diff --git a/Source/DOH/base.c b/Source/DOH/base.c
index 2b85d1d22..399a1e96d 100644
--- a/Source/DOH/base.c
+++ b/Source/DOH/base.c
@@ -210,6 +210,43 @@ DohCmp(const DOH *obj1, const DOH *obj2) {
   return 1;
 }
 
+/* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * DohEqual()
+ * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+int
+DohEqual(const DOH *obj1, const DOH *obj2) {
+  DohBase *b1 = (DohBase *) obj1;
+  DohBase *b2 = (DohBase *) obj2;
+  if (!b1) {
+    return !b2;
+  } else if (!b2) {
+    return 0;
+  } else {
+    DohObjInfo *b1info = 0;
+    DohObjInfo *b2info = 0;
+    if (DohCheck(b1)) {
+      b1info = b1->type;
+      if (DohCheck(b2)) {
+	b2info = b2->type;
+      } else {
+	return strncmp((b1info->doh_data)(b1), (void*) obj2, (b1info->doh_len)(b1)) == 0;
+      }
+    } else if (DohCheck(b2)) {
+      b2info = b2->type;
+      return strncmp((b2info->doh_data)(b2), (void*) obj1, (b2info->doh_len)(b2)) == 0;
+    }
+    if (!b1info) {
+      return obj1 == obj2;
+    } else if ((b1info == b2info)) {
+      return b1info->doh_equal ? (b1info->doh_equal)(b1,b2) : 
+	(b1info->doh_cmp ? (b1info->doh_cmp)(b1,b2) == 0 : (b1 == b2));
+    } else {
+      return 0;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 /* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * DohFirst()
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/Source/DOH/doh.h b/Source/DOH/doh.h
index 87538ae54..6d829206b 100644
--- a/Source/DOH/doh.h
+++ b/Source/DOH/doh.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #define DohLen             DOH_NAMESPACE(Len)
 #define DohHashval         DOH_NAMESPACE(Hashval)
 #define DohCmp             DOH_NAMESPACE(Cmp)
+#define DohEqual           DOH_NAMESPACE(Equal)
 #define DohIncref          DOH_NAMESPACE(Incref)
 #define DohGetattr         DOH_NAMESPACE(Getattr)
 #define DohSetattr         DOH_NAMESPACE(Setattr)
@@ -66,10 +67,11 @@
 #define DohPutc            DOH_NAMESPACE(Putc)
 #define DohUngetc          DOH_NAMESPACE(Ungetc)
 
-#define DohStringGetc            DOH_NAMESPACE(StringGetc)
-#define DohStringPutc            DOH_NAMESPACE(StringPutc)
-#define DohStringUngetc          DOH_NAMESPACE(StringUngetc)
-#define DohStringAppend          DOH_NAMESPACE(StringAppend)
+#define DohStringPutc      DOH_NAMESPACE(StringPutc)
+#define DohStringGetc      DOH_NAMESPACE(StringGetc)
+#define DohStringUngetc    DOH_NAMESPACE(StringUngetc)
+#define DohStringAppend    DOH_NAMESPACE(StringAppend)
+#define DohStringEqual     DOH_NAMESPACE(StringEqual)
 
 
 
@@ -187,6 +189,7 @@ extern int           DohDump(const DOH *obj, DOHFile *out);
 extern int           DohLen(const DOH *obj);
 extern int           DohHashval(const DOH *obj);
 extern int           DohCmp(const DOH *obj1, const DOH *obj2);
+extern int           DohEqual(const DOH *obj1, const DOH *obj2);
 extern void          DohIncref(DOH *obj);
 
 /* Mapping methods */
@@ -248,11 +251,13 @@ extern int DohString_putc(DOH *so, int ch);
 extern int DohString_getc(DOH *so);
 extern int DohString_ungetc(DOH *so, int ch);
 extern void DohString_append(DOH *so, DOH *str);
+extern int DohString_equal(DOH *s1, DOH *s2);
 
 #define DohStringPutc(ch,so)    DohString_putc(so, ch)
 #define DohStringGetc(so)       DohString_getc(so)
 #define DohStringUngetc(ch,so)  DohString_ungetc(so, ch)
 #define DohStringAppend(so,str) DohString_append(so, str)
+#define DohStringEqual(s1,s2)   DohString_equal(s1,s2)
 
 /* Meta-variables */
 extern DOH          *DohGetmeta(DOH *, const DOH *);
@@ -362,6 +367,7 @@ extern void      DohMemoryDebug(void);
 #define Data               DohData
 #define Char               (char *) Data
 #define Cmp                DohCmp
+#define Equal              DohEqual
 #define Setline            DohSetline
 #define Getline            DohGetline
 #define Setfile            DohSetfile
@@ -376,10 +382,11 @@ extern void      DohMemoryDebug(void);
 #define Putc               DohPutc
 #define Ungetc             DohUngetc
 
