Index: generic/predefined.h
===================================================================
diff -u -rafa1cb8064311ef406ae50c499c026c8576393f8 -r0c8c36d48b1a146780b7ba8966196ad1b7075dda
--- generic/predefined.h	(.../predefined.h)	(revision afa1cb8064311ef406ae50c499c026c8576393f8)
+++ generic/predefined.h	(.../predefined.h)	(revision 0c8c36d48b1a146780b7ba8966196ad1b7075dda)
@@ -437,6 +437,21 @@
 "namespace eval $object $cmds}}\n"
 "::xotcl2::Class instforward slots %self contains \\\n"
 "-object {%::xotcl::dispatch [::xotcl::self] -objscope ::subst [::xotcl::self]::slot}\n"
+"::xotcl::Object method contains {\n"
+"{-withnew:boolean true}\n"
+"-object\n"
+"{-class ::xotcl2::Object}\n"
+"cmds} {\n"
+"if {![info exists object]} {set object [::xotcl::self]}\n"
+"if {![::xotcl::is $object object]} {$class create $object}\n"
+"$object requireNamespace\n"
+"if {$withnew} {\n"
+"set m [::xotcl::ScopedNew new \\\n"
+"-inobject $object -withclass $class -volatile]\n"
+"::xotcl2::Class instmixin add $m end\n"
+"namespace eval $object $cmds\n"
+"::xotcl2::Class instmixin delete $m} else {\n"
+"namespace eval $object $cmds}}\n"
 "::xotcl::Class instforward slots %self contains \\\n"
 "-object {%::xotcl::dispatch [::xotcl::self] -objscope ::subst [::xotcl::self]::slot}\n"
 "::xotcl2::Class method parameter arglist {\n"
@@ -499,7 +514,6 @@
 "::xotcl::Class method allinstances {} {\n"
 "return [.info instances -closure]}\n"
 "::xotcl::alias ::xotcl::Class   parameter     ::xotcl::classes::xotcl2::Class::parameter\n"
-"::xotcl::alias ::xotcl::Object  contains      ::xotcl::classes::xotcl2::Object::contains\n"
 "::xotcl::alias ::xotcl2::Object defaultmethod ::xotcl::classes::xotcl::Object::defaultmethod\n"
 "::xotcl::Object method -per-object unsetExitHandler {} {\n"
 "::xotcl::Object method -per-object __exitHandler {} {\n"
Index: generic/predefined.xotcl
===================================================================
diff -u -rafa1cb8064311ef406ae50c499c026c8576393f8 -r0c8c36d48b1a146780b7ba8966196ad1b7075dda
--- generic/predefined.xotcl	(.../predefined.xotcl)	(revision afa1cb8064311ef406ae50c499c026c8576393f8)
+++ generic/predefined.xotcl	(.../predefined.xotcl)	(revision 0c8c36d48b1a146780b7ba8966196ad1b7075dda)
@@ -833,6 +833,27 @@
 }
 ::xotcl2::Class instforward slots %self contains \
     -object {%::xotcl::dispatch [::xotcl::self] -objscope ::subst [::xotcl::self]::slot}
+
+# this will go into the optional xotcl block
+::xotcl::Object method contains {
+   {-withnew:boolean true} 
+   -object 
+   {-class ::xotcl2::Object} 
+   cmds
+ } {
+  if {![info exists object]} {set object [::xotcl::self]}
+  if {![::xotcl::is $object object]} {$class create $object}
+  $object requireNamespace
+  if {$withnew} {
+    set m [::xotcl::ScopedNew new \
+	       -inobject $object -withclass $class -volatile]
+    ::xotcl2::Class instmixin add $m end
+    namespace eval $object $cmds
+    ::xotcl2::Class instmixin delete $m
+  } else {
+    namespace eval $object $cmds
+  }
+}
 ::xotcl::Class instforward slots %self contains \
     -object {%::xotcl::dispatch [::xotcl::self] -objscope ::subst [::xotcl::self]::slot}
 #
@@ -933,7 +954,7 @@
 # reuse definitions from xotcl in xotcl2
 # TODO: can this be done with interp aliases?
 ::xotcl::alias ::xotcl::Class   parameter     ::xotcl::classes::xotcl2::Class::parameter
-::xotcl::alias ::xotcl::Object  contains      ::xotcl::classes::xotcl2::Object::contains
+#::xotcl::alias ::xotcl::Object  contains      ::xotcl::classes::xotcl2::Object::contains
 ::xotcl::alias ::xotcl2::Object defaultmethod ::xotcl::classes::xotcl::Object::defaultmethod
 
