new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/oct-builtin.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+/*
+
+Copyright (C) 1996, 1997 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__)
+#pragma implementation
+#endif
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#include "error.h"
+#include "oct-obj.h"
+#include "oct-builtin.h"
+#include "ov.h"
+
+octave_value
+octave_builtin::eval (void)
+{
+  octave_value retval;
+
+  if (error_state)
+    return retval;
+
+  octave_value_list args;
+
+  octave_value_list tmp = (*f) (args, 0);
+
+  if (tmp.length () > 0)
+    retval = tmp(0);
+
+  return retval;
+}
+
+// Are any of the arguments `:'?
+
+static bool
+any_arg_is_magic_colon (const octave_value_list& args)
+{
+  int nargin = args.length ();
+
+  for (int i = 0; i < nargin; i++)
+    if (args(i).is_magic_colon ())
+	return true;
+
+  return false;
+}
+
+octave_value_list
+octave_builtin::eval (int nargout, const octave_value_list& args)
+{
+  octave_value_list retval;
+
+  if (error_state)
+    return retval;
+
+  if (any_arg_is_magic_colon (args))
+    ::error ("invalid use of colon in function argument list");
+  else
+    retval = (*f) (args, nargout);
+
+  return retval;
+}
+
+/*
+;;; Local Variables: ***
+;;; mode: C++ ***
+;;; End: ***
+*/