diff --git a/ase/cmn/macros.h b/ase/cmn/macros.h
index cebb7362..6c0c2b28 100644
--- a/ase/cmn/macros.h
+++ b/ase/cmn/macros.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: macros.h,v 1.1 2007-03-06 14:16:52 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: macros.h,v 1.2 2007-03-06 14:29:04 bacon Exp $
  *
  * {License}
  */
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@
 
 #define ASE_REPEAT(n,blk) \
 	do { \
-		ase_size_t __ase_repeat_x1 = (ase_size_t)(n); \
-		ase_size_t __ase_repeat_x2 = __ase_repeat_x1 >> 4; \
-		__ase_repeat_x1 &= 15; \
-		while (__ase_repeat_x1-- > 0) { blk; } \
-		while (__ase_repeat_x2-- > 0) { \
+		ase_size_t __ase_repeat_x1__ = (ase_size_t)(n); \
+		ase_size_t __ase_repeat_x2__ = __ase_repeat_x1__ >> 4; \
+		__ase_repeat_x1__ &= 15; \
+		while (__ase_repeat_x1__-- > 0) { blk; } \
+		while (__ase_repeat_x2__-- > 0) { \
 			blk; blk; blk; blk; blk; blk; blk; blk; \
 			blk; blk; blk; blk; blk; blk; blk; blk; \
 		} \
@@ -96,6 +96,28 @@
 	#define ASE_END_PACKED_STRUCT() };
 #endif
 
+#ifdef NDEBUG
+	#define ASE_ASSERT(awk,expr) ((void)0)
+	#define ASE_ASSERTX(awk,expr,desc) ((void)0)
+#else
+	#ifdef __cplusplus
+	extern "C" {
+	#endif
+		void ase_assert_abort (void);
+		void ase_assert_printf (const ase_char_t* fmt, ...);
+		int ase_assert_failed (
+        		const ase_char_t* expr, const ase_char_t* desc,
+        		const ase_char_t* file, ase_size_t line);
+	#ifdef __cplusplus
+	}
+	#endif
+
+	#define ASE_ASSERT(awk,expr) (void)((expr) || \
+		(ase_assert_failed (ASE_T(#expr), ASE_NULL, ASE_T(__FILE__), __LINE__), 0))
+	#define ASE_ASSERTX(awk,expr,desc) (void)((expr) || \
+		(ase_assert_failed (ASE_T(#expr), ASE_T(desc), ASE_T(__FILE__), __LINE__), 0))
+#endif
+
 #define ASE_MALLOC(mmgr,size)      (mmgr)->malloc((mmgr)->custom_data, size)
 #define ASE_REALLOC(mmgr,ptr,size) (mmgr)->realloc((mmgr)->custom_data, ptr, size)
 #define ASE_FREE(mmgr,ptr)         (mmgr)->free((mmgr)->custom_data, ptr)
diff --git a/ase/cmn/makefile.in b/ase/cmn/makefile.in
index 3d49fb53..a5cdf411 100644
--- a/ase/cmn/makefile.in
+++ b/ase/cmn/makefile.in
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 OUT = asecmn
 
-C_SRCS = mem.c str.c
+C_SRCS = mem.c str.c misc.c
 C_OBJS = $(C_SRCS:.c=.o)
 
 CC = @CC@
diff --git a/ase/cmn/makefile.msw.bcc b/ase/cmn/makefile.msw.bcc
index f49a17c0..8aee0bbb 100644
--- a/ase/cmn/makefile.msw.bcc
+++ b/ase/cmn/makefile.msw.bcc
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 OUT = asecmn
 
-C_SRCS = mem.c str.c 
+C_SRCS = mem.c str.c misc.c
 C_OBJS = $(C_SRCS:.c=.obj)
 
 CC = bcc32
diff --git a/ase/cmn/makefile.msw.cl b/ase/cmn/makefile.msw.cl
index 0d01bdf3..d0b24a94 100644
--- a/ase/cmn/makefile.msw.cl
+++ b/ase/cmn/makefile.msw.cl
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 OUT = asecmn
 
-C_SRCS =  mem.c str.c 
+C_SRCS =  mem.c str.c misc.c
 C_OBJS = $(C_SRCS:.c=.obj)
 
 CC = cl
diff --git a/ase/cmn/misc.c b/ase/cmn/misc.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8196a909
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ase/cmn/misc.c
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+ * $Id: misc.c,v 1.1 2007-03-06 14:29:27 bacon Exp $
+ *
+ * {License}
+ */
+
+#include <ase/cmn/types.h>
+#include <ase/cmn/macros.h>
+
+int ase_assert_failed (
+	const ase_char_t* expr, const ase_char_t* desc, 
+	const ase_char_t* file, ase_size_t line)
+{
+	if (desc == ASE_NULL)
+	{
+		ase_assert_printf (
+			ASE_T("ASSERTION FAILURE AT FILE %s LINE %lu\n%s\n"),
+			file, (unsigned long)line, expr);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		ase_assert_printf (
+			ASE_T("ASSERTION FAILURE AT FILE %s LINE %lu\n%s\n\nDESCRIPTION:\n%s\n"),
+			file, (unsigned long)line, expr, desc);
+
+	}
+
+	ase_assert_abort ();
+	return 0;
+}
+