diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0ed4589..dd85dc5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ tmp
 *.[xX][mM][lL]
 *.[xX][lL][mM][lL]
 *.[uU][oO][sS]
-*.[wW][kKqQbB][S1234567890]
+*.[wW][kKqQbB][sS1234567890]
 *.[qQ][pP][wW]
 *.[fF][mM][3tT]
 *.[bB][iI][fF][fF][23458]
diff --git a/bits/27_csfutils.js b/bits/27_csfutils.js
index d8781d8..885f109 100644
--- a/bits/27_csfutils.js
+++ b/bits/27_csfutils.js
@@ -108,6 +108,13 @@ function sheet_to_workbook(sheet/*:Worksheet*/, opts)/*:Workbook*/ {
 	return { SheetNames: [n], Sheets: sheets };
 }
 
+function sheet_new(opts) {
+	var out = {};
+	var o = opts || {};
+	if(o.dense) out["!data"] = [];
+	return out;
+}
+
 function sheet_add_aoa(_ws/*:?Worksheet*/, data/*:AOA*/, opts/*:?any*/)/*:Worksheet*/ {
 	var o = opts || {};
 	var dense = _ws ? (_ws["!data"] != null) : o.dense;
diff --git a/bits/47_styxml.js b/bits/47_styxml.js
index a5d2a1d..be10ce4 100644
--- a/bits/47_styxml.js
+++ b/bits/47_styxml.js
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ function parse_cellXfs(t, styles, opts) {
 			case '<cellXfs': case '<cellXfs>': case '<cellXfs/>': case '</cellXfs>': break;
 
 			/* 18.8.45 xf CT_Xf */
-			case '<xf': case '<xf/>':
+			case '<xf': case '<xf/>': case '<xf>':
 				xf = y;
 				delete xf[0];
 				for(i = 0; i < cellXF_uint.length; ++i) if(xf[cellXF_uint[i]])
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ function parse_cellXfs(t, styles, opts) {
 			case '</xf>': break;
 
 			/* 18.8.1 alignment CT_CellAlignment */
-			case '<alignment': case '<alignment/>':
+			case '<alignment': case '<alignment/>': case '<alignment>':
 				var alignment = {};
 				if(y.vertical) alignment.vertical = y.vertical;
 				if(y.horizontal) alignment.horizontal = y.horizontal;
@@ -337,12 +337,12 @@ function parse_cellXfs(t, styles, opts) {
 			case '</alignment>': break;
 
 			/* 18.8.33 protection CT_CellProtection */
-			case '<protection':
+			case '<protection': case '<protection>':
 				break;
 			case '</protection>': case '<protection/>': break;
 
 			/* note: sometimes mc:AlternateContent appears bare */
-			case '<AlternateContent': pass = true; break;
+			case '<AlternateContent': case '<AlternateContent>': pass = true; break;
 			case '</AlternateContent>': pass = false; break;
 
 			/* 18.2.10 extLst CT_ExtensionList ? */
diff --git a/bits/90_utils.js b/bits/90_utils.js
index 7891f58..231c375 100644
--- a/bits/90_utils.js
+++ b/bits/90_utils.js
@@ -297,9 +297,11 @@ function wb_sheet_idx(wb/*:Workbook*/, sh/*:number|string*/) {
 	} else throw new Error("Cannot find sheet |" + sh + "|");
 }
 
-/* simple blank workbook object */
-function book_new()/*:Workbook*/ {
-	return { SheetNames: [], Sheets: {} };
+/* simple blank or single-sheet workbook object */
+function book_new(ws/*:?Worksheet*/, wsname/*:?string*/)/*:Workbook*/ {
+	var wb = { SheetNames: [], Sheets: {} };
+	if(ws) book_append_sheet(wb, ws, wsname || "Sheet1");
+	return wb;
 }
 
 /* add a worksheet to the end of a given workbook */
diff --git a/bits/95_api.js b/bits/95_api.js
index f943e4e..b7b3614 100644
--- a/bits/95_api.js
+++ b/bits/95_api.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ var utils/*:any*/ = {
 	decode_cell: decode_cell,
 	decode_range: decode_range,
 	format_cell: format_cell,
+	sheet_new: sheet_new,
 	sheet_add_aoa: sheet_add_aoa,
 	sheet_add_json: sheet_add_json,
 	sheet_add_dom: sheet_add_dom,
diff --git a/packages/xlsx-cli/README.md b/packages/xlsx-cli/README.md
index 81e6a7d..380a24a 100644
--- a/packages/xlsx-cli/README.md
+++ b/packages/xlsx-cli/README.md
@@ -2,19 +2,52 @@
 
 This is a standalone version of the CLI tool for [SheetJS](https://sheetjs.com).
 