-#define StringGetc         DohStringGetc
 #define StringPutc         DohStringPutc
+#define StringGetc         DohStringGetc
 #define StringUngetc       DohStringUngetc
 #define StringAppend       DohStringAppend
+#define StringEqual        DohStringEqual
 
 #define Close              DohClose
 #define vPrintf            DohvPrintf
diff --git a/Source/DOH/dohint.h b/Source/DOH/dohint.h
index e105a440b..87cee1259 100644
--- a/Source/DOH/dohint.h
+++ b/Source/DOH/dohint.h
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ typedef struct DohObjInfo {
   /* Compare */
   int        (*doh_cmp)(DOH *obj1, DOH *obj2);
 
+  /* Equal */
+  int        (*doh_equal)(DOH *obj1, DOH *obj2);
+
   /* Iterators */
   DohIterator (*doh_first)(DOH *obj);
   DohIterator (*doh_next)(DohIterator );
diff --git a/Source/DOH/file.c b/Source/DOH/file.c
index 3eb846b4a..7a6f12fd2 100644
--- a/Source/DOH/file.c
+++ b/Source/DOH/file.c
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ static DohObjInfo DohFileType = {
     0,               /* doh_len      */
     0,               /* doh_hash     */
     0,               /* doh_cmp      */
+    0,               /* doh_equal    */
     0,               /* doh_first    */
     0,               /* doh_next     */
     0,               /* doh_setfile  */
diff --git a/Source/DOH/hash.c b/Source/DOH/hash.c
index d4bfd6363..0f07f62bc 100644
--- a/Source/DOH/hash.c
+++ b/Source/DOH/hash.c
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ Hash_getattr(DOH *ho, DOH *k) {
     k_type = ((DohBase*)k)->type;
     while (n) {
       nk = (DohBase *)n->key;
-      if ((k_type == nk->type) && ((k_type->doh_cmp)(k, nk) == 0)) return n->object;
+      if ((k_type == nk->type) && ((k_type->doh_equal)(k, nk))) return n->object;
       n = n->next;
     }
     return 0;
@@ -510,6 +510,7 @@ DohObjInfo DohHashType = {
     Hash_len,        /* doh_len */
     0,               /* doh_hash    */
     0,               /* doh_cmp */
+    0,               /* doh_equal    */
     Hash_firstiter,             /* doh_first    */
     Hash_nextiter,               /* doh_next     */
     Hash_setfile,               /* doh_setfile */
diff --git a/Source/DOH/list.c b/Source/DOH/list.c
index d6a9c95ac..bbad162c5 100644
--- a/Source/DOH/list.c
+++ b/Source/DOH/list.c
@@ -324,6 +324,7 @@ DohObjInfo DohListType = {
     List_len,        /* doh_len */
     0,               /* doh_hash    */
     0,               /* doh_cmp */
+    0,               /* doh_equal    */
     List_first,               /* doh_first    */
     List_next,               /* doh_next     */
     List_setfile,               /* doh_setfile */
diff --git a/Source/DOH/string.c b/Source/DOH/string.c
index 20a416d38..d7998f366 100644
--- a/Source/DOH/string.c
+++ b/Source/DOH/string.c
@@ -132,6 +132,36 @@ String_cmp(DOH *so1, DOH *so2)
   return -1;
 }
 
+/* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * int String_equal() - Say if two string are equal
+ * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+int
+DohString_equal(DOH *so1, DOH *so2)
+{
+  String *s1 = (String *) ObjData(so1);
+  String *s2 = (String *) ObjData(so2);
+  register int len = s1->len;
+  if (len != s2->len) {
+    return 0;
+  } else {
+    register char *c1 = s1->str;
+    register char *c2 = s2->str;
+    register int mlen = len >> 2;
+    register int i = mlen;
+    for (; i; --i) {
+      if (*(c1++) != *(c2++)) return 0;
+      if (*(c1++) != *(c2++)) return 0;
+      if (*(c1++) != *(c2++)) return 0;
+      if (*(c1++) != *(c2++)) return 0;
+    }
+    for (i = len - (mlen << 2); i; --i) {
+      if (*(c1++) != *(c2++)) return 0;
+    }
+    return 1;
+  }
+}
+
 /* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * int String_hash() - Compute string hash value
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -139,18 +169,27 @@ String_cmp(DOH *so1, DOH *so2)
 static int 
 String_hash(DOH *so) {
   String *s = (String *) ObjData(so);
-  char *c;
-  int   i, h = 0, len;
-
-  if (s->hashkey >= 0) return s->hashkey;
-  c = s->str;
-  len = s->len > 50 ? 50 : s->len;
-  for (i = 0; i < len; i++) {
-    h = (((h << 5) + *(c++)));
+  if (s->hashkey >= 0) {
+    return s->hashkey;
+  } else {
+    register char *c = s->str;
+    register int len = s->len > 50 ? 50 : s->len;
+    register int h = 0;
+    register int mlen = len >> 2;
+    register int i = mlen;
+    for (; i; --i) {
+      h = (h << 5) + *(c++);
+      h = (h << 5) + *(c++);
+      h = (h << 5) + *(c++);
+      h = (h << 5) + *(c++);
+    }
+    for (i = len - (mlen << 2); i; --i) {
+      h = (h << 5) + *(c++);
+    }
+    h &= 0x7fffffff;
+    s->hashkey = h;
+    return h;
   }
-  h = h & 0x7fffffff;
-  s->hashkey = h;
-  return h;
 }  
 