 #interp alias {} ::xotcl::classes::xotcl::Class::parameter {} ::xotcl::classes::xotcl2::Class::parameter
Index: library/serialize/Serializer.xotcl
===================================================================
diff -u -r5ec6a6f960964d861d68c052d8e2e7d68b711449 -r0c8c36d48b1a146780b7ba8966196ad1b7075dda
--- library/serialize/Serializer.xotcl	(.../Serializer.xotcl)	(revision 5ec6a6f960964d861d68c052d8e2e7d68b711449)
+++ library/serialize/Serializer.xotcl	(.../Serializer.xotcl)	(revision 0c8c36d48b1a146780b7ba8966196ad1b7075dda)
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@
   }
   Serializer instproc Object-serialize o {
     my collect-var-traces $o
-    append cmd [list [$o info class] create [$o self]]
+    append cmd [list [$o info class] create [::xotcl::dispatch $o -objscope ::xotcl::self]]
     # slots needs to be initialized when optimized, since
     # parametercmds are not serialized
     #if {![$o istype ::xotcl::Slot]} {append cmd " -noinit"}
@@ -220,10 +220,10 @@
       set setcmd [list]
       if {![my exists ignoreVarsRE] || 
 	  ![regexp [my set ignoreVarsRE] ${o}::$v]} {
-	if {[$o array exists $v]} {
-	  lappend setcmd array set $v [$o array get $v]
+	if {[::xotcl::dispatch $o ::array exists $v]} {
+	  lappend setcmd array set $v [::xotcl::dispatch $o ::array get .$v]
 	} else {
-	  lappend setcmd set $v [$o set $v]
+	  lappend setcmd set $v [::xotcl::instvar $o $v]
 	}
 	incr nrVars
 	append cmd \t [my pcmd $setcmd] " \\\n"
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@
     return $arglist
   }
   Serializer instproc category c {
-    if {[$c istype ::xotcl::Class]} {return Class} {return Object}
+    if {[::xotcl::is $c type ::xotcl::Class]} {return Class} {return Object}
   }
   Serializer instproc allChildren o {
     set set $o
@@ -312,8 +312,8 @@
   }
   
   Serializer instproc topoSort {set all} {
-    if {[my array exists s]} {my array unset s}
-    if {[my array exists level]} {my array unset level}
+    if {[array exists .s]} {array unset .s}
+    if {[array exists .level]} {array unset .level}
     foreach c $set {
       if {!$all &&
 	  [string match "::xotcl::*" $c] && 
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@
     }
     set stratum 0
     while {1} {
-      set set [my array names s]
+      set set [array names .s]
       if {[llength $set] == 0} break
       incr stratum
       #my warn "$stratum set=$set"
@@ -379,10 +379,11 @@
     set post_cmds ""
     # register for introspection purposes "trace" under a different name
     ::xotcl::alias ::xotcl::Object __trace__ -objscope ::trace
+    ::xotcl::alias ::xotcl2::Object __trace__ -objscope ::trace
     my topoSort $list $all
-    #foreach i [lsort [my array names level]] {my warn "$i: [my set level($i)]"}
+    #foreach i [lsort [array names .level]] {my warn "$i: [my set level($i)]"}
     set result ""
-    foreach l [lsort -integer [my array names level]] {
+    foreach l [lsort -integer [array names .level]] {
       foreach i [my set level($l)] {
 	#my warn "serialize $i"
         #append result "# Stratum $l\n"
@@ -393,7 +394,8 @@
       set namespace($e) 1
       set namespace([namespace qualifiers $e]) 1
     }
-    ::xotcl::Object instproc __trace__ {} {}
+    ::xotcl::Object method __trace__ {} {}
+    ::xotcl2::Object method __trace__ {} {}
 
