[svn-r15922] Description:

	Bring revisions 15289:15457 from trunk into metadata journaling
branch.

Tested on:
        FreeBSD/32 6.2 (duty) in debug mode
        FreeBSD/64 6.2 (liberty) w/C++ & FORTRAN, in debug mode
        Linux/32 2.6 (kagiso) w/PGI compilers, w/C++ & FORTRAN, w/threadsafe,
                                in debug mode
        Linux/64-amd64 2.6 (smirom) w/default API=1.6.x, w/C++ & FORTRAN,
                                in production mode
        Linux/64-ia64 2.6 (cobalt) w/Intel compilers, w/C++ & FORTRAN,
                                in production mode
        Solaris/32 2.10 (linew) w/deprecated symbols disabled, w/C++ & FORTRAN,
                                w/szip filter, in production mode
        Mac OS X/32 10.5.2 (amazon) in debug mode
        Linux/64-ia64 2.4 (tg-login3) w/parallel, w/FORTRAN, in production mode

25 files changed, 990 insertions, 525 deletions

diff --git a/c++/src/H5AbstractDs.cpp b/c++/src/H5AbstractDs.cpp
index 7cb170d..a61cc88 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5AbstractDs.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5AbstractDs.cpp
@@ -34,21 +34,21 @@ namespace H5 {
 ///\brief	Default constructor
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-AbstractDs::AbstractDs() : H5Object() {}
+AbstractDs::AbstractDs(){}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	AbstractDs default constructor
 ///\brief	Creates an AbstractDs instance using an existing id.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-AbstractDs::AbstractDs( const hid_t ds_id ) : H5Object( ds_id ) {}
+AbstractDs::AbstractDs(const hid_t ds_id){}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	AbstractDs copy constructor
 ///\brief	Copy constructor: makes a copy of the original AbstractDs object.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-AbstractDs::AbstractDs( const AbstractDs& original ) : H5Object( original ) {}
+AbstractDs::AbstractDs(const AbstractDs& original){}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	AbstractDs::getTypeClass
@@ -80,8 +80,10 @@ H5T_class_t AbstractDs::getTypeClass() const
       return( type_class );
    else
    {
-      throw DataTypeIException(inMemFunc("getTypeClass"),
-		"H5Tget_class returns H5T_NO_CLASS");
+      if (fromClass() == "DataSet")
+	 throw DataTypeIException("DataSet::getTypeClass", "H5Tget_class returns H5T_NO_CLASS");
+      else if (fromClass() == "Attribute")
+	 throw DataTypeIException("Attribute::getTypeClass", "H5Tget_class returns H5T_NO_CLASS");
    }
 }
 
diff --git a/c++/src/H5AbstractDs.h b/c++/src/H5AbstractDs.h
index 2f4e520..c98e5e1 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5AbstractDs.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5AbstractDs.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class FloatType;
 class IntType;
 class StrType;
 class VarLenType;
-class H5_DLLCPP AbstractDs : public H5Object {
+class H5_DLLCPP AbstractDs {
    public:
 	// Gets a copy the datatype of that this abstract dataset uses.
 	// Note that this datatype is a generic one and can only be accessed
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ class H5_DLLCPP AbstractDs : public H5Object {
 	// dataset - pure virtual.
 	virtual hsize_t getStorageSize() const = 0;
 
+	// Returns this class name
+	virtual H5std_string fromClass() const = 0;
+
 	// Copy constructor
 	AbstractDs( const AbstractDs& original );
 
diff --git a/c++/src/H5Attribute.cpp b/c++/src/H5Attribute.cpp
index 043dc4d..64993a2 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5Attribute.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5Attribute.cpp
@@ -26,12 +26,14 @@
 #include "H5PropList.h"
 #include "H5Object.h"
 #include "H5AbstractDs.h"
-#include "H5Attribute.h"
+#include "H5FaccProp.h"
+#include "H5FcreatProp.h"
 #include "H5DcreatProp.h"
 #include "H5CommonFG.h"
 #include "H5DataType.h"
 #include "H5DataSpace.h"
-#include "H5private.h"
+#include "H5File.h"
+#include "H5Attribute.h"
 
 #ifndef H5_NO_NAMESPACE
 namespace H5 {
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ namespace H5 {
 ///\brief	Default constructor: Creates a stub attribute
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Attribute::Attribute() : AbstractDs() {}
+Attribute::Attribute() : AbstractDs(), IdComponent(), id(0) {}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	Attribute copy constructor
@@ -54,7 +56,11 @@ Attribute::Attribute() : AbstractDs() {}
 ///\param	original  - IN: Original Attribute object to copy
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Attribute::Attribute( const Attribute& original ) : AbstractDs( original ) {}
+Attribute::Attribute(const Attribute& original) : AbstractDs(), IdComponent()
+{
+    id = original.getId();
+    incRefCount(); // increment number of references to this id
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	Attribute overloaded constructor
@@ -64,7 +70,10 @@ Attribute::Attribute( const Attribute& original ) : AbstractDs( original ) {}
 ///\exception	H5::AttributeIException
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Attribute::Attribute(const hid_t existing_id) : AbstractDs(existing_id) {}
+Attribute::Attribute(const hid_t existing_id) : AbstractDs(), IdComponent()
+{
+   id = existing_id;
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	Attribute::write
@@ -208,6 +217,23 @@ hid_t Attribute::p_get_type() const
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:	Attribute::getFileName
+///\brief	Gets the name of the file, in which this attribute belongs.
+///\return	File name
+///\exception	H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - Jul, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+H5std_string Attribute::getFileName() const
+{
+   try {
+      return(p_get_file_name());
+   }
+   catch (IdComponentException E) {
+      throw FileIException("Attribute::getFileName", E.getDetailMsg());
+   }
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	Attribute::getName
 ///\brief	Gets the name of this attribute, returning its length.
 ///\param	buf_size  -  IN: Desired length of the name
@@ -297,6 +323,67 @@ hsize_t Attribute::getStorageSize() const
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    Attribute::dereference
+// Purpose      Dereference a ref into a DataSet object.
+// Parameters
+//              ref - IN: Reference pointer
+// Exception    H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - Oct, 2006
+// Modification
+//      May 2008 - BMR
+//              Moved from IdComponent into H5File, H5Object, and Attribute
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+Attribute::Attribute(H5Object& obj, void* ref) : AbstractDs(), IdComponent()
+{
+   id = obj.p_dereference(ref);
+}
+
+Attribute::Attribute(H5File& h5file, void* ref) : AbstractDs(), IdComponent()
+{
+   id = h5file.p_dereference(ref);
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    Attribute::getId
+// Purpose:     Get the id of this attribute
+// Description:
+//		Class hierarchy is revised to address bugzilla 1068.  Class
+//		AbstractDS and Attribute are moved out of H5Object.  In 
+//		addition, member IdComponent::id is moved into subclasses, and
+//		IdComponent::getId now becomes pure virtual function.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2008
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+hid_t Attribute::getId() const
+{
+   return(id);
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    Attribute::p_setId
+///\brief       Sets the identifier of this object to a new value.
+///
+///\exception   H5::IdComponentException when the attempt to close the HDF5
+///             object fails
+// Description:
+//              The underlaying reference counting in the C library ensures
+//              that the current valid id of this object is properly closed.
+//              Then the object's id is reset to the new id.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void Attribute::p_setId(const hid_t new_id)
+{
+    // handling references to this old id
+    try {
+        close();
+    }
+    catch (Exception close_error) {
+        throw AttributeIException("Attribute::p_setId", close_error.getDetailMsg());
+    }
+   // reset object's id to the given id
+   id = new_id;
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	Attribute::close
 ///\brief	Closes this attribute.
 ///
@@ -312,8 +399,10 @@ void Attribute::close()
 	{
 	    throw AttributeIException("Attribute::close", "H5Aclose failed");
 	}
-	// reset the id because the attribute that it represents is now closed
-	id = 0;
+	// reset the id when the attribute that it represents is no longer
+	// referenced
+	if (getCounter() == 0)
+	    id = 0;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/c++/src/H5Attribute.h b/c++/src/H5Attribute.h
index 513b6ab..7d7ca8d 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5Attribute.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5Attribute.h
@@ -21,11 +21,14 @@
 namespace H5 {
 #endif
 
-class H5_DLLCPP Attribute : public AbstractDs {
+class H5_DLLCPP Attribute : public AbstractDs, public IdComponent {
    public:
 	// Closes this attribute.
 	virtual void close();
 
+	// Gets the name of the file, in which this attribute belongs.
+	H5std_string getFileName() const;
+
 	// Gets the name of this attribute.
 	ssize_t getName( size_t buf_size, H5std_string& attr_name ) const;
 	H5std_string getName( size_t buf_size ) const; // returns name, not its length
@@ -45,11 +48,15 @@ class H5_DLLCPP Attribute : public AbstractDs {
 	void write(const DataType& mem_type, const void *buf ) const;
 	void write(const DataType& mem_type, const H5std_string& strg ) const;
 
+	// Creates an attribute by way of dereference.
+	Attribute(H5Object& obj, void* ref);
+	Attribute(H5File& file, void* ref);
+
 	// Returns this class name
 	virtual H5std_string fromClass () const { return("Attribute"); }
 
-        // Creates a copy of an existing attribute using the attribute id
-        Attribute( const hid_t attr_id );
+	// Creates a copy of an existing attribute using the attribute id
+	Attribute( const hid_t attr_id );
 
 	// Copy constructor: makes a copy of an existing Attribute object.
 	Attribute( const Attribute& original );
@@ -57,10 +64,19 @@ class H5_DLLCPP Attribute : public AbstractDs {
 	// Default constructor
 	Attribute();
 
+	// Gets the attribute id.
+	virtual hid_t getId() const;
+
 	// Destructor: properly terminates access to this attribute.
 	virtual ~Attribute();
 