 /* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -159,14 +198,22 @@ String_hash(DOH *so) {
 
 void
 DohString_append(DOH *so, DOH *str) {
-  int   oldlen, newlen, newmaxsize, l, i, sp;
+  int   oldlen, newlen, newmaxsize, l, sp;
   char *tc;
   String *s = (String *) ObjData(so);
-  char *newstr = (char *) DohData(str);
+  char *newstr = 0;
 
+  if (DohCheck(str)) {
+    String *ss = (String *) ObjData(str);
+    newstr = String_data(str);
+    l = ss->len;
+  } else {
+    newstr = (char *) (str);
+    l = (int) strlen(newstr);
+  }
   if (!newstr) return;
   s->hashkey = -1;
-  l = (int) strlen(newstr);
+
   oldlen = s->len;
   newlen = oldlen+l + 1;
   if (newlen >= s->maxsize-1) {
@@ -177,12 +224,13 @@ DohString_append(DOH *so, DOH *str) {
     s->maxsize = newmaxsize;
   }
   tc = s->str;
-  strcpy(tc+oldlen,newstr);
+  memcpy(tc+oldlen,newstr,l+1);
   sp = s->sp;
   if (sp >= oldlen) {
+    int i  = oldlen + l - sp;
     tc += sp;
-    for (i = sp; i < oldlen+l; i++,tc++) {
-      if (*tc == '\n') s->line++;
+    for (; i ; --i) {
+      if (*(tc++) == '\n') s->line++;
     }
     s->sp = oldlen+l;
   }
@@ -910,6 +958,7 @@ DohObjInfo DohStringType = {
     String_len,        /* doh_len */
     String_hash,       /* doh_hash    */
     String_cmp,        /* doh_cmp */
+    DohString_equal,      /* doh_equal */
     0,               /* doh_first    */
     0,               /* doh_next     */
     String_setfile,    /* doh_setfile */
@@ -921,7 +970,7 @@ DohObjInfo DohStringType = {
     &StringFileMethods,   /* doh_file */
     &StringStringMethods, /* doh_string */
     0,                    /* doh_position */
-    0,
+    0
 };
 
 
@@ -937,8 +986,15 @@ DohNewString(const DOH *so)
     int l = 0, max;
     String *str;
     char *s;
-    if (DohCheck(so)) s = Char(so);
-    else s = (char *) so;
+    if (DohCheck(so)) {
+      str = (String *) ObjData(so);
+      s = String_data(so);
+      l = s ? str->len : 0;
+    } else {
+      s = (char *) so;
+      l = s ? (int) strlen(s) : 0;
+    }
+    
     str = (String *) DohMalloc(sizeof(String));
     str->hashkey = -1;
     str->sp = 0;
@@ -946,7 +1002,6 @@ DohNewString(const DOH *so)
     str->file = 0;
     max = INIT_MAXSIZE;
     if (s) {
-      l = (int) strlen(s);
       if ((l+1) > max) max = l+1;
     }
     str->str = (char *) DohMalloc(max);
@@ -973,8 +1028,13 @@ DohNewStringWithSize(const DOH *so, int len)
     int l = 0, max;
     String *str;
     char *s;
-    if (DohCheck(so)) s = Char(so);
-    else s = (char *) so;
+    if (DohCheck(so)) {
+      s = String_data(so);
+    }
+    else {
+      s = (char *) so;
+    }
+    
     str = (String *) DohMalloc(sizeof(String));
     str->hashkey = -1;
     str->sp = 0;
diff --git a/Source/DOH/void.c b/Source/DOH/void.c
index 90b85d8ec..6bf3090d6 100644
--- a/Source/DOH/void.c
+++ b/Source/DOH/void.c
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ static DohObjInfo DohVoidType = {
   0,                /* doh_len */
   0,                /* doh_hash    */
   0,                /* doh_cmp */
+  0,               /* doh_equal    */
   0,               /* doh_first    */
   0,               /* doh_next     */
   0,                /* doh_setfile */