diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 13eb48c..b63197e 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ dnl                 changes are made
 dnl ---
 JACK_MAJOR_VERSION=0
 JACK_MINOR_VERSION=99
-JACK_MICRO_VERSION=3
+JACK_MICRO_VERSION=4
 
 dnl ---
 dnl HOWTO: updating the jack protocol version
diff --git a/doc/mainpage.dox b/doc/mainpage.dox
index 1811fe9..efc2c59 100644
--- a/doc/mainpage.dox
+++ b/doc/mainpage.dox
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ programs are not all running synchronously.
 Using JACK within your program is very simple, and typically consists
 of just:
 
-   - calling @ref jack_client_new to connect to the JACK server.
+   - calling @ref jack_client_open to connect to the JACK server.
    - registering "ports" to enable data to be moved to and from
        your application.
    - registering a "process callback" which will be called at the
diff --git a/jack/jack.h b/jack/jack.h
index 3704378..e74e0df 100644
--- a/jack/jack.h
+++ b/jack/jack.h
@@ -34,6 +34,44 @@ extern "C" {
  * Note: More documentation can be found in jack/types.h.
  */
 
+/**
+ * Open an external client session with a JACK server.  This interface
+ * is more complex but more powerful than jack_client_new().  With it,
+ * clients may choose which of several servers to connect, and control
+ * whether and how to start the server automatically, if it was not
+ * already running.  There is also an option for JACK to generate a
+ * unique client name, when necessary.
+ *
+ * @param client_name of at most jack_client_name_size() characters.
+ * The name scope is local to each server.  Unless forbidden by the
+ * @ref JackUseExactName option, the server will modify this name to
+ * create a unique variant, if needed.
+ *
+ * @param options formed by AND-ing together @ref JackOpenOptions
+ * bits.
+ *
+ * @param status (if non-NULL) an address for JACK to return
+ * information from the open operation.  This status word is formed by
+ * AND-ing together the relevant @ref JackOpenStatus bits.
+ *
+ * @param server_name (if non-NULL) selects from among several
+ * possible concurrent server instances.  If unspecified, "default" is
+ * assumed.  Server names are unique to each user.
+ *
+ * @param start_command (if non-NULL) is a command line to use if the
+ * server was not running and must be started.  Defining
+ * $JACK_NO_START_SERVER in the environment disables automatic server
+ * creation.
+ *
+ * @return Opaque client handle if successful.  If this is NULL, the
+ * open operation failed, and the caller is not a JACK client.
+ */
+jack_client_t *jack_client_open (const char *client_name,
+				 jack_options_t options,
+				 jack_status_t *status,
+				 const char *server_name,
+				 const char *start_command);
+
 /**
  * Attempt to become an external client of the Jack server.
  *
@@ -50,7 +88,8 @@ extern "C" {
  *
  * @note Failure generally means that the JACK server is not running.
  * If there was some other problem, it will be reported via the @ref
- * jack_error_callback mechanism.
+ * jack_error_callback mechanism.  Use jack_client_open() and check
+ * the @a status parameter if you need more detailed information.
  */
 jack_client_t *jack_client_new (const char *client_name);
 
@@ -65,7 +104,15 @@ int jack_client_close (jack_client_t *client);
  * @return the maximum number of characters in a JACK client name
  * including the final NULL character.  This value is a constant.
  */
-int jack_client_name_size(void);
+int jack_client_name_size (void);
+
+/**
+ * @return pointer to actual client name.  This is useful when @ref
+ * JackUseExactName is not specified on open and @ref
+ * JackNameNotUnique status was returned.  In that case, the actual
+ * name will differ from the @a client_name requested.
+ */
+char *jack_get_client_name (jack_client_t* client);
 
 /**
  * Attempt to load an internal client into the Jack server.
@@ -119,7 +166,8 @@ int jack_is_realtime (jack_client_t *client);
  * to help more complex clients understand what is going
  * on.  It should be called before jack_client_activate().
  */
-void jack_on_shutdown (jack_client_t *client, void (*function)(void *arg), void *arg);
+void jack_on_shutdown (jack_client_t *client,
+		       void (*function)(void *arg), void *arg);
 
 /**
  * Tell the Jack server to call @a process_callback whenever there is
@@ -232,8 +280,8 @@ int jack_set_sample_rate_callback (jack_client_t *client,
 				   void *arg);
 
 /**
- * Tell the Jack server to call 'registration_callback' whenever a port is registered
- * or unregistered, passing 'arg' as a second argument.
+ * Tell the JACK server to call @a registration_callback whenever a
+ * port is registered or unregistered, passing @a arg as a parameter.
  *
  * @return 0 on success, otherwise a non-zero error code
  */
@@ -242,20 +290,23 @@ int jack_set_port_registration_callback (jack_client_t *,
 					 registration_callback, void *arg);
 
 /**
- * Tell the Jack server to call 'registration_callback' whenever the processing
- * graph is reordered, passing 'arg' as an argument.
+ * Tell the JACK server to call @a graph_callback whenever the
+ * processing graph is reordered, passing @a arg as a parameter.
  *
  * @return 0 on success, otherwise a non-zero error code
  */
-int jack_set_graph_order_callback (jack_client_t *, JackGraphOrderCallback graph_callback, void *);
+int jack_set_graph_order_callback (jack_client_t *,
+				   JackGraphOrderCallback graph_callback,
+				   void *);
 
 /**
- * Tell the Jack server to call 'xrun_callback' whenever there is a xrun, passing
- * 'arg' as an argument.
+ * Tell the JACK server to call @a xrun_callback whenever there is a
+ * xrun, passing @a arg as a parameter.
  *
  * @return 0 on success, otherwise a non-zero error code
  */
-int jack_set_xrun_callback (jack_client_t *, JackXRunCallback xrun_callback, void *arg);
+int jack_set_xrun_callback (jack_client_t *,
+			    JackXRunCallback xrun_callback, void *arg);
 
