new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/structdemo.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#include <octave/oct.h>
+#include <octave/ov-struct.h>
+
+DEFUN_DLD (structdemo, args, , "Struct demo.")
+{
+  int nargin = args.length ();
+  octave_value retval;
+
+  if (nargin != 2)
+    print_usage ();
+  else
+    {
+      Octave_map arg0 = args(0).map_value ();
+      std::string arg1 = args(1).string_value ();
+
+      if (! error_state && arg0.contains (arg1))
+        {
+          // The following two lines might be written as
+          //    octave_value tmp;
+          //    for (Octave_map::iterator p0 = arg0.begin() ; 
+          //        p0 != arg0.end(); p0++ )
+          //      if (arg0.key (p0) == arg1)
+          //        {
+          //          tmp = arg0.contents (p0) (0);
+          //          break;
+          //        }
+          // though using seek is more concise.
+          Octave_map::const_iterator p1 = arg0.seek (arg1);
+          octave_value tmp =  arg0.contents(p1)(0);
+          Octave_map st;
+          st.assign ("selected", tmp);
+          retval = octave_value (st);
+        }
+    }
+  return retval; 
+}
+