diff --git a/src/plugins_experimental/filter_screened_poisson/Src/Ply.h b/src/plugins_experimental/filter_screened_poisson/Src/Ply.h
index f7a274086..934cb3615 100755
--- a/src/plugins_experimental/filter_screened_poisson/Src/Ply.h
+++ b/src/plugins_experimental/filter_screened_poisson/Src/Ply.h
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #define  PLY_SCALAR  0
 #define  PLY_LIST    1
 	
+#define PLY_STRIP_COMMENT_HEADER 0
 
 typedef struct PlyProperty {    /* description of a property */
 	
@@ -187,10 +188,10 @@ extern char *my_alloc();
 extern PlyFile *ply_write(FILE *, int, const char **, int);
 extern PlyFile *ply_open_for_writing(char *, int, const char **, int, float *);
 extern void ply_describe_element(PlyFile *, char *, int, int, PlyProperty *);
-extern void ply_describe_property(PlyFile *, char *, PlyProperty *);
-extern void ply_element_count(PlyFile *, char *, int);
+extern void ply_describe_property(PlyFile *, const char *, PlyProperty *);
+extern void ply_element_count(PlyFile *, const char *, int);
 extern void ply_header_complete(PlyFile *);
-extern void ply_put_element_setup(PlyFile *, char *);
+extern void ply_put_element_setup(PlyFile *, const char *);
 extern void ply_put_element(PlyFile *, void *);
 extern void ply_put_comment(PlyFile *, char *);
 extern void ply_put_obj_info(PlyFile *, char *);
@@ -219,6 +220,14 @@ extern int equal_strings(const char *, const char *);
 #include "Geometry.h"
 #include <vector>
 
+template< class Real > int PLYType( void );
+template<> inline int PLYType< int           >( void ){ return PLY_INT   ; }
+template<> inline int PLYType<          char >( void ){ return PLY_CHAR  ; }
+template<> inline int PLYType< unsigned char >( void ){ return PLY_UCHAR ; }
+template<> inline int PLYType<        float  >( void ){ return PLY_FLOAT ; }
+template<> inline int PLYType<        double >( void ){ return PLY_DOUBLE; }
+template< class Real > inline int PLYType( void ){ fprintf( stderr , "[ERROR] Unrecognized type\n" ) , exit( 0 ); }
+
 typedef struct PlyFace
 {
 	unsigned char nr_vertices;
@@ -227,7 +236,7 @@ typedef struct PlyFace
 } PlyFace;
 static PlyProperty face_props[] =
 {
-	{ "vertex_indices" , PLY_INT , PLY_INT , offsetof(PlyFace,vertices) , 1 , PLY_UCHAR, PLY_UCHAR , offsetof(PlyFace,nr_vertices) },
+	{ _strdup( "vertex_indices" ) , PLY_INT , PLY_INT , offsetof( PlyFace , vertices ) , 1 , PLY_UCHAR, PLY_UCHAR , offsetof(PlyFace,nr_vertices) },
 };
 
