diff --git a/src/register/basiccell.c b/src/register/basiccell.c
index f3d62e7a20..48edaf9b0a 100644
--- a/src/register/basiccell.c
+++ b/src/register/basiccell.c
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 #include "basiccell.h"
 
+/* ===================================================== */
+
 BasicCell * xaccMallocBasicCell (void)
 {
    BasicCell * cell;
@@ -12,12 +14,15 @@ BasicCell * xaccMallocBasicCell (void)
    return cell;
 }
 
+/* ===================================================== */
+
 void xaccInitBasicCell (BasicCell *cell)
 {
    cell->input_output = 1;
    cell->width = 0;
    cell->alignment = 0;
    cell->value = 0x0;
+   cell->set_value = NULL;
    cell->enter_cell = NULL;
    cell->modify_verify = NULL;
    cell->leave_cell = NULL;
@@ -27,10 +32,23 @@ void xaccInitBasicCell (BasicCell *cell)
    cell->gui_private = NULL;
 }
 
+/* ===================================================== */
+
 void xaccSetBasicCellValue (BasicCell *cell, const char *val)
 {
-   if (cell->value) free (cell->value);
-   cell->value = strdup (val);
+   void (*cb) (struct _BasicCell *, const char *);
+
+   cb = cell->set_value;
+   if (cb) {
+      /* avoid recursion by disabling the  
+       * callback while it'sbeing called. */
+      cell->set_value = NULL;
+      (*cb) (cell, val);
+      cell->set_value = cb;
+   } else {
+      if (cell->value) free (cell->value);
+      cell->value = strdup (val);
+   }
 }
 
