diff --git a/pisi/specfilenew.py b/pisi/specfilenew.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d6ab0f35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pisi/specfilenew.py
@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2005, TUBITAK/UEKAE
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
+# the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# Please read the COPYING file.
+#
+
+# Specfile module is our handler for PSPEC files. PSPEC (PISI SPEC)
+# files are specification files for PISI source packages. This module
+# provides read and write access to PSPEC files.
+
+# Authors:  Eray Ozkural <eray@uludag.org.tr>
+#           Baris Metin <baris@uludag.org.tr>
+
+# standard python modules
+from os.path import basename
+
+# pisi modules
+from pisi.xmlext import *
+import pisi.xmlfile as xmlfile
+from pisi.xmlfile import XmlFile
+from pisi.ui import ui
+from pisi.dependency import DepInfo
+from pisi.util import Checks
+
+
+class Packager:
+    __metaclass__ = xmlfile.autoxml
+    t_Name = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_Email = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    def __str__(self):
+        s = "%s <%s>" % (self.name, self.email)
+        return s
+class AdditionalFileInfo:
+    __metaclass__ = xmlfile.autoxml
+
+    s_Filename = xmlfile.mandatory
+    a_Target = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    a_Permission = [types.StringType, xmlfile.optional]
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        s = "%s -> %s " % (self.filename, self.target)
+        if self.permission:
+            s += '(%s)' % self.permission
+        return s
+
+class Patch:
+    __metaclass__ = xmlfile.autoxml
+
+    s_Filename = xmlfile.mandatory
+    a_compressionType = [types.StringType, xmlfile.optional]
+    a_level = [types.StringType, xmlfile.optional]
+    a_target = [types.StringType, xmlfile.optional]
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        s = self.filename
+        if self.compressionType:
+            s += ' (' + self.compressionType + ')'
+        if self.level:
+            s += ' level:' + self.level
+        if self.target:
+            s += ' target:' + self.target
+        return s
+
+class Update:
+    __metaclass__ = xmlfile.autoxml
+
+    t_Date = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_Version = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_Release = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_Type = [types.StringType, xmlfile.optional]
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        s = self.date
+        s += ", ver=" + self.version
+        s += ", rel=" + self.release
+        if self.type:
+            s += ", type=" + self.type
+        return s
+
+class Path:
+    __metaclass__ = xmlfile.autoxml
+    s_Path = xmlfile.mandatory
+    a_fileType =  [types.StringType, xmlfile.optional]
+    def __str__(self):
+        s = self.pathname
+        s += ", type=" + self.fileType
+        return s
+
+
+class ComarProvide:
+    __metaclass__ = xmlfile.autoxml
+    s_om = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    a_script = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    def __str__(self):
+        # FIXME: descriptive enough?
+        s = self.script
+        s += ' (' + self.om + ')'
+        return s
+
+class Archive:
+    __metaclass__ = xmlfile.autoxml
+    s_uri = [ types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory ]
+    a_type =[ types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory ]
+    a_sha1sum =[ types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory ]
+
+    def decode_post(self):
+        self.name = basename(self.uri)
+
+
+class Source:
+    __metaclass__ = xmlfile.autoxml
+    t_Name = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_HomePage = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_Packager = [Packager, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_Summary = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_Description = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_License = [ [types.StringType], xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_IsA = [ [types.StringType], xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_PartOf = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_Archive = [Archive, xmlfile.mandatory ]
+    t_Patch = [ [Patch], xmlfile.mandatory, "Patches/Patch"]
+    t_BuildDep = [ [Dependency], xmlfile.mandatory, "BuildDependencies/Dependency"]
+    t_History = [ [Update], xmlfile.mandatory, "History/Update"]
+
+
+class Package:
+    __metaclass__ = xmlfile.autoxml
+    t_Name = [ types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory ]
+    t_Summary = [ types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory ]
+    t_Description = [ types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory ]
+    t_IsA = [ [types.StringType], xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_PartOf = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+    t_History = [ [Update], xmlfile.mandatory, "History/Update"]
+    t_Conflicts = [ [types.StringType], xmlfile.mandatory, "Conflicts/Package"]
+    t_ProvidesComar = [ [ComarProvide], xmlfile.mandatory, "Provides/COMAR"]
+    t_RequriesComar = [ [types.StringType], xmlfile.mandatory, "Requires/COMAR"]
+    t_AdditionalFiles = [ [AdditionalFile], xmlfile.mandatory, "AdditionalFiles/AdditionalFile"]
+    
diff --git a/pisi/xmlext.py b/pisi/xmlext.py
index 647b769b..c6e4729e 100644
--- a/pisi/xmlext.py
+++ b/pisi/xmlext.py
@@ -9,17 +9,19 @@
 #
 # Please read the COPYING file.
 #
-# some helper functions for using minidom
-# works well enough for now... :/
-# function names are mixedCase for compatibility with minidom,
-# an old library
-
 # Authors:  Eray Ozkural <eray@uludag.org.tr>
 #           Baris Metin <baris@uludag.org.tr
 
