diff --git a/include/envelope.hpp b/include/envelope.hpp
index 0e94099b1..05086e2c3 100644
--- a/include/envelope.hpp
+++ b/include/envelope.hpp
@@ -62,7 +62,15 @@ namespace mapnik
 	bool operator==(const EnvelopeType &other) const;
 	void re_center(T cx,T cy);
 	void init(T x0,T y0,T x1,T y1);
+	std::string to_string() const;
     };
+    
+    
+    template <typename T> 
+    inline std::string Envelope<T>::to_string() const
+    {
+	return "envelope - TODO";
+    }
 
     template <class charT,class traits,class T>
     inline std::basic_ostream<charT,traits>&
diff --git a/include/filter_factory.hpp b/include/filter_factory.hpp
index fec3001a6..ef8910ad8 100644
--- a/include/filter_factory.hpp
+++ b/include/filter_factory.hpp
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ namespace mapnik
     class filter_factory
     {
     public:
-	filter_factory() {}
-	filter_ptr compile(string const& str) const
+	static filter_ptr compile(string const& str)
 	{
 	    stack<ref_ptr<filter<FeatureT> > > filters;
 	    stack<ref_ptr<expression<FeatureT> > > exps;
@@ -38,14 +37,12 @@ namespace mapnik
 	    parse_info<> info = parse(text,text+strlen(text),grammar,space_p);
 	    if (info.full && !filters.empty())
 	    {
-		cout<<"success parsing filter expression:\n";
-		cout<<filters.top()->to_string()<<"\n";
 		return filters.top();	
 	    }
 	    else 
 	    {
-		cout << "failed at :" << info.stop << "\n";
-		return filter_ptr(new all_filter<FeatureT>());
+		cerr << "failed at :" << info.stop << "\n";
+		return filter_ptr(new none_filter<FeatureT>());
 	    }  
 	}
     };
diff --git a/include/filter_parser.hpp b/include/filter_parser.hpp
index a37e17713..9e3fde45a 100644
--- a/include/filter_parser.hpp
+++ b/include/filter_parser.hpp
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@
 
 using namespace boost::spirit;
 using std::string;
-using std::cout;
 using std::cerr;
 using std::stack;
 
@@ -87,7 +86,6 @@ namespace mapnik
 		str.erase(idx,1);
 		idx = str.find(quote);
 	    }
-	    cout << "string(\""<<str<<"\")\n";
 	    exprs_.push(ref_ptr<expression<FeatureT> >(new literal<FeatureT>(str)));
 	}
 	stack<ref_ptr<expression<FeatureT> > >& exprs_;
@@ -153,9 +151,9 @@ namespace mapnik
 		    {
 			filters_.push(ref_ptr<filter<FeatureT> >(new regex_filter<FeatureT>(*exp,pattern)));
 		    }
-		    catch (boost::regex_error& ex)
+		    catch (...)//boost::regex_error& ex)
 		    {
-			cerr<<ex.what()<<"\n";
+		      cerr<<"error\n";//ex.what()<<"\n";
 		    }
 		    
 		}
diff --git a/include/value.hpp b/include/value.hpp
index 03d4fe217..d3a80b147 100644
--- a/include/value.hpp
+++ b/include/value.hpp
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ namespace mapnik { namespace impl {
 
 	value& operator-=(value const& other)
 	{
-	    v_ = apply_visitor(sub(),v_,other.get());
+	    v_ = apply_visitor(sub(),v_,other.get());	    //cout << "string(\""<<str<<"\")\n";
 	    return *this;
 	}
 
diff --git a/python/mapnik_envelope.cpp b/python/mapnik_envelope.cpp
index 93617b51b..1bd2817f0 100644
--- a/python/mapnik_envelope.cpp
+++ b/python/mapnik_envelope.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,26 @@ struct envelope_pickle_suite : boost::python::pickle_suite
     }
 };
 
+//define overloads here
+void (Envelope<double>::*width_p1)(double) = &Envelope<double>::width;
+double (Envelope<double>::*width_p2)() const = &Envelope<double>::width;
+
+void (Envelope<double>::*height_p1)(double) = &Envelope<double>::height;
+double (Envelope<double>::*height_p2)() const = &Envelope<double>::height;
+
+void (Envelope<double>::*expand_to_include_p1)(double,double) = &Envelope<double>::expand_to_include;
+void (Envelope<double>::*expand_to_include_p2)(coord<double,2> const& ) = &Envelope<double>::expand_to_include;
+void (Envelope<double>::*expand_to_include_p3)(Envelope<double> const& ) = &Envelope<double>::expand_to_include;
+
+bool (Envelope<double>::*contains_p1)(double,double) const = &Envelope<double>::contains;
+bool (Envelope<double>::*contains_p2)(coord<double,2> const&) const = &Envelope<double>::contains;
+bool (Envelope<double>::*contains_p3)(Envelope<double> const&) const = &Envelope<double>::contains;
+
+bool (Envelope<double>::*intersects_p1)(double,double) const = &Envelope<double>::intersects;
+bool (Envelope<double>::*intersects_p2)(coord<double,2> const&) const = &Envelope<double>::intersects;
+bool (Envelope<double>::*intersects_p3)(Envelope<double> const&) const = &Envelope<double>::intersects;
+
+
 void export_envelope()
 {
     using namespace boost::python;
@@ -45,6 +65,21 @@ void export_envelope()
         .add_property("maxx",&Envelope<double>::maxx)
         .add_property("maxy",&Envelope<double>::maxy)
         .def("center",&Envelope<double>::center)
+	.def("center",&Envelope<double>::re_center)
+	.def("width",width_p1)
+	.def("width",width_p2)
+	.def("height",height_p1)
+	.def("height",height_p2)
+	.def("expand_to_include",expand_to_include_p1)
+	.def("expand_to_include",expand_to_include_p2)
+	.def("expand_to_include",expand_to_include_p3)
+	.def("contains",contains_p1)
+	.def("contains",contains_p2)
+	.def("contains",contains_p3)
+	.def("intersects",intersects_p1)
+	.def("intersects",intersects_p2)
+	.def("intersects",intersects_p3)
+	.def(self == self)
         .def_pickle(envelope_pickle_suite())
         ;
 }
diff --git a/python/mapnik_filter.cpp b/python/mapnik_filter.cpp
index ab1791744..748ea5251 100644
--- a/python/mapnik_filter.cpp
+++ b/python/mapnik_filter.cpp
@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@ namespace
     using namespace boost::python;
     filter_ptr create_filter(string const& filter_text)
     {
-	filter_factory<Feature> factory;
-	return factory.compile(filter_text);
+	return filter_factory<Feature>::compile(filter_text);
     }
 }