diff --git a/src/base/api.lua b/src/base/api.lua
index c309c10a..cc8ae393 100644
--- a/src/base/api.lua
+++ b/src/base/api.lua
@@ -4,6 +4,82 @@
 -- Copyright (c) 2002-2012 Jason Perkins and the Premake project
 --
 
+	premake.api = {}
+	local api = premake.api
+
+
+--
+-- A place to store the current active objects in each project scope.
+--
+
+	api.scope = {}
+
+
+--
+-- Register a new API function. See the built-in API definitions below
+-- for usage examples.
+--
+
+	function api.register(description)
+		-- verify the name
+		local name = description.name
+		if not name then
+			error("missing name", 2)
+		end
+		
+		if _G[name] then
+			error("name in use", 2)
+		end
+
+		-- make sure there is a handler available for this kind of value
+		if not api["set" .. description.kind] then
+			error("invalid kind", 2)
+		end
+		
+		_G[name] = function(value)
+			return api.callback(description, value)
+		end
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- Callback for all API functions; everything comes here first, and then
+-- parceled out to the individual set...() functions.
+--
+
+	function api.callback(field, value)
+		-- find the right target object for this field
+		local target
+		if field.scope == "project" then
+			target = api.scope.project or api.scope.solution
+		else
+			target = api.scope.configuration
+		end
+		
+		if not target then
+			error("no " .. field.scope .. " in scope", 3)
+		end
+		
+		-- find and call the setter for this field's value kind
+		local setter = api["set" .. field.kind]
+		setter(target, field, value)
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- Set a new string value on an API field.
+--
+
+	function api.setstring(target, field, value)
+	end
+
+
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- Everything below this point is a candidate for deprecation
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
 --
 -- Here I define all of the getter/setter functions as metadata. The actual
 -- functions are built programmatically below.
@@ -807,6 +883,10 @@
 				cfg[name] = { }
 			end
 		end
+
+		
+		-- this is the new place for storing scoped objects
+		api.scope.configuration = cfg
 		
 		return cfg
 	end
@@ -914,6 +994,9 @@
 		
 		-- add an empty, global configuration to the project
 		configuration { }
+		
+		-- this is the new place for storing scoped objects
+		api.scope.project = premake.CurrentContainer
 	
 		return premake.CurrentContainer
 	end
@@ -936,6 +1019,9 @@
 		-- add an empty, global configuration
 		configuration { }
 		
+		-- this is the new place for storing scoped objects
+		api.scope.solution = premake.CurrentContainer
+		
 		return premake.CurrentContainer
 	end
 
diff --git a/src/base/table.lua b/src/base/table.lua
index ff874aad..67a9b24e 100644
--- a/src/base/table.lua
+++ b/src/base/table.lua
@@ -154,7 +154,22 @@
 		end
 		return result
 	end
-	
+
+
+
+--
+-- Looks for an object within an array. Returns its index if found,
+-- or nil if the object could not be found.
+--
+
+	function table.indexof(tbl, obj)
+		local count = #tbl
+		for i = 1, count do
+			if tbl[i] == obj then
+				return i
+			end
+		end		
+	end
 
