new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/liboctave/oct-shlib.h
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+/*
+
+Copyright (C) 1999 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 (octave_shlib_h)
+#define octave_shlib_h 1
+
+#include <string>
+
+#include <oct-time.h>
+
+// This just provides a way to avoid infinite recursion when building
+// octave_shlib objects.
+
+class
+octave_xshlib
+{
+public:
+
+  octave_xshlib (void) { }
+};
+
+class
+octave_shlib
+{
+public:
+
+  typedef string (*name_mangler) (const string&);
+
+  typedef void (*close_hook) (const string&);
+
+  octave_shlib (void) : rep (make_shlib ()) { }
+
+  octave_shlib::octave_shlib (const string& f, bool warn_future)
+    : rep (make_shlib ())
+  {
+    open (f, warn_future);
+  }
+
+  virtual ~octave_shlib (void)
+    {
+      if (rep && --rep->count == 0)
+	{
+	  delete rep;
+	  rep = 0;
+	}
+    }
+
+  octave_shlib (const octave_shlib& sl)
+    {
+      rep = sl.rep;
+      rep->count++;
+    }
+
+  octave_shlib& operator = (const octave_shlib& sl)
+    {
+      if (rep != sl.rep)
+	{
+	  if (--rep->count == 0)
+	    delete rep;
+
+	  rep = sl.rep;
+	  rep->count++;
+	}
+
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+  bool operator == (const octave_shlib& sl) const
+    { return (rep == sl.rep); }
+
+  operator bool () const { return is_open (); }
+
+  virtual void open (const string& f, bool warn_future = false)
+    { rep->open (f, warn_future); }
+  
+  virtual void *search (const string& nm, name_mangler mangler = 0)
+    { return rep->search (nm, mangler); }
+
+  virtual void close (close_hook cl_hook = 0)
+    { rep->close (cl_hook); }
+
+  virtual bool remove (const string& fcn_name)
+    { return rep->remove (fcn_name); }
+
+  virtual bool is_out_of_date (void) const
+    { return rep->is_out_of_date (); }
+
+  virtual int number_of_functions_loaded (void) const
+    { return rep->number_of_functions_loaded (); }
+
+  virtual string file_name (void) const
+    { return rep->file_name (); }
+
+  virtual octave_time time_loaded (void) const
+    { return rep->time_loaded (); }
+
+protected:
+
+  octave_shlib (const octave_xshlib&) : rep (0) { }
+
+  virtual bool is_open (void) const { return rep->is_open (); }
+
+  static octave_shlib *make_shlib (void);
+
+  union
+    {
+      octave_shlib *rep;
+      int count;
+    };
+};
+
+#endif
+
+/*
+;;; Local Variables: ***
+;;; mode: C++ ***
+;;; End: ***
+*/