diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp b/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
index 69b1e51be..09c286eed 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
     m_iscomment(right.m_iscomment),
     m_linenum(right.m_linenum)
   {
-    m_root = & right.root();
+    m_root = this;
     m_name = right.m_name;
     m_value = right.m_value;
     right.copy(this);
@@ -797,6 +797,10 @@ namespace Cantera {
     return m_attribs;
   }
 
+  const std::map<std::string,std::string>& XML_Node::attribsConst() const { 
+    return m_attribs;
+  }
+
   // Set the line number 
   /*
    *  @param n   the member data m_linenum is set to n
@@ -1127,8 +1131,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
       }
       else {
 	if (node->name() != nm.substr(1,nm.size()-1)) 
-	  throw XML_TagMismatch(node->name(), 
-				nm.substr(1,nm.size()-1), lnum);
+	  throw XML_TagMismatch(node->name(), nm.substr(1,nm.size()-1), lnum);
 	node = node->parent();
       }
     }
@@ -1202,6 +1205,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
     int ndc;
     node_dest->addValue(m_value);
     node_dest->setName(m_name);
+    node_dest->setLineNumber(m_linenum);
     if (m_name == "") return;
     map<string,string>::const_iterator b = m_attribs.begin();
     for (; b != m_attribs.end(); ++b) {
@@ -1292,7 +1296,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
    * main recursive routine. It doesn't put a final endl
    * on. This is fixed up in the public method.
    */
-  void XML_Node::write_int(std::ostream& s, int level) const {
+  void XML_Node::write_int(std::ostream& s, int level, int numRecursivesAllowed) const {
 
     if (m_name == "") return;
 
@@ -1402,9 +1406,11 @@ namespace Cantera {
 	}
       }
       int i;
-      for (i = 0; i < m_nchildren; i++) {
-	s << endl;
-	m_children[i]->write_int(s,level + 2);
+      if (numRecursivesAllowed > 0) {
+	for (i = 0; i < m_nchildren; i++) {
+	  s << endl;
+	  m_children[i]->write_int(s,level + 2, numRecursivesAllowed - 1);
+	}
       }
       if (m_nchildren > 0) s << endl << indent;
       s << "</" << m_name << ">";
@@ -1421,14 +1427,14 @@ namespace Cantera {
    * is skipped and the children are processed. "--" is used
    * to denote the top of the tree.
    */
-  void XML_Node::write(std::ostream& s, const int level) const {
+  void XML_Node::write(std::ostream& s, const int level, int numRecursivesAllowed) const {
     if (m_name == "--" && m_root == this) {
       for (int i = 0; i < m_nchildren; i++) {
-	m_children[i]->write_int(s,level);
+	m_children[i]->write_int(s,level, numRecursivesAllowed-1);
 	s << endl;
       }
     } else {
-      write_int(s, level);
+      write_int(s, level, numRecursivesAllowed);
       s << endl;
     }
   }
diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/xml.h b/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
index 305942618..faeb41711 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
      */
     XML_Reader(std::istream& input);
 
-    //! Read a single character from the input stream
-    //! and return it
+    //! Read a single character from the input stream and returns it
     /*!
      *  All low level reads occur through this function.
      *  The function also keeps track of the line numbers.
@@ -130,13 +129,14 @@ namespace Cantera {
     std::string readValue();
 
   protected:
-    //! Input Stream containing the XML file
+
+    //! Input stream containing the XML file
     std::istream& m_s;
 
   public:
+
     //! Line count
     int m_line;
-
   };
 
 
@@ -412,6 +412,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
     void clear();
 
   private:
+
     //! Returns a changeable value of the attributes map for the current node
     /*!
      *  Note this is a simple accessor routine. And, it is a private function.
@@ -421,6 +422,13 @@ namespace Cantera {
 
   public:
 
+    //! Returns an unchangeable value of the attributs map for the current node
+    /*!
+     *
+     * @return  Returns an unchangeable reference to the attributes map
+     */
+    const std::map<std::string,std::string>& attribsConst() const;
+
     //! Set the line number 
     /*!
      *  @param n   the member data m_linenum is set to n
@@ -432,7 +440,6 @@ namespace Cantera {
      *  @return  returns the member data m_linenum
      */
     int lineNumber() const;
-
  
     //! Returns a pointer to the parent node of the current node
     XML_Node* parent() const;
@@ -642,9 +649,10 @@ namespace Cantera {
      * to denote the top of the tree.
      *
      *  @param s       ostream to write to
-     *  @param level   Indentation level to work from
+     *  @param level   Indentation level to work from  
+     *  @param numRecursivesAllowed Number of recursive calls allowed
      */
-    void write(std::ostream& s, const int level = 0) const;
+    void write(std::ostream& s, const int level = 0, int numRecursivesAllowed = 60000) const;
 
     //! Return the root of the current XML_Node tree
     /*!
@@ -705,15 +713,16 @@ namespace Cantera {
     
     //! Write an XML subtree to an output stream. 
     /*!
-     * This is the
-     * main recursive routine. It doesn't put a final endl
-     * on. This is fixed up in the public method.
+     * This is the main recursive routine. It doesn't put a final endl
+     * on. This is fixed up in the public method. A method to only write out a limited
+     * amount of the xml tree has been added.
      *
      *
      *  @param s       ostream to write to
      *  @param level   Indentation level to work from
+     *  @param numRecurvivesAllowed Number of recursive calls allowed
      */
-    void write_int(std::ostream& s, int level = 0) const;
+    void write_int(std::ostream& s, int level = 0, int numRecursivesAllowed = 60000) const;
 
   protected:
 
@@ -785,7 +794,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
     //! True if the current node is a comment node
     bool m_iscomment;
 
-    //! the member data m_linenum
+    //! The member data m_linenum
     /*!
      *  Currently, unimplemented functionality
      */