diff --git a/build/macosx/Juce.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/build/macosx/Juce.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index b3bcad6157..7755ab100a 100644
--- a/build/macosx/Juce.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/build/macosx/Juce.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
 		840F1DA610AD674F002A03A6 /* juce_CPlusPlusCodeTokeniser.cpp in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 84AB91F910A078190048FC39 /* juce_CPlusPlusCodeTokeniser.cpp */; };
 		840F1DA710AD6750002A03A6 /* juce_CPlusPlusCodeTokeniser.h in Headers */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 84AB91FA10A078190048FC39 /* juce_CPlusPlusCodeTokeniser.h */; };
 		840F80BC092B399D005E7B4E /* juce.h in Headers */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 840F80BB092B399D005E7B4E /* juce.h */; };
+		8414DE78111229B300DAF75A /* juce_NamedValueSet.cpp in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 8414DE76111229B300DAF75A /* juce_NamedValueSet.cpp */; };
+		8414DE79111229B300DAF75A /* juce_NamedValueSet.h in Headers */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 8414DE77111229B300DAF75A /* juce_NamedValueSet.h */; };
+		8414DE8411122A8D00DAF75A /* juce_DynamicObject.cpp in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 8414DE8211122A8D00DAF75A /* juce_DynamicObject.cpp */; };
+		8414DE8511122A8D00DAF75A /* juce_DynamicObject.h in Headers */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 8414DE8311122A8D00DAF75A /* juce_DynamicObject.h */; };
 		843D4A3B10D3C54500624BA6 /* juce_ValueTree.cpp in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 843D4A3910D3C54500624BA6 /* juce_ValueTree.cpp */; };
 		843D4A3C10D3C54500624BA6 /* juce_ValueTree.h in Headers */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 843D4A3A10D3C54500624BA6 /* juce_ValueTree.h */; };
 		844BB95B10C5578800DF5536 /* juce_TargetPlatform.h in Headers */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 8481730E10832513008FEC33 /* juce_TargetPlatform.h */; };
@@ -1225,6 +1229,10 @@
 
 /* Begin PBXFileReference section */
 		840F80BB092B399D005E7B4E /* juce.h */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 30; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.c.h; lineEnding = 2; name = juce.h; path = ../../juce.h; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
+		8414DE76111229B300DAF75A /* juce_NamedValueSet.cpp */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.cpp.cpp; path = juce_NamedValueSet.cpp; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
+		8414DE77111229B300DAF75A /* juce_NamedValueSet.h */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.c.h; path = juce_NamedValueSet.h; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
+		8414DE8211122A8D00DAF75A /* juce_DynamicObject.cpp */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.cpp.cpp; path = juce_DynamicObject.cpp; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
+		8414DE8311122A8D00DAF75A /* juce_DynamicObject.h */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.c.h; path = juce_DynamicObject.h; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		843D4A3910D3C54500624BA6 /* juce_ValueTree.cpp */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.cpp.cpp; path = juce_ValueTree.cpp; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		843D4A3A10D3C54500624BA6 /* juce_ValueTree.h */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.c.h; path = juce_ValueTree.h; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		8456EC6508A2A6C80087C412 /* juce_Config.h */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 30; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.c.h; lineEnding = 2; name = juce_Config.h; path = ../../juce_Config.h; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
@@ -2175,11 +2183,15 @@
 				84F1E8D110403671006A1807 /* juce_ArrayAllocationBase.h */,
 				84F1E8D210403671006A1807 /* juce_BitArray.cpp */,
 				84F1E8D310403671006A1807 /* juce_BitArray.h */,
+				8414DE8211122A8D00DAF75A /* juce_DynamicObject.cpp */,
+				8414DE8311122A8D00DAF75A /* juce_DynamicObject.h */,
 				84F1E8D410403671006A1807 /* juce_ElementComparator.h */,
 				84F1E8D510403671006A1807 /* juce_MemoryBlock.cpp */,
 				84F1E8D610403671006A1807 /* juce_MemoryBlock.h */,
 				84F1E8D710403671006A1807 /* juce_OwnedArray.h */,
 				84DEDD9E10EE496500909D01 /* juce_HeapBlock.h */,
+				8414DE76111229B300DAF75A /* juce_NamedValueSet.cpp */,
+				8414DE77111229B300DAF75A /* juce_NamedValueSet.h */,
 				84F1E8D810403671006A1807 /* juce_PropertySet.cpp */,
 				84F1E8D910403671006A1807 /* juce_PropertySet.h */,
 				84F1E8DA10403671006A1807 /* juce_ReferenceCountedArray.h */,
@@ -3560,6 +3572,8 @@
 				84BA604110F2017A001D9D70 /* juce_Value.h in Headers */,
 				848432C310F933B800490977 /* juce_ByteOrder.h in Headers */,
 				84CABF6A1101292D0088D64D /* juce_TemporaryFile.h in Headers */,
+				8414DE79111229B300DAF75A /* juce_NamedValueSet.h in Headers */,
+				8414DE8511122A8D00DAF75A /* juce_DynamicObject.h in Headers */,
 			);
 			runOnlyForDeploymentPostprocessing = 0;
 		};
@@ -4202,6 +4216,8 @@
 				843D4A3B10D3C54500624BA6 /* juce_ValueTree.cpp in Sources */,
 				84BA604010F2017A001D9D70 /* juce_Value.cpp in Sources */,
 				84CABF691101292D0088D64D /* juce_TemporaryFile.cpp in Sources */,
+				8414DE78111229B300DAF75A /* juce_NamedValueSet.cpp in Sources */,
+				8414DE8411122A8D00DAF75A /* juce_DynamicObject.cpp in Sources */,
 			);
 			runOnlyForDeploymentPostprocessing = 0;
 		};
diff --git a/build/win32/vc8/JUCE.vcproj b/build/win32/vc8/JUCE.vcproj
index 53de7db406..a03b0fc764 100644
--- a/build/win32/vc8/JUCE.vcproj
+++ b/build/win32/vc8/JUCE.vcproj
@@ -1081,6 +1081,14 @@
 					RelativePath="..\..\..\src\containers\juce_BitArray.h"
 					>
 				</File>
+				<File
+					RelativePath="..\..\..\src\containers\juce_DynamicObject.cpp"
+					>
+				</File>
+				<File
+					RelativePath="..\..\..\src\containers\juce_DynamicObject.h"
+					>
+				</File>
 				<File
 					RelativePath="..\..\..\src\containers\juce_ElementComparator.h"
 					>
@@ -1097,6 +1105,14 @@
 					RelativePath="..\..\..\src\containers\juce_MemoryBlock.h"
 					>
 				</File>
+				<File
+					RelativePath="..\..\..\src\containers\juce_NamedValueSet.cpp"
+					>
+				</File>
+				<File
+					RelativePath="..\..\..\src\containers\juce_NamedValueSet.h"
+					>
+				</File>
 				<File
 					RelativePath="..\..\..\src\containers\juce_OwnedArray.h"
 					>
diff --git a/extras/audio plugins/wrapper/VST/juce_VST_Wrapper.mm b/extras/audio plugins/wrapper/VST/juce_VST_Wrapper.mm
index 3add952b0d..1323ae2f10 100644
--- a/extras/audio plugins/wrapper/VST/juce_VST_Wrapper.mm	
+++ b/extras/audio plugins/wrapper/VST/juce_VST_Wrapper.mm	
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ static pascal OSStatus windowVisibilityBodge (EventHandlerCallRef, EventRef e, v
 static void updateComponentPos (Component* const comp)
 {
     HIViewRef dummyView = (HIViewRef) (void*) (pointer_sized_int)
-                            comp->getComponentProperty ("dummyViewRef", false, String::empty).getHexValue64();
+                            comp->getProperties() ["dummyViewRef"].toString().getHexValue64();
 
     HIRect r;
     HIViewGetFrame (dummyView, &r);
@@ -128,12 +128,12 @@ void* attachComponentToWindowRef (Component* comp, void* windowRef)
     HIRect r = { {0, 0}, {comp->getWidth(), comp->getHeight()} };
     HIViewSetFrame (dummyView, &r);
     HIViewAddSubview (parentView, dummyView);
-    comp->setComponentProperty ("dummyViewRef", String::toHexString ((pointer_sized_int) (void*) dummyView));
+    comp->getProperties().set ("dummyViewRef", String::toHexString ((pointer_sized_int) (void*) dummyView));
 
     EventHandlerRef ref;
     const EventTypeSpec kControlBoundsChangedEvent = { kEventClassControl, kEventControlBoundsChanged };
     InstallEventHandler (GetControlEventTarget (dummyView), NewEventHandlerUPP (viewBoundsChangedEvent), 1, &kControlBoundsChangedEvent, (void*) comp, &ref);
-    comp->setComponentProperty ("boundsEventRef", String::toHexString ((pointer_sized_int) (void*) ref));
+    comp->getProperties().set ("boundsEventRef", String::toHexString ((pointer_sized_int) (void*) ref));
 
     updateComponentPos (comp);
 
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ void* attachComponentToWindowRef (Component* comp, void* windowRef)
                                NewEventHandlerUPP (windowVisibilityBodge),
                                GetEventTypeCount (eventsToCatch), eventsToCatch,
                                (void*) hostWindow, &ref);
-    comp->setComponentProperty ("carbonEventRef", String::toHexString ((pointer_sized_int) (void*) ref));
+    comp->getProperties().set ("carbonEventRef", String::toHexString ((pointer_sized_int) (void*) ref));
 #endif
 
     return hostWindow;
@@ -180,17 +180,17 @@ void detachComponentFromWindowRef (Component* comp, void* nsWindow)
         const ScopedAutoReleasePool pool;
 
         EventHandlerRef ref = (EventHandlerRef) (void*) (pointer_sized_int)
-                                    comp->getComponentProperty ("boundsEventRef", false, String::empty).getHexValue64();
+                                    comp->getProperties() ["boundsEventRef"].toString().getHexValue64();
         RemoveEventHandler (ref);
 
 #if ADD_CARBON_BODGE
         ref = (EventHandlerRef) (void*) (pointer_sized_int)
-                  comp->getComponentProperty ("carbonEventRef", false, String::empty).getHexValue64();
+                  comp->getProperties() ["carbonEventRef"].toString().getHexValue64();
         RemoveEventHandler (ref);
 #endif
 
         HIViewRef dummyView = (HIViewRef) (void*) (pointer_sized_int)
-                                comp->getComponentProperty ("dummyViewRef", false, String::empty).getHexValue64();
+                                comp->getProperties() ["dummyViewRef"].toString().getHexValue64();
 
         if (HIViewIsValid (dummyView))
             CFRelease (dummyView);
diff --git a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ButtonHandler.h b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ButtonHandler.h
index 5b2e007859..03d6651d72 100644
--- a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ButtonHandler.h	
+++ b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ButtonHandler.h	
@@ -169,12 +169,12 @@ public:
 
     static bool needsButtonListener (Component* button)
     {
-        return button->getComponentPropertyBool (T("generateListenerCallback"), false, true);
+        return button->getProperties().getWithDefault ("generateListenerCallback", true);
     }
 
     static void setNeedsButtonListener (Component* button, const bool shouldDoCallback)
     {
-        button->setComponentProperty (T("generateListenerCallback"), shouldDoCallback);
+        button->getProperties().set ("generateListenerCallback", shouldDoCallback);
     }
 
     //==============================================================================
diff --git a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ComboBoxHandler.h b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ComboBoxHandler.h
index 1789895bce..a462517fa8 100644
--- a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ComboBoxHandler.h	
+++ b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ComboBoxHandler.h	
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public:
 
         e->setAttribute (T("editable"), c->isTextEditable());
         e->setAttribute (T("layout"), c->getJustificationType().getFlags());
-        e->setAttribute (T("items"), c->getComponentProperty (T("items"), false));
+        e->setAttribute (T("items"), c->getProperties() ["items"].toString());
         e->setAttribute (T("textWhenNonSelected"), c->getTextWhenNothingSelected());
         e->setAttribute (T("textWhenNoItems"), c->getTextWhenNoChoicesAvailable());
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public:
 
         c->setEditableText (xml.getBoolAttribute (T("editable"), defaultBox.isTextEditable()));
         c->setJustificationType (Justification (xml.getIntAttribute (T("layout"), defaultBox.getJustificationType().getFlags())));
-        c->setComponentProperty (T("items"), xml.getStringAttribute (T("items"), String::empty));
+        c->getProperties().set ("items", xml.getStringAttribute (T("items"), String::empty));
         c->setTextWhenNothingSelected (xml.getStringAttribute (T("textWhenNonSelected"), defaultBox.getTextWhenNothingSelected()));
         c->setTextWhenNoChoicesAvailable (xml.getStringAttribute (T("textWhenNoItems"), defaultBox.getTextWhenNoChoicesAvailable()));
 
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ public:
           << memberVariableName << "->setTextWhenNoChoicesAvailable (" << quotedString (c->getTextWhenNoChoicesAvailable()) << ");\n";
 
         StringArray lines;
-        lines.addLines (c->getComponentProperty (T("items"), false));
+        lines.addLines (c->getProperties() ["items"].toString());
         int itemId = 1;
 
         for (int i = 0; i < lines.size(); ++i)
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public:
     static void updateItems (ComboBox* c)
     {
         StringArray lines;
-        lines.addLines (c->getComponentProperty (T("items"), false));
+        lines.addLines (c->getProperties() ["items"].toString());
 
         c->clear();
         int itemId = 1;
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ private:
 
         const String getText() const
         {
-            return component->getComponentProperty (T("items"), false);
+            return component->getProperties() ["items"];
         }
 
     private:
@@ -317,13 +317,13 @@ private:
                 : ComponentUndoableAction <ComboBox> (comp, layout),
                   newState (newState_)
             {
-                oldState = comp->getComponentProperty (T("items"), false);
+                oldState = comp->getProperties() ["items"];
             }
 
             bool perform()
             {
                 showCorrectTab();
-                getComponent()->setComponentProperty (T("items"), newState);
+                getComponent()->getProperties().set ("items", newState);
                 ComboBoxHandler::updateItems (getComponent());
                 changed();
                 return true;
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ private:
             bool undo()
             {
                 showCorrectTab();
-                getComponent()->setComponentProperty (T("items"), oldState);
+                getComponent()->getProperties().set ("items", oldState);
                 ComboBoxHandler::updateItems (getComponent());
                 changed();
                 return true;
diff --git a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ComponentTypeHandler.cpp b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ComponentTypeHandler.cpp
index 4b7598e1df..71029d7b02 100644
--- a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ComponentTypeHandler.cpp	
+++ b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ComponentTypeHandler.cpp	
@@ -146,8 +146,8 @@ XmlElement* ComponentTypeHandler::createXmlFor (Component* comp, const Component
 
     e->setAttribute (T("name"), comp->getName());
     e->setAttribute (T("id"), String::toHexString (getComponentId (comp)));
-    e->setAttribute (T("memberName"), comp->getComponentProperty (T("memberName"), false));
-    e->setAttribute (T("virtualName"), comp->getComponentProperty (T("virtualName"), false));
+    e->setAttribute (T("memberName"), comp->getProperties() ["memberName"].toString());
+    e->setAttribute (T("virtualName"), comp->getProperties() ["virtualName"].toString());
     e->setAttribute (T("explicitFocusOrder"), comp->getExplicitFocusOrder());
 
     RelativePositionedRectangle pos (getComponentPosition (comp));
@@ -181,8 +181,8 @@ bool ComponentTypeHandler::restoreFromXml (const XmlElement& xml,
 
     comp->setName (xml.getStringAttribute (T("name"), comp->getName()));
     setComponentId (comp, xml.getStringAttribute (T("id")).getHexValue64());
-    comp->setComponentProperty (T("memberName"), xml.getStringAttribute (T("memberName")));
-    comp->setComponentProperty (T("virtualName"), xml.getStringAttribute (T("virtualName")));
+    comp->getProperties().set ("memberName", xml.getStringAttribute (T("memberName")));
+    comp->getProperties().set ("virtualName", xml.getStringAttribute (T("virtualName")));
     comp->setExplicitFocusOrder (xml.getIntAttribute (T("explicitFocusOrder")));
 
     RelativePositionedRectangle currentPos (getComponentPosition (comp));
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ int64 ComponentTypeHandler::getComponentId (Component* comp)
     if (comp == 0)
         return 0;
 
-    int64 compId = comp->getComponentProperty (T("jucerCompId"), false).getHexValue64();
+    int64 compId = comp->getProperties() ["jucerCompId"].toString().getHexValue64();
 
     if (compId == 0)
     {
@@ -233,17 +233,17 @@ void ComponentTypeHandler::setComponentId (Component* comp, const int64 newID)
 {
     jassert (comp != 0);
     if (newID != 0)
-        comp->setComponentProperty (T("jucerCompId"), String::toHexString (newID));
+        comp->getProperties().set ("jucerCompId", String::toHexString (newID));
 }
 
 const RelativePositionedRectangle ComponentTypeHandler::getComponentPosition (Component* comp)
 {
     RelativePositionedRectangle rp;
-    rp.rect = PositionedRectangle (comp->getComponentProperty (T("pos"), false));
-    rp.relativeToX = comp->getComponentProperty (T("relativeToX"), false).getHexValue64();
-    rp.relativeToY = comp->getComponentProperty (T("relativeToY"), false).getHexValue64();
-    rp.relativeToW = comp->getComponentProperty (T("relativeToW"), false).getHexValue64();
-    rp.relativeToH = comp->getComponentProperty (T("relativeToH"), false).getHexValue64();
+    rp.rect = PositionedRectangle (comp->getProperties() ["pos"]);
+    rp.relativeToX = comp->getProperties() ["relativeToX"].toString().getHexValue64();
+    rp.relativeToY = comp->getProperties() ["relativeToY"].toString().getHexValue64();
+    rp.relativeToW = comp->getProperties() ["relativeToW"].toString().getHexValue64();
+    rp.relativeToH = comp->getProperties() ["relativeToH"].toString().getHexValue64();
 
     return rp;
 }
@@ -252,11 +252,11 @@ void ComponentTypeHandler::setComponentPosition (Component* comp,
                                                  const RelativePositionedRectangle& newPos,
                                                  const ComponentLayout* layout)
 {
-    comp->setComponentProperty (T("pos"), newPos.rect.toString());
-    comp->setComponentProperty (T("relativeToX"), String::toHexString (newPos.relativeToX));
-    comp->setComponentProperty (T("relativeToY"), String::toHexString (newPos.relativeToY));
-    comp->setComponentProperty (T("relativeToW"), String::toHexString (newPos.relativeToW));
-    comp->setComponentProperty (T("relativeToH"), String::toHexString (newPos.relativeToH));
+    comp->getProperties().set ("pos", newPos.rect.toString());
+    comp->getProperties().set ("relativeToX", String::toHexString (newPos.relativeToX));
+    comp->getProperties().set ("relativeToY", String::toHexString (newPos.relativeToY));
+    comp->getProperties().set ("relativeToW", String::toHexString (newPos.relativeToW));
+    comp->getProperties().set ("relativeToH", String::toHexString (newPos.relativeToH));
 
     comp->setBounds (newPos.getRectangle (Rectangle (0, 0, comp->getParentWidth(), comp->getParentHeight()),
                                           layout));
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ void ComponentTypeHandler::fillInGeneratedCode (Component* component, GeneratedC
 
 void ComponentTypeHandler::fillInMemberVariableDeclarations (GeneratedCode& code, Component* component, const String& memberVariableName)
 {
-    const String virtualName (component->getComponentProperty (T("virtualName"), false));
+    const String virtualName (component->getProperties() ["virtualName"].toString());
 
     if (virtualName.isNotEmpty())
     {
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ const String ComponentTypeHandler::getCreationParameters (Component* component)
 void ComponentTypeHandler::fillInCreationCode (GeneratedCode& code, Component* component, const String& memberVariableName)
 {
     String params (getCreationParameters (component));
-    const String virtualName (component->getComponentProperty (T("virtualName"), false));
+    const String virtualName (component->getProperties() ["virtualName"].toString());
 
     String s;
     s << "addAndMakeVisible (" << memberVariableName << " = new ";
diff --git a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ImageButtonHandler.h b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ImageButtonHandler.h
index 8a3ba0ad73..39064f8d88 100644
--- a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ImageButtonHandler.h	
+++ b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ImageButtonHandler.h	
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ public:
             }
             else
             {
-                button->setComponentProperty ("resource" + String ((int) role), newName);
+                button->getProperties().set ("resource" + String ((int) role), newName);
                 updateButtonImages (*layout.getDocument(), button);
                 layout.changed();
             }
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ public:
     static const String getImageResource (ImageButton* button, const ImageRole role)
     {
         jassert (role < 3);
-        return button->getComponentProperty ("resource" + String ((int) role), false);
+        return button->getProperties() ["resource" + String ((int) role)].toString();
     }
 
     //==============================================================================
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ public:
 
     static bool doesImageKeepProportions (ImageButton* button)
     {
-        return button->getComponentPropertyBool ("keepImageProp", false, true);
+        return button->getProperties().getWithDefault ("keepImageProp", true);
     }
 
     static void setImageKeepProportions (ComponentLayout& layout, ImageButton* button, const bool newState, const bool undoable)
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ public:
         }
         else
         {
-            button->setComponentProperty ("keepImageProp", newState);
+            button->getProperties().set ("keepImageProp", newState);
             updateButtonImages (*layout.getDocument(), button);
             layout.changed();
         }
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ public:
 
     static float getImageOpacity (ImageButton* button, const ImageRole role)
     {
-        return (float) button->getComponentPropertyDouble ("imageOpacity" + String ((int) role), false, 1.0f);
+        return (float) button->getProperties().getWithDefault ("imageOpacity" + String ((int) role), 1.0f);
     }
 
     static void setImageOpacity (ComponentLayout& layout, ImageButton* button, const ImageRole role, const float opacity, const bool undoable)
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ public:
         }
         else
         {
-            button->setComponentProperty ("imageOpacity" + String ((int) role), opacity);
+            button->getProperties().set ("imageOpacity" + String ((int) role), opacity);
             updateButtonImages (*layout.getDocument(), button);
             layout.changed();
         }
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ public:
 
     static const Colour getImageColour (ImageButton* button, const ImageRole role)
     {
-        return Colour::fromString (button->getComponentProperty ("imageColour" + String ((int) role), false, "0"));
+        return Colour::fromString (button->getProperties().getWithDefault ("imageColour" + String ((int) role), "0").toString());
     }
 
     static void setImageColour (ComponentLayout& layout, ImageButton* button, const ImageRole role, const Colour& colour, const bool undoable)
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ public:
         }
         else
         {
-            button->setComponentProperty ("imageColour" + String ((int) role), colour.toString());
+            button->getProperties().set ("imageColour" + String ((int) role), colour.toString());
             updateButtonImages (*layout.getDocument(), button);
             layout.changed();
         }
diff --git a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_LabelHandler.h b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_LabelHandler.h
index 4815775825..9d329e77e5 100644
--- a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_LabelHandler.h	
+++ b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_LabelHandler.h	
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public:
         e->setAttribute (T("editableDoubleClick"), l->isEditableOnDoubleClick());
         e->setAttribute (T("focusDiscardsChanges"), l->doesLossOfFocusDiscardChanges());
 
-        e->setAttribute (T("fontname"), l->getComponentProperty (T("typefaceName"), false, FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont));
+        e->setAttribute (T("fontname"), l->getProperties().getWithDefault ("typefaceName", FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont).toString());
         e->setAttribute (T("fontsize"), roundToInt (l->getFont().getHeight() * 100.0) / 100.0);
         e->setAttribute (T("bold"), l->getFont().isBold());
         e->setAttribute (T("italic"), l->getFont().isItalic());
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ public:
         font.setItalic (xml.getBoolAttribute (T("italic"), false));
         l->setFont (font);
 
-        l->setComponentProperty (T("typefaceName"), xml.getStringAttribute (T("fontname"), FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont));
+        l->getProperties().set ("typefaceName", xml.getStringAttribute (T("fontname"), FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont));
         updateLabelFont (l);
 
         l->setJustificationType (Justification (xml.getIntAttribute (T("justification"), Justification::centred)));
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ public:
     static void updateLabelFont (Label* label)
     {
         Font f (label->getFont());
-        f = FontPropertyComponent::applyNameToFont (label->getComponentProperty (T("typefaceName"), false, FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont), f);
+        f = FontPropertyComponent::applyNameToFont (label->getProperties().getWithDefault ("typefaceName", FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont), f);
         label->setFont (f);
     }
 
