diff --git a/include/osg/ShapeDrawable b/include/osg/ShapeDrawable
index 2a960df27..26ae13a50 100644
--- a/include/osg/ShapeDrawable
+++ b/include/osg/ShapeDrawable
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ class SG_EXPORT ShapeDrawable : public Drawable
           */
         virtual void drawImplementation(State& state) const;
 
-        /** return false, osg::ProceduralGeoemtry does not support accept(AttributeFunctor&).*/
+        /** return false, osg::ShapeDrawable does not support accept(AttributeFunctor&).*/
         virtual bool supports(AttributeFunctor&) const { return false; }
 
         /** return true, osg::ShapeDrawable does support accept(ConstAttributeFunctor&).*/
diff --git a/include/osgDB/Input b/include/osgDB/Input
index 6c67b2fbd..74f4b05b9 100644
--- a/include/osgDB/Input
+++ b/include/osgDB/Input
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class OSGDB_EXPORT Input : public FieldReaderIterator
 
     private:
     
-        typedef std::map<std::string,osg::Object*> UniqueIDToObjectMapping;
+        typedef std::map< std::string, osg::ref_ptr<osg::Object> > UniqueIDToObjectMapping;
         UniqueIDToObjectMapping _uniqueIDToObjectMap;
 
 };
diff --git a/include/osgText/Text b/include/osgText/Text
index 6a02e988c..67e052f45 100644
--- a/include/osgText/Text
+++ b/include/osgText/Text
@@ -183,6 +183,22 @@ public:
     /** Draw the text.*/
     virtual void drawImplementation(osg::State& state) const;
 
+    /** return false, osgText::Text does not support accept(AttributeFunctor&).*/
+    virtual bool supports(osg::Drawable::AttributeFunctor&) const { return false; }
+
+    /** return true, osgText::Text does support accept(ConstAttributeFunctor&).*/
+    virtual bool supports(osg::Drawable::ConstAttributeFunctor&) const { return true; }
+
+    /** accept an ConstAttributeFunctor and call its methods to tell it about the interal attributes that this Drawable has.*/
+    virtual void accept(osg::Drawable::ConstAttributeFunctor& af) const;
+
+    /** return true, osgText::Text does support accept(PrimitiveFunctor&) .*/
+    virtual bool supports(osg::Drawable::PrimitiveFunctor&) const { return true; }
+
+    /** accept a PrimtiveFunctor and call its methods to tell it about the interal primtives that this Drawable has.*/
+    virtual void accept(osg::Drawable::PrimitiveFunctor& pf) const;
+
+
     // make Font a friend to allow it set the _font to 0 if the font is 
     // forcefully unloaded.
     friend class Font;
diff --git a/src/osgDB/Input.cpp b/src/osgDB/Input.cpp
index f37dcf78f..56e56c35e 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/Input.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/Input.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Input::~Input()
 osg::Object* Input::getObjectForUniqueID(const std::string& uniqueID)
 {
     UniqueIDToObjectMapping::iterator fitr = _uniqueIDToObjectMap.find(uniqueID);
-    if (fitr != _uniqueIDToObjectMap.end()) return (*fitr).second;
+    if (fitr != _uniqueIDToObjectMap.end()) return (*fitr).second.get();
     else return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp b/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
index 622aeb578..6023a0df9 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ osg::Object* Registry::readObjectOfType(const osg::Object& compObj,Input& fr)
         if (fr[1].isString())
         {
             Object* obj = fr.getObjectForUniqueID(fr[1].getStr());
-            if (compObj.isSameKindAs(obj))
+            if (obj && compObj.isSameKindAs(obj))
             {
                 fr+=2;
                 return obj;
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/freetype/Makefile b/src/osgPlugins/freetype/Makefile
index 14221c582..8d00b60b7 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/freetype/Makefile
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/freetype/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ CXXFILES =\
         FreeTypeFont.cpp\
         ReaderWriterFreeType.cpp\
 