+   protected:
+	// Sets the attribute id.
+	virtual void p_setId(const hid_t new_id);
+
    private:
+	hid_t id;	// HDF5 attribute id
+
 	// This function contains the common code that is used by
 	// getTypeClass and various API functions getXxxType
 	// defined in AbstractDs for generic datatype and specific
diff --git a/c++/src/H5Classes.h b/c++/src/H5Classes.h
index 03f1257..f691548 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5Classes.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5Classes.h
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 namespace H5 {
 #endif
 	class Exception;
-	class ReferenceCounter;
 	class IdComponent;
 	class H5Object;
 	class PropList;
diff --git a/c++/src/H5CommonFG.cpp b/c++/src/H5CommonFG.cpp
index 8386e03..364f639 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5CommonFG.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5CommonFG.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
+// remove when done
+#include <iostream>
+    using std::cerr;
+    using std::endl;
+
 #include "H5Include.h"
 #include "H5Exception.h"
 #include "H5IdComponent.h"
@@ -239,7 +244,13 @@ DataSet CommonFG::openDataSet( const H5std_string& name ) const
 ///\par Description
 ///		Note that both names are interpreted relative to the
 ///		specified location.
+///		For information on creating hard link and soft link, please 
+///		refer to the C layer Reference Manual at:
+/// http://hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc/RM/RM_H5L.html#Link-CreateHard and
+/// http://hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc/RM/RM_H5L.html#Link-CreateSoft
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+// Modification
+//	2007: QAK modified to use H5L APIs - BMR
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void CommonFG::link( H5L_type_t link_type, const char* curr_name, const char* new_name ) const
 {
@@ -283,6 +294,8 @@ void CommonFG::link( H5L_type_t link_type, const H5std_string& curr_name, const
 ///\param	name  - IN: Name of the object to be removed
 ///\exception	H5::FileIException or H5::GroupIException
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+// Modification
+//	2007: QAK modified to use H5L APIs - BMR
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void CommonFG::unlink( const char* name ) const
 {
@@ -317,6 +330,8 @@ void CommonFG::unlink( const H5std_string& name ) const
 ///		to the Group Interface in the HDF5 User's Guide at:
 /// http://hdf.ncsa.uiuc.edu/HDF5/doc/Groups.html
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+// Modification
+//	2007: QAK modified to use H5L APIs - BMR
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void CommonFG::move( const char* src, const char* dst ) const
 {
@@ -380,6 +395,7 @@ void CommonFG::getObjinfo( const H5std_string& name, hbool_t follow_link, H5G_st
 ///		It differs from the above functions in that it doesn't have
 ///		the paramemter \a follow_link.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - Nov, 2005
+// Note: need to modify to use H5Oget_info and H5Lget_info - BMR
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void CommonFG::getObjinfo( const char* name, H5G_stat_t& statbuf ) const
 {
@@ -452,6 +468,11 @@ H5std_string CommonFG::getLinkval( const H5std_string& name, size_t size ) const
 ///		object header, e.g., data sets, groups, named data types,
 ///		and data spaces, but not symbolic links.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+// Modification
+//	2007: QAK modified to use H5O APIs; however the first parameter is
+//		no longer just file or group, this function should be moved
+//		to another class to accommodate attribute, dataset, and named
+//		datatype. - BMR
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void CommonFG::setComment( const char* name, const char* comment ) const
 {
@@ -480,6 +501,10 @@ void CommonFG::setComment( const H5std_string& name, const H5std_string& comment
 ///\param	name  - IN: Name of the object
 ///\exception	H5::FileIException or H5::GroupIException
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May 2005
+//	2007: QAK modified to use H5O APIs; however the first parameter is
+//		no longer just file or group, this function should be moved
+//		to another class to accommodate attribute, dataset, and named
+//		datatype. - BMR
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void CommonFG::removeComment(const char* name) const
 {
@@ -509,6 +534,10 @@ void CommonFG::removeComment(const H5std_string& name) const
 ///\return	Comment string
 ///\exception	H5::FileIException or H5::GroupIException
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May 2005
+//	2007: QAK modified to use H5O APIs; however the first parameter is
+//		no longer just file or group, this function should be moved
+//		to another class to accommodate attribute, dataset, and named
+//		datatype. - BMR
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 H5std_string CommonFG::getComment (const H5std_string& name) const
 {
@@ -549,6 +578,10 @@ H5std_string CommonFG::getComment (const H5std_string& name) const
 ///\return	Comment string
 ///\exception	H5::FileIException or H5::GroupIException
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+//	2007: QAK modified to use H5O APIs; however the first parameter is
+//		no longer just file or group, this function should be moved
+//		to another class to accommodate attribute, dataset, and named
+//		datatype. - BMR
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 H5std_string CommonFG::getComment( const char* name, size_t bufsize ) const
 {
diff --git a/c++/src/H5DataSet.cpp b/c++/src/H5DataSet.cpp
index 9858e7d..3051e08 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5DataSet.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5DataSet.cpp
@@ -28,10 +28,13 @@
 #include "H5PropList.h"
 #include "H5DxferProp.h"
 #include "H5DcreatProp.h"
+#include "H5FaccProp.h"
+#include "H5FcreatProp.h"
 #include "H5CommonFG.h"
 #include "H5DataType.h"
 #include "H5DataSpace.h"
 #include "H5AbstractDs.h"
+#include "H5File.h"
 #include "H5DataSet.h"
 
 #ifndef H5_NO_NAMESPACE
@@ -47,7 +50,7 @@ namespace H5 {
 ///\brief	Default constructor: creates a stub DataSet.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataSet::DataSet() : AbstractDs() {}
+DataSet::DataSet() : AbstractDs(), H5Object(), id(0) {}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataSet overloaded constructor
@@ -55,7 +58,10 @@ DataSet::DataSet() : AbstractDs() {}
 ///\param	existing_id - IN: Id of an existing dataset
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataSet::DataSet(const hid_t existing_id) : AbstractDs(existing_id) {}
+DataSet::DataSet(const hid_t existing_id) : AbstractDs(), H5Object()
+{
+    id = existing_id;
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataSet copy constructor
@@ -63,7 +69,11 @@ DataSet::DataSet(const hid_t existing_id) : AbstractDs(existing_id) {}
 ///\param	original - IN: DataSet instance to copy
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataSet::DataSet( const DataSet& original ) : AbstractDs( original ) {}
+DataSet::DataSet(const DataSet& original) : AbstractDs(original), H5Object(original)
+{
+    id = original.getId();
+    incRefCount(); // increment number of references to this id
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataSet overload constructor - dereference
@@ -77,9 +87,14 @@ DataSet::DataSet( const DataSet& original ) : AbstractDs( original ) {}
 ///		is a datatype that has been named by DataType::commit.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - Oct, 2006
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataSet::DataSet(IdComponent& obj, void* ref) : AbstractDs()
+DataSet::DataSet(H5Object& obj, void* ref) : AbstractDs(), H5Object()
+{
+   id = obj.p_dereference(ref);
+}
+
+DataSet::DataSet(H5File& h5file, void* ref) : AbstractDs(), H5Object()
 {
-   IdComponent::dereference(obj, ref);
+   id = h5file.p_dereference(ref);
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -455,52 +470,6 @@ void DataSet::fillMemBuf(void *buf, DataType& buf_type, DataSpace& space)
     }
 }
 
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	DataSet::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions may not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use 
-///		DataSet::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* DataSet::Reference(const char* name, DataSpace& dataspace, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
-{
-   try {
-      return(p_reference(name, dataspace.getId(), ref_type));
-   }
-   catch (IdComponentException E) {
-      throw DataSetIException("DataSet::Reference", E.getDetailMsg());
-   }
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	DataSet::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions may not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use similar
-///		DataSet::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* DataSet::Reference(const char* name) const
-{
-   try {
-      return(p_reference(name, -1, H5R_OBJECT));
-   }
-   catch (IdComponentException E) {
-      throw DataSetIException("DataSet::Reference", E.getDetailMsg());
-   }
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	DataSet::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions may not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use similar
-///		DataSet::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* DataSet::Reference(const H5std_string& name) const
-{
-   return(Reference(name.c_str()));
-}
-
 #ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataSet::getObjType
@@ -550,6 +519,49 @@ DataSpace DataSet::getRegion(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    DataSet::getId
+// Purpose:     Get the id of this attribute
+// Description:
+//              Class hierarchy is revised to address bugzilla 1068.  Class
+//              AbstractDs and Attribute are moved out of H5Object.  In
+//              addition, member IdComponent::id is moved into subclasses, and
+//              IdComponent::getId now becomes pure virtual function.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2008
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+hid_t DataSet::getId() const
+{
+   return(id);
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    DataSet::p_setId
+///\brief       Sets the identifier of this object to a new value.
+///
+///\exception   H5::IdComponentException when the attempt to close the HDF5
+///             object fails
+// Description:
+//              The underlaying reference counting in the C library ensures
+//              that the current valid id of this object is properly closed.
+//              Then the object's id is reset to the new id.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void DataSet::p_setId(const hid_t new_id)
+{
+    // handling references to this old id
+    try {
+        close();
+    }
+    catch (Exception close_error) {
+        throw DataSetIException(inMemFunc("p_setId"), close_error.getDetailMsg());
+    }
+   // reset object's id to the given id
+   id = new_id;
+
+   // increment the reference counter of the new id
+   //incRefCount();
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataSet::close
 ///\brief	Closes this dataset.
 ///
@@ -565,8 +577,10 @@ void DataSet::close()
 	{
 	    throw DataSetIException("DataSet::close", "H5Dclose failed");
 	}
-	// reset the id because the dataset that it represents is now closed
-	id = 0;
+	// reset the id when the dataset that it represents is no longer
+	// referenced
+	if (getCounter() == 0)
+	    id = 0;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/c++/src/H5DataSet.h b/c++/src/H5DataSet.h
index 7323f52..f5d13d0 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5DataSet.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5DataSet.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 namespace H5 {
 #endif
 
-class H5_DLLCPP DataSet : public AbstractDs {
+class H5_DLLCPP DataSet : public H5Object, public AbstractDs {
    public:
 	// Close this dataset.
 	virtual void close();
@@ -81,19 +81,12 @@ class H5_DLLCPP DataSet : public AbstractDs {
 	// Retrieves a dataspace with the region pointed to selected.
 	DataSpace getRegion(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type = H5R_DATASET_REGION) const;
 