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public:
         String s;
 
         s << memberVariableName << "->setFont ("
-          << FontPropertyComponent::getCompleteFontCode (l->getFont(), l->getComponentProperty (T("typefaceName"), false, FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont))
+          << FontPropertyComponent::getCompleteFontCode (l->getFont(), l->getProperties().getWithDefault ("typefaceName", FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont))
           << ");\n"
           << memberVariableName << "->setJustificationType ("
           << justificationToCode (l->getJustificationType())
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ private:
 
         const String getTypefaceName() const
         {
-            return label->getComponentProperty (T("typefaceName"), false, FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont);
+            return label->getProperties().getWithDefault ("typefaceName", FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont);
         }
 
         void changeListenerCallback (void*)                     { refresh(); }
@@ -479,13 +479,13 @@ private:
                 : ComponentUndoableAction <Label> (comp, layout),
                   newState (newState_)
             {
-                oldState = comp->getComponentProperty (T("typefaceName"), false, FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont);
+                oldState = comp->getProperties().getWithDefault ("typefaceName", FontPropertyComponent::defaultFont);
             }
 
             bool perform()
             {
                 showCorrectTab();
-                getComponent()->setComponentProperty (T("typefaceName"), newState);
+                getComponent()->getProperties().set ("typefaceName", newState);
                 LabelHandler::updateLabelFont (getComponent());
                 changed();
                 return true;
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ private:
             bool undo()
             {
                 showCorrectTab();
-                getComponent()->setComponentProperty (T("typefaceName"), oldState);
+                getComponent()->getProperties().set ("typefaceName", oldState);
                 LabelHandler::updateLabelFont (getComponent());
                 changed();
                 return true;
diff --git a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_TextEditorHandler.h b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_TextEditorHandler.h
index b67bf8fb94..635b8d8e27 100644
--- a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_TextEditorHandler.h	
+++ b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_TextEditorHandler.h	
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public:
         XmlElement* e = ComponentTypeHandler::createXmlFor (comp, layout);
         TextEditor* te = (TextEditor*) comp;
 
-        e->setAttribute (T("initialText"), comp->getComponentProperty (T("initialText"), false));
+        e->setAttribute (T("initialText"), comp->getProperties() ["initialText"].toString());
 
         e->setAttribute (T("multiline"), te->isMultiLine());
         e->setAttribute (T("retKeyStartsLine"), te->getReturnKeyStartsNewLine());
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public:
 
         const String initialText (xml.getStringAttribute (T("initialText")));
         te->setText (initialText, false);
-        te->setComponentProperty (T("initialText"), initialText);
+        te->getProperties().set ("initialText", initialText);
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ public:
           << memberVariableName << "->setCaretVisible (" << boolToString (te->isCaretVisible()) << ");\n"
           << memberVariableName << "->setPopupMenuEnabled (" << boolToString (te->isPopupMenuEnabled()) << ");\n"
           << getColourIntialisationCode (component, memberVariableName)
-          << memberVariableName << "->setText (" << quotedString (te->getComponentProperty (T("initialText"), false)) << ");\n\n";
+          << memberVariableName << "->setText (" << quotedString (te->getProperties() ["initialText"].toString()) << ");\n\n";
 
         code.constructorCode += s;
     }
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ private:
 
         const String getText() const
         {
-            return component->getComponentProperty (T("initialText"), false);
+            return component->getProperties() ["initialText"];
         }
 
     private:
@@ -416,14 +416,14 @@ private:
                 : ComponentUndoableAction <TextEditor> (comp, layout),
                   newState (newState_)
             {
-                oldState = comp->getComponentProperty (T("initialText"), false);
+                oldState = comp->getProperties() ["initialText"];
             }
 
             bool perform()
             {
                 showCorrectTab();
                 getComponent()->setText (newState, false);
-                getComponent()->setComponentProperty (T("initialText"), newState);
+                getComponent()->getProperties().set ("initialText", newState);
                 changed();
                 return true;
             }
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ private:
             {
                 showCorrectTab();
                 getComponent()->setText (oldState, false);
-                getComponent()->setComponentProperty (T("initialText"), oldState);
+                getComponent()->getProperties().set ("initialText", oldState);
                 changed();
                 return true;
             }
diff --git a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ViewportHandler.h b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ViewportHandler.h
index 95fab2e427..1ab77751aa 100644
--- a/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ViewportHandler.h	
+++ b/extras/the jucer/src/model/components/jucer_ViewportHandler.h	
@@ -205,56 +205,56 @@ public:
 
     static int getViewportContentType (Viewport* vp)
     {
-        return vp->getComponentPropertyInt (T("contentType"), false, 0);
+        return vp->getProperties() ["contentType"];
     }
 
     static void setViewportContentType (Viewport* vp, int newValue)
     {
         if (newValue != getViewportContentType (vp))
         {
-            vp->setComponentProperty (T("contentType"), newValue);
+            vp->getProperties().set ("contentType", newValue);
             updateViewportContentComp (vp);
         }
     }
 
     static const String getViewportJucerComponentFile (Viewport* vp)
     {
-        return vp->getComponentProperty (T("jucerFile"), false);
+        return vp->getProperties() ["jucerFile"].toString();
     }
 
     static void setViewportJucerComponentFile (Viewport* vp, const String& file)
     {
         if (file != getViewportJucerComponentFile (vp))
         {
-            vp->setComponentProperty (T("jucerFile"), file);
+            vp->getProperties().set ("jucerFile", file);
             updateViewportContentComp (vp);
         }
     }
 
     static const String getViewportGenericComponentClass (Viewport* vp)
     {
-        return vp->getComponentProperty (T("contentClass"), false);
+        return vp->getProperties() ["contentClass"].toString();
     }
 
     static void setViewportGenericComponentClass (Viewport* vp, const String& className)
     {
         if (className != getViewportGenericComponentClass (vp))
         {
-            vp->setComponentProperty (T("contentClass"), className);
+            vp->getProperties().set ("contentClass", className);
             updateViewportContentComp (vp);
         }
     }
 
     static const String getViewportConstructorParams (Viewport* vp)
     {
-        return vp->getComponentProperty (T("constructorParams"), false);
+        return vp->getProperties() ["constructorParams"].toString();
     }
 
     static void setViewportConstructorParams (Viewport* vp, const String& newParams)
     {
         if (newParams != getViewportConstructorParams (vp))
         {
-            vp->setComponentProperty (T("constructorParams"), newParams);
+            vp->getProperties().set ("constructorParams", newParams);
             updateViewportContentComp (vp);
         }
     }
diff --git a/extras/the jucer/src/model/jucer_ComponentLayout.cpp b/extras/the jucer/src/model/jucer_ComponentLayout.cpp
index de7c4e6758..4b7b61ad02 100644
--- a/extras/the jucer/src/model/jucer_ComponentLayout.cpp	
+++ b/extras/the jucer/src/model/jucer_ComponentLayout.cpp	
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ Component* ComponentLayout::addNewComponent (ComponentTypeHandler* const type, i
         c->setCentrePosition (x, y);
         updateStoredComponentPosition (c, false);
 
-        c->setComponentProperty (T("id"), nextCompUID++);
+        c->getProperties().set ("id", nextCompUID++);
 
         XmlElement* xml = type->createXmlFor (c, this);
         delete c;
@@ -472,8 +472,9 @@ Component* ComponentLayout::getComponentRelativePosTarget (Component* comp, int
     }
     else
     {
-        return findComponentWithId (comp->getComponentProperty (String (T("relativeTo"))
-                                      + dimensionSuffixes [whichDimension], false).getHexValue64());
+        return findComponentWithId (comp->getProperties() [String (T("relativeTo"))
+                                                             + dimensionSuffixes [whichDimension]]
+                                        .toString().getHexValue64());
     }
 }
 
@@ -641,8 +642,8 @@ void ComponentLayout::startDragging()
     for (int i = 0; i < components.size(); ++i)
     {
         Component* const c = components[i];
-        c->setComponentProperty (T("xDragStart"), c->getX());
-        c->setComponentProperty (T("yDragStart"), c->getY());
+        c->getProperties().set ("xDragStart", c->getX());
+        c->getProperties().set ("yDragStart", c->getY());
     }
 
     jassert (document != 0);
@@ -661,8 +662,8 @@ void ComponentLayout::dragSelectedComps (int dx, int dy, const bool allowSnap)
     {
         Component* const c = selected.getSelectedItem (i);
 
-        const int startX = c->getComponentPropertyInt (T("xDragStart"), false);
-        const int startY = c->getComponentPropertyInt (T("yDragStart"), false);
+        const int startX = c->getProperties() ["xDragStart"];
+        const int startY = c->getProperties() ["yDragStart"];
 
         if (allowSnap && document != 0 && selected.getNumSelected() == 1)
         {
@@ -692,8 +693,8 @@ void ComponentLayout::endDragging()
         const int newX = c->getX();
         const int newY = c->getY();
 
-        const int startX = c->getComponentPropertyInt (T("xDragStart"), false);
-        const int startY = c->getComponentPropertyInt (T("yDragStart"), false);
+        const int startX = c->getProperties() ["xDragStart"];
+        const int startY = c->getProperties() ["yDragStart"];
 
         c->setTopLeftPosition (startX, startY);
         updateStoredComponentPosition (c, false);
@@ -774,7 +775,7 @@ const String ComponentLayout::getComponentMemberVariableName (Component* comp) c
     if (comp == 0)
         return String::empty;
 
-    String name (comp->getComponentProperty (T("memberName"), false));
+    String name (comp->getProperties() ["memberName"].toString());
 
     if (name.isEmpty())
         name = getUnusedMemberName (makeValidCppIdentifier (comp->getName(), true, true, false), comp);
@@ -786,10 +787,10 @@ void ComponentLayout::setComponentMemberVariableName (Component* comp, const Str
 {
     const String oldName (getComponentMemberVariableName (comp));
 
-    comp->setComponentProperty (T("memberName"), String::empty);
+    comp->getProperties().set ("memberName", String::empty);
 
     const String n (getUnusedMemberName (makeValidCppIdentifier (newName, false, true, false), comp));
-    comp->setComponentProperty (T("memberName"), n);
+    comp->getProperties().set ("memberName", n);
 
     if (n != oldName)
         changed();
@@ -811,7 +812,7 @@ const String ComponentLayout::getUnusedMemberName (String nameRoot, Component* c
         for (int i = 0; i < components.size(); ++i)
         {
             if (components[i] != comp
-                 && components[i]->getComponentProperty (T("memberName"), false) == n)
+                 && components[i]->getProperties() ["memberName"] == n)
             {
                 alreadyUsed = true;
                 break;
@@ -833,7 +834,7 @@ const String ComponentLayout::getComponentVirtualClassName (Component* comp) con
     if (comp == 0)
         return String::empty;
 
-    return comp->getComponentProperty (T("virtualName"), false);
+    return comp->getProperties() ["virtualName"];
 }
 
 void ComponentLayout::setComponentVirtualClassName (Component* comp, const String& newName)
@@ -842,7 +843,7 @@ void ComponentLayout::setComponentVirtualClassName (Component* comp, const Strin
 
     if (name != getComponentVirtualClassName (comp))
     {
-        comp->setComponentProperty (T("virtualName"), name);
+        comp->getProperties().set ("virtualName", name);
         changed();
     }
 }
diff --git a/extras/the jucer/src/model/jucer_PaintRoutine.cpp b/extras/the jucer/src/model/jucer_PaintRoutine.cpp
index 41a0d24940..b038bb0a32 100644
--- a/extras/the jucer/src/model/jucer_PaintRoutine.cpp	
+++ b/extras/the jucer/src/model/jucer_PaintRoutine.cpp	
@@ -460,8 +460,8 @@ void PaintRoutine::startDragging (const Rectangle& parentArea)
 
         Rectangle r (c->getCurrentBounds (parentArea));
 
-        c->setComponentProperty (T("xDragStart"), r.getX());
-        c->setComponentProperty (T("yDragStart"), r.getY());
+        c->getProperties().set ("xDragStart", r.getX());
+        c->getProperties().set ("yDragStart", r.getY());
     }
 
     getDocument()->getUndoManager().beginNewTransaction();
@@ -481,8 +481,8 @@ void PaintRoutine::dragSelectedComps (int dx, int dy, const Rectangle& parentAre
     {
         PaintElement* const c = selectedElements.getSelectedItem (i);
 
-        const int startX = c->getComponentPropertyInt (T("xDragStart"), false);
-        const int startY = c->getComponentPropertyInt (T("yDragStart"), false);
+        const int startX = c->getProperties() ["xDragStart"];
+        const int startY = c->getProperties() ["yDragStart"];
 
         Rectangle r (c->getCurrentBounds (parentArea));
 
diff --git a/juce_amalgamated.cpp b/juce_amalgamated.cpp
index 6e15689045..cc598a7700 100644
--- a/juce_amalgamated.cpp
+++ b/juce_amalgamated.cpp
@@ -3453,7 +3453,7 @@ var::var() throw()
 	value.doubleValue = 0;
 }
 
-var::~var()
+var::~var() throw()
 {
 	if (type == stringType)
 		delete value.stringValue;
@@ -3461,6 +3461,8 @@ var::~var()
 		value.objectValue->decReferenceCount();
 }
 
+const var var::null;
+
 var::var (const var& valueToCopy)
    : type (valueToCopy.type),
 	 value (valueToCopy.value)
@@ -3603,6 +3605,7 @@ const String var::toString() const
 		case doubleType:	return String (value.doubleValue);
 		case stringType:	return *(value.stringValue);
 		case objectType:    return "Object 0x" + String::toHexString ((int) (pointer_sized_int) value.objectValue);
+		case methodType:    return "Method";
 		default:		jassertfalse; break;
 	}
 
@@ -3629,6 +3632,7 @@ bool var::operator== (const var& other) const throw()
 		case doubleType:	return value.doubleValue == (double) other;
 		case stringType:	return (*(value.stringValue)) == other.toString();
 		case objectType:	return value.objectValue == other.getObject();
+		case methodType:	return value.methodValue == other.value.methodValue && other.isMethod();
 		default:		jassertfalse; break;
 	}
 
@@ -3658,7 +3662,8 @@ void var::writeToStream (OutputStream& output) const
 			output.write (temp, len);
 			break;
 		}
-		case objectType:	output.writeCompressedInt (0); jassertfalse; break; // Can't write an object to a stream!
+		case objectType:
+		case methodType:	output.writeCompressedInt (0); jassertfalse; break; // Can't write an object to a stream!
 		default:		jassertfalse; break; // Is this a corrupted object?
 	}
 }
@@ -3686,7 +3691,7 @@ const var var::readFromStream (InputStream& input)
 		}
 	}
 
-	return var();
+	return var::null;
 }
 
 const var var::operator[] (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
@@ -3694,7 +3699,7 @@ const var var::operator[] (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
 	if (type == objectType && value.objectValue != 0)
 		return value.objectValue->getProperty (propertyName);
 
-	return var();
+	return var::null;
 }
 
 const var var::invoke (const var::identifier& method, const var* arguments, int numArguments) const
@@ -3702,7 +3707,7 @@ const var var::invoke (const var::identifier& method, const var* arguments, int
 	if (type == objectType && value.objectValue != 0)
 		return value.objectValue->invokeMethod (method, arguments, numArguments);
 
-	return var();
+	return var::null;
 }
 
 const var var::invoke (const var& targetObject, const var* arguments, int numArguments) const
@@ -3715,7 +3720,7 @@ const var var::invoke (const var& targetObject, const var* arguments, int numArg
 			return (target->*(value.methodValue)) (arguments, numArguments);
 	}
 
-	return var();
+	return var::null;
 }
 
 const var var::call (const var::identifier& method) const
@@ -3752,6 +3757,11 @@ const var var::call (const var::identifier& method, const var& arg1, const var&
 	return invoke (method, args, 5);
 }
 
+var::identifier::identifier() throw()
+	: hashCode (0)
+{
+}
+
 var::identifier::identifier (const String& name_)
 	: name (name_),
 	  hashCode (name_.hashCode())
@@ -3770,53 +3780,162 @@ var::identifier::~identifier()
 {
 }
 
-DynamicObject::DynamicObject()
+END_JUCE_NAMESPACE
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_Variant.cpp *********/
+
+/********* Start of inlined file: juce_NamedValueSet.cpp *********/
+
+BEGIN_JUCE_NAMESPACE
+
+NamedValueSet::NamedValue::NamedValue() throw()
 {
 }
 
-DynamicObject::~DynamicObject()
+inline NamedValueSet::NamedValue::NamedValue (const var::identifier& name_, const var& value_)
+	: name (name_), value (value_)
 {
 }
 
-bool DynamicObject::hasProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
+NamedValueSet::NamedValueSet() throw()
 {
-	const int index = propertyIds.indexOf (propertyName.hashCode);
-	return index >= 0 && ! propertyValues.getUnchecked (index)->isMethod();
 }
 
-const var DynamicObject::getProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
+NamedValueSet::NamedValueSet (const NamedValueSet& other)
+	: values (other.values)
 {
-	const int index = propertyIds.indexOf (propertyName.hashCode);
-	if (index >= 0)
-		return *propertyValues.getUnchecked (index);
+}
 
-	return var();
+NamedValueSet& NamedValueSet::operator= (const NamedValueSet& other)
+{
+	values = other.values;
+	return *this;
 }
 
-void DynamicObject::setProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName, const var& newValue)
+NamedValueSet::~NamedValueSet()
+{
+}
+
+int NamedValueSet::size() const throw()
 {
-	const int index = propertyIds.indexOf (propertyName.hashCode);
+	return values.size();
+}
 
-	if (index >= 0)
+const var& NamedValueSet::operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const
+{
+	for (int i = values.size(); --i >= 0;)
 	{
-		propertyValues.set (index, new var (newValue));
+		const NamedValue& v = values.getReference(i);
+
+		if (v.name == name)
+			return v.value;
 	}
-	else
+
+	return var::null;
+}
+
+const var NamedValueSet::getWithDefault (const var::identifier& name, const var& defaultReturnValue) const
+{
+	const var* v = getItem (name);
+	return v != 0 ? *v : defaultReturnValue;
+}
+
+var* NamedValueSet::getItem (const var::identifier& name) const
+{
+	for (int i = values.size(); --i >= 0;)
 	{
-		propertyIds.add (propertyName.hashCode);
-		propertyValues.add (new var (newValue));
+		NamedValue& v = values.getReference(i);
+
+		if (v.name == name)
+			return &(v.value);
 	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void DynamicObject::removeProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName)
+bool NamedValueSet::set (const var::identifier& name, const var& newValue)
 {
-	const int index = propertyIds.indexOf (propertyName.hashCode);
+	for (int i = values.size(); --i >= 0;)
+	{
+		NamedValue& v = values.getReference(i);
 
-	if (index >= 0)
+		if (v.name == name)
+		{
+			if (v.value == newValue)
+				return false;
+
+			v.value = newValue;
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	values.add (NamedValue (name, newValue));
+	return true;
+}
+
+bool NamedValueSet::contains (const var::identifier& name) const
+{
+	return getItem (name) != 0;
+}
+
+bool NamedValueSet::remove (const var::identifier& name)
+{
+	for (int i = values.size(); --i >= 0;)
 	{
-		propertyIds.remove (index);
-		propertyValues.remove (index);
+		if (values.getReference(i).name == name)
+		{
+			values.remove (i);
+			return true;
+		}
 	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
+const var::identifier NamedValueSet::getName (int index) const
+{
+	jassert (((unsigned int) index) < (unsigned int) values.size());
+	return values [index].name;
+}
+
+void NamedValueSet::clear()
+{
+	values.clear();
+}
+
+END_JUCE_NAMESPACE
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_NamedValueSet.cpp *********/
+
+/********* Start of inlined file: juce_DynamicObject.cpp *********/
+
+BEGIN_JUCE_NAMESPACE
+
+DynamicObject::DynamicObject()
+{
+}
+
+DynamicObject::~DynamicObject()
+{
+}
+
+bool DynamicObject::hasProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
+{
+	var* const v = properties.getItem (propertyName);
+	return v != 0 && ! v->isMethod();
+}
+
+const var DynamicObject::getProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
+{
+	return properties [propertyName];
+}
+
+void DynamicObject::setProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName, const var& newValue)
+{
+	properties.set (propertyName, newValue);
+}
+
+void DynamicObject::removeProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName)
+{
+	properties.remove (propertyName);
 }
 
 bool DynamicObject::hasMethod (const var::identifier& methodName) const
@@ -3828,23 +3947,22 @@ const var DynamicObject::invokeMethod (const var::identifier& methodName,
 									   const var* parameters,
 									   int numParameters)
 {
-	return getProperty (methodName).invoke (var (this), parameters, numParameters);
+	return properties [methodName].invoke (var (this), parameters, numParameters);
 }
 
 void DynamicObject::setMethod (const var::identifier& name,
 							   var::MethodFunction methodFunction)
 {
-	setProperty (name, var (methodFunction));
+	properties.set (name, var (methodFunction));
 }
 
 void DynamicObject::clear()
 {
-	propertyIds.clear();
-	propertyValues.clear();
+	properties.clear();
 }
 
 END_JUCE_NAMESPACE
-/********* End of inlined file: juce_Variant.cpp *********/
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_DynamicObject.cpp *********/
 
 /********* Start of inlined file: juce_BlowFish.cpp *********/
 
@@ -13392,7 +13510,7 @@ XmlElement* XmlDocument::readNextElement (const bool alsoParseSubElements) throw
 			}
 		}
 
-		node = new XmlElement (input, tagLen);
+		node = new XmlElement (String (input, tagLen));
 		input += tagLen;
 		XmlElement::XmlAttributeNode* lastAttribute = 0;
 
@@ -13976,15 +14094,6 @@ XmlElement::XmlElement (int /*dummy*/) throw()
 {
 }
 
-XmlElement::XmlElement (const tchar* const tagName_,
-						const int nameLen) throw()
-	: tagName (tagName_, nameLen),
-	  firstChildElement (0),
-	  nextElement (0),
-	  attributes (0)
-{
-}
-
 XmlElement::XmlElement (const XmlElement& other) throw()
 	: tagName (other.tagName),
 	  firstChildElement (0),
@@ -14289,7 +14398,7 @@ void XmlElement::writeElementAsText (OutputStream& outputStream,
 const String XmlElement::createDocument (const String& dtdToUse,
 										 const bool allOnOneLine,
 										 const bool includeXmlHeader,
-										 const tchar* const encodingType,
+										 const String& encodingType,
 										 const int lineWrapLength) const throw()
 {
 	MemoryOutputStream mem (2048, 4096);
@@ -14302,7 +14411,7 @@ void XmlElement::writeToStream (OutputStream& output,
 								const String& dtdToUse,
 								const bool allOnOneLine,
 								const bool includeXmlHeader,
-								const tchar* const encodingType,
+								const String& encodingType,
 								const int lineWrapLength) const throw()
 {
 	if (includeXmlHeader)
@@ -14330,7 +14439,7 @@ void XmlElement::writeToStream (OutputStream& output,
 
 bool XmlElement::writeToFile (const File& file,
 							  const String& dtdToUse,
-							  const tchar* const encodingType,
+							  const String& encodingType,
 							  const int lineWrapLength) const throw()
 {
 	if (file.hasWriteAccess())
@@ -14350,7 +14459,7 @@ bool XmlElement::writeToFile (const File& file,
 	return false;
 }
 
-bool XmlElement::hasTagName (const tchar* const tagNameWanted) const throw()
+bool XmlElement::hasTagName (const String& tagNameWanted) const throw()
 {
 #ifdef JUCE_DEBUG
 	// if debugging, check that the case is actually the same, because
@@ -14370,7 +14479,7 @@ bool XmlElement::hasTagName (const tchar* const tagNameWanted) const throw()
 #endif
 }
 
-XmlElement* XmlElement::getNextElementWithTagName (const tchar* const requiredTagName) const
+XmlElement* XmlElement::getNextElementWithTagName (const String& requiredTagName) const
 {
 	XmlElement* e = nextElement;
 
@@ -14428,7 +14537,7 @@ const String& XmlElement::getAttributeValue (const int index) const throw()
 	return String::empty;
 }
 
-bool XmlElement::hasAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName) const throw()
+bool XmlElement::hasAttribute (const String& attributeName) const throw()
 {
 	const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
 
