diff --git a/src/Base/Interpreter.h b/src/Base/Interpreter.h
index 64699dd036..13a6875f8c 100644
--- a/src/Base/Interpreter.h
+++ b/src/Base/Interpreter.h
@@ -53,6 +53,40 @@
 
 #include "Exception.h"
 
+/** Helper macro to obtain callable from an object
+ *
+ * @param _pyobj: PyObject pointer
+ * @param _name: the callable string name
+ * @param _var: the callable variable to be assigned
+ *
+ *  See FeaturePythonImp::init() for example usage
+ */
+#define FC_PY_GetCallable(_pyobj,_name,_var) \
+    do {\
+        _var = Py::Object();\
+        if(PyObject_HasAttrString(_pyobj, _name)) {\
+            Py::Object _obj(PyObject_GetAttrString (_pyobj, _name), true);\
+            if(_obj.isCallable())\
+                _var = _obj;\
+        }\
+    }while(0)
+
+/** Helper macro to obtain attribute from an object
+ *
+ * @param _pyobj: PyObject pointer
+ * @param _name: the attribute string name
+ * @param _var: the attribute variable to be assigned
+ *
+ *  See FeaturePythonImp::init() for example usage
+ */
+#define FC_PY_GetObject(_pyobj,_name,_var) \
+    do {\
+        _var = Py::Object();\
+        if(PyObject_HasAttrString(_pyobj, _name))\
+            _var = Py::asObject(PyObject_GetAttrString (_pyobj, _name));\
+    }while(0)
+
+
 namespace Base {
 
     using std::string;
@@ -87,6 +121,20 @@ protected:
     PyObject *_exceptionType;
 };
 
+inline Py::Object pyCall(PyObject *callable, PyObject *args=0) {
+    PyObject *result = PyObject_CallObject(callable, args);
+    if(!result)
+        Base::PyException::ThrowException();
+    return Py::asObject(result);
+}
+
+inline Py::Object pyCallWithKeywords(PyObject *callable, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds=0) {
+    PyObject *result = PyObject_Call(callable, args, kwds);
+    if(!result)
+        Base::PyException::ThrowException();
+    return Py::asObject(result);
+}
+
 /**
  * The SystemExitException is thrown if the Python-internal PyExc_SystemExit exception
  * was thrown.
diff --git a/src/Base/Matrix.cpp b/src/Base/Matrix.cpp
index f27267dbd7..7748d04204 100644
--- a/src/Base/Matrix.cpp
+++ b/src/Base/Matrix.cpp
@@ -947,3 +947,26 @@ Matrix4D& Matrix4D::Hat(const Vector3d& rV)
 
     return *this;
 }
+
+int Matrix4D::hasScale(double tol) const {
+    // check for uniform scaling
+    //
+    // scaling factors are the colum vector length. We use square distance and
+    // ignore the actual scaling signess
+    //
+    if(!tol)
+        tol = 1e-9;
+    double dx = Vector3d(dMtrx4D[0][0],dMtrx4D[1][0],dMtrx4D[2][0]).Sqr();
+    double dy = Vector3d(dMtrx4D[0][1],dMtrx4D[1][1],dMtrx4D[2][1]).Sqr();
+    if(fabs(dx-dy)>tol)
+        return -1;
+    else {
+        double dz = Vector3d(dMtrx4D[0][2],dMtrx4D[1][2],dMtrx4D[2][2]).Sqr();
+        if(fabs(dy-dz)>tol)
+            return -1;
+    }
+    if(fabs(dx-1.0)>tol)
+        return 1;
+    else
+        return 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/Base/Matrix.h b/src/Base/Matrix.h
index 25fac709ee..d806b1a3dd 100644
--- a/src/Base/Matrix.h
+++ b/src/Base/Matrix.h
@@ -136,6 +136,8 @@ public:
   /// scale for the x,y,z value
   void scale        (const Vector3f& rclVct);
   void scale        (const Vector3d& rclVct);
+  /// Check for scaling factor, 0: not scale, 1: uniform scale, or else -1
+  int hasScale(double tol=0.0) const;
   /// Rotate around the X axis (in transformed space) for the given value in radians
   void rotX         (double fAngle);
   /// Rotate around the Y axis (in transformed space) for the given value in radians
diff --git a/src/Base/MatrixPy.xml b/src/Base/MatrixPy.xml
index e377301628..f83d545bce 100644
--- a/src/Base/MatrixPy.xml
+++ b/src/Base/MatrixPy.xml
@@ -34,6 +34,14 @@ Scale the matrix with the vector
         </UserDocu>
       </Documentation>
     </Methode>
+    <Methode Name="hasScale">
+      <Documentation>
+        <UserDocu>
+hasScale(tol=None)
+Return 0 is no scale factor, 1 for uniform scaling, -1 for non-uniform scaling.
+        </UserDocu>
+      </Documentation>
+    </Methode>
     <Methode Name="unity">
       <Documentation>
         <UserDocu>unity() - make this matrix to unity</UserDocu>
diff --git a/src/Base/MatrixPyImp.cpp b/src/Base/MatrixPyImp.cpp
index 5e617019d1..8ae2b33c0f 100644
--- a/src/Base/MatrixPyImp.cpp
+++ b/src/Base/MatrixPyImp.cpp
@@ -238,6 +238,14 @@ PyObject* MatrixPy::scale(PyObject * args)
     Py_Return;
 }
 