-/* ------------------ end of file ---------------------- */
+/* ================== end of file ====================== */
diff --git a/src/register/basiccell.h b/src/register/basiccell.h
index 5cb5ae88bf..7dfe6ffc2e 100644
--- a/src/register/basiccell.h
+++ b/src/register/basiccell.h
@@ -3,44 +3,70 @@
  * basiccell.h
  *
  * FUNCTION:
- * The BasicCell struct provides an abstract base class  
+ * The BasicCell class provides an abstract base class  
  * defining the handling of the editing of a cell of a table.
  * Classes that provide the actual handling for different
  * cell types should inherit from this class.
  *
+ * The BasicCell class encapsulates a single string value
+ * which can be set & read by the programmer, and edited 
+ * by the "user".  In the text below, the "user" is the 
+ * person controlling the mouse and keyboard.  Thus, when 
+ * the user makes a move, it means that they have somehow 
+ * intereacted with the cell, by clikcing with mouse or by 
+ * typing at the keyboard.  This class provides three 
+ * callbacks which allow the programmer to understand what 
+ * the user is doing.
+ *
+ * The programmer can create a custom GUI for editing the
+ * contents of the cell. There are three callbacks to allow
+ * a custom GUI to be created, destroyed and moved about.
+ *
+ * Since this class is implemented in C not C++, there is
+ * a "minor" problem with inheritance.  To emulate the 
+ * overloading of a virtual "SetValues" method, there is 
+ * a set_value() callback, which will be called whenever
+ * the xaccSetBasicCellValue() subroutine is called.
+ *
+ * VIRTUAL/OVERLOADED METHODS:
+ * The set_value() callback will be called whenever the
+ * xaccSetBasicCellValue() method is called.  Derived 
+ * classes should provide a callback here if they need
+ * to understand special cell formats.
+ *
  * MEMBERS:
  * The input_output member is zero if the cell is supposed 
  * to only display values, but not accept user input.  If
  * non-zero, then the callbacks below are used to when the
  * cell is entered.
  *
- * CALLBACKS:
+ *
+ * USER CALLBACKS:
  * The enter_cell() callback is called when the user first
- * makes a move to enter a cell.  The current value of the 
- * cell is passed as the argument.  If the callback wishes
- * to change the value of the cell, it can return a non-null
- * string.  Alternately, to leave the value of the cell 
- * unchanged, it can return NULL.  If a string is returned, 
- * the string must be as the result of a malloc.
+ *    makes a move to enter a cell.  The current value of the 
+ *    cell is passed as the argument.  If the callback wishes
+ *    to change the value of the cell, it can return a non-null
+ *    string.  Alternately, to leave the value of the cell 
+ *    unchanged, it can return NULL.  If a string is returned, 
+ *    the string must be as the result of a malloc.
  *
  * The leave_cell() callback is called when the user exits
- * a cell.  The current value of the cell is passed as the 
- * argument.  If the callback wishes to change the value of 
- * the cell, it can return a non-null string.  Alternately, 
- * to leave the value of the cell unchanged, it can return 
- * NULL.  If a string is returned, the string must be as the 
- * result of a malloc.
+ *    a cell.  The current value of the cell is passed as the 
+ *    argument.  If the callback wishes to change the value of 
+ *    the cell, it can return a non-null string.  Alternately, 
+ *    to leave the value of the cell unchanged, it can return 
+ *    NULL.  If a string is returned, the string must be as the 
+ *    result of a malloc.
  *
- * The modify-verify callback is called when a user
- * makes a change to a cell.  
- * The three arguments passed in are :
- * "old", the string prior to user's attempted modification,
- * "add", the string the user is attemptiong to add
- *        (will be null if text is being deleted).
- * "new", the string that would result is user's changes
- *        are accepted.
- * It must return a string, or void if it rejects the change.
- * The returned string will be used to update the cell value.
+ * The modify_verify() callback is called when a user makes a
+ *    change to a cell.  The three arguments passed in are :
+ *    "old", the string prior to user's attempted modification,
+ *    "add", the string the user is attemptiong to add
+ *           (will be null if text is being deleted).
+ *    "new", the string that would result is user's changes
+ *           are accepted.
+ *    It must return a string, or void if it rejects the change.
+ *    The returned string will be used to update the cell value.
  *
  * Some memory management rules:
  * (1) the callback must not modify the values of old, change, new
@@ -51,12 +77,32 @@
  *     malloc the memory for a new string.  It does not need
  *     to worry about garbage collection.
  *
- * GUI STUFF:
- * The realize callback will be called when GUI-specific 
- * initalization needs to be done.  For Xt/Motif, the second
- * argument will be cast to the parent widget.
  *
- * HACK ALERT NOTES:
+ * GUI CALLBACKS:
+ * The cell may have some specific GUI elements which need
+ * to be initialized/positioned/etc.  There are three GUI
+ * callbacks that allow the programmer to perform GUI-specific
+ * initialization & changes.
+ *
+ * The realize() callback will be called when GUI-specific 
+ *    initalization needs to be done.  For Xt/Motif, the second
+ *    argument will be cast to the parent widget.  The third
+ *    argument passes in the desired pixel-width for the GUI 
+ *    element.  (Yes, the pixel-size thing is a hack that we
+ *    allow for the moment. See below for more info.)
+ *
+ * The destroy() callback will be called when the GUI associated
+ *    with the cell needs to be destroyed.
+ *
+ * The move() callback will be called when the GUI element needs
+ *    to be positioned to a new location within the table grid.
+ *    The second and third arguments are the physical (not virtual)
+ *    row and column that the GUI elemnt should be moved to.
+ *
+ * The gui_private member may be used by the derived class to 
+ *    store any additional GUI-specific data.
+ *
+ * GUI HACK ALERT NOTES:
  * The realize method takes a width argument only as a hack
  * to work around the fact that the combo-box requires a width
  * in pixels, rather than in characters.  It would be nice if 
@@ -74,24 +120,26 @@ typedef struct _BasicCell {
 
   char * value;   /* current value */
 
-  const char * (*enter_cell) (struct _BasicCell *,
-                              const char * current);
+  /* "virtual", overloaded set-value method */
+  void         (*set_value)     (struct _BasicCell *,
+                                 const char * new_value);
+
+  /* cell-editing callbacks */
+  const char * (*enter_cell)    (struct _BasicCell *,
+                                 const char * current);
   const char * (*modify_verify) (struct _BasicCell *,
                                  const char *old, 
                                  const char *add, 
                                  const char *new); 
-  const char * (*leave_cell) (struct _BasicCell *,
-                              const char * current);
+  const char * (*leave_cell)    (struct _BasicCell *,
+                                 const char * current);
 