-	// Creates a reference to a named Hdf5 object or to a dataset region
-	// in this object.
-	void* Reference(const char* name, DataSpace& dataspace, H5R_type_t ref_type = H5R_DATASET_REGION) const;
-
-	// Creates a reference to a named Hdf5 object in this object.
-	void* Reference(const char* name) const; // will be obsolete
-	void* Reference(const H5std_string& name) const; // will be obsolete
-
 	// Returns this class name
 	virtual H5std_string fromClass () const { return("DataSet"); }
 
 	// Creates a dataset by way of dereference.
-	DataSet(IdComponent& obj, void* ref);
+	DataSet(H5Object& obj, void* ref);
+	DataSet(H5File& file, void* ref);
 
 	// Default constructor.
 	DataSet();
@@ -104,15 +97,24 @@ class H5_DLLCPP DataSet : public AbstractDs {
 	// Creates a copy of an existing DataSet using its id.
 	DataSet(const hid_t existing_id);
 
+        // Gets the dataset id.
+        virtual hid_t getId() const;
+
 	// Destructor: properly terminates access to this dataset.
 	virtual ~DataSet();
 
    private:
+	hid_t id;       // HDF5 dataset id
+
         // This function contains the common code that is used by
         // getTypeClass and various API functions getXxxType
         // defined in AbstractDs for generic datatype and specific
         // sub-types
 	virtual hid_t p_get_type() const;
+
+   protected:
+        // Sets the dataset id.
+        virtual void p_setId(const hid_t new_id);
 };
 #ifndef H5_NO_NAMESPACE
 }
diff --git a/c++/src/H5DataSpace.cpp b/c++/src/H5DataSpace.cpp
index 245e27d..3d74b51 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5DataSpace.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5DataSpace.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ const DataSpace DataSpace::ALL( H5S_ALL );
 ///\exception	H5::DataSpaceIException
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataSpace::DataSpace( H5S_class_t type ) : IdComponent(0)
+DataSpace::DataSpace(H5S_class_t type) : IdComponent()
 {
    id = H5Screate( type );
    if( id < 0 )
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ DataSpace::DataSpace( H5S_class_t type ) : IdComponent(0)
 ///\exception	H5::DataSpaceIException
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataSpace::DataSpace( int rank, const hsize_t * dims, const hsize_t * maxdims) : IdComponent(0)
+DataSpace::DataSpace( int rank, const hsize_t * dims, const hsize_t * maxdims) : IdComponent()
 {
    id = H5Screate_simple( rank, dims, maxdims );
    if( id < 0 )
@@ -82,7 +82,10 @@ DataSpace::DataSpace( int rank, const hsize_t * dims, const hsize_t * maxdims) :
 ///\exception	H5::DataSpaceIException
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataSpace::DataSpace(const hid_t existing_id) : IdComponent(existing_id) {}
+DataSpace::DataSpace(const hid_t existing_id) : IdComponent()
+{
+    id = existing_id;
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataSpace copy constructor
@@ -90,7 +93,11 @@ DataSpace::DataSpace(const hid_t existing_id) : IdComponent(existing_id) {}
 ///\param	original - IN: DataSpace object to copy
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataSpace::DataSpace( const DataSpace& original ) : IdComponent( original ) {}
+DataSpace::DataSpace(const DataSpace& original) : IdComponent(original)
+{
+    id = original.getId();
+    incRefCount(); // increment number of references to this id
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataSpace::copy
@@ -548,6 +555,47 @@ void DataSpace::selectHyperslab( H5S_seloper_t op, const hsize_t *count, const h
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    DataSpace::getId
+// Purpose:     Get the id of this attribute
+// Modification:
+//	May 2008 - BMR
+//              Class hierarchy is revised to address bugzilla 1068.  Class
+//              AbstractDS and Attribute are moved out of H5Object.  In
+//              addition, member IdComponent::id is moved into subclasses, and
+//              IdComponent::getId now becomes pure virtual function.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2008
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+hid_t DataSpace::getId() const
+{
+   return(id);
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    DataSpace::p_setId
+///\brief       Sets the identifier of this object to a new value.
+///
+///\exception   H5::IdComponentException when the attempt to close the HDF5
+///             object fails
+// Description:
+//              The underlaying reference counting in the C library ensures
+//              that the current valid id of this object is properly closed.
+//              Then the object's id is reset to the new id.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void DataSpace::p_setId(const hid_t new_id)
+{
+    // handling references to this old id
+    try {
+        close();
+    }
+    catch (Exception close_error) {
+        throw DataSpaceIException(inMemFunc("p_setId"), close_error.getDetailMsg());
+    }
+   // reset object's id to the given id
+   id = new_id;
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataSpace::close
 ///\brief	Closes this dataspace.
 ///
@@ -564,8 +612,10 @@ void DataSpace::close()
 	{
 	    throw DataSpaceIException("DataSpace::close", "H5Sclose failed");
 	}
-	// reset the id because the dataspace that it represents is now closed
-	id = 0;
+	// reset the id when the dataspace that it represents is no longer
+	// referenced
+	if (getCounter() == 0)
+	    id = 0;
     }
 }
 
@@ -583,8 +633,7 @@ DataSpace::~DataSpace()
 {
     try {
 	close();
-    }
-    catch (Exception close_error) {
+    } catch (Exception close_error) {
 	cerr << "DataSpace::~DataSpace - " << close_error.getDetailMsg() << endl;
     }
 }
diff --git a/c++/src/H5DataSpace.h b/c++/src/H5DataSpace.h
index e1c5ba4..80842f7 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5DataSpace.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5DataSpace.h
@@ -112,8 +112,18 @@ class H5_DLLCPP DataSpace : public IdComponent {
 	// Copy constructor: makes a copy of the original DataSpace object.
 	DataSpace(const DataSpace& original);
 
+	// Gets the dataspace id.
+	virtual hid_t getId() const;
+
 	// Destructor: properly terminates access to this dataspace.
 	virtual ~DataSpace();
+
+   private:
+	hid_t id;       // HDF5 dataspace id
+
+   protected:
+	// Sets the dataspace id.
+	virtual void p_setId(const hid_t new_id);
 };
 #ifndef H5_NO_NAMESPACE
 }
diff --git a/c++/src/H5DataType.cpp b/c++/src/H5DataType.cpp
index c31395e..e023bda 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5DataType.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5DataType.cpp
@@ -62,7 +62,10 @@ namespace H5 {
 //		- BMR 5/2004
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataType::DataType(const hid_t existing_id) : H5Object(existing_id) {}
+DataType::DataType(const hid_t existing_id) : H5Object()
+{
+    id = existing_id;
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataType overloaded constructor
@@ -92,9 +95,19 @@ DataType::DataType( const H5T_class_t type_class, size_t size ) : H5Object()
 ///		is a datatype that has been named by DataType::commit.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - Oct, 2006
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataType::DataType(IdComponent& obj, void* ref) : H5Object()
+ /* DataType::DataType(IdComponent& obj, void* ref) : H5Object()
+{
+   H5Object::dereference(obj, ref);
+}
+ */ 
+DataType::DataType(H5Object& obj, void* ref) : H5Object()
 {
-   IdComponent::dereference(obj, ref);
+   id = obj.p_dereference(ref);
+}
+
+DataType::DataType(H5File& file, void* ref) : H5Object()
+{
+   id = file.p_dereference(ref);
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -102,14 +115,18 @@ DataType::DataType(IdComponent& obj, void* ref) : H5Object()
 ///\brief	Default constructor: Creates a stub datatype
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataType::DataType() : H5Object() {}
+DataType::DataType() : H5Object(), id(0) {}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataType copy constructor
 ///\brief	Copy constructor: makes a copy of the original DataType object.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DataType::DataType(const DataType& original) : H5Object(original) {}
+DataType::DataType(const DataType& original) : H5Object(original) 
+{
+    id = original.getId();
+    incRefCount(); // increment number of references to this id
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataType::copy
@@ -616,52 +633,6 @@ bool DataType::isVariableStr() const
    }
 }
 
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	DataType::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions may not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use similar
-///		DataType::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* DataType::Reference(const char* name, DataSpace& dataspace, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
-{
-   try {
-      return(p_reference(name, dataspace.getId(), ref_type));
-   }
-   catch (IdComponentException E) {
-      throw DataTypeIException(inMemFunc("Reference"), E.getDetailMsg());
-   }
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	DataType::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions may not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use similar
-///		DataType::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* DataType::Reference(const char* name) const
-{
-   try {
-      return(p_reference(name, -1, H5R_OBJECT));
-   }
-   catch (IdComponentException E) {
-      throw DataTypeIException(inMemFunc("Reference"), E.getDetailMsg());
-   }
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	DataType::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions may not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use similar
-///		DataType::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* DataType::Reference(const H5std_string& name) const
-{
-   return(Reference(name.c_str()));
-}
-
 #ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataType::getObjType
@@ -708,6 +679,47 @@ DataSpace DataType::getRegion(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    DataType::getId
+// Purpose:     Get the id of this attribute
+// Modification:
+//      May 2008 - BMR
+//              Class hierarchy is revised to address bugzilla 1068.  Class
+//              AbstractDS and Attribute are moved out of H5Object.  In
+//              addition, member IdComponent::id is moved into subclasses, and
+//              IdComponent::getId now becomes pure virtual function.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2008
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+hid_t DataType::getId() const
+{
+   return(id);
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    DataType::p_setId
+///\brief       Sets the identifier of this object to a new value.
+///
+///\exception   H5::IdComponentException when the attempt to close the HDF5
+///             object fails
+// Description:
+//              The underlaying reference counting in the C library ensures
+//              that the current valid id of this object is properly closed.
+//              Then the object's id is reset to the new id.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void DataType::p_setId(const hid_t new_id)
+{
+    // handling references to this old id
+    try {
+        close();
+    }
+    catch (Exception close_error) {
+        throw DataTypeIException(inMemFunc("p_setId"), close_error.getDetailMsg());
+    }
+   // reset object's id to the given id
+   id = new_id;
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DataType::close
 ///\brief	Closes the datatype if it is not a predefined type.
 ///
@@ -723,8 +735,10 @@ void DataType::close()
 	{
 	    throw DataTypeIException(inMemFunc("close"), "H5Tclose failed");
 	}
-	// reset the id because the datatype that it represents is now closed
-	id = 0;
+	// reset the id when the datatype that it represents is no longer
+	// referenced
+	if (getCounter() == 0)
+	    id = 0;
     }
 }
 