-For newer versions of node, the tool should be invoked with `npx`:
+The main distribution point is <https://cdn.sheetjs.com/xlsx-cli/>
+
+### Modern NodeJS
+
+For newer versions of NodeJS, the tool should be invoked with `npx`:
 
 ```bash
-$ npx xlsx-cli --help             # help and usage info
-$ npx xlsx-cli --xlsx test.csv    # generates test.csv.xlsx from test.csv
+$ npx -p https://cdn.sheetjs.com/xlsx-cli/xlsx-cli-1.1.4.tgz xlsx-cli --help          # help and usage info
+$ npx -p https://cdn.sheetjs.com/xlsx-cli/xlsx-cli-1.1.4.tgz xlsx-cli test.xlsx       # print first worksheet in CSV format
+$ npx -p https://cdn.sheetjs.com/xlsx-cli/xlsx-cli-1.1.4.tgz xlsx-cli --xlsx test.csv # generates test.csv.xlsx from test.csv
 ```
 
-For older versions of node, the tool should be installed globally:
+No install step is required. `npx` will ask to install the module on first run.
+
+### Legacy NodeJS
+
+For older versions of NodeJS, the tool should be installed globally:
 
 ```bash
-$ sudo npm install -g xlsx-cli    # install globally (once)
-
-$ xlsx-cli --help                 # help and usage info
-$ npx xlsx-cli --xlsx test.csv    # generates test.csv.xlsx from test.csv
+$ npm install -g https://cdn.sheetjs.com/xlsx-cli/xlsx-cli-1.1.4.tgz                  # install globally (once)
 ```
 
+If the global `node_modules` directory is owned by an administrator account,
+the install should be run as the `root` user or administrator:
+
+```bash
+$ sudo npm install -g https://cdn.sheetjs.com/xlsx-cli/xlsx-cli-1.1.4.tgz             # install globally (once, if root permissions are required)
+```
+
+The module will configure the `xlsx-cli` command.
+
+```bash
+$ xlsx-cli --help                                                                     # help and usage info
+$ npx xlsx-cli --xlsx test.csv                                                        # generates test.csv.xlsx from test.csv
+```
+
+## Usage
+
+`xlsx-cli --help` displays full usage information.
+
+By default, `xlsx-cli path/to/file` will parse the file and print CSV rows from
+the first worksheet in the file.
+
+`xlsx-cli path/to/file ws_name` will use the second argument to determine the
+worksheet from which rows are generated
+
+`xlsx-cli path/to/file --xlsx` will generate a XLSX workbook and save it to a
+file whose name is determined by appending `.xlsx` to the name. For example,
+`xlsx-cli input.xlsb --xlsx` will save the generated file to `input.xlsb.xlsx`
diff --git a/packages/xlsx-cli/package.json b/packages/xlsx-cli/package.json
index b624024..37047dd 100644
--- a/packages/xlsx-cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/xlsx-cli/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "xlsx-cli",
-	"version": "1.1.3",
+	"version": "1.1.4",
 	"author": "sheetjs",
 	"description": "Command-line interface for SheetJS",
 	"keywords": [
diff --git a/types/index.d.ts b/types/index.d.ts
index aabdd4b..25b8d24 100644
--- a/types/index.d.ts
+++ b/types/index.d.ts
@@ -968,8 +968,11 @@ export interface XLSX$Utils {
 
     /* --- General Utilities --- */
 
-    /** Creates a new workbook */
-    book_new(): WorkBook;
+    /** Create a new workbook */
+    book_new(ws?: WorkSheet, wsname?: string): WorkBook;
+
+    /** Create a new worksheet */
+    sheet_new(opts?: DenseOption): WorkSheet;
 
     /** Append a worksheet to a workbook, returns new worksheet name */
     book_append_sheet(workbook: WorkBook, worksheet: WorkSheet, name?: string, roll?: boolean): string;