diff --git a/crlcore/src/ccore/AllianceFramework.cpp b/crlcore/src/ccore/AllianceFramework.cpp
index ac53b209..1735e0af 100644
--- a/crlcore/src/ccore/AllianceFramework.cpp
+++ b/crlcore/src/ccore/AllianceFramework.cpp
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ namespace CRL {
     , _parentLibrary(NULL)
     , _routingGauges()
   {
+  //cerr << "AllianceFramework::AllianceFramework()" << endl;
+
   // Triggers System singleton loading.
     System::get ();
 
diff --git a/crlcore/src/ccore/Utilities.cpp b/crlcore/src/ccore/Utilities.cpp
index a547f508..1aef5391 100644
--- a/crlcore/src/ccore/Utilities.cpp
+++ b/crlcore/src/ccore/Utilities.cpp
@@ -237,6 +237,23 @@ namespace CRL {
     bfs::path sysConfDir ( SYS_CONF_DIR );
     if ( not sysConfDir.has_root_path() ) {
       if ( arguments.count("coriolis_top") ) {
+        // const boptions::variable_value& value = arguments["coriolis_top"];
+        // cerr << "value:"
+        //      << " empty:"     << boolalpha << value.empty()
+        //      << " defaulted:" << boolalpha << value.defaulted()
+        //      << endl;
+        // const type_info& info = value.value().type();
+        // cerr << "type_info:" << info.name()
+        //      << " vs. " << typeid(string).name() << endl;
+        // cerr << "Equal:" << boolalpha << (info == typeid(std::string)) << endl;
+
+        // const type_info& info2 = typeid(string);
+        // cerr << (void*)&(typeid(string))
+        //      << " vs. " << (void*)&info2
+        //      << " vs. " << (void*)&info
+        //      << endl;
+        // cerr << "any_cast<string>:" << boost::any_cast<string>(value.value()) << endl;
+
         sysConfDir = arguments["coriolis_top"].as<string>() / sysConfDir;
       } else {
         cerr << Error("Environment variable CORIOLIS_TOP not set,"
diff --git a/crlcore/src/pyCRL/PyAllianceFramework.cpp b/crlcore/src/pyCRL/PyAllianceFramework.cpp
index 9e5f4dc7..cb24607a 100644
--- a/crlcore/src/pyCRL/PyAllianceFramework.cpp
+++ b/crlcore/src/pyCRL/PyAllianceFramework.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,26 @@ extern "C" {
 #if defined(__PYTHON_MODULE__)
 
 
+  static PyObject* PyAllianceFramework_get ( PyObject* )
+  {
+    trace << "PyAllianceFramework_get()" << endl;
+
+    AllianceFramework*   af   = NULL;
+    PyAllianceFramework* pyAf = NULL;
+    
+    HTRY
+    af = AllianceFramework::get ();
+
+    pyAf = PyObject_NEW ( PyAllianceFramework, &PyTypeAllianceFramework );
+    if ( pyAf == NULL ) return NULL;
+
+    pyAf->_object = af;
+    HCATCH
+
+    return (PyObject*)pyAf;
+  }
+
+
   extern PyObject* PyAllianceFramework_getLibrary ( PyAllianceFramework* self, PyObject* args )
   {
     trace << "PyAllianceFramework_getLibrary ()" << endl;
@@ -160,12 +180,18 @@ extern "C" {
 
