diff --git a/src/version.cxx.in b/src/version.cxx.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..89d7fbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/version.cxx.in
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*! @file
+
+    @id $Id$
+*/
+//       1         2         3         4         5         6         7         8
+// 45678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
+
+#include <string>
+
+namespace xml {
+  std::string version() {
+    return "@PACKAGENAME@-@VERSION@";
+  }
+  const std::string WHAT("#(@) @PACKAGENAME@-@VERSION@");
+  const std::string IDENT("$Id: @PACKAGENAME@-@VERSION@ $");
+}