 template< class Real >
@@ -251,19 +260,11 @@ public:
 	template< class _Real > PlyVertex& operator /= ( _Real s ) { point /= s ; return *this; }
 };
 template< class Real , class _Real > PlyVertex< Real > operator * ( XForm4x4< _Real > xForm , PlyVertex< Real > v ) { return PlyVertex< Real >( xForm * v.point ); }
-template<>
-PlyProperty PlyVertex< float >::Properties[]=
+template< class Real > PlyProperty PlyVertex< Real >::Properties[]=
 {
-	{"x", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyVertex,point.coords[0])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"y", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyVertex,point.coords[1])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"z", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyVertex,point.coords[2])), 0, 0, 0, 0}
-};
-template<>
-PlyProperty PlyVertex< double >::Properties[]=
-{
-	{"x", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyVertex,point.coords[0])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"y", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyVertex,point.coords[1])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"z", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyVertex,point.coords[2])), 0, 0, 0, 0}
+	{ _strdup( "x" ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyVertex , point.coords[0] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "y" ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyVertex , point.coords[1] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "z" ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyVertex , point.coords[2] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 }
 };
 template< class Real >
 class PlyValueVertex
@@ -287,21 +288,13 @@ public:
 	template< class _Real > PlyValueVertex& operator /= ( _Real s ) { point /= s , value /= Real(s) ; return *this; }
 };
 template< class Real , class _Real > PlyValueVertex< Real > operator * ( XForm4x4< _Real > xForm , PlyValueVertex< Real > v ) { return PlyValueVertex< Real >( xForm * v.point , v.value ); }
-template< >
-PlyProperty PlyValueVertex< float >::Properties[]=
+template< class Real >
+PlyProperty PlyValueVertex< Real >::Properties[]=
 {
-	{"x", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyValueVertex,point.coords[0])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"y", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyValueVertex,point.coords[1])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"z", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyValueVertex,point.coords[2])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"value", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyValueVertex,value)), 0, 0, 0, 0}
-};
-template< >
-PlyProperty PlyValueVertex< double >::Properties[]=
-{
-	{"x", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyValueVertex,point.coords[0])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"y", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyValueVertex,point.coords[1])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"z", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyValueVertex,point.coords[2])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"value", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyValueVertex,value)), 0, 0, 0, 0}
+	{ _strdup( "x"     ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyValueVertex , point.coords[0] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "y"     ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyValueVertex , point.coords[1] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "z"     ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyValueVertex , point.coords[2] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "value" ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyValueVertex , value           ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 }
 };
 template< class Real >
 class PlyOrientedVertex
@@ -324,25 +317,15 @@ public:
 	template< class _Real > PlyOrientedVertex& operator /= ( _Real s ) { point /= s , normal /= s ; return *this; }
 };
 template< class Real , class _Real > PlyOrientedVertex< Real > operator * ( XForm4x4< _Real > xForm , PlyOrientedVertex< Real > v ) { return PlyOrientedVertex< Real >( xForm * v.point , xForm.inverse().transpose() * v.normal ); }
-template<>
-PlyProperty PlyOrientedVertex< float >::Properties[]=
+template< class Real >
+PlyProperty PlyOrientedVertex< Real >::Properties[]=
 {
-	{"x", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,point.coords[0])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"y", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,point.coords[1])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"z", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,point.coords[2])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"nx", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,normal.coords[0])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"ny", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,normal.coords[1])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"nz", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,normal.coords[2])), 0, 0, 0, 0}
-};
-template<>
-PlyProperty PlyOrientedVertex< double >::Properties[]=
-{
-	{"x", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,point.coords[0])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"y", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,point.coords[1])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"z", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,point.coords[2])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"nx", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,normal.coords[0])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"ny", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,normal.coords[1])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"nz", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyOrientedVertex,normal.coords[2])), 0, 0, 0, 0}
+	{ _strdup( "x"  ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyOrientedVertex ,  point.coords[0] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "y"  ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyOrientedVertex ,  point.coords[1] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "z"  ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyOrientedVertex ,  point.coords[2] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "nx" ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyOrientedVertex , normal.coords[0] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "ny" ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyOrientedVertex , normal.coords[1] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "nz" ) , PLYType< Real >() , PLYType< Real >() , int( offsetof( PlyOrientedVertex , normal.coords[2] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 }
 };
 template< class Real >
 class PlyColorVertex
@@ -359,25 +342,15 @@ public:
 	PlyColorVertex(void)						{point.coords[0]=point.coords[1]=point.coords[2]=0,color[0]=color[1]=color[2]=0;}
 	PlyColorVertex(const Point3D<Real>& p)	{point=p;}
 };
-template<>
-PlyProperty PlyColorVertex< float >::Properties[]=
+template< class Real >
+PlyProperty PlyColorVertex< Real >::Properties[]=
 {
-	{"x", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,point.coords[0])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"y", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,point.coords[1])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"z", PLY_FLOAT, PLY_FLOAT, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,point.coords[2])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"red",		PLY_UCHAR, PLY_UCHAR, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,color[0])),	0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"green",	PLY_UCHAR, PLY_UCHAR, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,color[1])),	0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"blue",	PLY_UCHAR, PLY_UCHAR, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,color[2])),	0, 0, 0, 0}
-};
-template<>
-PlyProperty PlyColorVertex< double >::Properties[]=
-{
-	{"x", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,point.coords[0])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"y", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,point.coords[1])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"z", PLY_DOUBLE, PLY_DOUBLE, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,point.coords[2])), 0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"red",		PLY_UCHAR, PLY_UCHAR, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,color[0])),	0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"green",	PLY_UCHAR, PLY_UCHAR, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,color[1])),	0, 0, 0, 0},
-	{"blue",	PLY_UCHAR, PLY_UCHAR, int(offsetof(PlyColorVertex,color[2])),	0, 0, 0, 0}
+	{ _strdup( "x"     ) , PLYType<          Real >() , PLYType<          Real >(), int( offsetof( PlyColorVertex , point.coords[0] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "y"     ) , PLYType<          Real >() , PLYType<          Real >(), int( offsetof( PlyColorVertex , point.coords[1] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "z"     ) , PLYType<          Real >() , PLYType<          Real >(), int( offsetof( PlyColorVertex , point.coords[2] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "red"   ) , PLYType< unsigned char >() , PLYType< unsigned char >(), int( offsetof( PlyColorVertex ,        color[0] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "green" ) , PLYType< unsigned char >() , PLYType< unsigned char >(), int( offsetof( PlyColorVertex ,        color[1] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 },
+	{ _strdup( "blue"  ) , PLYType< unsigned char >() , PLYType< unsigned char >(), int( offsetof( PlyColorVertex ,        color[2] ) ) , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 }
 };
 
