2 files changed, 43 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/include/plist/plist.h b/include/plist/plist.h
index bfd934f..55ae9e7 100644
--- a/include/plist/plist.h
+++ b/include/plist/plist.h
@@ -411,6 +411,14 @@ extern "C" {
  ********************************************/
 
 /**
+ * Forces type of node. Changing type of structured nodes is only allowed if node is empty.
+ * Reset value of node;
+ * @param node the node
+ * @param type the key value
+ */
+        PLIST_API void plist_set_type(plist_t node, plist_type type);
+
+/**
  * Set the value of a node.
  * Forces type of node to #PLIST_KEY
  *
diff --git a/src/plist.c b/src/plist.c
index 3b0387e..df98a7a 100644
--- a/src/plist.c
+++ b/src/plist.c
@@ -44,10 +44,8 @@ plist_data_t plist_new_plist_data(void)
         return data;
 }
 
-static void plist_free_node(GNode * node, gpointer none)
+static void plist_free_data(plist_data_t data)
 {
-        g_node_unlink(node);
-        plist_data_t data = plist_get_data(node);
         if (data) {
                 switch (data->type) {
                 case PLIST_KEY:
@@ -62,6 +60,13 @@ static void plist_free_node(GNode * node, gpointer none)
                 }
                 free(data);
         }
+}
+
+static void plist_free_node(GNode * node, gpointer none)
+{
+        g_node_unlink(node);
+        plist_data_t data = plist_get_data(node);
+        plist_free_data(data);
         node->data = NULL;
         g_node_children_foreach(node, G_TRAVERSE_ALL, plist_free_node, NULL);
 }
@@ -664,6 +669,33 @@ static plist_t plist_set_element_val(plist_t node, plist_type type, const void *
         }
 }
 
+void plist_set_type(plist_t node, plist_type type)
+{
+        if ( g_node_n_children(node) == 0 ) {
+                plist_data_t data = plist_get_data(node);
+                plist_free_data( data );
+                data = plist_new_plist_data();
+                data->type = type;
+                switch(type){
+                case PLIST_BOOLEAN:
+                        data->length = sizeof(uint8_t);
+                        break;
+                case PLIST_UINT:
+                        data->length = sizeof(uint64_t);
+                        break;
+                case PLIST_REAL:
+                        data->length = sizeof(double);
+                        break;
+                case PLIST_DATE:
+                        data->length = sizeof(GTimeVal);
+                        break;
+                default:
+                        data->length = 0;
+                        break;
+                }
+        }
+}
+
 void plist_set_key_val(plist_t node, const char *val)
 {
         plist_set_element_val(node, PLIST_KEY, val, strlen(val));