diff --git a/confutils/defs.nim b/confutils/defs.nim
index b2d8542..47adcd7 100644
--- a/confutils/defs.nim
+++ b/confutils/defs.nim
@@ -17,9 +17,14 @@ type
   Unspecified* = object
   Txt* = object
 
+  SomeDistinctString = InputFile|InputDir|OutPath|OutDir|OutFile
+
 template `/`*(dir: InputDir|OutDir, path: string): auto =
   string(dir) / path
 
+template `$`*(x: SomeDistinctString): string =
+  string(x)
+
 template desc*(v: string) {.pragma.}
 template name*(v: string) {.pragma.}
 template abbr*(v: string) {.pragma.}