Merge lp:~attente/glib/gicon-upstream into lp:ubuntu/saucy/glib2.0

[William Hua]

* debian/patches/g-variant-new-take-string.patch:
  - Add upstream's g_variant_new_take_string ().
* debian/patches/g-variant-get-data-as-bytes.patch:
  - Add upstream's GVariant bytes serialization bug fix.
* debian/patches/gicon-serialization-support.patch:
  - Add upstream's improved GIcon serialization support.

Patch GLib with upstream bug fixes to GVariant and changes to GIcon interface.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

thanks, setting as "merged" since we got the new glib

=== modified file '.pc/applied-patches'
--- .pc/applied-patches	2013-04-10 11:43:24 +0000
+++ .pc/applied-patches	2013-05-03 17:57:29 +0000
@@ -13,3 +13,6 @@
 17_check_abis_mips_symbols.patch
 61_glib-compile-binaries-path.patch
 90_gio-modules-multiarch-compat.patch
+g-variant-new-take-string.patch
+g-variant-get-data-as-bytes.patch
+gicon-serialization-support.patch

=== added directory '.pc/g-variant-get-data-as-bytes.patch'
=== added directory '.pc/g-variant-get-data-as-bytes.patch/glib'
=== added file '.pc/g-variant-get-data-as-bytes.patch/glib/gvariant-core.c'
--- .pc/g-variant-get-data-as-bytes.patch/glib/gvariant-core.c	1970-01-01 00:00:00 +0000
+++ .pc/g-variant-get-data-as-bytes.patch/glib/gvariant-core.c	2013-05-03 17:57:29 +0000
@@ -0,0 +1,1104 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright © 2007, 2008 Ryan Lortie
+ * Copyright © 2010 Codethink Limited
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library 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
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the
+ * Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+ * Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ */
+
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include <glib/gvariant-core.h>
+
+#include <glib/gvariant-serialiser.h>
+#include <glib/gtestutils.h>
+#include <glib/gbitlock.h>
+#include <glib/gatomic.h>
+#include <glib/gbytes.h>
+#include <glib/gslice.h>
+#include <glib/gmem.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+
+/*
+ * This file includes the structure definition for GVariant and a small
+ * set of functions that are allowed to access the structure directly.
+ *
+ * This minimises the amount of code that can possibly touch a GVariant
+ * structure directly to a few simple fundamental operations.  These few
+ * operations are written to be completely threadsafe with respect to
+ * all possible outside access.  This means that we only need to be
+ * concerned about thread safety issues in this one small file.
+ *
+ * Most GVariant API functions are in gvariant.c.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * GVariant:
+ *
+ * #GVariant is an opaque data structure and can only be accessed
+ * using the following functions.
+ *
+ * Since: 2.24
+ **/
+struct _GVariant
+/* see below for field member documentation */
+{
+  GVariantTypeInfo *type_info;
+  gsize size;
+
+  union
+  {
+    struct
+    {
+      GBytes *bytes;
+      gconstpointer data;
+    } serialised;
+
+    struct
+    {
+      GVariant **children;
+      gsize n_children;
+    } tree;
+  } contents;
+
+  gint state;
+  gint ref_count;
+};
+
+/* struct GVariant:
+ *
+ * There are two primary forms of GVariant instances: "serialised form"
+ * and "tree form".
+ *
+ * "serialised form": A serialised GVariant instance stores its value in
+ *                    the GVariant serialisation format.  All
+ *                    basic-typed instances (ie: non-containers) are in
+ *                    serialised format, as are some containers.
+ *
+ * "tree form": Some containers are in "tree form".  In this case,
+ *              instead of containing the serialised data for the
+ *              container, the instance contains an array of pointers to
+ *              the child values of the container (thus forming a tree).
+ *
+ * It is possible for an instance to transition from tree form to
+ * serialised form.  This happens, implicitly, if the serialised data is
+ * requested (eg: via g_variant_get_data()).  Serialised form instances
+ * never transition into tree form.
+ *
+ *
+ * The fields of the structure are documented here:
+ *
+ * type_info: this is a reference to a GVariantTypeInfo describing the
+ *            type of the instance.  When the instance is freed, this
+ *            reference must be released with g_variant_type_info_unref().
+ *
+ *            The type_info field never changes during the life of the
+ *            instance, so it can be accessed without a lock.
+ *
+ * size: this is the size of the serialised form for the instance, if it
+ *       is known.  If the instance is in serialised form then it is, by
+ *       definition, known.  If the instance is in tree form then it may
+ *       be unknown (in which case it is -1).  It is possible for the
+ *       size to be known when in tree form if, for example, the user
+ *       has called g_variant_get_size() without calling
+ *       g_variant_get_data().  Additionally, even when the user calls
+ *       g_variant_get_data() the size of the data must first be
+ *       determined so that a large enough buffer can be allocated for
+ *       the data.
+ *
+ *       Once the size is known, it can never become unknown again.
+ *       g_variant_ensure_size() is used to ensure that the size is in
+ *       the known state -- it calculates the size if needed.  After
+ *       that, the size field can be accessed without a lock.
+ *
+ * contents: a union containing either the information associated with
+ *           holding a value in serialised form or holding a value in
+ *           tree form.
+ *
+ *   .serialised: Only valid when the instance is in serialised form.
+ *
+ *                Since an instance can never transition away from
+ *                serialised form, once these fields are set, they will
+ *                never be changed.  It is therefore valid to access
+ *                them without holding a lock.
+ *
+ *     .bytes:  the #GBytes that contains the memory pointed to by
+ *              .data, or %NULL if .data is %NULL.  In the event that
+ *              the instance was deserialised from another instance,
+ *              then the bytes will be shared by both of them.  When
+ *              the instance is freed, this reference must be released
+ *              with g_bytes_unref().
+ *
+ *     .data: the serialised data (of size 'size') of the instance.
+ *            This pointer should not be freed or modified in any way.
+ *            #GBytes is responsible for memory management.
+ *
+ *            This pointer may be %NULL in two cases:
+ *
+ *              - if the serialised size of the instance is 0
+ *
+ *              - if the instance is of a fixed-sized type and was
+ *                deserialised out of a corrupted container such that
+ *                the container contains too few bytes to point to the
+ *                entire proper fixed-size of this instance.  In this
+ *                case, 'size' will still be equal to the proper fixed
+ *                size, but this pointer will be %NULL.  This is exactly
+ *                the reason that g_variant_get_data() sometimes returns
+ *                %NULL.  For all other calls, the effect should be as
+ *                if .data pointed to the appropriate number of nul
+ *                bytes.
+ *
+ *   .tree: Only valid when the instance is in tree form.
+ *
+ *          Note that accesses from other threads could result in
+ *          conversion of the instance from tree form to serialised form
+ *          at any time.  For this reason, the instance lock must always
+ *          be held while performing any operations on 'contents.tree'.
+ *
+ *     .children: the array of the child instances of this instance.
+ *                When the instance is freed (or converted to serialised
+ *                form) then each child must have g_variant_unref()
+ *                called on it and the array must be freed using
+ *                g_free().
+ *
+ *     .n_children: the number of items in the .children array.
+ *
+ * state: a bitfield describing the state of the instance.  It is a
+ *        bitwise-or of the following STATE_* constants:
+ *
+ *    STATE_LOCKED: the instance lock is held.  This is the bit used by
+ *                  g_bit_lock().
+ *
+ *    STATE_SERIALISED: the instance is in serialised form.  If this
+ *                      flag is not set then the instance is in tree
+ *                      form.
+ *
+ *    STATE_TRUSTED: for serialised form instances, this means that the
+ *                   serialised data is known to be in normal form (ie:
+ *                   not corrupted).
+ *
+ *                   For tree form instances, this means that all of the
+ *                   child instances in the contents.tree.children array
+ *                   are trusted.  This means that if the container is
+ *                   serialised then the resulting data will be in
+ *                   normal form.
+ *
+ *                   If this flag is unset it does not imply that the
+ *                   data is corrupted.  It merely means that we're not
+ *                   sure that it's valid.  See g_variant_is_trusted().
+ *
+ *    STATE_FLOATING: if this flag is set then the object has a floating
+ *                    reference.  See g_variant_ref_sink().
+ *
+ * ref_count: the reference count of the instance
+ */
+#define STATE_LOCKED     1
+#define STATE_SERIALISED 2
+#define STATE_TRUSTED    4
+#define STATE_FLOATING   8
+
+/* -- private -- */
+/* < private >
+ * g_variant_lock:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Locks @value for performing sensitive operations.
+ */
+static void
+g_variant_lock (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_bit_lock (&value->state, 0);
+}
+
+/* < private >
+ * g_variant_unlock:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Unlocks @value after performing sensitive operations.
+ */
+static void
+g_variant_unlock (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_bit_unlock (&value->state, 0);
+}
+
+/* < private >
+ * g_variant_release_children:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Releases the reference held on each child in the 'children' array of
+ * @value and frees the array itself.  @value must be in tree form.
+ *
+ * This is done when freeing a tree-form instance or converting it to
+ * serialised form.
+ *
+ * The current thread must hold the lock on @value.
+ */
+static void
+g_variant_release_children (GVariant *value)
+{
+  gsize i;
+
+  g_assert (value->state & STATE_LOCKED);
+  g_assert (~value->state & STATE_SERIALISED);
+
+  for (i = 0; i < value->contents.tree.n_children; i++)
+    g_variant_unref (value->contents.tree.children[i]);
+
+  g_free (value->contents.tree.children);
+}
+
+/* This begins the main body of the recursive serialiser.
+ *
+ * There are 3 functions here that work as a team with the serialiser to
+ * get things done.  g_variant_store() has a trivial role, but as a
+ * public API function, it has its definition elsewhere.
+ *
+ * Note that "serialisation" of an instance does not mean that the
+ * instance is converted to serialised form -- it means that the
+ * serialised form of an instance is written to an external buffer.
+ * g_variant_ensure_serialised() (which is not part of this set of
+ * functions) is the function that is responsible for converting an
+ * instance to serialised form.
+ *
+ * We are only concerned here with container types since non-container
+ * instances are always in serialised form.  For these instances,
+ * storing their serialised form merely involves a memcpy().
+ *
+ * Serialisation is a two-step process.  First, the size of the
+ * serialised data must be calculated so that an appropriately-sized
+ * buffer can be allocated.  Second, the data is written into the
+ * buffer.
+ *
+ * Determining the size:
+ *   The process of determining the size is triggered by a call to
+ *   g_variant_ensure_size() on a container.  This invokes the
+ *   serialiser code to determine the size.  The serialiser is passed
+ *   g_variant_fill_gvs() as a callback.
+ *
+ *   g_variant_fill_gvs() is called by the serialiser on each child of
+ *   the container which, in turn, calls g_variant_ensure_size() on
+ *   itself and fills in the result of its own size calculation.
+ *
+ *   The serialiser uses the size information from the children to
+ *   calculate the size needed for the entire container.
+ *
+ * Writing the data:
+ *   After the buffer has been allocated, g_variant_serialise() is
+ *   called on the container.  This invokes the serialiser code to write
+ *   the bytes to the container.  The serialiser is, again, passed
+ *   g_variant_fill_gvs() as a callback.
+ *
+ *   This time, when g_variant_fill_gvs() is called for each child, the
+ *   child is given a pointer to a sub-region of the allocated buffer
+ *   where it should write its data.  This is done by calling
+ *   g_variant_store().  In the event that the instance is in serialised
+ *   form this means a memcpy() of the serialised data into the
+ *   allocated buffer.  In the event that the instance is in tree form
+ *   this means a recursive call back into g_variant_serialise().
+ *
+ *
+ * The forward declaration here allows corecursion via callback:
+ */
+static void g_variant_fill_gvs (GVariantSerialised *, gpointer);
+
+/* < private >
+ * g_variant_ensure_size:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Ensures that the ->size field of @value is filled in properly.  This
+ * must be done as a precursor to any serialisation of the value in
+ * order to know how large of a buffer is needed to store the data.
+ *
+ * The current thread must hold the lock on @value.
+ */
+static void
+g_variant_ensure_size (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_assert (value->state & STATE_LOCKED);
+
+  if (value->size == (gssize) -1)
+    {
+      gpointer *children;
+      gsize n_children;
+
+      children = (gpointer *) value->contents.tree.children;
+      n_children = value->contents.tree.n_children;
+      value->size = g_variant_serialiser_needed_size (value->type_info,
+                                                      g_variant_fill_gvs,
+                                                      children, n_children);
+    }
+}
+
+/* < private >
+ * g_variant_serialise:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ * @data: an appropriately-sized buffer
+ *
+ * Serialises @value into @data.  @value must be in tree form.
+ *
+ * No change is made to @value.
+ *
+ * The current thread must hold the lock on @value.
+ */
+static void
+g_variant_serialise (GVariant *value,
+                     gpointer  data)
+{
+  GVariantSerialised serialised = { 0, };
+  gpointer *children;
+  gsize n_children;
+
+  g_assert (~value->state & STATE_SERIALISED);
+  g_assert (value->state & STATE_LOCKED);
+
+  serialised.type_info = value->type_info;
+  serialised.size = value->size;
+  serialised.data = data;
+
+  children = (gpointer *) value->contents.tree.children;
+  n_children = value->contents.tree.n_children;
+
+  g_variant_serialiser_serialise (serialised, g_variant_fill_gvs,
+                                  children, n_children);
+}
+
+/* < private >
+ * g_variant_fill_gvs:
+ * @serialised: a pointer to a #GVariantSerialised
+ * @data: a #GVariant instance
+ *
+ * This is the callback that is passed by a tree-form container instance
+ * to the serialiser.  This callback gets called on each child of the
+ * container.  Each child is responsible for performing the following
+ * actions:
+ *
+ *  - reporting its type
+ *
+ *  - reporting its serialised size (requires knowing the size first)
+ *
+ *  - possibly storing its serialised form into the provided buffer
+ */
+static void
+g_variant_fill_gvs (GVariantSerialised *serialised,
+                    gpointer            data)
+{
+  GVariant *value = data;
+
+  g_variant_lock (value);
+  g_variant_ensure_size (value);
+  g_variant_unlock (value);
+
+  if (serialised->type_info == NULL)
+    serialised->type_info = value->type_info;
+  g_assert (serialised->type_info == value->type_info);
+
+  if (serialised->size == 0)
+    serialised->size = value->size;
+  g_assert (serialised->size == value->size);
+
+  if (serialised->data)
+    /* g_variant_store() is a public API, so it
+     * it will reacquire the lock if it needs to.
+     */
+    g_variant_store (value, serialised->data);
+}
+
+/* this ends the main body of the recursive serialiser */
+
+/* < private >
+ * g_variant_ensure_serialised:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Ensures that @value is in serialised form.
+ *
+ * If @value is in tree form then this function ensures that the
+ * serialised size is known and then allocates a buffer of that size and
+ * serialises the instance into the buffer.  The 'children' array is
+ * then released and the instance is set to serialised form based on the
+ * contents of the buffer.
+ *
+ * The current thread must hold the lock on @value.
+ */
+static void
+g_variant_ensure_serialised (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_assert (value->state & STATE_LOCKED);
+
+  if (~value->state & STATE_SERIALISED)
+    {
+      GBytes *bytes;
+      gpointer data;
+
+      g_variant_ensure_size (value);
+      data = g_malloc (value->size);
+      g_variant_serialise (value, data);
+
+      g_variant_release_children (value);
+
+      bytes = g_bytes_new_take (data, value->size);
+      value->contents.serialised.data = g_bytes_get_data (bytes, NULL);
+      value->contents.serialised.bytes = bytes;
+      value->state |= STATE_SERIALISED;
+    }
+}
+
+/* < private >
+ * g_variant_alloc:
+ * @type: the type of the new instance
+ * @serialised: if the instance will be in serialised form
+ * @trusted: if the instance will be trusted
+ *
+ * Allocates a #GVariant instance and does some common work (such as
+ * looking up and filling in the type info), setting the state field,
+ * and setting the ref_count to 1.
+ *
+ * Returns: a new #GVariant with a floating reference
+ */
+static GVariant *
+g_variant_alloc (const GVariantType *type,
+                 gboolean            serialised,
+                 gboolean            trusted)
+{
+  GVariant *value;
+
+  value = g_slice_new (GVariant);
+  value->type_info = g_variant_type_info_get (type);
+  value->state = (serialised ? STATE_SERIALISED : 0) |
+                 (trusted ? STATE_TRUSTED : 0) |
+                 STATE_FLOATING;
+  value->size = (gssize) -1;
+  value->ref_count = 1;
+
+  return value;
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_new_from_bytes:
+ * @type: a #GVariantType
+ * @bytes: a #GBytes
+ * @trusted: if the contents of @bytes are trusted
+ *
+ * Constructs a new serialised-mode #GVariant instance.  This is the
+ * inner interface for creation of new serialised values that gets
+ * called from various functions in gvariant.c.
+ *
+ * A reference is taken on @bytes.
+ *
+ * Returns: a new #GVariant with a floating reference
+ *
+ * Since: 2.36
+ */
+GVariant *
+g_variant_new_from_bytes (const GVariantType *type,
+                          GBytes             *bytes,
+                          gboolean            trusted)
+{
+  GVariant *value;
+  guint alignment;
+  gsize size;
+
+  value = g_variant_alloc (type, TRUE, trusted);
+
+  value->contents.serialised.bytes = g_bytes_ref (bytes);
+
+  g_variant_type_info_query (value->type_info,
+                             &alignment, &size);
+
+  if (size && g_bytes_get_size (bytes) != size)
+    {
+      /* Creating a fixed-sized GVariant with a bytes of the wrong
+       * size.
+       *
+       * We should do the equivalent of pulling a fixed-sized child out
+       * of a brozen container (ie: data is NULL size is equal to the correct
+       * fixed size).
+       */
+      value->contents.serialised.data = NULL;
+      value->size = size;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      value->contents.serialised.data = g_bytes_get_data (bytes, &value->size);
+    }
+
+  return value;
+}
+
+/* -- internal -- */
+
+/* < internal >
+ * g_variant_new_from_children:
+ * @type: a #GVariantType
+ * @children: an array of #GVariant pointers.  Consumed.