-  /* private, GUI-specific initializer */
+  /* private, GUI-specific callbacks */
   void         (* realize) (struct _BasicCell *, 
                             void *gui_handle,
                             int pixel_width);
-
-  /* private, GUI-specific callback to move gui element */
-  void         (* move) (struct _BasicCell *, int phys_row, int phys_col);
-
-  /* private, GUI-specific callback to detroy gui element */
+  void         (* move)    (struct _BasicCell *, 
+                            int phys_row, int phys_col);
   void         (* destroy) (struct _BasicCell *);
 
   /* general hook for gui-private data */
diff --git a/src/register/combocell.c b/src/register/combocell.c
index 1235172301..bff804a78c 100644
--- a/src/register/combocell.c
+++ b/src/register/combocell.c
@@ -24,9 +24,14 @@ 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);
 
+#define SET(cell,str) { 			\
+   if ((cell)->value) free ((cell)->value);	\
+   (cell)->value = strdup (str);		\
+}
 
 /* =============================================== */
 
@@ -42,6 +47,7 @@ void xaccInitComboCell (ComboCell *cell)
 {
    xaccInitBasicCell ( &(cell->cell));
    cell->cell.realize = realizeCombo;
+   cell->cell.set_value = setComboValue;
    cell->menuitems = (char **) malloc (sizeof (char *));
    cell->menuitems[0] = NULL;
 }
@@ -97,7 +103,7 @@ xaccSetComboCellValue (ComboCell *cell, const char * str)
 {
    PopBox * box;
 
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue (&(cell->cell), str);
+   SET (&(cell->cell), str);
    box = (PopBox *) (cell->cell.gui_private);
 
    if (str) {
@@ -117,6 +123,15 @@ xaccSetComboCellValue (ComboCell *cell, const char * str)
 
 /* =============================================== */
 
+static void
+setComboValue (struct _BasicCell *_cell, const char *str)
+{
+   ComboCell * cell = (ComboCell *) _cell;
+   xaccSetComboCellValue (cell, str);
+}
+
+/* =============================================== */
+
 static
 void realizeCombo (struct _BasicCell *bcell, void *w, int pixel_width)
 {
@@ -341,6 +356,12 @@ static void selectCB (Widget w, XtPointer cd, XtPointer cb )
    cell = (ComboCell *) cd;
    box = (PopBox *) (cell->cell.gui_private);
 
+   if ((0 > box->currow) || (0 > box->curcol)) {
+/*
+      printf ("Internal Error: ComboBox: incorrect cell location \n");
+      return;
+*/
+   }
    /* check the reason, because the unslect callback 
     * doesn't even have a value field! */
    if ( (XmCR_SINGLE_SELECT == selection->reason) ||
@@ -349,9 +370,9 @@ static void selectCB (Widget w, XtPointer cd, XtPointer cb )
    }
    if (!choice) choice = XtNewString ("");
 
+printf ("combo selectcb choice %s at %d %d  \n", choice, box->currow, box->curcol);
    XbaeMatrixSetCell (box->parent, box->currow, box->curcol, choice); 
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue (&(cell->cell), choice);
-printf ("celectcb choice %s \n", choice);
+   SET (&(cell->cell), choice);
    XtFree (choice);
 
    /* a diffeent way of getting the user's selection ... */
diff --git a/src/register/datecell.c b/src/register/datecell.c
index 8cfd2bda04..650d6f3975 100644
--- a/src/register/datecell.c
+++ b/src/register/datecell.c
@@ -1,10 +1,25 @@
 
+/*
+ * FILE:
+ * datecell.c
+ *
+ * HISTORY:
+ * Copyright (c) 1998 Linas Vepstas
+ */
+
 #include <string.h>
 #include <time.h>
 
 #include "basiccell.h"
 #include "datecell.h"
 
+static void setDateCellValue (struct _BasicCell *, const char *);
+
+#define SET(cell,str) { 			\
+   if ((cell)->value) free ((cell)->value);	\
+   (cell)->value = strdup (str);		\
+}
+
 #define DATE_SEP '/'
 
 /* ================================================ */
@@ -256,7 +271,9 @@ DateMV (struct _BasicCell *_cell,
 
    prtDate (buff, date->tm_mday, date->tm_mon+1, date->tm_year+1900);
 
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue (&(cell->cell), buff);
+   if (cell->cell.value) free (cell->cell.value);
+   cell->cell.value = strdup (buff);
+
    datestr = strdup (buff);
    
    return datestr;
@@ -279,7 +296,9 @@ DateLeave (struct _BasicCell *_cell, const char * curr)
                   cell->date.tm_mon+1, 
                   cell->date.tm_year+1900);
 
