diff --git a/generator/ClassBase.cs b/generator/ClassBase.cs
index 95d5df8c6..ca79e486e 100644
--- a/generator/ClassBase.cs
+++ b/generator/ClassBase.cs
@@ -61,20 +61,13 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		protected ClassBase (XmlElement ns, XmlElement elem) : base (ns, elem) {
 					
-			if (elem.HasAttribute ("deprecated")) {
-				string attr = elem.GetAttribute ("deprecated");
-				deprecated = attr == "1" || attr == "true";
-			}
-			
-			if (elem.HasAttribute ("abstract")) {
-				string attr = elem.GetAttribute ("abstract");
-				isabstract = attr == "1" || attr == "true";
-			}
+			deprecated = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("deprecated");
+			isabstract = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("abstract");
 
 			foreach (XmlNode node in elem.ChildNodes) {
 				if (!(node is XmlElement)) continue;
 				XmlElement member = (XmlElement) node;
-				if (member.HasAttribute ("hidden"))
+				if (member.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("hidden"))
 					continue;
 				
 				string name;
@@ -227,7 +220,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 				if (node.Name != "interface")
 					continue;
 				XmlElement element = (XmlElement) node;
-				if (element.HasAttribute ("hidden"))
+				if (element.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("hidden"))
 					continue;
 				if (element.HasAttribute ("cname"))
 					interfaces.Add (element.GetAttribute ("cname"));
diff --git a/generator/Ctor.cs b/generator/Ctor.cs
index 53d583607..a819043f8 100644
--- a/generator/Ctor.cs
+++ b/generator/Ctor.cs
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		public Ctor (XmlElement elem, ClassBase implementor) : base (elem, implementor) 
 		{
-			if (elem.HasAttribute ("preferred"))
-				preferred = true;
+			preferred = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("preferred");
 			if (implementor is ObjectGen)
 				needs_chaining = true;
 			name = implementor.Name;
diff --git a/generator/FieldBase.cs b/generator/FieldBase.cs
index 6a9b78294..7e18bbb36 100644
--- a/generator/FieldBase.cs
+++ b/generator/FieldBase.cs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		public bool IsArray {
 			get {
-				return elem.HasAttribute("array_len") || elem.HasAttribute("array");
+				return elem.HasAttribute ("array_len") || elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("array");
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 			SymbolTable table = SymbolTable.Table;
 			StreamWriter sw = gen_info.Writer;
-			string modifiers = elem.HasAttribute ("new_flag") ? "new " : "";
+			string modifiers = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("new_flag") ? "new " : "";
 			bool is_struct = table.IsStruct (CType) || table.IsBoxed (CType);
 
 			sw.WriteLine (indent + "public " + modifiers + CSType + " " + Name + " {");
diff --git a/generator/GenBase.cs b/generator/GenBase.cs
index 378e3c845..d64497d96 100644
--- a/generator/GenBase.cs
+++ b/generator/GenBase.cs
@@ -58,11 +58,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		public bool IsInternal {
 			get {
-				if (elem.HasAttribute ("internal")) {
-					string attr = elem.GetAttribute ("internal");
-					return attr == "1" || attr == "true";
-				}
-				return false;
+				return elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("internal");
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/generator/InterfaceGen.cs b/generator/InterfaceGen.cs
index 9978c7ae4..92e13f614 100644
--- a/generator/InterfaceGen.cs
+++ b/generator/InterfaceGen.cs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		public InterfaceGen (XmlElement ns, XmlElement elem) : base (ns, elem, true) 
 		{
-			consume_only = elem.HasAttribute ("consume_only");
+			consume_only = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("consume_only");
 			foreach (XmlNode node in elem.ChildNodes) {
 				if (!(node is XmlElement)) continue;
 				XmlElement member = (XmlElement) node;
diff --git a/generator/Method.cs b/generator/Method.cs
index c2444bb0f..39758ef82 100644
--- a/generator/Method.cs
+++ b/generator/Method.cs
@@ -40,15 +40,11 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 		{
 			this.retval = new ReturnValue (elem["return-type"]);
 			
-			if (!container_type.IsDeprecated && elem.HasAttribute ("deprecated")) {
-				string attr = elem.GetAttribute ("deprecated");
-				deprecated = attr == "1" || attr == "true";
+			if (!container_type.IsDeprecated) {
+				deprecated = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("deprecated");
 			}
 			
-			if (elem.HasAttribute ("win32_utf8_variant")) {
-				string attr = elem.GetAttribute ("win32_utf8_variant");
-				win32_utf8_variant = attr == "1" || attr.ToLower () == "true";
-			}
+			win32_utf8_variant = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("win32_utf8_variant");
 
 			if (Name == "GetType")
 				Name = "GetGType";
diff --git a/generator/MethodBase.cs b/generator/MethodBase.cs
index ce6aa726c..882045c2b 100644
--- a/generator/MethodBase.cs
+++ b/generator/MethodBase.cs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 			this.name = elem.GetAttribute ("name");
 			parms = new Parameters (elem ["parameters"]);
 			IsStatic = elem.GetAttribute ("shared") == "true";
-			if (elem.HasAttribute ("new_flag"))
+			if (elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("new_flag"))
 				mods = "new ";
 			if (elem.HasAttribute ("accessibility")) {
 				string attr = elem.GetAttribute ("accessibility");
diff --git a/generator/ObjectBase.cs b/generator/ObjectBase.cs
index 31a86db27..3ddf333fd 100644
--- a/generator/ObjectBase.cs
+++ b/generator/ObjectBase.cs
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 					else
 						signal_vms.Add (member.GetAttribute ("field_name"), member);
 