+ * @n_children: the length of @children
+ * @trusted: %TRUE if every child in @children in trusted
+ *
+ * Constructs a new tree-mode #GVariant instance.  This is the inner
+ * interface for creation of new serialised values that gets called from
+ * various functions in gvariant.c.
+ *
+ * @children is consumed by this function.  g_free() will be called on
+ * it some time later.
+ *
+ * Returns: a new #GVariant with a floating reference
+ */
+GVariant *
+g_variant_new_from_children (const GVariantType  *type,
+                             GVariant           **children,
+                             gsize                n_children,
+                             gboolean             trusted)
+{
+  GVariant *value;
+
+  value = g_variant_alloc (type, FALSE, trusted);
+  value->contents.tree.children = children;
+  value->contents.tree.n_children = n_children;
+
+  return value;
+}
+
+/* < internal >
+ * g_variant_get_type_info:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Returns the #GVariantTypeInfo corresponding to the type of @value.  A
+ * reference is not added, so the return value is only good for the
+ * duration of the life of @value.
+ *
+ * Returns: the #GVariantTypeInfo for @value
+ */
+GVariantTypeInfo *
+g_variant_get_type_info (GVariant *value)
+{
+  return value->type_info;
+}
+
+/* < internal >
+ * g_variant_is_trusted:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Determines if @value is trusted by #GVariant to contain only
+ * fully-valid data.  All values constructed solely via #GVariant APIs
+ * are trusted, but values containing data read in from other sources
+ * are usually not trusted.
+ *
+ * The main advantage of trusted data is that certain checks can be
+ * skipped.  For example, we don't need to check that a string is
+ * properly nul-terminated or that an object path is actually a
+ * properly-formatted object path.
+ *
+ * Returns: if @value is trusted
+ */
+gboolean
+g_variant_is_trusted (GVariant *value)
+{
+  return (value->state & STATE_TRUSTED) != 0;
+}
+
+/* -- public -- */
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_unref:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Decreases the reference count of @value.  When its reference count
+ * drops to 0, the memory used by the variant is freed.
+ *
+ * Since: 2.24
+ **/
+void
+g_variant_unref (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_return_if_fail (value != NULL);
+  g_return_if_fail (value->ref_count > 0);
+
+  if (g_atomic_int_dec_and_test (&value->ref_count))
+    {
+      if G_UNLIKELY (value->state & STATE_LOCKED)
+        g_critical ("attempting to free a locked GVariant instance.  "
+                    "This should never happen.");
+
+      value->state |= STATE_LOCKED;
+
+      g_variant_type_info_unref (value->type_info);
+
+      if (value->state & STATE_SERIALISED)
+        g_bytes_unref (value->contents.serialised.bytes);
+      else
+        g_variant_release_children (value);
+
+      memset (value, 0, sizeof (GVariant));
+      g_slice_free (GVariant, value);
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_ref:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Increases the reference count of @value.
+ *
+ * Returns: the same @value
+ *
+ * Since: 2.24
+ **/
+GVariant *
+g_variant_ref (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (value != NULL, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (value->ref_count > 0, NULL);
+
+  g_atomic_int_inc (&value->ref_count);
+
+  return value;
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_ref_sink:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * #GVariant uses a floating reference count system.  All functions with
+ * names starting with <literal>g_variant_new_</literal> return floating
+ * references.
+ *
+ * Calling g_variant_ref_sink() on a #GVariant with a floating reference
+ * will convert the floating reference into a full reference.  Calling
+ * g_variant_ref_sink() on a non-floating #GVariant results in an
+ * additional normal reference being added.
+ *
+ * In other words, if the @value is floating, then this call "assumes
+ * ownership" of the floating reference, converting it to a normal
+ * reference.  If the @value is not floating, then this call adds a
+ * new normal reference increasing the reference count by one.
+ *
+ * All calls that result in a #GVariant instance being inserted into a
+ * container will call g_variant_ref_sink() on the instance.  This means
+ * that if the value was just created (and has only its floating
+ * reference) then the container will assume sole ownership of the value
+ * at that point and the caller will not need to unreference it.  This
+ * makes certain common styles of programming much easier while still
+ * maintaining normal refcounting semantics in situations where values
+ * are not floating.
+ *
+ * Returns: the same @value
+ *
+ * Since: 2.24
+ **/
+GVariant *
+g_variant_ref_sink (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (value != NULL, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (value->ref_count > 0, NULL);
+
+  g_variant_lock (value);
+
+  if (~value->state & STATE_FLOATING)
+    g_variant_ref (value);
+  else
+    value->state &= ~STATE_FLOATING;
+
+  g_variant_unlock (value);
+
+  return value;
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_take_ref:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * If @value is floating, sink it.  Otherwise, do nothing.
+ *
+ * Typically you want to use g_variant_ref_sink() in order to
+ * automatically do the correct thing with respect to floating or
+ * non-floating references, but there is one specific scenario where
+ * this function is helpful.
+ *
+ * The situation where this function is helpful is when creating an API
+ * that allows the user to provide a callback function that returns a
+ * #GVariant.  We certainly want to allow the user the flexibility to
+ * return a non-floating reference from this callback (for the case
+ * where the value that is being returned already exists).
+ *
+ * At the same time, the style of the #GVariant API makes it likely that
+ * for newly-created #GVariant instances, the user can be saved some
+ * typing if they are allowed to return a #GVariant with a floating
+ * reference.
+ *
+ * Using this function on the return value of the user's callback allows
+ * the user to do whichever is more convenient for them.  The caller
+ * will alway receives exactly one full reference to the value: either
+ * the one that was returned in the first place, or a floating reference
+ * that has been converted to a full reference.
+ *
+ * This function has an odd interaction when combined with
+ * g_variant_ref_sink() running at the same time in another thread on
+ * the same #GVariant instance.  If g_variant_ref_sink() runs first then
+ * the result will be that the floating reference is converted to a hard
+ * reference.  If g_variant_take_ref() runs first then the result will
+ * be that the floating reference is converted to a hard reference and
+ * an additional reference on top of that one is added.  It is best to
+ * avoid this situation.
+ *
+ * Returns: the same @value
+ **/
+GVariant *
+g_variant_take_ref (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (value != NULL, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (value->ref_count > 0, NULL);
+
+  g_atomic_int_and (&value->state, ~STATE_FLOATING);
+
+  return value;
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_is_floating:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Checks whether @value has a floating reference count.
+ *
+ * This function should only ever be used to assert that a given variant
+ * is or is not floating, or for debug purposes. To acquire a reference
+ * to a variant that might be floating, always use g_variant_ref_sink()
+ * or g_variant_take_ref().
+ *
+ * See g_variant_ref_sink() for more information about floating reference
+ * counts.
+ *
+ * Returns: whether @value is floating
+ *
+ * Since: 2.26
+ **/
+gboolean
+g_variant_is_floating (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (value != NULL, FALSE);
+
+  return (value->state & STATE_FLOATING) != 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_get_size:
+ * @value: a #GVariant instance
+ *
+ * Determines the number of bytes that would be required to store @value
+ * with g_variant_store().
+ *
+ * If @value has a fixed-sized type then this function always returned
+ * that fixed size.
+ *
+ * In the case that @value is already in serialised form or the size has
+ * already been calculated (ie: this function has been called before)
+ * then this function is O(1).  Otherwise, the size is calculated, an
+ * operation which is approximately O(n) in the number of values
+ * involved.
+ *
+ * Returns: the serialised size of @value
+ *
+ * Since: 2.24
+ **/
+gsize
+g_variant_get_size (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_variant_lock (value);
+  g_variant_ensure_size (value);
+  g_variant_unlock (value);
+
+  return value->size;
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_get_data:
+ * @value: a #GVariant instance
+ *
+ * Returns a pointer to the serialised form of a #GVariant instance.
+ * The returned data may not be in fully-normalised form if read from an
+ * untrusted source.  The returned data must not be freed; it remains
+ * valid for as long as @value exists.
+ *
+ * If @value is a fixed-sized value that was deserialised from a
+ * corrupted serialised container then %NULL may be returned.  In this
+ * case, the proper thing to do is typically to use the appropriate
+ * number of nul bytes in place of @value.  If @value is not fixed-sized
+ * then %NULL is never returned.
+ *
+ * In the case that @value is already in serialised form, this function
+ * is O(1).  If the value is not already in serialised form,
+ * serialisation occurs implicitly and is approximately O(n) in the size
+ * of the result.
+ *
+ * To deserialise the data returned by this function, in addition to the
+ * serialised data, you must know the type of the #GVariant, and (if the
+ * machine might be different) the endianness of the machine that stored
+ * it. As a result, file formats or network messages that incorporate
+ * serialised #GVariant<!---->s must include this information either
+ * implicitly (for instance "the file always contains a
+ * %G_VARIANT_TYPE_VARIANT and it is always in little-endian order") or
+ * explicitly (by storing the type and/or endianness in addition to the
+ * serialised data).
+ *
+ * Returns: (transfer none): the serialised form of @value, or %NULL
+ *
+ * Since: 2.24
+ **/
+gconstpointer
+g_variant_get_data (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_variant_lock (value);
+  g_variant_ensure_serialised (value);
+  g_variant_unlock (value);
+
+  return value->contents.serialised.data;
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_get_data_as_bytes:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Returns a pointer to the serialised form of a #GVariant instance.
+ * The semantics of this function are exactly the same as
+ * g_variant_get_data(), except that the returned #GBytes holds
+ * a reference to the variant data.
+ *
+ * Returns: (transfer full): A new #GBytes representing the variant data
+ *
+ * Since: 2.36
+ */ 
+GBytes *
+g_variant_get_data_as_bytes (GVariant *value)
+{
+  g_variant_lock (value);
+  g_variant_ensure_serialised (value);
+  g_variant_unlock (value);
+
+  return g_bytes_ref (value->contents.serialised.bytes);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_n_children:
+ * @value: a container #GVariant
+ *
+ * Determines the number of children in a container #GVariant instance.
+ * This includes variants, maybes, arrays, tuples and dictionary
+ * entries.  It is an error to call this function on any other type of
+ * #GVariant.
+ *
+ * For variants, the return value is always 1.  For values with maybe
+ * types, it is always zero or one.  For arrays, it is the length of the
+ * array.  For tuples it is the number of tuple items (which depends
+ * only on the type).  For dictionary entries, it is always 2
+ *
+ * This function is O(1).
+ *
+ * Returns: the number of children in the container
+ *
+ * Since: 2.24
+ **/
+gsize
+g_variant_n_children (GVariant *value)
+{
+  gsize n_children;
+
+  g_variant_lock (value);
+
+  if (value->state & STATE_SERIALISED)
+    {
+      GVariantSerialised serialised = {
+        value->type_info,
+        (gpointer) value->contents.serialised.data,
+        value->size
+      };
+
+      n_children = g_variant_serialised_n_children (serialised);
+    }
+  else
+    n_children = value->contents.tree.n_children;
+
+  g_variant_unlock (value);
+
+  return n_children;
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_get_child_value:
+ * @value: a container #GVariant
+ * @index_: the index of the child to fetch
+ *
+ * Reads a child item out of a container #GVariant instance.  This
+ * includes variants, maybes, arrays, tuples and dictionary
+ * entries.  It is an error to call this function on any other type of
+ * #GVariant.
+ *
+ * It is an error if @index_ is greater than the number of child items
+ * in the container.  See g_variant_n_children().
+ *
+ * The returned value is never floating.  You should free it with
+ * g_variant_unref() when you're done with it.
+ *
+ * This function is O(1).
+ *
+ * Returns: (transfer full): the child at the specified index
+ *
+ * Since: 2.24
+ **/
+GVariant *
+g_variant_get_child_value (GVariant *value,
+                           gsize     index_)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (index_ < g_variant_n_children (value), NULL);
+
+  if (~g_atomic_int_get (&value->state) & STATE_SERIALISED)
+    {
+      g_variant_lock (value);
+
+      if (~value->state & STATE_SERIALISED)
+        {
+          GVariant *child;
+
+          child = g_variant_ref (value->contents.tree.children[index_]);
+          g_variant_unlock (value);
+
+          return child;
+        }
+
+      g_variant_unlock (value);
+    }
+
+  {
+    GVariantSerialised serialised = {
+      value->type_info,
+      (gpointer) value->contents.serialised.data,
+      value->size
+    };
+    GVariantSerialised s_child;
+    GVariant *child;
+
+    /* get the serialiser to extract the serialised data for the child
+     * from the serialised data for the container
+     */
+    s_child = g_variant_serialised_get_child (serialised, index_);
+
+    /* create a new serialised instance out of it */
+    child = g_slice_new (GVariant);
+    child->type_info = s_child.type_info;
+    child->state = (value->state & STATE_TRUSTED) |
+                   STATE_SERIALISED;
+    child->size = s_child.size;
+    child->ref_count = 1;
+    child->contents.serialised.bytes =
+      g_bytes_ref (value->contents.serialised.bytes);
+    child->contents.serialised.data = s_child.data;
+
+    return child;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_store:
+ * @value: the #GVariant to store
+ * @data: the location to store the serialised data at
+ *
+ * Stores the serialised form of @value at @data.  @data should be
+ * large enough.  See g_variant_get_size().
+ *
+ * The stored data is in machine native byte order but may not be in
+ * fully-normalised form if read from an untrusted source.  See
+ * g_variant_get_normal_form() for a solution.
+ *
+ * As with g_variant_get_data(), to be able to deserialise the
+ * serialised variant successfully, its type and (if the destination
+ * machine might be different) its endianness must also be available.
+ *
+ * This function is approximately O(n) in the size of @data.
+ *
+ * Since: 2.24
+ **/
+void
+g_variant_store (GVariant *value,
+                 gpointer  data)
+{
+  g_variant_lock (value);
+
+  if (value->state & STATE_SERIALISED)
+    {
+      if (value->contents.serialised.data != NULL)
+        memcpy (data, value->contents.serialised.data, value->size);
+      else
+        memset (data, 0, value->size);
+    }
+  else
+    g_variant_serialise (value, data);
+
+  g_variant_unlock (value);
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_variant_is_normal_form:
+ * @value: a #GVariant instance
+ *
+ * Checks if @value is in normal form.
+ *
+ * The main reason to do this is to detect if a given chunk of
+ * serialised data is in normal form: load the data into a #GVariant
+ * using g_variant_new_from_data() and then use this function to
+ * check.
+ *
+ * If @value is found to be in normal form then it will be marked as
+ * being trusted.  If the value was already marked as being trusted then
+ * this function will immediately return %TRUE.
+ *
+ * Returns: %TRUE if @value is in normal form
+ *
+ * Since: 2.24
+ **/
+gboolean
+g_variant_is_normal_form (GVariant *value)
+{
+  if (value->state & STATE_TRUSTED)
+    return TRUE;
+
+  g_variant_lock (value);
+
+  if (value->state & STATE_SERIALISED)
+    {
+      GVariantSerialised serialised = {
+        value->type_info,
+        (gpointer) value->contents.serialised.data,
+        value->size
+      };
+
+      if (g_variant_serialised_is_normal (serialised))
+        value->state |= STATE_TRUSTED;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      gboolean normal = TRUE;
+      gsize i;
+
+      for (i = 0; i < value->contents.tree.n_children; i++)
+        normal &= g_variant_is_normal_form (value->contents.tree.children[i]);
+
+      if (normal)
+        value->state |= STATE_TRUSTED;
+    }
+
+  g_variant_unlock (value);
+
+  return (value->state & STATE_TRUSTED) != 0;
+}

=== added directory '.pc/g-variant-get-data-as-bytes.patch/glib/tests'
=== added file '.pc/g-variant-get-data-as-bytes.patch/glib/tests/gvariant.c'
--- .pc/g-variant-get-data-as-bytes.patch/glib/tests/gvariant.c	1970-01-01 00:00:00 +0000
+++ .pc/g-variant-get-data-as-bytes.patch/glib/tests/gvariant.c	2013-05-03 17:57:29 +0000
@@ -0,0 +1,4339 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright © 2010 Codethink Limited
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the licence, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * See the included COPYING file for more information.
+ *
+ * Author: Ryan Lortie <[e-mail]>
+ */
+
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include <glib/gvariant-internal.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <glib.h>
+
+#define BASIC "bynqiuxthdsog?"
+#define N_BASIC (G_N_ELEMENTS (BASIC) - 1)
+
+#define INVALIDS "cefjklpwz&@^$"
+#define N_INVALIDS (G_N_ELEMENTS (INVALIDS) - 1)
+
+/* see comment in gvariant-serialiser.c about this madness.
+ *
+ * we use this to get testing of non-strictly-aligned GVariant instances
+ * on machines that can tolerate it.  it is necessary to support this
+ * because some systems have malloc() that returns non-8-aligned
+ * pointers.  it is necessary to have special support in the tests
+ * because on most machines malloc() is 8-aligned.
