diff --git a/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/tree.py b/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/tree.py
index ad64a5a709..098ed7f689 100644
--- a/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/tree.py
+++ b/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/tree.py
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ class ID_NEW:
     REF = wx.NewId()
     COMMENT = wx.NewId()
 
+    CUSTOM = wx.NewId()
+    for i in range(99): wx.NewId()   # reserve IDs for custom controls
+
     LAST = wx.NewId()
 
     
@@ -377,7 +380,17 @@ class PullDownMenu:
             ID_NEW.HELP_BUTTON: ('wxID_HELP', '&Help'),
             ID_NEW.CONTEXT_HELP_BUTTON: ('wxID_CONTEXT_HELP', '&Help'),
             }
-            
+        self.clearCustom()
+
+    def clearCustom(self):
+        # Custom controls
+        self.custom = [['custom', 'User-defined controls']]
+        self.customMap = {}        
+        
+    def addCustom(self, klass):
+        n = len(self.custom[0])-2
+        self.custom[0].append((ID_NEW.CUSTOM + n, klass))
+        self.customMap[ID_NEW.CUSTOM + n] = klass
 
 
 ################################################################################
@@ -904,16 +917,7 @@ class XML_Tree(wx.TreeCtrl):
         res = xrc.XmlResource('', xmlFlags)
         xrc.XmlResource.Set(res)        # set as global
         # Register handlers
-        addHandlers(res)
-        # Test Test.py
-        #import Test
-        #res.InsertHandler(Test.TestXmlHandler())
-        # Test test.so
-        import ctypes
-        test = ctypes.CDLL('test.so')
-        addr = int(str(res.this).split('_')[1], 16)
-        #test._Z17AddTestXmlHandlerP13wxXmlResource(ctypes.c_void_p(addr))
-        #test.AddTestXmlHandler(ctypes.c_void_p(addr))
+        addHandlers()
         res.Load('memory:xxx.xrc')
         try:
             if xxx.__class__ == xxxFrame:
@@ -1013,6 +1017,9 @@ class XML_Tree(wx.TreeCtrl):
             inf = sys.exc_info()
             wx.LogError(traceback.format_exception(inf[0], inf[1], None)[-1])
             wx.LogError('Error loading resource')
+        # Cleanup
+        res.Unload('xxx.xrc')
+        xrc.XmlResource.Set(None)
         wx.MemoryFSHandler.RemoveFile('xxx.xrc')
 
     def CloseTestWindow(self):
@@ -1137,6 +1144,9 @@ class XML_Tree(wx.TreeCtrl):
                 m.AppendSeparator()
                 m.Append(ID_NEW.REF, 'reference...', 'Create object_ref node')
                 m.Append(ID_NEW.COMMENT, 'comment', 'Create comment node')
+                # Add custom controls menu
+                if pullDownMenu.customMap:
+                    SetMenu(m, pullDownMenu.custom)
             # Select correct label for create menu
             if not needInsert:
                 if self.shift:
diff --git a/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/xrced.py b/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/xrced.py
index 5e1068f57b..dda3b7c5b7 100644
--- a/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/xrced.py
+++ b/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/xrced.py
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 else:
     basePath = os.path.dirname(__file__)
 
+# Remember system path
+sys_path = sys.path
+
 # 1 adds CMD command to Help menu
 debug = 0
 
@@ -51,7 +54,7 @@ select "Append Child", and then any command.<P>
 Or just press one of the buttons on the tools palette.<P>
 Enter XML ID, change properties, create children.<P>
 To test your interface select Test command (View menu).<P>
-Consult README file for the details.</HTML>
+Consult README.txt file for the details.</HTML>
 """
 
 defaultIDs = {xxxPanel:'PANEL', xxxDialog:'DIALOG', xxxFrame:'FRAME',
@@ -71,13 +74,13 @@ class ScrolledMessageDialog(wx.Dialog):
                              wx.DefaultSize, wx.TE_MULTILINE | wx.TE_READONLY)
         text.SetFont(g.modernFont())
         dc = wx.WindowDC(text)
-        # !!! possible bug - GetTextExtent without font returns sysfont dims
         w, h = dc.GetFullTextExtent(' ', g.modernFont())[:2]
         ok = wx.Button(self, wx.ID_OK, "OK")
+        ok.SetDefault()
         text.SetConstraints(Layoutf('t=t5#1;b=t5#2;l=l5#1;r=r5#1', (self,ok)))
         text.SetSize((w * 80 + 30, h * 40))
-        text.ShowPosition(1)
-        ok.SetConstraints(Layoutf('b=b5#1;x%w50#1;w!80;h!25', (self,)))
+        text.ShowPosition(1)            # scroll to the first line
+        ok.SetConstraints(Layoutf('b=b5#1;x%w50#1;w!80;h!35', (self,)))
         self.SetAutoLayout(True)
         self.Fit()
         self.CenterOnScreen(wx.BOTH)
@@ -182,7 +185,7 @@ class Frame(wx.Frame):
         menu = wx.Menu()
         menu.Append(wx.ID_ABOUT, '&About...', 'About XCRed')
         self.ID_README = wx.NewId()
-        menu.Append(self.ID_README, '&Readme...', 'View the README file')
+        menu.Append(self.ID_README, '&Readme...\tF1', 'View the README file')
         if debug:
             self.ID_DEBUG_CMD = wx.NewId()
             menu.Append(self.ID_DEBUG_CMD, 'CMD', 'Python command line')
@@ -533,14 +536,21 @@ class Frame(wx.Frame):
         # Create a copy of clipboard pickled element
         success = success_node = False
         if wx.TheClipboard.Open():
-            data = wx.CustomDataObject('XRCED')
-            if wx.TheClipboard.IsSupported(data.GetFormat()):
-                success = wx.TheClipboard.GetData(data)
-            if not success:             # try other format
-                data = wx.CustomDataObject('XRCED_node')
+            try:
+                data = wx.CustomDataObject('XRCED')
                 if wx.TheClipboard.IsSupported(data.GetFormat()):
-                    success_node = wx.TheClipboard.GetData(data)
-            wx.TheClipboard.Close()
+                    try:
+                        success = wx.TheClipboard.GetData(data)
+                    except:
+                        # there is a problem if XRCED_node is in clipboard
+                        # but previous SetData was for XRCED
+                        pass
+                if not success:             # try other format
+                    data = wx.CustomDataObject('XRCED_node')
+                    if wx.TheClipboard.IsSupported(data.GetFormat()):
+                        success_node = wx.TheClipboard.GetData(data)
+            finally:
+                wx.TheClipboard.Close()
 
