diff --git a/ase/configure b/ase/configure
index 32881c79..cea7c0ef 100755
--- a/ase/configure
+++ b/ase/configure
@@ -19838,7 +19838,6 @@ else
 	fi
 fi
 
-# Checks for the math library (is -lm needed?)
 LIBM=
 case $host in
 *-*-beos* | *-*-cygwin* | *-*-pw32* | *-*-darwin*)
@@ -20048,7 +20047,6 @@ esac
 LIBM=$LIBM
 
 
-# Checks for header files.
 { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for ANSI C header files" >&5
 echo $ECHO_N "checking for ANSI C header files... $ECHO_C" >&6; }
 if test "${ac_cv_header_stdc+set}" = set; then
@@ -20225,7 +20223,8 @@ fi
 
 
 
-for ac_header in wchar.h wctype.h
+
+for ac_header in stddef.h wchar.h wctype.h
 do
 as_ac_Header=`echo "ac_cv_header_$ac_header" | $as_tr_sh`
 if { as_var=$as_ac_Header; eval "test \"\${$as_var+set}\" = set"; }; then
@@ -20370,122 +20369,27 @@ fi
 done
 
 
-# Checks for typedefs, structures, and compiler characteristics.
-{ echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking whether byte ordering is bigendian" >&5
-echo $ECHO_N "checking whether byte ordering is bigendian... $ECHO_C" >&6; }
-if test "${ac_cv_c_bigendian+set}" = set; then
+{ echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for wchar_t" >&5
+echo $ECHO_N "checking for wchar_t... $ECHO_C" >&6; }
+if test "${ac_cv_type_wchar_t+set}" = set; then
   echo $ECHO_N "(cached) $ECHO_C" >&6
 else
-  # See if sys/param.h defines the BYTE_ORDER macro.
-cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
-/* confdefs.h.  */
-_ACEOF
-cat confdefs.h >>conftest.$ac_ext
-cat >>conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
-/* end confdefs.h.  */
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <sys/param.h>
-
-int
-main ()
-{
-#if  ! (defined BYTE_ORDER && defined BIG_ENDIAN && defined LITTLE_ENDIAN \
-	&& BYTE_ORDER && BIG_ENDIAN && LITTLE_ENDIAN)
- bogus endian macros
-#endif
-
-  ;
-  return 0;
-}
-_ACEOF
-rm -f conftest.$ac_objext
-if { (ac_try="$ac_compile"
-case "(($ac_try" in
-  *\"* | *\`* | *\\*) ac_try_echo=\$ac_try;;
-  *) ac_try_echo=$ac_try;;
-esac
-eval "echo \"\$as_me:$LINENO: $ac_try_echo\"") >&5
-  (eval "$ac_compile") 2>conftest.er1
-  ac_status=$?
-  grep -v '^ *+' conftest.er1 >conftest.err
-  rm -f conftest.er1
-  cat conftest.err >&5
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
-  (exit $ac_status); } && {
-	 test -z "$ac_c_werror_flag" ||
-	 test ! -s conftest.err
-       } && test -s conftest.$ac_objext; then
-  # It does; now see whether it defined to BIG_ENDIAN or not.
-cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
-/* confdefs.h.  */
-_ACEOF
-cat confdefs.h >>conftest.$ac_ext
-cat >>conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
-/* end confdefs.h.  */
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <sys/param.h>
-
-int
-main ()
-{
-#if BYTE_ORDER != BIG_ENDIAN
- not big endian
-#endif
-
-  ;
-  return 0;
-}
-_ACEOF
-rm -f conftest.$ac_objext
-if { (ac_try="$ac_compile"
-case "(($ac_try" in
-  *\"* | *\`* | *\\*) ac_try_echo=\$ac_try;;
-  *) ac_try_echo=$ac_try;;
-esac
-eval "echo \"\$as_me:$LINENO: $ac_try_echo\"") >&5
-  (eval "$ac_compile") 2>conftest.er1
-  ac_status=$?
-  grep -v '^ *+' conftest.er1 >conftest.err
-  rm -f conftest.er1
-  cat conftest.err >&5
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
-  (exit $ac_status); } && {
-	 test -z "$ac_c_werror_flag" ||
-	 test ! -s conftest.err
-       } && test -s conftest.$ac_objext; then
-  ac_cv_c_bigendian=yes
-else
-  echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
-sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
-
-	ac_cv_c_bigendian=no
-fi
-
-rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
-else
-  echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
-sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
-
-	# It does not; compile a test program.
-if test "$cross_compiling" = yes; then
-  # try to guess the endianness by grepping values into an object file
-  ac_cv_c_bigendian=unknown
   cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
 /* confdefs.h.  */
 _ACEOF
 cat confdefs.h >>conftest.$ac_ext
 cat >>conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
 /* end confdefs.h.  */
-short int ascii_mm[] = { 0x4249, 0x4765, 0x6E44, 0x6961, 0x6E53, 0x7953, 0 };
-short int ascii_ii[] = { 0x694C, 0x5454, 0x656C, 0x6E45, 0x6944, 0x6E61, 0 };
-void _ascii () { char *s = (char *) ascii_mm; s = (char *) ascii_ii; }
-short int ebcdic_ii[] = { 0x89D3, 0xE3E3, 0x8593, 0x95C5, 0x89C4, 0x9581, 0 };
-short int ebcdic_mm[] = { 0xC2C9, 0xC785, 0x95C4, 0x8981, 0x95E2, 0xA8E2, 0 };
-void _ebcdic () { char *s = (char *) ebcdic_mm; s = (char *) ebcdic_ii; }
+#include <stddef.h>
+
+typedef wchar_t ac__type_new_;
 int
 main ()
 {
- _ascii (); _ebcdic ();
+if ((ac__type_new_ *) 0)
+  return 0;
+if (sizeof (ac__type_new_))
+  return 0;
   ;
   return 0;
 }
@@ -20507,112 +20411,27 @@ eval "echo \"\$as_me:$LINENO: $ac_try_echo\"") >&5
 	 test -z "$ac_c_werror_flag" ||
 	 test ! -s conftest.err
        } && test -s conftest.$ac_objext; then
-  if grep BIGenDianSyS conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
-  ac_cv_c_bigendian=yes
-fi
-if grep LiTTleEnDian conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
-  if test "$ac_cv_c_bigendian" = unknown; then
-    ac_cv_c_bigendian=no
-  else
-    # finding both strings is unlikely to happen, but who knows?
-    ac_cv_c_bigendian=unknown
-  fi
-fi
+  ac_cv_type_wchar_t=yes
 else
   echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
 sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
 