-LIBS   += $(OSG_LIBS) $(FREETYPE_LIB) $(OTHER_LIBS)
+LIBS   += -losgText $(OSG_LIBS) $(FREETYPE_LIB) $(OTHER_LIBS)
 
 ifneq ($(OS),HP-UX)
 INC += -I$(OSGHOME)/include \
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/osgText/IO_Text.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/osgText/IO_Text.cpp
index 060522714..057863783 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/osgText/IO_Text.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/osgText/IO_Text.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <osgDB/Registry>
 #include <osgDB/Input>
 #include <osgDB/Output>
+#include <osgDB/ParameterOutput>
 
 bool Text_readLocalData(osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Input &fr);
 bool Text_writeLocalData(const osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Output &fw);
@@ -28,10 +29,118 @@ bool Text_readLocalData(osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Input &fr)
     osgText::Text &text = static_cast<osgText::Text &>(obj);
     bool itAdvanced = false;
 
+
+    if (fr.matchSequence("font %w"))
+    { 
+        text.setFont(fr[1].getStr());
+        fr += 2;
+        itAdvanced = true;
+        
+    }
+
+    if (fr[0].matchWord("fontSize"))
+    {
+        unsigned int width;
+        unsigned int height;
+        if (fr[1].getUInt(width) && fr[2].getUInt(height))
+        {
+            text.setFontSize(width,height);
+            fr += 3;
+            itAdvanced = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (fr[0].matchWord("characterSize"))
+    {
+        float height;
+        float aspectRatio;
+        if (fr[1].getFloat(height) && fr[2].getFloat(aspectRatio))
+        {
+            text.setCharacterSize(height,aspectRatio);
+            fr += 3;
+            itAdvanced = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // maximum dimentsions of text box.
+    if (fr[0].matchWord("maximumWidth"))
+    {
+        float width;
+        if (fr[1].getFloat(width))
+        {
+            text.setMaximumWidth(width);
+            fr += 2;
+            itAdvanced = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (fr[0].matchWord("maximumHeight"))
+    {
+        float height;
+        if (fr[1].getFloat(height))
+        {
+            text.setMaximumWidth(height);
+            fr += 2;
+            itAdvanced = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (fr.matchSequence("alignment %w"))
+    {
+        std::string str = fr[1].getStr();
+        if      (str=="LEFT_TOP") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::LEFT_TOP);
+        else if (str=="LEFT_CENTER") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::LEFT_CENTER);
+        else if (str=="LEFT_BOTTOM") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::LEFT_BOTTOM);
+        else if (str=="CENTER_TOP") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::CENTER_TOP);
+        else if (str=="CENTER_CENTER") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::CENTER_CENTER);
+        else if (str=="CENTER_BOTTOM") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::CENTER_BOTTOM);
+        else if (str=="RIGHT_TOP") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::RIGHT_TOP);
+        else if (str=="RIGHT_CENTER") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::RIGHT_CENTER);
+        else if (str=="RIGHT_BOTTOM") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::RIGHT_BOTTOM);
+        else if (str=="BASE_LINE") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::BASE_LINE);
+        fr += 2;
+        itAdvanced = true;
+    }
+    
+    if (fr.matchSequence("axisAlignment %w"))
+    {
+        std::string str = fr[1].getStr();
+        if      (str=="XY_PLANE") text.setAxisAlignment(osgText::Text::XY_PLANE);
+        else if (str=="XZ_PLANE") text.setAxisAlignment(osgText::Text::XZ_PLANE);
+        else if (str=="YZ_PLANE") text.setAxisAlignment(osgText::Text::YZ_PLANE);
+        else if (str=="SCREEN") text.setAxisAlignment(osgText::Text::SCREEN);
+        fr += 2;
+        itAdvanced = true;
+    }
+
+    if (fr.matchSequence("rotation"))
+    {
+        osg::Vec4 rotation;
+        if (fr[1].getFloat(rotation.x()) && fr[2].getFloat(rotation.y()) && fr[3].getFloat(rotation.z()) && fr[4].getFloat(rotation.w()))
+        {
+            text.setRotation(rotation);
+            fr += 4;
+            itAdvanced = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (fr.matchSequence("layout %w"))
+    {
+        std::string str = fr[1].getStr();
+        if      (str=="LEFT_TO_RIGHT") text.setLayout(osgText::Text::LEFT_TO_RIGHT);
+        else if (str=="RIGHT_TO_LEFT") text.setLayout(osgText::Text::RIGHT_TO_LEFT);
+        else if (str=="VERTICAL") text.setLayout(osgText::Text::VERTICAL);
+        fr += 2;
+        itAdvanced = true;
+    }
+
+
     // position
-    if (fr[0].matchWord("position")) {
+    if (fr[0].matchWord("position"))
+    {
         osg::Vec3 p;
-        if (fr[1].getFloat(p.x()) && fr[2].getFloat(p.y()) && fr[3].getFloat(p.z())) {
+        if (fr[1].getFloat(p.x()) && fr[2].getFloat(p.y()) && fr[3].getFloat(p.z()))
+        {
             text.setPosition(p);
             fr += 4;
             itAdvanced = true;
@@ -39,9 +148,11 @@ bool Text_readLocalData(osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Input &fr)
     }
 