 
   PyMethodDef PyAllianceFramework_Methods[] =
-    { { "getLibrary"   , (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_getLibrary, METH_VARARGS, "Gets a Library, by index." }
-    , { "getCell"      , (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_getCell   , METH_VARARGS, "Gets an Alliance Cell." }
-    , { "saveCell"     , (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_saveCell  , METH_VARARGS, "Saves an Alliance Cell." }
-    , { "createCell"   , (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_createCell, METH_VARARGS, "Create a Cell in the Alliance framework." }
-  //, { "destroy"      , (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_destroy   , METH_NOARGS
-  //                   , "Destroy the associated hurricane object. The python object remains." }
+    { { "get"                 , (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_get       , METH_NOARGS|METH_STATIC
+                              , "Gets the Alliance Framework." }
+    , { "getLibrary"          , (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_getLibrary, METH_VARARGS
+                              , "Gets a Library, by index." }
+    , { "getCell"             , (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_getCell   , METH_VARARGS
+                              , "Gets an Alliance Cell." }
+    , { "saveCell"            , (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_saveCell  , METH_VARARGS
+                              , "Saves an Alliance Cell." }
+    , { "createCell"          , (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_createCell, METH_VARARGS
+                              , "Create a Cell in the Alliance framework." }
+  //, { "destroy"             , (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_destroy   , METH_NOARGS
+  //                          , "Destroy the associated hurricane object. The python object remains." }
     , {NULL, NULL, 0, NULL}           /* sentinel */
     };
 
@@ -182,26 +208,6 @@ extern "C" {
 // x=================================================================x
 
 
-  PyObject* PyAllianceFramework_get ( PyObject *module )
-  {
-    trace << "PyAllianceFramework_get()" << endl;
-
-    AllianceFramework*   af   = NULL;
-    PyAllianceFramework* pyAf = NULL;
-    
-    HTRY
-    af = AllianceFramework::get ();
-
-    pyAf = PyObject_NEW ( PyAllianceFramework, &PyTypeAllianceFramework );
-    if ( pyAf == NULL ) return NULL;
-
-    pyAf->_object = af;
-    HCATCH
-
-    return (PyObject*)pyAf;
-  }
-
-
 
   // Link/Creation Method.
   PyTypeObjectDefinitions(AllianceFramework)
diff --git a/crlcore/src/pyCRL/PyCRL.cpp b/crlcore/src/pyCRL/PyCRL.cpp
index 49474a6d..7b025773 100644
--- a/crlcore/src/pyCRL/PyCRL.cpp
+++ b/crlcore/src/pyCRL/PyCRL.cpp
@@ -65,9 +65,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
 
   static PyMethodDef PyCRL_Methods[] =
-    { { "getAllianceFramework", (PyCFunction)PyAllianceFramework_get, METH_NOARGS
-                              , "Gets the Alliance Framework." }
-    , { "createPartRing"      , (PyCFunction)PyToolBox_createPartRing, METH_VARARGS
+    { { "createPartRing"      , (PyCFunction)PyToolBox_createPartRing, METH_VARARGS
                               , "Partial build of a ring" }
     , {NULL, NULL, 0, NULL}     /* sentinel */
     };
@@ -103,12 +101,16 @@ extern "C" {
 
     Py_INCREF ( &PyTypeCatalog );
     PyModule_AddObject ( module, "Catalog", (PyObject*)&PyTypeCatalog );
+    Py_INCREF ( &PyTypeAllianceFramework );
+    PyModule_AddObject ( module, "AllianceFramework", (PyObject*)&PyTypeAllianceFramework );
 
     PyCatalog_postModuleInit ();
     
     PyObject* dictionnary = PyModule_GetDict ( module );
 
   //DbULoadConstants ( dictionnary );
+
+    trace << "CRL.so loaded " << (void*)&typeid(string) << endl;
   }
 
   
diff --git a/crlcore/src/pyCRL/crlcore/PyAllianceFramework.h b/crlcore/src/pyCRL/crlcore/PyAllianceFramework.h
index 5135e95a..5684497f 100644
--- a/crlcore/src/pyCRL/crlcore/PyAllianceFramework.h
+++ b/crlcore/src/pyCRL/crlcore/PyAllianceFramework.h
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ extern "C" {
   extern  PyTypeObject  PyTypeAllianceFramework;
   extern  PyMethodDef   PyAllianceFramework_Methods[];
 
-  extern  PyObject* PyAllianceFramework_get        ( PyObject* module );
   extern  PyObject* PyAllianceFramework_Link       ( CRL::AllianceFramework* );
   extern  void      PyAllianceFramework_LinkPyType ();