     # Handling of variable traces: traces might require a 
     # different topological sort, which is hard to handle.
@@ -461,7 +463,7 @@
 
   Serializer proc serializeExportedMethods {s} {
     set r ""
-    foreach k [my array names exportMethods] {
+    foreach k [array names .exportMethods] {
       foreach {o p m} [split $k ,] break
       #if {$o ne "::xotcl::Object" && $o ne "::xotcl::Class"} {
 	#error "method export only for ::xotcl::Object and\
@@ -502,8 +504,8 @@
     append r "::xotcl::configure softrecreate [::xotcl::configure softrecreate]"
     append r \n [my serializeExportedMethods $s]
     # export the objects and classes
-    #$s warn "export objects = [my array names exportObjects]"
-    #$s warn "export objects = [my array names exportMethods]"
+    #$s warn "export objects = [array names .exportObjects]"
+    #$s warn "export objects = [array names .exportMethods]"
     append r [$s serialize-objects [$s allInstances ::xotcl::Object] 0]    
     foreach o [list ::xotcl::Object ::xotcl::Class] {
       foreach x {mixin instmixin invar instinvar} {
Index: tests/mixinoftest.xotcl
===================================================================
diff -u -r91e9b1a3b1c3e60a8538156b4aa37d5a664d5133 -r0c8c36d48b1a146780b7ba8966196ad1b7075dda
--- tests/mixinoftest.xotcl	(.../mixinoftest.xotcl)	(revision 91e9b1a3b1c3e60a8538156b4aa37d5a664d5133)
+++ tests/mixinoftest.xotcl	(.../mixinoftest.xotcl)	(revision 0c8c36d48b1a146780b7ba8966196ad1b7075dda)
@@ -479,7 +479,6 @@
 ? {b1 info precedence} "::B ::A ::xotcl::Object"
 foreach o {A O B a1 b1 o1} {$o destroy} 
 
-
 #foreach o [::xotcl::test::Test info instances] {$o destroy}
 #::xotcl::test::Test destroy
 #puts [lsort [::xotcl::Object allinstances]]
Index: tests/slottest.xotcl
===================================================================
diff -u -r5556c6d63ea6f4d90705386490253530f0272b57 -r0c8c36d48b1a146780b7ba8966196ad1b7075dda
--- tests/slottest.xotcl	(.../slottest.xotcl)	(revision 5556c6d63ea6f4d90705386490253530f0272b57)
+++ tests/slottest.xotcl	(.../slottest.xotcl)	(revision 0c8c36d48b1a146780b7ba8966196ad1b7075dda)
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@
 #  y {incr ::hu} 
 #  z {my trace add variable z read T1}}
 Class C -slots {
-  Attribute x -initcmd {set x 1} 
-  Attribute y -initcmd {incr ::hu} 
-  Attribute z -initcmd {my trace add variable z read T1}
+  Attribute create x -initcmd {set x 1} 
+  Attribute create y -initcmd {incr ::hu} 
+  Attribute create z -initcmd {my trace add variable z read T1}
 }
 
 C create c1
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@
 ? {set ::hu} 1
 
 Class D -slots {
-  Attribute x -initcmd {set x 2} 
-  Attribute z -initcmd {my trace add variable z read T2}
+  Attribute create x -initcmd {set x 2} 
+  Attribute create z -initcmd {my trace add variable z read T2}
 } -superclass C
 D create c1
 ? {c1 set x} 2
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@
 #t {O2 superclass O} "superclass 1"
 ? {O superclass} "::xotcl::Object"
 
-::xotcl::Slot instproc slot {object name property} {
+::xotcl::Slot method slot {object name property} {
   switch $property {
     self {return [self]}
     domain {return [my domain]}
@@ -129,7 +129,6 @@
 ? {O superclass slot self} "::xotcl::Class::slot::superclass"
 ? {O superclass slot domain} "::xotcl::Class"
 
