diff --git a/src/xml-cxx/xml.hxx b/src/xml-cxx/xml.hxx
index d3eaf4f..2305fec 100644
--- a/src/xml-cxx/xml.hxx
+++ b/src/xml-cxx/xml.hxx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #define LIB_XML_CXX_HXX
 
 #include <istream>
+#include <sstream>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 #include <map>
@@ -244,6 +245,37 @@ namespace xml {
                        t, is, tag, 0) {
       }
   };
+  class illegal_attribute: public stream_error {
+    public:
+      illegal_attribute(const Node& t, std::istream& is, const Tag& tag,
+                        std::string attr) throw():
+          stream_error("illegal attribute found\nattribute: "+attr,
+                       t, is, tag, 0) {
+      }
+  };
+  class mandatory_attribute_missing: public stream_error {
+    public:
+      mandatory_attribute_missing(const Node& t, std::istream& is,
+                                  const Tag& tag, std::string attr) throw():
+          stream_error("mandatory attribute missing\nattribute: "+attr,
+                       t, is, tag, 0) {
+      }
+  };
+  class wrong_node_number: public stream_error {
+    public:
+      wrong_node_number(const Node& t, std::istream& is,
+                        const Tag& tag, const std::string& name,
+                        unsigned long num,
+                        unsigned long min, unsigned long max) throw():
+          stream_error(((std::stringstream&)
+                        (std::stringstream()
+                         <<"wrong number of child nodes\nname of child: "<<name
+                         <<"\nnumber of nodes: "<<num
+                         <<"\nminimuml number: "<<min
+                         <<"\nmaximum number: "<<max)).str(),
+                       t, is, tag, 0) {
+      }
+  };
 
   //============================================================================
 
@@ -298,6 +330,7 @@ namespace xml {
       std::string text;
       Attributes attributes;
       std::string special;
+      bool found;
   };
 
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -311,7 +344,7 @@ namespace xml {
     public:
       typedef Contents::size_type size_type;
       typedef std::vector<Node*> List;
-      Node(std::string name) throw();
+      Node(std::string name, size_type min=0, size_type max=0) throw();
       Node(const Node& o) throw();
       Node& operator=(const Node& o) throw();
       virtual ~Node() throw();
@@ -329,10 +362,14 @@ namespace xml {
       Node& parent() const throw(no_parent);
       bool hasAttr(const std::string& name) const throw();
       Node& attr(const std::string& name, bool mandatory) throw();
+      Node& attr(const std::string& name, const std::string& deflt) throw();
       std::string attr(const std::string& name) const throw();
       std::string& attr(const std::string& name) throw();
       const Attributes::Value attribute(const std::string& name)
           const throw(attribute_not_available);
+      const Attributes& attributes() const throw();
+      Attributes& attributes() throw();
+      Node& limits(size_type min=0, size_type max=0) throw();
       List list(const std::string& name) const throw();
       bool operator()(const std::string& child) const throw();
       Node& operator<<(const Node& o) throw(cannot_have_children);
@@ -340,9 +377,9 @@ namespace xml {
       //! Get the number of children.
       size_type children() const throw();
       //! Get the n-th child.
-      const Node& operator[](size_type child) const throw(access_error);
+      const Node& operator[](size_type child) const throw(out_of_range);
       //! Get the n-th child.
-      Node& operator[](size_type child) throw(access_error);
+      Node& operator[](size_type child) throw(out_of_range);
       //! Get the first named child.
       const Node& operator[](const std::string& child) const
           throw(access_error);
@@ -361,6 +398,8 @@ namespace xml {
       Contents _contents;
       std::string _name;
       Node* _parent;
+      typedef std::pair<Node::size_type, Node::size_type> Limits;
+      Limits _limits;
   };
 
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -401,7 +440,9 @@ namespace xml {
           throw(wrong_end_tag, wrong_start_tag, tag_expected, type_mismatch,
                 second_slash_in_tag, character_after_slash,
                 missing_end_tag, attribute_value_not_quoted, access_error,
-                duplicate_attribute, attributes_in_end_tag);
+                duplicate_attribute, attributes_in_end_tag,
+                illegal_attribute, mandatory_attribute_missing,
+                wrong_node_number);
     private:
       friend class stream_error;
       Factory(); // not implemented
@@ -412,13 +453,18 @@ namespace xml {
                 second_slash_in_tag, character_after_slash,
                 missing_end_tag,
                 attribute_value_not_quoted, access_error, duplicate_attribute,
-                attributes_in_end_tag);
+                attributes_in_end_tag,
+                illegal_attribute, mandatory_attribute_missing,
+                wrong_node_number);
       Tag tag(std::istream& is, const Node& position)
-          throw(second_slash_in_tag, character_after_slash,
-                missing_end_tag,
-                attribute_value_not_quoted, access_error, duplicate_attribute);
-      std::auto_ptr<Node> _template;
+          throw(second_slash_in_tag, wrong_start_tag, character_after_slash,
+                missing_end_tag, attributes_in_end_tag, tag_expected,
+                attribute_value_not_quoted, access_error, duplicate_attribute,
+                illegal_attribute, mandatory_attribute_missing,
+                wrong_node_number);
+      Node _template;
       unsigned long _line;
+      long _open;
   };
 
