diff --git a/examples/osgphotoalbum/ImageReaderWriter.cpp b/examples/osgphotoalbum/ImageReaderWriter.cpp
index 94699a51c..4cad18b83 100644
--- a/examples/osgphotoalbum/ImageReaderWriter.cpp
+++ b/examples/osgphotoalbum/ImageReaderWriter.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,13 @@ std::string ImageReaderWriter::insertReference(const std::string& fileName, unsi
 
 osg::Image* ImageReaderWriter::readImage_Archive(DataReference& dr, float& s,float& t)
 {
+    for(PhotoArchiveList::iterator itr=_photoArchiveList.begin();
+        itr!=_photoArchiveList.end();
+        ++itr)
+    {
+        osg::Image* image = (*itr)->readImage(dr._fileName,dr._resolutionX,dr._resolutionY,s,t);
+        if (image) return image;
+    }
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -100,8 +107,6 @@ osg::Image* ImageReaderWriter::readImage_DynamicSampling(DataReference& dr, floa
 
 osgDB::ReaderWriter::ReadResult ImageReaderWriter::readNode(const std::string& fileName, const Options*)
 {
-    std::cout<<"Request to read paged image "<<fileName<<std::endl;
-
     DataReferenceMap::iterator itr = _dataReferences.find(fileName);
     if (itr==_dataReferences.end()) return ReaderWriter::ReadResult::FILE_NOT_HANDLED;
 
@@ -110,9 +115,12 @@ osgDB::ReaderWriter::ReadResult ImageReaderWriter::readNode(const std::string& f
     osg::Image* image = 0;
     float s=1.0f,t=1.0f;
     
-    if (_photoArchive.valid())
+    // try to load photo from any loaded PhotoArchives
+    if (!_photoArchiveList.empty())
         image = readImage_Archive(dr,s,t);
-    else
+        
+    // not loaded yet, so try to load it directly.
+    if (!image)
         image = readImage_DynamicSampling(dr,s,t);
 
 
diff --git a/examples/osgphotoalbum/ImageReaderWriter.h b/examples/osgphotoalbum/ImageReaderWriter.h
index 2bbf1713e..e70f915ec 100644
--- a/examples/osgphotoalbum/ImageReaderWriter.h
+++ b/examples/osgphotoalbum/ImageReaderWriter.h
@@ -27,13 +27,10 @@ class ImageReaderWriter : public osgDB::ReaderWriter
         
         virtual const char* className() { return "ImageReader"; }
 
-        void setPhotoArchive(PhotoArchive* archive) { _photoArchive = archive; }
-        PhotoArchive* getPhotoArchive() { return _photoArchive.get(); }
-        const PhotoArchive* getPhotoArchive() const { return _photoArchive.get(); }
+        void addPhotoArchive(PhotoArchive* archive) { _photoArchiveList.push_back(archive); }
 
         std::string insertReference(const std::string& fileName, unsigned int res, float width, float height, bool backPage);
 
-
         virtual ReadResult readNode(const std::string& fileName, const Options*);
         
     protected:
@@ -60,10 +57,11 @@ class ImageReaderWriter : public osgDB::ReaderWriter
         
         osg::Image* readImage_DynamicSampling(DataReference& dr, float& s,float& t);
 
-        typedef std::map<std::string,DataReference> DataReferenceMap;
+        typedef std::map< std::string,DataReference > DataReferenceMap;
+        typedef std::vector< osg::ref_ptr<PhotoArchive> > PhotoArchiveList;
 
         DataReferenceMap            _dataReferences;
-        osg::ref_ptr<PhotoArchive>  _photoArchive;
+        PhotoArchiveList            _photoArchiveList;
 
 
 };
diff --git a/examples/osgphotoalbum/PhotoArchive.cpp b/examples/osgphotoalbum/PhotoArchive.cpp
index b7aac2ae6..b0c8da80c 100644
--- a/examples/osgphotoalbum/PhotoArchive.cpp
+++ b/examples/osgphotoalbum/PhotoArchive.cpp
@@ -12,3 +12,332 @@
 
 #include "PhotoArchive.h"
 
