diff --git a/examples/xml/createxml.c b/examples/xml/createxml.c
index 36810a823f..9a32100230 100644
--- a/examples/xml/createxml.c
+++ b/examples/xml/createxml.c
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ int main(int argc,char *argv[])
   gst_init(&argc,&argv);
 
   /* create a new thread to hold the elements */
-  thread = gst_thread_new("thread");
+  //thread = gst_thread_new("thread");
+  thread = gst_elementfactory_make("thread", "thread");
   g_assert(thread != NULL);
-  thread2 = gst_thread_new("thread2");
+  thread2 = gst_elementfactory_make("thread", "thread2");
+  //thread2 = gst_thread_new("thread2");
   g_assert(thread2 != NULL);
 
   /* create a new bin to hold the elements */
diff --git a/examples/xml/runxml.c b/examples/xml/runxml.c
index b3f8739cf1..38b521939e 100644
--- a/examples/xml/runxml.c
+++ b/examples/xml/runxml.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ int main(int argc,char *argv[])
 {
   GstXML *xml;
   GstElement *bin;
+  GstElement *disk;
 
   gst_init(&argc,&argv);
 
diff --git a/gst/Makefile.am b/gst/Makefile.am
index e21c0404ed..441a203346 100644
--- a/gst/Makefile.am
+++ b/gst/Makefile.am
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ noinst_HEADERS =	\
 	gsti386.h       \
 	gstppc.h        
 
-CFLAGS += -O2 -Wall
+CFLAGS += -g -O2 -Wall
 
 libgst_la_LIBADD = $(GLIB_LIBS) $(GTK_LIBS) $(XML_LIBS)
 libgst_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info $(STREAMER_CURRENT):$(STREAMER_REVISION):$(STREAMER_AGE)
diff --git a/gst/elements/gstaudiosink.c b/gst/elements/gstaudiosink.c
index fc09a75803..337456862b 100644
--- a/gst/elements/gstaudiosink.c
+++ b/gst/elements/gstaudiosink.c
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@ void gst_audiosink_sync_parms(GstAudioSink *audiosink) {
 
   g_return_if_fail(audiosink != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail(GST_IS_AUDIOSINK(audiosink));
-  g_return_if_fail(audiosink->fd > 0);
+
+  if (audiosink->fd == -1) return;
 
   ioctl(audiosink->fd,SNDCTL_DSP_RESET,0);
 
diff --git a/gst/gstbin.c b/gst/gstbin.c
index 38ad526966..b88e4f17a7 100644
--- a/gst/gstbin.c
+++ b/gst/gstbin.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ static void gst_bin_create_plan_func(GstBin *bin);
 static void gst_bin_iterate_func(GstBin *bin);
 
 static xmlNodePtr gst_bin_save_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent);
+static void gst_bin_restore_thyself(GstElement *element, xmlNodePtr parent, GHashTable *elements);
 
 /* Bin signals and args */
 enum {
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ gst_bin_class_init(GstBinClass *klass) {
 
   gstelement_class->change_state = gst_bin_change_state;
   gstelement_class->save_thyself = gst_bin_save_thyself;
+  gstelement_class->restore_thyself = gst_bin_restore_thyself;
   gstelement_class->elementfactory = gst_elementfactory_find("bin");
 
   gtkobject_class->destroy = gst_bin_real_destroy;
@@ -337,11 +339,17 @@ GstElement *gst_bin_get_by_name(GstBin *bin,gchar *name) {
   g_return_val_if_fail(GST_IS_BIN(bin), NULL);
   g_return_val_if_fail(name != NULL, NULL);
 
+  g_print("gstbin: lookup element \"%s\" in \"%s\"\n", name, gst_element_get_name(bin));
   children = bin->children;
   while (children) {
     child = GST_ELEMENT(children->data);
     if (!strcmp(child->name,name))
       return child;
+    if (GST_IS_BIN(child)) {
+      GstElement *res = gst_bin_get_by_name(GST_BIN(child), name);
+      if (res) 
+        return res;
+    }
     children = g_list_next(children);
   }
 
@@ -363,7 +371,7 @@ GList *gst_bin_get_list(GstBin *bin) {
   return bin->children;
 }
 