@@ -14443,8 +14552,8 @@ bool XmlElement::hasAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName) const throw()
 	return false;
 }
 
-const String XmlElement::getStringAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-											 const tchar* const defaultReturnValue) const throw()
+const String XmlElement::getStringAttribute (const String& attributeName,
+											 const String& defaultReturnValue) const throw()
 {
 	const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
 
@@ -14459,7 +14568,7 @@ const String XmlElement::getStringAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
 	return defaultReturnValue;
 }
 
-int XmlElement::getIntAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+int XmlElement::getIntAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 								 const int defaultReturnValue) const throw()
 {
 	const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
@@ -14475,7 +14584,7 @@ int XmlElement::getIntAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
 	return defaultReturnValue;
 }
 
-double XmlElement::getDoubleAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+double XmlElement::getDoubleAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 									   const double defaultReturnValue) const throw()
 {
 	const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
@@ -14491,7 +14600,7 @@ double XmlElement::getDoubleAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
 	return defaultReturnValue;
 }
 
-bool XmlElement::getBoolAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+bool XmlElement::getBoolAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 								   const bool defaultReturnValue) const throw()
 {
 	const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
@@ -14518,8 +14627,8 @@ bool XmlElement::getBoolAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
 	return defaultReturnValue;
 }
 
-bool XmlElement::compareAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-								   const tchar* const stringToCompareAgainst,
+bool XmlElement::compareAttribute (const String& attributeName,
+								   const String& stringToCompareAgainst,
 								   const bool ignoreCase) const throw()
 {
 	const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
@@ -14540,7 +14649,7 @@ bool XmlElement::compareAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
 	return false;
 }
 
-void XmlElement::setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+void XmlElement::setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 							   const String& value) throw()
 {
 #ifdef JUCE_DEBUG
@@ -14582,25 +14691,19 @@ void XmlElement::setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
 	}
 }
 
-void XmlElement::setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-							   const tchar* const text) throw()
-{
-	setAttribute (attributeName, String (text));
-}
-
-void XmlElement::setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+void XmlElement::setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 							   const int number) throw()
 {
 	setAttribute (attributeName, String (number));
 }
 
-void XmlElement::setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+void XmlElement::setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 							   const double number) throw()
 {
 	setAttribute (attributeName, String (number));
 }
 
-void XmlElement::removeAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName) throw()
+void XmlElement::removeAttribute (const String& attributeName) throw()
 {
 	XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
 	XmlAttributeNode* lastAtt = 0;
@@ -14661,7 +14764,7 @@ XmlElement* XmlElement::getChildElement (const int index) const throw()
 	return child;
 }
 
-XmlElement* XmlElement::getChildByName (const tchar* const childName) const throw()
+XmlElement* XmlElement::getChildByName (const String& childName) const throw()
 {
 	XmlElement* child = firstChildElement;
 
@@ -14895,7 +14998,7 @@ void XmlElement::deleteAllChildElements() throw()
 	}
 }
 
-void XmlElement::deleteAllChildElementsWithTagName (const tchar* const name) throw()
+void XmlElement::deleteAllChildElementsWithTagName (const String& name) throw()
 {
 	XmlElement* child = firstChildElement;
 
@@ -15021,7 +15124,7 @@ const String XmlElement::getAllSubText() const throw()
 	return result;
 }
 
-const String XmlElement::getChildElementAllSubText (const tchar* const childTagName,
+const String XmlElement::getChildElementAllSubText (const String& childTagName,
 													const String& defaultReturnValue) const throw()
 {
 	const XmlElement* const child = getChildByName (childTagName);
@@ -16074,16 +16177,9 @@ ValueTree::SharedObject::SharedObject (const String& type_)
 }
 
 ValueTree::SharedObject::SharedObject (const SharedObject& other)
-	: type (other.type), parent (0)
+	: type (other.type), properties (other.properties), parent (0)
 {
-	int i;
-	for (i = 0; i < other.properties.size(); ++i)
-	{
-		const Property* const p = other.properties.getUnchecked(i);
-		properties.add (new Property (p->name, p->value));
-	}
-
-	for (i = 0; i < other.children.size(); ++i)
+	for (int i = 0; i < other.children.size(); ++i)
 		children.add (new SharedObject (*other.children.getUnchecked(i)));
 }
 
@@ -16100,11 +16196,6 @@ ValueTree::SharedObject::~SharedObject()
 	}
 }
 
-ValueTree::SharedObject::Property::Property (const var::identifier& name_, const var& value_)
-	: name (name_), value (value_)
-{
-}
-
 void ValueTree::deliverPropertyChangeMessage (ValueTree& tree, const var::identifier& property)
 {
 	for (int i = listeners.size(); --i >= 0;)
@@ -16199,83 +16290,50 @@ void ValueTree::SharedObject::sendParentChangeMessage()
 	}
 }
 
-const var ValueTree::SharedObject::getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const
+const var& ValueTree::SharedObject::getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const
 {
-	for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
-	{
-		const Property* const p = properties.getUnchecked(i);
-		if (p->name == name)
-			return p->value;
-	}
-
-	return var();
+	return properties [name];
 }
 
 void ValueTree::SharedObject::setProperty (const var::identifier& name, const var& newValue, UndoManager* const undoManager)
 {
-	for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
-	{
-		Property* const p = properties.getUnchecked(i);
-
-		if (p->name == name)
-		{
-			if (p->value != newValue)
-			{
-				if (undoManager == 0)
-				{
-					p->value = newValue;
-					sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
-				}
-				else
-				{
-					undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, newValue, false, false));
-				}
-			}
-
-			return;
-		}
-	}
-
 	if (undoManager == 0)
 	{
-		properties.add (new Property (name, newValue));
-		sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
+		if (properties.set (name, newValue))
+			sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, newValue, true, false));
+		var* const existingValue = properties.getItem (name);
+
+		if (existingValue != 0)
+		{
+			if (*existingValue != newValue)
+				undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, newValue, false, false));
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, newValue, true, false));
+		}
 	}
 }
 
 bool ValueTree::SharedObject::hasProperty (const var::identifier& name) const
 {
-	for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
-		if (properties.getUnchecked(i)->name == name)
-			return true;
-
-	return false;
+	return properties.contains (name);
 }
 
 void ValueTree::SharedObject::removeProperty (const var::identifier& name, UndoManager* const undoManager)
 {
-	for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
+	if (undoManager == 0)
 	{
-		Property* const p = properties.getUnchecked(i);
-
-		if (p->name == name)
-		{
-			if (undoManager == 0)
-			{
-				properties.remove (i);
-				sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
-			}
-			else
-			{
-				undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, var(), false, true));
-			}
-
-			break;
-		}
+		if (properties.remove (name))
+			sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		if (properties.contains (name))
+			undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, var::null, false, true));
 	}
 }
 
@@ -16285,15 +16343,15 @@ void ValueTree::SharedObject::removeAllProperties (UndoManager* const undoManage
 	{
 		while (properties.size() > 0)
 		{
-			const var::identifier name (properties.getLast()->name);
-			properties.removeLast();
+			const var::identifier name (properties.getName (properties.size() - 1));
+			properties.remove (name);
 			sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
 		}
 	}
 	else
 	{
 		for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
-			undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, properties.getUnchecked(i)->name, var(), false, true));
+			undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, properties.getName(i), var::null, false, true));
 	}
 }
 
@@ -16462,14 +16520,14 @@ ValueTree ValueTree::getParent() const
 	return object != 0 ? ValueTree (object->parent) : ValueTree ((SharedObject*) 0);
 }
 
-const var ValueTree::operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const
+const var& ValueTree::operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const
 {
-	return object == 0 ? var() : object->getProperty (name);
+	return object == 0 ? var::null : object->getProperty (name);
 }
 
-const var ValueTree::getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const
+const var& ValueTree::getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const
 {
-	return object == 0 ? var() : object->getProperty (name);
+	return object == 0 ? var::null : object->getProperty (name);
 }
 
 void ValueTree::setProperty (const var::identifier& name, const var& newValue, UndoManager* const undoManager)
@@ -16504,8 +16562,8 @@ int ValueTree::getNumProperties() const
 
 const var::identifier ValueTree::getPropertyName (int index) const
 {
-	const SharedObject::Property* const p = (object == 0) ? 0 : object->properties [index];
-	return p != 0 ? p->name : var::identifier (String::empty);
+	return (object == 0) ? var::identifier()
+						 : object->properties.getName (index);
 }
 
 class ValueTreePropertyValueSource  : public Value::ValueSource,
@@ -16634,11 +16692,12 @@ XmlElement* ValueTree::SharedObject::createXml() const
 	int i;
 	for (i = 0; i < properties.size(); ++i)
 	{
-		const Property* const p = properties.getUnchecked(i);
+		var::identifier name (properties.getName(i));
+		const var& v = properties [name];
 
-		jassert (! p->value.isObject()); // DynamicObjects can't be stored as XML!
+		jassert (! v.isObject()); // DynamicObjects can't be stored as XML!
 
-		xml->setAttribute (p->name.name, p->value.toString());
+		xml->setAttribute (name.name, v.toString());
 	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < children.size(); ++i)
@@ -38419,7 +38478,6 @@ Component::Component() throw()
 	mouseListeners_ (0),
 	keyListeners_ (0),
 	componentListeners_ (0),
-	propertySet_ (0),
 	componentFlags_ (0)
 {
 }
@@ -38435,7 +38493,6 @@ Component::Component (const String& name) throw()
 	mouseListeners_ (0),
 	keyListeners_ (0),
 	componentListeners_ (0),
-	propertySet_ (0),
 	componentFlags_ (0)
 {
 }
@@ -38467,7 +38524,6 @@ Component::~Component()
 	delete mouseListeners_;
 	delete keyListeners_;
 	delete componentListeners_;
-	delete propertySet_;
 }
 
 void Component::setName (const String& name)
@@ -40186,7 +40242,7 @@ void Component::sendLookAndFeelChange()
 	}
 }
 
-static const String getColourPropertyName (const int colourId) throw()
+static const var::identifier getColourPropertyId (const int colourId)
 {
 	String s;
 	s.preallocateStorage (18);
@@ -40196,62 +40252,49 @@ static const String getColourPropertyName (const int colourId) throw()
 
 const Colour Component::findColour (const int colourId, const bool inheritFromParent) const throw()
 {
-	const String customColour (getComponentProperty (getColourPropertyName (colourId),
-													 inheritFromParent,
-													 String::empty));
+	var* v = properties.getItem (getColourPropertyId (colourId));
 
-	if (customColour.isNotEmpty())
-		return Colour (customColour.getIntValue());
+	if (v != 0)
+		return Colour ((int) *v);
+
+	if (inheritFromParent && parentComponent_ != 0)
+		return parentComponent_->findColour (colourId, true);
 
 	return getLookAndFeel().findColour (colourId);
 }
 
 bool Component::isColourSpecified (const int colourId) const throw()
 {
-	return getComponentProperty (getColourPropertyName (colourId),
-								 false,
-								 String::empty).isNotEmpty();
+	return properties.contains (getColourPropertyId (colourId));
 }
 
 void Component::removeColour (const int colourId)
 {
-	if (isColourSpecified (colourId))
-	{
-		removeComponentProperty (getColourPropertyName (colourId));
+	if (properties.remove (getColourPropertyId (colourId)))
 		colourChanged();
-	}
 }
 
 void Component::setColour (const int colourId, const Colour& colour)
 {
-	const String colourName (getColourPropertyName (colourId));
-	const String customColour (getComponentProperty (colourName, false, String::empty));
-
-	if (customColour.isEmpty() || Colour (customColour.getIntValue()) != colour)
-	{
-		setComponentProperty (colourName, colour);
+	if (properties.set (getColourPropertyId (colourId), (int) colour.getARGB()))
 		colourChanged();
-	}
 }
 
 void Component::copyAllExplicitColoursTo (Component& target) const throw()
 {
-	if (propertySet_ != 0)
+	bool changed = false;
+
+	for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
 	{
-		const StringPairArray& props = propertySet_->getAllProperties();
-		const StringArray& keys = props.getAllKeys();
+		const var::identifier name (properties.getName(i));
 
-		for (int i = 0; i < keys.size(); ++i)
-		{
-			if (keys[i].startsWith (T("jcclr_")))
-			{
-				target.setComponentProperty (keys[i],
-											 props.getAllValues() [i]);
-			}
-		}
+		if (name.name.startsWith (T("jcclr_")))
+			if (target.properties.set (name, properties [name]))
+				changed = true;
+	}
 
+	if (changed)
 		target.colourChanged();
-	}
 }
 
 void Component::colourChanged()
@@ -41508,12 +41551,12 @@ bool Component::isFocusContainer() const throw()
 
 int Component::getExplicitFocusOrder() const throw()
 {
-	return getComponentPropertyInt (T("_jexfo"), false, 0);
+	return properties ["_jexfo"];
 }
 
 void Component::setExplicitFocusOrder (const int newFocusOrderIndex) throw()
 {
-	setComponentProperty (T("_jexfo"), newFocusOrderIndex);
+	properties.set ("_jexfo", newFocusOrderIndex);
 }
 
 KeyboardFocusTraverser* Component::createFocusTraverser()
@@ -41814,110 +41857,6 @@ ComponentPeer* Component::getPeer() const throw()
 		return 0;
 }
 
-const String Component::getComponentProperty (const String& keyName,
-											  const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-											  const String& defaultReturnValue) const throw()
-{
-	if (propertySet_ != 0 && ((! useParentComponentIfNotFound) || propertySet_->containsKey (keyName)))
-		return propertySet_->getValue (keyName, defaultReturnValue);
-
-	if (useParentComponentIfNotFound && (parentComponent_ != 0))
-		return parentComponent_->getComponentProperty (keyName, true, defaultReturnValue);
-
-	return defaultReturnValue;
-}
-
-int Component::getComponentPropertyInt (const String& keyName,
-										const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-										const int defaultReturnValue) const throw()
-{
-	if (propertySet_ != 0 && ((! useParentComponentIfNotFound) || propertySet_->containsKey (keyName)))
-		return propertySet_->getIntValue (keyName, defaultReturnValue);
-
-	if (useParentComponentIfNotFound && (parentComponent_ != 0))
-		return parentComponent_->getComponentPropertyInt (keyName, true, defaultReturnValue);
-
-	return defaultReturnValue;
-}
-
-double Component::getComponentPropertyDouble (const String& keyName,
-											  const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-											  const double defaultReturnValue) const throw()
-{
-	if (propertySet_ != 0 && ((! useParentComponentIfNotFound) || propertySet_->containsKey (keyName)))
-		return propertySet_->getDoubleValue (keyName, defaultReturnValue);
-
-	if (useParentComponentIfNotFound && (parentComponent_ != 0))
-		return parentComponent_->getComponentPropertyDouble (keyName, true, defaultReturnValue);
-
-	return defaultReturnValue;
-}
-
-bool Component::getComponentPropertyBool (const String& keyName,
-										  const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-										  const bool defaultReturnValue) const throw()
-{
-	if (propertySet_ != 0 && ((! useParentComponentIfNotFound) || propertySet_->containsKey (keyName)))
-		return propertySet_->getBoolValue (keyName, defaultReturnValue);
-
-	if (useParentComponentIfNotFound && (parentComponent_ != 0))
-		return parentComponent_->getComponentPropertyBool (keyName, true, defaultReturnValue);
-
-	return defaultReturnValue;
-}
-
-const Colour Component::getComponentPropertyColour (const String& keyName,
-													const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-													const Colour& defaultReturnValue) const throw()
-{
-	return Colour ((uint32) getComponentPropertyInt (keyName,
-													 useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-													 defaultReturnValue.getARGB()));
-}
-
-void Component::setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const String& value) throw()
-{
-	if (propertySet_ == 0)
-		propertySet_ = new PropertySet();
-
-	propertySet_->setValue (keyName, value);
-}
-
-void Component::setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const int value) throw()
-{
-	if (propertySet_ == 0)
-		propertySet_ = new PropertySet();
-
-	propertySet_->setValue (keyName, value);
-}
-
-void Component::setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const double value) throw()
-{
-	if (propertySet_ == 0)
-		propertySet_ = new PropertySet();
-
-	propertySet_->setValue (keyName, value);
-}
-
-void Component::setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const bool value) throw()
-{
-	if (propertySet_ == 0)
-		propertySet_ = new PropertySet();
-
-	propertySet_->setValue (keyName, value);
-}
-
-void Component::setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const Colour& colour) throw()
-{
-	setComponentProperty (keyName, (int) colour.getARGB());
-}
-
-void Component::removeComponentProperty (const String& keyName) throw()
-{
-	if (propertySet_ != 0)
-		propertySet_->removeValue (keyName);
-}
-
 ComponentDeletionWatcher::ComponentDeletionWatcher (const Component* const componentToWatch_) throw()
 	: componentToWatch (componentToWatch_),
 	  componentUID (componentToWatch_->getComponentUID())
@@ -50796,7 +50735,7 @@ END_JUCE_NAMESPACE
 
 BEGIN_JUCE_NAMESPACE
 
-static const tchar* const tableColumnPropertyTag = T("_tableColumnID");
+static const char* const tableColumnPropertyTag = "_tableColumnID";
 
 class TableListRowComp   : public Component,
 						   public TooltipClient
@@ -50860,7 +50799,7 @@ public:
 		{
 			jassert (row >= 0);
 
-			const tchar* const tagPropertyName = T("_tableLastUseNum");
+			const var::identifier tagPropertyName ("_tableLastUseNum");
 			const int newTag = Random::getSystemRandom().nextInt();
 
 			const TableHeaderComponent* const header = owner.getHeader();
@@ -50882,8 +50821,8 @@ public:
 					if (newComp != 0)
 					{
 						addAndMakeVisible (newComp);
-						newComp->setComponentProperty (tagPropertyName, newTag);
-						newComp->setComponentProperty (tableColumnPropertyTag, columnId);
+						newComp->getProperties().set (tagPropertyName, newTag);
+						newComp->getProperties().set (tableColumnPropertyTag, columnId);
 
 						const Rectangle columnRect (header->getColumnPosition (i));
 						newComp->setBounds (columnRect.getX(), 0, columnRect.getWidth(), getHeight());
@@ -50897,7 +50836,7 @@ public:
 			{
 				Component* const c = getChildComponent (i);
 
-				if (c->getComponentPropertyInt (tagPropertyName, false, 0) != newTag)
+				if ((int) c->getProperties() [tagPropertyName] != newTag)
 					delete c;
 			}
 		}
@@ -50914,7 +50853,7 @@ public:
 		{
 			Component* const c = getChildComponent (i);
 
-			const int columnId = c->getComponentPropertyInt (tableColumnPropertyTag, false, 0);
+			const int columnId = c->getProperties() [tableColumnPropertyTag];
 
 			if (columnId != 0)
 			{
@@ -51014,7 +50953,7 @@ private:
 		{
 			Component* const c = getChildComponent (i);
 
-			if (c->getComponentPropertyInt (tableColumnPropertyTag, false, 0) == columnId)
+			if ((int) c->getProperties() [tableColumnPropertyTag] == columnId)
 				return c;
 		}
 
@@ -61223,7 +61162,7 @@ MultiDocumentPanel::~MultiDocumentPanel()
 
 static bool shouldDeleteComp (Component* const c)
 {
-	return c->getComponentPropertyBool (T("mdiDocumentDelete_"), false);
+	return c->getProperties() ["mdiDocumentDelete_"];
 }
 
 bool MultiDocumentPanel::closeAllDocuments (const bool checkItsOkToCloseFirst)
@@ -61247,7 +61186,9 @@ void MultiDocumentPanel::addWindow (Component* component)
 	dw->setResizable (true, false);
 	dw->setContentComponent (component, false, true);
 	dw->setName (component->getName());
-	dw->setBackgroundColour (component->getComponentPropertyColour (T("mdiDocumentBkg_"), false, backgroundColour));
+
+	const var bkg (component->getProperties() ["mdiDocumentBkg_"]);
+	dw->setBackgroundColour (bkg.isVoid() ? backgroundColour : Colour ((int) bkg));
 
 	int x = 4;
 	Component* const topComp = getChildComponent (getNumChildComponents() - 1);
@@ -61257,8 +61198,9 @@ void MultiDocumentPanel::addWindow (Component* component)
 
 	dw->setTopLeftPosition (x, x);
 
-	if (component->getComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentPos_"), false, String::empty).isNotEmpty())
-		dw->restoreWindowStateFromString (component->getComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentPos_"), false, String::empty));
+	const var pos (component->getProperties() ["mdiDocumentPos_"]);
+	if (pos.toString().isNotEmpty())
+		dw->restoreWindowStateFromString (pos.toString());
 
 	addAndMakeVisible (dw);
 	dw->toFront (true);
@@ -61276,8 +61218,8 @@ bool MultiDocumentPanel::addDocument (Component* const component,
 		return false;
 
 	components.add (component);
-	component->setComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentDelete_"), deleteWhenRemoved);
-	component->setComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentBkg_"), docColour);
+	component->getProperties().set ("mdiDocumentDelete_", deleteWhenRemoved);
+	component->getProperties().set ("mdiDocumentBkg_", (int) docColour.getARGB());
 	component->addComponentListener (this);
 
 	if (mode == FloatingWindows)
@@ -61341,8 +61283,8 @@ bool MultiDocumentPanel::closeDocument (Component* component,
 		component->removeComponentListener (this);
 
 		const bool shouldDelete = shouldDeleteComp (component);
-		component->removeComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentDelete_"));
-		component->removeComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentBkg_"));
+		component->getProperties().remove ("mdiDocumentDelete_");
+		component->getProperties().remove ("mdiDocumentBkg_");
 
 		if (mode == FloatingWindows)
 		{
@@ -61508,7 +61450,7 @@ void MultiDocumentPanel::setLayoutMode (const LayoutMode newLayoutMode)
 
 				if (dw != 0)
 				{
-					dw->getContentComponent()->setComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentPos_"), dw->getWindowStateAsString());
+					dw->getContentComponent()->getProperties().set ("mdiDocumentPos_", dw->getWindowStateAsString());
 					dw->setContentComponent (0, false);
 					delete dw;
 				}
@@ -61523,8 +61465,9 @@ void MultiDocumentPanel::setLayoutMode (const LayoutMode newLayoutMode)
 		for (int i = 0; i < tempComps.size(); ++i)
 		{
 			Component* const c = tempComps.getUnchecked(i);
+
 			addDocument (c,
-						 c->getComponentPropertyColour (T("mdiDocumentBkg_"), false, Colours::white),
+						 Colour ((int) c->getProperties().getWithDefault ("mdiDocumentBkg_", (int) Colours::white.getARGB())),
 						 shouldDeleteComp (c));
 		}
 	}
@@ -63444,7 +63387,7 @@ void TabbedComponent::clearTabs()
 		// be careful not to delete these components until they've been removed from the tab component
 		jassert (c == 0 || c->isValidComponent());
 
-		if (c != 0 && c->getComponentPropertyBool (T("deleteByTabComp_"), false, false))
+		if (c != 0 && c->getProperties() ["deleteByTabComp_"])
 			delete c;
 	}
 
@@ -63460,7 +63403,7 @@ void TabbedComponent::addTab (const String& tabName,
 	contentComponents.insert (insertIndex, contentComponent);
 
 	if (contentComponent != 0)
-		contentComponent->setComponentProperty (T("deleteByTabComp_"), deleteComponentWhenNotNeeded);
+		contentComponent->getProperties().set ("deleteByTabComp_", deleteComponentWhenNotNeeded);
 
 	tabs->addTab (tabName, tabBackgroundColour, insertIndex);
 }
@@ -63475,7 +63418,7 @@ void TabbedComponent::removeTab (const int tabIndex)
 {
 	Component* const c = contentComponents [tabIndex];
 
-	if (c != 0 && c->getComponentPropertyBool (T("deleteByTabComp_"), false, false))
+	if (c != 0 && c->getProperties() ["deleteByTabComp_"])
 	{
 		if (c == panelComponent)
 			panelComponent = 0;
@@ -240195,7 +240138,7 @@ public:
 		{
 			const Image::BitmapData srcData (juceImage, 0, 0, juceImage.getWidth(), juceImage.getHeight());
 
-			CGDataProviderRef provider = CGDataProviderCreateWithData (0, srcData.data, srcData.lineStride * srcData.pixelStride, 0);
+			CGDataProviderRef provider = CGDataProviderCreateWithData (0, srcData.data, srcData.lineStride * srcData.height, 0);
 