-
-fi
-
-rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
-else
-  cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
-/* confdefs.h.  */
-_ACEOF
-cat confdefs.h >>conftest.$ac_ext
-cat >>conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
-/* end confdefs.h.  */
-$ac_includes_default
-int
-main ()
-{
-
-  /* Are we little or big endian?  From Harbison&Steele.  */
-  union
-  {
-    long int l;
-    char c[sizeof (long int)];
-  } u;
-  u.l = 1;
-  return u.c[sizeof (long int) - 1] == 1;
-
-  ;
-  return 0;
-}
-_ACEOF
-rm -f conftest$ac_exeext
-if { (ac_try="$ac_link"
-case "(($ac_try" in
-  *\"* | *\`* | *\\*) ac_try_echo=\$ac_try;;
-  *) ac_try_echo=$ac_try;;
-esac
-eval "echo \"\$as_me:$LINENO: $ac_try_echo\"") >&5
-  (eval "$ac_link") 2>&5
-  ac_status=$?
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
-  (exit $ac_status); } && { ac_try='./conftest$ac_exeext'
-  { (case "(($ac_try" in
-  *\"* | *\`* | *\\*) ac_try_echo=\$ac_try;;
-  *) ac_try_echo=$ac_try;;
-esac
-eval "echo \"\$as_me:$LINENO: $ac_try_echo\"") >&5
-  (eval "$ac_try") 2>&5
-  ac_status=$?
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
-  (exit $ac_status); }; }; then
-  ac_cv_c_bigendian=no
-else
-  echo "$as_me: program exited with status $ac_status" >&5
-echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
-sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
-
-( exit $ac_status )
-ac_cv_c_bigendian=yes
-fi
-rm -f core *.core core.conftest.* gmon.out bb.out conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
-fi
-
-
+	ac_cv_type_wchar_t=no
 fi
 
 rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
 fi
-{ echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $ac_cv_c_bigendian" >&5
-echo "${ECHO_T}$ac_cv_c_bigendian" >&6; }
-case $ac_cv_c_bigendian in
-  yes)
+{ echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $ac_cv_type_wchar_t" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}$ac_cv_type_wchar_t" >&6; }
+if test $ac_cv_type_wchar_t = yes; then
 
 cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
-#define ASE_ENDIAN_BIG
+#define HAVE_WCHAR_T_IN_STDDEF_H
 _ACEOF
- ;;
-  no)
 
-cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
-#define ASE_ENDIAN_LITTLE
-_ACEOF
- ;;
-  *)
-
-cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
-#define ASE_ENDIAN_UNKNOWN
-_ACEOF
- ;;
-esac
+fi
 
 
-# Checks the size of primitive data types
 { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for char" >&5
 echo $ECHO_N "checking for char... $ECHO_C" >&6; }
 if test "${ac_cv_type_char+set}" = set; then
@@ -26781,6 +26600,246 @@ cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
 _ACEOF
 
 
+{ echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking whether byte ordering is bigendian" >&5
+echo $ECHO_N "checking whether byte ordering is bigendian... $ECHO_C" >&6; }
+if test "${ac_cv_c_bigendian+set}" = set; then
+  echo $ECHO_N "(cached) $ECHO_C" >&6
+else
+  # See if sys/param.h defines the BYTE_ORDER macro.
+cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+/* confdefs.h.  */
+_ACEOF
+cat confdefs.h >>conftest.$ac_ext
+cat >>conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/param.h>
+
+int
+main ()
+{
+#if  ! (defined BYTE_ORDER && defined BIG_ENDIAN && defined LITTLE_ENDIAN \
+	&& BYTE_ORDER && BIG_ENDIAN && LITTLE_ENDIAN)
+ bogus endian macros
+#endif
+
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+rm -f conftest.$ac_objext
+if { (ac_try="$ac_compile"
+case "(($ac_try" in
+  *\"* | *\`* | *\\*) ac_try_echo=\$ac_try;;
+  *) ac_try_echo=$ac_try;;
+esac
+eval "echo \"\$as_me:$LINENO: $ac_try_echo\"") >&5
+  (eval "$ac_compile") 2>conftest.er1
+  ac_status=$?
+  grep -v '^ *+' conftest.er1 >conftest.err
+  rm -f conftest.er1
+  cat conftest.err >&5
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  (exit $ac_status); } && {
+	 test -z "$ac_c_werror_flag" ||
+	 test ! -s conftest.err
+       } && test -s conftest.$ac_objext; then
+  # It does; now see whether it defined to BIG_ENDIAN or not.
+cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+/* confdefs.h.  */
+_ACEOF
+cat confdefs.h >>conftest.$ac_ext
+cat >>conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/param.h>
+
+int
+main ()
+{
+#if BYTE_ORDER != BIG_ENDIAN
+ not big endian
+#endif
+
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+rm -f conftest.$ac_objext
+if { (ac_try="$ac_compile"
+case "(($ac_try" in
+  *\"* | *\`* | *\\*) ac_try_echo=\$ac_try;;
+  *) ac_try_echo=$ac_try;;
+esac
+eval "echo \"\$as_me:$LINENO: $ac_try_echo\"") >&5
+  (eval "$ac_compile") 2>conftest.er1
+  ac_status=$?
+  grep -v '^ *+' conftest.er1 >conftest.err
+  rm -f conftest.er1
+  cat conftest.err >&5
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  (exit $ac_status); } && {
+	 test -z "$ac_c_werror_flag" ||
+	 test ! -s conftest.err
+       } && test -s conftest.$ac_objext; then
+  ac_cv_c_bigendian=yes
+else
+  echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
+sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
+
+	ac_cv_c_bigendian=no
+fi
+
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+else
+  echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
+sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
+
+	# It does not; compile a test program.
+if test "$cross_compiling" = yes; then
+  # try to guess the endianness by grepping values into an object file
+  ac_cv_c_bigendian=unknown