+#include <osg/GLU>
+#include <osg/Notify>
+#include <osgDB/ReadFile>
+#include <Producer/RenderSurface>
+
+#include <fstream>
+
+
+
+const std::string FILE_IDENTIFER("osgphotoalbum photo archive");
+
+class GraphicsContext {
+    public:
+        GraphicsContext()
+        {
+            rs = new Producer::RenderSurface;
+            rs->setWindowRectangle(0,0,1,1);
+            rs->useBorder(false);
+            rs->useConfigEventThread(false);
+            rs->realize();
+            std::cout<<"Realized window"<<std::endl;
+        }
+
+        virtual ~GraphicsContext()
+        {
+        }
+        
+    private:
+        Producer::ref_ptr<Producer::RenderSurface> rs;
+};
+
+PhotoArchive::PhotoArchive(const std::string& filename)
+{
+    readPhotoIndex(filename);
+}
+
+bool PhotoArchive::readPhotoIndex(const std::string& filename)
+{
+    std::ifstream in(filename.c_str());
+    
+    char* fileIndentifier = new char [FILE_IDENTIFER.size()];
+    in.read(fileIndentifier,FILE_IDENTIFER.size());
+    if (FILE_IDENTIFER!=fileIndentifier) return false;
+    
+    unsigned int numPhotos;
+    in.read((char*)&numPhotos,sizeof(numPhotos));
+
+    _photoIndex.resize(numPhotos);
+
+    in.read((char*)&_photoIndex.front(),sizeof(PhotoHeader)*numPhotos);
+    
+    // success record filename.
+    _archiveFileName = filename;
+    
+    return true;
+}
+
+void PhotoArchive::getImageFileNameList(FileNameList& filenameList)
+{
+    for(PhotoIndexList::const_iterator itr=_photoIndex.begin();
+        itr!=_photoIndex.end();
+        ++itr)
+    {
+        filenameList.push_back(std::string(itr->filename));
+    }
+                        
+}
+
+osg::Image* PhotoArchive::readImage(const std::string& filename,
+                                    unsigned int target_s, unsigned target_t,
+                                    float& original_s, float& original_t)
+{
+    for(PhotoIndexList::const_iterator itr=_photoIndex.begin();
+        itr!=_photoIndex.end();
+        ++itr)
+    {
+        if (filename==itr->filename)
+        {
+            const PhotoHeader& photoHeader = *itr;
+        
+            if  (target_s <= photoHeader.thumbnail_s &&
+                 target_t <= photoHeader.thumbnail_t &&
+                 photoHeader.thumbnail_position != 0)
+            {
+                std::ifstream in(_archiveFileName.c_str(),std::ios::in | std::ios::binary);
+                
+                // find image
+                in.seekg(photoHeader.thumbnail_position);
+                
+                // read image header
+                ImageHeader imageHeader;
+                in.read((char*)&imageHeader,sizeof(ImageHeader));
+                unsigned char* data = new unsigned char[imageHeader.size];
+                in.read((char*)data,imageHeader.size);
+                
+                osg::Image* image = new osg::Image;
+                image->setImage(photoHeader.thumbnail_s,photoHeader.thumbnail_t,1,
+                                imageHeader.pixelFormat,imageHeader.pixelFormat,imageHeader.type,
+                                data,osg::Image::USE_NEW_DELETE);
+                                
+                original_s =  photoHeader.original_s;
+                original_t =  photoHeader.original_t;
+                
+                return image;
+            }
+                 
+            if  (photoHeader.fullsize_s &&
+                 photoHeader.fullsize_t &&
+                 photoHeader.fullsize_position != 0)
+            {
+                std::ifstream in(_archiveFileName.c_str(),std::ios::in | std::ios::binary);
+                
+                // find image
+                in.seekg(photoHeader.fullsize_position);
+                
+                // read image header
+                ImageHeader imageHeader;
+                in.read((char*)&imageHeader,sizeof(ImageHeader));
+                unsigned char* data = new unsigned char[imageHeader.size];
+                in.read((char*)data,imageHeader.size);
+                
+                osg::Image* image = new osg::Image;
+                image->setImage(photoHeader.fullsize_s,photoHeader.fullsize_t,1,
+                                imageHeader.pixelFormat,imageHeader.pixelFormat,imageHeader.type,
