new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ov-fcn-handle.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,177 @@
+/*
+
+Copyright (C) 2003 John W. Eaton
+
+This file is part of Octave.
+
+Octave is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any
+later version.
+
+Octave is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with Octave; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to the Free
+Software Foundation, 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
+
+*/
+
+#if defined (__GNUG__) && defined (USE_PRAGMA_INTERFACE_IMPLEMENTATION)
+#pragma implementation
+#endif
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+#include "defun.h"
+#include "oct-map.h"
+#include "ov-base.h"
+#include "ov-fcn-handle.h"
+#include "pr-output.h"
+#include "variables.h"
+
+DEFINE_OCTAVE_ALLOCATOR (octave_fcn_handle);
+
+DEFINE_OV_TYPEID_FUNCTIONS_AND_DATA (octave_fcn_handle, "function handle");
+
+void
+octave_fcn_handle::print (std::ostream& os, bool pr_as_read_syntax) const
+{
+  print_raw (os, pr_as_read_syntax);
+  newline (os);
+}
+
+void
+octave_fcn_handle::print_raw (std::ostream& os, bool pr_as_read_syntax) const
+{
+  indent (os);
+  os << "@" << name ();
+}
+
+octave_value
+make_fcn_handle (const std::string& nm)
+{
+  octave_value retval;
+
+  octave_function *f = lookup_function (nm);
+
+  if (f)
+    {
+      octave_fcn_handle fh (f, nm);
+
+      retval = octave_value (fh);
+    }
+  else
+    error ("error creating function handle \"@%s\"", nm.c_str ());
+
+  return retval;
+}
+
+DEFUN (functions, args, ,
+  "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {} functions (@var{fcn_handle})\n\
+Return a struct containing information about the function handle\n\
+@var{fcn_handle}.\n\
+@end deftypefn")
+{
+  octave_value retval;
+
+  if (args.length () == 1)
+    {
+      octave_fcn_handle fh = args(0).fcn_handle_value ();
+
+      if (! error_state)
+	{
+	  octave_function *fcn = fh.function_value (true);
+
+	  if (fcn)
+	    {
+	      Octave_map m;
+
+	      m ["function"](0) = fh.name ();
+
+	      if (fcn->is_nested_function ())
+		m ["type"](0) = "subfunction";
+	      else
+		m ["type"](0) = "simple";
+
+	      std::string nm = fcn->fcn_file_name ();
+
+	      if (nm.empty ())
+		m ["file"](0) = "built-in function";
+	      else
+		m ["file"](0) = nm;
+
+	      retval = m;
+	    }
+	  else
+	    error ("functions: invalid function handle object");
+	}
+      else
+	error ("functions: argument must be a function handle object");
+    }
+  else
+    print_usage ("functions");
+
+  return retval;
+}
+
+DEFUN (func2str, args, ,
+  "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {} func2str (@var{fcn_handle})\n\
+Return a string containing the name of the function referenced by\n\
+the function handle @var{fcn_handle}.\n\
+@end deftypefn")
+{
+  octave_value retval;
+
+  if (args.length () == 1)
+    {
+      octave_fcn_handle fh = args(0).fcn_handle_value ();
+
+      if (! error_state)
+	retval = fh.name ();
+      else
+	error ("func2str: expecting function handle as first argument");
+    }
+  else
+    print_usage ("func2str");
+
+  return retval;
+}
+
+DEFUN (str2func, args, ,
+  "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {} str2func (@var{fcn_name})\n\
+Return a function handle constructed from the string @var{fcn_name}.\n\
+@end deftypefn")
+{
+  octave_value retval;
+
+  if (args.length () == 1)
+    {
+      std::string nm = args(0).string_value ();
+
+      if (! error_state)
+	retval = make_fcn_handle (nm);
+      else
+	error ("str2func: expecting string as first argument");
+    }
+  else
+    print_usage ("str2func");
+
+  return retval;
+}
+
+/*
+;;; Local Variables: ***
+;;; mode: C++ ***
+;;; End: ***
+*/