+ */
+#define ALIGN_BITS (sizeof (struct { char a; union {                       \
+                      guint64 x; void *y; gdouble z; } b; }) - 9)
+
+static gboolean
+randomly (gdouble prob)
+{
+  return g_test_rand_double_range (0, 1) < prob;
+}
+
+/* corecursion */
+static GVariantType *
+append_tuple_type_string (GString *, GString *, gboolean, gint);
+
+/* append a random GVariantType to a GString
+ * append a description of the type to another GString
+ * return what the type is
+ */
+static GVariantType *
+append_type_string (GString  *string,
+                    GString  *description,
+                    gboolean  definite,
+                    gint      depth)
+{
+  if (!depth-- || randomly (0.3))
+    {
+      gchar b = BASIC[g_test_rand_int_range (0, N_BASIC - definite)];
+      g_string_append_c (string, b);
+      g_string_append_c (description, b);
+
+      switch (b)
+        {
+        case 'b':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_BOOLEAN);
+        case 'y':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_BYTE);
+        case 'n':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_INT16);
+        case 'q':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_UINT16);
+        case 'i':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_INT32);
+        case 'u':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_UINT32);
+        case 'x':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_INT64);
+        case 't':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_UINT64);
+        case 'h':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_HANDLE);
+        case 'd':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_DOUBLE);
+        case 's':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_STRING);
+        case 'o':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_OBJECT_PATH);
+        case 'g':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_SIGNATURE);
+        case '?':
+          return g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_BASIC);
+        default:
+          g_assert_not_reached ();
+        }
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      GVariantType *result;
+
+      switch (g_test_rand_int_range (0, definite ? 5 : 7))
+        {
+        case 0:
+          {
+            GVariantType *element;
+
+            g_string_append_c (string, 'a');
+            g_string_append (description, "a of ");
+            element = append_type_string (string, description,
+                                          definite, depth);
+            result = g_variant_type_new_array (element);
+            g_variant_type_free (element);
+          }
+
+          g_assert (g_variant_type_is_array (result));
+          break;
+
+        case 1:
+          {
+            GVariantType *element;
+
+            g_string_append_c (string, 'm');
+            g_string_append (description, "m of ");
+            element = append_type_string (string, description,
+                                          definite, depth);
+            result = g_variant_type_new_maybe (element);
+            g_variant_type_free (element);
+          }
+
+          g_assert (g_variant_type_is_maybe (result));
+          break;
+
+        case 2:
+          result = append_tuple_type_string (string, description,
+                                             definite, depth);
+
+          g_assert (g_variant_type_is_tuple (result));
+          break;
+
+        case 3:
+          {
+            GVariantType *key, *value;
+
+            g_string_append_c (string, '{');
+            g_string_append (description, "e of [");
+            key = append_type_string (string, description, definite, 0);
+            g_string_append (description, ", ");
+            value = append_type_string (string, description, definite, depth);
+            g_string_append_c (description, ']');
+            g_string_append_c (string, '}');
+            result = g_variant_type_new_dict_entry (key, value);
+            g_variant_type_free (key);
+            g_variant_type_free (value);
+          }
+
+          g_assert (g_variant_type_is_dict_entry (result));
+          break;
+
+        case 4:
+          g_string_append_c (string, 'v');
+          g_string_append_c (description, 'V');
+          result = g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_VARIANT);
+          g_assert (g_variant_type_equal (result, G_VARIANT_TYPE_VARIANT));
+          break;
+
+        case 5:
+          g_string_append_c (string, '*');
+          g_string_append_c (description, 'S');
+          result = g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_ANY);
+          g_assert (g_variant_type_equal (result, G_VARIANT_TYPE_ANY));
+          break;
+
+        case 6:
+          g_string_append_c (string, 'r');
+          g_string_append_c (description, 'R');
+          result = g_variant_type_copy (G_VARIANT_TYPE_TUPLE);
+          g_assert (g_variant_type_is_tuple (result));
+          break;
+
+        default:
+          g_assert_not_reached ();
+        }
+
+      return result;
+    }
+}
+
+static GVariantType *
+append_tuple_type_string (GString  *string,
+                          GString  *description,
+                          gboolean  definite,
+                          gint      depth)
+{
+  GVariantType *result, *other_result;
+  GVariantType **types;
+  gint size;
+  gint i;
+
+  g_string_append_c (string, '(');
+  g_string_append (description, "t of [");
+
+  size = g_test_rand_int_range (0, 20);
+  types = g_new (GVariantType *, size + 1);
+
+  for (i = 0; i < size; i++)
+    {
+      types[i] = append_type_string (string, description, definite, depth);
+
+      if (i < size - 1)
+        g_string_append (description, ", ");
+    }
+
+  types[i] = NULL;
+
+  g_string_append_c (description, ']');
+  g_string_append_c (string, ')');
+
+  result = g_variant_type_new_tuple ((gpointer) types, size);
+  other_result = g_variant_type_new_tuple ((gpointer) types, -1);
+  g_assert (g_variant_type_equal (result, other_result));
+  g_variant_type_free (other_result);
+  for (i = 0; i < size; i++)
+    g_variant_type_free (types[i]);
+  g_free (types);
+
+  return result;
+}
+
+/* given a valid type string, make it invalid */
+static gchar *
+invalid_mutation (const gchar *type_string)
+{
+  gboolean have_parens, have_braces;
+
+  /* it's valid, so '(' implies ')' and same for '{' and '}' */
+  have_parens = strchr (type_string, '(') != NULL;
+  have_braces = strchr (type_string, '{') != NULL;
+
+  if (have_parens && have_braces && randomly (0.3))
+    {
+      /* swap a paren and a brace */
+      gchar *pp, *bp;
+      gint np, nb;
+      gchar p, b;
+      gchar *new;
+
+      new = g_strdup (type_string);
+
+      if (randomly (0.5))
+        p = '(', b = '{';
+      else
+        p = ')', b = '}';
+
+      np = nb = 0;
+      pp = bp = new - 1;
+
+      /* count number of parens/braces */
+      while ((pp = strchr (pp + 1, p))) np++;
+      while ((bp = strchr (bp + 1, b))) nb++;
+
+      /* randomly pick one of each */
+      np = g_test_rand_int_range (0, np) + 1;
+      nb = g_test_rand_int_range (0, nb) + 1;
+
+      /* find it */
+      pp = bp = new - 1;
+      while (np--) pp = strchr (pp + 1, p);
+      while (nb--) bp = strchr (bp + 1, b);
+
+      /* swap */
+      g_assert (*bp == b && *pp == p);
+      *bp = p;
+      *pp = b;
+
+      return new;
+    }
+
+  if ((have_parens || have_braces) && randomly (0.3))
+    {
+      /* drop a paren/brace */
+      gchar *new;
+      gchar *pp;
+      gint np;
+      gchar p;
+
+      if (have_parens)
+        if (randomly (0.5)) p = '('; else p = ')';
+      else
+        if (randomly (0.5)) p = '{'; else p = '}';
+
+      new = g_strdup (type_string);
+
+      np = 0;
+      pp = new - 1;
+      while ((pp = strchr (pp + 1, p))) np++;
+      np = g_test_rand_int_range (0, np) + 1;
+      pp = new - 1;
+      while (np--) pp = strchr (pp + 1, p);
+      g_assert (*pp == p);
+
+      while (*pp)
+        {
+          *pp = *(pp + 1);
+          pp++;
+        }
+
+      return new;
+    }
+
+  /* else, perform a random mutation at a random point */
+  {
+    gint length, n;
+    gchar *new;
+    gchar p;
+
+    if (randomly (0.3))
+      {
+        /* insert a paren/brace */
+        if (randomly (0.5))
+          if (randomly (0.5)) p = '('; else p = ')';
+        else
+          if (randomly (0.5)) p = '{'; else p = '}';
+      }
+    else if (randomly (0.5))
+      {
+        /* insert junk */
+        p = INVALIDS[g_test_rand_int_range (0, N_INVALIDS)];
+      }
+    else
+      {
+        /* truncate */
+        p = '\0';
+      }
+
+
+    length = strlen (type_string);
+    new = g_malloc (length + 2);
+    n = g_test_rand_int_range (0, length);
+    memcpy (new, type_string, n);
+    new[n] = p;
+    memcpy (new + n + 1, type_string + n, length - n);
+    new[length + 1] = '\0';
+
+    return new;
+  }
+}
+
+/* describe a type using the same language as is generated
+ * while generating the type with append_type_string
+ */
+static gchar *
+describe_type (const GVariantType *type)
+{
+  gchar *result;
+
+  if (g_variant_type_is_container (type))
+    {
+      g_assert (!g_variant_type_is_basic (type));
+
+      if (g_variant_type_is_array (type))
+        {
+          gchar *subtype = describe_type (g_variant_type_element (type));
+          result = g_strdup_printf ("a of %s", subtype);
+          g_free (subtype);
+        }
+      else if (g_variant_type_is_maybe (type))
+        {
+          gchar *subtype = describe_type (g_variant_type_element (type));
+          result = g_strdup_printf ("m of %s", subtype);
+          g_free (subtype);
+        }
+      else if (g_variant_type_is_tuple (type))
+        {
+          if (!g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_TUPLE))
+            {
+              const GVariantType *sub;
+              GString *string;
+              gint length;
+              gint i;
+
+              string = g_string_new ("t of [");
+
+              length = g_variant_type_n_items (type);
+              sub = g_variant_type_first (type);
+              for (i = 0; i < length; i++)
+                {
+                  gchar *subtype = describe_type (sub);
+                  g_string_append (string, subtype);
+                  g_free (subtype);
+
+                  if ((sub = g_variant_type_next (sub)))
+                    g_string_append (string, ", ");
+                }
+              g_assert (sub == NULL);
+              g_string_append_c (string, ']');
+
+              result = g_string_free (string, FALSE);
+            }
+          else
+            result = g_strdup ("R");
+        }
+      else if (g_variant_type_is_dict_entry (type))
+        {
+          gchar *key, *value, *key2, *value2;
+
+          key = describe_type (g_variant_type_key (type));
+          value = describe_type (g_variant_type_value (type));
+          key2 = describe_type (g_variant_type_first (type));
+          value2 = describe_type (
+            g_variant_type_next (g_variant_type_first (type)));
+          g_assert (g_variant_type_next (g_variant_type_next (
+            g_variant_type_first (type))) == NULL);
+          g_assert_cmpstr (key, ==, key2);
+          g_assert_cmpstr (value, ==, value2);
+          result = g_strjoin ("", "e of [", key, ", ", value, "]", NULL);
+          g_free (key2);
+          g_free (value2);
+          g_free (key);
+          g_free (value);
+        }
+      else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_VARIANT))
+        {
+          result = g_strdup ("V");
+        }
+      else
+        g_assert_not_reached ();
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      if (g_variant_type_is_definite (type))
+        {
+          g_assert (g_variant_type_is_basic (type));
+
+          if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_BOOLEAN))
+            result = g_strdup ("b");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_BYTE))
+            result = g_strdup ("y");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_INT16))
+            result = g_strdup ("n");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_UINT16))
+            result = g_strdup ("q");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_INT32))
+            result = g_strdup ("i");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_UINT32))
+            result = g_strdup ("u");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_INT64))
+            result = g_strdup ("x");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_UINT64))
+            result = g_strdup ("t");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_HANDLE))
+            result = g_strdup ("h");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_DOUBLE))
+            result = g_strdup ("d");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_STRING))
+            result = g_strdup ("s");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_OBJECT_PATH))
+            result = g_strdup ("o");
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_SIGNATURE))
+            result = g_strdup ("g");
+          else
+            g_assert_not_reached ();
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_ANY))
+            {
+              result = g_strdup ("S");
+            }
+          else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_BASIC))
+            {
+              result = g_strdup ("?");
+            }
+          else
+            g_assert_not_reached ();
+        }
+    }
+
+  return result;
+}
+
+/* given a type string, replace one of the indefinite type characters in
+ * it with a matching type (possibly the same type).
+ */
+static gchar *
+generate_subtype (const gchar *type_string)
+{
+  GVariantType *replacement;
+  GString *result, *junk;
+  gint length, n = 0, l;
+
+  result = g_string_new (NULL);
+  junk = g_string_new (NULL);
+
+  /* count the number of indefinite type characters */
+  for (length = 0; type_string[length]; length++)
+    n += type_string[length] == 'r' ||
+         type_string[length] == '?' ||
+         type_string[length] == '*';
+  /* length now is strlen (type_string) */
+
+  /* pick one at random to replace */
+  n = g_test_rand_int_range (0, n) + 1;
+
+  /* find it */
+  l = -1;
+  while (n--) l += strcspn (type_string + l + 1, "r?*") + 1;
+  g_assert (type_string[l] == 'r' ||
+            type_string[l] == '?' ||
+            type_string[l] == '*');
+
+  /* store up to that point in a GString */
+  g_string_append_len (result, type_string, l);
+
+  /* then store the replacement in the GString */
+  if (type_string[l] == 'r')
+    replacement = append_tuple_type_string (result, junk, FALSE, 3);
+
+  else if (type_string[l] == '?')
+    replacement = append_type_string (result, junk, FALSE, 0);
+
+  else if (type_string[l] == '*')
+    replacement = append_type_string (result, junk, FALSE, 3);
+
+  else
+    g_assert_not_reached ();
+
+  /* ensure the replacement has the proper type */
+  g_assert (g_variant_type_is_subtype_of (replacement,
+                                          (gpointer) &type_string[l]));
+
+  /* store the rest from the original type string */
+  g_string_append (result, type_string + l + 1);
+
+  g_variant_type_free (replacement);
+  g_string_free (junk, TRUE);
+
+  return g_string_free (result, FALSE);
+}
+
+struct typestack
+{
+  const GVariantType *type;
+  struct typestack *parent;
+};
+
+/* given an indefinite type string, replace one of the indefinite
+ * characters in it with a matching type and ensure that the result is a
+ * subtype of the original.  repeat.
+ */
+static void
+subtype_check (const gchar      *type_string,
+               struct typestack *parent_ts)
+{
+  struct typestack ts, *node;
+  gchar *subtype;
+  gint depth = 0;
+
+  subtype = generate_subtype (type_string);
+
+  ts.type = G_VARIANT_TYPE (subtype);
+  ts.parent = parent_ts;
+
+  for (node = &ts; node; node = node->parent)
+    {
+      /* this type should be a subtype of each parent type */
+      g_assert (g_variant_type_is_subtype_of (ts.type, node->type));
+
+      /* it should only be a supertype when it is exactly equal */
+      g_assert (g_variant_type_is_subtype_of (node->type, ts.type) ==
+                g_variant_type_equal (ts.type, node->type));
+
+      depth++;
+    }
+
+  if (!g_variant_type_is_definite (ts.type) && depth < 5)
+    {
+      /* the type is still indefinite and we haven't repeated too many
+       * times.  go once more.
+       */
+
+      subtype_check (subtype, &ts);
+    }
+
+  g_free (subtype);
+}
+
+static void
+test_gvarianttype (void)
+{
+  gint i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 2000; i++)
+    {
+      GString *type_string, *description;
+      GVariantType *type, *other_type;
+      const GVariantType *ctype;
+      gchar *invalid;
+      gchar *desc;
+
+      type_string = g_string_new (NULL);
+      description = g_string_new (NULL);
+
+      /* generate a random type, its type string and a description
+       *
+       * exercises type constructor functions and g_variant_type_copy()
+       */
+      type = append_type_string (type_string, description, FALSE, 6);
+
+      /* convert the type string to a type and ensure that it is equal
+       * to the one produced with the type constructor routines
+       */
+      ctype = G_VARIANT_TYPE (type_string->str);
+      g_assert (g_variant_type_equal (ctype, type));
+      g_assert (g_variant_type_hash (ctype) == g_variant_type_hash (type));
+      g_assert (g_variant_type_is_subtype_of (ctype, type));
+      g_assert (g_variant_type_is_subtype_of (type, ctype));
+
+      /* check if the type is indefinite */
+      if (!g_variant_type_is_definite (type))
+        {
+          struct typestack ts = { type, NULL };
+
+          /* if it is indefinite, then replace one of the indefinite
+           * characters with a matching type and ensure that the result
+           * is a subtype of the original type.  repeat.
+           */
+          subtype_check (type_string->str, &ts);
+        }
+      else
+        /* ensure that no indefinite characters appear */
+        g_assert (strcspn (type_string->str, "r?*") == type_string->len);
+
+
+      /* describe the type.
+       *
+       * exercises the type iterator interface
+       */
+      desc = describe_type (type);
+
+      /* make sure the description matches */
+      g_assert_cmpstr (desc, ==, description->str);
+      g_free (desc);
+
+      /* make an invalid mutation to the type and make sure the type
+       * validation routines catch it */
+      invalid = invalid_mutation (type_string->str);
+      g_assert (g_variant_type_string_is_valid (type_string->str));
+      g_assert (!g_variant_type_string_is_valid (invalid));
+      g_free (invalid);
+
+      /* concatenate another type to the type string and ensure that
+       * the result is recognised as being invalid
+       */
+      other_type = append_type_string (type_string, description, FALSE, 2);
+
+      g_string_free (description, TRUE);
+      g_string_free (type_string, TRUE);
+      g_variant_type_free (other_type);
+      g_variant_type_free (type);
+    }
+}
+
+#define ALIGNED(x, y)   (((x + (y - 1)) / y) * y)
+
+/* do our own calculation of the fixed_size and alignment of a type
+ * using a simple algorithm to make sure the "fancy" one in the
+ * implementation is correct.
+ */
+static void
+calculate_type_info (const GVariantType *type,
+                     gsize              *fixed_size,
+                     guint              *alignment)
+{
+  if (g_variant_type_is_array (type) ||
+      g_variant_type_is_maybe (type))
+    {
+      calculate_type_info (g_variant_type_element (type), NULL, alignment);
+
+      if (fixed_size)
+        *fixed_size = 0;
+    }
+  else if (g_variant_type_is_tuple (type) ||
+           g_variant_type_is_dict_entry (type))
+    {
+      if (g_variant_type_n_items (type))
+        {
+          const GVariantType *sub;
+          gboolean variable;
+          gsize size;
+          guint al;
+
+          variable = FALSE;
+          size = 0;
+          al = 0;
+
+          sub = g_variant_type_first (type);
+          do
+            {
+              gsize this_fs;
+              guint this_al;
+
+              calculate_type_info (sub, &this_fs, &this_al);
+
+              al = MAX (al, this_al);
+
+              if (!this_fs)
+                {
+                  variable = TRUE;
+                  size = 0;
+                }
+
+              if (!variable)
+                {
+                  size = ALIGNED (size, this_al);
+                  size += this_fs;
+                }
+            }
+          while ((sub = g_variant_type_next (sub)));
+
+          size = ALIGNED (size, al);
+
+          if (alignment)
+            *alignment = al;
+
+          if (fixed_size)
+            *fixed_size = size;
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          if (fixed_size)
+            *fixed_size = 1;
+
+          if (alignment)
+            *alignment = 1;
+        }
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      gint fs, al;
+
+      if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_BOOLEAN) ||
+          g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_BYTE))
+        {
+          al = fs = 1;
+        }
+
+      else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_INT16) ||
+               g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_UINT16))
+        {
+          al = fs = 2;
+        }
+
+      else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_INT32) ||
+               g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_UINT32) ||
+               g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_HANDLE))
+        {
+          al = fs = 4;
+        }
+
+      else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_INT64) ||
+               g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_UINT64) ||
+               g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_DOUBLE))
+        {
+          al = fs = 8;
+        }
+      else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_STRING) ||
+               g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_OBJECT_PATH) ||
+               g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_SIGNATURE))
+        {
+          al = 1;
+          fs = 0;
+        }
+      else if (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE_VARIANT))
+        {
+          al = 8;
+          fs = 0;
+        }
+      else
+        g_assert_not_reached ();
+
+      if (fixed_size)
+        *fixed_size = fs;
+
+      if (alignment)
+        *alignment = al;
+    }
+}
+
+/* same as the describe_type() function above, but iterates over
+ * typeinfo instead of types.