 template< class Vertex , class Real >
diff --git a/src/plugins_experimental/filter_screened_poisson/Src/PlyFile.cpp b/src/plugins_experimental/filter_screened_poisson/Src/PlyFile.cpp
index d3e70f8e2..3ce7a95d6 100755
--- a/src/plugins_experimental/filter_screened_poisson/Src/PlyFile.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins_experimental/filter_screened_poisson/Src/PlyFile.cpp
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <math.h>
 #include <string.h>
-#include "PlyFile.h"
+#include "Ply.h"
 
-char *type_names[] = {
+const char *type_names[] = {
 	"invalid",
 	"char",
 	"short",
@@ -102,10 +102,10 @@ static int types_checked = 0;
 int equal_strings(const char *, const char *);
 
 /* find an element in a plyfile's list */
-PlyElement *find_element(PlyFile *, char *);
+PlyElement *find_element(PlyFile *, const char *);
 
 /* find a property in an element's list */
-PlyProperty *find_property(PlyElement *, char *, int *);
+PlyProperty *find_property(PlyElement *, const char *, int *);
 
 /* write to a file the word describing a PLY file data type */
 void write_scalar_type (FILE *, int);
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ void ascii_get_element(PlyFile *, char *);
 void binary_get_element(PlyFile *, char *);
 
 /* memory allocation */
-char *my_alloc(int, int, char *);
+char *my_alloc(int, int, const char *);
 
 /* byte ordering */
 void get_native_binary_type();
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ Describe a property of an element.
 
 void ply_describe_property(
 						   PlyFile *plyfile,
-						   char *elem_name,
+						   const char *elem_name,
 						   PlyProperty *prop
 						   )
 {
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ State how many of a given element will be written.
 
 void ply_element_count(
 					   PlyFile *plyfile,
-					   char *elem_name,
+					   const char *elem_name,
 					   int nelems
 					   )
 {
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ before a call to the routine ply_put_element().
  elem_name - name of element we're talking about
 ******************************************************************************/
 
-void ply_put_element_setup(PlyFile *plyfile, char *elem_name)
+void ply_put_element_setup(PlyFile *plyfile, const char *elem_name)
 {
 	PlyElement *elem;
 	
@@ -1479,7 +1479,7 @@ Open a polygon file for reading.
 	returns the element, or NULL if not found
   ******************************************************************************/
   
-  PlyElement *find_element(PlyFile *plyfile, char *element)
+  PlyElement *find_element(PlyFile *plyfile, const char *element)
   {
 	  int i;
 	  
@@ -1503,7 +1503,7 @@ Open a polygon file for reading.
 	returns a pointer to the property, or NULL if not found
   ******************************************************************************/
   
-  PlyProperty *find_property(PlyElement *elem, char *prop_name, int *index)
+  PlyProperty *find_property(PlyElement *elem, const char *prop_name, int *index)
   {
 	  int i;
 	  
@@ -2712,7 +2712,7 @@ Read an element from a binary file.
    fname - file name from which memory was requested
   ******************************************************************************/
   
-  char *my_alloc(int size, int lnum, char *fname)
+  char *my_alloc(int size, int lnum, const char *fname)
   {
 	  char *ptr;