diff --git a/gst/Makefile.am b/gst/Makefile.am
index 5707386c91..c39417aa4e 100644
--- a/gst/Makefile.am
+++ b/gst/Makefile.am
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ libgst_la_SOURCES =		\
 	gsttype.c		\
 	gstutils.c		\
 	gstxml.c		\
+	gstparse.c		\
 	$(GSTARCH_SRCS)
 
 # the compiler shoots cothreads.c in the head at -O6
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ libgstinclude_HEADERS =		\
 	gsttrace.h		\
 	gsttype.h		\
 	gstutils.h		\
+	gstparse.h		\
 	gstxml.h
 
 
diff --git a/gst/gst.h b/gst/gst.h
index d39cdecbb3..bf3205e511 100644
--- a/gst/gst.h
+++ b/gst/gst.h
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
 #include <gst/gsttee.h>
 #include <gst/cothreads.h>
 
+#include <gst/gstparse.h>
+
 /* initialize GST */
 void gst_init(int *argc,char **argv[]);
 
diff --git a/gst/gstparse.c b/gst/gstparse.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4c92e34b22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gst/gstparse.c
@@ -0,0 +1,362 @@
+/* GStreamer
+ * Copyright (C) 1999,2000 Erik Walthinsen <omega@cse.ogi.edu>
+ *                    2000 Wim Taymans <wtay@chello.be>
+ *
+ * :
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Library General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Library General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the
+ * Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+ * Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ */
+
+#define DEBUG(format,args...)
+#define DEBUG_NOPREFIX(format,args...)
+#define VERBOSE(format,args...)
+
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include "gstparse.h"
+
+typedef struct _gst_parse_priv gst_parse_priv;
+struct _gst_parse_priv {
+  guint bincount;
+  guint threadcount;
+  gint binlevel;
+  GHashTable *elementcounts;
+  gboolean verbose;
+  gboolean debug;
+};
+
+typedef struct _gst_parse_delayed_pad gst_parse_delayed_pad;
+struct _gst_parse_delayed_pad {
+  gchar *name;
+  GstPad *peer;
+};
+
+/*
+static void
+gst_parse_newpad(GstElement *element,GstPad *pad,launch_delayed_pad *peer)
+{
+  gst_info("have NEW_PAD signal\n");
+  // if it matches, connect it
+  if (!strcmp(gst_pad_get_name(pad),peer->name)) {
+    gst_pad_connect(pad,peer->peer);
+    gst_info("delayed connect of '%s' to '%s'\n",
+             gst_pad_get_name(pad),gst_pad_get_name(peer->peer));
+  }
+}
+*/
+
+gchar *
+gst_parse_unique_name(gchar *type,gst_parse_priv *priv)
+{
+  gint count;
+
+  count = GPOINTER_TO_INT(g_hash_table_lookup(priv->elementcounts,type));
+  count++;
+  g_hash_table_insert(priv->elementcounts,type,GINT_TO_POINTER(count));
+
+  return g_strdup_printf("%s%d",type,count-1);
+}
+
+
+
+static gint
+gst_parse_launch_cmdline(int argc,char *argv[],GstBin *parent,gst_parse_priv *priv)
+{
+  gint i = 0;
+  gchar *arg;
+  GstElement *element = NULL, *previous = NULL, *prevelement = NULL;
+  gchar closingchar = '\0';
+  gint len;
+  gchar *ptr;
+  gchar *sinkpadname = NULL, *srcpadname = NULL;
+  GstPad *sinkpad = NULL, *srcpad = NULL;
+  GList *pads;
+  gint elementcount = 0;
+  gint retval = 0;
+          
+  priv->binlevel++; 
+
+  if (GST_IS_PIPELINE(parent)) { closingchar = '\0';DEBUG("in pipeline "); }
+  else if (GST_IS_THREAD(parent)) { closingchar = '}';DEBUG("in thread "); }
+  else { closingchar = ')';DEBUG("in bin "); }
+  DEBUG_NOPREFIX("%s\n",gst_element_get_name (GST_ELEMENT (parent)));
+          
+  while (i < argc) {
+    arg = argv[i];
+    // FIXME this is a lame solution for problems with the first parser
+    if (arg == NULL) { i++;continue; }
+    len = strlen(arg);
+    element = NULL;
+    DEBUG("** ARGUMENT is '%s'\n",arg);
+      
+    // a null that slipped through the reconstruction
+    if (len == 0) {
+      DEBUG("random arg, FIXME\n");
+      i++;
+      continue;
+
+    // end of the container  
+    } else if (arg[0] == closingchar) {
+      // time to finish off this bin
+      DEBUG("exiting container %s\n",gst_element_get_name (GST_ELEMENT (parent)));
+      retval = i+1;
+      break;
+            
+    // a pad connection   
+    } else if ((ptr = strchr(arg,'!'))) {
+      DEBUG("attempting to connect pads together....\n");
+
+      // if it starts with the !