@@ -740,14 +754,12 @@ void DataType::close()
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 DataType::~DataType()
 {
-    try {
-	close();
-    }
-    catch (Exception close_error) {
-	cerr << inMemFunc("~DataType - ") << close_error.getDetailMsg() << endl;
-    }
+	try {
+	    close();
+	} catch (Exception close_error) {
+	    cerr << inMemFunc("~DataType - ") << close_error.getDetailMsg() << endl;
+	}
 }
-
 #ifndef H5_NO_NAMESPACE
 } // end namespace
 #endif
diff --git a/c++/src/H5DataType.h b/c++/src/H5DataType.h
index 588a57a..4e7ca03 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5DataType.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5DataType.h
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ class H5_DLLCPP DataType : public H5Object {
 	DataType( const DataType& original );
 
 	// Creates a datatype by way of dereference.
-	DataType(IdComponent& obj, void* ref);
+	DataType(H5Object& obj, void* ref);
+	DataType(H5File& file, void* ref);
 
 	// Closes this datatype.
 	virtual void close();
@@ -99,14 +100,6 @@ class H5_DLLCPP DataType : public H5Object {
 	// Checks whether this datatype is a variable-length string.
 	bool isVariableStr() const;
 
-	// Creates a reference to a named HDF5 object or to a dataset region
-	// in this object.
-	void* Reference(const char* name, DataSpace& dataspace, H5R_type_t ref_type = H5R_DATASET_REGION) const; // will be obsolete
-
-	// Creates a reference to a named HDF5 object in this object.
-	void* Reference(const char* name) const; // will be obsolete
-	void* Reference(const H5std_string& name) const; // will be obsolete
-
 #ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
 	// Retrieves the type of object that an object reference points to.
 	H5G_obj_t getObjType(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type = H5R_OBJECT) const;
@@ -124,8 +117,18 @@ class H5_DLLCPP DataType : public H5Object {
 	// Default constructor
 	DataType();
 
+	// Gets the datatype id.
+	virtual hid_t getId() const;
+
 	// Destructor: properly terminates access to this datatype.
 	virtual ~DataType();
+
+   protected:
+	hid_t id;	// HDF5 datatype id
+
+	// Sets the datatype id.
+	virtual void p_setId(const hid_t new_id);
+
    private:
 	void p_commit(hid_t loc_id, const char* name);
 };
diff --git a/c++/src/H5DcreatProp.cpp b/c++/src/H5DcreatProp.cpp
index e524355..19a4e6e 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5DcreatProp.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5DcreatProp.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ DSetCreatPropList::DSetCreatPropList( const DSetCreatPropList& orig ) : PropList
 ///		existing dataset creation property list.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-DSetCreatPropList::DSetCreatPropList(const hid_t plist_id) : PropList( plist_id ) {}
+DSetCreatPropList::DSetCreatPropList(const hid_t plist_id) : PropList(plist_id) {}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	DSetCreatPropList::setChunk
diff --git a/c++/src/H5DxferProp.h b/c++/src/H5DxferProp.h
index 8da29c4..11e15fc 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5DxferProp.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5DxferProp.h
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ class H5_DLLCPP DSetMemXferPropList : public PropList {
 
 	// Noop destructor
 	virtual ~DSetMemXferPropList();
-
 };
 #ifndef H5_NO_NAMESPACE
 }
diff --git a/c++/src/H5FaccProp.cpp b/c++/src/H5FaccProp.cpp
index 6a70b3b..f2ab0f3 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5FaccProp.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5FaccProp.cpp
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ void FileAccPropList::getFamily(hsize_t& memb_size, FileAccPropList& memb_plist)
    {
       throw PropListIException("FileAccPropList::getFamily", "H5Pget_fapl_family failed");
    }
-   memb_plist.setId(memb_plist_id);
+   memb_plist.p_setId(memb_plist_id);
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/c++/src/H5File.cpp b/c++/src/H5File.cpp
index aa11e31..0e71543 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5File.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5File.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ namespace H5 {
 ///\brief	Default constructor: creates a stub H5File object.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-H5File::H5File() : IdComponent(0) {}
+H5File::H5File() : IdComponent(), id(0) {}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	H5File overloaded constructor
@@ -140,7 +140,11 @@ void H5File::p_get_file(const char* name, unsigned int flags, const FileCreatPro
 ///\param	original - IN: H5File instance to copy
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-H5File::H5File( const H5File& original ) : IdComponent( original ) {}
+H5File::H5File(const H5File& original) : IdComponent(original)
+{
+    id = original.getId();
+    incRefCount(); // increment number of references to this id
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	H5File::flush
@@ -502,52 +506,6 @@ H5std_string H5File::getFileName() const
    }
 }
 
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	H5File::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions does not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use 
-///		H5File::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* H5File::Reference(const char* name, DataSpace& dataspace, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
-{
-   try {
-      return(p_reference(name, dataspace.getId(), ref_type));
-   }
-   catch (IdComponentException E) {
-      throw FileIException("H5File::Reference", E.getDetailMsg());
-   }
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	H5File::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions does not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use similar
-///		H5File::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* H5File::Reference(const char* name) const
-{
-   try {
-      return(p_reference(name, -1, H5R_OBJECT));
-   }
-   catch (IdComponentException E) {
-      throw FileIException("H5File::Reference", E.getDetailMsg());
-   }
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	H5File::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions does not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use similar
-///		H5File::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* H5File::Reference(const H5std_string& name) const
-{
-   return(Reference(name.c_str()));
-}
-
 #ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	H5File::getObjType
@@ -617,6 +575,134 @@ hsize_t H5File::getFileSize() const
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5File::p_reference (protected)
+// Purpose      Creates a reference to an HDF5 object or a dataset region.
+// Parameters
+//              name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced
+//              dataspace - IN: Dataspace with selection
+//              ref_type - IN: Type of reference; default to \c H5R_DATASET_REGION
+// Exception    H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void H5File::p_reference(void* ref, const char* name, hid_t space_id, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
+{
+   herr_t ret_value = H5Rcreate(ref, getId(), name, ref_type, space_id);
+   if (ret_value < 0)
+   {
+      throw IdComponentException("", "H5Rcreate failed");
+   }
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5File::reference
+///\brief       Creates a reference to an HDF5 object or a dataset region.
+///\param       ref - IN: Reference pointer
+///\param       name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced
+///\param       dataspace - IN: Dataspace with selection
+///\param       ref_type - IN: Type of reference to query, valid values are:
+///             \li \c H5R_OBJECT \tReference is an object reference.
+///             \li \c H5R_DATASET_REGION \tReference is a dataset region
+///                     reference. - this is the default
+///\exception   H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void H5File::reference(void* ref, const char* name, const DataSpace& dataspace, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
+{
+   try {
+      p_reference(ref, name, dataspace.getId(), ref_type);
+   }
+   catch (IdComponentException E) {
+      throw IdComponentException("H5File::reference", E.getDetailMsg());
+   }
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5File::reference
+///\brief       This is an overloaded function, provided for your convenience.
+///             It differs from the above function in that it only creates
+///             a reference to an HDF5 object, not to a dataset region.
+///\param       ref - IN: Reference pointer
+///\param       name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced - \c char pointer
+///\exception   H5::IdComponentException
+///\par Description
+//              This function passes H5R_OBJECT and -1 to the protected
+//              function for it to pass to the C API H5Rcreate
+//              to create a reference to the named object.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void H5File::reference(void* ref, const char* name) const
+{
+   try {
+      p_reference(ref, name, -1, H5R_OBJECT);
+   }
+   catch (IdComponentException E) {
+      throw IdComponentException("H5File::reference", E.getDetailMsg());
+   }
+}
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5File::reference
+///\brief       This is an overloaded function, provided for your convenience.
+///             It differs from the above function in that it takes an
+///             \c std::string for the object's name.
+///\param       ref - IN: Reference pointer
+///\param       name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced - \c std::string
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void H5File::reference(void* ref, const H5std_string& name) const
+{
+   reference(ref, name.c_str());
+}
+
+#ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5File::p_get_obj_type (protected)
+// Purpose      Retrieves the type of object that an object reference points to.
+// Parameters
+//              ref      - IN: Reference to query
+//              ref_type - IN: Type of reference to query
+// Return       An object type, which can be one of the following:
+//                      H5G_LINK Object is a symbolic link.
+//                      H5G_GROUP Object is a group.
+//                      H5G_DATASET   Object is a dataset.
+//                      H5G_TYPE Object is a named datatype
+// Exception    H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+H5G_obj_t H5File::p_get_obj_type(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
+{
+   H5G_obj_t obj_type = H5Rget_obj_type1(getId(), ref_type, ref);
+
+   if (obj_type == H5G_UNKNOWN)
+   {
+      throw IdComponentException("", "H5Rget_obj_type failed");
+   }
+   return(obj_type);
+}
+#endif /* H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS */
+
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5File::p_get_region (protected)
+// Purpose      Retrieves a dataspace with the region pointed to selected.
+// Parameters
+//              ref_type - IN: Type of reference to get region of - default
+//                              to H5R_DATASET_REGION
+//              ref      - IN: Reference to get region of
+// Return       Dataspace id
+// Exception    H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+hid_t H5File::p_get_region(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
+{
+   hid_t space_id = H5Rget_region(getId(), ref_type, ref);
+   if (space_id < 0)
+   {
+      throw IdComponentException("", "H5Rget_region failed");
+   }
+   return(space_id);
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	H5File::getLocId
 // Purpose:	Get the id of this file
 // Description
@@ -630,6 +716,47 @@ hid_t H5File::getLocId() const
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5File::getId
+// Purpose:     Get the id of this attribute
+// Modification:
+//      May 2008 - BMR
+//              Class hierarchy is revised to address bugzilla 1068.  Class
+//              AbstractDS and Attribute are moved out of H5Object.  In
+//              addition, member IdComponent::id is moved into subclasses, and
+//              IdComponent::getId now becomes pure virtual function.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2008
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+hid_t H5File::getId() const
+{
+   return(id);
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5File::p_setId
+///\brief       Sets the identifier of this object to a new value.
+///
+///\exception   H5::IdComponentException when the attempt to close the HDF5
+///             object fails
+// Description:
+//              The underlaying reference counting in the C library ensures
+//              that the current valid id of this object is properly closed.
+//              Then the object's id is reset to the new id.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void H5File::p_setId(const hid_t new_id)
+{
+    // handling references to this old id
+    try {
+        close();
+    }
+    catch (Exception E) {
+        throw FileIException("H5File::p_setId", E.getDetailMsg());
+    }
+   // reset object's id to the given id
+   id = new_id;
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	H5File::close
 ///\brief	Closes this HDF5 file.
 ///
@@ -645,8 +772,10 @@ void H5File::close()
 	{
 	    throw FileIException("H5File::close", "H5Fclose failed");
 	}
-	// reset the id because the file that it represents is now closed
-	id = 0;
+	// reset the id when the file that it represents is no longer
+	// referenced
+	if (getCounter() == 0)
+	    id = 0;
     }
 }
 