 			CGImageRef imageRef = CGImageCreate (srcData.width, srcData.height,
 												 8, srcData.pixelStride * 8, srcData.lineStride,
@@ -244617,7 +244560,7 @@ public:
 		{
 			const Image::BitmapData srcData (juceImage, 0, 0, juceImage.getWidth(), juceImage.getHeight());
 
-			CGDataProviderRef provider = CGDataProviderCreateWithData (0, srcData.data, srcData.lineStride * srcData.pixelStride, 0);
+			CGDataProviderRef provider = CGDataProviderCreateWithData (0, srcData.data, srcData.lineStride * srcData.height, 0);
 
 			CGImageRef imageRef = CGImageCreate (srcData.width, srcData.height,
 												 8, srcData.pixelStride * 8, srcData.lineStride,
@@ -252098,7 +252041,7 @@ const StringArray CameraDevice::getAvailableDevices()
 	StringArray results;
 	NSArray* devs = [QTCaptureDevice inputDevicesWithMediaType: QTMediaTypeVideo];
 
-	for (int i = 0; i < [devs count]; ++i)
+	for (int i = 0; i < (int) [devs count]; ++i)
 	{
 		QTCaptureDevice* dev = (QTCaptureDevice*) [devs objectAtIndex: i];
 		results.add (nsStringToJuce ([dev localizedDisplayName]));
diff --git a/juce_amalgamated.h b/juce_amalgamated.h
index f53b9420b2..9e89f5c23c 100644
--- a/juce_amalgamated.h
+++ b/juce_amalgamated.h
@@ -2663,13 +2663,27 @@ private:
 /********* End of inlined file: juce_BitArray.h *********/
 
 #endif
-#ifndef __JUCE_ELEMENTCOMPARATOR_JUCEHEADER__
+#ifndef __JUCE_DYNAMICOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
 
-#endif
-#ifndef __JUCE_HEAPBLOCK_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* Start of inlined file: juce_DynamicObject.h *********/
+#ifndef __JUCE_DYNAMICOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
+#define __JUCE_DYNAMICOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
 
-#endif
-#ifndef __JUCE_MEMORYBLOCK_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* Start of inlined file: juce_NamedValueSet.h *********/
+#ifndef __JUCE_NAMEDVALUESET_JUCEHEADER__
+#define __JUCE_NAMEDVALUESET_JUCEHEADER__
+
+/********* Start of inlined file: juce_Variant.h *********/
+#ifndef __JUCE_VARIANT_JUCEHEADER__
+#define __JUCE_VARIANT_JUCEHEADER__
+
+/********* Start of inlined file: juce_OutputStream.h *********/
+#ifndef __JUCE_OUTPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
+#define __JUCE_OUTPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
+
+/********* Start of inlined file: juce_InputStream.h *********/
+#ifndef __JUCE_INPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
+#define __JUCE_INPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
 
 /********* Start of inlined file: juce_MemoryBlock.h *********/
 #ifndef __JUCE_MEMORYBLOCK_JUCEHEADER__
@@ -2693,70 +2707,619 @@ public:
 
 	MemoryBlock& operator= (const MemoryBlock& other) throw();
 
-	bool operator== (const MemoryBlock& other) const throw();
+	bool operator== (const MemoryBlock& other) const throw();
+
+	bool operator!= (const MemoryBlock& other) const throw();
+
+	bool matches (const void* data, size_t dataSize) const throw();
+
+	template <class DataType>
+	operator DataType*() const throw()				  { return (DataType*) data; }
+
+	void* getData() const throw()				   { return data; }
+
+	template <typename Type>
+	char& operator[] (const Type offset) const throw()		  { return data [offset]; }
+
+	size_t getSize() const throw()				  { return size; }
+
+	void setSize (const size_t newSize,
+				  const bool initialiseNewSpaceToZero = false) throw();
+
+	void ensureSize (const size_t minimumSize,
+					 const bool initialiseNewSpaceToZero = false) throw();
+
+	void fillWith (const uint8 valueToUse) throw();
+
+	void append (const void* const data,
+				 const size_t numBytes) throw();
+
+	void swapWith (MemoryBlock& other) throw();
+
+	void copyFrom (const void* srcData,
+				   int destinationOffset,
+				   size_t numBytes) throw();
+
+	void copyTo (void* destData,
+				 int sourceOffset,
+				 size_t numBytes) const throw();
+
+	void removeSection (size_t startByte, size_t numBytesToRemove) throw();
+
+	const String toString() const throw();
+
+	void loadFromHexString (const String& sourceHexString) throw();
+
+	void setBitRange (size_t bitRangeStart,
+					  size_t numBits,
+					  int binaryNumberToApply) throw();
+
+	int getBitRange (size_t bitRangeStart,
+					 size_t numBitsToRead) const throw();
+
+	const String toBase64Encoding() const throw();
+
+	bool fromBase64Encoding  (const String& encodedString) throw();
+
+	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
+
+private:
+
+	HeapBlock <char> data;
+	size_t size;
+};
+
+#endif   // __JUCE_MEMORYBLOCK_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_MemoryBlock.h *********/
+
+class JUCE_API  InputStream
+{
+public:
+	virtual ~InputStream()  {}
+
+	virtual int64 getTotalLength() = 0;
+
+	virtual bool isExhausted() = 0;
+
+	virtual int read (void* destBuffer,
+					  int maxBytesToRead) = 0;
+
+	virtual char readByte();
+
+	virtual bool readBool();
+
+	virtual short readShort();
+
+	virtual short readShortBigEndian();
+
+	virtual int readInt();
+
+	virtual int readIntBigEndian();
+
+	virtual int64 readInt64();
+
+	virtual int64 readInt64BigEndian();
+
+	virtual float readFloat();
+
+	virtual float readFloatBigEndian();
+
+	virtual double readDouble();
+
+	virtual double readDoubleBigEndian();
+
+	virtual int readCompressedInt();
+
+	virtual const String readNextLine();
+
+	virtual const String readString();
+
+	virtual const String readEntireStreamAsString();
+
+	virtual int readIntoMemoryBlock (MemoryBlock& destBlock,
+									 int maxNumBytesToRead = -1);
+
+	virtual int64 getPosition() = 0;
+
+	virtual bool setPosition (int64 newPosition) = 0;
+
+	virtual void skipNextBytes (int64 numBytesToSkip);
+
+	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
+
+protected:
+
+	InputStream() throw()  {}
+};
+
+#endif   // __JUCE_INPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_InputStream.h *********/
+
+class JUCE_API  OutputStream
+{
+public:
+	virtual ~OutputStream();
+
+	virtual void flush() = 0;
+
+	virtual bool setPosition (int64 newPosition) = 0;
+
+	virtual int64 getPosition() = 0;
+
+	virtual bool write (const void* dataToWrite,
+						int howManyBytes) = 0;
+
+	virtual void writeByte (char byte);
+
+	virtual void writeBool (bool boolValue);
+
+	virtual void writeShort (short value);
+
+	virtual void writeShortBigEndian (short value);
+
+	virtual void writeInt (int value);
+
+	virtual void writeIntBigEndian (int value);
+
+	virtual void writeInt64 (int64 value);
+
+	virtual void writeInt64BigEndian (int64 value);
+
+	virtual void writeFloat (float value);
+
+	virtual void writeFloatBigEndian (float value);
+
+	virtual void writeDouble (double value);
+
+	virtual void writeDoubleBigEndian (double value);
+
+	virtual void writeCompressedInt (int value);
+
+	virtual void writeString (const String& text);
+
+	virtual void writeText (const String& text,
+							const bool asUnicode,
+							const bool writeUnicodeHeaderBytes);
+
+	virtual void printf (const char* format, ...);
+
+	virtual int writeFromInputStream (InputStream& source,
+									  int maxNumBytesToWrite);
+
+	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const int number);
+
+	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const double number);
+
+	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const char character);
+
+	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const char* const text);
+
+	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const juce_wchar* const text);
+
+	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const String& text);
+
+	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
+
+protected:
+
+	OutputStream() throw();
+};
+
+#endif   // __JUCE_OUTPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_OutputStream.h *********/
+
+class JUCE_API  DynamicObject;
+
+class JUCE_API  var
+{
+public:
+
+	typedef const var (DynamicObject::*MethodFunction) (const var* arguments, int numArguments);
+
+	var() throw();
+
+	~var() throw();
+
+	static const var null;
+
+	var (const var& valueToCopy);
+	var (const int value) throw();
+	var (const bool value) throw();
+	var (const double value) throw();
+	var (const char* const value);
+	var (const juce_wchar* const value);
+	var (const String& value);
+	var (DynamicObject* const object);
+	var (MethodFunction method) throw();
+
+	var& operator= (const var& valueToCopy);
+	var& operator= (int value);
+	var& operator= (bool value);
+	var& operator= (double value);
+	var& operator= (const char* value);
+	var& operator= (const juce_wchar* value);
+	var& operator= (const String& value);
+	var& operator= (DynamicObject* object);
+	var& operator= (MethodFunction method);
+
+	void swapWith (var& other) throw();
+
+	operator int() const;
+	operator bool() const;
+	operator float() const;
+	operator double() const;
+	operator const String() const;
+	const String toString() const;
+	DynamicObject* getObject() const;
+
+	bool isVoid() const throw()	 { return type == voidType; }
+	bool isInt() const throw()	  { return type == intType; }
+	bool isBool() const throw()	 { return type == boolType; }
+	bool isDouble() const throw()	   { return type == doubleType; }
+	bool isString() const throw()	   { return type == stringType; }
+	bool isObject() const throw()	   { return type == objectType; }
+	bool isMethod() const throw()	   { return type == methodType; }
+
+	bool operator== (const var& other) const throw();
+	bool operator!= (const var& other) const throw();
+
+	void writeToStream (OutputStream& output) const;
+
+	static const var readFromStream (InputStream& input);
+
+	class JUCE_API  identifier
+	{
+	public:
+		identifier() throw();
+		identifier (const char* const name);
+		identifier (const String& name);
+		~identifier();
+
+		bool operator== (const identifier& other) const throw()
+		{
+			jassert (hashCode != other.hashCode || name == other.name); // check for name hash collisions
+			return hashCode == other.hashCode;
+		}
+
+		String name;
+		int hashCode;
+	};
+
+	const var operator[] (const identifier& propertyName) const;
+
+	const var call (const identifier& method) const;
+	const var call (const identifier& method, const var& arg1) const;
+	const var call (const identifier& method, const var& arg1, const var& arg2) const;
+	const var call (const identifier& method, const var& arg1, const var& arg2, const var& arg3);
+	const var call (const identifier& method, const var& arg1, const var& arg2, const var& arg3, const var& arg4) const;
+	const var call (const identifier& method, const var& arg1, const var& arg2, const var& arg3, const var& arg4, const var& arg5) const;
+
+	const var invoke (const identifier& method, const var* arguments, int numArguments) const;
+
+	const var invoke (const var& targetObject, const var* arguments, int numArguments) const;
+
+	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
+
+private:
+	enum Type
+	{
+		voidType = 0,
+		intType,
+		boolType,
+		doubleType,
+		stringType,
+		objectType,
+		methodType
+	};
+
+	union ValueUnion
+	{
+		int intValue;
+		bool boolValue;
+		double doubleValue;
+		String* stringValue;
+		DynamicObject* objectValue;
+		MethodFunction methodValue;
+	};
+
+	Type type;
+	ValueUnion value;
+};
+
+#endif   // __JUCE_VARIANT_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_Variant.h *********/
+
+class JUCE_API  NamedValueSet
+{
+public:
+	NamedValueSet() throw();
+
+	NamedValueSet (const NamedValueSet& other);
+
+	NamedValueSet& operator= (const NamedValueSet& other);
+
+	~NamedValueSet();
+
+	int size() const throw();
+
+	const var& operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const;
+
+	const var getWithDefault (const var::identifier& name, const var& defaultReturnValue) const;
+
+	var* getItem (const var::identifier& name) const;
+
+	bool set (const var::identifier& name, const var& newValue);
+
+	bool contains (const var::identifier& name) const;
+
+	bool remove (const var::identifier& name);
+
+	const var::identifier getName (int index) const;
+
+	void clear();
+
+	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
+
+private:
+	struct NamedValue
+	{
+		NamedValue() throw();
+		NamedValue (const var::identifier& name, const var& value);
+
+		var::identifier name;
+		var value;
+	};
+
+	Array <NamedValue> values;
+};
+
+#endif   // __JUCE_NAMEDVALUESET_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_NamedValueSet.h *********/
+
+/********* Start of inlined file: juce_ReferenceCountedObject.h *********/
+#ifndef __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
+#define __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
+
+/********* Start of inlined file: juce_Atomic.h *********/
+#ifndef __JUCE_ATOMIC_JUCEHEADER__
+#define __JUCE_ATOMIC_JUCEHEADER__
+
+class JUCE_API  Atomic
+{
+public:
+	static void increment (int32& variable);
+
+	static int32 incrementAndReturn (int32& variable);
+
+	static void decrement (int32& variable);
+
+	static int32 decrementAndReturn (int32& variable);
+
+	static int32 compareAndExchange (int32& destination, int32 newValue, int32 requiredCurrentValue);
+};
+
+#if (JUCE_MAC || JUCE_IPHONE)	   //  Mac and iPhone...
+
+inline void Atomic::increment (int32& variable)		 { OSAtomicIncrement32 ((volatile int32_t*) &variable); }
+inline int32  Atomic::incrementAndReturn (int32& variable)  { return OSAtomicIncrement32 ((volatile int32_t*) &variable); }
+inline void Atomic::decrement (int32& variable)		 { OSAtomicDecrement32 ((volatile int32_t*) &variable); }
+inline int32  Atomic::decrementAndReturn (int32& variable)  { return OSAtomicDecrement32 ((volatile int32_t*) &variable); }
+inline int32  Atomic::compareAndExchange (int32& destination, int32 newValue, int32 oldValue)
+															{ return OSAtomicCompareAndSwap32Barrier (oldValue, newValue, (volatile int32_t*) &destination); }
+
+#elif JUCE_GCC			  // Linux...
+
+inline void  Atomic::increment (int32& variable)		{ __sync_add_and_fetch (&variable, 1); }
+inline int32 Atomic::incrementAndReturn (int32& variable)   { return __sync_add_and_fetch (&variable, 1); }
+inline void  Atomic::decrement (int32& variable)		{ __sync_add_and_fetch (&variable, -1); }
+inline int32 Atomic::decrementAndReturn (int32& variable)   { return __sync_add_and_fetch (&variable, -1); }
+inline int32 Atomic::compareAndExchange (int32& destination, int32 newValue, int32 oldValue)
+															{ return __sync_val_compare_and_swap (&destination, oldValue, newValue); }
+
+#elif JUCE_USE_INTRINSICS		   // Windows...
+
+// (If JUCE_USE_INTRINSICS isn't enabled, a fallback version of these methods is
+// declared in juce_win32_Threads.cpp)
+#pragma intrinsic (_InterlockedIncrement)
+#pragma intrinsic (_InterlockedDecrement)
+#pragma intrinsic (_InterlockedCompareExchange)
+
+inline void  Atomic::increment (int32& variable)		{ _InterlockedIncrement (reinterpret_cast <volatile long*> (&variable)); }
+inline int32 Atomic::incrementAndReturn (int32& variable)	   { return _InterlockedIncrement (reinterpret_cast <volatile long*> (&variable)); }
+inline void  Atomic::decrement (int32& variable)		{ _InterlockedDecrement (reinterpret_cast <volatile long*> (&variable)); }
+inline int32 Atomic::decrementAndReturn (int32& variable)	   { return _InterlockedDecrement (reinterpret_cast <volatile long*> (&variable)); }
+inline int32 Atomic::compareAndExchange (int32& destination, int32 newValue, int32 oldValue)
+																{ return _InterlockedCompareExchange (reinterpret_cast <volatile long*> (&destination), newValue, oldValue); }
+
+#endif
+
+#endif   // __JUCE_ATOMIC_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_Atomic.h *********/
+
+class JUCE_API  ReferenceCountedObject
+{
+public:
+
+	inline void incReferenceCount() throw()
+	{
+		Atomic::increment (refCounts);
+
+		jassert (refCounts > 0);
+	}
+
+	inline void decReferenceCount() throw()
+	{
+		jassert (refCounts > 0);
+
+		if (Atomic::decrementAndReturn (refCounts) == 0)
+			delete this;
+	}
+
+	inline int getReferenceCount() const throw()
+	{
+		return refCounts;
+	}
+
+protected:
+
+	ReferenceCountedObject()
+		: refCounts (0)
+	{
+	}
+
+	virtual ~ReferenceCountedObject()
+	{
+		// it's dangerous to delete an object that's still referenced by something else!
+		jassert (refCounts == 0);
+	}
+
+private:
+
+	int refCounts;
+};
+
+template <class ReferenceCountedObjectClass>
+class ReferenceCountedObjectPtr
+{
+public:
+
+	inline ReferenceCountedObjectPtr() throw()
+		: referencedObject (0)
+	{
+	}
+
+	inline ReferenceCountedObjectPtr (ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const refCountedObject) throw()
+		: referencedObject (refCountedObject)
+	{
+		if (refCountedObject != 0)
+			refCountedObject->incReferenceCount();
+	}
+
+	inline ReferenceCountedObjectPtr (const ReferenceCountedObjectPtr<ReferenceCountedObjectClass>& other) throw()
+		: referencedObject (other.referencedObject)
+	{
+		if (referencedObject != 0)
+			referencedObject->incReferenceCount();
+	}
+
+	const ReferenceCountedObjectPtr<ReferenceCountedObjectClass>& operator= (const ReferenceCountedObjectPtr<ReferenceCountedObjectClass>& other)
+	{
+		ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const newObject = other.referencedObject;
+
+		if (newObject != referencedObject)
+		{
+			if (newObject != 0)
+				newObject->incReferenceCount();
+
+			ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const oldObject = referencedObject;
+			referencedObject = newObject;
+
+			if (oldObject != 0)
+				oldObject->decReferenceCount();
+		}
+
+		return *this;
+	}
+
+	const ReferenceCountedObjectPtr<ReferenceCountedObjectClass>& operator= (ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const newObject)
+	{
+		if (referencedObject != newObject)
+		{
+			if (newObject != 0)
+				newObject->incReferenceCount();
+
+			ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const oldObject = referencedObject;
+			referencedObject = newObject;
+
+			if (oldObject != 0)
+				oldObject->decReferenceCount();
+		}
 
-	bool operator!= (const MemoryBlock& other) const throw();
+		return *this;
+	}
 
-	bool matches (const void* data, size_t dataSize) const throw();
+	inline ~ReferenceCountedObjectPtr()
+	{
+		if (referencedObject != 0)
+			referencedObject->decReferenceCount();
+	}
 
-	template <class DataType>
-	operator DataType*() const throw()				  { return (DataType*) data; }
+	inline operator ReferenceCountedObjectClass*() const throw()
+	{
+		return referencedObject;
+	}
 
-	void* getData() const throw()				   { return data; }
+	inline bool operator== (ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const object) const throw()
+	{
+		return referencedObject == object;
+	}
 
-	template <typename Type>
-	char& operator[] (const Type offset) const throw()		  { return data [offset]; }
+	inline bool operator!= (ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const object) const throw()
+	{
+		return referencedObject != object;
+	}
 
-	size_t getSize() const throw()				  { return size; }
+	// the -> operator is called on the referenced object
+	inline ReferenceCountedObjectClass* operator->() const throw()
+	{
+		return referencedObject;
+	}
 
-	void setSize (const size_t newSize,
-				  const bool initialiseNewSpaceToZero = false) throw();
+private:
 
-	void ensureSize (const size_t minimumSize,
-					 const bool initialiseNewSpaceToZero = false) throw();
+	ReferenceCountedObjectClass* referencedObject;
+};
 
-	void fillWith (const uint8 valueToUse) throw();
+#endif   // __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_ReferenceCountedObject.h *********/
 
-	void append (const void* const data,
-				 const size_t numBytes) throw();
+class JUCE_API  DynamicObject  : public ReferenceCountedObject
+{
+public:
 
-	void swapWith (MemoryBlock& other) throw();
+	DynamicObject();
 
-	void copyFrom (const void* srcData,
-				   int destinationOffset,
-				   size_t numBytes) throw();
+	virtual ~DynamicObject();
 
-	void copyTo (void* destData,
-				 int sourceOffset,
-				 size_t numBytes) const throw();
+	virtual bool hasProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const;
 
-	void removeSection (size_t startByte, size_t numBytesToRemove) throw();
+	virtual const var getProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const;
 
-	const String toString() const throw();
+	virtual void setProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName, const var& newValue);
 
-	void loadFromHexString (const String& sourceHexString) throw();
+	virtual void removeProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName);
 
-	void setBitRange (size_t bitRangeStart,
-					  size_t numBits,
-					  int binaryNumberToApply) throw();
+	virtual bool hasMethod (const var::identifier& methodName) const;
 
-	int getBitRange (size_t bitRangeStart,
-					 size_t numBitsToRead) const throw();
+	virtual const var invokeMethod (const var::identifier& methodName,
+									const var* parameters,
+									int numParameters);
 
-	const String toBase64Encoding() const throw();
+	void setMethod (const var::identifier& methodName,
+					var::MethodFunction methodFunction);
 
-	bool fromBase64Encoding  (const String& encodedString) throw();
+	void clear();
 
 	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
 
 private:
-
-	HeapBlock <char> data;
-	size_t size;
+	NamedValueSet properties;
 };
 
-#endif   // __JUCE_MEMORYBLOCK_JUCEHEADER__
-/********* End of inlined file: juce_MemoryBlock.h *********/
+#endif   // __JUCE_DYNAMICOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_DynamicObject.h *********/
+
+#endif
+#ifndef __JUCE_ELEMENTCOMPARATOR_JUCEHEADER__
+
+#endif
+#ifndef __JUCE_HEAPBLOCK_JUCEHEADER__
+
+#endif
+#ifndef __JUCE_MEMORYBLOCK_JUCEHEADER__
+
+#endif
+#ifndef __JUCE_NAMEDVALUESET_JUCEHEADER__
 
 #endif
 #ifndef __JUCE_OWNEDARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
@@ -3426,230 +3989,86 @@ public:
 
 	void move (const int currentIndex, int newIndex) throw();
 