+                                data,osg::Image::USE_NEW_DELETE);
+                                
+                original_s =  photoHeader.original_s;
+                original_t =  photoHeader.original_t;
+                
+                return image;
+           }
+
+       }
+
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+void PhotoArchive::buildArchive(const std::string& filename, const FileNameList& imageList, unsigned int thumbnailSize, unsigned int maximumSize, bool compressed)
+{
+
+    PhotoIndexList photoIndex;
+    photoIndex.reserve(imageList.size());
+    for(FileNameList::const_iterator fitr=imageList.begin();
+        fitr!=imageList.end();
+        ++fitr)
+    {
+        PhotoHeader header;
+        
+        // set name
+        strncpy(header.filename,fitr->c_str(),255);
+        header.filename[255]=0;
+        
+        header.thumbnail_s = thumbnailSize;
+        header.thumbnail_t = thumbnailSize;
+        header.thumbnail_position = 0;
+        
+        header.fullsize_s = thumbnailSize;
+        header.fullsize_t = thumbnailSize;
+        header.fullsize_position = 0;
+
+        photoIndex.push_back(header);
+        
+    }
+
+    std::cout<<"Building photo archive containing "<<photoIndex.size()<<" pictures"<<std::endl;
+
+    // create a graphics context so we can do data operations
+    GraphicsContext context;
+
+    // open up the archive for writing to    
+    std::ofstream out(filename.c_str(), std::ios::out | std::ios::binary);
+
+    // write out file indentifier.
+    out.write(FILE_IDENTIFER.c_str(),FILE_IDENTIFER.size());
+
+    unsigned int numPhotos = photoIndex.size();
+    out.write((char*)&numPhotos,sizeof(unsigned int));
+
+    // write the photo index to ensure we can the correct amount of space
+    // available.
+    unsigned int startOfPhotoIndex = out.tellp();
+    out.write((char*)&photoIndex.front(),sizeof(PhotoHeader)*photoIndex.size());
+
+    unsigned int photoCount=1;    
+    for(PhotoIndexList::iterator pitr=photoIndex.begin();
+        pitr!=photoIndex.end();
+        ++pitr,++photoCount)
+    {
+        PhotoHeader& photoHeader = *pitr;
+        
+        
+        std::cout<<"Processng image "<<photoCount<<" of "<< photoIndex.size()<<" filename="<< photoHeader.filename << std::endl;
+        std::cout<<"    reading image...";std::cout.flush();
+        
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Image> image = osgDB::readImageFile(photoHeader.filename);
+        
+        std::cout<<"done."<< std::endl;
+        
+        photoHeader.original_s = image->s();
+        photoHeader.original_t = image->t();
+
+        {
+
+            std::cout<<"    creating thumbnail image...";
+            // first need to rescale image to the require thumbnail size
+            unsigned int newTotalSize = 
+                image->computeRowWidthInBytes(thumbnailSize,image->getPixelFormat(),image->getDataType(),image->getPacking())*
+                thumbnailSize;
+
+            // need to sort out what size to really use...
+            unsigned char* newData = new unsigned char [newTotalSize];
+            if (!newData)
+            {
+                // should we throw an exception???  Just return for time being.
+                osg::notify(osg::FATAL) << "Error scaleImage() did not succeed : out of memory."<<newTotalSize<<std::endl;
+                return;
+            }
+
+            glPixelStorei(GL_PACK_ALIGNMENT,image->getPacking());
+            glPixelStorei(GL_UNPACK_ALIGNMENT,image->getPacking());
+
+            GLint status = gluScaleImage(image->getPixelFormat(),
+                image->s(),
+                image->t(),
+                image->getDataType(),
+                image->data(),
+                thumbnailSize,
+                thumbnailSize,
+                image->getDataType(),
+                newData);
+
+            if (status!=0)
+            {
+               delete [] newData;
+
+                osg::notify(osg::WARN) << "Error scaleImage() did not succeed : errorString = "<<gluErrorString((GLenum)status)<<std::endl;
+            }
+    
+            // now set up the photo header.
+            photoHeader.thumbnail_s = thumbnailSize;