+ */
+static gchar *
+describe_info (GVariantTypeInfo *info)
+{
+  gchar *result;
+
+  switch (g_variant_type_info_get_type_char (info))
+    {
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_MAYBE:
+      {
+        gchar *element;
+
+        element = describe_info (g_variant_type_info_element (info));
+        result = g_strdup_printf ("m of %s", element);
+        g_free (element);
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_ARRAY:
+      {
+        gchar *element;
+
+        element = describe_info (g_variant_type_info_element (info));
+        result = g_strdup_printf ("a of %s", element);
+        g_free (element);
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_TUPLE:
+      {
+        const gchar *sep = "";
+        GString *string;
+        gint length;
+        gint i;
+
+        string = g_string_new ("t of [");
+        length = g_variant_type_info_n_members (info);
+
+        for (i = 0; i < length; i++)
+          {
+            const GVariantMemberInfo *minfo;
+            gchar *subtype;
+
+            g_string_append (string, sep);
+            sep = ", ";
+
+            minfo = g_variant_type_info_member_info (info, i);
+            subtype = describe_info (minfo->type_info);
+            g_string_append (string, subtype);
+            g_free (subtype);
+          }
+
+        g_string_append_c (string, ']');
+
+        result = g_string_free (string, FALSE);
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_DICT_ENTRY:
+      {
+        const GVariantMemberInfo *keyinfo, *valueinfo;
+        gchar *key, *value;
+
+        g_assert_cmpint (g_variant_type_info_n_members (info), ==, 2);
+        keyinfo = g_variant_type_info_member_info (info, 0);
+        valueinfo = g_variant_type_info_member_info (info, 1);
+        key = describe_info (keyinfo->type_info);
+        value = describe_info (valueinfo->type_info);
+        result = g_strjoin ("", "e of [", key, ", ", value, "]", NULL);
+        g_free (key);
+        g_free (value);
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_VARIANT:
+      result = g_strdup ("V");
+      break;
+
+    default:
+      result = g_strdup (g_variant_type_info_get_type_string (info));
+      g_assert_cmpint (strlen (result), ==, 1);
+      break;
+    }
+
+  return result;
+}
+
+/* check that the O(1) method of calculating offsets meshes with the
+ * results of simple iteration.
+ */
+static void
+check_offsets (GVariantTypeInfo   *info,
+               const GVariantType *type)
+{
+  gint flavour;
+  gint length;
+
+  length = g_variant_type_info_n_members (info);
+  g_assert_cmpint (length, ==, g_variant_type_n_items (type));
+
+  /* the 'flavour' is the low order bits of the ending point of
+   * variable-size items in the tuple.  this lets us test that the type
+   * info is correct for various starting alignments.
+   */
+  for (flavour = 0; flavour < 8; flavour++)
+    {
+      const GVariantType *subtype;
+      gsize last_offset_index;
+      gsize last_offset;
+      gsize position;
+      gint i;
+
+      subtype = g_variant_type_first (type);
+      last_offset_index = -1;
+      last_offset = 0;
+      position = 0;
+
+      /* go through the tuple, keeping track of our position */
+      for (i = 0; i < length; i++)
+        {
+          gsize fixed_size;
+          guint alignment;
+
+          calculate_type_info (subtype, &fixed_size, &alignment);
+
+          position = ALIGNED (position, alignment);
+
+          /* compare our current aligned position (ie: the start of this
+           * item) to the start offset that would be calculated if we
+           * used the type info
+           */
+          {
+            const GVariantMemberInfo *member;
+            gsize start;
+
+            member = g_variant_type_info_member_info (info, i);
+            g_assert_cmpint (member->i, ==, last_offset_index);
+
+            /* do the calculation using the typeinfo */
+            start = last_offset;
+            start += member->a;
+            start &= member->b;
+            start |= member->c;
+
+            /* did we reach the same spot? */
+            g_assert_cmpint (start, ==, position);
+          }
+
+          if (fixed_size)
+            {
+              /* fixed size.  add that size. */
+              position += fixed_size;
+            }
+          else
+            {
+              /* variable size.  do the flavouring. */
+              while ((position & 0x7) != flavour)
+                position++;
+
+              /* and store the offset, just like it would be in the
+               * serialised data.
+               */
+              last_offset = position;
+              last_offset_index++;
+            }
+
+          /* next type */
+          subtype = g_variant_type_next (subtype);
+        }
+
+      /* make sure we used up exactly all the types */
+      g_assert (subtype == NULL);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+test_gvarianttypeinfo (void)
+{
+  gint i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 2000; i++)
+    {
+      GString *type_string, *description;
+      gsize fixed_size1, fixed_size2;
+      guint alignment1, alignment2;
+      GVariantTypeInfo *info;
+      GVariantType *type;
+      gchar *desc;
+
+      type_string = g_string_new (NULL);
+      description = g_string_new (NULL);
+
+      /* random type */
+      type = append_type_string (type_string, description, TRUE, 6);
+
+      /* create a typeinfo for it */
+      info = g_variant_type_info_get (type);
+
+      /* make sure the typeinfo has the right type string */
+      g_assert_cmpstr (g_variant_type_info_get_type_string (info), ==,
+                       type_string->str);
+
+      /* calculate the alignment and fixed size, compare to the
+       * typeinfo's calculations
+       */
+      calculate_type_info (type, &fixed_size1, &alignment1);
+      g_variant_type_info_query (info, &alignment2, &fixed_size2);
+      g_assert_cmpint (fixed_size1, ==, fixed_size2);
+      g_assert_cmpint (alignment1, ==, alignment2 + 1);
+
+      /* test the iteration functions over typeinfo structures by
+       * "describing" the typeinfo and verifying equality.
+       */
+      desc = describe_info (info);
+      g_assert_cmpstr (desc, ==, description->str);
+
+      /* do extra checks for containers */
+      if (g_variant_type_is_array (type) ||
+          g_variant_type_is_maybe (type))
+        {
+          const GVariantType *element;
+          gsize efs1, efs2;
+          guint ea1, ea2;
+
+          element = g_variant_type_element (type);
+          calculate_type_info (element, &efs1, &ea1);
+          g_variant_type_info_query_element (info, &ea2, &efs2);
+          g_assert_cmpint (efs1, ==, efs2);
+          g_assert_cmpint (ea1, ==, ea2 + 1);
+
+          g_assert_cmpint (ea1, ==, alignment1);
+          g_assert_cmpint (0, ==, fixed_size1);
+        }
+      else if (g_variant_type_is_tuple (type) ||
+               g_variant_type_is_dict_entry (type))
+        {
+          /* make sure the "magic constants" are working */
+          check_offsets (info, type);
+        }
+
+      g_string_free (type_string, TRUE);
+      g_string_free (description, TRUE);
+      g_variant_type_info_unref (info);
+      g_variant_type_free (type);
+      g_free (desc);
+    }
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+#define MAX_FIXED_MULTIPLIER    256
+#define MAX_INSTANCE_SIZE       1024
+#define MAX_ARRAY_CHILDREN      128
+#define MAX_TUPLE_CHILDREN      128
+
+/* this function generates a random type such that all characteristics
+ * that are "interesting" to the serialiser are tested.
+ *
+ * this basically means:
+ *   - test different alignments
+ *   - test variable sized items and fixed sized items
+ *   - test different fixed sizes
+ */
+static gchar *
+random_type_string (void)
+{
+  const guchar base_types[] = "ynix";
+  guchar base_type;
+
+  base_type = base_types[g_test_rand_int_range (0, 4)];
+
+  if (g_test_rand_bit ())
+    /* construct a fixed-sized type */
+    {
+      char type_string[MAX_FIXED_MULTIPLIER];
+      guint multiplier;
+      guint i = 0;
+
+      multiplier = g_test_rand_int_range (1, sizeof type_string - 1);
+
+      type_string[i++] = '(';
+      while (multiplier--)
+        type_string[i++] = base_type;
+      type_string[i++] = ')';
+
+      return g_strndup (type_string, i);
+    }
+  else
+    /* construct a variable-sized type */
+    {
+      char type_string[2] = { 'a', base_type };
+
+      return g_strndup (type_string, 2);
+    }
+}
+
+typedef struct
+{
+  GVariantTypeInfo *type_info;
+  guint alignment;
+  gsize size;
+  gboolean is_fixed_sized;
+
+  guint32 seed;
+
+#define INSTANCE_MAGIC    1287582829
+  guint magic;
+} RandomInstance;
+
+static RandomInstance *
+random_instance (GVariantTypeInfo *type_info)
+{
+  RandomInstance *instance;
+
+  instance = g_slice_new (RandomInstance);
+
+  if (type_info == NULL)
+    {
+      gchar *str = random_type_string ();
+      instance->type_info = g_variant_type_info_get (G_VARIANT_TYPE (str));
+      g_free (str);
+    }
+  else
+    instance->type_info = g_variant_type_info_ref (type_info);
+
+  instance->seed = g_test_rand_int ();
+
+  g_variant_type_info_query (instance->type_info,
+                             &instance->alignment,
+                             &instance->size);
+
+  instance->is_fixed_sized = instance->size != 0;
+
+  if (!instance->is_fixed_sized)
+    instance->size = g_test_rand_int_range (0, MAX_INSTANCE_SIZE);
+
+  instance->magic = INSTANCE_MAGIC;
+
+  return instance;
+}
+
+static void
+random_instance_free (RandomInstance *instance)
+{
+  g_variant_type_info_unref (instance->type_info);
+  g_slice_free (RandomInstance, instance);
+}
+
+static void
+append_instance_size (RandomInstance *instance,
+                      gsize          *offset)
+{
+  *offset += (-*offset) & instance->alignment;
+  *offset += instance->size;
+}
+
+static void
+random_instance_write (RandomInstance *instance,
+                       guchar         *buffer)
+{
+  GRand *rand;
+  gint i;
+
+  g_assert_cmpint ((gsize) buffer & ALIGN_BITS & instance->alignment, ==, 0);
+
+  rand = g_rand_new_with_seed (instance->seed);
+  for (i = 0; i < instance->size; i++)
+    buffer[i] = g_rand_int (rand);
+  g_rand_free (rand);
+}
+
+static void
+append_instance_data (RandomInstance  *instance,
+                      guchar         **buffer)
+{
+  while (((gsize) *buffer) & instance->alignment)
+    *(*buffer)++ = '\0';
+
+  random_instance_write (instance, *buffer);
+  *buffer += instance->size;
+}
+
+static gboolean
+random_instance_assert (RandomInstance *instance,
+                        guchar         *buffer,
+                        gsize           size)
+{
+  GRand *rand;
+  gint i;
+
+  g_assert_cmpint ((gsize) buffer & ALIGN_BITS & instance->alignment, ==, 0);
+  g_assert_cmpint (size, ==, instance->size);
+
+  rand = g_rand_new_with_seed (instance->seed);
+  for (i = 0; i < instance->size; i++)
+    {
+      guchar byte = g_rand_int (rand);
+
+      g_assert (buffer[i] == byte);
+    }
+  g_rand_free (rand);
+
+  return i == instance->size;
+}
+
+static gboolean
+random_instance_check (RandomInstance *instance,
+                       guchar         *buffer,
+                       gsize           size)
+{
+  GRand *rand;
+  gint i;
+
+  g_assert_cmpint ((gsize) buffer & ALIGN_BITS & instance->alignment, ==, 0);
+
+  if (size != instance->size)
+    return FALSE;
+
+  rand = g_rand_new_with_seed (instance->seed);
+  for (i = 0; i < instance->size; i++)
+    if (buffer[i] != (guchar) g_rand_int (rand))
+      break;
+  g_rand_free (rand);
+
+  return i == instance->size;
+}
+
+static void
+random_instance_filler (GVariantSerialised *serialised,
+                        gpointer            data)
+{
+  RandomInstance *instance = data;
+
+  g_assert (instance->magic == INSTANCE_MAGIC);
+
+  if (serialised->type_info == NULL)
+    serialised->type_info = instance->type_info;
+
+  if (serialised->size == 0)
+    serialised->size = instance->size;
+
+  g_assert (serialised->type_info == instance->type_info);
+  g_assert (serialised->size == instance->size);
+
+  if (serialised->data)
+    random_instance_write (instance, serialised->data);
+}
+
+static gsize
+calculate_offset_size (gsize body_size,
+                       gsize n_offsets)
+{
+  if (body_size == 0)
+    return 0;
+
+  if (body_size + n_offsets <= G_MAXUINT8)
+    return 1;
+
+  if (body_size + 2 * n_offsets <= G_MAXUINT16)
+    return 2;
+
+  if (body_size + 4 * n_offsets <= G_MAXUINT32)
+    return 4;
+
+  /* the test case won't generate anything bigger */
+  g_assert_not_reached ();
+}
+
+static gpointer
+flavoured_malloc (gsize size, gsize flavour)
+{
+  g_assert (flavour < 8);
+
+  if (size == 0)
+    return NULL;
+
+  return ((gchar *) g_malloc (size + flavour)) + flavour;
+}
+
+static void
+flavoured_free (gpointer data,
+                gsize flavour)
+{
+  if (!data)
+    return;
+  g_free (((gchar *) data) - flavour);
+}
+
+static gpointer
+align_malloc (gsize size)
+{
+  gpointer mem;
+
+#ifdef HAVE_POSIX_MEMALIGN
+  if (posix_memalign (&mem, 8, size))
+    g_error ("posix_memalign failed");
+#else
+  /* NOTE: there may be platforms that lack posix_memalign() and also
+   * have malloc() that returns non-8-aligned.  if so, we need to try
+   * harder here.
