diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/osgText/IO_TextBase.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/osgText/IO_TextBase.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..135f73503
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/osgText/IO_TextBase.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,383 @@
+#include <osgText/Text>
+#include <osgText/Font>
+
+#include <iostream>
+#include <string>
+
+#include <osg/Vec3>
+#include <osg/Vec4>
+#include <osg/io_utils>
+
+#include <osgDB/Registry>
+#include <osgDB/Input>
+#include <osgDB/Output>
+#include <osgDB/ParameterOutput>
+
+bool TextBase_readLocalData(osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Input &fr);
+bool TextBase_writeLocalData(const osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Output &fw);
+
+osgDB::RegisterDotOsgWrapperProxy TextBase_Proxy
+(
+    /*new osgText::Text*/NULL,
+    "TextBase",
+    "Object Drawable TextBase",
+    TextBase_readLocalData,
+    TextBase_writeLocalData
+);
+
+bool TextBase_readLocalData(osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Input &fr)
+{
+    osgText::Text &text = static_cast<osgText::Text &>(obj);
+    bool itAdvanced = false;
+
+    if (fr[0].matchWord("fontResolution") || fr[0].matchWord("fontSize"))
+    {
+        unsigned int width;
+        unsigned int height;
+        if (fr[1].getUInt(width) && fr[2].getUInt(height))
+        {
+            text.setFontResolution(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;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (fr.matchSequence("characterSizeMode %w"))
+    {
+        std::string str = fr[1].getStr();
+        if      (str=="OBJECT_COORDS") text.setCharacterSizeMode(osgText::Text::OBJECT_COORDS);
+        else if (str=="SCREEN_COORDS") text.setCharacterSizeMode(osgText::Text::SCREEN_COORDS);
+        else if (str=="OBJECT_COORDS_WITH_MAXIMUM_SCREEN_SIZE_CAPPED_BY_FONT_HEIGHT") text.setCharacterSizeMode(osgText::Text::OBJECT_COORDS_WITH_MAXIMUM_SCREEN_SIZE_CAPPED_BY_FONT_HEIGHT);
+    }
+
+    // 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.setMaximumHeight(height);
+            fr += 2;
+            itAdvanced = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (fr[0].matchWord("lineSpacing"))
+    {
+        float height;
+        if (fr[1].getFloat(height))
+        {
+            text.setLineSpacing(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=="LEFT_BASE_LINE") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::LEFT_BASE_LINE);
+        else if (str=="CENTER_BASE_LINE") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::CENTER_BASE_LINE);
+        else if (str=="RIGHT_BASE_LINE") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::RIGHT_BASE_LINE);
+        else if (str=="LEFT_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::LEFT_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE);
+        else if (str=="CENTER_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::CENTER_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE);
+        else if (str=="RIGHT_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE") text.setAlignment(osgText::Text::RIGHT_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE);
+        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=="REVERSED_XY_PLANE") text.setAxisAlignment(osgText::Text::REVERSED_XY_PLANE);
+        else if (str=="XZ_PLANE") text.setAxisAlignment(osgText::Text::XZ_PLANE);
+        else if (str=="REVERSED_XZ_PLANE") text.setAxisAlignment(osgText::Text::REVERSED_XZ_PLANE);
+        else if (str=="YZ_PLANE") text.setAxisAlignment(osgText::Text::YZ_PLANE);
+        else if (str=="REVERSED_YZ_PLANE") text.setAxisAlignment(osgText::Text::REVERSED_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("autoRotateToScreen TRUE"))
+    {
+        text.setAutoRotateToScreen(true);
+        fr += 2;
+        itAdvanced = true;
+    }
+
+    if (fr.matchSequence("autoScaleToLimitScreenSizeToFontResolution TRUE"))
+    {
+        text.setCharacterSizeMode(osgText::Text::SCREEN_COORDS);
+        fr += 2;
+        itAdvanced = true;
+    }
+
+    if (fr.matchSequence("layout %w") && fr[1].getStr())
+    {
+        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"))
+    {
+        osg::Vec3 p;
+        if (fr[1].getFloat(p.x()) && fr[2].getFloat(p.y()) && fr[3].getFloat(p.z()))
+        {
+            text.setPosition(p);
+            fr += 4;
+            itAdvanced = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // draw mode
+    if (fr[0].matchWord("drawMode"))
+    {
+        int i;
+        if (fr[1].getInt(i)) {
+            text.setDrawMode(i);
