diff --git a/Lib/python/pyvaltypes.swg b/Lib/python/pyvaltypes.swg
index e2feaead3..69d7f0a57 100644
--- a/Lib/python/pyvaltypes.swg
+++ b/Lib/python/pyvaltypes.swg
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 /* in */
 
 %define PYVAL_IN_TYPEMAP(as_meth,pyfrag,...)
-  %typemap(in,fragment=pyfrag) __VA_ARGS__ 
+  %typemap(in,fragment=pyfrag) __VA_ARGS__
     "$1 = ($ltype)as_meth($input); 
      if (PyErr_Occurred()) SWIG_fail;";
   %typemap(in,fragment=pyfrag) const __VA_ARGS__ & ($basetype temp)
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_deque.i b/Lib/python/std_deque.i
index 93d935ccd..6013231cc 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_deque.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_deque.i
@@ -113,7 +113,10 @@ namespace std {
     typedef value_type reference;
     typedef value_type const_reference;
 
+    %traits_swigtype(T);
+
     %fragment(SWIG_Traits_frag(std::deque<T* >), "header",
+	      fragment=SWIG_Traits_frag(T),
 	      fragment="StdDequeTraits") {
       namespace swigpy {
 	template <>  struct traits<std::deque<T* > > {
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_list.i b/Lib/python/std_list.i
index 844728b94..1e716c883 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_list.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_list.i
@@ -124,7 +124,10 @@ namespace std {
     typedef value_type reference;
     typedef value_type const_reference;
 
+    %traits_swigtype(T);
+
     %fragment(SWIG_Traits_frag(std::list<T* >), "header",
+	      fragment=SWIG_Traits_frag(T),
 	      fragment="StdListTraits") {
       namespace swigpy {
 	template <>  struct traits<std::list<T* > > {
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_pair.i b/Lib/python/std_pair.i
index 669a7df3f..af33663cc 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_pair.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_pair.i
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ namespace std {
     %typemap_traits_ptr(SWIG_CCode(PAIR), std::pair<T,U* >);
 
     pair();
-    pair(const T& __a, U* __b);
+    pair(T __a, U* __b);
     pair(const pair& __p);
 
     T first;
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ namespace std {
     %typemap_traits_ptr(SWIG_CCode(PAIR), std::pair<T*,U >);
 
     pair();
-    pair(T* __a, const U& __b);
+    pair(T* __a, U __b);
     pair(const pair& __p);
 
     T* first;
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_set.i b/Lib/python/std_set.i
index b88fe79d6..69c76ca90 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_set.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_set.i
@@ -30,10 +30,26 @@
 %define %std_set_methods(set)
   %std_set_methods_common(set);
   #ifdef SWIG_EXPORT_ITERATOR_METHODS
+  pair<iterator,bool> insert(const value_type& __x);
   iterator insert(iterator pos);
   #endif
 %enddef
 
+%define %pyset_methods(set)
+  %pycontainer_methods(set);
+
+  %extend  {
+   void append(value_type x) {
+     self->insert(x);
+   }
+  
+   bool __contains__(value_type x) {
+     return self->find(x) != self->end();
+   }
+  };
+    
+%enddef
+
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // std::set
 // 
@@ -121,9 +137,8 @@ namespace std {
     %typemap_traits_ptr(SWIG_CCode(SET), std::set<T >);
   
     %std_set_methods(set);
-    %pycontainer_methods(std::set<T >);
+    %pyset_methods(std::set<T >);
   };
-
 }
 
 %define %std_set_ptypen(...) 
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_vector.i b/Lib/python/std_vector.i
index b0adb6a2a..76146b104 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_vector.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_vector.i
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ namespace std {
     %traits_swigtype(T);
 
     %fragment(SWIG_Traits_frag(std::vector<T* >), "header",
+	      fragment=SWIG_Traits_frag(T),
 	      fragment="StdVectorTraits") {
       namespace swigpy {
 	template <>  struct traits<std::vector<T* > > {