+      if (arg[0] == '!') {
+        srcpadname = NULL;
+        // if there's a sinkpad...
+        if (len > 1)
+          sinkpadname = &arg[1];  
+        else
+          sinkpadname = NULL;
+      } else {
+        srcpadname = g_strndup(arg,(ptr-arg));
+        // if there's a sinkpad
+        if (len > (ptr-arg)+1)
+          sinkpadname = &ptr[1];
+        else
+          sinkpadname = NULL;
+      }
+    
+      DEBUG("have sinkpad %s, srcpad %s\n",sinkpadname,srcpadname);
+  
+      srcpad = NULL;
+  
+      // if the srcpadname doesn't have any commas in it, find an actual pad
+      if (!srcpadname || !strchr(srcpadname,',')) {
+        if (srcpadname != NULL) {
+          srcpad = gst_element_get_pad(previous,srcpadname);
+          if (!srcpad)
+            VERBOSE("NO SUCH pad %s in element %s\n",srcpadname,gst_element_get_name(previous));
+        }
+
+        if (srcpad == NULL) {
+          // check through the list to find the first sink pad   
+          pads = gst_element_get_pad_list(previous);
+          while (pads) {
+            srcpad = GST_PAD(pads->data);
+            pads = g_list_next (pads);
+            if (gst_pad_get_direction (srcpad) == GST_PAD_SRC) break;
+            srcpad = NULL;
+          }
+        }
+  
+        if (!srcpad) DEBUG("error, can't find a src pad!!!\n");
+        else DEBUG("have src pad %s:%s\n",GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(srcpad));
+      }
+
+    // argument with = in it
+    } else if (strstr(arg, "=")) {
+      gchar * argname;
+      gchar * argval;
+      gchar * pos = strstr(arg, "=");
+      // we have an argument
+      argname = arg;
+      pos[0] = '\0';
+      argval = pos+1;
+      DEBUG("attempting to set argument '%s' to '%s' on element '%s'\n",
+            argname,argval,gst_element_get_name(previous));
+      gtk_object_set(GTK_OBJECT(previous),argname,argval,NULL);
+      g_free(argname);
+
+    // element or argument, or beginning of bin or thread
+    } else {
+      DEBUG("have element or bin/thread\n");
+      // if we have a bin or thread starting
+      if (strchr("({",arg[0])) {   
+        if (arg[0] == '(') {
+          // create a bin and add it to the current parent
+          element = gst_bin_new(g_strdup_printf("bin%d",priv->bincount++));
+          if (!element) {    
+            fprintf(stderr,"Couldn't create a bin!\n");
+//            exit(-1);
+          }
+          VERBOSE("CREATED bin %s\n",gst_element_get_name(element));
+        } else if (arg[0] == '{') {
+          // create a thread and add it to the current parent
+          element = gst_thread_new(g_strdup_printf("thread%d",priv->threadcount++));
+          if (!element) {
+            fprintf(stderr,"Couldn't create a thread!\n");
+//            exit(-1);
+          }
+          VERBOSE("CREATED thread %s\n",gst_element_get_name(element));
+        }
+
+        i += gst_parse_launch_cmdline(argc - i, argv + i + 1, GST_BIN (element), priv);
+          
+      } else {
+        // we have an element
+        DEBUG("attempting to create element '%s'\n",arg);
+        element = gst_elementfactory_make(arg,gst_parse_unique_name(arg,priv));
+        if (!element) {
+          fprintf(stderr,"Couldn't create a '%s', no such element or need to run gstraemer-register?\n",arg);
+//          exit(-1);
+        }   
+        VERBOSE("CREATED element %s\n",gst_element_get_name(element));
+        DEBUG("created element %s\n",gst_element_get_name(element));
+      }
+      
+      gst_bin_add (GST_BIN (parent), element);
+      elementcount++;
+  
+      if (srcpad != NULL) {
+        DEBUG("need to connect to sinkpad %s:%s\n",GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(srcpad));
+      
+        sinkpad = NULL;
+          
+        if (sinkpadname != NULL)
+          sinkpad = gst_element_get_pad(previous,sinkpadname);
+
+        if (!sinkpad) {
+          // check through the list to find the first sink pad   
+          pads = gst_element_get_pad_list(element); 
+          while (pads) {
+            sinkpad = GST_PAD(pads->data);
+            pads = g_list_next (pads);
+            if (gst_pad_get_direction (sinkpad) == GST_PAD_SINK) break;
+            sinkpad = NULL;
+          }
+        }
+  
+        if (!sinkpad) DEBUG("error, can't find a sink pad!!!\n");
+        else DEBUG("have sink pad %s:%s\n",GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(sinkpad));
+       
+        VERBOSE("CONNECTING %s:%s and %s:%s\n",GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(srcpad),GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(sinkpad));