+            photoHeader.thumbnail_t = thumbnailSize;
+            photoHeader.thumbnail_position = (unsigned int)out.tellp();
+
+            // set up image header
+            ImageHeader imageHeader;
+            imageHeader.s = thumbnailSize;
+            imageHeader.t = thumbnailSize;
+            imageHeader.internalTextureformat = image->getInternalTextureFormat();
+            imageHeader.pixelFormat = image->getPixelFormat();
+            imageHeader.type = image->getDataType();
+            imageHeader.size = newTotalSize;
+
+            // write out image header and image data.
+            out.write((char*)&imageHeader,sizeof(ImageHeader));
+            out.write((char*)newData,imageHeader.size);
+            
+            delete [] newData;
+
+            std::cout<<"done."<< std::endl;
+
+        }
+        
+        {
+            std::cout<<"    creating fullsize image...";std::cout.flush();
+
+
+            photoHeader.fullsize_s = osg::minimum((unsigned int)image->s(),maximumSize);
+            photoHeader.fullsize_t = osg::minimum((unsigned int)image->t(),maximumSize);
+            photoHeader.fullsize_position = (unsigned int)out.tellp();
+
+            // first need to rescale image to the require thumbnail size
+            unsigned int newTotalSize = 
+                image->computeRowWidthInBytes(photoHeader.fullsize_s,image->getPixelFormat(),image->getDataType(),image->getPacking())*
+                photoHeader.fullsize_t;
+
+            // need to sort out what size to really use...
+            unsigned char* newData = new unsigned char [newTotalSize];
+            if (!newData)
+            {
+                // should we throw an exception???  Just return for time being.
+                osg::notify(osg::FATAL) << "Error scaleImage() did not succeed : out of memory."<<newTotalSize<<std::endl;
+                return;
+            }
+
+            glPixelStorei(GL_PACK_ALIGNMENT,image->getPacking());
+            glPixelStorei(GL_UNPACK_ALIGNMENT,image->getPacking());
+
+            GLint status = gluScaleImage(image->getPixelFormat(),
+                image->s(),
+                image->t(),
+                image->getDataType(),
+                image->data(),
+                photoHeader.fullsize_s,
+                photoHeader.fullsize_t,
+                image->getDataType(),
+                newData);
+
+            if (status!=0)
+            {
+               delete [] newData;
+
+                osg::notify(osg::WARN) << "Error scaleImage() did not succeed : errorString = "<<gluErrorString((GLenum)status)<<std::endl;
+            }
+
+            ImageHeader imageHeader;
+            imageHeader.s = photoHeader.fullsize_s;
+            imageHeader.t = photoHeader.fullsize_t;
+            imageHeader.internalTextureformat = image->getInternalTextureFormat();
+            imageHeader.pixelFormat = image->getPixelFormat();
+            imageHeader.type = image->getDataType();
+            imageHeader.size = newTotalSize;
+
+            out.write((char*)&imageHeader,sizeof(ImageHeader));
+            out.write((char*)newData,imageHeader.size);
+            //out.write((char*)image->data(),imageHeader.size);
+
+            delete [] newData;
+
+            std::cout<<"done."<< std::endl;
+        }
+        
+    }
+
+    // rewrite photo index now it has the correct sizes set
+    out.seekp(startOfPhotoIndex);
+    out.write((char*)&photoIndex.front(),sizeof(PhotoHeader)*photoIndex.size());
+
+}
diff --git a/examples/osgphotoalbum/PhotoArchive.h b/examples/osgphotoalbum/PhotoArchive.h
index 015e3b75c..8ad713d8a 100644
--- a/examples/osgphotoalbum/PhotoArchive.h
+++ b/examples/osgphotoalbum/PhotoArchive.h
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
+/* -*-c++-*- OpenSceneGraph - Copyright (C) 1998-2003 Robert Osfield 
+ *
+ * This application is open source and may be redistributed and/or modified under  
+ * the terms of the GNU Public License (GPL) version 1.0 or 
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ * 
+ * This library 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 
+ * OpenSceneGraph Public License for more details.
+*/
+
 #ifndef PHOTOARCHIVE_H
 #define PHOTOARCHIVE_H
 