     // color
-    if (fr[0].matchWord("color")) {
+    if (fr[0].matchWord("color"))
+    {
         osg::Vec4 c;
-        if (fr[1].getFloat(c.x()) && fr[2].getFloat(c.y()) && fr[3].getFloat(c.z()) && fr[4].getFloat(c.w())) {
+        if (fr[1].getFloat(c.x()) && fr[2].getFloat(c.y()) && fr[3].getFloat(c.z()) && fr[4].getFloat(c.w()))
+        {
             text.setColor(c);
             fr += 4;
             itAdvanced = true;
@@ -49,7 +160,8 @@ bool Text_readLocalData(osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Input &fr)
     }
 
     // draw mode
-    if (fr[0].matchWord("drawMode")) {
+    if (fr[0].matchWord("drawMode"))
+    {
         int i;
         if (fr[1].getInt(i)) {
             text.setDrawMode(i);
@@ -58,16 +170,6 @@ bool Text_readLocalData(osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Input &fr)
         }
     }
 
-    // alignment
-    if (fr[0].matchWord("alignment")) {
-        int i;
-        if (fr[1].getInt(i)) {
-            text.setAlignment((osgText::Text::AlignmentType)i);
-            fr += 2;
-            itAdvanced = true;
-        }
-    }
-
     // text
     if (fr.matchSequence("text %s")) {
         text.setText(std::string(fr[1].getStr()));
@@ -75,6 +177,39 @@ bool Text_readLocalData(osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Input &fr)
         itAdvanced = true;
     }
 
+    if (fr.matchSequence("text %i {"))
+    {
+        // pre 0.9.3 releases..
+        int entry = fr[0].getNoNestedBrackets();
+
+        int capacity;
+        fr[1].getInt(capacity);
+
+        osgText::String str;
+        str.reserve(capacity);
+
+        fr += 3;
+
+        while (!fr.eof() && fr[0].getNoNestedBrackets()>entry)
+        {
+            unsigned int c;
+            if (fr[0].getUInt(c))
+            {
+                ++fr;
+                str.push_back(c);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                ++fr;
+            }
+        }
+
+        text.setText(str);
+
+        itAdvanced = true;
+        ++fr;
+    }
+
     return itAdvanced;
 }
 
@@ -87,8 +222,69 @@ bool Text_writeLocalData(const osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Output &fw)
         fw.indent() << "font " << text.getFont()->getFileName() << std::endl;
     }
 
+    // font resolution
     fw.indent() << "fontSize " << text.getFontWidth() << " " << text.getFontHeight() << std::endl;
 