+"""
+ some helper functions for using minidom
+ function names are mixedCase for compatibility with minidom,
+ an old library
+"""
+
 import pisi
 
 class XmlError(pisi.Error):
+    "named this way because the class if mostly used with an import *"
     pass
 
 def getNodeAttribute(node, attrname):
@@ -105,7 +107,6 @@ def getAllNodes(node, tagPath):
 
     return nodeList
 
-
 def createTagPath(dom, node, tags):
     """create new child at the end of a tag chain starting from node
     no matter what"""
diff --git a/pisi/xmlfile.py b/pisi/xmlfile.py
index fa0ee2a8..f5074e72 100644
--- a/pisi/xmlfile.py
+++ b/pisi/xmlfile.py
@@ -9,35 +9,47 @@
 #
 # Please read the COPYING file.
 #
-# XmlFile is a halper module for accessing XML files using
-# xml.dom.minidom.
 #
-# XmlFile class that further abstracts a dom object using the
-# high-level dom functions provided in xml module (and sorely lacking
-# in xml.dom :( )
-#
-# method names are mixedCase for compatibility with minidom,
-# an old library
-
 # Authors:  Eray Ozkural <eray@uludag.org.tr>
 #           Baris Metin <baris@uludag.org.tr
 
+
+"""
+ xmlfile is a helper module for accessing XML files using
+ xml.dom.minidom.
+
+ XmlFile class further abstracts a dom object using the
+ high-level dom functions provided in xmlext module (and sorely lacking
+ in xml.dom :( )
+
+ autoxml is a metaclass for automatic XML translation, using
+ a miniature type system
+
+ Method names are mixedCase for compatibility with minidom,
+ an old library
+"""
+
+# System
 import xml.dom.minidom as mdom
 from xml.parsers.expat import ExpatError
 import codecs
 
-from xmlext import *
-
+# PiSi
 import pisi
+from pisi.xmlext import *
+
 
 class Error(pisi.Error):
     pass
 
+
 import types
 
 mandatory, optional = range(2)
 
+
 class autoxml(type):
+    "high-level automatic XML transformation interface for xmlfile"
 
     def __init__(cls, name, bases, dict):
 
@@ -50,36 +62,160 @@ class autoxml(type):
         super(autoxml, cls).__init__(name, bases, dict)
 
         # initialize class attribute __xml_tags
-        setattr(cls, '__xml_tags', [])
+        #setattr(cls, 'xml_variables', [])
 
