diff --git a/MAINTENANCE b/MAINTENANCE
index 565b25f56eb1b38867f4a051063a8d5077923fed..d23edfa1e28901d43588fc6e6adfb59344f768c6 100644
--- a/MAINTENANCE
+++ b/MAINTENANCE
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ installation, the file alberta/src/Common/gltools.c is included in the ALBERTA
 libraries. The user can specify the path of an already installed
 gltools-package as a "configure" option, see INSTALL.
 
+Same thing applies for Open DX which is used for online visualization 
+via the alberta/src/Common/dxtools.c interface.
+
 IV) Checking into Subversion directory tree
 ====================================
 
diff --git a/Makefile.am.template b/Makefile.am.template
index b3c3e5d6a1ab3dacfdd1f190489b28619835337c..58be6a50bd56a113029a01c3d63c8f38e6819935 100644
--- a/Makefile.am.template
+++ b/Makefile.am.template
@@ -17,3 +17,7 @@ nodist_libalberta2%LIBCODE%_la_SOURCES = $(sources)
 if HAVE_GLTOOLS
 nodist_libalberta2%LIBCODE%_la_SOURCES += ../Common/gltools.c
 endif
+
+if HAVE_DX
+nodist_libalberta2%LIBCODE%_la_SOURCES += ../Common/dxtools.c
+endif
diff --git a/README b/README
index 7373355891c6e191ca68336fdd7f4d7711569b14..0e3a43b0c3564f6626cc681510db668b42f98a18 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ II.  External Packages (both required and optional packages)
          gltools
          GRAPE
          Silo
+         Open DX 
          alternate compilers
 
 III. Configure Options
@@ -170,6 +171,17 @@ gltools -- OpenGL toolkit
 	NOTE: you need at least gltools-2-4. Version 2-3 will _not_
 	work. "configure" does not check for right version, it's up to
 	yourself.
+
+dxtools -- Open DX toolkit
+	The dxtools are an interface to the Open DX visualization software.
+	It may be downloaded from
+
+	http://www.opendx.org/
+
+	The visualization features are far more advanced than gltools, 
+	however Open DX is a huge project that takes time getting used to.
+	The dxtools interface was designed to keep things simple and 
+	intuitive.
 	
 GRAPE -- Graphics Programming Environment
 	If GRAPE is present, the four programs alberta_grape22,
@@ -290,8 +302,7 @@ following options:
 
   --without-PKG
 	Prohibit the use of this package, even if it is installed on
-	your system. Obviously, this affects only the two optional
-	packages "gltools" and "GRAPE" .
+	your system.
 
   --with-PKG-name=NAME
         Alter the default name of the package,
@@ -350,6 +361,18 @@ notation (e.g. PREFIX, EPREFIX etc.).
   --with-gltools-headers=DIR
                           use gltools include files below directory DIR
                           (default: PREFIX/include/)
+  --without-dx       	  disable use of package dx (default: autodetect)
+  --with-dx-name=NAME
+                          use NAME as the name of the dx library (without
+                          leading "lib" prefix and trailing suffix). Default:
+                          "dx"
+  --with-dx-dir=DIR       use dx library (and headers) below directory
+                          DIR (no default)
+  --with-dx-lib=DIR       use dx library below directory DIR (default:
+                          EPREFIX/lib/)
+  --with-dx-headers=DIR
+                          use dx include files below directory DIR
+                          (default: PREFIX/include/)
   --without-grape         disable use of package grape (default: autodetect)
   --with-grape-name=NAME  use NAME as the name of the grape library (without
                           leading "lib" prefix and trailing suffix). Default:
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 85287900520bca1e72c9e7a41ca9053356b5fa70..368713217d0cd36dfc68cb06534d611fd6605933 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
 
 AC_PREREQ(2.59)
-AC_INIT([alberta2], [2.0], [claus@mathematik.uni-freiburg.de,koester@math.uni-augsburg.de])
+AC_INIT([alberta2], [2.0], [claus@mathematik.uni-freiburg.de,kosterdtp@ewi.uwente.nl])
 
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([alberta/src/Common/alberta.h])
 AM_MAINTAINER_MODE
@@ -254,6 +254,16 @@ dnl check for optional package gltools
 dnl
 ALBERTA_CHECK_PACKAGE(gltools, gltools, ,${OPENGL_ALL_LIB} ${X_ALL_LIBS}, glmesh.h,,,optional)
 
+dnl
+dnl check for optional package dx
+dnl
+ALBERTA_CHECK_PACKAGE(dx, DXL, ,-lrt -lDXcallm,dx/dx.h,,,optional)
+
+if test -n "${HAVE_DX_FALSE}"; then
+AC_CHECK_HEADERS([unistd.h errno.h Xm/Xm.h Xm/Form.h Xm/DrawingA.h pthread.h],,
+		 [AC_MSG_ERROR([Sorry, needed for dxtools, exiting...])])
+fi
+
 dnl
 dnl GRAPE interface stuff
 dnl
@@ -268,7 +278,7 @@ dnl
 dnl Geomview interface, should not depend on any other installed
 dnl library, just a conversion tool.
 dnl
-AM_CONDITIONAL(GEOMVIEW, true)
+AM_CONDITIONAL(GEOMVIEW, false)
 
 dnl
 dnl Debugging
@@ -299,4 +309,4 @@ ALBERTA_DIMENSION_DISABLE(3)
 #
 # flush everything to disk
 #
-AC_OUTPUT
\ No newline at end of file
+AC_OUTPUT