diff --git a/common.py b/common.py
index affbc83..0857ce8 100644
--- a/common.py
+++ b/common.py
@@ -236,7 +236,11 @@ def normalizeName(baseName):
         try:
             c = c.encode('ISO8859-15')
         except UnicodeEncodeError:
-            # skip all characters not representable in ISO encoding
+            # replace all characters not representable in ISO encoding
+            result.append('_')
+            continue
+        except UnicodeDecodeError:
+            result.append('_')
             continue
         if c in '._':
             # separator and special characters to keep
diff --git a/integrator/collection.py b/integrator/collection.py
index 054751f..ae247e9 100644
--- a/integrator/collection.py
+++ b/integrator/collection.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ from zope.traversing.api import getName, getParent
 from cybertools.meta.interfaces import IOptions
 from cybertools.text import mimetypes
 from cybertools.typology.interfaces import IType
-from loops.common import AdapterBase, adapted
+from loops.common import AdapterBase, adapted, normalizeName
 from loops.interfaces import IResource, IConcept
 from loops.integrator.interfaces import IExternalCollection
 from loops.integrator.interfaces import IExternalCollectionProvider
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ class ExternalCollectionAdapter(AdapterBase):
             for r in self.newResources:
                 self.context.assignResource(r)
         for addr in old:
-            if addr not in oldFound:
+            if str(addr) not in oldFound:
                 # not part of the collection any more
                 # TODO: only remove from collection but keep object?
                 self.remove(old[addr])
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ class DirectoryCollectionProvider(object):
     def getDirectory(self, client):
         baseAddress = client.baseAddress or ''
         address = client.address or ''
-        return os.path.join(baseAddress, address)
+        return str(os.path.join(baseAddress, address))
 
     def generateName(self, container, name):
         name = INameChooser(container).chooseName(name, None)
@@ -217,5 +217,8 @@ class DirectoryCollectionProvider(object):
             if ext.lower() in mimetypes.extensions.values():
                 title = base
         if not isinstance(title, unicode):
-            title = title.decode('UTF-8')
+            try:
+                title = title.decode('UTF-8')
+            except UnicodeDecodeError:
+                title = title.decode('CP852')
         return title
diff --git a/integrator/office/base.py b/integrator/office/base.py
index e8e2e27..304ba87 100644
--- a/integrator/office/base.py
+++ b/integrator/office/base.py
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ class OfficeFile(ExternalFileAdapter):
 
 
 def parseDate(s):
+    if not s:
+        return None
     dt = datetime(*strptime(s, '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ')[:6]) + timedelta(hours=2)
     return date(dt.year, dt.month, dt.day)
     #return date(*strptime(s, '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ')[:3])
diff --git a/interfaces.py b/interfaces.py
index 52a092f..88fc435 100644
--- a/interfaces.py
+++ b/interfaces.py
@@ -361,6 +361,14 @@ class IResource(ILoopsObject, IPotentialTarget):
         available via a view or a concept.
     """
 
+    resourceType = schema.Choice(
+        title=_(u'Resource Type'),
+        description=_(u"The type of the resource, specified by a relation to "
+                       "a concept of type 'type'."),
+        default=None,
+        source="loops.resourceTypeSource",
+        required=False)
+
 
 class IDocumentSchema(IResourceSchema):