-        # find variables that start with x_
+        if not dict.has_key('tag'):
+            setattr(cls, 'tag', name)
+
+        root_tag = cls.tag
+
+        # generate helper routines
+        initializers = []
+        decoders = []
+        encoders = []
+        formatters = []
         for var in dict:
-            if var.startswith('t_'):
-                print 'xml tag', var
-                autoxml.gen_tag(cls, var[2:])
+            if var.startswith('t_') or var.startswith('a_'):
+                name = var[2:]
+                #print 'name', name
+                # possible python bug, binds var only to t_Email here!
+##                def initializer(self):
+##                    print 'got', name
+##                    setattr(self, name, None)
+##                initializers.append(initializer)
+                initializers.append(autoxml.gen_init(cls, name))
+                if var.startswith('t_'):
+                    x = autoxml.gen_tag(cls, name)
+                elif var.startswith('a_'):
+                    x = autoxml.gen_attr(cls, name)
+                (decoder, encoder, formatter) = x
+                decoders.append(decoder)
+                encoders.append(encoder)
+                formatters.append(formatter)
+
+        #print initializers
+
+        setattr(cls, 'initializers', initializers)
+        def initialize(self):
+            for initializer in self.__class__.initializers:
+                initializer(self)
+        setattr(cls, '__init__', initialize)            
+
+        setattr(cls, 'decoders', decoders)
+        def decode(self, node):
+            for decoder in self.__class__.decoders:
+                decoder(self, node)
+        setattr(cls, 'decode', decode)
+
+        setattr(cls, 'encoders', encoders)
+        def encode(self, xml):
+            for encoder in self.__class__.encoders:
+                encoder(self, xml)
+        setattr(cls, 'encode', encode)
+
+        setattr(cls, 'formatters', formatters)
+        def format(self):
+            string = ''
+            for formatter in self.__class__.formatters:
+                string = string + formatter(self)
+            return string
+        setattr(cls, 'format', format)
+        if not dict.has_key('__str__'):
+            def string(self):
+                return self.format()
+            setattr(cls, '__str__', string)
+
+    def gen_init(cls, name):
+        def initializer(self):
+            varname = cls.mixed_case(name)
+            #print 'init:', varname
+            setattr(self, varname, None)
+        return initializer
 
     def gen_tag(cls, tag):
         # generate readers and writers for the tag
         val = getattr(cls, 't_' + tag)
         tag_type = val[0]
         if type(tag_type) == type(type):
-            if val[0] == types.IntType:
-                autoxml.gen_int_tag(cls, tag, val)
-    #gen_tag = staticmethod(gen_tag)
+            # basic types
+            return autoxml.gen_basic_tag(cls, tag, val)
+
+    def gen_attr(cls, tag):
+        "generate readers and writers for an attribute"
+        #print 'attr:', tag
+        val = getattr(cls, 'a_' + tag)
+        tag_type = val[0]
+        assert type(tag_type) == type(type)
+        return autoxml.gen_basic_attr(cls, tag, val)
 
     def mixed_case(cls, identifier):
         identifier_p = identifier[0].lower() + identifier[1:]
         return identifier_p
 
-    def gen_int_tag(cls, tag, val):
-        print tag, val
-        name = cls.mixed_case(tag)
-        def read_int(self):
-            self.name = getNodeText(getNode(node, tag))
-        setattr(cls, 'decode' + tag, read_int)
+    def gen_basic(cls, token, val, readtext, writetext):
+        "generate a basic tag or attribute"
+        name = cls.mixed_case(token)
+        token_type = val[0]
+        req = val[1]
+
+        def decode(self, node):
+            text = readtext(node, token)
+            if text:
+                try:
+                    value = autoxml.basic_cons_map[token_type](text)
+                except Error:
+                    return ['Type mismatch']
+                setattr(self, name, value)
+            else:
+                if req == mandatory:
+                    return ['Mandatory argument not available']
+                else:
+                    setattr(self, name, None)
+                    return None
+
+        def encode(self, xml):
+            node = xml.newNode(cls.tag)
+            if hasattr(self, name):
+                writetext(xml, node, token, str(getattr(self, name)))
+            else:
+                if req == mandatory:
+                    return ['Mandatory argument not available']
+
+        def formatter(self):
+            #print 'format:', name
+            if hasattr(self, name):
+                return '%s: %s\n' % (token, str(getattr(self, name)))
+            else:
+                if req == mandatory:
+                    raise Error('Mandatory variable %s not available' % name)
+            return ""
+
+        return decode, encode, formatter
+
+    def gen_basic_attr(cls, attr, val):
+        """generate an attribute with a basic datatype"""
+        def readtext(node, attr):
+            return getNodeAttribute(node, attr)
+        def writetext(xml, node, attr, value):
+            node.setAttribute(attr, value)
+        return autoxml.gen_basic(cls, attr, val, readtext, writetext)
+
+    def gen_basic_tag(cls, tag, val):
+        """generate a tag with a basic datatype"""
+        def readtext(node, tag):
+            return getNodeText(getNode(node, tag))
+        def writetext(xml, node, tag, value):
+            xml.addTextNodeUnder(node, tag, value)
+        return autoxml.gen_basic(cls, tag, val, readtext, writetext)
+
+    basic_cons_map = {
+        types.StringType : str,
+        types.IntType : int
+        }
+
 