+  cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+/* confdefs.h.  */
+_ACEOF
+cat confdefs.h >>conftest.$ac_ext
+cat >>conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+short int ascii_mm[] = { 0x4249, 0x4765, 0x6E44, 0x6961, 0x6E53, 0x7953, 0 };
+short int ascii_ii[] = { 0x694C, 0x5454, 0x656C, 0x6E45, 0x6944, 0x6E61, 0 };
+void _ascii () { char *s = (char *) ascii_mm; s = (char *) ascii_ii; }
+short int ebcdic_ii[] = { 0x89D3, 0xE3E3, 0x8593, 0x95C5, 0x89C4, 0x9581, 0 };
+short int ebcdic_mm[] = { 0xC2C9, 0xC785, 0x95C4, 0x8981, 0x95E2, 0xA8E2, 0 };
+void _ebcdic () { char *s = (char *) ebcdic_mm; s = (char *) ebcdic_ii; }
+int
+main ()
+{
+ _ascii (); _ebcdic ();
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+rm -f conftest.$ac_objext
+if { (ac_try="$ac_compile"
+case "(($ac_try" in
+  *\"* | *\`* | *\\*) ac_try_echo=\$ac_try;;
+  *) ac_try_echo=$ac_try;;
+esac
+eval "echo \"\$as_me:$LINENO: $ac_try_echo\"") >&5
+  (eval "$ac_compile") 2>conftest.er1
+  ac_status=$?
+  grep -v '^ *+' conftest.er1 >conftest.err
+  rm -f conftest.er1
+  cat conftest.err >&5
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  (exit $ac_status); } && {
+	 test -z "$ac_c_werror_flag" ||
+	 test ! -s conftest.err
+       } && test -s conftest.$ac_objext; then
+  if grep BIGenDianSyS conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
+  ac_cv_c_bigendian=yes
+fi
+if grep LiTTleEnDian conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
+  if test "$ac_cv_c_bigendian" = unknown; then
+    ac_cv_c_bigendian=no
+  else
+    # finding both strings is unlikely to happen, but who knows?
+    ac_cv_c_bigendian=unknown
+  fi
+fi
+else
+  echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
+sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
+
+
+fi
+
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+else
+  cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+/* confdefs.h.  */
+_ACEOF
+cat confdefs.h >>conftest.$ac_ext
+cat >>conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+$ac_includes_default
+int
+main ()
+{
+
+  /* Are we little or big endian?  From Harbison&Steele.  */
+  union
+  {
+    long int l;
+    char c[sizeof (long int)];
+  } u;
+  u.l = 1;
+  return u.c[sizeof (long int) - 1] == 1;
+
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+rm -f conftest$ac_exeext
+if { (ac_try="$ac_link"
+case "(($ac_try" in
+  *\"* | *\`* | *\\*) ac_try_echo=\$ac_try;;
+  *) ac_try_echo=$ac_try;;
+esac
+eval "echo \"\$as_me:$LINENO: $ac_try_echo\"") >&5
+  (eval "$ac_link") 2>&5
+  ac_status=$?
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  (exit $ac_status); } && { ac_try='./conftest$ac_exeext'
+  { (case "(($ac_try" in
+  *\"* | *\`* | *\\*) ac_try_echo=\$ac_try;;
+  *) ac_try_echo=$ac_try;;
+esac
+eval "echo \"\$as_me:$LINENO: $ac_try_echo\"") >&5
+  (eval "$ac_try") 2>&5
+  ac_status=$?
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  (exit $ac_status); }; }; then
+  ac_cv_c_bigendian=no
+else
+  echo "$as_me: program exited with status $ac_status" >&5
+echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
+sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
+
+( exit $ac_status )
+ac_cv_c_bigendian=yes
+fi
+rm -f core *.core core.conftest.* gmon.out bb.out conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+fi
+
+
+fi
+
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+fi
+{ echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $ac_cv_c_bigendian" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}$ac_cv_c_bigendian" >&6; }
+case $ac_cv_c_bigendian in
+  yes)
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
+#define ASE_ENDIAN_BIG
+_ACEOF
+ ;;
+  no)
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
+#define ASE_ENDIAN_LITTLE
+_ACEOF
+ ;;
+  *)
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
+#define ASE_ENDIAN_UNKNOWN
+_ACEOF
+ ;;
+esac
+
 
