align"),      _("alignment"));
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("extra field"),_("styling field"));
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("extra style"),_("styling style"));
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "width",       "card width");
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "height",      "card height");
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "dpi",         "card dpi");
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "background",  "card background");
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "info style",  "set info style");
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "align",       "alignment");
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "extra field", "styling field");
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "extra style", "styling style");
 	
 	REFLECT(game);
 	REFLECT_BASE(Packaged);
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(StyleSheet) {
 	REFLECT(card_dpi);
 	REFLECT(card_background);
 	if (game) {
-		if (tag.reading()) {
+		REFLECT_IF_READING {
 			card_style    .init(game->card_fields);
 			set_info_style.init(game->set_fields);
 		}
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(StyleSheet) {
 		REFLECT(set_info_style);
 	}
 	REFLECT(styling_fields);
-	if (tag.reading()) styling_style.init(styling_fields);
+	REFLECT_IF_READING styling_style.init(styling_fields);
 	REFLECT(styling_style);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/data/symbol.cpp b/src/data/symbol.cpp
index 75ec2773..92f1a84d 100644
--- a/src/data/symbol.cpp
+++ b/src/data/symbol.cpp
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(SymbolPart) {
 	REFLECT(combine);
 	REFLECT(points);
 	// Fixes after reading
-	if (tag.reading()) {
+	REFLECT_IF_READING {
 		// enforce constraints
 		enforceConstraints();
 		calculateBounds();
diff --git a/src/data/symbol_font.cpp b/src/data/symbol_font.cpp
index dd90a84d..61dba3af 100644
--- a/src/data/symbol_font.cpp
+++ b/src/data/symbol_font.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ SymbolFontP SymbolFont::byName(const String& name) {
 }
 
 IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(SymbolFont) {
-	tag.addAlias(300, _("text align"), _("text alignment"));
+	REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "text align", "text alignment");
 	
 	REFLECT_N("image font size",  img_size);
 	REFLECT_N("scale down to",    min_size);
diff --git a/src/render/symbol/filter.cpp b/src/render/symbol/filter.cpp
index a381898f..a79eb184 100644
--- a/src/render/symbol/filter.cpp
+++ b/src/render/symbol/filter.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Image render_symbol(const SymbolP& symbol, const SymbolFilter& filter, double bo
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : SymbolFilter
 
 IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(SymbolFilter) {
-	if (!tag.reading()) {
+	REFLECT_IF_NOT_READING {
 		String fill_type = fillType();
 		REFLECT(fill_type);
 	}
diff --git a/src/util/io/package_manager.cpp b/src/util/io/package_manager.cpp
index 9f21cc79..dae485f3 100644
--- a/src/util/io/package_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/util/io/package_manager.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ String IncludePackage::typeName() const { return _("include"); }
 
 IMPLEMENT_REFLECTION(IncludePackage) {
 	REFLECT_BASE(Packaged);
-	if (tag.reading()) {
+	REFLECT_IF_READING {
 		// ingore
 		String version;
 		REFLECT(version);
diff --git a/src/util/reflect.hpp b/src/util/reflect.hpp
index ae16cf90..f68568ef 100644
--- a/src/util/reflect.hpp
+++ b/src/util/reflect.hpp
@@ -101,6 +101,34 @@
 /// Declare that the variables of a base class should also be reflected
 #define REFLECT_BASE(Base)    Base::reflect_impl(tag)
 
+/// Reflect a group of declarations only when reading
+/** Usage:
+ *  @code
+ *   REFLECT_IF_READING {
+ *      // only executed by Reader
+ *   }
+ *  @endcode
+ */
+#define REFLECT_IF_READING    if (tag.reading())
+
+/// Reflect a group of declarations only when *not* reading
+/** Usage:
+ *  @code
+ *   REFLECT_IF_NOT_READING {
+ *      // only executed by Writer, GetMember, GetDefaultMember
+ *   }
+ *  @endcode
+ */
+#define REFLECT_IF_NOT_READING  if (!tag.reading())
+
+/// Add an alias for backwards compatability
+/** If a key 'old' is encountered in the input file, it is interpreted as 'new' for versions < version
+ *  Example:
+ *  @code
+ *   REFLECT_ALIAS(300, "style", "stylesheet") // prior to 0.3.0 style was used instead of stylesheet
+ *  @encode
+ */
+#define REFLECT_ALIAS(version, old, new) tag.addAlias(version, _(old), _(new))
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Reflecting enums