+PyObject* MatrixPy::hasScale(PyObject * args)
+{
+    double tol=0;
+    if(!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "|d", &tol))
+        return 0;
+    return Py::new_reference_to(Py::Int(getMatrixPtr()->hasScale(tol)));
+}
+
 PyObject* MatrixPy::unity(PyObject * args)
 {
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, ""))     // convert args: Python->C
diff --git a/src/Base/PlacementPy.xml b/src/Base/PlacementPy.xml
index 943dc87945..2d68208bcd 100644
--- a/src/Base/PlacementPy.xml
+++ b/src/Base/PlacementPy.xml
@@ -44,6 +44,22 @@ Placement(Base, Axis, Angle) -- define position and rotation
 				</UserDocu>
 			</Documentation>
 		</Methode>
+		<Methode Name="translate">
+			<Documentation>
+				<UserDocu>
+					translate(Vector) 
+					alias to move(), to be compatible with TopoShape.translate()
+				</UserDocu>
+			</Documentation>
+		</Methode>
+        <Methode Name="rotate">
+        <Documentation>
+            <UserDocu>
+                rotate(center,axis,degree) - rotate the current placement around center and axis with degree
+                This method is compatible with TopoShape.rotate()
+            </UserDocu>
+        </Documentation>
+        </Methode>
                 <Methode Name="multiply" Const="true">
 			<Documentation>
 				<UserDocu>
diff --git a/src/Base/PlacementPyImp.cpp b/src/Base/PlacementPyImp.cpp
index cdef3e57e7..61ed21885a 100644
--- a/src/Base/PlacementPyImp.cpp
+++ b/src/Base/PlacementPyImp.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include "MatrixPy.h"
 #include "RotationPy.h"
 #include "VectorPy.h"
+#include "Tools.h"
 
 using namespace Base;
 
@@ -158,6 +159,34 @@ PyObject* PlacementPy::move(PyObject * args)
     Py_Return;
 }
 
+PyObject* PlacementPy::translate(PyObject * args)
+{
+    return move(args);
+}
+
+PyObject* PlacementPy::rotate(PyObject *args) {
+    PyObject *obj1, *obj2;
+    double angle;
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "OOd", &obj1, &obj2, &angle))
+        return NULL;
+
+    try {
+        Py::Sequence p1(obj1), p2(obj2);
+        Vector3d center((double)Py::Float(p1[0]),
+                        (double)Py::Float(p1[1]),
+                        (double)Py::Float(p1[2]));
+        Vector3d axis((double)Py::Float(p2[0]),
+                      (double)Py::Float(p2[1]),
+                      (double)Py::Float(p2[2]));
+        (*getPlacementPtr()) *= Placement(
+                Vector3d(),Rotation(axis,toRadians<double>(angle)),center);
+        Py_Return;
+    }
+    catch (const Py::Exception&) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+}
+
 PyObject* PlacementPy::multiply(PyObject * args)
 {
     PyObject *plm;
diff --git a/src/Base/Rotation.cpp b/src/Base/Rotation.cpp
index 3fc98d2929..6c378ecf71 100644
--- a/src/Base/Rotation.cpp
+++ b/src/Base/Rotation.cpp
@@ -396,6 +396,18 @@ bool Rotation::isSame(const Rotation& q) const
     return false;
 }
 
+bool Rotation::isSame(const Rotation& q, double tol) const
+{
+    Vector3d v(0,0,1);
+    return std::fabs(multVec(v).GetAngle(q.multVec(v))) < tol;
+}
+
+Vector3d Rotation::multVec(const Vector3d & src) const {
+    Vector3d dst;
+    multVec(src,dst);
+    return dst;
+}
+
 void Rotation::multVec(const Vector3d & src, Vector3d & dst) const
 {
     double x = this->quat[0];
diff --git a/src/Base/Rotation.h b/src/Base/Rotation.h
index 679d07934d..f334ce2aca 100644
--- a/src/Base/Rotation.h
+++ b/src/Base/Rotation.h
@@ -84,8 +84,10 @@ public:
     void operator = (const Rotation&);
 
     void multVec(const Vector3d & src, Vector3d & dst) const;
+    Vector3d multVec(const Vector3d & src) const;
     void scaleAngle(const double scaleFactor);
     bool isSame(const Rotation&) const;
+    bool isSame(const Rotation&, double tol) const;
     //@}
 
