diff --git a/src/register/combocell.c b/src/register/combocell.c
index b8b4cbf7c1..9ca8a495da 100644
--- a/src/register/combocell.c
+++ b/src/register/combocell.c
@@ -49,12 +49,12 @@ typedef struct _PopBox {
 
 static void selectCB (Widget w, XtPointer cd, XtPointer cb );
 static void dropDownCB (Widget w, XtPointer cd, XtPointer cb );
-static void realizeCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, void *w, int width);
-static void moveCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, int phys_row, int phys_col);
-static void destroyCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell);
-static void setComboValue (struct _BasicCell *bcell, const char *value);
-static const char * enterCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, const char *value);
-static const char * leaveCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, const char *value);
+static void realizeCombo (BasicCell *bcell, void *w, int width);
+static void moveCombo (BasicCell *bcell, int phys_row, int phys_col);
+static void destroyCombo (BasicCell *bcell);
+static void setComboValue (BasicCell *bcell, const char *value);
+static const char * enterCombo (BasicCell *bcell, const char *value);
+static const char * leaveCombo (BasicCell *bcell, const char *value);
 
 #define SET(cell,str) { 			\
    if ((cell)->value) free ((cell)->value);	\
@@ -76,12 +76,71 @@ void xaccInitComboCell (ComboCell *cell)
    xaccInitBasicCell ( &(cell->cell));
    cell->cell.realize = realizeCombo;
    cell->cell.set_value = setComboValue;
+   cell->cell.destroy = destroyCombo;
    cell->menuitems = (char **) malloc (sizeof (char *));
    cell->menuitems[0] = NULL;
 }
 
 /* =============================================== */
 
+static
+void destroyCombo (BasicCell *bcell)
+{
+   ComboCell *cell;
+
+   cell = (ComboCell *) bcell;
+
+   /* the realize callback will be null if the cell
+    * gui has been realized.  Therefore, if its null, 
+    * destroy the gui 
+    */
+   if (!(cell->cell.realize)) {
+      PopBox *box;
+
+      box = (PopBox *) (cell->cell.gui_private);
+   
+      moveCombo (bcell, -1, -1);
+   
+      XtDestroyWidget (box->combobox);
+      free (box);
+   
+      /* allow the widget to be created again */
+      cell->cell.gui_private = NULL;
+      cell->cell.realize = realizeCombo;
+      cell->cell.move = NULL;
+      cell->cell.enter_cell = NULL;
+      cell->cell.leave_cell = NULL;
+      cell->cell.destroy = NULL;
+   }
+
+}
+
+/* =============================================== */
+
+void xaccDestroyComboCell (ComboCell *cell)
+{
+   int n = 0;
+   char ** arr;
+
+   destroyCombo (&(cell->cell));
+
+   /* free malloced memory */
+   arr = cell->menuitems;
+   while (arr[n]) {
+      free (arr[n]);
+      n ++;
+   }
+   free (arr);
+   cell->menuitems = NULL;
+
+   cell->cell.realize = NULL;
+   cell->cell.set_value = NULL;
+
+   xaccDestroyBasicCell ( &(cell->cell));
+}
+
+/* =============================================== */
+
 void 
 xaccAddComboCellMenuItem (ComboCell *cell, char * menustr)
 {
@@ -156,7 +215,7 @@ xaccSetComboCellValue (ComboCell *cell, const char * str)
 /* =============================================== */
 
 static void
-setComboValue (struct _BasicCell *_cell, const char *str)
+setComboValue (BasicCell *_cell, const char *str)
 {
    ComboCell * cell = (ComboCell *) _cell;
    xaccSetComboCellValue (cell, str);
@@ -165,7 +224,7 @@ setComboValue (struct _BasicCell *_cell, const char *str)
 /* =============================================== */
 
 static
-void realizeCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, void *w, int pixel_width)
+void realizeCombo (BasicCell *bcell, void *w, int pixel_width)
 {
    ComboCell *cell;
    PopBox *box;
@@ -246,7 +305,7 @@ void realizeCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, void *w, int pixel_width)
 /* =============================================== */
 
 static
-void moveCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, int phys_row, int phys_col)
+void moveCombo (BasicCell *bcell, int phys_row, int phys_col)
 {
    ComboCell *cell;
    PopBox *box;
@@ -270,7 +329,7 @@ void moveCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, int phys_row, int phys_col)
 /* =============================================== */
 
 static
-const char * enterCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, const char *value)
+const char * enterCombo (BasicCell *bcell, const char *value)
 {
    int phys_row, phys_col;
    String choice;
@@ -327,7 +386,7 @@ const char * enterCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, const char *value)
 /* =============================================== */
 
 static
-const char * leaveCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, const char *value)
+const char * leaveCombo (BasicCell *bcell, const char *value)
 {
    ComboCell *cell;
    PopBox *box;
@@ -350,31 +409,6 @@ const char * leaveCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, const char *value)
 
 /* =============================================== */
 
-static
-void destroyCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell)
-{
-   ComboCell *cell;
-   PopBox *box;
-
-   cell = (ComboCell *) bcell;
-   box = (PopBox *) (cell->cell.gui_private);
-
-   moveCombo (bcell, -1, -1);
-
-   XtDestroyWidget (box->combobox);
-   free (box);
-
-   /* allow the widget to be created again */
-   cell->cell.gui_private = NULL;
-   cell->cell.realize = realizeCombo;
-   cell->cell.move = NULL;
-   cell->cell.enter_cell = NULL;
-   cell->cell.leave_cell = NULL;
-   cell->cell.destroy = NULL;
-}
-
-/* =============================================== */
-
 static void selectCB (Widget w, XtPointer cd, XtPointer cb )
 
 {
diff --git a/src/register/combocell.h b/src/register/combocell.h
index 2505ff80e6..8474ad1a12 100644
--- a/src/register/combocell.h
+++ b/src/register/combocell.h
@@ -3,12 +3,38 @@
  * combocell.h
  *
  * FUNCTION:
- * Implements a combobox cell
+ * The ComboCell object implements a cell handler with a 
+ * "combination-box" pull-down menu in it.  
+ * 
+ * On output, the currently selected menu item is displayed.
+ * On input, the user can select from a list in the pull-down menu,
+ * or use the keyboard to slect a menu entry by typing the first
+ * few menu characters.
+ *
+ * METHODS:
+ * The xaccAddComboCellMenuItem() method can be used to add a menu
+ * item to the list.
+ *
  *
  * HISTORY:
  * Created Jan 1998 Linas Vepstas 
  * Copyright (c) 1998 Linas Vepstas 
  */
+/********************************************************************\
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or    *
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as   *
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of   *
+ * the License, or (at your option) any later version.              *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,  *
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of   *
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the    *
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.                     *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License*
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software      *
+ * Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.        *
+\********************************************************************/
 
 #ifndef __XACC_COMBO_CELL_C__
 #define __XACC_COMBO_CELL_C__
@@ -22,6 +48,8 @@ typedef struct _ComboCell {
 
 ComboCell *  xaccMallocComboCell (void);
 void         xaccInitComboCell (ComboCell *);
+void         xaccDestroyComboCell (ComboCell *);
+
 void         xaccSetComboCellValue (ComboCell *, const char *);
 
 void         xaccAddComboCellMenuItem (ComboCell *, char * menustr);