 
 --
@@ -178,4 +193,4 @@
 		return result
 	end
 	
-		
\ No newline at end of file
+		
diff --git a/tests/api/test_callback.lua b/tests/api/test_callback.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eb16bdb5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/api/test_callback.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+--
+-- tests/api/test_callback.lua
+-- Tests the main API value-setting callback.
+-- Copyright (c) 2012 Jason Perkins and the Premake project
+--
+
+	T.api_callback = {}
+	local suite = T.api_callback
+	local api = premake.api
+
+
+--
+-- Setup and teardown
+--
+
+	function suite.setup()
+		api.settest = function(target, field, value) 
+			test_args = {
+				["target"] = target,
+				["field"] = field,
+				["value"] = value
+			}
+		end
+	end
+
+
+	function suite.teardown()
+		_G["testapi"] = nil
+		test_args = nil
+		api.settest = nil
+	end
+
+	
+
+	
+--
+-- Verify that the callback hands off control to setter for
+-- the field's value kind.
+--
+
+	function suite.callsSetter_onFieldKind()
+		api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "test", scope = "project" }
+		solution "MySolution"
+		testapi "test"
+		test.isnotnil(test_args)
+	end
+
+
+-- 
+-- Verify that the field description is passed along to the setter.
+--
+
+	function suite.setterGetsFieldDescription()
+		api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "test", scope = "project" }
+		solution "MySolution"
+		testapi "test"
+		test.isequal("testapi", test_args.field.name)
+	end
+
+
+-- 
+-- Verify that the value is passed along to the setter.
+--
+
+	function suite.setterGetsFieldDescription()
+		api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "test", scope = "project" }
+		solution "MySolution"
+		testapi "test"
+		test.isequal("test", test_args.value)
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- If the field scope is "project", and there is no active solution
+-- or project, an error should be raised.
+--
+
+	function suite.errorRaised_onProjectScopeWithNoProject()
+		api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "test", scope = "project" }
+		ok, err = pcall(function () 
+			testapi "test"
+		end)
+		test.isfalse(ok)
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- If the field scope is "configuration" and there is no active configuration,
+-- an error should be raised.
+--
+
+	function suite.errorRaised_onConfigScopeWithNoConfig()
+		api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "test", scope = "configuration" }
+		ok, err = pcall(function () 
+			testapi "test"
+		end)
+		test.isfalse(ok)
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- If the field scope is "project" and there is an active solution, but not an
+-- active project, the solution should be the target.
+--
+
+	function suite.solutionTarget_onProjectScopeWithActiveSolution()
+		api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "test", scope = "project" }
+		local sln = solution "MySolution"
+		testapi "test"
+		test.istrue(sln == test_args.target)
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- If the field scope is "project" and there is an active project, it should
+-- be the target.
+--
+
+	function suite.projectTarget_onProjectScopeWithActiveProject()
+		api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "test", scope = "project" }
+		local sln = solution "MySolution"
+		local prj = project "MyProject"
+		testapi "test"
+		test.istrue(prj == test_args.target)
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- If the field scope is "configuration" and there is an active configuration, 
+-- it should be the target.
+--
+
+	function suite.configTarget_onConfigScopeWithActiveConfig()
+		api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "test", scope = "configuration" }
+		local sln = solution "MySolution"
+		local cfg = configuration {}
+		testapi "test"
+		test.istrue(cfg == test_args.target)
+	end
diff --git a/tests/api/test_register.lua b/tests/api/test_register.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f63dff85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/api/test_register.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+--
+-- tests/api/test_register.lua
+-- Tests the new API registration function.
+-- Copyright (c) 2012 Jason Perkins and the Premake project
+--
+
+	T.api_register = {}
+	local suite = T.api_register
+	local api = premake.api
+
+
+--
+-- Setup and teardown
+--
+
+	local callback_args
+	
+	function suite.setup()
+		suite.callback = api.callback
+		api.callback = function(...) callback_args = arg end
+	end
+
+
+	function suite.teardown()
+		_G["testapi"] = nil
+		api.callback = suite.callback
+		callback_args = nil
+	end
+
+
+
+--
+-- Verify that the function exists.
+--
+
+	function suite.registerFunctionExists()
+		test.isequal("function", type(premake.api.register))
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- When called, a new function with with provided name should
+-- added to the global namespace.
+--
+
+	function suite.createsNewGlobalFunction()
+		api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "string", scope = "project" }
+		test.isequal("function", type(testapi));
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- Verify that an error is raised if no name is provided.
+--
+
+	function suite.raisesError_onMissingName()
+		ok, err = pcall(function ()
+			api.register { kind = "string", scope = "project" }
+		end)
+		test.isfalse(ok)
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- Verify that an error is raised if the name is already in use.
+--
+
+	function suite.raisesError_onExistingGlobalName()
+		testapi = "testapi"
+		ok, err = pcall(function ()
+			api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "string", scope = "project" }
+		end)
+		test.isfalse(ok)
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- Verify that an error is raised if an invalid kind is used.
+--
+
+	function suite.raisesError_onInvalidKind()
+		ok, err = pcall(function () 
+			api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "bogus", scope = "project" }
+		end)				
+		test.isfalse(ok)
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- Verify that the central API callback is invoked by the registered function.
+--
+
+	function suite.callbackInvoked_onApiCall()
+		api.register { name = "testapi", kind = "testkind", scope = "project" }
+		testapi "testvalue"
+		test.isnotnil(callback_args)
+	end
diff --git a/tests/base/test_table.lua b/tests/base/test_table.lua
index 2bf26ed1..90963c27 100644
--- a/tests/base/test_table.lua
+++ b/tests/base/test_table.lua
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 	T.table = { }
 	local suite = T.table
 
+	local t
+
 
 --
 -- table.contains() tests
@@ -44,6 +46,16 @@
 	end
 
 
+--
+-- table.indexof() tests
+--
+
+	function suite.indexof_returnsIndexOfValueFound()
+		local idx = table.indexof({ "a", "b", "c" }, "b")
+		test.isequal(2, idx)
+	end
+
+		
 --
 -- table.isempty() tests
 --
diff --git a/tests/premake4.lua b/tests/premake4.lua
index 381bb3b6..f4b8cbaa 100644
--- a/tests/premake4.lua
+++ b/tests/premake4.lua
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@
 	dofile("config/test_objdir.lua")
 	dofile("config/test_targetinfo.lua")
 
+	-- API tests
+	dofile("api/test_callback.lua")
+	dofile("api/test_register.lua")
+
 	-- Baking tests
 	dofile("base/test_baking.lua")
 
diff --git a/tests/testfx.lua b/tests/testfx.lua
index 152f0e5d..722c44ff 100644
--- a/tests/testfx.lua
+++ b/tests/testfx.lua
@@ -197,13 +197,18 @@
 -- Test execution function
 --
 	local _OS_host = _OS
+
+	-- TODO: move this out to the test suite's premake4.lua so 
+	-- this file can be reused for other projects
 	local function test_setup(suite, fn)
-		-- clear out some important globals
 		_ACTION = "test"
 		_ARGS = { }
 		_OPTIONS = { }
 		_OS = _OS_host
+
 		premake.solution.list = { }
+		premake.api.scope = { }
+
 		io.indent = nil
 		io.eol = "\n"