diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp b/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
index 5c2338ea9..e6d53d5ec 100755
--- a/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
@@ -526,7 +526,42 @@ namespace Cantera {
    */
   void XML_Node::addValue(const doublereal val, const std::string fmt) {
     m_value = stripws(fp2str(val, fmt));
-  }	
+  }
+
+  // Return the value of an XML node as a string
+  /*
+   *  This is a simple accessor routine
+   */
+  std::string XML_Node::value() const {
+    return m_value;
+  }
+
+  // Return the value of an XML node as a double
+  /*
+   *  This accesses the value string, and then tries to 
+   *  interpret it as a single double value.
+   */
+  doublereal  XML_Node::fp_value() const { 
+    return atofCheck(m_value.c_str()); 
+  }
+
+  // Return the value of an XML node as a single int
+  /*
+   *  This accesses the value string, and then tries to 
+   *  interpret it as a single int value.
+   */
+  integer XML_Node::int_value() const {
+    return std::atoi(m_value.c_str()); 
+  }
+
+  //  Return the value of an XML child node as a string
+  /*
+   *  @param cname  Name of the child node of the current
+   *                node, for which you want the value
+   */
+  std::string XML_Node::value(const std::string cname) const { 
+    return child(cname).value();
+  }
 
   // Add or modify an attribute of the current node
   /*
@@ -593,6 +628,22 @@ namespace Cantera {
     return ""; 
   }
 
+  // Set the line number 
+  /*
+   *  @param n   the member data m_linenum is set to n
+   */
+  void XML_Node::setLineNumber(const int n) {
+    m_linenum = n;
+  }
+
+  // Return the line number 
+  /*
+   *  @return  returns the member data m_linenum
+   */
+  int XML_Node::lineNumber() const {
+    return m_linenum;
+  }
+
   /*
    * This routine carries out a search for an XML node based
    * on both the xml element name and the attribute ID.
diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/xml.h b/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
index 22a70b637..1ab785678 100755
--- a/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
@@ -229,6 +229,33 @@ namespace Cantera {
      */
     void addValue(const doublereal val, const std::string fmt="%g");
 
+    //! Return the value of an XML node as a string
+    /*!
+     *  This is a simple accessor routine
+     */
+    std::string value() const;
+
+    //!  Return the value of an XML child node as a string
+    /*!
+     *  @param cname  Name of the child node to the current
+     *                node, for which you want the value
+     */
+    std::string value(const std::string cname) const;
+
+    //! Return the value of an XML node as a single double
+    /*!
+     *  This accesses the value string, and then tries to 
+     *  interpret it as a single double value.
+     */
+    doublereal fp_value() const;
+
+    //! Return the value of an XML node as a single int
+    /*!
+     *  This accesses the value string, and then tries to 
+     *  interpret it as a single int value.
+     */
+    integer int_value() const;
+
     //! Add or modify an attribute of the current node
     /*!
      * This functions fills in the m_value field of the current node
@@ -284,17 +311,18 @@ namespace Cantera {
      */
     std::string attrib(const std::string attr) const;
 
-    void writeHeader(std::ostream& s);
-    std::string value() const { return m_value; }
-    std::string value(std::string loc) const { return child(loc).value(); }
-    void setLineNumber(int n) {m_linenum = n;}
-    int lineNumber() const {return m_linenum;}
-    doublereal fp_value() const { 
-      return std::atof(m_value.c_str()); 
-    }
-    integer int_value() const { 
-      return std::atoi(m_value.c_str()); 
-    }
+    //! Set the line number 
+    /*!
+     *  @param n   the member data m_linenum is set to n
+     */
+    void setLineNumber(const int n);
+
+    //! Return the line number 
+    /*!
+     *  @return  returns the member data m_linenum
+     */
+    int lineNumber() const;
+
     std::string operator()() const { return m_value; }
     std::string operator()(std::string loc) const { return value(loc); }
 
@@ -370,6 +398,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
     XML_Node* findByName(const std::string& nm);
     void getChildren(std::string name, std::vector<XML_Node*>& children) const;
     XML_Node& child(std::string loc) const;
+    void writeHeader(std::ostream& s);
     void write(std::ostream& s, int level = 0) const;
     XML_Node& root() const { return *m_root; }
     void setRoot(XML_Node& root) { m_root = &root; }