--- a/src/ChangeLog
+++ b/src/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 2008-06-04  Shai Ayal  <shaiay@users.sourceforge.net>
 
+ 	* graphics.cc (Favailable_backends): New function.
+  	* graphics.h.in (base_graphics_backend::available_backends_list):
+	New function.
+
 	* graphics.cc (axes::properties::calc_ticks_and_lims): Refactor.
 	Adjust axes limits & tics together so that the result is consistent.
 	(axes::properties::calc_tick_sep): Ditto.

--- a/src/graphics.cc
+++ b/src/graphics.cc
@@ -3422,6 +3422,15 @@
   return octave_value (gh_manager::figure_handle_list ());
 }
 
+DEFUN (available_backends, args, ,
+   "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {} available_backends ()\n\
+Returns resgistered graphics backends.\n\
+@end deftypefn")
+{
+  return octave_value (graphics_backend::available_backends_list ());
+}
+
 static void
 clear_drawnow_request (void *)
 {

--- a/src/graphics.h.in
+++ b/src/graphics.h.in
@@ -1321,6 +1321,19 @@
       return default_backend ();
   }
 
+  static Cell available_backends_list (void)
+  {
+    Cell m (1 , available_backends.size ());
+    const_available_backends_iterator p;
+    int i;
+    
+    for (i = 0,p = available_backends.begin (); p !=  available_backends.end (); p++,i++)
+      m(i) = p->first;
+
+    return m;
+  }
+	
+
 private:
   base_graphics_backend *rep;