-static xmlNodePtr gst_bin_save_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent) {
+static xmlNodePtr gst_bin_save_thyself(GstElement *element, xmlNodePtr parent) {
   GstBin *bin = GST_BIN(element);
   xmlNodePtr childlist;
   GList *children;
@@ -380,7 +388,32 @@ static xmlNodePtr gst_bin_save_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent) {
     gst_element_save_thyself(child,childlist);
     children = g_list_next(children);
   }
-	return childlist;
+  return childlist;
+}
+
+static void gst_bin_restore_thyself(GstElement *element, xmlNodePtr parent, GHashTable *elements) {
+  GstBin *bin = GST_BIN(element);
+  xmlNodePtr field = parent->childs;
+  xmlNodePtr childlist;
+
+  g_print("gstbin: restore \"%s\"\n", gst_element_get_name(element));
+
+  while (field) {
+    if (!strcmp(field->name, "children")) {
+      childlist = field->childs;
+      while (childlist) {
+        if (!strcmp(childlist->name, "element")) {
+          GstElement *element = gst_element_load_thyself(childlist, elements);
+
+	  gst_bin_add(bin, element);
+	}
+        childlist = childlist->next;
+      }
+    }
+
+    field = field->next;
+  }
+  
 }
 
 void gst_bin_use_cothreads(GstBin *bin, gboolean enabled) {
@@ -693,6 +726,8 @@ void gst_bin_iterate_func(GstBin *bin) {
       entries = bin->entries;
     }
 
+    g_assert(entries != NULL);
+
     while (entries) {
       entry = GST_ELEMENT(entries->data);
       if (GST_IS_SRC(entry))
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index 40c06dbb43..1a3d1ca7b8 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <gst/gstelement.h>
-
+#include <gst/gstxml.h>
 
 /* Element signals and args */
 enum {
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ static gchar *_gst_element_type_names[] = {
  * Returns: the new xml node
  */
 xmlNodePtr gst_element_save_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent) {
-  xmlNodePtr self, arglist;
+  xmlNodePtr self;
   GList *pads;
   GstPad *pad;
   GstElementClass *oclass;
@@ -448,15 +448,15 @@ xmlNodePtr gst_element_save_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent) {
 
   pads = element->pads;
   while (pads) {
+    xmlNodePtr padtag = xmlNewChild(self,NULL,"pad",NULL);
     pad = GST_PAD(pads->data);
     // figure out if it's a direct pad or a ghostpad
     if (GST_ELEMENT(pad->parent) == element)
-      gst_pad_save_thyself(pad,self);
+      gst_pad_save_thyself(pad,padtag);
     pads = g_list_next(pads);
   }
 
   // output all args to the element
-  arglist = xmlNewChild(self,NULL,"args",NULL);
   type = GTK_OBJECT_TYPE(element);
   while (type != GTK_TYPE_INVALID) {
     GtkArg *args;
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ xmlNodePtr gst_element_save_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent) {
           (flags && GTK_ARG_READABLE)) {
         xmlNodePtr arg;
         gtk_object_getv(GTK_OBJECT(element),1,&args[i]);
-        arg = xmlNewChild(arglist,NULL,"arg",NULL);
+        arg = xmlNewChild(self,NULL,"arg",NULL);
         xmlNewChild(arg,NULL,"name",args[i].name);
         switch (args[i].type) {
           case GTK_TYPE_CHAR:
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ xmlNodePtr gst_element_save_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent) {
             break;
           case GTK_TYPE_ULONG:
             xmlNewChild(arg,NULL,"value",
-                        g_strdup_printf("%ld",GTK_VALUE_ULONG(args[i])));
+                        g_strdup_printf("%lu",GTK_VALUE_ULONG(args[i])));
             break;
           case GTK_TYPE_FLOAT:
             xmlNewChild(arg,NULL,"value",
@@ -520,6 +520,143 @@ xmlNodePtr gst_element_save_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent) {
   return self;
 }
 