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue (&(cell->cell), buff);
+   if (cell->cell.value) free (cell->cell.value);
+   cell->cell.value = strdup (buff);
+
    retval = strdup (buff);
    return retval;
 }
@@ -312,11 +331,12 @@ xaccInitDateCell (DateCell *cell)
    cell->date = *now;
    prtDate (buff, now->tm_mday, now->tm_mon+1, now->tm_year+1900);
  
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue (&(cell->cell), buff);
+   SET (&(cell->cell), buff);
  
    cell->cell.enter_cell = DateEnter;
    cell->cell.modify_verify = DateMV;
    cell->cell.leave_cell = DateLeave;
+   cell->cell.set_value = setDateCellValue;
 }
 
 /* ================================================ */
@@ -337,7 +357,27 @@ xaccSetDateCellValue (DateCell *cell, int day, int mon, int year)
    cell->date.tm_year = dada.tm_year;
 
    prtDate (buff, dada.tm_mday, dada.tm_mon+1, dada.tm_year+1900);
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue (&(cell->cell), buff);
+
+   if (cell->cell.value) free (cell->cell.value);
+   cell->cell.value = strdup (buff);
+}
+
+/* ================================================ */
+
+static void 
+setDateCellValue (struct _BasicCell *_cell, const char *str)
+{
+   DateCell *cell = (DateCell *) _cell;
+   char buff[30];
+
+   xaccParseDate (&(cell->date), str);
+
+   prtDate (buff, cell->date.tm_mday, 
+                  cell->date.tm_mon+1, 
+                  cell->date.tm_year+1900);
+
+   if (cell->cell.value) free (cell->cell.value);
+   cell->cell.value = strdup (buff);
 }
 
 /* ============== END OF FILE ===================== */
diff --git a/src/register/pricecell.c b/src/register/pricecell.c
index e7582bd202..ff849ba835 100644
--- a/src/register/pricecell.c
+++ b/src/register/pricecell.c
@@ -1,11 +1,22 @@
 
 #include <string.h>
 
+#include "util.h"
+
 #include "basiccell.h"
 #include "pricecell.h"
 
+static void PriceSetValue (struct _BasicCell *, const char *);
+static void Set (BasicCell *, const char *);
+
 #define DECIMAL_PT  '.'
 
+
+#define SET(cell,str) { 			\
+   if ((cell)->value) free ((cell)->value);	\
+   (cell)->value = strdup (str);		\
+}
+
 /* ================================================ */
 /* This callback only allows numbers with a single
  * decimal point in them */
@@ -16,7 +27,7 @@ PriceMV (struct _BasicCell *_cell,
          const char *change, 
          const char *newval)
 {
-   BasicCell *cell = (BasicCell *) _cell;
+   PriceCell *cell = (PriceCell *) _cell;
 
    /* accept the newval string if user action was delete, etc. */
    if (change) {
@@ -33,8 +44,9 @@ PriceMV (struct _BasicCell *_cell,
       }
    }
 
-   /* hack alert - should parse the float pt value  */
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue (cell, newval);
+   /* parse the float pt value  and store it */
+   cell->amount = xaccParseUSAmount (newval);
+   SET ((&(cell->cell)), newval);
    return newval; 
 }
 
@@ -57,9 +69,10 @@ xaccInitPriceCell (PriceCell *cell)
    xaccInitBasicCell( &(cell->cell));
    cell->amount = 0.0;
 
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue ( &(cell->cell), "0.0");
+   SET ( &(cell->cell), "0.0");
 
    cell->cell.modify_verify = PriceMV;
+   cell->cell.set_value = PriceSetValue;
 }
 
 /* ================================================ */
@@ -69,7 +82,7 @@ void xaccSetPriceCellValue (PriceCell * cell, double amt)
    char buff[40];
    cell->amount = amt;
    sprintf (buff, "%.3f", amt);
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue ( &(cell->cell), buff);
+   SET ( &(cell->cell), buff);
 }
 
 /* ================================================ */
@@ -79,7 +92,7 @@ void xaccSetAmountCellValue (PriceCell * cell, double amt)
    char buff[40];
    cell->amount = amt;
    sprintf (buff, "%.2f", amt);
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue ( &(cell->cell), buff);
+   SET ( &(cell->cell), buff);
 }
 