-	void trim();
-
-	void appendNumbersToDuplicates (const bool ignoreCaseWhenComparing,
-									const bool appendNumberToFirstInstance,
-									const tchar* const preNumberString = defaultPreNumberString,
-									const tchar* const postNumberString = defaultPostNumberString);
-
-	const String joinIntoString (const String& separatorString,
-								 int startIndex = 0,
-								 int numberOfElements = -1) const;
-
-	void sort (const bool ignoreCase);
-
-	void minimiseStorageOverheads();
-
-	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
-
-private:
-	Array <String> strings;
-};
-
-#endif   // __JUCE_STRINGARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
-/********* End of inlined file: juce_StringArray.h *********/
-
-class JUCE_API  StringPairArray
-{
-public:
-
-	StringPairArray (const bool ignoreCaseWhenComparingKeys = true) throw();
-
-	StringPairArray (const StringPairArray& other) throw();
-
-	~StringPairArray() throw();
-
-	const StringPairArray& operator= (const StringPairArray& other) throw();
-
-	bool operator== (const StringPairArray& other) const throw();
-
-	bool operator!= (const StringPairArray& other) const throw();
-
-	const String& operator[] (const String& key) const throw();
-
-	const String getValue (const String& key, const String& defaultReturnValue) const;
-
-	const StringArray& getAllKeys() const throw()	   { return keys; }
-
-	const StringArray& getAllValues() const throw()	 { return values; }
-
-	inline int size() const throw()			 { return keys.size(); };
-
-	void set (const String& key,
-			  const String& value) throw();
-
-	void addArray (const StringPairArray& other);
-
-	void clear() throw();
-
-	void remove (const String& key) throw();
-
-	void remove (const int index) throw();
-
-	void setIgnoresCase (const bool shouldIgnoreCase) throw();
-
-	const String getDescription() const;
-
-	void minimiseStorageOverheads() throw();
-
-	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
-
-private:
-	StringArray keys, values;
-	bool ignoreCase;
-};
-
-#endif   // __JUCE_STRINGPAIRARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
-/********* End of inlined file: juce_StringPairArray.h *********/
-
-/********* Start of inlined file: juce_XmlElement.h *********/
-#ifndef __JUCE_XMLELEMENT_JUCEHEADER__
-#define __JUCE_XMLELEMENT_JUCEHEADER__
-
-/********* Start of inlined file: juce_OutputStream.h *********/
-#ifndef __JUCE_OUTPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
-#define __JUCE_OUTPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
-
-/********* Start of inlined file: juce_InputStream.h *********/
-#ifndef __JUCE_INPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
-#define __JUCE_INPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
-
-class JUCE_API  InputStream
-{
-public:
-	virtual ~InputStream()  {}
-
-	virtual int64 getTotalLength() = 0;
-
-	virtual bool isExhausted() = 0;
-
-	virtual int read (void* destBuffer,
-					  int maxBytesToRead) = 0;
-
-	virtual char readByte();
-
-	virtual bool readBool();
-
-	virtual short readShort();
-
-	virtual short readShortBigEndian();
-
-	virtual int readInt();
-
-	virtual int readIntBigEndian();
-
-	virtual int64 readInt64();
-
-	virtual int64 readInt64BigEndian();
-
-	virtual float readFloat();
-
-	virtual float readFloatBigEndian();
-
-	virtual double readDouble();
-
-	virtual double readDoubleBigEndian();
-
-	virtual int readCompressedInt();
-
-	virtual const String readNextLine();
-
-	virtual const String readString();
-
-	virtual const String readEntireStreamAsString();
-
-	virtual int readIntoMemoryBlock (MemoryBlock& destBlock,
-									 int maxNumBytesToRead = -1);
-
-	virtual int64 getPosition() = 0;
-
-	virtual bool setPosition (int64 newPosition) = 0;
-
-	virtual void skipNextBytes (int64 numBytesToSkip);
-
-	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
-
-protected:
-
-	InputStream() throw()  {}
-};
-
-#endif   // __JUCE_INPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
-/********* End of inlined file: juce_InputStream.h *********/
-
-class JUCE_API  OutputStream
-{
-public:
-	virtual ~OutputStream();
-
-	virtual void flush() = 0;
+	void trim();
 
-	virtual bool setPosition (int64 newPosition) = 0;
+	void appendNumbersToDuplicates (const bool ignoreCaseWhenComparing,
+									const bool appendNumberToFirstInstance,
+									const tchar* const preNumberString = defaultPreNumberString,
+									const tchar* const postNumberString = defaultPostNumberString);
 
-	virtual int64 getPosition() = 0;
+	const String joinIntoString (const String& separatorString,
+								 int startIndex = 0,
+								 int numberOfElements = -1) const;
 
-	virtual bool write (const void* dataToWrite,
-						int howManyBytes) = 0;
+	void sort (const bool ignoreCase);
 
-	virtual void writeByte (char byte);
+	void minimiseStorageOverheads();
 
-	virtual void writeBool (bool boolValue);
+	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
 
-	virtual void writeShort (short value);
+private:
+	Array <String> strings;
+};
 
-	virtual void writeShortBigEndian (short value);
+#endif   // __JUCE_STRINGARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_StringArray.h *********/
 
-	virtual void writeInt (int value);
+class JUCE_API  StringPairArray
+{
+public:
 
-	virtual void writeIntBigEndian (int value);
+	StringPairArray (const bool ignoreCaseWhenComparingKeys = true) throw();
 
-	virtual void writeInt64 (int64 value);
+	StringPairArray (const StringPairArray& other) throw();
 
-	virtual void writeInt64BigEndian (int64 value);
+	~StringPairArray() throw();
 
-	virtual void writeFloat (float value);
+	const StringPairArray& operator= (const StringPairArray& other) throw();
 
-	virtual void writeFloatBigEndian (float value);
+	bool operator== (const StringPairArray& other) const throw();
 
-	virtual void writeDouble (double value);
+	bool operator!= (const StringPairArray& other) const throw();
 
-	virtual void writeDoubleBigEndian (double value);
+	const String& operator[] (const String& key) const throw();
 
-	virtual void writeCompressedInt (int value);
+	const String getValue (const String& key, const String& defaultReturnValue) const;
 
-	virtual void writeString (const String& text);
+	const StringArray& getAllKeys() const throw()	   { return keys; }
 
-	virtual void writeText (const String& text,
-							const bool asUnicode,
-							const bool writeUnicodeHeaderBytes);
+	const StringArray& getAllValues() const throw()	 { return values; }
 
-	virtual void printf (const char* format, ...);
+	inline int size() const throw()			 { return keys.size(); };
 
-	virtual int writeFromInputStream (InputStream& source,
-									  int maxNumBytesToWrite);
+	void set (const String& key,
+			  const String& value) throw();
 
-	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const int number);
+	void addArray (const StringPairArray& other);
 
-	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const double number);
+	void clear() throw();
 
-	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const char character);
+	void remove (const String& key) throw();
 
-	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const char* const text);
+	void remove (const int index) throw();
 
-	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const juce_wchar* const text);
+	void setIgnoresCase (const bool shouldIgnoreCase) throw();
 
-	virtual OutputStream& operator<< (const String& text);
+	const String getDescription() const;
 
-	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
+	void minimiseStorageOverheads() throw();
 
-protected:
+	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
 
-	OutputStream() throw();
+private:
+	StringArray keys, values;
+	bool ignoreCase;
 };
 
-#endif   // __JUCE_OUTPUTSTREAM_JUCEHEADER__
-/********* End of inlined file: juce_OutputStream.h *********/
+#endif   // __JUCE_STRINGPAIRARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_StringPairArray.h *********/
+
+/********* Start of inlined file: juce_XmlElement.h *********/
+#ifndef __JUCE_XMLELEMENT_JUCEHEADER__
+#define __JUCE_XMLELEMENT_JUCEHEADER__
 
 /********* Start of inlined file: juce_File.h *********/
 #ifndef __JUCE_FILE_JUCEHEADER__
@@ -4106,24 +4525,24 @@ public:
 	const String createDocument (const String& dtdToUse,
 								 const bool allOnOneLine = false,
 								 const bool includeXmlHeader = true,
-								 const tchar* const encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
+								 const String& encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
 								 const int lineWrapLength = 60) const throw();
 
 	void writeToStream (OutputStream& output,
 						const String& dtdToUse,
 						const bool allOnOneLine = false,
 						const bool includeXmlHeader = true,
-						const tchar* const encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
+						const String& encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
 						const int lineWrapLength = 60) const throw();
 
 	bool writeToFile (const File& destinationFile,
 					  const String& dtdToUse,
-					  const tchar* const encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
+					  const String& encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
 					  const int lineWrapLength = 60) const throw();
 
 	inline const String& getTagName() const throw()  { return tagName; }
 
-	bool hasTagName (const tchar* const possibleTagName) const throw();
+	bool hasTagName (const String& possibleTagName) const throw();
 
 	int getNumAttributes() const throw();
 
@@ -4133,37 +4552,34 @@ public:
 
 	// Attribute-handling methods..
 
-	bool hasAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName) const throw();
+	bool hasAttribute (const String& attributeName) const throw();
 
-	const String getStringAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-									 const tchar* const defaultReturnValue = 0) const throw();
+	const String getStringAttribute (const String& attributeName,
+									 const String& defaultReturnValue = String::empty) const throw();
 
-	bool compareAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-						   const tchar* const stringToCompareAgainst,
+	bool compareAttribute (const String& attributeName,
+						   const String& stringToCompareAgainst,
 						   const bool ignoreCase = false) const throw();
 
-	int getIntAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+	int getIntAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 						 const int defaultReturnValue = 0) const throw();
 
-	double getDoubleAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+	double getDoubleAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 							   const double defaultReturnValue = 0.0) const throw();
 
-	bool getBoolAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+	bool getBoolAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 						   const bool defaultReturnValue = false) const throw();
 
-	void setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+	void setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 					   const String& newValue) throw();
 
-	void setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-					   const tchar* const newValue) throw();
-
-	void setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+	void setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 					   const int newValue) throw();
 
-	void setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+	void setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
 					   const double newValue) throw();
 
-	void removeAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName) throw();
+	void removeAttribute (const String& attributeName) throw();
 
 	void removeAllAttributes() throw();
 
@@ -4171,15 +4587,15 @@ public:
 
 	XmlElement* getFirstChildElement() const throw()	{ return firstChildElement; }
 
-	inline XmlElement* getNextElement() const throw()   { return nextElement; }
+	inline XmlElement* getNextElement() const throw()	   { return nextElement; }
 
-	XmlElement* getNextElementWithTagName (const tchar* const requiredTagName) const;
+	XmlElement* getNextElementWithTagName (const String& requiredTagName) const;
 
 	int getNumChildElements() const throw();
 
 	XmlElement* getChildElement (const int index) const throw();
 
-	XmlElement* getChildByName (const tchar* const tagNameToLookFor) const throw();
+	XmlElement* getChildByName (const String& tagNameToLookFor) const throw();
 
 	void addChildElement (XmlElement* const newChildElement) throw();
 
@@ -4194,7 +4610,7 @@ public:
 
 	void deleteAllChildElements() throw();
 
-	void deleteAllChildElementsWithTagName (const tchar* const tagName) throw();
+	void deleteAllChildElementsWithTagName (const String& tagName) throw();
 
 	bool containsChildElement (const XmlElement* const possibleChild) const throw();
 
@@ -4223,7 +4639,7 @@ public:
 
 	const String getAllSubText() const throw();
 
-	const String getChildElementAllSubText (const tchar* const childTagName,
+	const String getChildElementAllSubText (const String& childTagName,
 											const String& defaultReturnValue) const throw();
 
 	void addTextElement (const String& text) throw();
@@ -4256,7 +4672,6 @@ private:
 	XmlAttributeNode* attributes;
 
 	XmlElement (int) throw(); // for internal use
-	XmlElement (const tchar* const tagNameText, const int nameLen) throw();
 
 	void copyChildrenAndAttributesFrom (const XmlElement& other) throw();
 
@@ -4299,254 +4714,57 @@ public:
 
 	void setValue (const String& keyName, const String& value) throw();
 
-	void setValue (const String& keyName, const tchar* const value) throw();
-
-	void setValue (const String& keyName, const int value) throw();
-
-	void setValue (const String& keyName, const double value) throw();
-
-	void setValue (const String& keyName, const bool value) throw();
-
-	void setValue (const String& keyName, const XmlElement* const xml);
-
-	void removeValue (const String& keyName) throw();
-
-	bool containsKey (const String& keyName) const throw();
-
-	void clear();
-
-	StringPairArray& getAllProperties() throw()			 { return properties; }
-
-	const CriticalSection& getLock() const throw()			  { return lock; }
-
-	XmlElement* createXml (const String& nodeName) const throw();
-
-	void restoreFromXml (const XmlElement& xml) throw();
-
-	void setFallbackPropertySet (PropertySet* fallbackProperties) throw();
-
-	PropertySet* getFallbackPropertySet() const throw()		 { return fallbackProperties; }
-
-	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
-
-protected:
-
-	virtual void propertyChanged();
-
-private:
-
-	StringPairArray properties;
-	PropertySet* fallbackProperties;
-	CriticalSection lock;
-	bool ignoreCaseOfKeys;
-};
-
-#endif   // __JUCE_PROPERTYSET_JUCEHEADER__
-/********* End of inlined file: juce_PropertySet.h *********/
-
-#endif
-#ifndef __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
-
-/********* Start of inlined file: juce_ReferenceCountedArray.h *********/
-#ifndef __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
-#define __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
-
-/********* Start of inlined file: juce_ReferenceCountedObject.h *********/
-#ifndef __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
-#define __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
-
-/********* Start of inlined file: juce_Atomic.h *********/
-#ifndef __JUCE_ATOMIC_JUCEHEADER__
-#define __JUCE_ATOMIC_JUCEHEADER__
-
-class JUCE_API  Atomic
-{
-public:
-	static void increment (int32& variable);
-
-	static int32 incrementAndReturn (int32& variable);
-
-	static void decrement (int32& variable);
-
-	static int32 decrementAndReturn (int32& variable);
-
-	static int32 compareAndExchange (int32& destination, int32 newValue, int32 requiredCurrentValue);
-};
-
-#if (JUCE_MAC || JUCE_IPHONE)	   //  Mac and iPhone...
-
-inline void Atomic::increment (int32& variable)		 { OSAtomicIncrement32 ((volatile int32_t*) &variable); }
-inline int32  Atomic::incrementAndReturn (int32& variable)  { return OSAtomicIncrement32 ((volatile int32_t*) &variable); }
-inline void Atomic::decrement (int32& variable)		 { OSAtomicDecrement32 ((volatile int32_t*) &variable); }
-inline int32  Atomic::decrementAndReturn (int32& variable)  { return OSAtomicDecrement32 ((volatile int32_t*) &variable); }
-inline int32  Atomic::compareAndExchange (int32& destination, int32 newValue, int32 oldValue)
-															{ return OSAtomicCompareAndSwap32Barrier (oldValue, newValue, (volatile int32_t*) &destination); }
-
-#elif JUCE_GCC			  // Linux...
-
-inline void  Atomic::increment (int32& variable)		{ __sync_add_and_fetch (&variable, 1); }
-inline int32 Atomic::incrementAndReturn (int32& variable)   { return __sync_add_and_fetch (&variable, 1); }
-inline void  Atomic::decrement (int32& variable)		{ __sync_add_and_fetch (&variable, -1); }
-inline int32 Atomic::decrementAndReturn (int32& variable)   { return __sync_add_and_fetch (&variable, -1); }
-inline int32 Atomic::compareAndExchange (int32& destination, int32 newValue, int32 oldValue)
-															{ return __sync_val_compare_and_swap (&destination, oldValue, newValue); }
-
-#elif JUCE_USE_INTRINSICS		   // Windows...
-
-// (If JUCE_USE_INTRINSICS isn't enabled, a fallback version of these methods is
-// declared in juce_win32_Threads.cpp)
-#pragma intrinsic (_InterlockedIncrement)
-#pragma intrinsic (_InterlockedDecrement)
-#pragma intrinsic (_InterlockedCompareExchange)
-
-inline void  Atomic::increment (int32& variable)		{ _InterlockedIncrement (reinterpret_cast <volatile long*> (&variable)); }
-inline int32 Atomic::incrementAndReturn (int32& variable)	   { return _InterlockedIncrement (reinterpret_cast <volatile long*> (&variable)); }
-inline void  Atomic::decrement (int32& variable)		{ _InterlockedDecrement (reinterpret_cast <volatile long*> (&variable)); }
-inline int32 Atomic::decrementAndReturn (int32& variable)	   { return _InterlockedDecrement (reinterpret_cast <volatile long*> (&variable)); }
-inline int32 Atomic::compareAndExchange (int32& destination, int32 newValue, int32 oldValue)
-																{ return _InterlockedCompareExchange (reinterpret_cast <volatile long*> (&destination), newValue, oldValue); }
-
-#endif
-
-#endif   // __JUCE_ATOMIC_JUCEHEADER__
-/********* End of inlined file: juce_Atomic.h *********/
-
-class JUCE_API  ReferenceCountedObject
-{
-public:
-
-	inline void incReferenceCount() throw()
-	{
-		Atomic::increment (refCounts);
-
-		jassert (refCounts > 0);
-	}
-
-	inline void decReferenceCount() throw()
-	{
-		jassert (refCounts > 0);
-
-		if (Atomic::decrementAndReturn (refCounts) == 0)
-			delete this;
-	}
-
-	inline int getReferenceCount() const throw()
-	{
-		return refCounts;
-	}
-
-protected:
-
-	ReferenceCountedObject()
-		: refCounts (0)
-	{
-	}
-
-	virtual ~ReferenceCountedObject()
-	{
-		// it's dangerous to delete an object that's still referenced by something else!
-		jassert (refCounts == 0);
-	}
-
-private:
-
-	int refCounts;
-};
-
-template <class ReferenceCountedObjectClass>
-class ReferenceCountedObjectPtr
-{
-public:
-
-	inline ReferenceCountedObjectPtr() throw()
-		: referencedObject (0)
-	{
-	}
-
-	inline ReferenceCountedObjectPtr (ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const refCountedObject) throw()
-		: referencedObject (refCountedObject)
-	{
-		if (refCountedObject != 0)
-			refCountedObject->incReferenceCount();
-	}
+	void setValue (const String& keyName, const tchar* const value) throw();
 
-	inline ReferenceCountedObjectPtr (const ReferenceCountedObjectPtr<ReferenceCountedObjectClass>& other) throw()
-		: referencedObject (other.referencedObject)
-	{
-		if (referencedObject != 0)
-			referencedObject->incReferenceCount();
-	}
+	void setValue (const String& keyName, const int value) throw();
 
-	const ReferenceCountedObjectPtr<ReferenceCountedObjectClass>& operator= (const ReferenceCountedObjectPtr<ReferenceCountedObjectClass>& other)
-	{
-		ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const newObject = other.referencedObject;
+	void setValue (const String& keyName, const double value) throw();
 
-		if (newObject != referencedObject)
-		{
-			if (newObject != 0)
-				newObject->incReferenceCount();
+	void setValue (const String& keyName, const bool value) throw();
 
-			ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const oldObject = referencedObject;
-			referencedObject = newObject;
+	void setValue (const String& keyName, const XmlElement* const xml);
 
-			if (oldObject != 0)
-				oldObject->decReferenceCount();
-		}
+	void removeValue (const String& keyName) throw();
 
-		return *this;
-	}
+	bool containsKey (const String& keyName) const throw();
 
-	const ReferenceCountedObjectPtr<ReferenceCountedObjectClass>& operator= (ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const newObject)
-	{
-		if (referencedObject != newObject)
-		{
-			if (newObject != 0)
-				newObject->incReferenceCount();
+	void clear();
 
-			ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const oldObject = referencedObject;
-			referencedObject = newObject;
+	StringPairArray& getAllProperties() throw()			 { return properties; }
 
-			if (oldObject != 0)
-				oldObject->decReferenceCount();
-		}
+	const CriticalSection& getLock() const throw()			  { return lock; }
 
-		return *this;
-	}
+	XmlElement* createXml (const String& nodeName) const throw();
 
-	inline ~ReferenceCountedObjectPtr()
-	{
-		if (referencedObject != 0)
-			referencedObject->decReferenceCount();
-	}
+	void restoreFromXml (const XmlElement& xml) throw();
 
-	inline operator ReferenceCountedObjectClass*() const throw()
-	{
-		return referencedObject;
-	}
+	void setFallbackPropertySet (PropertySet* fallbackProperties) throw();
 
-	inline bool operator== (ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const object) const throw()
-	{
-		return referencedObject == object;
-	}
+	PropertySet* getFallbackPropertySet() const throw()		 { return fallbackProperties; }
 
-	inline bool operator!= (ReferenceCountedObjectClass* const object) const throw()
-	{
-		return referencedObject != object;
-	}
+	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
 
-	// the -> operator is called on the referenced object
-	inline ReferenceCountedObjectClass* operator->() const throw()
-	{
-		return referencedObject;
-	}
+protected:
+
+	virtual void propertyChanged();
 
 private:
 
-	ReferenceCountedObjectClass* referencedObject;
+	StringPairArray properties;
+	PropertySet* fallbackProperties;
+	CriticalSection lock;
+	bool ignoreCaseOfKeys;
 };
 
-#endif   // __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
-/********* End of inlined file: juce_ReferenceCountedObject.h *********/
+#endif   // __JUCE_PROPERTYSET_JUCEHEADER__
+/********* End of inlined file: juce_PropertySet.h *********/
+
+#endif
+#ifndef __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
+
+/********* Start of inlined file: juce_ReferenceCountedArray.h *********/
+#ifndef __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
+#define __JUCE_REFERENCECOUNTEDARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
 
 template <class ObjectClass, class TypeOfCriticalSectionToUse = DummyCriticalSection>
 class ReferenceCountedArray
@@ -5731,162 +5949,6 @@ private:
 #ifndef __JUCE_VALUE_JUCEHEADER__
 #define __JUCE_VALUE_JUCEHEADER__
 
-/********* Start of inlined file: juce_Variant.h *********/
-#ifndef __JUCE_VARIANT_JUCEHEADER__
-#define __JUCE_VARIANT_JUCEHEADER__
-
-class JUCE_API  DynamicObject;
-
-class JUCE_API  var
-{
-public:
-
-	typedef const var (DynamicObject::*MethodFunction) (const var* arguments, int numArguments);
-
-	var() throw();
-
-	~var();
-
-	var (const var& valueToCopy);
-	var (const int value) throw();
-	var (const bool value) throw();
-	var (const double value) throw();
-	var (const char* const value);
-	var (const juce_wchar* const value);
-	var (const String& value);
-	var (DynamicObject* const object);
-	var (MethodFunction method) throw();
-
-	var& operator= (const var& valueToCopy);
-	var& operator= (int value);
-	var& operator= (bool value);
-	var& operator= (double value);
-	var& operator= (const char* value);
-	var& operator= (const juce_wchar* value);
-	var& operator= (const String& value);
-	var& operator= (DynamicObject* object);
-	var& operator= (MethodFunction method);
-
-	void swapWith (var& other) throw();
-
-	operator int() const;
-	operator bool() const;
-	operator float() const;
-	operator double() const;
-	operator const String() const;
-	const String toString() const;
-	DynamicObject* getObject() const;
-
-	bool isVoid() const throw()	 { return type == voidType; }
-	bool isInt() const throw()	  { return type == intType; }
-	bool isBool() const throw()	 { return type == boolType; }
-	bool isDouble() const throw()	   { return type == doubleType; }
-	bool isString() const throw()	   { return type == stringType; }
-	bool isObject() const throw()	   { return type == objectType; }
-	bool isMethod() const throw()	   { return type == methodType; }
-
-	bool operator== (const var& other) const throw();
-	bool operator!= (const var& other) const throw();
-
-	void writeToStream (OutputStream& output) const;
-
-	static const var readFromStream (InputStream& input);
-
-	class JUCE_API  identifier
-	{
-	public:
-		identifier (const char* const name);
-		identifier (const String& name);
-		~identifier();
-
-		bool operator== (const identifier& other) const throw()
-		{
-			jassert (hashCode != other.hashCode || name == other.name); // check for name hash collisions
-			return hashCode == other.hashCode;
-		}
-
-		String name;
-		int hashCode;
-	};
-
-	const var operator[] (const identifier& propertyName) const;
-
-	const var call (const identifier& method) const;
-	const var call (const identifier& method, const var& arg1) const;
-	const var call (const identifier& method, const var& arg1, const var& arg2) const;
-	const var call (const identifier& method, const var& arg1, const var& arg2, const var& arg3);
-	const var call (const identifier& method, const var& arg1, const var& arg2, const var& arg3, const var& arg4) const;
-	const var call (const identifier& method, const var& arg1, const var& arg2, const var& arg3, const var& arg4, const var& arg5) const;
-
-	const var invoke (const identifier& method, const var* arguments, int numArguments) const;
-
-	const var invoke (const var& targetObject, const var* arguments, int numArguments) const;
-
-	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
-
-private:
-	enum Type
-	{
-		voidType = 0,
-		intType,
-		boolType,
-		doubleType,
-		stringType,
-		objectType,
-		methodType
-	};
-
-	union ValueUnion
-	{
-		int intValue;
-		bool boolValue;
-		double doubleValue;
-		String* stringValue;
-		DynamicObject* objectValue;
-		MethodFunction methodValue;
-	};
-
-	Type type;
-	ValueUnion value;
-};
-
-class JUCE_API  DynamicObject  : public ReferenceCountedObject
-{
-public:
-
-	DynamicObject();
-
-	virtual ~DynamicObject();
-
-	virtual bool hasProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const;
-
-	virtual const var getProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const;
-
-	virtual void setProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName, const var& newValue);
-
-	virtual void removeProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName);
-
-	virtual bool hasMethod (const var::identifier& methodName) const;
-
-	virtual const var invokeMethod (const var::identifier& methodName,
-									const var* parameters,
-									int numParameters);
-
-	void setMethod (const var::identifier& methodName,
-					var::MethodFunction methodFunction);
-
-	void clear();
-
-	juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
-
-private:
-	Array <int> propertyIds;
-	OwnedArray <var> propertyValues;
-};
-
-#endif   // __JUCE_VARIANT_JUCEHEADER__
-/********* End of inlined file: juce_Variant.h *********/
-
 /********* Start of inlined file: juce_AsyncUpdater.h *********/
 #ifndef __JUCE_ASYNCUPDATER_JUCEHEADER__
 #define __JUCE_ASYNCUPDATER_JUCEHEADER__
@@ -6330,9 +6392,9 @@ public:
 
 	bool hasType (const String& typeName) const;
 