 # Defines extra options
 # Check whether --enable-wchar was given.
diff --git a/ase/configure.ac b/ase/configure.ac
index c2ef4a56..1cb3eda7 100644
--- a/ase/configure.ac
+++ b/ase/configure.ac
@@ -68,21 +68,21 @@ else
 	fi
 fi
 
-# Checks for the math library (is -lm needed?)
+dnl Checks for the math library (is -lm needed?)
 AC_CHECK_LIBM
 AC_SUBST(LIBM, $LIBM)
 
-# Checks for header files.
+dnl Checks for header files.
 AC_HEADER_STDC
-AC_CHECK_HEADERS([wchar.h wctype.h])
+AC_CHECK_HEADERS([stddef.h wchar.h wctype.h])
 
-# Checks for typedefs, structures, and compiler characteristics.
-AC_C_BIGENDIAN(
-	[AC_DEFINE([ASE_ENDIAN_BIG],[],[Big Endian])],
-	[AC_DEFINE([ASE_ENDIAN_LITTLE],[],[Little Endian])],
-	[AC_DEFINE([ASE_ENDIAN_UNKNOWN],[],[Unknown Endian])])
+AC_CHECK_TYPE([wchar_t], 
+	[AC_DEFINE([HAVE_WCHAR_T_IN_STDDEF_H],
+	           [],[wchar_t is available in stddef.h])],
+	[],
+	[#include <stddef.h>])
 
-# Checks the size of primitive data types
+dnl Checks the size of primitive data types
 AC_CHECK_SIZEOF(char)
 AC_CHECK_SIZEOF(short)
 AC_CHECK_SIZEOF(int)
@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(ASE_PKGNAME,"${PACKAGE}", [package_name])
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(ASE_PKGVERSION,"${VERSION}", [package version])
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(ASE_PKGAUTHOR,"${PACKAGE_BUGREPORT}", [author's email address])
 
+AC_C_BIGENDIAN(
+	[AC_DEFINE([ASE_ENDIAN_BIG],[],[Big Endian])],
+	[AC_DEFINE([ASE_ENDIAN_LITTLE],[],[Little Endian])],
+	[AC_DEFINE([ASE_ENDIAN_UNKNOWN],[],[Unknown Endian])])
 
 # Defines extra options
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([wchar], [AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-wchar],
diff --git a/ase/include/ase/config.h.in b/ase/include/ase/config.h.in
index d766f29e..449a8fa3 100644
--- a/ase/include/ase/config.h.in
+++ b/ase/include/ase/config.h.in
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <memory.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_MEMORY_H
 
+/* Define to 1 if you have the <stddef.h> header file. */
+#undef HAVE_STDDEF_H
+
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <stdint.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_STDINT_H
 
@@ -102,6 +105,9 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <wchar.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_WCHAR_H
 
+/* wchar_t is available in stddef.h */
+#undef HAVE_WCHAR_T_IN_STDDEF_H
+
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <wctype.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_WCTYPE_H
 
diff --git a/ase/include/ase/types.h b/ase/include/ase/types.h
index 1b4fe428..89982a76 100644
--- a/ase/include/ase/types.h
+++ b/ase/include/ase/types.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: types.h 279 2008-07-21 05:27:34Z baconevi $
+ * $Id: types.h 281 2008-07-21 14:11:04Z baconevi $
  *
  * {License}
  */
@@ -270,6 +270,12 @@ typedef int  ase_mcint_t;
 		typedef int ase_wchar_t;
 		#endif
 		typedef int ase_wcint_t;
+	#elif defined(__linux) && (ASE_SIZEOF_INT == 4)
+		typedef int ase_wchar_t;
+		typedef int ase_wcint_t;
+	#elif defined(__linux) && (ASE_SIZEOF_LONG == 4)
+		typedef long ase_wchar_t;
+		typedef long ase_wcint_t;
 	#elif ASE_SIZEOF_LONG == 4
 		typedef long ase_wchar_t;
 		typedef long ase_wcint_t;