 /**
  * Tell the Jack server that the program is ready to start processing
diff --git a/jack/types.h b/jack/types.h
index 36e3fb3..255ee26 100644
--- a/jack/types.h
+++ b/jack/types.h
@@ -224,4 +224,61 @@ enum JackPortFlags {
      JackPortIsTerminal = 0x10
 };	    
 
+/**
+ *  jack_client_open() option bits
+ */
+enum JackOpenOptions {
+
+     /**
+      * Do not automatically start the JACK server if it is not
+      * already running.  This option is selected by default if
+      * $JACK_NO_START_SERVER is defined in the calling process
+      * environment.
+      */
+     JackNoStartServer = 0x01,
+
+     /**
+      * Use the exact client name requested.  Otherwise, JACK
+      * automatically generates a unique one, if needed.
+      */
+     JackUseExactName = 0x02
+};
+
+/**
+ *  jack_client_open() request options are formed by AND-ing together
+ *  @ref JackOpenOptions bits.
+ */
+typedef enum JackOpenOptions jack_options_t;
+
+/**
+ *  jack_client_open() status bits
+ */
+enum JackOpenStatus {
+
+     /**
+      * The JACK server was started as a result of this open.
+      * Otherwise, it was running already.  In either case the caller
+      * is now connected to jackd, so there is no race condition.
+      * When the server shuts down, the client will find out.
+      */
+     JackServerStarted = 0x01,
+
+     /**
+      * The desired client name was not unique.  With the @ref
+      * JackUseExactName option this situation is fatal.  Otherwise,
+      * the name was modified by appending a dash and a two-digit
+      * number in the range "-01" to "-99".  The
+      * jack_get_client_name() function will return the exact string
+      * that was used.  If the specified @a client_name plus these
+      * extra characters would be too long, the open fails instead.
+      */
+     JackNameNotUnique = 0x02
+};
+
+/**
+ *  The status word returned from jack_client_open() is formed by
+ *  AND-ing together the relevant @ref JackOpenStatus bits.
+ */
+typedef enum JackOpenStatus jack_status_t;
+
 #endif /* __jack_types_h__ */
diff --git a/jackd/engine.c b/jackd/engine.c
index 7e25533..47ae7ec 100644
--- a/jackd/engine.c
+++ b/jackd/engine.c
@@ -1099,12 +1099,12 @@ setup_client (jack_engine_t *engine, int client_fd,
 		/* its good to go */
 		break;
 
-	default:
+	default:			/* external client */
 		
 		if (engine->pfd_max >= engine->pfd_size) {
 			engine->pfd = (struct pollfd *)
 				realloc (engine->pfd, sizeof (struct pollfd)
-					 * engine->pfd_size + 16);
+					 * (engine->pfd_size + 16));
 			engine->pfd_size += 16;
 		}
 		
@@ -2812,9 +2812,11 @@ jack_deliver_event (jack_engine_t *engine, jack_client_internal_t *client,
 	   our check on a client's continued well-being
 	*/
 
-	if (client->control->dead || 
-	    (client->control->type == ClientExternal && kill (client->control->pid, 0))) {
-		DEBUG ("client %s is dead - no event sent", client->control->name);
+	if (client->control->dead
+	    || (client->control->type == ClientExternal
+		&& kill (client->control->pid, 0))) {
+		DEBUG ("client %s is dead - no event sent",
+		       client->control->name);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -3012,8 +3014,9 @@ jack_rechain_graph (jack_engine_t *engine)
 						 subgraph_client->
 						 subgraph_start_fd, n);
 					
-					/* this external client after this will have
-					   jackd as its upstream connection.
+					/* this external client after
+					   this will have jackd as its
+					   upstream connection.
 					*/
 					
 					upstream_is_jackd = 1;
@@ -3029,8 +3032,10 @@ jack_rechain_graph (jack_engine_t *engine)
 						 control->name, n);
 					subgraph_client->subgraph_wait_fd = -1;
 					
-					/* this external client after this will have
-					   another client as its upstream connection.
+					/* this external client after
+					   this will have another
+					   client as its upstream
+					   connection.
 					*/
 					
 					upstream_is_jackd = 0;
@@ -3718,7 +3723,7 @@ jack_get_fifo_fd (jack_engine_t *engine, unsigned int which_fifo)
 
 		engine->fifo = (int *)
 			realloc (engine->fifo,
-				 sizeof (int) * engine->fifo_size + 16);
+				 sizeof (int) * (engine->fifo_size + 16));
 		for (i = engine->fifo_size; i < engine->fifo_size + 16; i++) {
 			engine->fifo[i] = -1;
 		}
diff --git a/jackd/jackd.c b/jackd/jackd.c
index 1d16c8e..278e021 100644
--- a/jackd/jackd.c
+++ b/jackd/jackd.c
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 
 {
 	jack_driver_desc_t * desc;
-	const char *options = "-ad:P:vshVRTFl:t:mp:";
+	const char *options = "-ad:P:uvshVRTFl:t:mp:";
 	struct option long_options[] = 
 	{ 
 		{ "driver", 1, 0, 'd' },
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 		{ "help", 0, 0, 'h' },
 		{ "port-max", 1, 0, 'p' },
 		{ "no-mlock", 0, 0, 'm' },
-		{ "unmlock", 0, 0, 'u' },
+		{ "unlock", 0, 0, 'u' },
 		{ "realtime", 0, 0, 'R' },
 		{ "realtime-priority", 1, 0, 'P' },
 		{ "timeout", 1, 0, 't' },