diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/ctml.cpp b/Cantera/src/base/ctml.cpp
index 8de42e90f..09bed275f 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/base/ctml.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/ctml.cpp
@@ -633,6 +633,22 @@ namespace ctml {
     return getFloatCurrent(node, type);
   }
 
+  doublereal getFloat(vector_fp& v, const Cantera::XML_Node& parent,
+		      const std::string &name,
+		      const std::string type) {
+    if (!parent.hasChild(name)) 
+      throw CanteraError("getFloat (called from XML Node \"" +
+			 parent.name() + "\"): ",
+			 "no child XML element named \"" + name + "\" exists");
+    const XML_Node& node = parent.child(name);
+    if (node.hasChild("floatArray")){
+      getFloatArray(node, v, "true", type);
+      return 0;
+    }
+    else{ return getFloatCurrent(node, type);
+      }
+  }
+  
   doublereal getFloatCurrent(const Cantera::XML_Node& node,
                              const std::string type) {
     doublereal x, x0, x1, fctr = 1.0;
diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/ctml.h b/Cantera/src/base/ctml.h
index 85d6f8a3b..5ed0539f1 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/base/ctml.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/ctml.h
@@ -566,6 +566,44 @@ namespace ctml {
   doublereal getFloat(const Cantera::XML_Node& parent, const std::string &name,
 		      const std::string type=""); 
 
+  //!  Get a floating-point value from a child element. 
+  /*! 
+   *  Returns a doublereal value for the child named 'name' of element 'parent'. If
+   *  'type' is supplied and matches a known unit type, unit
+   *  conversion to SI will be done if the child element has an attribute
+   *  'units'.
+   *
+   *  Note, it's an error for the child element not to exist.
+   *
+   *  Example:  
+   *
+   * Code snipet:
+   *       @verbatim
+   const XML_Node &State_XMLNode;
+   doublereal pres = OneAtm;
+   if (state_XMLNode.hasChild("pressure")) {
+     pres = getFloat(State_XMLNode, "pressure", "toSI");
+   }
+   @endverbatim
+   *
+   *  reads the corresponding XML file:
+   *  @verbatim
+   <state>
+     <pressure units="Pa"> 101325.0 </pressure>
+   <\state>
+   @endverbatim
+   *
+   *   @param v      vector to assign with getFloatArray is XML data is in an array form
+   *   @param parent reference to the XML_Node object of the parent XML element
+   *   @param name   Name of the XML child element
+   *   @param type   String type. Currently known types are "toSI" and "actEnergy",
+   *                 and "" , for no conversion. The default value is "",
+   *                 which implies that no conversion is allowed.
+   */
+
+  doublereal getFloat(Cantera::vector_fp& v,const Cantera::XML_Node& parent, const std::string &name,
+		      const std::string type="toSI"); 
+
   //!  Get a floating-point value from the current XML element
   /*! 
    *  Returns a doublereal value from the current element. If
diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/units.h b/Cantera/src/base/units.h
index 9aa3a3355..25009ea12 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/base/units.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/units.h
@@ -182,6 +182,9 @@ namespace Cantera {
           m_act_u()
           {
 
+	    // unity
+	    m_u["1"] = 1.0;
+
             // length
             m_u["m"]    = 1.0;
             m_u["cm"]   = 0.01;
@@ -200,6 +203,9 @@ namespace Cantera {
             m_u["kcal"]     = 4184.0;
             m_u["eV"]       = Faraday; //1.60217733e-19;
 
+	    // resistance
+	    m_u["ohm"]      = 1.0;
+
             // quantity
             m_u["mol"]      = 1.0e-3;
             m_u["gmol"]     = 1.0e-3;
@@ -213,6 +219,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
             m_u["C"]        = 1.0;
 
             // mass
+	    m_u["gm"]       = 1.0e-3;
             m_u["g"]        = 1.0e-3;
             m_u["kg"]       = 1.0;
 
@@ -227,17 +234,30 @@ namespace Cantera {
             m_u["hr"]       = 3600.0;
             m_u["ms"]       = 0.001;
 
-            // frequency
+            /*// frequency
             m_u["hZ"]       = 0.01/(lightSpeed);
             m_u["cm^-1"]    = 1.0;
             m_u["m^-1"]     = 0.1; 
             m_u["cm-1"]     = m_u["cm^-1"];
             m_u["m-1"]      = m_u["m^-1"];
-            m_u["wavenumbers"] = m_u["cm^-1"];
+            m_u["wavenumbers"] = m_u["cm^-1"];*/
 
             // viscosity
+	    m_u["Pa-s"] = 1;
             m_u["poise"]    = 0.1;
             m_u["centipoise"] = 0.001;
+	    m_u["P"] = 0.1;
+	    m_u["cP"] = 0.001;
+
+	    // volume
+	    m_u["kL"] = 1.0;
+	    m_u["liter"] = 0.001;
+	    m_u["L"] = 0.001;
+	    m_u["l"] = 0.001;
+	    m_u["mL"] = 1.0e-6;
+	    m_u["ml"] = 1.0e-6;
+	    m_u["cc"] = 1.0e-6;
+	    
 
             m_act_u["eV"] = m_u["eV"]; // /m_u["molec"];
             m_act_u["K"] =  GasConstant;