{
                    if (is_array($value) && ! $delete)
                    {
                        foreach ($value as $suboption => $subvalue)
                        {
                            $this->{$option}["$suboption"] = $subvalue;
                        }
                    }
                    else
                    {
                          $this->$option = $value;
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }

    // these are the functions, which are intended to be overriden in user classes

    /**
    *
    * @param    mixed
    * @return   object  DomNode
    * @access   private
    */
    function insertNewResult(&$metadata)
    {
        if ($this->xmlroot)
            return $this->xmlroot->new_child($this->tagNameResult, NULL);
        else
        {
            $this->xmlroot = $this->xmldoc->add_root($this->tagNameResult);
            //PHP 4.0.6 had $root->name as tagname, check for that here...
            if (!isset($this->xmlroot->{$this->tagname}))
            {
                $this->tagname = "name";
            }
            return $this->xmlroot;

        }
    }


    /**
    *   to be written
    *
    * @param    object DomNode $parent_row
    * @param