-	const var getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const;
+	const var& getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const;
 
-	const var operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const;
+	const var& operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const;
 
 	void setProperty (const var::identifier& name, const var& newValue, UndoManager* const undoManager);
 
@@ -6406,16 +6468,8 @@ private:
 		SharedObject (const SharedObject& other);
 		~SharedObject();
 
-		struct Property
-		{
-			Property (const var::identifier& name, const var& value);
-
-			var::identifier name;
-			var value;
-		};
-
 		const String type;
-		OwnedArray <Property> properties;
+		NamedValueSet properties;
 		ReferenceCountedArray <SharedObject> children;
 		SortedSet <ValueTree*> valueTreesWithListeners;
 		SharedObject* parent;
@@ -6425,7 +6479,7 @@ private:
 		void sendChildChangeMessage();
 		void sendChildChangeMessage (ValueTree& tree);
 		void sendParentChangeMessage();
-		const var getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const;
+		const var& getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const;
 		void setProperty (const var::identifier& name, const var& newValue, UndoManager* const undoManager);
 		bool hasProperty (const var::identifier& name) const;
 		void removeProperty (const var::identifier& name, UndoManager* const undoManager);
@@ -12081,39 +12135,9 @@ public:
 
 	virtual void inputAttemptWhenModal();
 
-	const String getComponentProperty (const String& keyName,
-									   const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-									   const String& defaultReturnValue = String::empty) const throw();
-
-	int getComponentPropertyInt (const String& keyName,
-								 const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-								 const int defaultReturnValue = 0) const throw();
-
-	double getComponentPropertyDouble (const String& keyName,
-									   const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-									   const double defaultReturnValue = 0.0) const throw();
-
-	bool getComponentPropertyBool (const String& keyName,
-								   const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-								   const bool defaultReturnValue = false) const throw();
-
-	const Colour getComponentPropertyColour (const String& keyName,
-											 const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-											 const Colour& defaultReturnValue = Colours::black) const throw();
-
-	void setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const String& value) throw();
-
-	void setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const int value) throw();
-
-	void setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const double value) throw();
-
-	void setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const bool value) throw();
-
-	void setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const Colour& newColour) throw();
-
-	void removeComponentProperty (const String& keyName) throw();
+	NamedValueSet& getProperties() throw()				  { return properties; }
 
-	PropertySet* getComponentProperties() const throw()	   { return propertySet_; }
+	const NamedValueSet& getProperties() const throw()		  { return properties; }
 
 	const Colour findColour (const int colourId, const bool inheritFromParent = false) const throw();
 
@@ -12154,7 +12178,7 @@ private:
 	VoidArray* mouseListeners_;
 	VoidArray* keyListeners_;
 	VoidArray* componentListeners_;
-	PropertySet* propertySet_;
+	NamedValueSet properties;
 
 	struct ComponentFlags
 	{
diff --git a/src/audio/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.h b/src/audio/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.h
index b234d163b5..c83cb23554 100644
--- a/src/audio/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.h
+++ b/src/audio/processors/juce_AudioProcessor.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "juce_AudioProcessorEditor.h"
 #include "../dsp/juce_AudioSampleBuffer.h"
 #include "../midi/juce_MidiBuffer.h"
+#include "../../text/juce_XmlElement.h"
 #include "../../containers/juce_BitArray.h"
 #include "juce_AudioProcessorListener.h"
 #include "juce_AudioPlayHead.h"
diff --git a/src/audio/processors/juce_AudioProcessorGraph.h b/src/audio/processors/juce_AudioProcessorGraph.h
index e8fc94fea9..ca00a50fcd 100644
--- a/src/audio/processors/juce_AudioProcessorGraph.h
+++ b/src/audio/processors/juce_AudioProcessorGraph.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "juce_AudioProcessor.h"
 #include "../plugins/juce_AudioPluginFormatManager.h"
 #include "../plugins/juce_KnownPluginList.h"
+#include "../../containers/juce_PropertySet.h"
 #include "../../containers/juce_ReferenceCountedArray.h"
 
 
diff --git a/src/containers/juce_DynamicObject.cpp b/src/containers/juce_DynamicObject.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c8d667d99b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/containers/juce_DynamicObject.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/*
+  ==============================================================================
+
+   This file is part of the JUCE library - "Jules' Utility Class Extensions"
+   Copyright 2004-9 by Raw Material Software Ltd.
+
+  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+   JUCE can be redistributed and/or modified under the terms of the GNU General
+   Public License (Version 2), as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+   A copy of the license is included in the JUCE distribution, or can be found
+   online at www.gnu.org/licenses.
+
+   JUCE is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+   WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+   A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+   To release a closed-source product which uses JUCE, commercial licenses are
+   available: visit www.rawmaterialsoftware.com/juce for more information.
+
+  ==============================================================================
+*/
+
+#include "../core/juce_StandardHeader.h"
+
+BEGIN_JUCE_NAMESPACE
+
+#include "juce_DynamicObject.h"
+
+
+//==============================================================================
+DynamicObject::DynamicObject()
+{
+}
+
+DynamicObject::~DynamicObject()
+{
+}
+
+bool DynamicObject::hasProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
+{
+    var* const v = properties.getItem (propertyName);
+    return v != 0 && ! v->isMethod();
+}
+
+const var DynamicObject::getProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
+{
+    return properties [propertyName];
+}
+
+void DynamicObject::setProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName, const var& newValue)
+{
+    properties.set (propertyName, newValue);
+}
+
+void DynamicObject::removeProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName)
+{
+    properties.remove (propertyName);
+}
+
+bool DynamicObject::hasMethod (const var::identifier& methodName) const
+{
+    return getProperty (methodName).isMethod();
+}
+
+const var DynamicObject::invokeMethod (const var::identifier& methodName,
+                                       const var* parameters,
+                                       int numParameters)
+{
+    return properties [methodName].invoke (var (this), parameters, numParameters);
+}
+
+void DynamicObject::setMethod (const var::identifier& name,
+                               var::MethodFunction methodFunction)
+{
+    properties.set (name, var (methodFunction));
+}
+
+void DynamicObject::clear()
+{
+    properties.clear();
+}
+
+
+END_JUCE_NAMESPACE
diff --git a/src/containers/juce_DynamicObject.h b/src/containers/juce_DynamicObject.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8bec023cd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/containers/juce_DynamicObject.h
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+/*
+  ==============================================================================
+
+   This file is part of the JUCE library - "Jules' Utility Class Extensions"
+   Copyright 2004-9 by Raw Material Software Ltd.
+
+  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+   JUCE can be redistributed and/or modified under the terms of the GNU General
+   Public License (Version 2), as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+   A copy of the license is included in the JUCE distribution, or can be found
+   online at www.gnu.org/licenses.
+
+   JUCE is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+   WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+   A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+   To release a closed-source product which uses JUCE, commercial licenses are
+   available: visit www.rawmaterialsoftware.com/juce for more information.
+
+  ==============================================================================
+*/
+
+#ifndef __JUCE_DYNAMICOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
+#define __JUCE_DYNAMICOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
+
+#include "juce_NamedValueSet.h"
+#include "juce_ReferenceCountedObject.h"
+
+
+//==============================================================================
+/**
+    Represents a dynamically implemented object.
+
+    This class is primarily intended for wrapping scripting language objects,
+    but could be used for other purposes.
+
+    An instance of a DynamicObject can be used to store named properties, and
+    by subclassing hasMethod() and invokeMethod(), you can give your object
+    methods.
+*/
+class JUCE_API  DynamicObject  : public ReferenceCountedObject
+{
+public:
+    //==============================================================================
+    DynamicObject();
+
+    /** Destructor. */
+    virtual ~DynamicObject();
+
+    //==============================================================================
+    /** Returns true if the object has a property with this name.
+        Note that if the property is actually a method, this will return false.
+    */
+    virtual bool hasProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const;
+
+    /** Returns a named property.
+
+        This returns a void if no such property exists.
+    */
+    virtual const var getProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const;
+
+    /** Sets a named property. */
+    virtual void setProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName, const var& newValue);
+
+    /** Removes a named property. */
+    virtual void removeProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName);
+
+    //==============================================================================
+    /** Checks whether this object has the specified method.
+
+        The default implementation of this just checks whether there's a property
+        with this name that's actually a method, but this can be overridden for
+        building objects with dynamic invocation.
+    */
+    virtual bool hasMethod (const var::identifier& methodName) const;
+
+    /** Invokes a named method on this object.
+
+        The default implementation looks up the named property, and if it's a method
+        call, then it invokes it.
+
+        This method is virtual to allow more dynamic invocation to used for objects
+        where the methods may not already be set as properies.
+    */
+    virtual const var invokeMethod (const var::identifier& methodName,
+                                    const var* parameters,
+                                    int numParameters);
+
+    /** Sets up a method.
+
+        This is basically the same as calling setProperty (methodName, (var::MethodFunction) myFunction), but
+        helps to avoid accidentally invoking the wrong type of var constructor. It also makes
+        the code easier to read,
+
+        The compiler will probably force you to use an explicit cast your method to a (var::MethodFunction), e.g.
+        @code
+        setMethod ("doSomething", (var::MethodFunction) &MyClass::doSomething);
+        @endcode
+    */
+    void setMethod (const var::identifier& methodName,
+                    var::MethodFunction methodFunction);
+
+    //==============================================================================
+    /** Removes all properties and methods from the object. */
+    void clear();
+
+    //==============================================================================
+    juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
+
+private:
+    NamedValueSet properties;
+};
+
+
+
+#endif   // __JUCE_DYNAMICOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
diff --git a/src/containers/juce_NamedValueSet.cpp b/src/containers/juce_NamedValueSet.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..60abd72a97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/containers/juce_NamedValueSet.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+/*
+  ==============================================================================
+
+   This file is part of the JUCE library - "Jules' Utility Class Extensions"
+   Copyright 2004-9 by Raw Material Software Ltd.
+
+  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+   JUCE can be redistributed and/or modified under the terms of the GNU General
+   Public License (Version 2), as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+   A copy of the license is included in the JUCE distribution, or can be found
+   online at www.gnu.org/licenses.
+
+   JUCE is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+   WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+   A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+   To release a closed-source product which uses JUCE, commercial licenses are
+   available: visit www.rawmaterialsoftware.com/juce for more information.
+
+  ==============================================================================
+*/
+
+#include "../core/juce_StandardHeader.h"
+
+BEGIN_JUCE_NAMESPACE
+
+#include "juce_NamedValueSet.h"
+
+
+//==============================================================================
+NamedValueSet::NamedValue::NamedValue() throw()
+{
+}
+
+inline NamedValueSet::NamedValue::NamedValue (const var::identifier& name_, const var& value_)
+    : name (name_), value (value_)
+{
+}
+
+//==============================================================================
+NamedValueSet::NamedValueSet() throw()
+{
+}
+
+NamedValueSet::NamedValueSet (const NamedValueSet& other)
+    : values (other.values)
+{
+}
+
+NamedValueSet& NamedValueSet::operator= (const NamedValueSet& other)
+{
+    values = other.values;
+    return *this;
+}
+
+NamedValueSet::~NamedValueSet()
+{
+}
+
+int NamedValueSet::size() const throw()
+{
+    return values.size();
+}
+
+const var& NamedValueSet::operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const
+{
+    for (int i = values.size(); --i >= 0;)
+    {
+        const NamedValue& v = values.getReference(i);
+
+        if (v.name == name)
+            return v.value;
+    }
+
+    return var::null;
+}
+
+const var NamedValueSet::getWithDefault (const var::identifier& name, const var& defaultReturnValue) const
+{
+    const var* v = getItem (name);
+    return v != 0 ? *v : defaultReturnValue;
+}
+
+var* NamedValueSet::getItem (const var::identifier& name) const
+{
+    for (int i = values.size(); --i >= 0;)
+    {
+        NamedValue& v = values.getReference(i);
+
+        if (v.name == name)
+            return &(v.value);
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+bool NamedValueSet::set (const var::identifier& name, const var& newValue)
+{
+    for (int i = values.size(); --i >= 0;)
+    {
+        NamedValue& v = values.getReference(i);
+
+        if (v.name == name)
+        {
+            if (v.value == newValue)
+                return false;
+
+            v.value = newValue;
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    values.add (NamedValue (name, newValue));
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool NamedValueSet::contains (const var::identifier& name) const
+{
+    return getItem (name) != 0;
+}
+
+bool NamedValueSet::remove (const var::identifier& name)
+{
+    for (int i = values.size(); --i >= 0;)
+    {
+        if (values.getReference(i).name == name)
+        {
+            values.remove (i);
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+const var::identifier NamedValueSet::getName (int index) const
+{
+    jassert (((unsigned int) index) < (unsigned int) values.size());
+    return values [index].name;
+}
+
+void NamedValueSet::clear()
+{
+    values.clear();
+}
+
+
+END_JUCE_NAMESPACE
diff --git a/src/containers/juce_NamedValueSet.h b/src/containers/juce_NamedValueSet.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7175934091
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/containers/juce_NamedValueSet.h
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+/*
+  ==============================================================================
+
+   This file is part of the JUCE library - "Jules' Utility Class Extensions"
+   Copyright 2004-9 by Raw Material Software Ltd.
+
+  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+   JUCE can be redistributed and/or modified under the terms of the GNU General
+   Public License (Version 2), as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+   A copy of the license is included in the JUCE distribution, or can be found
+   online at www.gnu.org/licenses.
+
+   JUCE is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+   WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+   A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+   To release a closed-source product which uses JUCE, commercial licenses are
+   available: visit www.rawmaterialsoftware.com/juce for more information.
+
+  ==============================================================================
+*/
+
+#ifndef __JUCE_NAMEDVALUESET_JUCEHEADER__
+#define __JUCE_NAMEDVALUESET_JUCEHEADER__
+
+#include "juce_Variant.h"
+#include "../containers/juce_Array.h"
+
+
+//==============================================================================
+/** Holds a set of named var objects.
+
+    This can be used as a basic structure to hold a set of var object, which can
+    be retrieved by using their identifier.
+*/
+class JUCE_API  NamedValueSet
+{
+public:
+    /** Creates an empty set. */
+    NamedValueSet() throw();
+
+    /** Creates a copy of another set. */
+    NamedValueSet (const NamedValueSet& other);
+
+    /** Replaces this set with a copy of another set. */
+    NamedValueSet& operator= (const NamedValueSet& other);
+
+    /** Destructor. */
+    ~NamedValueSet();
+
+    //==============================================================================
+    /** Returns the total number of values that the set contains. */
+    int size() const throw();
+
+    /** Returns the value of a named item.
+        If the name isn't found, this will return a void variant.
+        @see getProperty
+    */
+    const var& operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const;
+
+    /** Tries to return the named value, but if no such value is found, this will
+        instead return the supplied default value.
+    */
+    const var getWithDefault (const var::identifier& name, const var& defaultReturnValue) const;
+
+    /** Returns a pointer to the object holding a named value, or
+        null if there is no value with this name. */
+    var* getItem (const var::identifier& name) const;
+
+    /** Changes or adds a named value.
+        @returns true if a value was changed or added; false if the
+                 value was already set the the value passed-in.
+    */
+    bool set (const var::identifier& name, const var& newValue);
+
+    /** Returns true if the node contains an item with the specified name. */
+    bool contains (const var::identifier& name) const;
+
+    /** Removes a value from the set.
+        @returns    true if a value was removed; false if there was no value
+                    with the name that was given.
+    */
+    bool remove (const var::identifier& name);
+
+    /** Returns the name of the value at a given index.
+        The index must be between 0 and size() - 1. Out-of-range indexes will
+        return an empty identifier.
+    */
+    const var::identifier getName (int index) const;
+
+    /** Removes all values. */
+    void clear();
+
+    //==============================================================================
+    juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
+
+private:
+    struct NamedValue
+    {
+        NamedValue() throw();
+        NamedValue (const var::identifier& name, const var& value);
+
+        var::identifier name;
+        var value;
+    };
+
+    Array <NamedValue> values;
+};
+
+
+#endif   // __JUCE_NAMEDVALUESET_JUCEHEADER__
diff --git a/src/containers/juce_ValueTree.cpp b/src/containers/juce_ValueTree.cpp
index 4e11140c7c..0063739b55 100644
--- a/src/containers/juce_ValueTree.cpp
+++ b/src/containers/juce_ValueTree.cpp
@@ -142,16 +142,9 @@ ValueTree::SharedObject::SharedObject (const String& type_)
 }
 
 ValueTree::SharedObject::SharedObject (const SharedObject& other)
-    : type (other.type), parent (0)
+    : type (other.type), properties (other.properties), parent (0)
 {
-    int i;
-    for (i = 0; i < other.properties.size(); ++i)
-    {
-        const Property* const p = other.properties.getUnchecked(i);
-        properties.add (new Property (p->name, p->value));
-    }
-
-    for (i = 0; i < other.children.size(); ++i)
+    for (int i = 0; i < other.children.size(); ++i)
         children.add (new SharedObject (*other.children.getUnchecked(i)));
 }
 
@@ -168,11 +161,6 @@ ValueTree::SharedObject::~SharedObject()
     }
 }
 
-ValueTree::SharedObject::Property::Property (const var::identifier& name_, const var& value_)
-    : name (name_), value (value_)
-{
-}
-
 //==============================================================================
 void ValueTree::deliverPropertyChangeMessage (ValueTree& tree, const var::identifier& property)
 {
@@ -269,83 +257,50 @@ void ValueTree::SharedObject::sendParentChangeMessage()
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
-const var ValueTree::SharedObject::getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const
+const var& ValueTree::SharedObject::getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const
 {
-    for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
-    {
-        const Property* const p = properties.getUnchecked(i);
-        if (p->name == name)
-            return p->value;
-    }
-
-    return var();
+    return properties [name];
 }
 
 void ValueTree::SharedObject::setProperty (const var::identifier& name, const var& newValue, UndoManager* const undoManager)
 {
-    for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
-    {
-        Property* const p = properties.getUnchecked(i);
-
-        if (p->name == name)
-        {
-            if (p->value != newValue)
-            {
-                if (undoManager == 0)
-                {
-                    p->value = newValue;
-                    sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, newValue, false, false));
-                }
-            }
-
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-
     if (undoManager == 0)
     {
-        properties.add (new Property (name, newValue));
-        sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
+        if (properties.set (name, newValue))
+            sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
     }
     else
     {
-        undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, newValue, true, false));
+        var* const existingValue = properties.getItem (name);
+
+        if (existingValue != 0)
+        {
+            if (*existingValue != newValue)
+                undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, newValue, false, false));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, newValue, true, false));
+        }
     }
 }
 
 bool ValueTree::SharedObject::hasProperty (const var::identifier& name) const
 {
-    for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
-        if (properties.getUnchecked(i)->name == name)
-            return true;
-
-    return false;
+    return properties.contains (name);
 }
 
 void ValueTree::SharedObject::removeProperty (const var::identifier& name, UndoManager* const undoManager)
 {
-    for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
+    if (undoManager == 0)
     {
-        Property* const p = properties.getUnchecked(i);
-
-        if (p->name == name)
-        {
-            if (undoManager == 0)
-            {
-                properties.remove (i);
-                sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, var(), false, true));
-            }
-
-            break;
-        }
+        if (properties.remove (name))
+            sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        if (properties.contains (name))
+            undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, name, var::null, false, true));
     }
 }
 
@@ -355,15 +310,15 @@ void ValueTree::SharedObject::removeAllProperties (UndoManager* const undoManage
     {
         while (properties.size() > 0)
         {
-            const var::identifier name (properties.getLast()->name);
-            properties.removeLast();
+            const var::identifier name (properties.getName (properties.size() - 1));
+            properties.remove (name);
             sendPropertyChangeMessage (name);
         }
     }
     else
     {
         for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
-            undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, properties.getUnchecked(i)->name, var(), false, true));
+            undoManager->perform (new ValueTreeSetPropertyAction (this, properties.getName(i), var::null, false, true));
     }
 }
 
@@ -534,14 +489,14 @@ ValueTree ValueTree::getParent() const
     return object != 0 ? ValueTree (object->parent) : ValueTree ((SharedObject*) 0);
 }
 
-const var ValueTree::operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const
+const var& ValueTree::operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const
 {
-    return object == 0 ? var() : object->getProperty (name);
+    return object == 0 ? var::null : object->getProperty (name);
 }
 
-const var ValueTree::getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const
+const var& ValueTree::getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const
 {
-    return object == 0 ? var() : object->getProperty (name);
+    return object == 0 ? var::null : object->getProperty (name);
 }
 
 void ValueTree::setProperty (const var::identifier& name, const var& newValue, UndoManager* const undoManager)
@@ -576,8 +531,8 @@ int ValueTree::getNumProperties() const
 
 const var::identifier ValueTree::getPropertyName (int index) const
 {
-    const SharedObject::Property* const p = (object == 0) ? 0 : object->properties [index];
-    return p != 0 ? p->name : var::identifier (String::empty);
+    return (object == 0) ? var::identifier()
+                         : object->properties.getName (index);
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
@@ -710,11 +665,12 @@ XmlElement* ValueTree::SharedObject::createXml() const
     int i;
     for (i = 0; i < properties.size(); ++i)
     {
-        const Property* const p = properties.getUnchecked(i);
+        var::identifier name (properties.getName(i));
+        const var& v = properties [name];
 
-        jassert (! p->value.isObject()); // DynamicObjects can't be stored as XML!
+        jassert (! v.isObject()); // DynamicObjects can't be stored as XML!
 
