diff --git a/eo/src/utils/eoParser.cpp b/eo/src/utils/eoParser.cpp
index 68f59323..009fd402 100644
--- a/eo/src/utils/eoParser.cpp
+++ b/eo/src/utils/eoParser.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ eoParam* eoParser::getParamWithLongName(std::string _name)
   typedef MultiMapType::const_iterator It;
   for (It p = params.begin(); p != params.end(); ++p)
     {
-      if (p->second->longName() == _name)
+      if (p->second->longName() == prefix+_name)
 	return p->second;
     }
   return 0;
@@ -161,6 +161,13 @@ eoValueParam<ValueType>& eoParser::getORcreateParam (
 
 void eoParser::processParam(eoParam& param, std::string section)
 {
+    // this param enters the parser: add the prefix to the long name
+    if (prefix != "")
+      {
+	param.setLongName(prefix+param.longName());
+	section = prefix + section;  // and to section
+      }
+
     doRegisterParam(param); // plainly register it
     params.insert(make_pair(section, &param));
 }
diff --git a/eo/src/utils/eoParser.h b/eo/src/utils/eoParser.h
index 5c1f07a3..e783e62a 100644
--- a/eo/src/utils/eoParser.h
+++ b/eo/src/utils/eoParser.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
  */
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
-CVS Info: $Date: 2003-02-27 19:21:17 $ $Version$ $Author: okoenig $
+CVS Info: $Date: 2004-04-05 15:28:12 $ $Version$ $Author: evomarc $
 */
 #ifndef eoParser_h
 #define eoParser_h
@@ -189,6 +189,12 @@ public:
   void setStopOnUnknownParam(bool _b) {stopOnUnknownParam.value()=_b;}
   bool getStopOnUnknownParam() {return stopOnUnknownParam.value();}
 
+  /** Prefix handling */
+  void setPrefix(const std:: string & _prefix) {prefix = _prefix;}
+
+  void resetPrefix() {prefix = "";}
+
+  std::string getPrefix() {return prefix;}
 
 private:
   
@@ -216,6 +222,9 @@ private:
   eoValueParam<bool>   stopOnUnknownParam;
 
   mutable std::vector<std::string> messages;
+
+  std::string prefix;   // used for all created params - in processParam
+
 };