 }
diff --git a/src/xml.cxx b/src/xml.cxx
index bbd3366..94a0dbf 100644
--- a/src/xml.cxx
+++ b/src/xml.cxx
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class MethodTrace {
 };
 unsigned int MethodTrace::_level(0);
 #define TRACE MethodTrace XXX_METHOD(this, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__)
-#define LOG(X) std::clog<<__PRETTY_FUNCTION__<<"\t**** "<<X<<std::endl
+#define LOG(X) std::cout<<__PRETTY_FUNCTION__<<"\t**** "<<X<<std::endl
 
 namespace xml {
   
@@ -219,11 +219,12 @@ namespace xml {
   //! Nodes must be given a name.
   /*! Unnamed nodes are not allowed, therefore there's no default
       constructor. */
-  Node::Node(std::string name) throw():
-      _name(name), _parent(0) {
+  Node::Node(std::string name, size_type min, size_type max) throw():
+      _name(name), _parent(0), _limits(min, max) {
   }
   Node::Node(const Node& o) throw():
-      _attributes(o._attributes), _name(o.name()), _parent(0) {
+      _attributes(o._attributes), _name(o.name()), _parent(0),
+      _limits(o._limits) {
     for (Contents::const_iterator it(o._contents.begin());
          it!=o._contents.end(); ++it)
       _contents.push_back((*it)->clone(this).release());
@@ -232,6 +233,7 @@ namespace xml {
     _attributes=o._attributes;
     _name = o.name();
     _parent = 0;
+    _limits = o._limits;
     for (Contents::const_iterator it(o._contents.begin());
          it!=o._contents.end(); ++it)
       _contents.push_back((*it)->clone(this).release());
@@ -305,7 +307,12 @@ namespace xml {
     return _attributes.find(name)!=_attributes.end();
   }
   Node& Node::attr(const std::string& name, bool mandatory) throw() {
-    _attributes[name] = mandatory?"mandatory":"optional";
+    _attributes[name] = mandatory?"xml::mandatory":"xml::optional";
+    return *this;
+  }
+  Node& Node::attr(const std::string& name, const std::string& deflt)
+      throw() {
+    _attributes[name] = deflt;
     return *this;
   }
   std::string Node::attr(const std::string& name) const throw() {
@@ -322,6 +329,17 @@ namespace xml {
     if (it!=_attributes.end()) return *it;
     throw attribute_not_available(*this, name);
   }
+  const Attributes& Node::attributes() const throw() {
+    return _attributes;
+  }
+  Attributes& Node::attributes() throw() {
+    return _attributes;
+  }
+  Node& Node::limits(size_type min, size_type max) throw() {
+    _limits.first = min;
+    _limits.second = max;
+    return *this;
+  }
   Node::List Node::list(const std::string& name) const throw() {
     List res;
     for (Contents::const_iterator it(_contents.begin());
@@ -342,12 +360,12 @@ namespace xml {
     return _contents.size();
   }
   const Node& Node::operator[](Node::size_type child) const
-      throw(access_error) try {
+      throw(out_of_range) try {
     return *_contents.at(child);
   } catch (...) {
     throw out_of_range(*this, child);
   }
-  Node& Node::operator[](Node::size_type child) throw(access_error) try {
+  Node& Node::operator[](Node::size_type child) throw(out_of_range) try {
     return *_contents.at(child);
   } catch (...) {
     throw out_of_range(*this, child);
@@ -463,34 +481,40 @@ namespace xml {
   }
 