 class XmlFile(object):
-    """A class for retrieving information from an XML file"""
+    """A class to help reading and writing an XML file"""
 
     def __init__(self, rootTag):
         self.rootTag = rootTag
@@ -98,7 +234,8 @@ class XmlFile(object):
         try:
             self.dom = mdom.parse(fileName)
         except ExpatError, inst:
-            raise XmlError("File '%s' has invalid XML: %s\n" % (fileName, str(inst)))
+            raise Error("File '%s' has invalid XML: %s\n" % (fileName,
+                                                             str(inst)))
 
     def writexml(self, fileName):
         f = codecs.open(fileName,'w', "utf-8")
@@ -107,7 +244,7 @@ class XmlFile(object):
 
     def verifyRootTag(self):
         if self.dom.documentElement.tagName != self.rootTag:
-            raise XmlError("Root tagname not " + self.rootTag + " as expected")
+            raise Error("Root tagname not " + self.rootTag + " as expected")
 
     # construction helpers
 
@@ -156,7 +293,8 @@ class XmlFile(object):
         """ returns the children of the given path, only with given type """
         node = self.getNode(tagpath)
         try:
-            return filter(lambda x:x.nodeType == x.ELEMENT_NODE, node.childNodes)
+            return filter(lambda x:x.nodeType == x.ELEMENT_NODE,
+                          node.childNodes)
         except AttributeError:
             return None
 
@@ -188,5 +326,3 @@ class XmlFile(object):
     def addTextNodeUnder(self, node, tagPath, text):
         "add a text node under given node with tag path (phew)"
         return self.addNodeUnder(node, tagPath, self.newTextNode(text))
-
-        
diff --git a/tests/sandbox/a.xml b/tests/sandbox/a.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91d3faca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/sandbox/a.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="no"?>
+<A href="http://www.cs.bilkent.edu.tr/~erayo">
+  <Name>Eray Ozkural</Name>
+  <Number>868</Number>
+</A>
diff --git a/tests/xmlfiletests.py b/tests/xmlfiletests.py
index db0e15bf..6f7e330c 100644
--- a/tests/xmlfiletests.py
+++ b/tests/xmlfiletests.py
@@ -10,19 +10,47 @@
 
 import unittest
 import os
+import xml.dom.minidom as mdom
+from xml.parsers.expat import ExpatError
+import types
 
 from pisi import xmlfile
 from pisi.config import config
 import pisi.util as util
-import types
+from pisi.xmlext import *
 
 class XmlFileTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
+#        impl = mdom.getDOMImplementation()
         pass
     
     def testMetaClass(self):
         class A:
             __metaclass__ = xmlfile.autoxml
-            t_Number = [types.IntType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+            t_Name = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+            t_Number = [types.IntType, xmlfile.optional]
+            t_Email = [types.StringType, xmlfile.optional]
+            a_href = [types.StringType, xmlfile.mandatory]
+            #t_Projects = [ [types.StringType], xmlfile.mandatory]
+        a = A()
+        #print a
+        self.assertEqual(a.href, None)
+        dom = mdom.parse('tests/sandbox/a.xml')
+        node = getNode(dom, 'A')
+        self.assert_(len(A.decoders)>0)
+        a.decode(node)
+        self.assert_(a.href.startswith('http'))
+        self.assertEqual(a.number, 868)
+        self.assertEqual(a.name, 'Eray Ozkural')
+        string = a.format()
+        #print '*', string
+        #self.assert_(string.startswith('Name'))
+        outfn = '/tmp/a2.xml'
+        xml = xmlfile.XmlFile('A')
+        a2 = A()
+        a2.name = "Baris Metin"
+        a2.email = "baris@uludag.org.tr"
+        elt = a2.encode(xml)
+        string = a2.format()
 
 suite = unittest.makeSuite(XmlFileTestCase)