+    // charater size.
+    fw.indent() << "characterSize " << text.getCharacterHeight() << " " << text.getCharacterAspectRatio() << std::endl;
+
+    // maximum dimension of text box.
+    if (text.getMaximumWidth()>0.0f)
+    {
+        fw.indent() << "maximumWidth " << text.getMaximumWidth() << std::endl;
+    }
+    
+    if (text.getMaximumHeight()>0.0f)
+    {
+        fw.indent() << "maximumHeight " << text.getMaximumHeight() << std::endl;
+    }
+    
+    // alignment
+    fw.indent() << "alignment ";
+    switch(text.getAlignment())
+    {
+      case osgText::Text::LEFT_TOP:        fw << "LEFT_TOP" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::LEFT_CENTER :    fw << "LEFT_CENTER" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::LEFT_BOTTOM :    fw << "LEFT_BOTTOM" << std::endl; break;
+      
+      case osgText::Text::CENTER_TOP:      fw << "CENTER_TOP" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::CENTER_CENTER:   fw << "CENTER_CENTER" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::CENTER_BOTTOM:   fw << "CENTER_BOTTOM" << std::endl; break;
+      
+      case osgText::Text::RIGHT_TOP:       fw << "RIGHT_TOP" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::RIGHT_CENTER:    fw << "RIGHT_CENTER" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::RIGHT_BOTTOM:    fw << "RIGHT_BOTTOM" << std::endl; break;
+      
+      case osgText::Text::BASE_LINE:       fw << "BASE_LINE" << std::endl; break;
+    };
+
+
+    // axis alignment
+    fw.indent() << "axisAlignment ";
+    switch(text.getAxisAlignment())
+    {
+      case osgText::Text::XY_PLANE: fw << "XY_PLANE" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::XZ_PLANE: fw << "XZ_PLANE" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::YZ_PLANE: fw << "YZ_PLANE" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::SCREEN:   fw << "SCREEN" << std::endl; break;
+    };
+
+    if (!text.getRotation().zeroRotation())
+    {
+        fw.indent() << "rotation " << text.getRotation() << std::endl;
+    }
+
+
+    // layout
+    fw.indent() << "layout ";
+    switch(text.getLayout())
+    {
+      case osgText::Text::LEFT_TO_RIGHT: fw << "LEFT_TO_RIGHT" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::RIGHT_TO_LEFT: fw << "RIGHT_TO_LEFT" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::VERTICAL: fw << "VERTICAL" << std::endl; break;
+    };
+
+
     // position
     osg::Vec3 p = text.getPosition();
     fw.indent() << "position " << p.x() << " " << p.y() << " " << p.z() << std::endl;
@@ -100,8 +296,6 @@ bool Text_writeLocalData(const osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Output &fw)
     // draw mode
     fw.indent() << "drawMode " << text.getDrawMode() << std::endl;
 
-    // alignment
-    fw.indent() << "alignment " << text.getAlignment() << std::endl;
 
     // text
     const osgText::String& textstring = text.getText();
@@ -120,10 +314,10 @@ bool Text_writeLocalData(const osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Output &fw)
     }
     else
     {
-        // do it the hardway...
+        // do it the hardway...output each character as an int
+        fw.indent() << "text "<<textstring.size()<<std::endl;;
+        writeArray(fw,textstring.begin(),textstring.end());
     }
 
     return true;
 }
-
-
diff --git a/src/osgText/Font.cpp b/src/osgText/Font.cpp
index a9905917d..ced36af61 100644
--- a/src/osgText/Font.cpp
+++ b/src/osgText/Font.cpp
@@ -231,6 +231,10 @@ void Font::addGlyph(unsigned int width, unsigned int height, unsigned int charco
         _stateSetList.push_back(stateset);
 
         glyphTexture = new GlyphTexture;
+        
+//         static int numberOfTexturesAllocated = 0;
+//         ++numberOfTexturesAllocated;
+//         std::cout << this<< "  numberOfTexturesAllocated "<<numberOfTexturesAllocated<<std::endl;
 
         // reserve enough space for the glyphs.
         glyphTexture->setGlyphImageMargin(_margin);
diff --git a/src/osgText/Makefile b/src/osgText/Makefile
index 7f5cbef9e..57769bf5d 100644
--- a/src/osgText/Makefile
+++ b/src/osgText/Makefile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ CXXFILES = \
 
 DEF     += -DOSGTEXT_LIBRARY
 
-LIBS  +=  -losgDB -losgUtil -losg $(GL_LIBS) $(OTHER_LIBS)
+LIBS  +=  -losgDB -losg $(GL_LIBS) $(OTHER_LIBS)
 