+   */
+  mem = malloc (size);
+#endif
+
+  return mem;
+}
+
+static void
+align_free (gpointer mem)
+{
+  free (mem);
+}
+
+static void
+append_offset (guchar **offset_ptr,
+               gsize    offset,
+               guint    offset_size)
+{
+  union
+  {
+    guchar bytes[sizeof (gsize)];
+    gsize integer;
+  } tmpvalue;
+
+  tmpvalue.integer = GSIZE_TO_LE (offset);
+  memcpy (*offset_ptr, tmpvalue.bytes, offset_size);
+  *offset_ptr += offset_size;
+}
+
+static void
+prepend_offset (guchar **offset_ptr,
+                gsize    offset,
+                guint    offset_size)
+{
+  union
+  {
+    guchar bytes[sizeof (gsize)];
+    gsize integer;
+  } tmpvalue;
+
+  *offset_ptr -= offset_size;
+  tmpvalue.integer = GSIZE_TO_LE (offset);
+  memcpy (*offset_ptr, tmpvalue.bytes, offset_size);
+}
+
+static void
+test_maybe (void)
+{
+  GVariantTypeInfo *type_info;
+  RandomInstance *instance;
+  gsize needed_size;
+  guchar *data;
+
+  instance = random_instance (NULL);
+
+  {
+    const gchar *element;
+    gchar *tmp;
+
+    element = g_variant_type_info_get_type_string (instance->type_info);
+    tmp = g_strdup_printf ("m%s", element);
+    type_info = g_variant_type_info_get (G_VARIANT_TYPE (tmp));
+    g_free (tmp);
+  }
+
+  needed_size = g_variant_serialiser_needed_size (type_info,
+                                                  random_instance_filler,
+                                                  NULL, 0);
+  g_assert_cmpint (needed_size, ==, 0);
+
+  needed_size = g_variant_serialiser_needed_size (type_info,
+                                                  random_instance_filler,
+                                                  (gpointer *) &instance, 1);
+
+  if (instance->is_fixed_sized)
+    g_assert_cmpint (needed_size, ==, instance->size);
+  else
+    g_assert_cmpint (needed_size, ==, instance->size + 1);
+
+  {
+    guchar *ptr;
+
+    ptr = data = align_malloc (needed_size);
+    append_instance_data (instance, &ptr);
+
+    if (!instance->is_fixed_sized)
+      *ptr++ = '\0';
+
+    g_assert_cmpint (ptr - data, ==, needed_size);
+  }
+
+  {
+    guint alignment;
+    guint flavour;
+
+    alignment = (instance->alignment & ALIGN_BITS) + 1;
+
+    for (flavour = 0; flavour < 8; flavour += alignment)
+      {
+        GVariantSerialised serialised;
+        GVariantSerialised child;
+
+        serialised.type_info = type_info;
+        serialised.data = flavoured_malloc (needed_size, flavour);
+        serialised.size = needed_size;
+
+        g_variant_serialiser_serialise (serialised,
+                                        random_instance_filler,
+                                        (gpointer *) &instance, 1);
+        child = g_variant_serialised_get_child (serialised, 0);
+        g_assert (child.type_info == instance->type_info);
+        random_instance_assert (instance, child.data, child.size);
+        g_variant_type_info_unref (child.type_info);
+        flavoured_free (serialised.data, flavour);
+      }
+  }
+
+  g_variant_type_info_unref (type_info);
+  random_instance_free (instance);
+  align_free (data);
+}
+
+static void
+test_maybes (void)
+{
+  guint i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 1000; i++)
+    test_maybe ();
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_array (void)
+{
+  GVariantTypeInfo *element_info;
+  GVariantTypeInfo *array_info;
+  RandomInstance **instances;
+  gsize needed_size;
+  gsize offset_size;
+  guint n_children;
+  guchar *data;
+
+  {
+    gchar *element_type, *array_type;
+
+    element_type = random_type_string ();
+    array_type = g_strdup_printf ("a%s", element_type);
+
+    element_info = g_variant_type_info_get (G_VARIANT_TYPE (element_type));
+    array_info = g_variant_type_info_get (G_VARIANT_TYPE (array_type));
+    g_assert (g_variant_type_info_element (array_info) == element_info);
+
+    g_free (element_type);
+    g_free (array_type);
+  }
+
+  {
+    guint i;
+
+    n_children = g_test_rand_int_range (0, MAX_ARRAY_CHILDREN);
+    instances = g_new (RandomInstance *, n_children);
+    for (i = 0; i < n_children; i++)
+      instances[i] = random_instance (element_info);
+  }
+
+  needed_size = g_variant_serialiser_needed_size (array_info,
+                                                  random_instance_filler,
+                                                  (gpointer *) instances,
+                                                  n_children);
+
+  {
+    gsize element_fixed_size;
+    gsize body_size = 0;
+    guint i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < n_children; i++)
+      append_instance_size (instances[i], &body_size);
+
+    g_variant_type_info_query (element_info, NULL, &element_fixed_size);
+
+    if (!element_fixed_size)
+      {
+        offset_size = calculate_offset_size (body_size, n_children);
+
+        if (offset_size == 0)
+          offset_size = 1;
+      }
+    else
+      offset_size = 0;
+
+    g_assert_cmpint (needed_size, ==, body_size + n_children * offset_size);
+  }
+
+  {
+    guchar *offset_ptr, *body_ptr;
+    guint i;
+
+    body_ptr = data = align_malloc (needed_size);
+    offset_ptr = body_ptr + needed_size - offset_size * n_children;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < n_children; i++)
+      {
+        append_instance_data (instances[i], &body_ptr);
+        append_offset (&offset_ptr, body_ptr - data, offset_size);
+      }
+
+    g_assert (body_ptr == data + needed_size - offset_size * n_children);
+    g_assert (offset_ptr == data + needed_size);
+  }
+
+  {
+    guint alignment;
+    gsize flavour;
+    guint i;
+
+    g_variant_type_info_query (array_info, &alignment, NULL);
+    alignment = (alignment & ALIGN_BITS) + 1;
+
+    for (flavour = 0; flavour < 8; flavour += alignment)
+      {
+        GVariantSerialised serialised;
+
+        serialised.type_info = array_info;
+        serialised.data = flavoured_malloc (needed_size, flavour);
+        serialised.size = needed_size;
+
+        g_variant_serialiser_serialise (serialised, random_instance_filler,
+                                        (gpointer *) instances, n_children);
+
+        g_assert (memcmp (serialised.data, data, serialised.size) == 0);
+        g_assert (g_variant_serialised_n_children (serialised) == n_children);
+
+        for (i = 0; i < n_children; i++)
+          {
+            GVariantSerialised child;
+
+            child = g_variant_serialised_get_child (serialised, i);
+            g_assert (child.type_info == instances[i]->type_info);
+            random_instance_assert (instances[i], child.data, child.size);
+            g_variant_type_info_unref (child.type_info);
+          }
+
+        flavoured_free (serialised.data, flavour);
+      }
+  }
+
+  {
+    guint i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < n_children; i++)
+      random_instance_free (instances[i]);
+    g_free (instances);
+  }
+
+  g_variant_type_info_unref (element_info);
+  g_variant_type_info_unref (array_info);
+  align_free (data);
+}
+
+static void
+test_arrays (void)
+{
+  guint i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 100; i++)
+    test_array ();
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_tuple (void)
+{
+  GVariantTypeInfo *type_info;
+  RandomInstance **instances;
+  gboolean fixed_size;
+  gsize needed_size;
+  gsize offset_size;
+  guint n_children;
+  guint alignment;
+  guchar *data;
+
+  n_children = g_test_rand_int_range (0, MAX_TUPLE_CHILDREN);
+  instances = g_new (RandomInstance *, n_children);
+
+  {
+    GString *type_string;
+    guint i;
+
+    fixed_size = TRUE;
+    alignment = 0;
+
+    type_string = g_string_new ("(");
+    for (i = 0; i < n_children; i++)
+      {
+        const gchar *str;
+
+        instances[i] = random_instance (NULL);
+
+        alignment |= instances[i]->alignment;
+        if (!instances[i]->is_fixed_sized)
+          fixed_size = FALSE;
+
+        str = g_variant_type_info_get_type_string (instances[i]->type_info);
+        g_string_append (type_string, str);
+      }
+    g_string_append_c (type_string, ')');
+
+    type_info = g_variant_type_info_get (G_VARIANT_TYPE (type_string->str));
+    g_string_free (type_string, TRUE);
+  }
+
+  needed_size = g_variant_serialiser_needed_size (type_info,
+                                                  random_instance_filler,
+                                                  (gpointer *) instances,
+                                                  n_children);
+  {
+    gsize body_size = 0;
+    gsize offsets = 0;
+    guint i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < n_children; i++)
+      {
+        append_instance_size (instances[i], &body_size);
+
+        if (i != n_children - 1 && !instances[i]->is_fixed_sized)
+          offsets++;
+      }
+
+    if (fixed_size)
+      {
+        body_size += (-body_size) & alignment;
+
+        g_assert ((body_size == 0) == (n_children == 0));
+        if (n_children == 0)
+          body_size = 1;
+      }
+
+    offset_size = calculate_offset_size (body_size, offsets);
+    g_assert_cmpint (needed_size, ==, body_size + offsets * offset_size);
+  }
+
+  {
+    guchar *body_ptr;
+    guchar *ofs_ptr;
+    guint i;
+
+    body_ptr = data = align_malloc (needed_size);
+    ofs_ptr = body_ptr + needed_size;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < n_children; i++)
+      {
+        append_instance_data (instances[i], &body_ptr);
+
+        if (i != n_children - 1 && !instances[i]->is_fixed_sized)
+          prepend_offset (&ofs_ptr, body_ptr - data, offset_size);
+      }
+
+    if (fixed_size)
+      {
+        while (((gsize) body_ptr) & alignment)
+          *body_ptr++ = '\0';
+
+        g_assert ((body_ptr == data) == (n_children == 0));
+        if (n_children == 0)
+          *body_ptr++ = '\0';
+
+      }
+
+
+    g_assert (body_ptr == ofs_ptr);
+  }
+
+  {
+    gsize flavour;
+    guint i;
+
+    alignment = (alignment & ALIGN_BITS) + 1;
+
+    for (flavour = 0; flavour < 8; flavour += alignment)
+      {
+        GVariantSerialised serialised;
+
+        serialised.type_info = type_info;
+        serialised.data = flavoured_malloc (needed_size, flavour);
+        serialised.size = needed_size;
+
+        g_variant_serialiser_serialise (serialised, random_instance_filler,
+                                        (gpointer *) instances, n_children);
+
+        g_assert (memcmp (serialised.data, data, serialised.size) == 0);
+        g_assert (g_variant_serialised_n_children (serialised) == n_children);
+
+        for (i = 0; i < n_children; i++)
+          {
+            GVariantSerialised child;
+
+            child = g_variant_serialised_get_child (serialised, i);
+            g_assert (child.type_info == instances[i]->type_info);
+            random_instance_assert (instances[i], child.data, child.size);
+            g_variant_type_info_unref (child.type_info);
+          }
+
+        flavoured_free (serialised.data, flavour);
+      }
+  }
+
+  {
+    guint i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < n_children; i++)
+      random_instance_free (instances[i]);
+    g_free (instances);
+  }
+
+  g_variant_type_info_unref (type_info);
+  align_free (data);
+}
+
+static void
+test_tuples (void)
+{
+  guint i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 100; i++)
+    test_tuple ();
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_variant (void)
+{
+  GVariantTypeInfo *type_info;
+  RandomInstance *instance;
+  const gchar *type_string;
+  gsize needed_size;
+  guchar *data;
+  gsize len;
+
+  type_info = g_variant_type_info_get (G_VARIANT_TYPE_VARIANT);
+  instance = random_instance (NULL);
+
+  type_string = g_variant_type_info_get_type_string (instance->type_info);
+  len = strlen (type_string);
+
+  needed_size = g_variant_serialiser_needed_size (type_info,
+                                                  random_instance_filler,
+                                                  (gpointer *) &instance, 1);
+
+  g_assert_cmpint (needed_size, ==, instance->size + 1 + len);
+
+  {
+    guchar *ptr;
+
+    ptr = data = align_malloc (needed_size);
+    append_instance_data (instance, &ptr);
+    *ptr++ = '\0';
+    memcpy (ptr, type_string, len);
+    ptr += len;
+
+    g_assert (data + needed_size == ptr);
+  }
+
+  {
+    gsize alignment;
+    gsize flavour;
+
+    /* variants are always 8-aligned */
+    alignment = ALIGN_BITS + 1;
+
+    for (flavour = 0; flavour < 8; flavour += alignment)
+      {
+        GVariantSerialised serialised;
+        GVariantSerialised child;
+
+        serialised.type_info = type_info;
+        serialised.data = flavoured_malloc (needed_size, flavour);
+        serialised.size = needed_size;
+
+        g_variant_serialiser_serialise (serialised, random_instance_filler,
+                                        (gpointer *) &instance, 1);
+
+        g_assert (memcmp (serialised.data, data, serialised.size) == 0);
+        g_assert (g_variant_serialised_n_children (serialised) == 1);
+
+        child = g_variant_serialised_get_child (serialised, 0);
+        g_assert (child.type_info == instance->type_info);
+        random_instance_check (instance, child.data, child.size);
+
+        g_variant_type_info_unref (child.type_info);
+        flavoured_free (serialised.data, flavour);
+      }
+  }
+
+  g_variant_type_info_unref (type_info);
+  random_instance_free (instance);
+  align_free (data);
+}
+
+static void
+test_variants (void)
+{
+  guint i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 100; i++)
+    test_variant ();
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_strings (void)
+{
+  struct {
+    guint flags;
+    guint size;
+    gconstpointer data;
+  } test_cases[] = {
+#define is_nval           0
+#define is_string         1
+#define is_objpath        is_string | 2
+#define is_sig            is_string | 4
+    { is_sig,       1, "" },
+    { is_nval,      0, NULL },
+    { is_nval,     13, "hello\xffworld!" },
+    { is_string,   13, "hello world!" },
+    { is_nval,     13, "hello world\0" },
+    { is_nval,     13, "hello\0world!" },
+    { is_nval,     12, "hello world!" },
+    { is_nval,     13, "hello world!\xff" },
+
+    { is_objpath,   2, "/" },
+    { is_objpath,   3, "/a" },
+    { is_string,    3, "//" },
+    { is_objpath,  11, "/some/path" },
+    { is_string,   12, "/some/path/" },
+    { is_nval,     11, "/some\0path" },
+    { is_string,   11, "/some\\path" },
+    { is_string,   12, "/some//path" },
+    { is_string,   12, "/some-/path" },
+
+    { is_sig,       2, "i" },
+    { is_sig,       2, "s" },
+    { is_sig,       5, "(si)" },
+    { is_string,    4, "(si" },
+    { is_string,    2, "*" },
+    { is_sig,       3, "ai" },
+    { is_string,    3, "mi" },
+    { is_string,    2, "r" },
+    { is_sig,      15, "(yyy{sv}ssiai)" },
+    { is_string,   16, "(yyy{yv}ssiai))" },
+    { is_string,   15, "(yyy{vv}ssiai)" },
+    { is_string,   15, "(yyy{sv)ssiai}" }
+  };
+  guint i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (test_cases); i++)
+    {
+      guint flags;
+
+      flags = g_variant_serialiser_is_string (test_cases[i].data,
+                                              test_cases[i].size)
+        ? 1 : 0;
+
+      flags |= g_variant_serialiser_is_object_path (test_cases[i].data,
+                                                    test_cases[i].size)
+        ? 2 : 0;
+
+      flags |= g_variant_serialiser_is_signature (test_cases[i].data,
+                                                  test_cases[i].size)
+        ? 4 : 0;
+
+      g_assert (flags == test_cases[i].flags);
+    }
+}
+
+typedef struct _TreeInstance TreeInstance;
+struct _TreeInstance
+{
+  GVariantTypeInfo *info;
+
+  TreeInstance **children;
+  gsize n_children;
+
+  union {
+    guint64 integer;
+    gdouble floating;
+    gchar string[32];
+  } data;
+  gsize data_size;
+};
+
+static GVariantType *
+make_random_definite_type (int depth)
+{
+  GString *description;
+  GString *type_string;
+  GVariantType *type;
+
+  description = g_string_new (NULL);
+  type_string = g_string_new (NULL);
+  type = append_type_string (type_string, description, TRUE, depth);
+  g_string_free (description, TRUE);
+  g_string_free (type_string, TRUE);
+
+  return type;
+}
+
+static void
+make_random_string (gchar              *string,
+                    gsize               size,
+                    const GVariantType *type)
+{
+  gint i;
+
+  /* create strings that are valid signature strings */
+#define good_chars "bynqiuxthdsog"
+
+  for (i = 0; i < size - 1; i++)
+    string[i] = good_chars[g_test_rand_int_range (0, strlen (good_chars))];
+  string[i] = '\0';
+
+  /* in case we need an object path, prefix a '/' */
+  if (*g_variant_type_peek_string (type) == 'o')
+    string[0] = '/';
+
+#undef good_chars
+}
+
+static TreeInstance *
+tree_instance_new (const GVariantType *type,
+                   int                 depth)
+{
+  const GVariantType *child_type = NULL;
+  GVariantType *mytype = NULL;
+  TreeInstance *instance;
+  gboolean is_tuple_type;
+
+  if (type == NULL)
+    type = mytype = make_random_definite_type (depth);
+
+  instance = g_slice_new (TreeInstance);
+  instance->info = g_variant_type_info_get (type);
+  instance->children = NULL;
+  instance->n_children = 0;
+  instance->data_size = 0;
+
+  is_tuple_type = FALSE;
+
+  switch (*g_variant_type_peek_string (type))
+    {
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_MAYBE:
+      instance->n_children = g_test_rand_int_range (0, 2);
+      child_type = g_variant_type_element (type);
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_ARRAY:
+      instance->n_children = g_test_rand_int_range (0, MAX_ARRAY_CHILDREN);
+      child_type = g_variant_type_element (type);
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_DICT_ENTRY:
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_TUPLE:
+      instance->n_children = g_variant_type_n_items (type);
+      child_type = g_variant_type_first (type);
+      is_tuple_type = TRUE;
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_VARIANT:
+      instance->n_children = 1;
+      child_type = NULL;
+      break;
+
+    case 'b':
+      instance->data.integer = g_test_rand_int_range (0, 2);
+      instance->data_size = 1;
+      break;
+
+    case 'y':
+      instance->data.integer = g_test_rand_int ();
+      instance->data_size = 1;
+      break;
+
+    case 'n': case 'q':
+      instance->data.integer = g_test_rand_int ();
+      instance->data_size = 2;
+      break;
+
+    case 'i': case 'u': case 'h':
+      instance->data.integer = g_test_rand_int ();
+      instance->data_size = 4;
+      break;
+
+    case 'x': case 't':
+      instance->data.integer = g_test_rand_int ();
+      instance->data.integer <<= 32;
+      instance->data.integer |= (guint32) g_test_rand_int ();
+      instance->data_size = 8;
+      break;
+
+    case 'd':
+      instance->data.floating = g_test_rand_double ();
+      instance->data_size = 8;
+      break;
+
+    case 's': case 'o': case 'g':
+      instance->data_size = g_test_rand_int_range (10, 20);
+      make_random_string (instance->data.string, instance->data_size, type);
+      break;
+    }
+
+  if (instance->data_size == 0)
+    /* no data -> it is a container */
+    {
+      guint i;
+
+      instance->children = g_new (TreeInstance *, instance->n_children);
+
+      for (i = 0; i < instance->n_children; i++)
+        {
+          instance->children[i] = tree_instance_new (child_type, depth - 1);
+
+          if (is_tuple_type)
+            child_type = g_variant_type_next (child_type);
+        }
+
+      g_assert (!is_tuple_type || child_type == NULL);
+    }
+
+  g_variant_type_free (mytype);
+
+  return instance;
+}
+
+static void
+tree_instance_free (TreeInstance *instance)
+{
+  gint i;
+
+  g_variant_type_info_unref (instance->info);
+  for (i = 0; i < instance->n_children; i++)
+    tree_instance_free (instance->children[i]);
+  g_free (instance->children);
+  g_slice_free (TreeInstance, instance);
+}
+
+static gboolean i_am_writing_byteswapped;
+
+static void
+tree_filler (GVariantSerialised *serialised,
+             gpointer            data)
+{
+  TreeInstance *instance = data;
+
+  if (serialised->type_info == NULL)
+    serialised->type_info = instance->info;
+
+  if (instance->data_size == 0)
+    /* is a container */
+    {
+      if (serialised->size == 0)
+        serialised->size =
+          g_variant_serialiser_needed_size (instance->info, tree_filler,
+                                            (gpointer *) instance->children,
+                                            instance->n_children);
+
+      if (serialised->data)
+        g_variant_serialiser_serialise (*serialised, tree_filler,
+                                        (gpointer *) instance->children,
+                                        instance->n_children);
+    }
+  else
+    /* it is a leaf */
+    {
+      if (serialised->size == 0)
+        serialised->size = instance->data_size;
+
+      if (serialised->data)
+        {
+          switch (instance->data_size)
+            {
+            case 1:
+              *serialised->data = instance->data.integer;
+              break;
+
+            case 2:
+              {
+                guint16 value = instance->data.integer;
+
+                if (i_am_writing_byteswapped)
+                  value = GUINT16_SWAP_LE_BE (value);
+
+                *(guint16 *) serialised->data = value;
+              }
+              break;
+
+            case 4:
+              {
+                guint32 value = instance->data.integer;
+
+                if (i_am_writing_byteswapped)
+                  value = GUINT32_SWAP_LE_BE (value);
+
+                *(guint32 *) serialised->data = value;
+              }
+              break;
+
+            case 8:
+              {
+                guint64 value = instance->data.integer;
+
+                if (i_am_writing_byteswapped)
+                  value = GUINT64_SWAP_LE_BE (value);
+
+                *(guint64 *) serialised->data = value;
+              }
+              break;
+
+            default:
+              memcpy (serialised->data,
+                      instance->data.string,
+                      instance->data_size);
+              break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+static gboolean
+check_tree (TreeInstance       *instance,
+            GVariantSerialised  serialised)
+{
+  if (instance->info != serialised.type_info)
+    return FALSE;
+
+  if (instance->data_size == 0)
+    /* is a container */
+    {
+      gint i;
+
+      if (g_variant_serialised_n_children (serialised) !=
+          instance->n_children)
+        return FALSE;
+
+      for (i = 0; i < instance->n_children; i++)
+        {
+          GVariantSerialised child;
+          gpointer data = NULL;
+          gboolean ok;
+
+          child = g_variant_serialised_get_child (serialised, i);
+          if (child.size && child.data == NULL)
+            child.data = data = g_malloc0 (child.size);
+          ok = check_tree (instance->children[i], child);
+          g_variant_type_info_unref (child.type_info);
+          g_free (data);
+
+          if (!ok)
+            return FALSE;
+        }
+
+      return TRUE;
+    }
+  else
+    /* it is a leaf */
+    {
+      switch (instance->data_size)
+        {
+        case 1:
+          g_assert (serialised.size == 1);
+          return *(guint8 *) serialised.data ==
+                  (guint8) instance->data.integer;
+
+        case 2:
+          g_assert (serialised.size == 2);
+          return *(guint16 *) serialised.data ==
+                  (guint16) instance->data.integer;
+
+        case 4:
+          g_assert (serialised.size == 4);
+          return *(guint32 *) serialised.data ==
+                  (guint32) instance->data.integer;
+
+        case 8:
+          g_assert (serialised.size == 8);
+          return *(guint64 *) serialised.data ==
+                  (guint64) instance->data.integer;
+
+        default:
+          if (serialised.size != instance->data_size)
+            return FALSE;
+
+          return memcmp (serialised.data,
+                         instance->data.string,
+                         instance->data_size) == 0;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+serialise_tree (TreeInstance       *tree,
+                GVariantSerialised *serialised)
+{
+  GVariantSerialised empty = {  };
+
+  *serialised = empty;
+  tree_filler (serialised, tree);
+  serialised->data = g_malloc (serialised->size);
+  tree_filler (serialised, tree);
+}
+
+static void
+test_byteswap (void)
+{
+  GVariantSerialised one, two;
+  TreeInstance *tree;
+
+  tree = tree_instance_new (NULL, 3);
+  serialise_tree (tree, &one);
+
+  i_am_writing_byteswapped = TRUE;
+  serialise_tree (tree, &two);
+  i_am_writing_byteswapped = FALSE;
+
+  g_variant_serialised_byteswap (two);
+
+  g_assert_cmpint (one.size, ==, two.size);
+  g_assert (memcmp (one.data, two.data, one.size) == 0);
+
+  tree_instance_free (tree);
+  g_free (one.data);
+  g_free (two.data);
+}
+
+static void
+test_byteswaps (void)
+{
+  int i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 200; i++)
+    test_byteswap ();
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_fuzz (gdouble *fuzziness)
+{
+  GVariantSerialised serialised;
+  TreeInstance *tree;
+
+  /* make an instance */
+  tree = tree_instance_new (NULL, 3);
+
+  /* serialise it */
+  serialise_tree (tree, &serialised);
+
+  g_assert (g_variant_serialised_is_normal (serialised));
+  g_assert (check_tree (tree, serialised));
+
+  if (serialised.size)
+    {
+      gboolean fuzzed = FALSE;
+      gboolean a, b;
+
+      while (!fuzzed)
+        {
+          gint i;
+
+          for (i = 0; i < serialised.size; i++)
+            if (randomly (*fuzziness))
+              {
+                serialised.data[i] += g_test_rand_int_range (1, 256);
+                fuzzed = TRUE;
+              }
+        }
+
+      /* at least one byte in the serialised data has changed.