+/**
+ * gst_element_load_thyself:
+ * @parent: the xml parent node
+ *
+ * load the element based on the XML description
+ *
+ * Returns: the new element
+ */
+GstElement *gst_element_load_thyself(xmlNodePtr parent, GHashTable *elements) {
+  xmlNodePtr children = parent->childs;
+  GstElement *element;
+  GstElementClass *oclass;
+  guchar *name = NULL;
+  guchar *value = NULL;
+  guchar *type = NULL;
+
+  // first get the needed tags to cunstruct the element
+  while (children) {
+    if (!strcmp(children->name, "name")) {
+      name = g_strdup(xmlNodeGetContent(children));
+    }
+    else if (!strcmp(children->name, "type")) {
+      type = g_strdup(xmlNodeGetContent(children));
+    }
+    children = children->next;
+  }
+  g_assert(name != NULL);
+  g_assert(type != NULL);
+
+  g_print("gstelement: loading \"%s\" of type \"%s\"\n", name, type);
+
+  element = gst_elementfactory_make(type, name);
+
+  g_assert(element != NULL);
+
+  g_hash_table_insert(elements, gst_element_get_name(element), element);
+
+  // we have the element now, set the arguments and pads
+  children = parent->childs;
+
+  while (children) {
+    if (!strcmp(children->name, "pad")) {
+      gst_pad_load_and_connect(children, GST_OBJECT(element), elements);
+    }
+    else if (!strcmp(children->name, "arg")) {
+      xmlNodePtr child = children->childs;
+
+      while (child) {
+        if (!strcmp(child->name, "name")) {
+          name = g_strdup(xmlNodeGetContent(child));
+	}
+	else if (!strcmp(child->name, "value")) {
+          value = g_strdup(xmlNodeGetContent(child));
+	}
+        child = child->next;
+      }
+      if (name && value) {
+        GtkType type = GTK_OBJECT_TYPE(element);
+	GtkArgInfo *info;
+	gchar *result;
+
+	result = gtk_object_arg_get_info(type, name, &info);
+
+	if (result) {
+          g_print("gstelement: %s\n", result);
+	}
+	else if (info->arg_flags & GTK_ARG_WRITABLE) {
+          switch (info->type) {
+            case GTK_TYPE_STRING:
+              gtk_object_set(GTK_OBJECT(element), name, value, NULL);
+	      break;
+            case GTK_TYPE_INT: {
+	      gint i;
+	      sscanf(value, "%d", &i);
+              gtk_object_set(GTK_OBJECT(element), name, i, NULL);
+	      break; 
+	    }
+            case GTK_TYPE_LONG: {
+	      glong i;
+	      sscanf(value, "%ld", &i);
+              gtk_object_set(GTK_OBJECT(element), name, i, NULL);
+	      break; 
+	    }
+            case GTK_TYPE_ULONG: {
+	      gulong i;
+	      sscanf(value, "%lu", &i);
+              gtk_object_set(GTK_OBJECT(element), name, i, NULL);
+	      break; 
+	    }
+            case GTK_TYPE_BOOL: {
+	      gboolean i = FALSE;
+	      if (!strcmp("true", value)) i = TRUE;
+              gtk_object_set(GTK_OBJECT(element), name, i, NULL);
+	      break; 
+	    }
+            case GTK_TYPE_CHAR: {
+	      gchar i;
+	      sscanf(value, "%c", &i);
+              gtk_object_set(GTK_OBJECT(element), name, i, NULL);
+	      break; 
+	    }
+            case GTK_TYPE_UCHAR: {
+	      guchar i;
+	      sscanf(value, "%c", &i);
+              gtk_object_set(GTK_OBJECT(element), name, i, NULL);
+	      break; 
+	    }
+            case GTK_TYPE_FLOAT: {
+	      gfloat i;
+	      sscanf(value, "%f", &i);
+              gtk_object_set(GTK_OBJECT(element), name, i, NULL);
+	      break; 
+	    }
+            case GTK_TYPE_DOUBLE: {
+	      gdouble i;
+	      sscanf(value, "%g", (float *)&i);
+              gtk_object_set(GTK_OBJECT(element), name, i, NULL);
+	      break; 
+	    }
+            default:
+	      break;
+	  }
+
+	}
+      }
+    }
+    children = children->next;
+  }
+
+  oclass = GST_ELEMENT_CLASS(GTK_OBJECT(element)->klass);
+
+  if (oclass->restore_thyself)
+    (oclass->restore_thyself)(element, parent, elements);
+
+  return element;
+}
+
 /**
  * gst_element_set_manager:
  * @element: Element to set manager of.
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.h b/gst/gstelement.h
index 4024cd0335..9e94ecd220 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.h
+++ b/gst/gstelement.h
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ struct _GstElementClass {
 