@@ -685,8 +814,7 @@ H5File::~H5File()
 {
     try {
 	close();
-    }
-    catch (Exception close_error) {
+    } catch (Exception close_error) {
 	cerr << "H5File::~H5File - " << close_error.getDetailMsg() << endl;
     }
 }
diff --git a/c++/src/H5File.h b/c++/src/H5File.h
index b239efe..b49118e 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5File.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5File.h
@@ -89,11 +89,10 @@ class H5_DLLCPP H5File : public IdComponent, public CommonFG {
 
 	// Creates a reference to a named HDF5 object or to a dataset region
 	// in this object.
-	void* Reference(const char* name, DataSpace& dataspace, H5R_type_t ref_type = H5R_DATASET_REGION) const; // will be obsolete
-
-	// Creates a reference to a named Hdf5 object in this object.
-	void* Reference(const char* name) const; // will be obsolete
-	void* Reference(const H5std_string& name) const; // will be obsolete
+	void reference(void* ref, const char* name, const DataSpace& dataspace,
+			H5R_type_t ref_type = H5R_DATASET_REGION) const;
+	void reference(void* ref, const char* name) const;
+	void reference(void* ref, const H5std_string& name) const;
 
 	// Returns this class name
 	virtual H5std_string fromClass () const { return("H5File"); }
@@ -110,14 +109,38 @@ class H5_DLLCPP H5File : public IdComponent, public CommonFG {
 	// Copy constructor: makes a copy of the original H5File object.
 	H5File(const H5File& original);
 
+	// Gets the HDF5 file id.
+	virtual hid_t getId() const;
+
 	// H5File destructor.
 	virtual ~H5File();
 
    private:
+	hid_t id;	// HDF5 file id
+
+#ifndef DOXYGEN_SHOULD_SKIP_THIS
+
 	// This function is private and contains common code between the
 	// constructors taking a string or a char*
 	void p_get_file( const char* name, unsigned int flags, const FileCreatPropList& create_plist, const FileAccPropList& access_plist );
 
+	// Creates a reference to an HDF5 object or a dataset region.
+	void p_reference(void* ref, const char* name, hid_t space_id, H5R_type_t ref_type) const;
+
+#ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
+	// Retrieves the type of object that an object reference points to.
+	H5G_obj_t p_get_obj_type(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const;
+#endif /* H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS */
+
+	// Retrieves a dataspace with the region pointed to selected.
+	hid_t p_get_region(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const;
+
+   protected:
+	// Sets the HDF5 file id.
+	virtual void p_setId(const hid_t new_id);
+
+#endif // DOXYGEN_SHOULD_SKIP_THIS
+
 };
 #ifndef H5_NO_NAMESPACE
 }
diff --git a/c++/src/H5Group.cpp b/c++/src/H5Group.cpp
index f3c058a..f50691e 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5Group.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5Group.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ namespace H5 {
 ///\brief	Default constructor: creates a stub Group.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Group::Group() : H5Object() {}
+Group::Group() : H5Object(), id(0) {}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	Group copy constructor
@@ -58,7 +58,11 @@ Group::Group() : H5Object() {}
 ///\param	original - IN: Original group to copy
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Group::Group( const Group& original ) : H5Object( original ) {}
+Group::Group(const Group& original) : H5Object(original)
+{
+    id = original.getId();
+    incRefCount(); // increment number of references to this id
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	Group::getLocId
@@ -77,7 +81,10 @@ hid_t Group::getLocId() const
 ///\param	group_id - IN: Id of an existing group
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Group::Group( const hid_t group_id ) : H5Object( group_id ) {}
+Group::Group(const hid_t existing_id) : H5Object()
+{
+    id = existing_id;
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	Group overload constructor - dereference
@@ -89,55 +96,14 @@ Group::Group( const hid_t group_id ) : H5Object( group_id ) {}
 ///		is a datatype that has been named by DataType::commit.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - Oct, 2006
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Group::Group(IdComponent& obj, void* ref) : H5Object()
+Group::Group(H5Object& obj, void* ref) : H5Object()
 {
-   IdComponent::dereference(obj, ref);
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	Group::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions may not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use similar
-///		Group::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* Group::Reference(const char* name, DataSpace& dataspace, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
-{
-   try {
-      return(p_reference(name, dataspace.getId(), ref_type));
-   }
-   catch (IdComponentException E) {
-      throw GroupIException("Group::Reference", E.getDetailMsg());
-   }
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	Group::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions may not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use similar
-///		Group::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* Group::Reference(const char* name) const
-{
-   try {
-      return(p_reference(name, -1, H5R_OBJECT));
-   }
-   catch (IdComponentException E) {
-      throw GroupIException("Group::Reference", E.getDetailMsg());
-   }
+   id = obj.p_dereference(ref);
 }
 
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	Group::Reference
-///\brief	Important!!! - This functions may not work correctly, it 
-///		will be removed in the near future.  Please use similar
-///		Group::reference instead!
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* Group::Reference(const H5std_string& name) const
+Group::Group(H5File& h5file, void* ref) : H5Object()
 {
-   return(Reference(name.c_str()));
+   id = h5file.p_dereference(ref);
 }
 
 #ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
@@ -188,6 +154,47 @@ DataSpace Group::getRegion(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    Group::getId
+// Purpose:     Get the id of this attribute
+// Modification:
+//      May 2008 - BMR
+//              Class hierarchy is revised to address bugzilla 1068.  Class
+//              AbstractDS and Attribute are moved out of H5Object.  In
+//              addition, member IdComponent::id is moved into subclasses, and
+//              IdComponent::getId now becomes pure virtual function.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2008
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+hid_t Group::getId() const
+{
+   return(id);
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    Group::p_setId
+///\brief       Sets the identifier of this object to a new value.
+///
+///\exception   H5::IdComponentException when the attempt to close the HDF5
+///             object fails
+// Description:
+//              The underlaying reference counting in the C library ensures
+//              that the current valid id of this object is properly closed.
+//              Then the object's id is reset to the new id.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void Group::p_setId(const hid_t new_id)
+{
+    // handling references to this old id
+    try {
+        close();
+    }
+    catch (Exception close_error) {
+        throw GroupIException("Group::p_setId", close_error.getDetailMsg());
+    }
+   // reset object's id to the given id
+   id = new_id;
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	Group::close
 ///\brief	Closes this group.
 ///
@@ -203,8 +210,10 @@ void Group::close()
 	{
 	    throw GroupIException("Group::close", "H5Gclose failed");
 	}
-	// reset the id because the group that it represents is now closed
-	id = 0;
+	// reset the id when the group that it represents is no longer
+	// referenced
+	if (getCounter() == 0)
+	    id = 0;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/c++/src/H5Group.h b/c++/src/H5Group.h
index 5df85bb..d296b84 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5Group.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5Group.h
@@ -34,14 +34,6 @@ class H5_DLLCPP Group : public H5Object, public CommonFG {
 	// Retrieves a dataspace with the region pointed to selected.
 	DataSpace getRegion(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type = H5R_DATASET_REGION) const;
 
-	// Creates a reference to a named Hdf5 object or to a dataset region
-	// in this object.
-	void* Reference(const char* name, DataSpace& dataspace, H5R_type_t ref_type = H5R_DATASET_REGION) const; // will be obsolete
-
-	// Creates a reference to a named Hdf5 object in this object.
-	void* Reference(const char* name) const; // will be obsolete
-	void* Reference(const H5std_string& name) const; // will be obsolete
-
 	// Returns this class name
 	virtual H5std_string fromClass () const { return("Group"); }
 
@@ -52,7 +44,8 @@ class H5_DLLCPP Group : public H5Object, public CommonFG {
 	virtual hid_t getLocId() const;
 
 	// Creates a group by way of dereference.
-	Group(IdComponent& obj, void* ref);
+	Group(H5Object& obj, void* ref);
+	Group(H5File& obj, void* ref);
 
 	// default constructor
 	Group();
@@ -60,12 +53,21 @@ class H5_DLLCPP Group : public H5Object, public CommonFG {
 	// Copy constructor: makes a copy of the original object
 	Group(const Group& original);
 
+	// Gets the group id.
+	virtual hid_t getId() const;
+
 	// Destructor
 	virtual ~Group();
 
 	// Creates a copy of an existing group using its id.
 	Group( const hid_t group_id );
 
+   private:
+	hid_t id;	// HDF5 group id
+
+   protected:
+	// Sets the group id.
+	virtual void p_setId(const hid_t new_id);
 };
 #ifndef H5_NO_NAMESPACE
 }
diff --git a/c++/src/H5IdComponent.cpp b/c++/src/H5IdComponent.cpp
index bb015fb..a068b20 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5IdComponent.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5IdComponent.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 #endif /*H5_VMS*/
 