+       *
+       * this means that at least one of the following is true:
+       *
+       *    - the serialised data now represents a different value:
+       *        check_tree() will return FALSE
+       *
+       *    - the serialised data is in non-normal form:
+       *        g_variant_serialiser_is_normal() will return FALSE
+       *
+       * we always do both checks to increase exposure of the serialiser
+       * to corrupt data.
+       */
+      a = g_variant_serialised_is_normal (serialised);
+      b = check_tree (tree, serialised);
+
+      g_assert (!a || !b);
+    }
+
+  tree_instance_free (tree);
+  g_free (serialised.data);
+}
+
+
+static void
+test_fuzzes (gpointer data)
+{
+  gdouble fuzziness;
+  int i;
+
+  fuzziness = GPOINTER_TO_INT (data) / 100.;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 200; i++)
+    test_fuzz (&fuzziness);
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static GVariant *
+tree_instance_get_gvariant (TreeInstance *tree)
+{
+  const GVariantType *type;
+  GVariant *result;
+
+  type = (GVariantType *) g_variant_type_info_get_type_string (tree->info);
+
+  switch (g_variant_type_info_get_type_char (tree->info))
+    {
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_MAYBE:
+      {
+        const GVariantType *child_type;
+        GVariant *child;
+
+        if (tree->n_children)
+          child = tree_instance_get_gvariant (tree->children[0]);
+        else
+          child = NULL;
+
+        child_type = g_variant_type_element (type);
+
+        if (child != NULL && randomly (0.5))
+          child_type = NULL;
+
+        result = g_variant_new_maybe (child_type, child);
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_ARRAY:
+      {
+        const GVariantType *child_type;
+        GVariant **children;
+        gint i;
+
+        children = g_new (GVariant *, tree->n_children);
+        for (i = 0; i < tree->n_children; i++)
+          children[i] = tree_instance_get_gvariant (tree->children[i]);
+
+        child_type = g_variant_type_element (type);
+
+        if (i > 0 && randomly (0.5))
+          child_type = NULL;
+
+        result = g_variant_new_array (child_type, children, tree->n_children);
+        g_free (children);
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_TUPLE:
+      {
+        GVariant **children;
+        gint i;
+
+        children = g_new (GVariant *, tree->n_children);
+        for (i = 0; i < tree->n_children; i++)
+          children[i] = tree_instance_get_gvariant (tree->children[i]);
+
+        result = g_variant_new_tuple (children, tree->n_children);
+        g_free (children);
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_DICT_ENTRY:
+      {
+        GVariant *key, *val;
+
+        g_assert (tree->n_children == 2);
+
+        key = tree_instance_get_gvariant (tree->children[0]);
+        val = tree_instance_get_gvariant (tree->children[1]);
+
+        result = g_variant_new_dict_entry (key, val);
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_VARIANT:
+      {
+        GVariant *value;
+
+        g_assert (tree->n_children == 1);
+
+        value = tree_instance_get_gvariant (tree->children[0]);
+        result = g_variant_new_variant (value);
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case 'b':
+      result = g_variant_new_boolean (tree->data.integer > 0);
+      break;
+
+    case 'y':
+      result = g_variant_new_byte (tree->data.integer);
+      break;
+
+    case 'n':
+      result = g_variant_new_int16 (tree->data.integer);
+      break;
+
+    case 'q':
+      result = g_variant_new_uint16 (tree->data.integer);
+      break;
+
+    case 'i':
+      result = g_variant_new_int32 (tree->data.integer);
+      break;
+
+    case 'u':
+      result = g_variant_new_uint32 (tree->data.integer);
+      break;
+
+    case 'x':
+      result = g_variant_new_int64 (tree->data.integer);
+      break;
+
+    case 't':
+      result = g_variant_new_uint64 (tree->data.integer);
+      break;
+
+    case 'h':
+      result = g_variant_new_handle (tree->data.integer);
+      break;
+
+    case 'd':
+      result = g_variant_new_double (tree->data.floating);
+      break;
+
+    case 's':
+      result = g_variant_new_string (tree->data.string);
+      break;
+
+    case 'o':
+      result = g_variant_new_object_path (tree->data.string);
+      break;
+
+    case 'g':
+      result = g_variant_new_signature (tree->data.string);
+      break;
+
+    default:
+      g_assert_not_reached ();
+    }
+
+  return result;
+}
+
+static gboolean
+tree_instance_check_gvariant (TreeInstance *tree,
+                              GVariant     *value)
+{
+  const GVariantType *type;
+
+  type = (GVariantType *) g_variant_type_info_get_type_string (tree->info);
+  g_assert (g_variant_is_of_type (value, type));
+
+  switch (g_variant_type_info_get_type_char (tree->info))
+    {
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_MAYBE:
+      {
+        GVariant *child;
+        gboolean equal;
+
+        child = g_variant_get_maybe (value);
+
+        if (child != NULL && tree->n_children == 1)
+          equal = tree_instance_check_gvariant (tree->children[0], child);
+        else if (child == NULL && tree->n_children == 0)
+          equal = TRUE;
+        else
+          equal = FALSE;
+
+        if (child != NULL)
+          g_variant_unref (child);
+
+        return equal;
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_ARRAY:
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_TUPLE:
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_DICT_ENTRY:
+      {
+        gsize i;
+
+        if (g_variant_n_children (value) != tree->n_children)
+          return FALSE;
+
+        for (i = 0; i < tree->n_children; i++)
+          {
+            GVariant *child;
+            gboolean equal;
+
+            child = g_variant_get_child_value (value, i);
+            equal = tree_instance_check_gvariant (tree->children[i], child);
+            g_variant_unref (child);
+
+            if (!equal)
+              return FALSE;
+          }
+
+        return TRUE;
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case G_VARIANT_TYPE_INFO_CHAR_VARIANT:
+      {
+        const gchar *str1, *str2;
+        GVariant *child;
+        gboolean equal;
+
+        child = g_variant_get_variant (value);
+        str1 = g_variant_get_type_string (child);
+        str2 = g_variant_type_info_get_type_string (tree->children[0]->info);
+        /* GVariant only keeps one copy of type strings around */
+        equal = str1 == str2 &&
+                tree_instance_check_gvariant (tree->children[0], child);
+
+        g_variant_unref (child);
+
+        return equal;
+      }
+      break;
+
+    case 'b':
+      return g_variant_get_boolean (value) == tree->data.integer;
+
+    case 'y':
+      return g_variant_get_byte (value) == (guchar) tree->data.integer;
+
+    case 'n':
+      return g_variant_get_int16 (value) == (gint16) tree->data.integer;
+
+    case 'q':
+      return g_variant_get_uint16 (value) == (guint16) tree->data.integer;
+
+    case 'i':
+      return g_variant_get_int32 (value) == (gint32) tree->data.integer;
+
+    case 'u':
+      return g_variant_get_uint32 (value) == (guint32) tree->data.integer;
+
+    case 'x':
+      return g_variant_get_int64 (value) == (gint64) tree->data.integer;
+
+    case 't':
+      return g_variant_get_uint64 (value) == (guint64) tree->data.integer;
+
+    case 'h':
+      return g_variant_get_handle (value) == (gint32) tree->data.integer;
+
+    case 'd':
+      {
+        gdouble floating = g_variant_get_double (value);
+
+        return memcmp (&floating, &tree->data.floating, sizeof floating) == 0;
+      }
+
+    case 's':
+    case 'o':
+    case 'g':
+      return strcmp (g_variant_get_string (value, NULL),
+                     tree->data.string) == 0;
+
+    default:
+      g_assert_not_reached ();
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+tree_instance_build_gvariant (TreeInstance    *tree,
+                              GVariantBuilder *builder,
+                              gboolean         guess_ok)
+{
+  const GVariantType *type;
+
+  type = (GVariantType *) g_variant_type_info_get_type_string (tree->info);
+
+  if (g_variant_type_is_container (type))
+    {
+      gsize i;
+
+      /* force GVariantBuilder to guess the type half the time */
+      if (guess_ok && randomly (0.5))
+        {
+          if (g_variant_type_is_array (type) && tree->n_children)
+            type = G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY;
+
+          if (g_variant_type_is_maybe (type) && tree->n_children)
+            type = G_VARIANT_TYPE_MAYBE;
+
+          if (g_variant_type_is_tuple (type))
+            type = G_VARIANT_TYPE_TUPLE;
+
+          if (g_variant_type_is_dict_entry (type))
+            type = G_VARIANT_TYPE_DICT_ENTRY;
+        }
+      else
+        guess_ok = FALSE;
+
+      g_variant_builder_open (builder, type);
+
+      for (i = 0; i < tree->n_children; i++)
+        tree_instance_build_gvariant (tree->children[i], builder, guess_ok);
+
+      g_variant_builder_close (builder);
+    }
+  else
+    g_variant_builder_add_value (builder, tree_instance_get_gvariant (tree));
+}
+
+
+static gboolean
+tree_instance_check_iter (TreeInstance *tree,
+                          GVariantIter *iter)
+{
+  GVariant *value;
+
+  value = g_variant_iter_next_value (iter);
+
+  if (g_variant_is_container (value))
+    {
+      gsize i;
+
+      iter = g_variant_iter_new (value);
+      g_variant_unref (value);
+
+      if (g_variant_iter_n_children (iter) != tree->n_children)
+        {
+          g_variant_iter_free (iter);
+          return FALSE;
+        }
+
+      for (i = 0; i < tree->n_children; i++)
+        if (!tree_instance_check_iter (tree->children[i], iter))
+          {
+            g_variant_iter_free (iter);
+            return FALSE;
+          }
+
+      g_assert (g_variant_iter_next_value (iter) == NULL);
+      g_variant_iter_free (iter);
+
+      return TRUE;
+    }
+
+  else
+    {
+      gboolean equal;
+
+      equal = tree_instance_check_gvariant (tree, value);
+      g_variant_unref (value);
+
+      return equal;
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+test_container (void)
+{
+  TreeInstance *tree;
+  GVariant *value;
+  gchar *s1, *s2;
+
+  tree = tree_instance_new (NULL, 3);
+  value = g_variant_ref_sink (tree_instance_get_gvariant (tree));
+
+  s1 = g_variant_print (value, TRUE);
+  g_assert (tree_instance_check_gvariant (tree, value));
+
+  g_variant_get_data (value);
+
+  s2 = g_variant_print (value, TRUE);
+  g_assert (tree_instance_check_gvariant (tree, value));
+
+  g_assert_cmpstr (s1, ==, s2);
+
+  if (g_variant_is_container (value))
+    {
+      GVariantBuilder builder;
+      GVariantIter iter;
+      GVariant *built;
+      GVariant *val;
+      gchar *s3;
+
+      g_variant_builder_init (&builder, G_VARIANT_TYPE_VARIANT);
+      tree_instance_build_gvariant (tree, &builder, TRUE);
+      built = g_variant_builder_end (&builder);
+      g_variant_ref_sink (built);
+      g_variant_get_data (built);
+      val = g_variant_get_variant (built);
+
+      s3 = g_variant_print (val, TRUE);
+      g_assert_cmpstr (s1, ==, s3);
+
+      g_variant_iter_init (&iter, built);
+      g_assert (tree_instance_check_iter (tree, &iter));
+      g_assert (g_variant_iter_next_value (&iter) == NULL);
+
+      g_variant_unref (built);
+      g_variant_unref (val);
+      g_free (s3);
+    }
+
+  tree_instance_free (tree);
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+  g_free (s2);
+  g_free (s1);
+}
+
+static void
+test_utf8 (void)
+{
+  const gchar invalid[] = "hello\xffworld";
+  GVariant *value;
+
+  /* ensure that the test data is not valid utf8... */
+  g_assert (!g_utf8_validate (invalid, -1, NULL));
+
+  /* load the data untrusted */
+  value = g_variant_new_from_data (G_VARIANT_TYPE_STRING,
+                                   invalid, sizeof invalid,
+                                   FALSE, NULL, NULL);
+
+  /* ensure that the problem is caught and we get valid UTF-8 */
+  g_assert (g_utf8_validate (g_variant_get_string (value, NULL), -1, NULL));
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+
+
+  /* now load it trusted */
+  value = g_variant_new_from_data (G_VARIANT_TYPE_STRING,
+                                   invalid, sizeof invalid,
+                                   TRUE, NULL, NULL);
+
+  /* ensure we get the invalid data (ie: make sure that time wasn't
+   * wasted on validating data that was marked as trusted)
+   */
+  g_assert (g_variant_get_string (value, NULL) == invalid);
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+}
+
+static void
+test_containers (void)
+{
+  gint i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 100; i++)
+    {
+      test_container ();
+    }
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_format_strings (void)
+{
+  GVariantType *type;
+  const gchar *end;
+
+  g_assert (g_variant_format_string_scan ("i", NULL, &end) && *end == '\0');
+  g_assert (g_variant_format_string_scan ("@i", NULL, &end) && *end == '\0');
+  g_assert (g_variant_format_string_scan ("@ii", NULL, &end) && *end == 'i');
+  g_assert (g_variant_format_string_scan ("^a&s", NULL, &end) && *end == '\0');
+  g_assert (g_variant_format_string_scan ("(^as)", NULL, &end) &&
+            *end == '\0');
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("(^s)", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("(^a)", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("(z)", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("az", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("{**}", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("{@**}", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (g_variant_format_string_scan ("{@y*}", NULL, &end) &&
+            *end == '\0');
+  g_assert (g_variant_format_string_scan ("{yv}", NULL, &end) &&
+            *end == '\0');
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("{&?v}", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (g_variant_format_string_scan ("{@?v}", NULL, &end) &&
+            *end == '\0');
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("{&@sv}", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("{@&sv}", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (g_variant_format_string_scan ("{&sv}", NULL, &end) &&
+            *end == '\0');
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("{vv}", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("{y}", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("{yyy}", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("{ya}", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (g_variant_format_string_scan ("&s", NULL, &end) && *end == '\0');
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("&as", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("@z", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("az", NULL, &end));
+  g_assert (!g_variant_format_string_scan ("a&s", NULL, &end));
+
+  type = g_variant_format_string_scan_type ("mm(@xy^a&s*?@?)", NULL, &end);
+  g_assert (type && *end == '\0');
+  g_assert (g_variant_type_equal (type, G_VARIANT_TYPE ("mm(xyas*?\?)")));
+  g_variant_type_free (type);
+
+  type = g_variant_format_string_scan_type ("mm(@xy^a&*?@?)", NULL, NULL);
+  g_assert (type == NULL);
+}
+
+static void
+exit_on_abort (int signal)
+{
+  exit (signal);
+}
+
+static gboolean
+do_failed_test (const gchar *pattern)
+{
+  if (g_test_trap_fork (1000000, G_TEST_TRAP_SILENCE_STDERR))
+    {
+      signal (SIGABRT, exit_on_abort);
+      return TRUE;
+    }
+
+  g_test_trap_assert_failed ();
+  g_test_trap_assert_stderr (pattern);
+
+  return FALSE;
+}
+
+static void
+test_invalid_varargs (void)
+{
+  GVariant *value;
+  const gchar *end;
+
+  if (!g_test_undefined ())
+    return;
+
+  g_test_expect_message (G_LOG_DOMAIN, G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL,
+                         "*GVariant format string*");
+  g_test_expect_message (G_LOG_DOMAIN, G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL,
+                         "*valid_format_string*");
+  value = g_variant_new ("z");
+  g_test_assert_expected_messages ();
+  g_assert (value == NULL);
+
+  g_test_expect_message (G_LOG_DOMAIN, G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL,
+                         "*valid GVariant format string as a prefix*");
+  g_test_expect_message (G_LOG_DOMAIN, G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL,
+                         "*valid_format_string*");
+  value = g_variant_new_va ("z", &end, NULL);
+  g_test_assert_expected_messages ();
+  g_assert (value == NULL);
+
+  value = g_variant_new ("y", 'a');
+  g_test_expect_message (G_LOG_DOMAIN, G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL,
+                         "*type of `q' but * has a type of `y'*");
+  g_test_expect_message (G_LOG_DOMAIN, G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL,
+                         "*valid_format_string*");
+  g_variant_get (value, "q");
+  g_test_assert_expected_messages ();
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+}
+
+static void
+check_and_free (GVariant    *value,
+                const gchar *str)
+{
+  gchar *valstr = g_variant_print (value, FALSE);
+  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, valstr);
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+  g_free (valstr);
+}
+
+static void
+test_varargs (void)
+{
+  {
+    GVariantBuilder array;
+
+    g_variant_builder_init (&array, G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+    g_variant_builder_add_parsed (&array, "{'size', <(%i, %i)> }", 800, 600);
+    g_variant_builder_add (&array, "{sv}", "title",
+                           g_variant_new_string ("Test case"));