-
 ? {O2 superclass} "::O"
 O2 superclass add M
 ? {O2 superclass} "::M ::O"
@@ -146,24 +145,24 @@
 # application classes
 ######################
 Class Person -slots {
-  Attribute name
-  Attribute age -default 0
+  Attribute create name
+  Attribute create age -default 0
 }
 
 Class Article -slots {
-  Attribute title
-  Attribute date
+  Attribute create title
+  Attribute create date
 }
 
 Class publishes -slots {
-  Role written_by -references Person -multivalued true
-  Role has_published -references Paper -multivalued true
+  Role create written_by -references Person -multivalued true
+  Role create has_published -references Paper -multivalued true
 }
 
 Class Project -slots {
-  Attribute name
-  Role manager -references Person
-  Role member -references Person -multivalued true
+  Attribute create name
+  Role create manager -references Person
+  Role create member -references Person -multivalued true
 }
 
 puts [Person serialize]
@@ -274,9 +273,9 @@
 
 
 Class C2 -slots {
-  Attribute a 
-  Attribute b -default 10
-  Attribute c -default "Hello World"
+  Attribute create a 
+  Attribute create b -default 10
+  Attribute create c -default "Hello World"
 }
 C2 c2 -a 1
 ? {c2 procsearch a} "::C2 instforward a"
@@ -290,9 +289,9 @@
 
 ::xotcl::Slot instmixin add ::xotcl::Slot::Optimizer
 Class C3 -slots {
-  Attribute a 
-  Attribute b -default 10
-  Attribute c -default "Hello World"
+  Attribute create a 
+  Attribute create b -default 10
+  Attribute create c -default "Hello World"
 }
 C3 c3 -a 1
 ? {c3 procsearch a} "::C3 instparametercmd a"
@@ -313,7 +312,7 @@
 Class create A -parameter {{foo 1}}
 # or
 Class create A -slots {
-  Attribute foo -default 1
+  Attribute create foo -default 1
 }
 
 A create a1 -foo 234 ;# calls default foo setter
@@ -350,9 +349,9 @@
 #
 
 Class Person -slots {
-  Attribute name
-  Attribute age -default 0
-  Attribute projects -default {} -multivalued true
+  Attribute create name
+  Attribute create age -default 0
+  Attribute create projects -default {} -multivalued true
 }
 
 Person p1 -name "Gustaf"
@@ -361,8 +360,8 @@
 ? {p1 projects} {}
 
 Class Project -slots {
-  Attribute name 
-  Attribute description
+  Attribute create name 
+  Attribute create description
 }
   
 Project project1 -name XOTcl -description "A highly flexible OO scripting language"
@@ -372,7 +371,7 @@
 #p1 projects add some-other-value
 #? {p1 projects} "some-other-value ::project1"
 
-::xotcl::Slot instproc check {
+::xotcl::Slot method check {
   {-keep_old_value:boolean true} 
   value predicate type obj var
 } {
@@ -388,16 +387,16 @@
   if {$keep_old_value} {$obj set __oldvalue($var) $value}
 }
 
-::xotcl::Slot instproc checkall {values predicate type obj var} {
+::xotcl::Slot method checkall {values predicate type obj var} {
   foreach value $values {
     my check -keep_old_value false $value $predicate $type $obj $var
   }
   $obj set __oldvalue($var) $value
 }
     
 Person slots {
-  Attribute projects -default "" -multivalued true -type ::Project
-  Attribute salary -type integer
+  Attribute create projects -default "" -multivalued true -type ::Project
+  Attribute create salary -type integer
 }
 
 Person p2 -name "Gustaf"
@@ -458,7 +457,7 @@
 
 #####
 Class create A -slots {
-  Attribute foo -default 1 -proc assign { domain var value} {
+  Attribute create foo -default 1 -proc assign { domain var value} {
     if {$value < 0 || $value > 99} {
       error "$value is not in the range of 0 .. 99"
     }