-        xml->setAttribute (p->name.name, p->value.toString());
+        xml->setAttribute (name.name, v.toString());
     }
 
     for (i = 0; i < children.size(); ++i)
diff --git a/src/containers/juce_ValueTree.h b/src/containers/juce_ValueTree.h
index 38b862524b..1744b2e1e5 100644
--- a/src/containers/juce_ValueTree.h
+++ b/src/containers/juce_ValueTree.h
@@ -26,12 +26,13 @@
 #ifndef __JUCE_VALUETREE_JUCEHEADER__
 #define __JUCE_VALUETREE_JUCEHEADER__
 
-#include "juce_Variant.h"
+#include "juce_NamedValueSet.h"
 #include "juce_Value.h"
 #include "../utilities/juce_UndoManager.h"
 #include "../text/juce_XmlElement.h"
 #include "juce_ReferenceCountedArray.h"
 
+
 //==============================================================================
 /**
     A powerful tree structure that can be used to hold free-form data, and which can
@@ -126,14 +127,14 @@ public:
         You can also use operator[] to get a property.
         @see var, setProperty, hasProperty
     */
-    const var getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const;
+    const var& getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const;
 
     /** Returns the value of a named property.
         If no such property has been set, this will return a void variant. This is the same as
         calling getProperty().
         @see getProperty
     */
-    const var operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const;
+    const var& operator[] (const var::identifier& name) const;
 
     /** Changes a named property of the node.
         If the undoManager parameter is non-null, its UndoManager::perform() method will be used,
@@ -354,16 +355,8 @@ private:
         SharedObject (const SharedObject& other);
         ~SharedObject();
 
-        struct Property
-        {
-            Property (const var::identifier& name, const var& value);
-
-            var::identifier name;
-            var value;
-        };
-
         const String type;
-        OwnedArray <Property> properties;
+        NamedValueSet properties;
         ReferenceCountedArray <SharedObject> children;
         SortedSet <ValueTree*> valueTreesWithListeners;
         SharedObject* parent;
@@ -373,7 +366,7 @@ private:
         void sendChildChangeMessage();
         void sendChildChangeMessage (ValueTree& tree);
         void sendParentChangeMessage();
-        const var getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const;
+        const var& getProperty (const var::identifier& name) const;
         void setProperty (const var::identifier& name, const var& newValue, UndoManager* const undoManager);
         bool hasProperty (const var::identifier& name) const;
         void removeProperty (const var::identifier& name, UndoManager* const undoManager);
diff --git a/src/containers/juce_Variant.cpp b/src/containers/juce_Variant.cpp
index a1bb205cc6..c43edcb30b 100644
--- a/src/containers/juce_Variant.cpp
+++ b/src/containers/juce_Variant.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 BEGIN_JUCE_NAMESPACE
 
 #include "juce_Variant.h"
-
+#include "juce_DynamicObject.h"
 
 //==============================================================================
 var::var() throw()
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ var::var() throw()
     value.doubleValue = 0;
 }
 
-var::~var()
+var::~var() throw()
 {
     if (type == stringType)
         delete value.stringValue;
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ var::~var()
         value.objectValue->decReferenceCount();
 }
 
+const var var::null;
+
 //==============================================================================
 var::var (const var& valueToCopy)
    : type (valueToCopy.type),
@@ -190,6 +192,7 @@ const String var::toString() const
         case doubleType:    return String (value.doubleValue);
         case stringType:    return *(value.stringValue);
         case objectType:    return "Object 0x" + String::toHexString ((int) (pointer_sized_int) value.objectValue);
+        case methodType:    return "Method";
         default:            jassertfalse; break;
     }
 
@@ -216,6 +219,7 @@ bool var::operator== (const var& other) const throw()
         case doubleType:    return value.doubleValue == (double) other;
         case stringType:    return (*(value.stringValue)) == other.toString();
         case objectType:    return value.objectValue == other.getObject();
+        case methodType:    return value.methodValue == other.value.methodValue && other.isMethod();
         default:            jassertfalse; break;
     }
 
@@ -245,7 +249,8 @@ void var::writeToStream (OutputStream& output) const
             output.write (temp, len);
             break;
         }
-        case objectType:    output.writeCompressedInt (0); jassertfalse; break; // Can't write an object to a stream!
+        case objectType:
+        case methodType:    output.writeCompressedInt (0); jassertfalse; break; // Can't write an object to a stream!
         default:            jassertfalse; break; // Is this a corrupted object?
     }
 }
@@ -273,7 +278,7 @@ const var var::readFromStream (InputStream& input)
         }
     }
 
-    return var();
+    return var::null;
 }
 
 const var var::operator[] (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
@@ -281,7 +286,7 @@ const var var::operator[] (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
     if (type == objectType && value.objectValue != 0)
         return value.objectValue->getProperty (propertyName);
 
-    return var();
+    return var::null;
 }
 
 const var var::invoke (const var::identifier& method, const var* arguments, int numArguments) const
@@ -289,7 +294,7 @@ const var var::invoke (const var::identifier& method, const var* arguments, int
     if (type == objectType && value.objectValue != 0)
         return value.objectValue->invokeMethod (method, arguments, numArguments);
 
-    return var();
+    return var::null;
 }
 
 const var var::invoke (const var& targetObject, const var* arguments, int numArguments) const
@@ -302,7 +307,7 @@ const var var::invoke (const var& targetObject, const var* arguments, int numArg
             return (target->*(value.methodValue)) (arguments, numArguments);
     }
 
-    return var();
+    return var::null;
 }
 
 const var var::call (const var::identifier& method) const
@@ -341,6 +346,11 @@ const var var::call (const var::identifier& method, const var& arg1, const var&
 
 
 //==============================================================================
+var::identifier::identifier() throw()
+    : hashCode (0)
+{
+}
+
 var::identifier::identifier (const String& name_)
     : name (name_),
       hashCode (name_.hashCode())
@@ -359,79 +369,5 @@ var::identifier::~identifier()
 {
 }
 
-//==============================================================================
-//==============================================================================
-DynamicObject::DynamicObject()
-{
-}
-
-DynamicObject::~DynamicObject()
-{
-}
-
-bool DynamicObject::hasProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
-{
-    const int index = propertyIds.indexOf (propertyName.hashCode);
-    return index >= 0 && ! propertyValues.getUnchecked (index)->isMethod();
-}
-
-const var DynamicObject::getProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const
-{
-    const int index = propertyIds.indexOf (propertyName.hashCode);
-    if (index >= 0)
-        return *propertyValues.getUnchecked (index);
-
-    return var();
-}
-
-void DynamicObject::setProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName, const var& newValue)
-{
-    const int index = propertyIds.indexOf (propertyName.hashCode);
-
-    if (index >= 0)
-    {
-        propertyValues.set (index, new var (newValue));
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        propertyIds.add (propertyName.hashCode);
-        propertyValues.add (new var (newValue));
-    }
-}
-
-void DynamicObject::removeProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName)
-{
-    const int index = propertyIds.indexOf (propertyName.hashCode);
-
-    if (index >= 0)
-    {
-        propertyIds.remove (index);
-        propertyValues.remove (index);
-    }
-}
-
-bool DynamicObject::hasMethod (const var::identifier& methodName) const
-{
-    return getProperty (methodName).isMethod();
-}
-
-const var DynamicObject::invokeMethod (const var::identifier& methodName,
-                                       const var* parameters,
-                                       int numParameters)
-{
-    return getProperty (methodName).invoke (var (this), parameters, numParameters);
-}
-
-void DynamicObject::setMethod (const var::identifier& name,
-                               var::MethodFunction methodFunction)
-{
-    setProperty (name, var (methodFunction));
-}
-
-void DynamicObject::clear()
-{
-    propertyIds.clear();
-    propertyValues.clear();
-}
 
 END_JUCE_NAMESPACE
diff --git a/src/containers/juce_Variant.h b/src/containers/juce_Variant.h
index 5f5edde4b2..1689dbdd57 100644
--- a/src/containers/juce_Variant.h
+++ b/src/containers/juce_Variant.h
@@ -26,10 +26,6 @@
 #ifndef __JUCE_VARIANT_JUCEHEADER__
 #define __JUCE_VARIANT_JUCEHEADER__
 
-#include "juce_ReferenceCountedObject.h"
-#include "juce_OwnedArray.h"
-#include "../text/juce_StringArray.h"
-#include "../containers/juce_Array.h"
 #include "../io/streams/juce_OutputStream.h"
 #include "../io/streams/juce_InputStream.h"
 
@@ -57,7 +53,10 @@ public:
     var() throw();
 
     /** Destructor. */
-    ~var();
+    ~var() throw();
+
+    /** A static var object that can be used where you need an empty variant object. */
+    static const var null;
 
     var (const var& valueToCopy);
     var (const int value) throw();
@@ -116,6 +115,7 @@ public:
     class JUCE_API  identifier
     {
     public:
+        identifier() throw();
         identifier (const char* const name);
         identifier (const String& name);
         ~identifier();
@@ -183,90 +183,5 @@ private:
     ValueUnion value;
 };
 
-//==============================================================================
-/**
-    Represents a dynamically implemented object.
-
-    An instance of this class can be used to store named properties, and
-    by subclassing hasMethod() and invokeMethod(), you can give your object
-    methods.
-
-    This is intended for use as a wrapper for scripting language objects.
-*/
-class JUCE_API  DynamicObject  : public ReferenceCountedObject
-{
-public:
-    //==============================================================================
-    DynamicObject();
-
-    /** Destructor. */
-    virtual ~DynamicObject();
-
-    //==============================================================================
-    /** Returns true if the object has a property with this name.
-        Note that if the property is actually a method, this will return false.
-    */
-    virtual bool hasProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const;
-
-    /** Returns a named property.
-
-        This returns a void if no such property exists.
-    */
-    virtual const var getProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName) const;
-
-    /** Sets a named property. */
-    virtual void setProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName, const var& newValue);
-
-    /** Removes a named property. */
-    virtual void removeProperty (const var::identifier& propertyName);
-
-    //==============================================================================
-    /** Checks whether this object has the specified method.
-
-        The default implementation of this just checks whether there's a property
-        with this name that's actually a method, but this can be overridden for
-        building objects with dynamic invocation.
-    */
-    virtual bool hasMethod (const var::identifier& methodName) const;
-
-    /** Invokes a named method on this object.
-
-        The default implementation looks up the named property, and if it's a method
-        call, then it invokes it.
-
-        This method is virtual to allow more dynamic invocation to used for objects
-        where the methods may not already be set as properies.
-    */
-    virtual const var invokeMethod (const var::identifier& methodName,
-                                    const var* parameters,
-                                    int numParameters);
-
-    /** Sets up a method.
-
-        This is basically the same as calling setProperty (methodName, (var::MethodFunction) myFunction), but
-        helps to avoid accidentally invoking the wrong type of var constructor. It also makes
-        the code easier to read,
-
-        The compiler will probably force you to use an explicit cast your method to a (var::MethodFunction), e.g.
-        @code
-        setMethod ("doSomething", (var::MethodFunction) &MyClass::doSomething);
-        @endcode
-    */
-    void setMethod (const var::identifier& methodName,
-                    var::MethodFunction methodFunction);
-
-    //==============================================================================
-    /** Removes all properties and methods from the object. */
-    void clear();
-
-    //==============================================================================
-    juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
-
-private:
-    Array <int> propertyIds;
-    OwnedArray <var> propertyValues;
-};
-
-
 
 #endif   // __JUCE_VARIANT_JUCEHEADER__
diff --git a/src/core/juce_PlatformUtilities.h b/src/core/juce_PlatformUtilities.h
index e7655d918f..cda33d6e58 100644
--- a/src/core/juce_PlatformUtilities.h
+++ b/src/core/juce_PlatformUtilities.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #define __JUCE_PLATFORMUTILITIES_JUCEHEADER__
 
 #include "../text/juce_StringArray.h"
+#include "../io/files/juce_File.h"
 
 
 //==============================================================================
diff --git a/src/gui/components/controls/juce_TableListBox.cpp b/src/gui/components/controls/juce_TableListBox.cpp
index aa23dccd4b..e9d8c883f9 100644
--- a/src/gui/components/controls/juce_TableListBox.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/components/controls/juce_TableListBox.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ BEGIN_JUCE_NAMESPACE
 
 
 //==============================================================================
-static const tchar* const tableColumnPropertyTag = T("_tableColumnID");
+static const char* const tableColumnPropertyTag = "_tableColumnID";
 
 class TableListRowComp   : public Component,
                            public TooltipClient
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ public:
         {
             jassert (row >= 0);
 
-            const tchar* const tagPropertyName = T("_tableLastUseNum");
+            const var::identifier tagPropertyName ("_tableLastUseNum");
             const int newTag = Random::getSystemRandom().nextInt();
 
             const TableHeaderComponent* const header = owner.getHeader();
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ public:
                     if (newComp != 0)
                     {
                         addAndMakeVisible (newComp);
-                        newComp->setComponentProperty (tagPropertyName, newTag);
-                        newComp->setComponentProperty (tableColumnPropertyTag, columnId);
+                        newComp->getProperties().set (tagPropertyName, newTag);
+                        newComp->getProperties().set (tableColumnPropertyTag, columnId);
 
                         const Rectangle columnRect (header->getColumnPosition (i));
                         newComp->setBounds (columnRect.getX(), 0, columnRect.getWidth(), getHeight());
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public:
             {
                 Component* const c = getChildComponent (i);
 
-                if (c->getComponentPropertyInt (tagPropertyName, false, 0) != newTag)
+                if ((int) c->getProperties() [tagPropertyName] != newTag)
                     delete c;
             }
         }
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ public:
         {
             Component* const c = getChildComponent (i);
 
-            const int columnId = c->getComponentPropertyInt (tableColumnPropertyTag, false, 0);
+            const int columnId = c->getProperties() [tableColumnPropertyTag];
 
             if (columnId != 0)
             {
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ private:
         {
             Component* const c = getChildComponent (i);
 
-            if (c->getComponentPropertyInt (tableColumnPropertyTag, false, 0) == columnId)
+            if ((int) c->getProperties() [tableColumnPropertyTag] == columnId)
                 return c;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/gui/components/juce_Component.cpp b/src/gui/components/juce_Component.cpp
index f56dd27f78..c11d3cfccb 100644
--- a/src/gui/components/juce_Component.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/components/juce_Component.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ Component::Component() throw()
     mouseListeners_ (0),
     keyListeners_ (0),
     componentListeners_ (0),
-    propertySet_ (0),
     componentFlags_ (0)
 {
 }
@@ -130,7 +129,6 @@ Component::Component (const String& name) throw()
     mouseListeners_ (0),
     keyListeners_ (0),
     componentListeners_ (0),
-    propertySet_ (0),
     componentFlags_ (0)
 {
 }
@@ -162,7 +160,6 @@ Component::~Component()
     delete mouseListeners_;
     delete keyListeners_;
     delete componentListeners_;
-    delete propertySet_;
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
@@ -1904,7 +1901,7 @@ void Component::sendLookAndFeelChange()
     }
 }
 
-static const String getColourPropertyName (const int colourId) throw()
+static const var::identifier getColourPropertyId (const int colourId)
 {
     String s;
     s.preallocateStorage (18);
@@ -1914,62 +1911,49 @@ static const String getColourPropertyName (const int colourId) throw()
 
 const Colour Component::findColour (const int colourId, const bool inheritFromParent) const throw()
 {
-    const String customColour (getComponentProperty (getColourPropertyName (colourId),
-                                                     inheritFromParent,
-                                                     String::empty));
+    var* v = properties.getItem (getColourPropertyId (colourId));
 
-    if (customColour.isNotEmpty())
-        return Colour (customColour.getIntValue());
+    if (v != 0)
+        return Colour ((int) *v);
+
+    if (inheritFromParent && parentComponent_ != 0)
+        return parentComponent_->findColour (colourId, true);
 
     return getLookAndFeel().findColour (colourId);
 }
 
 bool Component::isColourSpecified (const int colourId) const throw()
 {
-    return getComponentProperty (getColourPropertyName (colourId),
-                                 false,
-                                 String::empty).isNotEmpty();
+    return properties.contains (getColourPropertyId (colourId));
 }
 
 void Component::removeColour (const int colourId)
 {
-    if (isColourSpecified (colourId))
-    {
-        removeComponentProperty (getColourPropertyName (colourId));
+    if (properties.remove (getColourPropertyId (colourId)))
         colourChanged();
-    }
 }
 
 void Component::setColour (const int colourId, const Colour& colour)
 {
-    const String colourName (getColourPropertyName (colourId));
-    const String customColour (getComponentProperty (colourName, false, String::empty));
-
-    if (customColour.isEmpty() || Colour (customColour.getIntValue()) != colour)
-    {
-        setComponentProperty (colourName, colour);
+    if (properties.set (getColourPropertyId (colourId), (int) colour.getARGB()))
         colourChanged();
-    }
 }
 
 void Component::copyAllExplicitColoursTo (Component& target) const throw()
 {
-    if (propertySet_ != 0)
+    bool changed = false;
+
+    for (int i = properties.size(); --i >= 0;)
     {
-        const StringPairArray& props = propertySet_->getAllProperties();
-        const StringArray& keys = props.getAllKeys();
+        const var::identifier name (properties.getName(i));
 
-        for (int i = 0; i < keys.size(); ++i)
-        {
-            if (keys[i].startsWith (T("jcclr_")))
-            {
-                target.setComponentProperty (keys[i],
-                                             props.getAllValues() [i]);
-            }
-        }
+        if (name.name.startsWith (T("jcclr_")))
+            if (target.properties.set (name, properties [name]))
+                changed = true;
+    }
 
+    if (changed)
         target.colourChanged();
-    }
 }
 
 void Component::colourChanged()
@@ -3242,12 +3226,12 @@ bool Component::isFocusContainer() const throw()
 
 int Component::getExplicitFocusOrder() const throw()
 {
-    return getComponentPropertyInt (T("_jexfo"), false, 0);
+    return properties ["_jexfo"];
 }
 
 void Component::setExplicitFocusOrder (const int newFocusOrderIndex) throw()
 {
-    setComponentProperty (T("_jexfo"), newFocusOrderIndex);
+    properties.set ("_jexfo", newFocusOrderIndex);
 }
 
 KeyboardFocusTraverser* Component::createFocusTraverser()
@@ -3552,111 +3536,6 @@ ComponentPeer* Component::getPeer() const throw()
         return 0;
 }
 
-//==============================================================================
-const String Component::getComponentProperty (const String& keyName,
-                                              const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-                                              const String& defaultReturnValue) const throw()
-{
-    if (propertySet_ != 0 && ((! useParentComponentIfNotFound) || propertySet_->containsKey (keyName)))
-        return propertySet_->getValue (keyName, defaultReturnValue);
-
-    if (useParentComponentIfNotFound && (parentComponent_ != 0))
-        return parentComponent_->getComponentProperty (keyName, true, defaultReturnValue);
-
-    return defaultReturnValue;
-}
-
-int Component::getComponentPropertyInt (const String& keyName,
-                                        const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-                                        const int defaultReturnValue) const throw()
-{
-    if (propertySet_ != 0 && ((! useParentComponentIfNotFound) || propertySet_->containsKey (keyName)))
-        return propertySet_->getIntValue (keyName, defaultReturnValue);
-
-    if (useParentComponentIfNotFound && (parentComponent_ != 0))
-        return parentComponent_->getComponentPropertyInt (keyName, true, defaultReturnValue);
-
-    return defaultReturnValue;
-}
-
-double Component::getComponentPropertyDouble (const String& keyName,
-                                              const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-                                              const double defaultReturnValue) const throw()
-{
-    if (propertySet_ != 0 && ((! useParentComponentIfNotFound) || propertySet_->containsKey (keyName)))
-        return propertySet_->getDoubleValue (keyName, defaultReturnValue);
-
-    if (useParentComponentIfNotFound && (parentComponent_ != 0))
-        return parentComponent_->getComponentPropertyDouble (keyName, true, defaultReturnValue);
-
-    return defaultReturnValue;
-}
-
-bool Component::getComponentPropertyBool (const String& keyName,
-                                          const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-                                          const bool defaultReturnValue) const throw()
-{
-    if (propertySet_ != 0 && ((! useParentComponentIfNotFound) || propertySet_->containsKey (keyName)))
-        return propertySet_->getBoolValue (keyName, defaultReturnValue);
-
-    if (useParentComponentIfNotFound && (parentComponent_ != 0))
-        return parentComponent_->getComponentPropertyBool (keyName, true, defaultReturnValue);
-
-    return defaultReturnValue;
-}
-
-const Colour Component::getComponentPropertyColour (const String& keyName,
-                                                    const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-                                                    const Colour& defaultReturnValue) const throw()
-{
-    return Colour ((uint32) getComponentPropertyInt (keyName,
-                                                     useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-                                                     defaultReturnValue.getARGB()));
-}
-
-void Component::setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const String& value) throw()
-{
-    if (propertySet_ == 0)
-        propertySet_ = new PropertySet();
-
-    propertySet_->setValue (keyName, value);
-}
-
-void Component::setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const int value) throw()
-{
-    if (propertySet_ == 0)
-        propertySet_ = new PropertySet();
-
-    propertySet_->setValue (keyName, value);
-}
-
-void Component::setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const double value) throw()
-{
-    if (propertySet_ == 0)
-        propertySet_ = new PropertySet();
-
-    propertySet_->setValue (keyName, value);
-}
-
-void Component::setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const bool value) throw()
-{
-    if (propertySet_ == 0)
-        propertySet_ = new PropertySet();
-
-    propertySet_->setValue (keyName, value);
-}
-
-void Component::setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const Colour& colour) throw()
-{
-    setComponentProperty (keyName, (int) colour.getARGB());
-}
-
-void Component::removeComponentProperty (const String& keyName) throw()
-{
-    if (propertySet_ != 0)
-        propertySet_->removeValue (keyName);
-}
-
 //==============================================================================
 ComponentDeletionWatcher::ComponentDeletionWatcher (const Component* const componentToWatch_) throw()
     : componentToWatch (componentToWatch_),
diff --git a/src/gui/components/juce_Component.h b/src/gui/components/juce_Component.h
index f8fdea5262..37a9e055f8 100644
--- a/src/gui/components/juce_Component.h
+++ b/src/gui/components/juce_Component.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 #include "../../events/juce_MessageListener.h"
 #include "../../text/juce_StringArray.h"
 #include "../../containers/juce_VoidArray.h"
-#include "../../containers/juce_PropertySet.h"
+#include "../../containers/juce_NamedValueSet.h"
 class LookAndFeel;
 
 
@@ -1815,123 +1815,17 @@ public:
 
 
     //==============================================================================
-    /** Returns one of the component's properties as a string.
-
-        @param keyName                          the name of the property to retrieve
-        @param useParentComponentIfNotFound     if this is true and the key isn't present in this component's
-                                                properties, then it will check whether the parent component has
-                                                the key.
-        @param defaultReturnValue               a value to return if the named property doesn't actually exist
-    */
-    const String getComponentProperty (const String& keyName,
-                                       const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-                                       const String& defaultReturnValue = String::empty) const throw();
-
-    /** Returns one of the properties as an integer.
-
-        @param keyName                          the name of the property to retrieve
-        @param useParentComponentIfNotFound     if this is true and the key isn't present in this component's
-                                                properties, then it will check whether the parent component has
-                                                the key.
-        @param defaultReturnValue               a value to return if the named property doesn't actually exist
-    */
-    int getComponentPropertyInt (const String& keyName,
-                                 const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-                                 const int defaultReturnValue = 0) const throw();
-
-    /** Returns one of the properties as an double.
-
-        @param keyName                          the name of the property to retrieve
-        @param useParentComponentIfNotFound     if this is true and the key isn't present in this component's
-                                                properties, then it will check whether the parent component has
-                                                the key.
-        @param defaultReturnValue               a value to return if the named property doesn't actually exist
-    */
-    double getComponentPropertyDouble (const String& keyName,
-                                       const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-                                       const double defaultReturnValue = 0.0) const throw();
-
-    /** Returns one of the properties as an boolean.
-
-        The result will be true if the string found for this key name can be parsed as a non-zero
-        integer.
-
-        @param keyName                          the name of the property to retrieve
-        @param useParentComponentIfNotFound     if this is true and the key isn't present in this component's
-                                                properties, then it will check whether the parent component has
-                                                the key.
-        @param defaultReturnValue               a value to return if the named property doesn't actually exist
-    */
-    bool getComponentPropertyBool (const String& keyName,
-                                   const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-                                   const bool defaultReturnValue = false) const throw();
-
-    /** Returns one of the properties as an colour.
-
-        @param keyName                          the name of the property to retrieve
-        @param useParentComponentIfNotFound     if this is true and the key isn't present in this component's
-                                                properties, then it will check whether the parent component has
-                                                the key.
-        @param defaultReturnValue               a colour to return if the named property doesn't actually exist
-    */
-    const Colour getComponentPropertyColour (const String& keyName,
-                                             const bool useParentComponentIfNotFound,
-                                             const Colour& defaultReturnValue = Colours::black) const throw();
-
-    /** Sets a named property as a string.
-
-        @param keyName      the name of the property to set. (This mustn't be an empty string)
-        @param value        the new value to set it to
-        @see removeComponentProperty
+    /** Returns the set of properties that belong to this component.
+        Each component has a NamedValueSet object which you can use to attach arbitrary
+        items of data to it.
     */
-    void setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const String& value) throw();
-
-    /** Sets a named property to an integer.
-
-        @param keyName      the name of the property to set. (This mustn't be an empty string)
-        @param value        the new value to set it to
-        @see removeComponentProperty
-    */
-    void setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const int value) throw();
-
-    /** Sets a named property to a double.
-
-        @param keyName      the name of the property to set. (This mustn't be an empty string)
-        @param value        the new value to set it to
-        @see removeComponentProperty
-    */
-    void setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const double value) throw();
-
-    /** Sets a named property to a boolean.
-
-        @param keyName      the name of the property to set. (This mustn't be an empty string)
-        @param value        the new value to set it to
-        @see removeComponentProperty
-    */
-    void setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const bool value) throw();
-
-    /** Sets a named property to a colour.
-
-        @param keyName      the name of the property to set. (This mustn't be an empty string)
-        @param newColour    the new colour to set it to
-        @see removeComponentProperty
-    */
-    void setComponentProperty (const String& keyName, const Colour& newColour) throw();
-
-    /** Deletes a named component property.
-
-        @param keyName      the name of the property to delete. (This mustn't be an empty string)
-        @see setComponentProperty, getComponentProperty
-    */
-    void removeComponentProperty (const String& keyName) throw();
-
-    /** Returns the complete set of properties that have been set for this component.
-
-        If no properties have been set, this will return a null pointer.
+    NamedValueSet& getProperties() throw()                              { return properties; }
 