+    g_variant_builder_add_value (&array,
+      g_variant_new_dict_entry (g_variant_new_string ("temperature"),
+                                g_variant_new_variant (
+                                  g_variant_new_double (37.5))));
+    check_and_free (g_variant_new ("(ma{sv}m(a{sv})ma{sv}ii)",
+                                   NULL, FALSE, NULL, &array, 7777, 8888),
+                    "(nothing, nothing, {'size': <(800, 600)>, "
+                                        "'title': <'Test case'>, "
+                                        "'temperature': <37.5>}, "
+                     "7777, 8888)");
+
+    check_and_free (g_variant_new ("(imimimmimmimmi)",
+                                   123,
+                                   FALSE, 321,
+                                   TRUE, 123,
+                                   FALSE, TRUE, 321,
+                                   TRUE, FALSE, 321,
+                                   TRUE, TRUE, 123),
+                    "(123, nothing, 123, nothing, just nothing, 123)");
+
+    check_and_free (g_variant_new ("(ybnixd)",
+                                   'a', 1, 22, 33, (guint64) 44, 5.5),
+                    "(0x61, true, 22, 33, 44, 5.5)");
+
+    check_and_free (g_variant_new ("(@y?*rv)",
+                                   g_variant_new ("y", 'a'),
+                                   g_variant_new ("y", 'b'),
+                                   g_variant_new ("y", 'c'),
+                                   g_variant_new ("(y)", 'd'),
+                                   g_variant_new ("y", 'e')),
+                    "(0x61, 0x62, 0x63, (0x64,), <byte 0x65>)");
+  }
+
+  {
+    GVariantBuilder array;
+    GVariantIter iter;
+    GVariant *value;
+    gchar *number;
+    gboolean just;
+    gint i, val;
+
+    g_variant_builder_init (&array, G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+    for (i = 0; i < 100; i++)
+      {
+        number = g_strdup_printf ("%d", i);
+        g_variant_builder_add (&array, "s", number);
+        g_free (number);
+      }
+
+    value = g_variant_builder_end (&array);
+    g_variant_iter_init (&iter, value);
+
+    i = 0;
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (&iter, "s", &number))
+      {
+        gchar *check = g_strdup_printf ("%d", i++);
+        g_assert_cmpstr (number, ==, check);
+        g_free (check);
+      }
+    g_assert (number == NULL);
+    g_assert (i == 100);
+
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+
+    g_variant_builder_init (&array, G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+    for (i = 0; i < 100; i++)
+      g_variant_builder_add (&array, "mi", i % 2 == 0, i);
+    value = g_variant_builder_end (&array);
+
+    i = 0;
+    g_variant_iter_init (&iter, value);
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (&iter, "mi", NULL, &val))
+      g_assert (val == i++ || val == 0);
+    g_assert (i == 100);
+
+    i = 0;
+    g_variant_iter_init (&iter, value);
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (&iter, "mi", &just, &val))
+      {
+        gint this = i++;
+
+        if (this % 2 == 0)
+          {
+            g_assert (just);
+            g_assert (val == this);
+          }
+        else
+          {
+            g_assert (!just);
+            g_assert (val == 0);
+          }
+      }
+    g_assert (i == 100);
+
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+  }
+
+  {
+    const gchar *strvector[] = {"/hello", "/world", NULL};
+    const gchar *test_strs[] = {"/foo", "/bar", "/baz" };
+    GVariantBuilder builder;
+    GVariantIter *array;
+    GVariantIter tuple;
+    const gchar **strv;
+    gchar **my_strv;
+    GVariant *value;
+    gchar *str;
+    gint i;
+
+    g_variant_builder_init (&builder, G_VARIANT_TYPE ("as"));
+    g_variant_builder_add (&builder, "s", "/foo");
+    g_variant_builder_add (&builder, "s", "/bar");
+    g_variant_builder_add (&builder, "s", "/baz");
+    value = g_variant_new("(as^as^a&s)", &builder, strvector, strvector);
+    g_variant_iter_init (&tuple, value);
+    g_variant_iter_next (&tuple, "as", &array);
+
+    i = 0;
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (array, "s", &str))
+      g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, test_strs[i++]);
+    g_assert (i == 3);
+
+    g_variant_iter_free (array);
+
+    /* start over */
+    g_variant_iter_init (&tuple, value);
+    g_variant_iter_next (&tuple, "as", &array);
+
+    i = 0;
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (array, "&s", &str))
+      g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, test_strs[i++]);
+    g_assert (i == 3);
+
+    g_variant_iter_free (array);
+
+    g_variant_iter_next (&tuple, "^a&s", &strv);
+    g_variant_iter_next (&tuple, "^as", &my_strv);
+
+    g_assert_cmpstr (strv[0], ==, "/hello");
+    g_assert_cmpstr (strv[1], ==, "/world");
+    g_assert (strv[2] == NULL);
+    g_assert_cmpstr (my_strv[0], ==, "/hello");
+    g_assert_cmpstr (my_strv[1], ==, "/world");
+    g_assert (my_strv[2] == NULL);
+
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+    g_strfreev (my_strv);
+    g_free (strv);
+  }
+
+  {
+    const gchar *strvector[] = {"/hello", "/world", NULL};
+    const gchar *test_strs[] = {"/foo", "/bar", "/baz" };
+    GVariantBuilder builder;
+    GVariantIter *array;
+    GVariantIter tuple;
+    const gchar **strv;
+    gchar **my_strv;
+    GVariant *value;
+    gchar *str;
+    gint i;
+
+    g_variant_builder_init (&builder, G_VARIANT_TYPE_OBJECT_PATH_ARRAY);
+    g_variant_builder_add (&builder, "o", "/foo");
+    g_variant_builder_add (&builder, "o", "/bar");
+    g_variant_builder_add (&builder, "o", "/baz");
+    value = g_variant_new("(ao^ao^a&o)", &builder, strvector, strvector);
+    g_variant_iter_init (&tuple, value);
+    g_variant_iter_next (&tuple, "ao", &array);
+
+    i = 0;
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (array, "o", &str))
+      g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, test_strs[i++]);
+    g_assert (i == 3);
+
+    g_variant_iter_free (array);
+
+    /* start over */
+    g_variant_iter_init (&tuple, value);
+    g_variant_iter_next (&tuple, "ao", &array);
+
+    i = 0;
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (array, "&o", &str))
+      g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, test_strs[i++]);
+    g_assert (i == 3);
+
+    g_variant_iter_free (array);
+
+    g_variant_iter_next (&tuple, "^a&o", &strv);
+    g_variant_iter_next (&tuple, "^ao", &my_strv);
+
+    g_assert_cmpstr (strv[0], ==, "/hello");
+    g_assert_cmpstr (strv[1], ==, "/world");
+    g_assert (strv[2] == NULL);
+    g_assert_cmpstr (my_strv[0], ==, "/hello");
+    g_assert_cmpstr (my_strv[1], ==, "/world");
+    g_assert (my_strv[2] == NULL);
+
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+    g_strfreev (my_strv);
+    g_free (strv);
+  }
+
+  {
+    const gchar *strvector[] = { "i", "ii", "iii", "iv", "v", "vi", NULL };
+    GVariantBuilder builder;
+    GVariantIter iter;
+    GVariantIter *i2;
+    GVariantIter *i3;
+    GVariant *value;
+    GVariant *sub;
+    gchar **strv;
+    gint i;
+
+    g_variant_builder_init (&builder, G_VARIANT_TYPE ("aas"));
+    g_variant_builder_open (&builder, G_VARIANT_TYPE ("as"));
+    for (i = 0; i < 6; i++)
+      if (i & 1)
+        g_variant_builder_add (&builder, "s", strvector[i]);
+      else
+        g_variant_builder_add (&builder, "&s", strvector[i]);
+    g_variant_builder_close (&builder);
+    g_variant_builder_add (&builder, "^as", strvector);
+    g_variant_builder_add (&builder, "^as", strvector);
+    value = g_variant_new ("aas", &builder);
+
+    g_variant_iter_init (&iter, value);
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (&iter, "^as", &strv))
+      for (i = 0; i < 6; i++)
+        g_assert_cmpstr (strv[i], ==, strvector[i]);
+
+    g_variant_iter_init (&iter, value);
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (&iter, "^a&s", &strv))
+      for (i = 0; i < 6; i++)
+        g_assert_cmpstr (strv[i], ==, strvector[i]);
+
+    g_variant_iter_init (&iter, value);
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (&iter, "as", &i2))
+      {
+        gchar *str;
+
+        i = 0;
+        while (g_variant_iter_loop (i2, "s", &str))
+          g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, strvector[i++]);
+        g_assert (i == 6);
+      }
+
+    g_variant_iter_init (&iter, value);
+    i3 = g_variant_iter_copy (&iter);
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (&iter, "@as", &sub))
+      {
+        gchar *str = g_variant_print (sub, TRUE);
+        g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==,
+                         "['i', 'ii', 'iii', 'iv', 'v', 'vi']");
+        g_free (str);
+      }
+
+    g_test_expect_message (G_LOG_DOMAIN, G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL,
+                           "*NULL has already been returned*");
+    g_variant_iter_next_value (&iter);
+    g_test_assert_expected_messages ();
+
+    while (g_variant_iter_loop (i3, "*", &sub))
+      {
+        gchar *str = g_variant_print (sub, TRUE);
+        g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==,
+                         "['i', 'ii', 'iii', 'iv', 'v', 'vi']");
+        g_free (str);
+      }
+
+    g_variant_iter_free (i3);
+
+    for (i = 0; i < g_variant_n_children (value); i++)
+      {
+        gint j;
+
+        g_variant_get_child (value, i, "*", &sub);
+
+        for (j = 0; j < g_variant_n_children (sub); j++)
+          {
+            const gchar *str = NULL;
+            GVariant *cval;
+
+            g_variant_get_child (sub, j, "&s", &str);
+            g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, strvector[j]);
+
+            cval = g_variant_get_child_value (sub, j);
+            g_variant_get (cval, "&s", &str);
+            g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, strvector[j]);
+            g_variant_unref (cval);
+          }
+
+        g_variant_unref (sub);
+      }
+
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+  }
+
+  {
+    gboolean justs[10];
+    GVariant *value;
+
+    GVariant *vval;
+    guchar byteval;
+    gboolean bval;
+    gint16 i16val;
+    guint16 u16val;
+    gint32 i32val;
+    guint32 u32val;
+    gint64 i64val;
+    guint64 u64val;
+    gdouble dval;
+    gint32 hval;
+
+    /* test all 'nothing' */
+    value = g_variant_new ("(mymbmnmqmimumxmtmhmdmv)",
+                           FALSE, 'a',
+                           FALSE, TRUE,
+                           FALSE, (gint16) 123,
+                           FALSE, (guint16) 123,
+                           FALSE, (gint32) 123,
+                           FALSE, (guint32) 123,
+                           FALSE, (gint64) 123,
+                           FALSE, (guint64) 123,
+                           FALSE, (gint32) -1,
+                           FALSE, (gdouble) 37.5,
+                           NULL);
+
+    /* both NULL */
+    g_variant_get (value, "(mymbmnmqmimumxmtmhmdmv)",
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL);
+
+    /* NULL values */
+    memset (justs, 1, sizeof justs);
+    g_variant_get (value, "(mymbmnmqmimumxmtmhmdmv)",
+                   &justs[0], NULL,
+                   &justs[1], NULL,
+                   &justs[2], NULL,
+                   &justs[3], NULL,
+                   &justs[4], NULL,
+                   &justs[5], NULL,
+                   &justs[6], NULL,
+                   &justs[7], NULL,
+                   &justs[8], NULL,
+                   &justs[9], NULL,
+                   NULL);
+    g_assert (!(justs[0] || justs[1] || justs[2] || justs[3] || justs[4] ||
+                justs[5] || justs[6] || justs[7] || justs[8] || justs[9]));
+
+    /* both non-NULL */
+    memset (justs, 1, sizeof justs);
+    byteval = i16val = u16val = i32val = u32val = i64val = u64val = hval = 88;
+    vval = (void *) 1;
+    bval = TRUE;
+    dval = 88.88;
+    g_variant_get (value, "(mymbmnmqmimumxmtmhmdmv)",
+                   &justs[0], &byteval,
+                   &justs[1], &bval,
+                   &justs[2], &i16val,
+                   &justs[3], &u16val,
+                   &justs[4], &i32val,
+                   &justs[5], &u32val,
+                   &justs[6], &i64val,
+                   &justs[7], &u64val,
+                   &justs[8], &hval,
+                   &justs[9], &dval,
+                   &vval);
+    g_assert (!(justs[0] || justs[1] || justs[2] || justs[3] || justs[4] ||
+                justs[5] || justs[6] || justs[7] || justs[8] || justs[9]));
+    g_assert (byteval == '\0' && bval == FALSE);
+    g_assert (i16val == 0 && u16val == 0 && i32val == 0 &&
+              u32val == 0 && i64val == 0 && u64val == 0 &&
+              hval == 0 && dval == 0.0);
+    g_assert (vval == NULL);
+
+    /* NULL justs */
+    byteval = i16val = u16val = i32val = u32val = i64val = u64val = hval = 88;
+    vval = (void *) 1;
+    bval = TRUE;
+    dval = 88.88;
+    g_variant_get (value, "(mymbmnmqmimumxmtmhmdmv)",
+                   NULL, &byteval,
+                   NULL, &bval,
+                   NULL, &i16val,
+                   NULL, &u16val,
+                   NULL, &i32val,
+                   NULL, &u32val,
+                   NULL, &i64val,
+                   NULL, &u64val,
+                   NULL, &hval,
+                   NULL, &dval,
+                   &vval);
+    g_assert (byteval == '\0' && bval == FALSE);
+    g_assert (i16val == 0 && u16val == 0 && i32val == 0 &&
+              u32val == 0 && i64val == 0 && u64val == 0 &&
+              hval == 0 && dval == 0.0);
+    g_assert (vval == NULL);
+
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+
+
+    /* test all 'just' */
+    value = g_variant_new ("(mymbmnmqmimumxmtmhmdmv)",
+                           TRUE, 'a',
+                           TRUE, TRUE,
+                           TRUE, (gint16) 123,
+                           TRUE, (guint16) 123,
+                           TRUE, (gint32) 123,
+                           TRUE, (guint32) 123,
+                           TRUE, (gint64) 123,
+                           TRUE, (guint64) 123,
+                           TRUE, (gint32) -1,
+                           TRUE, (gdouble) 37.5,
+                           g_variant_new ("()"));
+
+    /* both NULL */
+    g_variant_get (value, "(mymbmnmqmimumxmtmhmdmv)",
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL, NULL,
+                   NULL);
+
+    /* NULL values */
+    memset (justs, 0, sizeof justs);
+    g_variant_get (value, "(mymbmnmqmimumxmtmhmdmv)",
+                   &justs[0], NULL,
+                   &justs[1], NULL,
+                   &justs[2], NULL,
+                   &justs[3], NULL,
+                   &justs[4], NULL,
+                   &justs[5], NULL,
+                   &justs[6], NULL,
+                   &justs[7], NULL,
+                   &justs[8], NULL,
+                   &justs[9], NULL,
+                   NULL);
+    g_assert (justs[0] && justs[1] && justs[2] && justs[3] && justs[4] &&
+              justs[5] && justs[6] && justs[7] && justs[8] && justs[9]);
+
+    /* both non-NULL */
+    memset (justs, 0, sizeof justs);
+    byteval = i16val = u16val = i32val = u32val = i64val = u64val = hval = 88;
+    vval = (void *) 1;
+    bval = FALSE;
+    dval = 88.88;
+    g_variant_get (value, "(mymbmnmqmimumxmtmhmdmv)",
+                   &justs[0], &byteval,
+                   &justs[1], &bval,
+                   &justs[2], &i16val,
+                   &justs[3], &u16val,
+                   &justs[4], &i32val,
+                   &justs[5], &u32val,
+                   &justs[6], &i64val,
+                   &justs[7], &u64val,
+                   &justs[8], &hval,
+                   &justs[9], &dval,
+                   &vval);
+    g_assert (justs[0] && justs[1] && justs[2] && justs[3] && justs[4] &&
+              justs[5] && justs[6] && justs[7] && justs[8] && justs[9]);
+    g_assert (byteval == 'a' && bval == TRUE);
+    g_assert (i16val == 123 && u16val == 123 && i32val == 123 &&
+              u32val == 123 && i64val == 123 && u64val == 123 &&
+              hval == -1 && dval == 37.5);
+    g_assert (g_variant_is_of_type (vval, G_VARIANT_TYPE_UNIT));
+    g_variant_unref (vval);
+
+    /* NULL justs */
+    byteval = i16val = u16val = i32val = u32val = i64val = u64val = hval = 88;
+    vval = (void *) 1;
+    bval = TRUE;
+    dval = 88.88;
+    g_variant_get (value, "(mymbmnmqmimumxmtmhmdmv)",
+                   NULL, &byteval,
+                   NULL, &bval,
+                   NULL, &i16val,
+                   NULL, &u16val,
+                   NULL, &i32val,
+                   NULL, &u32val,
+                   NULL, &i64val,
+                   NULL, &u64val,
+                   NULL, &hval,
+                   NULL, &dval,
+                   &vval);
+    g_assert (byteval == 'a' && bval == TRUE);
+    g_assert (i16val == 123 && u16val == 123 && i32val == 123 &&
+              u32val == 123 && i64val == 123 && u64val == 123 &&
+              hval == -1 && dval == 37.5);
+    g_assert (g_variant_is_of_type (vval, G_VARIANT_TYPE_UNIT));
+    g_variant_unref (vval);
+
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+  }
+
+  {
+    GVariant *value;
+    gchar *str;
+
+    value = g_variant_new ("(masas)", NULL, NULL);
+    g_variant_ref_sink (value);
+
+    str = g_variant_print (value, TRUE);
+    g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "(@mas nothing, @as [])");
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+    g_free (str);
+
+    if (do_failed_test ("*which type of empty array*"))
+      g_variant_new ("(a{s*})", NULL);
+  }
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static void
+hash_get (GVariant    *value,
+          const gchar *format,
+          ...)