 TARGET_BASENAME = osgText
 LIB = $(LIB_PREFIX)$(TARGET_BASENAME).$(LIB_EXT)
diff --git a/src/osgText/Text.cpp b/src/osgText/Text.cpp
index 25dc3e6b5..422f34d2c 100644
--- a/src/osgText/Text.cpp
+++ b/src/osgText/Text.cpp
@@ -240,8 +240,8 @@ void Text::computeGlyphRepresentation()
         
         if (charcode=='\n')
         {
-            if (horizontal) startOfLine.y() -= _fontHeight;
-            else startOfLine.x() += _fontWidth;
+            if (horizontal) startOfLine.y() -= _characterHeight;
+            else startOfLine.x() += _characterHeight;
             cursor = startOfLine;
             previous_charcode = 0;
             continue;
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ void Text::computeGlyphRepresentation()
                 {
                     if (local.x()+width>_maximumWidth)
                     {
-                        startOfLine.y() -= _fontHeight;
+                        startOfLine.y() -= _characterHeight;
                         cursor = startOfLine;
                         previous_charcode = 0;
 
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ void Text::computeGlyphRepresentation()
                 {
                     if (local.x()<-_maximumWidth)
                     {
-                        startOfLine.y() -= _fontHeight;
+                        startOfLine.y() -= _characterHeight;
                         cursor = startOfLine;
                         previous_charcode = 0;
 
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ void Text::computeGlyphRepresentation()
                 {
                     if (local.y()<-_maximumHeight)
                     {
-                        startOfLine.x() += _fontWidth;
+                        startOfLine.x() += _characterHeight/_characterAspectRatio;
                         cursor = startOfLine;
                         previous_charcode = 0;
 
@@ -470,8 +470,6 @@ void Text::drawImplementation(osg::State& state) const
     if (_drawMode & TEXT)
     {
 
-        bool first = false;
-        
         state.disableAllVertexArrays();
 
         for(TextureGlyphQuadMap::const_iterator titr=_textureGlyphQuadMap.begin();
@@ -479,11 +477,7 @@ void Text::drawImplementation(osg::State& state) const
             ++titr)
         {
             // need to set the texture here...
-
-            if (!first)
-            {
-                state.apply(titr->first.get());
-            }
+            state.apply(titr->first.get());
 
             const GlyphQuads& glyphquad = titr->second;
 
@@ -492,8 +486,6 @@ void Text::drawImplementation(osg::State& state) const
 
             glDrawArrays(GL_QUADS,0,glyphquad._coords.size());
 
-            first = false;
-
         }
     }
     
@@ -536,3 +528,36 @@ void Text::drawImplementation(osg::State& state) const
     glPopMatrix();
 }
 
+void Text::accept(osg::Drawable::ConstAttributeFunctor& af) const
+{
+    for(TextureGlyphQuadMap::const_iterator titr=_textureGlyphQuadMap.begin();
+        titr!=_textureGlyphQuadMap.end();
+        ++titr)
+    {
+        const GlyphQuads& glyphquad = titr->second;
+        af.apply(osg::Drawable::VERTICES,glyphquad._coords.size(),&(glyphquad._coords.front()));
+        af.apply(osg::Drawable::TEXTURE_COORDS_0,glyphquad._texcoords.size(),&(glyphquad._texcoords.front()));
+    }
+}
+
+void Text::accept(osg::Drawable::PrimitiveFunctor& pf) const
+{
+    for(TextureGlyphQuadMap::const_iterator titr=_textureGlyphQuadMap.begin();
+        titr!=_textureGlyphQuadMap.end();
+        ++titr)
+    {
+        const GlyphQuads& glyphquad = titr->second;
+
+        pf.begin(GL_QUADS);
+        for(GlyphQuads::Coords::const_iterator itr = glyphquad._coords.begin();
+            itr!=glyphquad._coords.end();
+            ++itr)
+        {
+
+            osg::Vec3 pos(itr->x(),itr->y(),0.0f);
+            pf.vertex(pos*_matrix);
+        }
+        pf.end();
+    }
+    
+}