@@ -5,6 +17,90 @@
 
 class PhotoArchive : public osg::Referenced
 {
+public:
+
+    static PhotoArchive* open(const std::string& filename)
+    {
+        osg::ref_ptr<PhotoArchive> archive = new PhotoArchive(filename);
+        if (!archive->empty()) return archive.release();
+        else return 0;
+    }
+
+    typedef std::vector<std::string> FileNameList;
+    
+    bool empty() { return _photoIndex.empty(); }
+
+    void getImageFileNameList(FileNameList& filenameList);
+    
+    static void buildArchive(const std::string& filename, const FileNameList& imageList, unsigned int thumbnailSize=256, unsigned int maximumSize=1024, bool compressed=true);
+
+    osg::Image* readImage(const std::string& filename,
+                          unsigned int target_s, unsigned target_t,
+                          float& original_s, float& original_t);
+                          
+    
+    
+protected:
+
+    PhotoArchive(const std::string& filename);
+
+    virtual ~PhotoArchive() {}
+
+    bool readPhotoIndex(const std::string& filename);
+    
+    struct PhotoHeader
+    {
+        PhotoHeader():
+            original_s(0),
+            original_t(0),
+            thumbnail_s(0),
+            thumbnail_t(0),
+            thumbnail_position(0),
+            fullsize_s(0),
+            fullsize_t(0),
+            fullsize_position(0)
+        {
+            filename[0]='\0';
+        }
+    
+        char filename[256];
+        unsigned int original_s;
+        unsigned int original_t;
+
+        unsigned int thumbnail_s;
+        unsigned int thumbnail_t;
+        unsigned int thumbnail_position;
+
+        unsigned int fullsize_s;
+        unsigned int fullsize_t;
+        unsigned int fullsize_position;
+    };
+
+    
+    struct ImageHeader
+    {
+        ImageHeader():
+            s(0),
+            t(0),
+            internalTextureformat(0),
+            pixelFormat(0),
+            type(0),
+            size(0) {}
+    
+        unsigned int s;
+        unsigned int t;
+        GLint internalTextureformat;
+        GLenum pixelFormat;
+        GLenum type;
+        unsigned int size;
+    };
+
+
+    typedef std::vector<PhotoHeader> PhotoIndexList;
+
+    std::string     _archiveFileName;
+    PhotoIndexList  _photoIndex;    
+
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/examples/osgphotoalbum/osgphotoalbum.cpp b/examples/osgphotoalbum/osgphotoalbum.cpp
index 58fc7427b..234d78264 100644
--- a/examples/osgphotoalbum/osgphotoalbum.cpp
+++ b/examples/osgphotoalbum/osgphotoalbum.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 #include <osgUtil/Optimizer>
 
+#include <osgDB/FileNameUtils>
+
 #include <osgText/Text>
 
 #include <osgProducer/Viewer>
@@ -447,7 +449,24 @@ Album::Album(osg::ArgumentParser& arguments, float width, float height)
 
     for(int pos=1;pos<arguments.argc();++pos)
     {
-        if (arguments.isString(pos)) fileList.push_back(arguments[pos]);
+        if (arguments.isString(pos)) 
+        {
+            std::string filename(arguments[pos]);
+            if (osgDB::getLowerCaseFileExtension(filename)=="album")
+            {
+                PhotoArchive* photoArchive = PhotoArchive::open(filename);
+                if (photoArchive)
+                {
+                    g_ImageReaderWriter.get()->addPhotoArchive(photoArchive);
+                    photoArchive->getImageFileNameList(fileList);
+                }
+                
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                fileList.push_back(arguments[pos]);
+            }
+        }
     }
     
     _radiusOfRings = 0.02;
@@ -652,6 +671,7 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv )
     arguments.getApplicationUsage()->addCommandLineOption("-d <float>","Time delay in sceonds between the display of successive image pairs when in auto advance mode.");
     arguments.getApplicationUsage()->addCommandLineOption("-a","Enter auto advance of image pairs on start up.");
     arguments.getApplicationUsage()->addCommandLineOption("-h or --help","Display this information");
+    arguments.getApplicationUsage()->addCommandLineOption("--create <filename>","Create an photo archive of specified files");
     
 
     // construct the viewer.
@@ -683,6 +703,9 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv )
         return 1;
     }
 
+    std::string archiveName;
+    while (arguments.read("--create",archiveName)) {}
+    
     // any option left unread are converted into errors to write out later.
     arguments.reportRemainingOptionsAsUnrecognized();
 
@@ -700,6 +723,20 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv )
     }
 
 
+    if (!archiveName.empty())
+    {
+        // archive name set to create
+        PhotoArchive::FileNameList fileNameList;
+        for(int i=1;i<arguments.argc();++i)
+        {
+            if (arguments.isString(i)) fileNameList.push_back(std::string(arguments[i]));
+        }
+        
+        PhotoArchive::buildArchive(archiveName,fileNameList);
+        
+        return 0;
+    }
+
 
     // now the windows have been realized we switch off the cursor to prevent it
     // distracting the people seeing the stereo images.