   /* create or read XML representation of self */
   xmlNodePtr (*save_thyself)(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent);
-  void (*restore_thyself)(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr *self);
+  void (*restore_thyself)(GstElement *element, xmlNodePtr self, GHashTable *elements);
 };
 
 struct _GstElementDetails {
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ struct _GstElementFactory {
   GList *sink_types;
 };
 
-
 GtkType gst_element_get_type(void);
 GstElement *gst_element_new(void);
 
@@ -181,7 +180,7 @@ GstElementFactory *gst_element_get_factory(GstElement *element);
 
 /* XML write and read */
 xmlNodePtr gst_element_save_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent);
-
+GstElement *gst_element_load_thyself(xmlNodePtr parent, GHashTable *elements);
 
 GstElementFactory *gst_elementfactory_new(gchar *name,GtkType type,
                                           GstElementDetails *details);
diff --git a/gst/gstelementfactory.c b/gst/gstelementfactory.c
index d1d6796bcb..145f067d0a 100644
--- a/gst/gstelementfactory.c
+++ b/gst/gstelementfactory.c
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
  * Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
  */
 
+//#define DEBUG_ENABLED
+
+#include <gst/gst.h>
+
 #include <gst/gstelement.h>
 #include <gst/gstplugin.h>
 
@@ -53,6 +57,8 @@ GstElementFactory *gst_elementfactory_find(gchar *name) {
   GList *walk;
   GstElementFactory *factory;
 
+  DEBUG("gstelementfactory: find \"%s\"\n", name);
+
   gst_plugin_load_elementfactory(name);
 
   walk = _gst_elementfactories;
@@ -118,11 +124,13 @@ GstElement *gst_elementfactory_create(GstElementFactory *factory,
 
   g_return_val_if_fail(factory != NULL, NULL);
 
-  factory = gst_plugin_load_elementfactory(factory->name);
+  DEBUG("gstelementfactory: create \"%s\" \"%s\"\n", factory->name, name);
 
   if (factory->type == 0) {
-    factory = gst_elementfactory_find(name);
+    factory = gst_plugin_load_elementfactory(factory->name);
+    //factory = gst_elementfactory_find(factory->name);
   }
+  g_return_val_if_fail(factory != NULL, NULL);
   g_return_val_if_fail(factory->type != 0, NULL);
 
   // create an instance of the element
@@ -155,6 +163,8 @@ GstElement *gst_elementfactory_make(gchar *factoryname,gchar *name) {
   GstElementFactory *factory;
   GstElement *element;
 
+  DEBUG("gstelementfactory: make \"%s\" \"%s\"\n", factoryname, name);
+
   //gst_plugin_load_elementfactory(factoryname);
   factory = gst_elementfactory_find(factoryname);
   if (factory == NULL) return NULL;
diff --git a/gst/gstpad.c b/gst/gstpad.c
index 92661c85c5..accfd018e2 100644
--- a/gst/gstpad.c
+++ b/gst/gstpad.c
@@ -424,23 +424,72 @@ static void gst_pad_real_destroy(GtkObject *object) {
   g_list_free(pad->ghostparents);
 }
 
+
+/**
+ * gst_pad_handle_qos:
+ * @parent: the parent XML node to read the description from
+ * @element: the element that has the source pad
+ * @elements: a hashtable with elements
+ *
+ * Read the pad definition from the XML node and connect the given pad
+ * in element to a pad of an element in the hashtable.
+ *
+ * Returns: the new Pad definition.
+ */
+void gst_pad_load_and_connect(xmlNodePtr parent, GstObject *element, GHashTable *elements) {
+  xmlNodePtr field = parent->childs;
+  GstPad *pad, *targetpad;
+  guchar *peer;
+  gchar **split;
+  GstElement *target;
+
+  while (field) {
+    if (!strcmp(field->name, "name")) {
+      pad = gst_element_get_pad(GST_ELEMENT(element), xmlNodeGetContent(field));
+    }
+    else if (!strcmp(field->name, "peer")) {
+      peer = g_strdup(xmlNodeGetContent(field));
+    }
+    field = field->next;
+  }
+  g_return_if_fail(pad != NULL);
+  g_return_if_fail(peer != NULL);
+
+  split = g_strsplit(peer, ".", 2);
+
+  g_return_if_fail(split[0] != NULL);
+  g_return_if_fail(split[1] != NULL);
+
+  target = (GstElement *)g_hash_table_lookup(elements, split[0]);
+
+  if (target == NULL) goto cleanup;
+
+  targetpad = gst_element_get_pad(target, split[1]);
+
+  g_return_if_fail(targetpad != NULL);
+
+  gst_pad_connect(pad, targetpad);
+
+cleanup:
+  g_strfreev(split);
+}
+
+
 xmlNodePtr gst_pad_save_thyself(GstPad *pad,xmlNodePtr parent) {
-  xmlNodePtr self;
   GstPad *peer;
 