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  Factory::Factory(const Node& t) throw(): _template(t.clone()), _line(0) {}
+  Factory::Factory(const Node& t) throw():
+      _template(xml::Node("<xml::start>")<<t), _line(0) {}
   const Node& Factory::operator*() const throw() {
-    return *_template;
+    return _template[0];
   }
   std::auto_ptr<Node> Factory::read(std::istream& is)
       throw(wrong_end_tag, wrong_start_tag, tag_expected, type_mismatch,
             second_slash_in_tag,
             character_after_slash, missing_end_tag, attribute_value_not_quoted,
             access_error, duplicate_attribute,
-            attributes_in_end_tag) try {
+            attributes_in_end_tag,
+            illegal_attribute, mandatory_attribute_missing,
+            wrong_node_number) try {
     _line=1;
-    std::auto_ptr<Node> node(_template->clone());
-    node->clear();
+    _open=0;
+    std::auto_ptr<Node> node(read(is, _template));
+    if (node->children()==0)
+      throw tag_expected(_template[0], _template[0].name());
+    return (*node)[0].clone();
+    /*node->clear();
     Tag res;
     while (true) {
-      res = tag(is, *node);
+      res = tag(is, _template);
       *node<<res.attributes;
       switch (res.type) {
         case END: throw wrong_end_tag(*node, is, res);
-        case EMPTY: return node; // empty
+        case EMPTY:
+          return node; // empty
         case START:
-          if (!res.name.size()) throw tag_expected(*node, res.text);
-          if (node->name()!=res.name) throw wrong_start_tag(*node, is, res);
-          return read(is, *_template);
+          return read(is, _template[res.name]);
           //! @todo store instead of ignore
         case SPECIAL: break;
       }
-    }
+        }*/
   } catch (exception& e) {
     e.line(_line);
     throw;
@@ -505,37 +529,48 @@ namespace xml {
       throw(wrong_end_tag, wrong_start_tag, tag_expected, type_mismatch,
             second_slash_in_tag,
             character_after_slash, missing_end_tag, attribute_value_not_quoted,
-            access_error, duplicate_attribute, attributes_in_end_tag) {
+            access_error, duplicate_attribute, attributes_in_end_tag,
+            illegal_attribute, mandatory_attribute_missing,
+            wrong_node_number) {
     std::auto_ptr<Node> result(node.clone());
     result->clear();
-    for (bool finished(false); is && !finished;) {
+    while (true) {
       Tag res(tag(is, node));
+      if (!res.found) return result;
       if (res.text.size()) result->text(res.text);
       switch (res.type) {
         case END: {
+          --_open;
           if (res.attributes.size()) throw attributes_in_end_tag(node, is, res);
           if (res.name!=node.name()) throw wrong_end_tag(node, is, res);
-          finished = true;
-        } break;
+        } return result;
         case EMPTY: {
           *result<<(node[res.name].clone()->clear()<<res.attributes);
         } break;
         case START: {
+          ++_open;
           *result<<(*read(is, node[res.name])<<res.attributes);
         } break;
         case SPECIAL: break; //! @todo ignored could be stored
       }
     }
-    return result;
   }
   Tag Factory::tag(std::istream& is, const Node& position)
-      throw(second_slash_in_tag, character_after_slash,
+      throw(second_slash_in_tag, character_after_slash, tag_expected,
             missing_end_tag, attribute_value_not_quoted,
-            access_error, duplicate_attribute) {
+            access_error, duplicate_attribute, attributes_in_end_tag,
+            illegal_attribute, mandatory_attribute_missing,
+            wrong_start_tag, wrong_node_number) {
     char c(0);
-    Tag tag((Tag){"", START, "", Attributes()});
+    Tag tag((Tag){"", START, "", Attributes(), "", false});
     while (is && is.get(c) && ws(c)); // skip ws
-    if (!is) throw missing_end_tag(position, is, tag);
+    if (is.eof()) {
+      if (_open>0)
+        throw missing_end_tag(position, is, tag);
+      else
+        return tag;
+    }
+    tag.found = true;
     if (c!='<') do tag.text+=c; while (is && is.get(c) && c!='<');
     bool nameRead(false);
     for (char last(c); is && is.get(c) && c!='>'; last=c) switch (c) {
@@ -559,6 +594,7 @@ namespace xml {
       default:
         if (tag.type==EMPTY) throw character_after_slash(position, is, tag, c);
         if (nameRead) { // read attribute
+          if (tag.type!=START) throw attributes_in_end_tag(position, is, tag);
           std::string attrname(1, c), attrvalue;
           while (is && is.get(c) && c!='=' && c!='>' && !ws(c)) attrname+=c;
           while (ws(c) && is && is.get(c)); // skip ws, search '='
@@ -569,16 +605,40 @@ namespace xml {
             while (is && is.get(c) && c!='"') attrvalue+=c;
             if (c!='"')
               throw attribute_value_not_quoted(position, is, tag, c, attrname);
-          } else {
-            is.unget();
-          }// read too far
+          } else is.unget(); // read too far
           if (tag.attributes.find(attrname)!=tag.attributes.end())
             throw duplicate_attribute(position, is, tag, attrname);
+          if (!position(tag.name)) {
+            if (tag.name.size())
+              throw wrong_start_tag(position, is, tag);
+            else
+              throw tag_expected(position, tag.text);
+          }
+          if (position[tag.name].attributes().find(attrname)
+              ==position[tag.name].attributes().end())
+            throw illegal_attribute(position, is, tag, attrname);
           tag.attributes[attrname] = attrvalue;
         } else { // part of a tag name
           tag.name+=c;
         }
     }
+    if (tag.type==START||tag.type==EMPTY) {
+      if (!position(tag.name)) {
+        if (tag.name.size())
+          throw wrong_start_tag(position, is, tag);
+        else
+          throw tag_expected(position, tag.text);
+      }
+      for (Attributes::const_iterator it
+             (position[tag.name].attributes().begin());
+           it!=position[tag.name].attributes().end(); ++it)
+        if (tag.attributes.find(it->first)==tag.attributes.end()) {
+          if (it->second=="xml::mandatory")
+            throw mandatory_attribute_missing(position, is, tag, it->first);
+          else if (it->second!="xml::optional")
+            tag.attributes.insert(*it);
+        }
+    }
     return tag;
   }
 