 /* ================================================ */
@@ -93,13 +106,29 @@ void xaccSetDebCredCellValue (PriceCell * deb,
 
    if (0.0 <= amt) {
       sprintf (buff, "%.2f", amt);
-      xaccSetBasicCellValue ( &(cred->cell), buff);
-      xaccSetBasicCellValue ( &(deb->cell), "");
+      SET ( &(cred->cell), buff);
+      SET ( &(deb->cell), "");
    } else {
       sprintf (buff, "%.2f", -amt);
-      xaccSetBasicCellValue ( &(cred->cell), "");
-      xaccSetBasicCellValue ( &(deb->cell), buff);
+      SET ( &(cred->cell), "");
+      SET ( &(deb->cell), buff);
    }
 }
 
+/* ================================================ */
+
+static void 
+PriceSetValue (struct _BasicCell *_cell, const char *str)
+{
+   char buff[40];
+   PriceCell *cell = (PriceCell *) _cell;
+
+   SET (((BasicCell *)_cell), str);
+
+   cell->amount = xaccParseUSAmount (str);
+
+   sprintf (buff, "%.2f", cell->amount);
+   SET ( &(cell->cell), buff);
+}
+
 /* --------------- end of file ---------------------- */
diff --git a/src/register/quickfillcell.c b/src/register/quickfillcell.c
index 454f08214f..4d7755cd8b 100644
--- a/src/register/quickfillcell.c
+++ b/src/register/quickfillcell.c
@@ -4,6 +4,21 @@
 #include "basiccell.h"
 #include "quickfillcell.h"
 
+#define SET(cell,str) { 			\
+   if ((cell)->value) free ((cell)->value);	\
+   (cell)->value = strdup (str);		\
+}
+
+/* ================================================ */
+
+static void 
+quick_set (struct _BasicCell *_cell,
+           const char *val) 
+{
+   QuickFillCell *cell = (QuickFillCell *) _cell;
+   xaccSetQuickFillCellValue (cell, val);
+}
+
 /* ================================================ */
 /* when entering new cell, reset pointer to root    */
 
@@ -61,7 +76,7 @@ quick_modify (struct _BasicCell *_cell,
       if (cell->qf) retval = strdup (cell->qf->text);
    }
 
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue (&(cell->cell), retval);
+   SET (&(cell->cell), retval);
    return retval;
 }
 
@@ -104,15 +119,16 @@ xaccInitQuickFillCell (QuickFillCell *cell)
    cell->cell.enter_cell    = quick_enter;
    cell->cell.modify_verify = quick_modify;
    cell->cell.leave_cell    = quick_leave;
+   cell->cell.set_value     = quick_set;
 }
 
 /* ================================================ */
 
 void
-xaccSetQuickFillCellValue (QuickFillCell *cell, char * value)
+xaccSetQuickFillCellValue (QuickFillCell *cell, const char * value)
 {
    xaccQFInsertText (cell->qfRoot, value);
-   xaccSetBasicCellValue (&(cell->cell), value);
+   SET (&(cell->cell), value);
 }
 
 /* =============== END OF FILE ==================== */
diff --git a/src/register/quickfillcell.h b/src/register/quickfillcell.h
index fcdddb957e..5b84f5ba4d 100644
--- a/src/register/quickfillcell.h
+++ b/src/register/quickfillcell.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ typedef struct _QuickFillCell {
 QuickFillCell *  xaccMallocQuickFillCell (void);
 void             xaccInitQuickFillCell (QuickFillCell *);
 
-void             xaccSetQuickFillCellValue (QuickFillCell *, char *);
+void             xaccSetQuickFillCellValue (QuickFillCell *, const char *);
 
 #endif /* __XACC_FILL_CELL_C__ */
 
diff --git a/src/register/table.c b/src/register/table.c
index 8ce28e4437..5076e774fc 100644
--- a/src/register/table.c
+++ b/src/register/table.c
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ table->current_cursor_col,
 virt_row, virt_col);
 
       /* before leaving, the current virtual position,
-       * commit any aedits that have been accumulated 
+       * commit any edits that have been accumulated 
        * in the cursor */
       xaccCommitCursor (table);
       xaccMoveCursorGUI (table, virt_row, virt_col);