     /** Specialty constructors */
diff --git a/src/Base/Tools.h b/src/Base/Tools.h
index 5521715b3c..5c51974aa7 100644
--- a/src/Base/Tools.h
+++ b/src/Base/Tools.h
@@ -187,6 +187,33 @@ private:
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+template<typename Flag=bool>
+struct FlagToggler {
+
+    Flag &flag;
+    bool toggled;
+
+    FlagToggler(Flag &_flag)
+        :flag(_flag),toggled(true)
+    {
+        flag = !flag;
+    }
+
+    FlagToggler(Flag &_flag, Flag check)
+        :flag(_flag),toggled(check==_flag)
+    {
+        if(toggled)
+            flag = !flag;
+    }
+
+    ~FlagToggler() {
+        if(toggled)
+            flag = !flag;
+    }
+};
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 template<typename Status, class Object>
 class ObjectStatusLocker
 {
@@ -217,6 +244,23 @@ private:
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+template<typename T>
+class BitsetLocker
+{
+public:
+    BitsetLocker(T& flags, std::size_t flag, bool value = true) 
+        : flags(flags), flag(flag)
+    { oldValue = flags.test(flag); flags.set(flag,value); }
+    ~BitsetLocker()
+    { flags.set(flag,oldValue); }
+private:
+    T &flags;
+    std::size_t flag;
+    bool oldValue;
+};
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 class ConnectionBlocker {
     typedef boost::signals2::connection Connection;
     typedef boost::signals2::shared_connection_block ConnectionBlock;
diff --git a/src/Base/Tools2D.cpp b/src/Base/Tools2D.cpp
index 674d14c2aa..1c8659f839 100644
--- a/src/Base/Tools2D.cpp
+++ b/src/Base/Tools2D.cpp
@@ -431,6 +431,37 @@ void Polygon2d::Intersect (const Polygon2d &rclPolygon, std::list<Polygon2d> &rc
     rclResultPolygonList.push_back(clResultPolygon);
 }
 
+bool Polygon2d::Intersect (const Polygon2d &other) const {
+    if(other.GetCtVectors()<2 || GetCtVectors() < 2)
+        return false;
+
+    for(auto &v : _aclVct) {
+        if(other.Contains(v))
+            return true;
+    }
+
+    if(Contains(other[0]))
+        return true;
+
+    for(size_t j=1; j<other.GetCtVectors(); ++j) {
+        auto &v0 = other[j-1];
+        auto &v1 = other[j];
+
+        if(Contains(v1))
+            return true;
+
+        Line2d line(v0, v1);
+        for(size_t i=0; i<GetCtVectors(); ++i) {
+            Line2d line2(At(i), At((i+1)%GetCtVectors()));
+            Vector2d v;
+            if(line.IntersectAndContain(line2, v))
+                return true;
+        }
+    }  
+    return false;
+}
+
+
 bool Polygon2d::Intersect (const Vector2d &rclV, double eps) const
 {
     if (_aclVct.size() < 2)
diff --git a/src/Base/Tools2D.h b/src/Base/Tools2D.h
index 235301838a..cae01f290d 100644
--- a/src/Base/Tools2D.h
+++ b/src/Base/Tools2D.h
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ public:
   inline BoundBox2d (double fX1, double fY1, double fX2, double fY2);
   inline bool IsValid (void);
   inline bool IsEqual(const BoundBox2d&, double tolerance) const;
-  
+
   // operators
   inline BoundBox2d& operator= (const BoundBox2d& rclBB);
   inline bool operator== (const BoundBox2d& rclBB) const;
@@ -102,6 +102,11 @@ public:
 
   // misc
   bool Contains (const Vector2d &rclV) const;
+
+  inline Vector2d GetCenter() const {
+      return Vector2d((MinX+MaxX)/2,(MinY+MaxY)/2);
+  }
+  
 };
 
 /** Line2d ********************************************/
@@ -160,6 +165,7 @@ public:
   BoundBox2d CalcBoundBox (void) const;
   bool Contains (const Vector2d &rclV) const;
   void Intersect (const Polygon2d &rclPolygon, std::list<Polygon2d> &rclResultPolygonList) const;
+  bool Intersect (const Polygon2d &rclPolygon) const;
   bool Intersect (const Vector2d &rclV, double eps) const;
 
 private:
@@ -308,7 +314,6 @@ inline Vector2d& Polygon2d::At (size_t ulNdx) const
   return (Vector2d&) _aclVct[ulNdx];
 }
 
-
 inline Line2d::Line2d (const Line2d &rclLine)
     : clV1 (rclLine.clV1),
       clV2 (rclLine.clV2)