diff --git a/test/xml_test.cxx b/test/xml_test.cxx
index 5d471ac..e82f6ae 100644
--- a/test/xml_test.cxx
+++ b/test/xml_test.cxx
@@ -199,13 +199,16 @@ class ComplexTest: public CppUnit::TestFixture {
            <<"<child/>"
            <<"< otherchild ><  / otherchild  >< otherchild / >"<<std::endl
            <<"</base>";
-      CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file2), xml::access_error);
+      CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file2), xml::wrong_start_tag);
       {
         std::stringstream file("<base></xyz>");
         CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file), xml::wrong_end_tag);
       } {
         std::stringstream file("<xyz></xyz>");
         CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file), xml::wrong_start_tag);
+      } {
+        std::stringstream file("<xyz/>");
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file), xml::wrong_start_tag);
       } {
         std::stringstream file("base");
         CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file), xml::tag_expected);
@@ -234,7 +237,7 @@ class ComplexTest: public CppUnit::TestFixture {
         CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file), xml::missing_end_tag);
       } {
         std::stringstream file;
-        CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file), xml::missing_end_tag);
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file), xml::tag_expected);
       } {
         std::stringstream file("<base><child a=b></base>");
         CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file),
@@ -249,14 +252,50 @@ class ComplexTest: public CppUnit::TestFixture {
     }
     void attributes() {
       xml::Factory factory(xml::Node("base")
+                           .attr("one", xml::mandatory)
+                           .attr("two", xml::optional)
                            <<(xml::Node("child")
                               <<xml::String("childofchild")
                               <<xml::UnsignedInteger("number"))
                            <<xml::Node("otherchild"));
+      {
+        std::stringstream file("<base></base>");
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file),
+                             xml::mandatory_attribute_missing);
+      } {
+        std::stringstream file("<base one two three></base>");
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file), xml::illegal_attribute);
+      }      
+    }
+    void ranges() {
+      xml::Factory factory(xml::Node("base", 2, 2)
+                           <<xml::Node("mandatory", 1)
+                           <<xml::Node("optional", 0, 1));
+      {
+        std::stringstream file("<base><mandatory></mandatory></base>"
+                               "<base><mandatory/><optional/></base>");
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT_NO_THROW(factory.read(file));
+      } /*{
+        std::stringstream file("<base><mandatory></mandatory></base>"
+                               "<base><mandatory/><optional/></base>");
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file),
+                             xml::wrong_node_number);
+      } {
+        std::stringstream file("<base><mandatory></mandatory></base>"
+                               "<base><mandatory/><optional/></base>");
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file),
+                             xml::wrong_node_number);
+      } {
+        std::stringstream file("<base><mandatory></mandatory></base>"
+                               "<base><mandatory/><optional/></base>");
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(factory.read(file),
+                             xml::wrong_node_number);
+      }*/
     }
     CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE(ComplexTest);
     CPPUNIT_TEST(nodes);
     CPPUNIT_TEST(attributes);
+    CPPUNIT_TEST(ranges);
     CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE_END();
 };
 CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE_REGISTRATION(ComplexTest);
@@ -293,7 +332,7 @@ class FunTest: public CppUnit::TestFixture {
                            <<(xml::Node("head")
                               <<xml::String("title"))
                            <<(xml::Node("body")
-                              <<xml::String("h1")
+                              <<xml::String("h1").attr("class", xml::optional)
                               <<xml::String("h2")
                               <<xml::String("p")));
       std::auto_ptr<xml::Node> read(factory.read(ss)); // read back the example