         if not success and not success_node:
             wx.MessageBox(
@@ -1086,7 +1096,10 @@ Homepage: http://xrced.sourceforge.net\
             xxx = MakeEmptyCommentXXX(parent)
         else:
             # Create empty element
-            className = pullDownMenu.createMap[evt.GetId()]
+            if evt.GetId() >= ID_NEW.CUSTOM:
+                className = pullDownMenu.customMap[evt.GetId()]
+            else:
+                className = pullDownMenu.createMap[evt.GetId()]
             xxx = MakeEmptyXXX(parent, className)
 
         # Insert new node, register undo
@@ -1367,6 +1380,7 @@ Homepage: http://xrced.sourceforge.net\
             self.maxIDs[cl] = 0
         # Handlers
         clearHandlers()
+        g.pullDownMenu.clearCustom()
 
     def SetModified(self, state=True):
         self.modified = state
@@ -1397,6 +1411,8 @@ Homepage: http://xrced.sourceforge.net\
             self.dataFile = path = os.path.abspath(path)
             dir = os.path.dirname(path)
             if dir: os.chdir(dir)
+            # Allow importing modules from the same directory
+            sys.path = sys_path + [dir]
             tree.SetData(dom)
             self.SetTitle(progname + ': ' + os.path.basename(path))
             conf.localconf = self.CreateLocalConf(self.dataFile)
diff --git a/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/xxx.py b/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/xxx.py
index 1ee0ffa5a3..ecae28d752 100644
--- a/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/xxx.py
+++ b/wxPython/wx/tools/XRCed/xxx.py
@@ -919,10 +919,11 @@ class xxxUnknown(xxxObject):
 ################################################################################
 # Comment
 
-_handlers = []
-_CFuncPtr = None
+_handlers = []                          # custom handler classes/funcs
+_CFuncPtr = None                        # ctypes function type
 
 def register(hndlr):
+    """Register hndlr function or XmlResourceHandler class."""
     if _CFuncPtr and isinstance(hndlr, _CFuncPtr):
         _handlers.append(hndlr)
         return
@@ -934,24 +935,31 @@ def register(hndlr):
         _handlers.append(hndlr)
 
 def load_dl(path, localname=''):
+    """Load shared/dynamic library into xxx namespace."""
+    if not localname:
+        localname = os.path.basename(os.path.splitext(path)[0])
     try:
         import ctypes
         global _CFuncPtr
         _CFuncPtr = ctypes._CFuncPtr
     except ImportError:
         wx.LogError('ctypes module not found')
+        globals()[localname] = None
         return
     try:
         dl = ctypes.CDLL(path)
-        if not localname:
-            localname = os.path.basename(os.path.splitext(dl._name)[0])
         globals()[localname] = dl
+        # Register AddXmlHandlers() if exists
+        try:
+            register(dl.AddXmlHandlers)
+        except:
+            pass
     except:
-        wx.LogError('error loading dynamic library: %s', path)
+        wx.LogError('error loading dynamic library: %s' % path)
         print traceback.print_exc()
 
 # Called when creating test window
-def addHandlers(res):
+def addHandlers():
     for h in _handlers:
         if _CFuncPtr and isinstance(h, _CFuncPtr):
             try:
@@ -961,7 +969,7 @@ def addHandlers(res):
                 print traceback.print_exc()
         else:
             try:
-                res.AddHandler(apply(h, ()))
+                xrc.XmlResource.Get().AddHandler(apply(h, ()))
             except:
                 wx.LogError('error adding XmlHandler: "%s"' % h)
                 print traceback.print_exc()
@@ -970,6 +978,28 @@ def clearHandlers():
     global _handlers
     _handlers = []
 
+def custom(klassName, klass='unknown'):
+    """Define custom control based on xrcClass.
+
+    klass: new object name
+    xrcClass: name of an existing XRC object class or
+              a class object defining class parameters.
+    """
+    if type(klass) is str:
+        # Copy correct xxx class under new name
+        kl = xxxDict[klass]
+        xxxClass = types.ClassType('xxx' + klassName, kl.__bases__, kl.__dict__)
+    else:
+        xxxClass = klass
+        # Register param IDs
+        for param in klass.allParams + klass.paramDict.keys():
+            if not paramIDs.has_key(param):
+                paramIDs[param] = wx.NewId()
+    # Insert in dictionaty
+    xxxDict[klassName] = xxxClass
+    # Add to menu
+    g.pullDownMenu.addCustom(klassName)
+
 class xxxParamComment(xxxParam):
     def __init__(self, node):
         xxxNode.__init__(self, node)
@@ -1002,6 +1032,7 @@ class xxxComment(xxxObject):
 
 ################################################################################
 
+# Mapping of XRC names to xxx classes
 xxxDict = {
     'wxPanel': xxxPanel,
     'wxDialog': xxxDialog,