diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
index 9b7d8bb..2cf1a3d 100644
--- a/.gitattributes
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -378,6 +378,7 @@ src/h5/errorhandling.h -text
 src/h5/errorhandling_private.h -text
 src/h5/general.c -text
 src/h5/h5_core.h -text
+src/h5/h5_core_private.h -text
 src/h5/h5_private.h -text
 src/h5/h5_types.h -text
 src/h5/maps.c -text
diff --git a/src/h5/h5_core_private.h b/src/h5/h5_core_private.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c6b4050
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/h5/h5_core_private.h
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+#ifndef __H5_PRIVATE_H
+#define __H5_PRIVATE_H
+
+#include "errorhandling_private.h"
+#include "t_map_private.h"
+#include "t_errorhandling_private.h"
+
+#define H5PART_GROUPNAME_STEP	"Step"
+
+#define H5B_CONTAINER_GRPNAME	"Block"
+
+#define H5T_CONTAINER_GRPNAME	"Topo"
+
+#define H5BLOCK_GROUPNAME_BLOCK	H5B_CONTAINER_GRPNAME
+
+#define H5_TET_MASK		( (h5_id_t) (0xffffffff >> 3) )
+#define _h5t_build_triangle_id( idx, entity_id ) \
+	( (idx << (sizeof(entity_id)*8 - 3)) | (entity_id & H5_TET_MASK))
+
+#define SET_FNAME( fname )	h5_set_funcname( fname );
+
+#define CHECK_FILEHANDLE( f ) \
+	if ( f == NULL ) \
+		return HANDLE_H5_BADFD_ERR;
+
+#define CHECK_WRITABLE_MODE( f )  \
+	if ( f->mode==H5PART_READ ) \
+		return (*h5_get_errorhandler()) (	\
+			h5_get_funcname(), \
+			H5_ERR_INVAL, \
+			"Attempting to write to read-only file" );
+
+#define CHECK_READONLY_MODE( f )  \
+	if ( ! f->mode==H5PART_READ ) \
+		return (*h5_get_errorhandler()) (	\
+			h5_get_funcname(), \
+			H5_ERR_INVAL, \
+			"Operation is not allowed on writable files." );
+
+#define CHECK_TIMEGROUP( f ) \
+	if ( f->step_gid <= 0 ) \
+		return (*h5_get_errorhandler()) (	\
+			h5_get_funcname(), \
+			H5_ERR_INVAL, \
+			"Internal error: step_gid <= 0.");
+
+
+
+/*!
+  The functions declared here are not part of the API, but may be used
+  in extensions like H5Block. We name these functions "private".
+
+  \note
+  Private function may change there interface even in stable versions.
+  Don't use them in applications!
+*/
+
+struct _iter_op_data {
+	int stop_idx;
+	int count;
+	int type;
+	char *name;
+	size_t len;
+	char *pattern;
+};
+
+h5part_int64_t
+h5_set_step (
+	h5_file *f,
+	const h5part_int64_t step
+	);
+
+h5part_int64_t
+h5_get_num_particles (
+	h5_file *f
+	);
+
+herr_t
+h5_iteration_operator (
+	hid_t group_id,
+	const char *member_name,
+	void *operator_data
+	);
+
+
+
+#define SET_FNAME( fname )	h5_set_funcname( fname );
+
+hid_t
+h5_normalize_h5_type (
+	hid_t type
+	);
+
+h5part_int64_t
+h5_read_attrib (
+	hid_t id,
+	const char *attrib_name,
+	void *attrib_value
+	);
+
+h5part_int64_t
+h5_write_attrib (
+	hid_t id,
+	const char *attrib_name,
+	const hid_t attrib_type,
+	const void *attrib_value,
+	const hsize_t attrib_nelem
+	);
+
+h5part_int64_t
+h5_get_attrib_info (
+	hid_t id,
+	const h5part_int64_t attrib_idx,
+	char *attrib_name,
+	const h5part_int64_t len_attrib_name,
+	h5part_int64_t *attrib_type,
+	h5part_int64_t *attrib_nelem
+	);
+
+h5part_int64_t
+h5_get_num_objects (
+	hid_t group_id,
+	const char *group_name,
+	const hid_t type
+	);
+
+h5part_int64_t
+h5_get_num_objects_matching_pattern (
+	hid_t group_id,
+	const char *group_name,
+	const hid_t type,
+	char * const pattern
+	);
+
+h5part_int64_t
+_H5Part_get_object_name (
+	hid_t group_id,
+	const char *group_name,
+	const hid_t type,
+	const h5part_int64_t idx,
+	char *obj_name,
+	const h5part_int64_t len_obj_name
+	);
+
+
+char *
+_H5Part_strdupfor2c (
+	const char *s,
+	const ssize_t len
+	);
+
+char *
+_H5Part_strc2for (
+	char * const str,
+	const ssize_t l_str
+	);
+
+
+#ifdef IPL_XT3
+# define SEEK_END 2 
+#endif
+
+#endif