 #include <string>
-
 #include "H5Include.h"
 #include "H5Exception.h"
 #include "H5Library.h"
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ namespace H5 {
 ///\exception	H5::DataTypeIException
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-IdComponent::IdComponent(const hid_t h5_id) : id(h5_id) {}
+IdComponent::IdComponent(const hid_t h5_id) {}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	IdComponent copy constructor
@@ -44,11 +43,7 @@ IdComponent::IdComponent(const hid_t h5_id) : id(h5_id) {}
 ///\param	original - IN: IdComponent instance to copy
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-IdComponent::IdComponent( const IdComponent& original )
-{
-    id = original.id;
-    incRefCount(); // increment number of references to this id
-}
+IdComponent::IdComponent( const IdComponent& original ) {}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	IdComponent::incRefCount
@@ -69,7 +64,7 @@ void IdComponent::incRefCount(const hid_t obj_id) const
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void IdComponent::incRefCount() const
 {
-    incRefCount(id);
+    incRefCount(getId());
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -99,7 +94,7 @@ void IdComponent::decRefCount(const hid_t obj_id) const
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void IdComponent::decRefCount() const
 {
-    decRefCount(id);
+    decRefCount(getId());
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -128,7 +123,7 @@ int IdComponent::getCounter(const hid_t obj_id) const
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 int IdComponent::getCounter() const
 {
-    return (getCounter(id));
+    return (getCounter(getId()));
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -173,7 +168,7 @@ IdComponent& IdComponent::operator=( const IdComponent& rhs )
     if (this != &rhs)
     {
 	// handling references to this id
-	try {
+  	try {
 	    close();
 	}
 	catch (Exception close_error) {
@@ -181,10 +176,9 @@ IdComponent& IdComponent::operator=( const IdComponent& rhs )
 	}
 
 	// copy the data members from the rhs object
-	id = rhs.id;
-
-	// increment the reference counter
-	incRefCount();
+	p_setId(rhs.getId());
+	incRefCount(getId()); // a = b, so there are two objects with the same
+			      // hdf5 id
     }
     return *this;
 }
@@ -196,40 +190,31 @@ IdComponent& IdComponent::operator=( const IdComponent& rhs )
 ///\exception	H5::IdComponentException when the attempt to close the HDF5
 ///		object fails
 // Description:
-// 		The underlaying reference counting in the C library ensures
-// 		that the current valid id of this object is properly closed.
-// 		Then the object's id is reset to the new id.
+//		The underlaying reference counting in the C library ensures
+//		that the current valid id of this object is properly closed.
+//		Then the object's id is reset to the new id.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+// Modification
+//	2008/7/23 - BMR
+//		Changed all subclasses' setId to p_setId and put back setId
+//		here.  p_setId is used in the library where the id provided
+//		by a C API passed on to user's application in the form of a
+//		C++ API object, which will be destroyed properly, and so 
+//		p_setId does not call incRefCount.  On the other hand, the
+//		public version setId is used by other applications, in which 
+//		the id passed to setId already has a reference count, so setId
+//		must call incRefCount.
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void IdComponent::setId(const hid_t new_id)
 {
-    // handling references to this old id
-    try {
-	close();
-    }
-    catch (Exception close_error) {
-	throw IdComponentException(inMemFunc("copy"), close_error.getDetailMsg());
-    }
-
-   // reset object's id to the given id
-   id = new_id;
+   // set to new_id
+   p_setId(new_id);
 
    // increment the reference counter of the new id
    incRefCount();
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	IdComponent::getId
-///\brief	Returns the id of this object
-///\return	HDF5 id
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-hid_t IdComponent::getId () const
-{
-   return(id);
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	IdComponent destructor
 ///\brief	Noop destructor.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
@@ -273,7 +258,7 @@ H5std_string IdComponent::inMemFunc(const char* func_name) const
 ///\brief	Default constructor.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-IdComponent::IdComponent() : id(-1) {}
+IdComponent::IdComponent() {}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	IdComponent::p_get_file_name (protected)
@@ -287,8 +272,10 @@ IdComponent::IdComponent() : id(-1) {}
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 H5std_string IdComponent::p_get_file_name() const
 {
+   hid_t temp_id = getId();
+
    // Preliminary call to H5Fget_name to get the length of the file name
-   ssize_t name_size = H5Fget_name(id, NULL, 0);
+   ssize_t name_size = H5Fget_name(temp_id, NULL, 0);
 
    // If H5Aget_name returns a negative value, raise an exception,
    if( name_size < 0 )
@@ -298,7 +285,7 @@ H5std_string IdComponent::p_get_file_name() const
 
    // Call H5Fget_name again to get the actual file name
    char* name_C = new char[name_size+1];  // temporary C-string for C API
-   name_size = H5Fget_name(id, name_C, name_size+1);
+   name_size = H5Fget_name(temp_id, name_C, name_size+1);
 
    // Check for failure again
    if( name_size < 0 )
@@ -313,175 +300,21 @@ H5std_string IdComponent::p_get_file_name() const
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	IdComponent::p_reference (protected)
-// Purpose	Creates a reference to an HDF5 object or a dataset region.
+// Function:    H5Object::p_dereference (protected)
+// Purpose      Opens the HDF5 object referenced.
 // Parameters
-//		name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced
-//		dataspace - IN: Dataspace with selection
-//		ref_type - IN: Type of reference; default to \c H5R_DATASET_REGION
-// Exception	H5::IdComponentException
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//              ref - IN: Reference pointer
+// Exception    H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - Oct, 2006
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void IdComponent::p_reference(void* ref, const char* name, hid_t space_id, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
-{
-   herr_t ret_value = H5Rcreate(ref, id, name, ref_type, space_id);
-   if (ret_value < 0)
-   {
-      throw IdComponentException("", "H5Rcreate failed");
-   }
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:    IdComponent::reference
-///\brief       Creates a reference to an HDF5 object or a dataset region.
-///\param       ref - IN: Reference pointer
-///\param       name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced
-///\param       dataspace - IN: Dataspace with selection
-///\param       ref_type - IN: Type of reference to query, valid values are:
-///             \li \c H5R_OBJECT \tReference is an object reference.
-///             \li \c H5R_DATASET_REGION \tReference is a dataset region
-///                     reference. - this is the default
-///\exception   H5::IdComponentException
-// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void IdComponent::reference(void* ref, const char* name, const DataSpace& dataspace, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
-{
-   try {
-      p_reference(ref, name, dataspace.getId(), ref_type);
-   }
-   catch (IdComponentException E) {
-      throw IdComponentException("IdComponent::reference", E.getDetailMsg());
-   }
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:    IdComponent::reference
-///\brief       This is an overloaded function, provided for your convenience.
-///             It differs from the above function in that it only creates
-///             a reference to an HDF5 object, not to a dataset region.
-///\param       ref - IN: Reference pointer
-///\param       name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced - \c char pointer
-///\exception   H5::IdComponentException
-///\par Description
-//              This function passes H5R_OBJECT and -1 to the protected
-//              function for it to pass to the C API H5Rcreate
-//              to create a reference to the named object.
-// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void IdComponent::reference(void* ref, const char* name) const
-{
-   try {
-      p_reference(ref, name, -1, H5R_OBJECT);
-   }
-   catch (IdComponentException E) {
-      throw IdComponentException("IdComponent::reference", E.getDetailMsg());
-   }
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:    IdComponent::reference
-///\brief       This is an overloaded function, provided for your convenience.
-///             It differs from the above function in that it takes an
-///             \c std::string for the object's name.
-///\param       ref - IN: Reference pointer
-///\param       name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced - \c std::string
-// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void IdComponent::reference(void* ref, const H5std_string& name) const
-{
-   reference(ref, name.c_str());
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	IdComponent::p_reference (protected)
-// Purpose	Creates a reference to an HDF5 object or a dataset region.
-// Parameters
-//		name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced
-//		dataspace - IN: Dataspace with selection
-//		ref_type - IN: Type of reference; default to \c H5R_DATASET_REGION
-// Return	A reference
-// Exception	H5::IdComponentException
-// Notes	This function is incorrect, and will be removed in the near
-//		future after notifying users of the new APIs ::reference's.
-//		BMR - Oct 8, 2006
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void* IdComponent::p_reference(const char* name, hid_t space_id, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
-{
-   hobj_ref_t ref;
-   herr_t ret_value = H5Rcreate(&ref, id, name, ref_type, space_id);
-   if (ret_value < 0)
-   {
-      throw IdComponentException("", "H5Rcreate failed");
-   }
-   return (reinterpret_cast<void*>(ref));
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	IdComponent::dereference
-// Purpose	Opens the HDF5 object referenced.
-// Parameters
-//		obj - IN: Dataset reference object is in or location of
-//                            object that the dataset is located within.
-//		ref - IN: Reference pointer
-// Exception	H5::IdComponentException
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - Oct, 2006
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void IdComponent::dereference(IdComponent& obj, void* ref)
-{
-   id = H5Rdereference(obj.getId(), H5R_OBJECT, ref);
-   if (id < 0)
-   {
-      throw IdComponentException("", "H5Rdereference failed");
-   }
-}
-
-#ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	IdComponent::p_get_obj_type (protected)
-// Purpose	Retrieves the type of object that an object reference points to.
-// Parameters
-//		ref      - IN: Reference to query
-//		ref_type - IN: Type of reference to query
-// Return	An object type, which can be one of the following:
-//			H5G_LINK Object is a symbolic link.
-//			H5G_GROUP Object is a group.
-//			H5G_DATASET   Object is a dataset.
-//			H5G_TYPE Object is a named datatype
-// Exception	H5::IdComponentException
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-H5G_obj_t IdComponent::p_get_obj_type(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
-{
-   H5G_obj_t obj_type = H5Rget_obj_type1(id, ref_type, ref);
-
-   if (obj_type == H5G_UNKNOWN)
-   {
-      throw IdComponentException("", "H5Rget_obj_type failed");
-   }
-   return(obj_type);
-}
-#endif /* H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS */
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Function:	IdComponent::p_get_region (protected)
-// Purpose	Retrieves a dataspace with the region pointed to selected.
-// Parameters
-//		ref_type - IN: Type of reference to get region of - default
-//				to H5R_DATASET_REGION
-//		ref      - IN: Reference to get region of
-// Return	Dataspace id
-// Exception	H5::IdComponentException
-// Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-hid_t IdComponent::p_get_region(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
+hid_t IdComponent::p_dereference(void* ref)
 {
-   hid_t space_id = H5Rget_region(id, ref_type, ref);
-   if (space_id < 0)
+   hid_t temp_id = H5Rdereference(getId(), H5R_OBJECT, ref);
+   if (temp_id < 0)
    {
-      throw IdComponentException("", "H5Rget_region failed");
+      throw ReferenceException("", "H5Rdereference failed");
    }
-   return(space_id);
+   return(temp_id);
 }
 