+        gst_pad_connect(srcpad,sinkpad);
+    
+        sinkpad = NULL;
+        srcpad = NULL;
+      }
+      
+      // if we're the first element, ghost all the sinkpads
+      if (elementcount == 1) {
+        DEBUG("first element, ghosting all of %s's sink pads to parent %s\n",
+              gst_element_get_name(element),gst_element_get_name(GST_ELEMENT(parent)));
+        pads = gst_element_get_pad_list (element);
+        while (pads) {
+          sinkpad = GST_PAD (pads->data);
+          pads = g_list_next (pads);
+          if (!sinkpad) DEBUG("much oddness, pad doesn't seem to exist\n");
+          else if (gst_pad_get_direction (sinkpad) == GST_PAD_SINK) {
+            gst_element_add_ghost_pad (GST_ELEMENT (parent), sinkpad);
+            DEBUG("ghosted %s:%s\n",GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(sinkpad));
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      previous = element;    
+      if (!GST_IS_BIN(element)) prevelement = element; 
+    }
+           
+    i++;
+  }
+          
+  // ghost all the src pads of the bin
+  if (prevelement != NULL) {
+    DEBUG("last element, ghosting all of %s's src pads to parent %s\n",
+          gst_element_get_name(prevelement),gst_element_get_name(GST_ELEMENT(parent)));
+    pads = gst_element_get_pad_list (prevelement);
+    while (pads) {
+      srcpad = GST_PAD (pads->data);
+      pads = g_list_next (pads);
+      if (!srcpad) DEBUG("much oddness, pad doesn't seem to exist\n");
+      else if (gst_pad_get_direction (srcpad) == GST_PAD_SRC) {
+        gst_element_add_ghost_pad (GST_ELEMENT (parent), srcpad);
+        DEBUG("ghosted %s:%s\n",GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(srcpad));
+      }
+    }
+  }
+          
+  priv->binlevel--;
+            
+  if (retval) return retval;
+        
+  if (closingchar != '\0')
+    DEBUG("returning IN THE WRONG PLACE\n");
+  else DEBUG("ending pipeline\n");
+  return i+1;
+} 
+
+gint gst_parse_launch(const gchar *cmdline,GstBin *parent) {
+  gst_parse_priv priv;
+  gchar **argvn;
+  gint newargc;
+  gint len;
+  int i,j,k;
+
+  priv.bincount = 0;
+  priv.threadcount = 0;
+  priv.binlevel = 0;
+  priv.elementcounts = NULL;
+  priv.verbose = FALSE;
+  priv.debug = FALSE;
+
+  // first walk through quickly and see how many more slots we need
+  len = strlen(cmdline);
+  newargc = 1;
+  for (i=0;i<len;i++) {
+    // if it's a space, it denotes a new arg
+    if (cmdline[i] == ' ') newargc++;
+    // if it's a brace and isn't followed by a space, give it an arg
+    if (strchr("([{}])",cmdline[i])) {
+      // not followed by space, gets one
+      if (cmdline[i+1] != ' ') newargc++;
+    }
+  }
+
+  // now allocate the new argv array
+  argvn = g_new0(char *,newargc+1);
+  DEBUG("supposed to have %d args\n",newargc);
+
+  // now attempt to construct the new arg list
+  j = 0;k = 0;
+  for (i=0;i<len+1;i++) {
+    // if it's a delimiter
+    if (strchr("([{}]) ",cmdline[i]) || (cmdline[i] == '\0')) {
+      // extract the previous arg
+      if (i-k > 0) {
+        if (cmdline[k] == ' ') k++;
+        argvn[j] = g_new0(char,(i-k)+1);
+        memcpy(argvn[j],&cmdline[k],i-k);
+
+        // catch misparses
+        if (strlen(argvn[j]) > 0) j++;
+      }
+      k = i;
+
+      // if this is a bracket, construct a word
+      if ((cmdline[i] != ' ') && (cmdline[i] != '\0')) {
+        argvn[j++] = g_strdup_printf("%c",cmdline[i]);
+        k++;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  // print them out
+  for (i=0;i<newargc;i++) {
+    DEBUG("arg %d is: %s\n",i,argvn[i]);
+  }
+
+  // set up the elementcounts hash
+  priv.elementcounts = g_hash_table_new(g_str_hash,g_str_equal);
+
+  return gst_parse_launch_cmdline(newargc,argvn,parent,&priv);
+}
diff --git a/gst/gstparse.h b/gst/gstparse.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5e09f6dfef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gst/gstparse.h
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/* GStreamer
+ * Copyright (C) 1999,2000 Erik Walthinsen <omega@cse.ogi.edu>
+ *                    2000 Wim Taymans <wtay@chello.be>
+ *
+ * filename:
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Library General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Library General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the
+ * Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+ * Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ */
+
+#ifndef __GST_PARSE_H__
+#define __GST_PARSE_H__
+
+#include "gst.h"
+
+gint gst_parse_launch(const gchar *cmdline,GstBin *parent);
+
+#endif __GST_PARSE_H__