-  self = xmlNewChild(parent,NULL,"pad",NULL);
-  xmlNewChild(self,NULL,"name",pad->name);
+  xmlNewChild(parent,NULL,"name",pad->name);
   if (pad->peer != NULL) {
     peer = pad->peer;
     // first check to see if the peer's parent's parent is the same
-    if (pad->parent->parent == peer->parent->parent)
+    //if (pad->parent->parent == peer->parent->parent)
       // we just save it off
-      xmlNewChild(self,NULL,"peer",g_strdup_printf("%s.%s",
+      xmlNewChild(parent,NULL,"peer",g_strdup_printf("%s.%s",
                     GST_ELEMENT(peer->parent)->name,peer->name));
   } else
-    xmlNewChild(self,NULL,"peer","");
+    xmlNewChild(parent,NULL,"peer","");
 
-  return self;
+  return parent;
 }
 
 xmlNodePtr gst_pad_ghost_save_thyself(GstPad *pad,GstElement *bin,xmlNodePtr parent) {
diff --git a/gst/gstpad.h b/gst/gstpad.h
index 9e2083ee89..e92eff360f 100644
--- a/gst/gstpad.h
+++ b/gst/gstpad.h
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ GstBuffer *gst_pad_pull(GstPad *pad);
 void gst_pad_handle_qos(GstPad *pad, glong qos_message);
 
 xmlNodePtr gst_pad_save_thyself(GstPad *pad,xmlNodePtr parent);
+void gst_pad_load_and_connect(xmlNodePtr parent, GstObject *element, GHashTable *elements);
 
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/gst/gstthread.c b/gst/gstthread.c
index c26f018e1e..157a241bba 100644
--- a/gst/gstthread.c
+++ b/gst/gstthread.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ static void gst_thread_get_arg(GtkObject *object,GtkArg *arg,guint id);
 static GstElementStateReturn gst_thread_change_state(GstElement *element);
 
 static xmlNodePtr gst_thread_save_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent);
+static void gst_thread_restore_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent, GHashTable *elements);
 
 static void gst_thread_prepare(GstThread *thread);
 static void gst_thread_signal_thread(GstThread *thread);
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ gst_thread_get_type(void) {
       (GtkArgGetFunc)NULL,
       (GtkClassInitFunc)NULL,
     };
-    thread_type = gtk_type_unique(gst_bin_get_type(),&thread_info);
+    thread_type = gtk_type_unique(GST_TYPE_BIN,&thread_info);
   }
   return thread_type;
 }
@@ -93,13 +94,14 @@ gst_thread_class_init(GstThreadClass *klass) {
   gstelement_class = (GstElementClass*)klass;
   gstbin_class = (GstBinClass*)klass;
 
-  parent_class = gtk_type_class(gst_bin_get_type());
+  parent_class = gtk_type_class(GST_TYPE_BIN);
 
   gtk_object_add_arg_type("GstThread::create_thread", GTK_TYPE_BOOL,
                           GTK_ARG_READWRITE, ARG_CREATE_THREAD);
 
   gstelement_class->change_state = gst_thread_change_state;
   gstelement_class->save_thyself = gst_thread_save_thyself;
+  gstelement_class->restore_thyself = gst_thread_restore_thyself;
   gstelement_class->elementfactory = gst_elementfactory_find("thread");
 
   gstbin_class->create_plan = gst_thread_create_plan_dummy;
@@ -285,10 +287,17 @@ static void gst_thread_signal_thread(GstThread *thread) {
   g_mutex_unlock(thread->lock);
 }
 