 //
@@ -495,7 +328,7 @@ hid_t IdComponent::p_get_region(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
 // Return	true if id is valid, false, otherwise
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2005
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool IdComponent::p_valid_id(const hid_t obj_id) const
+bool IdComponent::p_valid_id(const hid_t obj_id)
 {
     H5I_type_t id_type = H5Iget_type(obj_id);
     if (id_type <= H5I_BADID || id_type >= H5I_NTYPES)
diff --git a/c++/src/H5IdComponent.h b/c++/src/H5IdComponent.h
index facdefd..7f573a1 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5IdComponent.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5IdComponent.h
@@ -44,13 +44,11 @@ class H5_DLLCPP IdComponent {
 	// Assignment operator.
 	IdComponent& operator=( const IdComponent& rhs );
 
-        void reference(void* ref, const char* name, const DataSpace& dataspace,
-                        H5R_type_t ref_type = H5R_DATASET_REGION) const;
-        void reference(void* ref, const char* name) const;
-        void reference(void* ref, const H5std_string& name) const;
+	// Opens the HDF5 object referenced.
+	hid_t p_dereference(void* ref);
 
-	// Open a referenced HDF5 object.
-	void dereference(IdComponent& obj, void* ref);
+	// Gets the identifier of this object.
+	virtual hid_t getId () const = 0;
 
 	// Sets the identifier of this object to a new value.
 	void setId(const hid_t new_id);
@@ -61,9 +59,6 @@ class H5_DLLCPP IdComponent {
 	// Copy constructor: makes copy of the original IdComponent object.
 	IdComponent( const IdComponent& original );
 
-	// Gets the value of IdComponent's data member.
-	virtual hid_t getId () const;
-
 #ifndef DOXYGEN_SHOULD_SKIP_THIS
 	// Pure virtual function for there are various H5*close for the
 	// subclasses.
@@ -83,7 +78,6 @@ class H5_DLLCPP IdComponent {
 
    protected:
 #ifndef DOXYGEN_SHOULD_SKIP_THIS
-	hid_t id;	// HDF5 object id
 
 	// Default constructor.
 	IdComponent();
@@ -91,23 +85,12 @@ class H5_DLLCPP IdComponent {
 	// Gets the name of the file, in which an HDF5 object belongs.
 	H5std_string p_get_file_name() const;
 
-	// Gets the id of the H5 file in which the given object is located.
-	hid_t p_get_file_id();
-
-	// Creates a reference to an HDF5 object or a dataset region.
-	void p_reference(void* ref, const char* name, hid_t space_id, H5R_type_t ref_type) const;
-	void* p_reference(const char* name, hid_t space_id, H5R_type_t ref_type) const; // will be removed
-
-#ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
-	// Retrieves the type of object that an object reference points to.
-	H5G_obj_t p_get_obj_type(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const;
-#endif /* H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS */
-
-	// Retrieves a dataspace with the region pointed to selected.
-	hid_t p_get_region(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const;
-
 	// Verifies that the given id is valid.
-	bool p_valid_id(const hid_t obj_id) const;
+	static bool p_valid_id(const hid_t obj_id);
+
+	// Sets the identifier of this object to a new value. - this one
+	// doesn't increment reference count
+	virtual void p_setId(const hid_t new_id) = 0;
 
 #endif // DOXYGEN_SHOULD_SKIP_THIS
 
diff --git a/c++/src/H5Object.cpp b/c++/src/H5Object.cpp
index c027f51..9dafea8 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5Object.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5Object.cpp
@@ -21,10 +21,15 @@
 #include "H5PropList.h"
 #include "H5Object.h"
 #include "H5DcreatProp.h"
+#include "H5DxferProp.h"
+#include "H5FaccProp.h"
+#include "H5FcreatProp.h"
 #include "H5CommonFG.h"
 #include "H5DataType.h"
 #include "H5DataSpace.h"
 #include "H5AbstractDs.h"
+#include "H5File.h"
+#include "H5DataSet.h"
 #include "H5Attribute.h"
 
 #ifndef H5_NO_NAMESPACE
@@ -103,7 +108,7 @@ Attribute H5Object::createAttribute( const char* name, const DataType& data_type
    hid_t type_id = data_type.getId();
    hid_t space_id = data_space.getId();
    hid_t plist_id = create_plist.getId();
-   hid_t attr_id = H5Acreate2(id, name, type_id, space_id, plist_id, H5P_DEFAULT );
+   hid_t attr_id = H5Acreate2(getId(), name, type_id, space_id, plist_id, H5P_DEFAULT );
 
    // If the attribute id is valid, create and return the Attribute object
    if( attr_id > 0 )
@@ -137,7 +142,7 @@ Attribute H5Object::createAttribute( const H5std_string& name, const DataType& d
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Attribute H5Object::openAttribute( const char* name ) const
 {
-   hid_t attr_id = H5Aopen( id, name, H5P_DEFAULT );
+   hid_t attr_id = H5Aopen(getId(), name, H5P_DEFAULT);
    if( attr_id > 0 )
    {
       Attribute attr( attr_id );
@@ -171,7 +176,8 @@ Attribute H5Object::openAttribute( const H5std_string& name ) const
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Attribute H5Object::openAttribute( const unsigned int idx ) const
 {
-   hid_t attr_id = H5Aopen_by_idx(id, ".", H5_INDEX_CRT_ORDER, H5_ITER_INC, (hsize_t)idx, H5P_DEFAULT, H5P_DEFAULT);
+   hid_t attr_id = H5Aopen_by_idx(getId(), ".", H5_INDEX_CRT_ORDER, 
+			H5_ITER_INC, (hsize_t)idx, H5P_DEFAULT, H5P_DEFAULT);
    if( attr_id > 0 )
    {
       Attribute attr( attr_id );
@@ -209,7 +215,8 @@ int H5Object::iterateAttrs( attr_operator_t user_op, unsigned *_idx, void *op_da
 
    // call the C library routine H5Aiterate2 to iterate the attributes
    hsize_t idx = (hsize_t)*_idx;
-   int ret_value = H5Aiterate2(id, H5_INDEX_NAME, H5_ITER_INC, &idx, userAttrOpWrpr, (void *) userData);
+   int ret_value = H5Aiterate2(getId(), H5_INDEX_NAME, H5_ITER_INC, &idx, 
+			userAttrOpWrpr, (void *) userData);
 
    // release memory
    delete userData;
@@ -235,7 +242,7 @@ int H5Object::getNumAttrs() const
 {
    H5O_info_t oinfo;    /* Object info */
 