+            fr += 2;
+            itAdvanced = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // text
+    if (fr.matchSequence("text %s") && fr[1].getStr()) {
+        text.setText(std::string(fr[1].getStr()));
+        fr += 2;
+        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;
+}
+
+//osgText::Text::CharactereSizeMode convertCharactereSizeModeStringtoEnum(std::string & str)
+//{
+//    if      (str=="OBJECT_COORDS") return osgText::Text::OBJECT_COORDS;
+//    else if (str=="SCREEN_COORDS") return osgText::Text::SCREEN_COORDS;
+//    else if (str=="OBJECT_COORDS_WITH_MAXIMUM_SCREEN_SIZE_CAPPED_BY_FONT_HEIGHT") return osgText::Text::OBJECT_COORDS_WITH_MAXIMUM_SCREEN_SIZE_CAPPED_BY_FONT_HEIGHT;
+//    else return -1;
+//}
+//
+//std::string convertCharactereSizeModeStringtoEnum(osgText::Text::CharactereSizeMode charactereSizeMode)
+//{
+//    switch(charactereSizeMode)
+//    {
+//      case osgText::Text::OBJECT_COORDS : return "OBJECT_COORDS";
+//      case osgText::Text::SCREEN_COORDS : return "SCREEN_COORDS";
+//      case osgText::Text::OBJECT_COORDS_WITH_MAXIMUM_SCREEN_SIZE_CAPPED_BY_FONT_HEIGHT: return "OBJECT_COORDS_WITH_MAXIMUM_SCREEN_SIZE_CAPPED_BY_FONT_HEIGHT";
+//      default : return "";
+//    }
+//}
+
+bool TextBase_writeLocalData(const osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Output &fw)
+{
+    const osgText::Text &text = static_cast<const osgText::Text &>(obj);
+
+    // font resolution
+    fw.indent() << "fontResolution " << text.getFontWidth() << " " << text.getFontHeight() << std::endl;
+
+    // charater size.
+    fw.indent() << "characterSize " << text.getCharacterHeight() << " " << text.getCharacterAspectRatio() << std::endl;
+
+    fw.indent() << "characterSizeMode ";
+    switch(text.getCharacterSizeMode())
+    {
+      case osgText::Text::OBJECT_COORDS : fw<<"OBJECT_COORDS"<<std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::SCREEN_COORDS : fw<<"SCREEN_COORDS"<<std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::OBJECT_COORDS_WITH_MAXIMUM_SCREEN_SIZE_CAPPED_BY_FONT_HEIGHT: fw<<"OBJECT_COORDS_WITH_MAXIMUM_SCREEN_SIZE_CAPPED_BY_FONT_HEIGHT"<<std::endl; break;
+    }
+
+    // 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;
+    }
+
+    if (text.getLineSpacing()>0.0f)
+    {
+        fw.indent() << "lineSpacing " << text.getLineSpacing() << 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::LEFT_BASE_LINE:  fw << "LEFT_BASE_LINE" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::CENTER_BASE_LINE:fw << "CENTER_BASE_LINE" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::RIGHT_BASE_LINE: fw << "RIGHT_BASE_LINE" << std::endl; break;
+      
+      case osgText::Text::LEFT_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE:  fw << "LEFT_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::CENTER_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE:fw << "CENTER_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE" << std::endl; break;
+      case osgText::Text::RIGHT_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE: fw << "RIGHT_BOTTOM_BASE_LINE" << std::endl; break;
+    };
+
+
+    if (!text.getRotation().zeroRotation())
+    {
+        fw.indent() << "rotation " << text.getRotation() << std::endl;
+    }
+
+    if (text.getAutoRotateToScreen())
+    {
+        fw.indent() << "autoRotateToScreen TRUE"<< 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;
+
+    // color
+//    osg::Vec4 c = text.getColor();
+//    fw.indent() << "color " << c.x() << " " << c.y() << " " << c.z() << " " << c.w() << std::endl;
+
+    // draw mode
+    fw.indent() << "drawMode " << text.getDrawMode() << std::endl;
+
+
+    // text
+    const osgText::String& textstring = text.getText();
+    bool isACString = true;
+    osgText::String::const_iterator itr;
+    for(itr=textstring.begin();
+        itr!=textstring.end() && isACString;
+        ++itr)
+    {
+        if (*itr==0 || *itr>256) isACString=false;
+    }
+    if (isACString)
+    {
+        std::string str;
+
+        for(itr=textstring.begin();
+            itr!=textstring.end();
+            ++itr)
+        {
+            str += (char)(*itr);
+        }
+
+        //std::copy(textstring.begin(),textstring.end(),std::back_inserter(str));
+        
+        fw.indent() << "text " << fw.wrapString(str) << std::endl;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        // do it the hardway...output each character as an int
+        fw.indent() << "text "<<textstring.size()<<std::endl;;
+        osgDB::writeArray(fw,textstring.begin(),textstring.end());
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}