diff --git a/common/trans.c b/common/trans.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bbb01949
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/trans.c
@@ -0,0 +1,342 @@
+/*
+   Copyright (c) 2008 Jay Sorg
+
+   Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+   copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
+   to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
+   the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
+   and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
+   Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+   The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+   in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+   THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+   OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+   FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+   AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+   LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
+   FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
+   DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+   generic transport
+
+*/
+
+#include "os_calls.h"
+#include "trans.h"
+#include "arch.h"
+#include "parse.h"
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+struct trans* APP_CC
+trans_create(int mode, int in_size, int out_size)
+{
+  struct trans* self;
+
+  self = (struct trans*)g_malloc(sizeof(struct trans), 1);
+  make_stream(self->in_s);
+  init_stream(self->in_s, in_size);
+  make_stream(self->out_s);
+  init_stream(self->out_s, out_size);
+  self->mode = mode;
+  return self;
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+void APP_CC
+trans_delete(struct trans* self)
+{
+  if (self == 0)
+  {
+    return;
+  }
+  free_stream(self->in_s);
+  free_stream(self->out_s);
+  g_tcp_close(self->sck);
+  g_free(self);
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+int APP_CC
+trans_get_wait_objs(struct trans* self, tbus* objs, int* count, int* timeout)
+{
+  if (self == 0)
+  {
+    return 1;
+  }
+  if (self->status != 1)
+  {
+    return 1;
+  }
+  objs[*count] = self->sck;
+  (*count)++;
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+int APP_CC
+trans_check_wait_objs(struct trans* self)
+{
+  tbus in_sck;
+  struct trans* in_trans;
+  int read_bytes;
+  int to_read;
+  int read_so_far;
+  int rv;
+
+  if (self == 0)
+  {
+    return 1;
+  }
+  if (self->status != 1)
+  {
+    return 1;
+  }
+  rv = 0;
+  if (self->type1 == 1) /* listening */
+  {
+    if (g_tcp_can_recv(self->sck, 0))
+    {
+      in_sck = g_tcp_accept(self->sck);
+      if (in_sck == -1)
+      {
+        if (g_tcp_last_error_would_block(self->sck))
+        {
+          /* ok, but shouldn't happen */
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          /* error */
+          self->status = 0;
+          rv = 1;
+        }
+      }
+      if (in_sck != -1)
+      {
+        if (self->trans_conn_in != 0) /* is function assigned */
+        {
+          in_trans = trans_create(self->mode, self->in_s->size,
+                                  self->out_s->size);
+          in_trans->sck = in_sck;
+          in_trans->type1 = 2;
+          in_trans->status = 1;
+          if (self->trans_conn_in(self, in_trans) != 0)
+          {
+            trans_delete(in_trans);
+          }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          g_tcp_close(in_sck);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  else /* connected server or client (2 or 3) */
+  {
+    if (g_tcp_can_recv(self->sck, 0))
+    {
+      read_so_far = (int)(self->in_s->end - self->in_s->data);
+      to_read = self->header_size - read_so_far;
+      read_bytes = g_tcp_recv(self->sck, self->in_s->end, to_read, 0);
+      if (read_bytes == -1)
+      {
+        if (g_tcp_last_error_would_block(self->sck))
+        {
+          /* ok, but shouldn't happen */
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          /* error */
+          self->status = 0;
+          rv = 1;
+        }
+      }
+      else if (read_bytes == 0)
+      {
+        /* error */
+        self->status = 0;
+        rv = 1;
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        self->in_s->end += read_bytes;
+      }
+      read_so_far = (int)(self->in_s->end - self->in_s->data);
+      if (read_so_far == self->header_size)
+      {
+        if (self->trans_data_in != 0)
+        {
+          rv = self->trans_data_in(self);
+          init_stream(self->in_s, 0);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return rv;
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+int APP_CC
+trans_force_read(struct trans* self, int size)
+{
+  int rv;
+  int rcvd;
+
+  if (self->status != 1)
+  {
+    return 1;
+  }
+  rv = 0;
+  while (size > 0)
+  {
+    rcvd = g_tcp_recv(self->sck, self->in_s->end, size, 0);
+    if (rcvd == -1)
+    {
+      if (g_tcp_last_error_would_block(self->sck))
+      {
+        if (!g_tcp_can_recv(self->sck, 10))
+        {
+          /* check for term here */
+        }
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        /* error */