+static void gst_thread_restore_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent, GHashTable *elements) {
+
+  g_print("gstthread: restore\n");
+
+  if (GST_ELEMENT_CLASS(parent_class)->restore_thyself)
+    GST_ELEMENT_CLASS(parent_class)->restore_thyself(element,parent, elements);
+}
+
 static xmlNodePtr gst_thread_save_thyself(GstElement *element,xmlNodePtr parent) {
-  xmlNewChild(parent,NULL,"type","thread");
 
   if (GST_ELEMENT_CLASS(parent_class)->save_thyself)
     GST_ELEMENT_CLASS(parent_class)->save_thyself(element,parent);
-	return NULL;
+  return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/gst/gstxml.c b/gst/gstxml.c
index c4ef8f2bc0..9ad5d763c2 100644
--- a/gst/gstxml.c
+++ b/gst/gstxml.c
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ xmlDocPtr gst_xml_write(GstElement *element) {
  */
 GstXML *gst_xml_new(const guchar *fname, const guchar *root) {
   xmlDocPtr doc;
+  xmlNodePtr field;
   GstXML *xml;
 
   g_return_val_if_fail(fname != NULL, NULL);
@@ -104,6 +105,17 @@ GstXML *gst_xml_new(const guchar *fname, const guchar *root) {
 
   xml = GST_XML(gtk_type_new(GST_TYPE_XML));
 
+  xml->elements = g_hash_table_new(g_str_hash, g_str_equal);
+
+  field = doc->root->childs;
+  
+  while (field) {
+    if (!strcmp(field->name, "element")) {
+      gst_element_load_thyself(field, xml->elements);
+    }
+    field = field->next;
+  }
+
   return xml;
 }
 
@@ -119,11 +131,14 @@ GstXML *gst_xml_new(const guchar *fname, const guchar *root) {
  * Returns: a pointer to a new GstElement
  */
 GstElement *gst_xml_get_element(GstXML *xml, const guchar *name) {
+  GstElement *element;
 
   g_return_val_if_fail(xml != NULL, NULL);
   g_return_val_if_fail(name != NULL, NULL);
 
-  g_print("gstxml: getting element \"%s\" (implement me)\n", name);
+  g_print("gstxml: getting element \"%s\"\n", name);
 
-  return NULL;
+  element = g_hash_table_lookup(xml->elements, name);
+
+  return element;
 }
diff --git a/gst/gstxml.h b/gst/gstxml.h
index a0adf592ee..c152f3a126 100644
--- a/gst/gstxml.h
+++ b/gst/gstxml.h
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ typedef struct _GstXMLClass GstXMLClass;
 
 struct _GstXML {
   GtkObject object;
+
+  GHashTable *elements;
 };
 
 struct _GstXMLClass {
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ xmlDocPtr gst_xml_write(GstElement *element);
 GstXML *gst_xml_new(const guchar *fname, const guchar *root);
 
 GstElement *gst_xml_get_element(GstXML *xml, const guchar *name);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif /* __cplusplus */
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstaudiosink.c b/plugins/elements/gstaudiosink.c
index fc09a75803..337456862b 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstaudiosink.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstaudiosink.c
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@ void gst_audiosink_sync_parms(GstAudioSink *audiosink) {
 
   g_return_if_fail(audiosink != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail(GST_IS_AUDIOSINK(audiosink));
-  g_return_if_fail(audiosink->fd > 0);
+
+  if (audiosink->fd == -1) return;
 
   ioctl(audiosink->fd,SNDCTL_DSP_RESET,0);
 
diff --git a/tests/old/examples/xml/createxml.c b/tests/old/examples/xml/createxml.c
index 36810a823f..9a32100230 100644
--- a/tests/old/examples/xml/createxml.c
+++ b/tests/old/examples/xml/createxml.c
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ int main(int argc,char *argv[])
   gst_init(&argc,&argv);
 
   /* create a new thread to hold the elements */
-  thread = gst_thread_new("thread");
+  //thread = gst_thread_new("thread");
+  thread = gst_elementfactory_make("thread", "thread");
   g_assert(thread != NULL);
-  thread2 = gst_thread_new("thread2");
+  thread2 = gst_elementfactory_make("thread", "thread2");
+  //thread2 = gst_thread_new("thread2");
   g_assert(thread2 != NULL);
 
   /* create a new bin to hold the elements */
diff --git a/tests/old/examples/xml/runxml.c b/tests/old/examples/xml/runxml.c
index b3f8739cf1..38b521939e 100644
--- a/tests/old/examples/xml/runxml.c
+++ b/tests/old/examples/xml/runxml.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ int main(int argc,char *argv[])
 {
   GstXML *xml;
   GstElement *bin;
+  GstElement *disk;
 
   gst_init(&argc,&argv);