-   if(H5Oget_info(id, &oinfo) < 0)
+   if(H5Oget_info(getId(), &oinfo) < 0)
       throw AttributeIException(inMemFunc("getNumAttrs"), "H5Oget_info failed");
    else
       return( (int)oinfo.num_attrs );
@@ -250,7 +257,7 @@ int H5Object::getNumAttrs() const
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void H5Object::removeAttr( const char* name ) const
 {
-   herr_t ret_value = H5Adelete(id, name);
+   herr_t ret_value = H5Adelete(getId(), name);
    if( ret_value < 0 )
       throw AttributeIException(inMemFunc("removeAttr"), "H5Adelete failed");
 }
@@ -277,7 +284,7 @@ void H5Object::removeAttr( const H5std_string& name ) const
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void H5Object::renameAttr(const char* oldname, const char* newname) const
 {
-   herr_t ret_value = H5Arename(id, oldname, newname);
+   herr_t ret_value = H5Arename(getId(), oldname, newname);
    if (ret_value < 0)
       throw AttributeIException(inMemFunc("renameAttr"), "H5Arename failed");
 }
@@ -306,9 +313,9 @@ void H5Object::renameAttr(const H5std_string& oldname, const H5std_string& newna
 ///		This object is used to identify the file to be flushed.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void H5Object::flush(H5F_scope_t scope ) const
+void H5Object::flush(H5F_scope_t scope) const
 {
-   herr_t ret_value = H5Fflush( id, scope );
+   herr_t ret_value = H5Fflush(getId(), scope);
    if( ret_value < 0 )
    {
       throw FileIException(inMemFunc("flush"), "H5Fflush failed");
@@ -333,6 +340,175 @@ H5std_string H5Object::getFileName() const
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5Object::p_reference (protected)
+// Purpose      Creates a reference to an HDF5 object or a dataset region.
+// Parameters
+//              name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced
+//              dataspace - IN: Dataspace with selection
+//              ref_type - IN: Type of reference; default to \c H5R_DATASET_REGION
+// Exception    H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void H5Object::p_reference(void* ref, const char* name, hid_t space_id, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
+{
+   herr_t ret_value = H5Rcreate(ref, getId(), name, ref_type, space_id);
+   if (ret_value < 0)
+   {
+      throw IdComponentException("", "H5Rcreate failed");
+   }
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5Object::reference
+///\brief       Creates a reference to an HDF5 object or a dataset region.
+///\param       ref - IN: Reference pointer
+///\param       name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced
+///\param       dataspace - IN: Dataspace with selection
+///\param       ref_type - IN: Type of reference to query, valid values are:
+///             \li \c H5R_OBJECT \tReference is an object reference.
+///             \li \c H5R_DATASET_REGION \tReference is a dataset region
+///                     reference. - this is the default
+///\exception   H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void H5Object::reference(void* ref, const char* name, const DataSpace& dataspace, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
+{
+   try {
+      p_reference(ref, name, dataspace.getId(), ref_type);
+   }
+   catch (IdComponentException E) {
+      throw IdComponentException("H5Object::reference", E.getDetailMsg());
+   }
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5Object::reference
+///\brief       This is an overloaded function, provided for your convenience.
+///             It differs from the above function in that it only creates
+///             a reference to an HDF5 object, not to a dataset region.
+///\param       ref - IN: Reference pointer
+///\param       name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced - \c char pointer
+///\exception   H5::IdComponentException
+///\par Description
+//              This function passes H5R_OBJECT and -1 to the protected
+//              function for it to pass to the C API H5Rcreate
+//              to create a reference to the named object.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void H5Object::reference(void* ref, const char* name) const
+{
+   try {
+      p_reference(ref, name, -1, H5R_OBJECT);
+   }
+   catch (IdComponentException E) {
+      throw IdComponentException("H5Object::reference", E.getDetailMsg());
+   }
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5Object::reference
+///\brief       This is an overloaded function, provided for your convenience.
+///             It differs from the above function in that it takes an
+///             \c std::string for the object's name.
+///\param       ref - IN: Reference pointer
+///\param       name - IN: Name of the object to be referenced - \c std::string
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void H5Object::reference(void* ref, const H5std_string& name) const
+{
+   reference(ref, name.c_str());
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5Object::dereference
+// Purpose      Dereference a ref into a DataSet object.
+// Parameters
+//              ref - IN: Reference pointer
+// Exception    H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - Oct, 2006
+// Modification
+//	May 2008 - BMR
+//		Moved from IdComponent into H5File and H5Object
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void H5Object::dereference(H5File& h5file, void* ref)
+{
+   hid_t temp_id;
+   try {
+      temp_id = h5file.p_dereference(ref);
+   }
+   catch (ReferenceException ref_err) {
+      throw (inMemFunc("dereference"), ref_err.getDetailMsg());
+   }
+
+   // No failure, set id to the object
+   p_setId(temp_id);
+}
+
+void H5Object::dereference(H5Object& obj, void* ref)
+{
+   hid_t temp_id;
+   try {
+      temp_id = obj.p_dereference(ref);
+   }
+   catch (ReferenceException ref_err) {
+      throw (inMemFunc("dereference"), ref_err.getDetailMsg());
+   }
+
+   // No failure, set id to the object
+   p_setId(temp_id);
+}
+
+#ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5Object::p_get_obj_type (protected)
+// Purpose      Retrieves the type of object that an object reference points to.
+// Parameters
+//              ref      - IN: Reference to query
+//              ref_type - IN: Type of reference to query
+// Return       An object type, which can be one of the following:
+//                      H5G_LINK Object is a symbolic link.
+//                      H5G_GROUP Object is a group.
+//                      H5G_DATASET   Object is a dataset.
+//                      H5G_TYPE Object is a named datatype
+// Exception    H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+H5G_obj_t H5Object::p_get_obj_type(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
+{
+   H5G_obj_t obj_type = H5Rget_obj_type1(getId(), ref_type, ref);
+
+   if (obj_type == H5G_UNKNOWN)
+   {
+      throw IdComponentException("", "H5Rget_obj_type failed");
+   }
+   return(obj_type);
+}
+#endif /* H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS */
+
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    H5Object::p_get_region (protected)
+// Purpose      Retrieves a dataspace with the region pointed to selected.
+// Parameters
+//              ref_type - IN: Type of reference to get region of - default
+//                              to H5R_DATASET_REGION
+//              ref      - IN: Reference to get region of
+// Return       Dataspace id
+// Exception    H5::IdComponentException
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2004
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+hid_t H5Object::p_get_region(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const
+{
+   hid_t space_id = H5Rget_region(getId(), ref_type, ref);
+   if (space_id < 0)
+   {
+      throw IdComponentException("", "H5Rget_region failed");
+   }
+   return(space_id);
+}
+
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	H5Object destructor
 ///\brief	Noop destructor.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
diff --git a/c++/src/H5Object.h b/c++/src/H5Object.h
index 77de529..49655a1 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5Object.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5Object.h
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@
 #include "H5Classes.h"		// constains forward class declarations
 
 // H5Object is a baseclass.  It has these subclasses:
-// Group, AbstractDs, and DataType.
-// AbstractDs, in turn, has subclasses DataSet and Attribute.
+// Group, DataSet, and DataType.
 // DataType, in turn, has several specific datatypes as subclasses.
 
 #ifndef H5_NO_NAMESPACE
@@ -80,6 +79,17 @@ class H5_DLLCPP H5Object : public IdComponent {
 	void renameAttr(const char* oldname, const char* newname) const;
 	void renameAttr(const H5std_string& oldname, const H5std_string& newname) const;
 
+	// Creates a reference to a named Hdf5 object or to a dataset region
+	// in this object.
+	void reference(void* ref, const char* name, const DataSpace& dataspace,
+			H5R_type_t ref_type = H5R_DATASET_REGION) const;
+	void reference(void* ref, const char* name) const;
+	void reference(void* ref, const H5std_string& name) const;
+
+	// Open a referenced HDF5 object.
+	void dereference(H5File& h5file, void* ref);
+	void dereference(H5Object& obj, void* ref);
+
 	// Copy constructor: makes copy of an H5Object object.
 	H5Object(const H5Object& original);
 
@@ -93,6 +103,21 @@ class H5_DLLCPP H5Object : public IdComponent {
 
 	// Creates a copy of an existing object giving the object id
 	H5Object( const hid_t object_id );
+
+	// Gets the id of the H5 file in which the given object is located.
+	hid_t p_get_file_id();
+
+	// Creates a reference to an HDF5 object or a dataset region.
+	void p_reference(void* ref, const char* name, hid_t space_id, H5R_type_t ref_type) const;
+
+#ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
+	// Retrieves the type of object that an object reference points to.
+	H5G_obj_t p_get_obj_type(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const;
+#endif /* H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS */
+
+	// Retrieves a dataspace with the region pointed to selected.
+	hid_t p_get_region(void *ref, H5R_type_t ref_type) const;
+
 #endif // DOXYGEN_SHOULD_SKIP_THIS
 
 }; /* end class H5Object */
diff --git a/c++/src/H5PropList.cpp b/c++/src/H5PropList.cpp
index f39ae78..579c8ac 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5PropList.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5PropList.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ const PropList PropList::DEFAULT( H5P_DEFAULT );
 ///\brief	Default constructor: creates a stub property list object.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PropList::PropList() : IdComponent( 0 ) {}
+PropList::PropList() : IdComponent(), id(0) {}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	PropList copy constructor
@@ -54,7 +54,11 @@ PropList::PropList() : IdComponent( 0 ) {}
 ///\param	original - IN: The original property list to copy
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PropList::PropList( const PropList& original ) : IdComponent( original ) {}
+PropList::PropList(const PropList& original) : IdComponent(original)
+{
+    id = original.getId();
+    incRefCount(); // increment number of references to this id
+}
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	PropList overloaded constructor
@@ -70,7 +74,7 @@ PropList::PropList( const PropList& original ) : IdComponent( original ) {}
 //		description was what I came up with from reading the code.
 // Programmer	Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PropList::PropList( const hid_t plist_id ) : IdComponent(0)
+PropList::PropList( const hid_t plist_id ) : IdComponent()
 {
     if (H5I_GENPROP_CLS == H5Iget_type(plist_id)) {
 	// call C routine to create the new property
@@ -205,6 +209,46 @@ void PropList::copyProp( PropList& dest, PropList& src, const H5std_string& name
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    PropList::getId
+// Purpose:     Get the id of this attribute
+// Description:
+//              Class hierarchy is revised to address bugzilla 1068.  Class
+//              AbstractDS and Attribute are moved out of H5Object.  In
+//              addition, member IdComponent::id is moved into subclasses, and
+//              IdComponent::getId now becomes pure virtual function.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - May, 2008
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+hid_t PropList::getId() const
+{
+   return(id);
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Function:    PropList::p_setId
+///\brief       Sets the identifier of this object to a new value.
+///
+///\exception   H5::IdComponentException when the attempt to close the HDF5
+///             object fails
+// Description:
+//              The underlaying reference counting in the C library ensures
+//              that the current valid id of this object is properly closed.
+//              Then the object's id is reset to the new id.
+// Programmer   Binh-Minh Ribler - 2000
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void PropList::p_setId(const hid_t new_id)
+{
+    // handling references to this old id
+    try {
+        close();
+    }
+    catch (Exception close_error) {
+        throw PropListIException(inMemFunc("p_setId"), close_error.getDetailMsg());
+    }
+   // reset object's id to the given id
+   id = new_id;
+}
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:	PropList::close
 ///\brief	Closes the property list if it is not a default one.
 ///
@@ -220,8 +264,10 @@ void PropList::close()
 	{
 	    throw PropListIException(inMemFunc("close"), "H5Pclose failed");
 	}
-	// reset the id because the property list that it represents is now closed
-	id = 0;
+	// reset the id when the property list that it represents is no longer
+	// referenced
+	if (getCounter() == 0)
+	    id = 0;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/c++/src/H5PropList.h b/c++/src/H5PropList.h
index 09ea6f1..5dfa538 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5PropList.h
+++ b/c++/src/H5PropList.h
@@ -103,8 +103,17 @@ class H5_DLLCPP PropList : public IdComponent {
 	// Copy constructor: creates a copy of a PropList object.
 	PropList(const PropList& original);
 
+	// Gets the property list id.
+	virtual hid_t getId() const;
+
 	// Destructor: properly terminates access to this property list.
 	virtual ~PropList();
+
+   protected:
+	hid_t id;	// HDF5 property list id
+
+	// Sets the property list id.
+	virtual void p_setId(const hid_t new_id);
 };
 
 #ifndef H5_NO_NAMESPACE