+        self->status = 0;
+        rv = 1;
+      }
+    }
+    else if (rcvd == 0)
+    {
+      /* error */
+      self->status = 0;
+      rv = 1;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      self->in_s->end += rcvd;
+      size -= rcvd;
+    }
+  }
+  return rv;
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+int APP_CC
+trans_force_write(struct trans* self)
+{
+  int size;
+  int total;
+  int rv;
+  int sent;
+
+  if (self->status != 1)
+  {
+    return 1;
+  }
+  rv = 0;
+  size = (int)(self->out_s->end - self->out_s->data);
+  total = 0;
+  while (total < size)
+  {
+    sent = g_tcp_send(self->sck, self->out_s->data + total, size - total, 0);
+    if (sent == -1)
+    {
+      if (g_tcp_last_error_would_block(self->sck))
+      {
+        if (!g_tcp_can_send(self->sck, 10))
+        {
+          /* check for term here */
+        }
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        /* error */
+        self->status = 0;
+        rv = 1;
+      }
+    }
+    else if (sent == 0)
+    {
+      /* error */
+      self->status = 0;
+      rv = 1;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      total = total + sent;
+    }
+  }
+  return rv;
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+int APP_CC
+trans_connect(struct trans* self, const char* server, const char* port,
+              int timeout)
+{
+  int error;
+
+  if (self->sck != 0)
+  {
+    g_tcp_close(self->sck);
+  }
+  self->sck = g_tcp_socket();
+  g_tcp_set_non_blocking(self->sck);
+  error = g_tcp_connect(self->sck, server, port);
+  if (error == -1)
+  {
+    if (g_tcp_last_error_would_block(self->sck))
+    {
+      if (g_tcp_can_send(self->sck, timeout))
+      {
+        self->status = 1; /* ok */
+        self->type1 = 3; /* client */
+        return 0;
+      }
+    }
+    return 1;
+  }
+  self->status = 1; /* ok */
+  self->type1 = 3; /* client */
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+int APP_CC
+trans_listen(struct trans* self, char* port)
+{
+  if (self->sck != 0)
+  {
+    g_tcp_close(self->sck);
+  }
+  self->sck = g_tcp_socket();
+  g_tcp_set_non_blocking(self->sck);
+  if (g_tcp_bind(self->sck, port) == 0)
+  {
+    if (g_tcp_listen(self->sck) == 0)
+    {
+      self->status = 1; /* ok */
+      self->type1 = 1; /* listener */
+      return 0;
+    }
+  }
+  return 1;
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+struct stream* APP_CC
+trans_get_in_s(struct trans* self)
+{
+  return self->in_s;
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+struct stream* APP_CC
+trans_get_out_s(struct trans* self, int size)
+{
+  init_stream(self->out_s, size);
+  return self->out_s;
+}
diff --git a/common/trans.h b/common/trans.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b915ab9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/trans.h
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+/*
+   Copyright (c) 2004-2008 Jay Sorg
+
+   Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+   copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
+   to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
+   the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
+   and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
+   Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+   The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+   in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+   THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+   OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+   FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+   AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+   LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
+   FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
+   DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+   generic transport
+
+*/
+
+#if !defined(TRANS_H)
+#define TRANS_H
+
+#include "arch.h"
+#include "parse.h"
+
+struct trans; /* forward declaration */
+
+typedef int (*ttrans_data_in)(struct trans* self);
+typedef int (*ttrans_conn_in)(struct trans* self, struct trans* new_self);
+
+struct trans
+{
+  tbus sck;
+  int mode; /* tcp, shared memory, pipes */
+  int status;
+  int type1; /* 1 listener 2 server 3 client */
+  ttrans_data_in trans_data_in;
+  ttrans_conn_in trans_conn_in;
+  void* callback_data;
+  int header_size;
+  struct stream* in_s;
+  struct stream* out_s;
+};
+
+struct trans* APP_CC
+trans_create(int mode, int in_size, int out_size);
+void APP_CC
+trans_delete(struct trans* self);
+int APP_CC
+trans_get_wait_objs(struct trans* self, tbus* objs, int* count, int* timeout);
+int APP_CC
+trans_check_wait_objs(struct trans* self);
+int APP_CC
+trans_force_read(struct trans* self, int size);
+int APP_CC
+trans_force_write(struct trans* self);
+int APP_CC
+trans_connect(struct trans* self, const char* server, const char* port,
+              int timeout);
+int APP_CC
+trans_listen(struct trans* self, char* port);
+struct stream* APP_CC
+trans_get_in_s(struct trans* self);
+struct stream* APP_CC
+trans_get_out_s(struct trans* self, int size);
+
+#endif