-        @see getComponentProperty, setComponentProperty
+    /** Returns the set of properties that belong to this component.
+        Each component has a NamedValueSet object which you can use to attach arbitrary
+        items of data to it.
     */
-    PropertySet* getComponentProperties() const throw()           { return propertySet_; }
+    const NamedValueSet& getProperties() const throw()                  { return properties; }
 
     //==============================================================================
     /** Looks for a colour that has been registered with the given colour ID number.
@@ -2023,7 +1917,7 @@ private:
     VoidArray* mouseListeners_;
     VoidArray* keyListeners_;
     VoidArray* componentListeners_;
-    PropertySet* propertySet_;
+    NamedValueSet properties;
 
     struct ComponentFlags
     {
diff --git a/src/gui/components/layout/juce_MultiDocumentPanel.cpp b/src/gui/components/layout/juce_MultiDocumentPanel.cpp
index d84a8916b9..e56b126c17 100644
--- a/src/gui/components/layout/juce_MultiDocumentPanel.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/components/layout/juce_MultiDocumentPanel.cpp
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ MultiDocumentPanel::~MultiDocumentPanel()
 //==============================================================================
 static bool shouldDeleteComp (Component* const c)
 {
-    return c->getComponentPropertyBool (T("mdiDocumentDelete_"), false);
+    return c->getProperties() ["mdiDocumentDelete_"];
 }
 
 bool MultiDocumentPanel::closeAllDocuments (const bool checkItsOkToCloseFirst)
@@ -155,7 +155,9 @@ void MultiDocumentPanel::addWindow (Component* component)
     dw->setResizable (true, false);
     dw->setContentComponent (component, false, true);
     dw->setName (component->getName());
-    dw->setBackgroundColour (component->getComponentPropertyColour (T("mdiDocumentBkg_"), false, backgroundColour));
+
+    const var bkg (component->getProperties() ["mdiDocumentBkg_"]);
+    dw->setBackgroundColour (bkg.isVoid() ? backgroundColour : Colour ((int) bkg));
 
     int x = 4;
     Component* const topComp = getChildComponent (getNumChildComponents() - 1);
@@ -165,8 +167,9 @@ void MultiDocumentPanel::addWindow (Component* component)
 
     dw->setTopLeftPosition (x, x);
 
-    if (component->getComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentPos_"), false, String::empty).isNotEmpty())
-        dw->restoreWindowStateFromString (component->getComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentPos_"), false, String::empty));
+    const var pos (component->getProperties() ["mdiDocumentPos_"]);
+    if (pos.toString().isNotEmpty())
+        dw->restoreWindowStateFromString (pos.toString());
 
     addAndMakeVisible (dw);
     dw->toFront (true);
@@ -184,8 +187,8 @@ bool MultiDocumentPanel::addDocument (Component* const component,
         return false;
 
     components.add (component);
-    component->setComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentDelete_"), deleteWhenRemoved);
-    component->setComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentBkg_"), docColour);
+    component->getProperties().set ("mdiDocumentDelete_", deleteWhenRemoved);
+    component->getProperties().set ("mdiDocumentBkg_", (int) docColour.getARGB());
     component->addComponentListener (this);
 
     if (mode == FloatingWindows)
@@ -249,8 +252,8 @@ bool MultiDocumentPanel::closeDocument (Component* component,
         component->removeComponentListener (this);
 
         const bool shouldDelete = shouldDeleteComp (component);
-        component->removeComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentDelete_"));
-        component->removeComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentBkg_"));
+        component->getProperties().remove ("mdiDocumentDelete_");
+        component->getProperties().remove ("mdiDocumentBkg_");
 
         if (mode == FloatingWindows)
         {
@@ -417,7 +420,7 @@ void MultiDocumentPanel::setLayoutMode (const LayoutMode newLayoutMode)
 
                 if (dw != 0)
                 {
-                    dw->getContentComponent()->setComponentProperty (T("mdiDocumentPos_"), dw->getWindowStateAsString());
+                    dw->getContentComponent()->getProperties().set ("mdiDocumentPos_", dw->getWindowStateAsString());
                     dw->setContentComponent (0, false);
                     delete dw;
                 }
@@ -432,8 +435,9 @@ void MultiDocumentPanel::setLayoutMode (const LayoutMode newLayoutMode)
         for (int i = 0; i < tempComps.size(); ++i)
         {
             Component* const c = tempComps.getUnchecked(i);
+
             addDocument (c,
-                         c->getComponentPropertyColour (T("mdiDocumentBkg_"), false, Colours::white),
+                         Colour ((int) c->getProperties().getWithDefault ("mdiDocumentBkg_", (int) Colours::white.getARGB())),
                          shouldDeleteComp (c));
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/gui/components/layout/juce_TabbedComponent.cpp b/src/gui/components/layout/juce_TabbedComponent.cpp
index e8d131e132..957a42cb65 100644
--- a/src/gui/components/layout/juce_TabbedComponent.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/components/layout/juce_TabbedComponent.cpp
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ void TabbedComponent::clearTabs()
         // be careful not to delete these components until they've been removed from the tab component
         jassert (c == 0 || c->isValidComponent());
 
-        if (c != 0 && c->getComponentPropertyBool (T("deleteByTabComp_"), false, false))
+        if (c != 0 && c->getProperties() ["deleteByTabComp_"])
             delete c;
     }
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ void TabbedComponent::addTab (const String& tabName,
     contentComponents.insert (insertIndex, contentComponent);
 
     if (contentComponent != 0)
-        contentComponent->setComponentProperty (T("deleteByTabComp_"), deleteComponentWhenNotNeeded);
+        contentComponent->getProperties().set ("deleteByTabComp_", deleteComponentWhenNotNeeded);
 
     tabs->addTab (tabName, tabBackgroundColour, insertIndex);
 }
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ void TabbedComponent::removeTab (const int tabIndex)
 {
     Component* const c = contentComponents [tabIndex];
 
-    if (c != 0 && c->getComponentPropertyBool (T("deleteByTabComp_"), false, false))
+    if (c != 0 && c->getProperties() ["deleteByTabComp_"])
     {
         if (c == panelComponent)
             panelComponent = 0;
diff --git a/src/gui/components/properties/juce_PropertyPanel.h b/src/gui/components/properties/juce_PropertyPanel.h
index e600414e4b..fa2aeeeec3 100644
--- a/src/gui/components/properties/juce_PropertyPanel.h
+++ b/src/gui/components/properties/juce_PropertyPanel.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 
 #include "juce_PropertyComponent.h"
 #include "../layout/juce_Viewport.h"
+#include "../../../text/juce_XmlElement.h"
 
 
 //==============================================================================
diff --git a/src/gui/graphics/contexts/juce_LowLevelGraphicsSoftwareRenderer.cpp b/src/gui/graphics/contexts/juce_LowLevelGraphicsSoftwareRenderer.cpp
index 633d39c1b3..f38c81e993 100644
--- a/src/gui/graphics/contexts/juce_LowLevelGraphicsSoftwareRenderer.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/graphics/contexts/juce_LowLevelGraphicsSoftwareRenderer.cpp
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ private:
     PixelRGB filler [4];
     bool areRGBComponentsEqual;
 
-    forcedinline void blendLine (PixelType* dest, const PixelARGB& colour, int width) const
+    inline void blendLine (PixelType* dest, const PixelARGB& colour, int width) const
     {
         do
         {
diff --git a/src/juce_amalgamated_template.cpp b/src/juce_amalgamated_template.cpp
index 9333e28e32..e91fc77185 100644
--- a/src/juce_amalgamated_template.cpp
+++ b/src/juce_amalgamated_template.cpp
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@
 #include "containers/juce_MemoryBlock.cpp"
 #include "containers/juce_PropertySet.cpp"
 #include "containers/juce_Variant.cpp"
+#include "containers/juce_NamedValueSet.cpp"
+#include "containers/juce_DynamicObject.cpp"
 #include "cryptography/juce_BlowFish.cpp"
 #include "cryptography/juce_MD5.cpp"
 #include "cryptography/juce_Primes.cpp"
diff --git a/src/juce_core_includes.h b/src/juce_core_includes.h
index 5fc6d73ee3..66ef7534c0 100644
--- a/src/juce_core_includes.h
+++ b/src/juce_core_includes.h
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@
 #ifndef __JUCE_BITARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
  #include "containers/juce_BitArray.h"
 #endif
+#ifndef __JUCE_DYNAMICOBJECT_JUCEHEADER__
+ #include "containers/juce_DynamicObject.h"
+#endif
 #ifndef __JUCE_ELEMENTCOMPARATOR_JUCEHEADER__
  #include "containers/juce_ElementComparator.h"
 #endif
@@ -44,6 +47,9 @@
 #ifndef __JUCE_MEMORYBLOCK_JUCEHEADER__
  #include "containers/juce_MemoryBlock.h"
 #endif
+#ifndef __JUCE_NAMEDVALUESET_JUCEHEADER__
+ #include "containers/juce_NamedValueSet.h"
+#endif
 #ifndef __JUCE_OWNEDARRAY_JUCEHEADER__
  #include "containers/juce_OwnedArray.h"
 #endif
diff --git a/src/native/mac/juce_mac_CameraDevice.mm b/src/native/mac/juce_mac_CameraDevice.mm
index 6b5a75f20b..17d01a34eb 100644
--- a/src/native/mac/juce_mac_CameraDevice.mm
+++ b/src/native/mac/juce_mac_CameraDevice.mm
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ const StringArray CameraDevice::getAvailableDevices()
     StringArray results;
     NSArray* devs = [QTCaptureDevice inputDevicesWithMediaType: QTMediaTypeVideo];
 
-    for (int i = 0; i < [devs count]; ++i)
+    for (int i = 0; i < (int) [devs count]; ++i)
     {
         QTCaptureDevice* dev = (QTCaptureDevice*) [devs objectAtIndex: i];
         results.add (nsStringToJuce ([dev localizedDisplayName]));
diff --git a/src/native/mac/juce_mac_CoreGraphicsContext.mm b/src/native/mac/juce_mac_CoreGraphicsContext.mm
index a1dde5eb3c..485d41fcbf 100644
--- a/src/native/mac/juce_mac_CoreGraphicsContext.mm
+++ b/src/native/mac/juce_mac_CoreGraphicsContext.mm
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public:
         {
             const Image::BitmapData srcData (juceImage, 0, 0, juceImage.getWidth(), juceImage.getHeight());
 
-            CGDataProviderRef provider = CGDataProviderCreateWithData (0, srcData.data, srcData.lineStride * srcData.pixelStride, 0);
+            CGDataProviderRef provider = CGDataProviderCreateWithData (0, srcData.data, srcData.lineStride * srcData.height, 0);
 
             CGImageRef imageRef = CGImageCreate (srcData.width, srcData.height,
                                                  8, srcData.pixelStride * 8, srcData.lineStride,
diff --git a/src/text/juce_XmlDocument.cpp b/src/text/juce_XmlDocument.cpp
index 4eefa24ef2..62e8010360 100644
--- a/src/text/juce_XmlDocument.cpp
+++ b/src/text/juce_XmlDocument.cpp
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ XmlElement* XmlDocument::readNextElement (const bool alsoParseSubElements) throw
             }
         }
 
-        node = new XmlElement (input, tagLen);
+        node = new XmlElement (String (input, tagLen));
         input += tagLen;
         XmlElement::XmlAttributeNode* lastAttribute = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/text/juce_XmlElement.cpp b/src/text/juce_XmlElement.cpp
index 3773280788..a20e044008 100644
--- a/src/text/juce_XmlElement.cpp
+++ b/src/text/juce_XmlElement.cpp
@@ -69,15 +69,6 @@ XmlElement::XmlElement (int /*dummy*/) throw()
 {
 }
 
-XmlElement::XmlElement (const tchar* const tagName_,
-                        const int nameLen) throw()
-    : tagName (tagName_, nameLen),
-      firstChildElement (0),
-      nextElement (0),
-      attributes (0)
-{
-}
-
 XmlElement::XmlElement (const XmlElement& other) throw()
     : tagName (other.tagName),
       firstChildElement (0),
@@ -383,7 +374,7 @@ void XmlElement::writeElementAsText (OutputStream& outputStream,
 const String XmlElement::createDocument (const String& dtdToUse,
                                          const bool allOnOneLine,
                                          const bool includeXmlHeader,
-                                         const tchar* const encodingType,
+                                         const String& encodingType,
                                          const int lineWrapLength) const throw()
 {
     MemoryOutputStream mem (2048, 4096);
@@ -396,7 +387,7 @@ void XmlElement::writeToStream (OutputStream& output,
                                 const String& dtdToUse,
                                 const bool allOnOneLine,
                                 const bool includeXmlHeader,
-                                const tchar* const encodingType,
+                                const String& encodingType,
                                 const int lineWrapLength) const throw()
 {
     if (includeXmlHeader)
@@ -424,7 +415,7 @@ void XmlElement::writeToStream (OutputStream& output,
 
 bool XmlElement::writeToFile (const File& file,
                               const String& dtdToUse,
-                              const tchar* const encodingType,
+                              const String& encodingType,
                               const int lineWrapLength) const throw()
 {
     if (file.hasWriteAccess())
@@ -445,7 +436,7 @@ bool XmlElement::writeToFile (const File& file,
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
-bool XmlElement::hasTagName (const tchar* const tagNameWanted) const throw()
+bool XmlElement::hasTagName (const String& tagNameWanted) const throw()
 {
 #ifdef JUCE_DEBUG
     // if debugging, check that the case is actually the same, because
@@ -465,7 +456,7 @@ bool XmlElement::hasTagName (const tchar* const tagNameWanted) const throw()
 #endif
 }
 
-XmlElement* XmlElement::getNextElementWithTagName (const tchar* const requiredTagName) const
+XmlElement* XmlElement::getNextElementWithTagName (const String& requiredTagName) const
 {
     XmlElement* e = nextElement;
 
@@ -525,7 +516,7 @@ const String& XmlElement::getAttributeValue (const int index) const throw()
     return String::empty;
 }
 
-bool XmlElement::hasAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName) const throw()
+bool XmlElement::hasAttribute (const String& attributeName) const throw()
 {
     const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
 
@@ -541,8 +532,8 @@ bool XmlElement::hasAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName) const throw()
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
-const String XmlElement::getStringAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-                                             const tchar* const defaultReturnValue) const throw()
+const String XmlElement::getStringAttribute (const String& attributeName,
+                                             const String& defaultReturnValue) const throw()
 {
     const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
 
@@ -557,7 +548,7 @@ const String XmlElement::getStringAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
     return defaultReturnValue;
 }
 
-int XmlElement::getIntAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+int XmlElement::getIntAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                                  const int defaultReturnValue) const throw()
 {
     const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
@@ -573,7 +564,7 @@ int XmlElement::getIntAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
     return defaultReturnValue;
 }
 
-double XmlElement::getDoubleAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+double XmlElement::getDoubleAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                                        const double defaultReturnValue) const throw()
 {
     const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
@@ -589,7 +580,7 @@ double XmlElement::getDoubleAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
     return defaultReturnValue;
 }
 
-bool XmlElement::getBoolAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+bool XmlElement::getBoolAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                                    const bool defaultReturnValue) const throw()
 {
     const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
@@ -616,8 +607,8 @@ bool XmlElement::getBoolAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
     return defaultReturnValue;
 }
 
-bool XmlElement::compareAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-                                   const tchar* const stringToCompareAgainst,
+bool XmlElement::compareAttribute (const String& attributeName,
+                                   const String& stringToCompareAgainst,
                                    const bool ignoreCase) const throw()
 {
     const XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
@@ -639,7 +630,7 @@ bool XmlElement::compareAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
-void XmlElement::setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+void XmlElement::setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                                const String& value) throw()
 {
 #ifdef JUCE_DEBUG
@@ -681,25 +672,19 @@ void XmlElement::setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
     }
 }
 
-void XmlElement::setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-                               const tchar* const text) throw()
-{
-    setAttribute (attributeName, String (text));
-}
-
-void XmlElement::setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+void XmlElement::setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                                const int number) throw()
 {
     setAttribute (attributeName, String (number));
 }
 
-void XmlElement::setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+void XmlElement::setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                                const double number) throw()
 {
     setAttribute (attributeName, String (number));
 }
 
-void XmlElement::removeAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName) throw()
+void XmlElement::removeAttribute (const String& attributeName) throw()
 {
     XmlAttributeNode* att = attributes;
     XmlAttributeNode* lastAtt = 0;
@@ -761,7 +746,7 @@ XmlElement* XmlElement::getChildElement (const int index) const throw()
     return child;
 }
 
-XmlElement* XmlElement::getChildByName (const tchar* const childName) const throw()
+XmlElement* XmlElement::getChildByName (const String& childName) const throw()
 {
     XmlElement* child = firstChildElement;
 
@@ -995,7 +980,7 @@ void XmlElement::deleteAllChildElements() throw()
     }
 }
 
-void XmlElement::deleteAllChildElementsWithTagName (const tchar* const name) throw()
+void XmlElement::deleteAllChildElementsWithTagName (const String& name) throw()
 {
     XmlElement* child = firstChildElement;
 
@@ -1122,7 +1107,7 @@ const String XmlElement::getAllSubText() const throw()
     return result;
 }
 
-const String XmlElement::getChildElementAllSubText (const tchar* const childTagName,
+const String XmlElement::getChildElementAllSubText (const String& childTagName,
                                                     const String& defaultReturnValue) const throw()
 {
     const XmlElement* const child = getChildByName (childTagName);
diff --git a/src/text/juce_XmlElement.h b/src/text/juce_XmlElement.h
index d841b8df28..26cba5e5c7 100644
--- a/src/text/juce_XmlElement.h
+++ b/src/text/juce_XmlElement.h
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ public:
     const String createDocument (const String& dtdToUse,
                                  const bool allOnOneLine = false,
                                  const bool includeXmlHeader = true,
-                                 const tchar* const encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
+                                 const String& encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
                                  const int lineWrapLength = 60) const throw();
 
     /** Writes the document to a stream as UTF-8.
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ public:
                         const String& dtdToUse,
                         const bool allOnOneLine = false,
                         const bool includeXmlHeader = true,
-                        const tchar* const encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
+                        const String& encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
                         const int lineWrapLength = 60) const throw();
 
     /** Writes the element to a file as an XML document.
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ public:
     */
     bool writeToFile (const File& destinationFile,
                       const String& dtdToUse,
-                      const tchar* const encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
+                      const String& encodingType = JUCE_T("UTF-8"),
                       const int lineWrapLength = 60) const throw();
 
     //==============================================================================
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ public:
 
         @see getTagName
     */
-    bool hasTagName (const tchar* const possibleTagName) const throw();
+    bool hasTagName (const String& possibleTagName) const throw();
 
     //==============================================================================
     /** Returns the number of XML attributes this element contains.
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ public:
     // Attribute-handling methods..
 
     /** Checks whether the element contains an attribute with a certain name. */
-    bool hasAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName) const throw();
+    bool hasAttribute (const String& attributeName) const throw();
 
     /** Returns the value of a named attribute.
 
@@ -297,8 +297,8 @@ public:
         @param defaultReturnValue   a value to return if the element doesn't have an attribute
                                     with this name
     */
-    const String getStringAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-                                     const tchar* const defaultReturnValue = 0) const throw();
+    const String getStringAttribute (const String& attributeName,
+                                     const String& defaultReturnValue = String::empty) const throw();
 
     /** Compares the value of a named attribute with a value passed-in.
 
@@ -308,8 +308,8 @@ public:
         @returns    true if the value of the attribute is the same as the string passed-in;
                     false if it's different (or if no such attribute exists)
     */
-    bool compareAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-                           const tchar* const stringToCompareAgainst,
+    bool compareAttribute (const String& attributeName,
+                           const String& stringToCompareAgainst,
                            const bool ignoreCase = false) const throw();
 
     /** Returns the value of a named attribute as an integer.
@@ -320,9 +320,9 @@ public:
         @param attributeName        the name of the attribute to look up
         @param defaultReturnValue   a value to return if the element doesn't have an attribute
                                     with this name
-        @see setAttribute (const tchar* const, int)
+        @see setAttribute
     */
-    int getIntAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+    int getIntAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                          const int defaultReturnValue = 0) const throw();
 
     /** Returns the value of a named attribute as floating-point.
@@ -333,9 +333,9 @@ public:
         @param attributeName        the name of the attribute to look up
         @param defaultReturnValue   a value to return if the element doesn't have an attribute
                                     with this name
-        @see setAttribute (const tchar* const, double)
+        @see setAttribute
     */
-    double getDoubleAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+    double getDoubleAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                                const double defaultReturnValue = 0.0) const throw();
 
     /** Returns the value of a named attribute as a boolean.
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ public:
         @param defaultReturnValue   a value to return if the element doesn't have an attribute
                                     with this name
     */
-    bool getBoolAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+    bool getBoolAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                            const bool defaultReturnValue = false) const throw();
 
     /** Adds a named attribute to the element.
@@ -364,24 +364,9 @@ public:
         @param newValue             the value to set it to
         @see removeAttribute
     */
-    void setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+    void setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                        const String& newValue) throw();
 
-    /** Adds a named attribute to the element.
-
-        If the element already contains an attribute with this name, it's value will
-        be updated to the new value. If there's no such attribute yet, a new one will
-        be added.
-
-        Note that there are other setAttribute() methods that take integers,
-        doubles, etc. to make it easy to store numbers.
-
-        @param attributeName        the name of the attribute to set
-        @param newValue             the value to set it to
-    */
-    void setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
-                       const tchar* const newValue) throw();
-
     /** Adds a named attribute to the element, setting it to an integer value.
 
         If the element already contains an attribute with this name, it's value will
@@ -394,7 +379,7 @@ public:
         @param attributeName        the name of the attribute to set
         @param newValue             the value to set it to
     */
-    void setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+    void setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                        const int newValue) throw();
 
     /** Adds a named attribute to the element, setting it to a floating-point value.
@@ -409,7 +394,7 @@ public:
         @param attributeName        the name of the attribute to set
         @param newValue             the value to set it to
     */
-    void setAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName,
+    void setAttribute (const String& attributeName,
                        const double newValue) throw();
 
     /** Removes a named attribute from the element.
@@ -417,7 +402,7 @@ public:
         @param attributeName    the name of the attribute to remove
         @see removeAllAttributes
     */
-    void removeAttribute (const tchar* const attributeName) throw();
+    void removeAttribute (const String& attributeName) throw();
 
     /** Removes all attributes from this element.
     */
@@ -460,7 +445,7 @@ public:
 
         @see getNextElement, isTextElement, forEachXmlChildElement
     */
-    inline XmlElement* getNextElement() const throw()   { return nextElement; }
+    inline XmlElement* getNextElement() const throw()       { return nextElement; }
 
     /** Returns the next of this element's siblings which has the specified tag
         name.
@@ -470,7 +455,7 @@ public:
 
         @see getNextElement, forEachXmlChildElementWithTagName
     */
-    XmlElement* getNextElementWithTagName (const tchar* const requiredTagName) const;
+    XmlElement* getNextElementWithTagName (const String& requiredTagName) const;
 
     /** Returns the number of sub-elements in this element.
 
@@ -494,7 +479,7 @@ public:
         @returns the first element with this tag name, or 0 if none is found
         @see getNextElement, isTextElement, getChildElement
     */
-    XmlElement* getChildByName (const tchar* const tagNameToLookFor) const throw();
+    XmlElement* getChildByName (const String& tagNameToLookFor) const throw();
 
     //==============================================================================
     /** Appends an element to this element's list of children.
@@ -551,7 +536,7 @@ public:
 
         @see removeChildElement
     */
-    void deleteAllChildElementsWithTagName (const tchar* const tagName) throw();
+    void deleteAllChildElementsWithTagName (const String& tagName) throw();
 
     /** Returns true if the given element is a child of this one. */
     bool containsChildElement (const XmlElement* const possibleChild) const throw();
@@ -653,7 +638,7 @@ public:
 
         @see getAllSubText
     */
-    const String getChildElementAllSubText (const tchar* const childTagName,
+    const String getChildElementAllSubText (const String& childTagName,
                                             const String& defaultReturnValue) const throw();
 
     /** Appends a section of text to this element.
@@ -698,7 +683,6 @@ private:
     XmlAttributeNode* attributes;
 
     XmlElement (int) throw(); // for internal use
-    XmlElement (const tchar* const tagNameText, const int nameLen) throw();
 
     void copyChildrenAndAttributesFrom (const XmlElement& other) throw();