--- deliantra/server/include/object.h	2008/05/03 09:04:17	1.171
+++ deliantra/server/include/object.h	2008/05/03 11:14:50	1.172
@@ -76,11 +76,11 @@
  *
  * key and value are shared-strings.
  *
- * Please use get_ob_key_value(), set_ob_key_value() from object.c rather than
+ * Please use kv_get/kv_set/kv_del from object rather than
  * accessing the list directly.
  * Exception is if you want to walk this list for some reason.
  */
-struct key_value
+struct key_value : slice_allocated
 {
   key_value *next;
   shstr key, value;
@@ -296,6 +296,41 @@
   client_container *seen_by;    // seen by which player/container currently?
   key_value *key_values;	/* Fields not explictly known by the loader. */
 
+  // privates / perl
+  const shstr &kv_get (const shstr &key) const;
+  void kv_del (const shstr &key);
+  void kv_set (const shstr &key, const shstr &value);
+
+  // custom extra fields management
+  struct key_value_access_proxy
+  {
+    object &ob;
+    shstr key;
+
+    key_value_access_proxy (object &ob, const shstr &key)
+    : ob (ob), key (key)
+    {
+    }
+
+    const key_value_access_proxy &operator =(const shstr &value) const
+    {
+      ob.kv_set (key, value);
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    operator const shstr &() const { return ob.kv_get (key); }
+    operator const char  *() const { return ob.kv_get (key); }
+
+  private:
+    void operator =(int);
+  };
+
+  // operator [] is too annoying to use
+  const key_value_access_proxy kv (const shstr &key)
+  {
+    return key_value_access_proxy (*this, key);
+  }
+
   bool parse_kv (object_thawer &f); // parse kv pairs, (ab-)used by archetypes, which should not exist at all
   MTH void post_load_check ();          // do some adjustments after parsing
   static object *read (object_thawer &f, maptile *map = 0); // map argument due to toal design bogosity, must go.