diff --git a/stepmania/src/XmlFile.cpp b/stepmania/src/XmlFile.cpp
index a3bda8b48e..041a4664ab 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/XmlFile.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/XmlFile.cpp
@@ -650,6 +650,20 @@ CString _tagXMLNode::GetXML( LPDISP_OPT opt /*= &optDefault*/ )
 // Coder    Date                      Desc
 // bro      2002-10-29
 //========================================================
+const LPXAttr	_tagXMLNode::GetAttr( LPCTSTR attrname ) const
+{
+	for( unsigned i = 0 ; i < attrs.size(); i++ )
+	{
+		LPXAttr attr = attrs[i];
+		if( attr )
+		{
+			if( attr->name == attrname )
+				return attr;
+		}
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 LPXAttr	_tagXMLNode::GetAttr( LPCTSTR attrname )
 {
 	for( unsigned i = 0 ; i < attrs.size(); i++ )
diff --git a/stepmania/src/XmlFile.h b/stepmania/src/XmlFile.h
index 8b64478374..abb4d9b48a 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/XmlFile.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/XmlFile.h
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@ typedef struct _tagXMLAttr
 {
 	CString name;
 	CString	value;
+	void GetValue(CString &out) const	{ out = value; }
+	void GetValue(int &out) const		{ out = atoi(value); }
+	void GetValue(float &out) const		{ out = (float) atof(value); }
+	void GetValue(bool &out) const		{ out = atoi(value) != 0; }
 	
 	_tagXMLNode*	parent;
 
@@ -142,8 +146,13 @@ typedef struct _tagXMLNode
 	bool SaveToFile( CString sFile, LPDISP_OPT opt = &optDefault );
 
 	// in own attribute list
+	const LPXAttr	GetAttr( LPCTSTR attrname ) const; 
 	LPXAttr	GetAttr( LPCTSTR attrname ); 
 	LPCTSTR	GetAttrValue( LPCTSTR attrname ); 
+	bool GetAttrValue(LPCTSTR name,CString &out) const	{ const XAttr* pAttr=GetAttr(name); if(pAttr==NULL) return false; pAttr->GetValue(out); return true; }
+	bool GetAttrValue(LPCTSTR name,int &out) const		{ const XAttr* pAttr=GetAttr(name); if(pAttr==NULL) return false; pAttr->GetValue(out); return true; }
+	bool GetAttrValue(LPCTSTR name,float &out) const	{ const XAttr* pAttr=GetAttr(name); if(pAttr==NULL) return false; pAttr->GetValue(out); return true; }
+	bool GetAttrValue(LPCTSTR name,bool &out) const		{ const XAttr* pAttr=GetAttr(name); if(pAttr==NULL) return false; pAttr->GetValue(out); return true; }
 	XAttrs	GetAttrs( LPCTSTR name ); 
 
 	// in one level child nodes