+{
+  const gchar *endptr = NULL;
+  gboolean hash;
+  va_list ap;
+
+  hash = g_str_has_suffix (format, "#");
+
+  va_start (ap, format);
+  g_variant_get_va (value, format, hash ? &endptr : NULL, &ap);
+  va_end (ap);
+
+  if (hash)
+    g_assert (*endptr == '#');
+}
+
+static GVariant *
+hash_new (const gchar *format,
+          ...)
+{
+  const gchar *endptr = NULL;
+  GVariant *value;
+  gboolean hash;
+  va_list ap;
+
+  hash = g_str_has_suffix (format, "#");
+
+  va_start (ap, format);
+  value = g_variant_new_va (format, hash ? &endptr : NULL, &ap);
+  va_end (ap);
+
+  if (hash)
+    g_assert (*endptr == '#');
+
+  return value;
+}
+
+static void
+test_valist (void)
+{
+  GVariant *value;
+  gint32 x;
+
+  x = 0;
+  value = hash_new ("i", 234);
+  hash_get (value, "i", &x);
+  g_assert (x == 234);
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+
+  x = 0;
+  value = hash_new ("i#", 234);
+  hash_get (value, "i#", &x);
+  g_assert (x == 234);
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_builder_memory (void)
+{
+  GVariantBuilder *hb;
+  GVariantBuilder sb;
+
+  hb = g_variant_builder_new  (G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+  g_variant_builder_open (hb, G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+  g_variant_builder_open (hb, G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+  g_variant_builder_open (hb, G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+  g_variant_builder_add (hb, "s", "some value");
+  g_variant_builder_ref (hb);
+  g_variant_builder_unref (hb);
+  g_variant_builder_unref (hb);
+
+  hb = g_variant_builder_new (G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+  g_variant_builder_unref (hb);
+
+  hb = g_variant_builder_new (G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+  g_variant_builder_clear (hb);
+  g_variant_builder_unref (hb);
+
+  g_variant_builder_init (&sb, G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+  g_variant_builder_open (&sb, G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+  g_variant_builder_open (&sb, G_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRAY);
+  g_variant_builder_add (&sb, "s", "some value");
+  g_variant_builder_clear (&sb);
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_hashing (void)
+{
+  GVariant *items[4096];
+  GHashTable *table;
+  gint i;
+
+  table = g_hash_table_new_full (g_variant_hash, g_variant_equal,
+                                 (GDestroyNotify ) g_variant_unref,
+                                 NULL);
+
+  for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (items); i++)
+    {
+      TreeInstance *tree;
+      gint j;
+
+ again:
+      tree = tree_instance_new (NULL, 0);
+      items[i] = tree_instance_get_gvariant (tree);
+      tree_instance_free (tree);
+
+      for (j = 0; j < i; j++)
+        if (g_variant_equal (items[i], items[j]))
+          {
+            g_variant_unref (items[i]);
+            goto again;
+          }
+
+      g_hash_table_insert (table,
+                           g_variant_ref_sink (items[i]),
+                           GINT_TO_POINTER (i));
+    }
+
+  for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (items); i++)
+    {
+      gpointer result;
+
+      result = g_hash_table_lookup (table, items[i]);
+      g_assert_cmpint (GPOINTER_TO_INT (result), ==, i);
+    }
+
+  g_hash_table_unref (table);
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_gv_byteswap (void)
+{
+#if G_BYTE_ORDER == G_LITTLE_ENDIAN
+# define native16(x)  x, 0
+# define swapped16(x) 0, x
+#else
+# define native16(x)  0, x
+# define swapped16(x) x, 0
+#endif
+  /* all kinds of of crazy randomised testing already performed on the
+   * byteswapper in the /gvariant/serialiser/byteswap test and all kinds
+   * of crazy randomised testing performed against the serialiser
+   * normalisation functions in the /gvariant/serialiser/fuzz/ tests.
+   *
+   * just test a few simple cases here to make sure they each work
+   */
+  guchar validbytes[] = { 'a', '\0', swapped16(66), 2,
+                          0,
+                          'b', '\0', swapped16(77), 2,
+                          5, 11 };
+  guchar corruptbytes[] = { 'a', '\0', swapped16(66), 2,
+                            0,
+                            'b', '\0', swapped16(77), 2,
+                            6, 11 };
+  guint valid_data[4], corrupt_data[4];
+  GVariant *value, *swapped;
+  gchar *string, *string2;
+
+  memcpy (valid_data, validbytes, sizeof validbytes);
+  memcpy (corrupt_data, corruptbytes, sizeof corruptbytes);
+
+  /* trusted */
+  value = g_variant_new_from_data (G_VARIANT_TYPE ("a(sn)"),
+                                   valid_data, sizeof validbytes, TRUE,
+                                   NULL, NULL);
+  swapped = g_variant_byteswap (value);
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+  g_assert (g_variant_get_size (swapped) == 13);
+  string = g_variant_print (swapped, FALSE);
+  g_variant_unref (swapped);
+  g_assert_cmpstr (string, ==, "[('a', 66), ('b', 77)]");
+  g_free (string);
+
+  /* untrusted but valid */
+  value = g_variant_new_from_data (G_VARIANT_TYPE ("a(sn)"),
+                                   valid_data, sizeof validbytes, FALSE,
+                                   NULL, NULL);
+  swapped = g_variant_byteswap (value);
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+  g_assert (g_variant_get_size (swapped) == 13);
+  string = g_variant_print (swapped, FALSE);
+  g_variant_unref (swapped);
+  g_assert_cmpstr (string, ==, "[('a', 66), ('b', 77)]");
+  g_free (string);
+
+  /* untrusted, invalid */
+  value = g_variant_new_from_data (G_VARIANT_TYPE ("a(sn)"),
+                                   corrupt_data, sizeof corruptbytes, FALSE,
+                                   NULL, NULL);
+  string = g_variant_print (value, FALSE);
+  swapped = g_variant_byteswap (value);
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+  g_assert (g_variant_get_size (swapped) == 13);
+  value = g_variant_byteswap (swapped);
+  g_variant_unref (swapped);
+  string2 = g_variant_print (value, FALSE);
+  g_assert (g_variant_get_size (value) == 13);
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+  g_assert_cmpstr (string, ==, string2);
+  g_free (string2);
+  g_free (string);
+}
+
+static void
+test_parser (void)
+{
+  TreeInstance *tree;
+  GVariant *parsed;
+  GVariant *value;
+  gchar *pt, *p;
+  gchar *res;
+
+  tree = tree_instance_new (NULL, 3);
+  value = tree_instance_get_gvariant (tree);
+  tree_instance_free (tree);
+
+  pt = g_variant_print (value, TRUE);
+  p = g_variant_print (value, FALSE);
+
+  parsed = g_variant_parse (NULL, pt, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+  res = g_variant_print (parsed, FALSE);
+  g_assert_cmpstr (p, ==, res);
+  g_variant_unref (parsed);
+  g_free (res);
+
+  parsed = g_variant_parse (g_variant_get_type (value), p,
+                            NULL, NULL, NULL);
+  res = g_variant_print (parsed, TRUE);
+  g_assert_cmpstr (pt, ==, res);
+  g_variant_unref (parsed);
+  g_free (res);
+
+  g_variant_unref (value);
+  g_free (pt);
+  g_free (p);
+}
+
+static void
+test_parses (void)
+{
+  gint i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 100; i++)
+    {
+      test_parser ();
+    }
+
+  /* mini test */
+  {
+    GError *error = NULL;
+    gchar str[128];
+    GVariant *val;
+    gchar *p, *p2;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < 127; i++)
+      str[i] = i + 1;
+    str[i] = 0;
+
+    val = g_variant_new_string (str);
+    p = g_variant_print (val, FALSE);
+    g_variant_unref (val);
+
+    val = g_variant_parse (NULL, p, NULL, NULL, &error);
+    p2 = g_variant_print (val, FALSE);
+
+    g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, g_variant_get_string (val, NULL));
+    g_assert_cmpstr (p, ==, p2);
+
+    g_variant_unref (val);
+    g_free (p2);
+    g_free (p);
+  }
+
+  /* another mini test */
+  {
+    const gchar *end;
+    GVariant *value;
+
+    value = g_variant_parse (G_VARIANT_TYPE_INT32, "1 2 3", NULL, &end, NULL);
+    g_assert_cmpint (g_variant_get_int32 (value), ==, 1);
+    /* make sure endptr returning works */
+    g_assert_cmpstr (end, ==, " 2 3");
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+  }
+
+  /* unicode mini test */
+  {
+    /* ał𝄞 */
+    const gchar orig[] = "a\xc5\x82\xf0\x9d\x84\x9e \t\n";
+    GVariant *value;
+    gchar *printed;
+
+    value = g_variant_new_string (orig);
+    printed = g_variant_print (value, FALSE);
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+
+    g_assert_cmpstr (printed, ==, "'a\xc5\x82\xf0\x9d\x84\x9e \\t\\n'");
+    value = g_variant_parse (NULL, printed, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+    g_assert_cmpstr (g_variant_get_string (value, NULL), ==, orig);
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+    g_free (printed);
+  }
+
+  /* inf/nan mini test */
+  {
+    const gchar *tests[] = { "inf", "-inf", "nan" };
+    GVariant *value;
+    gchar *printed;
+    gint i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (tests); i++)
+      {
+        GError *error = NULL;
+        value = g_variant_parse (NULL, tests[i], NULL, NULL, &error);
+        printed = g_variant_print (value, FALSE);
+        g_assert (g_str_has_prefix (printed, tests[i]));
+        g_free (printed);
+        g_variant_unref (value);
+      }
+  }
+
+  g_variant_type_info_assert_no_infos ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_parse_failures (void)
+{
+  const gchar *test[] = {
+    "[1, 2,",                   "6:",              "expected value",
+    "",                         "0:",              "expected value",
+    "(1, 2,",                   "6:",              "expected value",
+    "<1",                       "2:",              "expected `>'",
+    "[]",                       "0-2:",            "unable to infer",
+    "(,",                       "1:",              "expected value",
+    "[4,'']",                   "1-2,3-5:",        "common type",
+    "[4, '', 5]",               "1-2,4-6:",        "common type",
+    "['', 4, 5]",               "1-3,5-6:",        "common type",
+    "[4, 5, '']",               "1-2,7-9:",        "common type",
+    "[[4], [], ['']]",          "1-4,10-14:",      "common type",
+    "[[], [4], ['']]",          "5-8,10-14:",      "common type",
+    "just",                     "4:",              "expected value",
+    "nothing",                  "0-7:",            "unable to infer",
+    "just [4, '']",             "6-7,9-11:",       "common type",
+    "[[4,'']]",                 "2-3,4-6:",        "common type",
+    "([4,''],)",                "2-3,4-6:",        "common type",
+    "(4)",                      "2:",              "`,'",
+    "{}",                       "0-2:",            "unable to infer",
+    "{[1,2],[3,4]}",            "0-13:",           "basic types",
+    "{[1,2]:[3,4]}",            "0-13:",           "basic types",
+    "justt",                    "0-5:",            "unknown keyword",
+    "nothng",                   "0-6:",            "unknown keyword",
+    "uint33",                   "0-6:",            "unknown keyword",
+    "@mi just ''",              "9-11:",           "can not parse as",
+    "@ai ['']",                 "5-7:",            "can not parse as",
+    "@(i) ('',)",               "6-8:",            "can not parse as",
+    "[[], 5]",                  "1-3,5-6:",        "common type",
+    "[[5], 5]",                 "1-4,6-7:",        "common type",
+    "5 5",                      "2:",              "expected end of input",
+    "[5, [5, '']]",             "5-6,8-10:",       "common type",
+    "@i just 5",                "3-9:",            "can not parse as",
+    "@i nothing",               "3-10:",           "can not parse as",
+    "@i []",                    "3-5:",            "can not parse as",
+    "@i ()",                    "3-5:",            "can not parse as",
+    "@ai (4,)",                 "4-8:",            "can not parse as",
+    "@(i) []",                  "5-7:",            "can not parse as",
+    "(5 5)",                    "3:",              "expected `,'",
+    "[5 5]",                    "3:",              "expected `,' or `]'",
+    "(5, 5 5)",                 "6:",              "expected `,' or `)'",
+    "[5, 5 5]",                 "6:",              "expected `,' or `]'",
+    "<@i []>",                  "4-6:",            "can not parse as",
+    "<[5 5]>",                  "4:",              "expected `,' or `]'",
+    "{[4,''],5}",               "2-3,4-6:",        "common type",
+    "{5,[4,'']}",               "4-5,6-8:",        "common type",
+    "@i {1,2}",                 "3-8:",            "can not parse as",
+    "{@i '', 5}",               "4-6:",            "can not parse as",
+    "{5, @i ''}",               "7-9:",            "can not parse as",
+    "@ai {}",                   "4-6:",            "can not parse as",
+    "{@i '': 5}",               "4-6:",            "can not parse as",
+    "{5: @i ''}",               "7-9:",            "can not parse as",
+    "{<4,5}",                   "3:",              "expected `>'",
+    "{4,<5}",                   "5:",              "expected `>'",
+    "{4,5,6}",                  "4:",              "expected `}'",
+    "{5 5}",                    "3:",              "expected `:' or `,'",
+    "{4: 5: 6}",                "5:",              "expected `,' or `}'",
+    "{4:5,<6:7}",               "7:",              "expected `>'",
+    "{4:5,6:<7}",               "9:",              "expected `>'",
+    "{4:5,6 7}",                "7:",              "expected `:'",
+    "@o 'foo'",                 "3-8:",            "object path",
+    "@g 'zzz'",                 "3-8:",            "signature",
+    "@i true",                  "3-7:",            "can not parse as",
+    "@z 4",                     "0-2:",            "invalid type",
+    "@a* []",                   "0-3:",            "definite",
+    "@ai [3 3]",                "7:",              "expected `,' or `]'",
+    "18446744073709551616",     "0-20:",           "too big for any type",
+    "-18446744073709551616",    "0-21:",           "too big for any type",
+    "byte 256",                 "5-8:",            "out of range for type",
+    "byte -1",                  "5-7:",            "out of range for type",
+    "int16 32768",              "6-11:",           "out of range for type",
+    "int16 -32769",             "6-12:",           "out of range for type",
+    "uint16 -1",                "7-9:",            "out of range for type",
+    "uint16 65536",             "7-12:",           "out of range for type",
+    "2147483648",               "0-10:",           "out of range for type",
+    "-2147483649",              "0-11:",           "out of range for type",
+    "uint32 -1",                "7-9:",            "out of range for type",
+    "uint32 4294967296",        "7-17:",           "out of range for type",
+    "@x 9223372036854775808",   "3-22:",           "out of range for type",
+    "@x -9223372036854775809",  "3-23:",           "out of range for type",
+    "@t -1",                    "3-5:",            "out of range for type",
+    "@t 18446744073709551616",  "3-23:",           "too big for any type",
+    "handle 2147483648",        "7-17:",           "out of range for type",
+    "handle -2147483649",       "7-18:",           "out of range for type",
+    "1.798e308",                "0-9:",            "too big for any type",
+    "37.5a488",                 "4-5:",            "invalid character",
+    "0x7ffgf",                  "5-6:",            "invalid character",
+    "07758",                    "4-5:",            "invalid character",
+    "123a5",                    "3-4:",            "invalid character",
+    "@ai 123",                  "4-7:",            "can not parse as",
+    "'\"\\'",                   "0-4:",            "unterminated string",
+    "'\"\\'\\",                 "0-5:",            "unterminated string",
+    "boolean 4",                "8-9:",            "can not parse as",
+    "int32 true",               "6-10:",           "can not parse as",
+    "[double 5, int32 5]",      "1-9,11-18:",      "common type",
+    "string 4",                 "7-8:",            "can not parse as"
+  };
+  gint i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (test); i += 3)
+    {
+      GError *error = NULL;
+      GVariant *value;
+
+      value = g_variant_parse (NULL, test[i], NULL, NULL, &error);
+      g_assert (value == NULL);
+
+      if (!strstr (error->message, test[i+2]))
+        g_error ("test %d: Can't find `%s' in `%s'", i / 3,
+                 test[i+2], error->message);
+
+      if (!g_str_has_prefix (error->message, test[i+1]))
+        g_error ("test %d: Expected location `%s' in `%s'", i / 3,
+                 test[i+1], error->message);
+
+      g_error_free (error);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+test_parse_positional (void)
+{