-					if (member.GetAttribute ("hidden") != "1") {
+					if (!member.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("hidden")) {
 						string name = member.GetAttribute("name");
 						while (sigs.ContainsKey(name))
 							name += "mangled";
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 			} else
 				vm = new GObjectVM (vm_elem, this);
 
-			if (vm_elem.GetAttribute ("padding") == "true" || vm_elem.GetAttribute ("hidden") == "1")
+			if (vm_elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("padding") || vm_elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("hidden"))
 				hidden_vms.Add (vm);
 			else {
 				if (vm is GObjectVM)
diff --git a/generator/ObjectField.cs b/generator/ObjectField.cs
index 47e015623..f0edd1a5e 100644
--- a/generator/ObjectField.cs
+++ b/generator/ObjectField.cs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		protected override bool Writable {
 			get {
-				return elem.GetAttribute ("writeable") == "true";
+				return elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("writeable");
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/generator/ObjectGen.cs b/generator/ObjectGen.cs
index f841d5328..0900f9fde 100644
--- a/generator/ObjectGen.cs
+++ b/generator/ObjectGen.cs
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 			foreach (XmlNode node in elem.ChildNodes) {
 				if (!(node is XmlElement)) continue;
 				XmlElement member = (XmlElement) node;
-				if (member.HasAttribute ("hidden") && member.GetAttribute ("hidden") == "1") continue;
+				if (member.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("hidden"))
+					continue;
 
 				switch (node.Name) {
 				case "callback":
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		private bool DisableVoidCtor {
 			get {
-				return Elem.HasAttribute ("disable_void_ctor");
+				return Elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("disable_void_ctor");
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/generator/OpaqueGen.cs b/generator/OpaqueGen.cs
index 89b175c3f..1926f7dc2 100644
--- a/generator/OpaqueGen.cs
+++ b/generator/OpaqueGen.cs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		private bool DisableRawCtor {
 			get {
-				return Elem.HasAttribute ("disable_raw_ctor");
+				return Elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("disable_raw_ctor");
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/generator/Parameters.cs b/generator/Parameters.cs
index f599d5222..c2d353de6 100644
--- a/generator/Parameters.cs
+++ b/generator/Parameters.cs
@@ -81,13 +81,13 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		public bool IsArray {
 			get {
-				return elem.HasAttribute("array") || elem.HasAttribute("null_term_array");
+				return elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("array") || elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("null_term_array");
 			}
 		}
 
 		public bool IsEllipsis {
 			get {
-				return elem.HasAttribute("ellipsis");
+				return elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("ellipsis");
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		public ArrayParameter (XmlElement elem) : base (elem) 
 		{
-			null_terminated = elem.HasAttribute ("null_term_array");
+			null_terminated = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("null_term_array");
 		}
 
 		public override string MarshalType {
diff --git a/generator/Parser.cs b/generator/Parser.cs
index 99581fc52..e5c1816b2 100644
--- a/generator/Parser.cs
+++ b/generator/Parser.cs
@@ -107,13 +107,10 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 				if (elem == null)
 					continue;
 
-				if (elem.HasAttribute("hidden"))
+				if (elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("hidden"))
 					continue;
 
-				bool is_opaque = false;
-				if (elem.GetAttribute ("opaque") == "true" ||
-				    elem.GetAttribute ("opaque") == "1")
-					is_opaque = true;
+				bool is_opaque = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("opaque");
 
 				switch (def.Name) {
 				case "alias":
diff --git a/generator/Property.cs b/generator/Property.cs
index 91dd066e4..5842df869 100644
--- a/generator/Property.cs
+++ b/generator/Property.cs
@@ -45,22 +45,21 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		bool Readable {
 			get {
-				return elem.GetAttribute ("readable") == "true";
+				return elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("readable");
 			}
 		}
 
 		bool Writable {
 			get {
-				return elem.GetAttribute ("writeable") == "true" &&
-					!elem.HasAttribute ("construct-only");
+				return elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("writeable") &&
+					!elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("construct-only");
 			}
 		}
 
 		bool IsDeprecated {
 			get {
 				return !container_type.IsDeprecated &&
-					(elem.GetAttribute ("deprecated") == "1" ||
-					 elem.GetAttribute ("deprecated") == "true");
+					elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("deprecated");
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/generator/PropertyBase.cs b/generator/PropertyBase.cs
index ef106f6bc..a673b7100 100644
--- a/generator/PropertyBase.cs
+++ b/generator/PropertyBase.cs
@@ -74,13 +74,13 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		public bool Hidden {
 			get {
-				return elem.HasAttribute("hidden");
+				return elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("hidden");
 			}
 		}
 
 		protected bool IsNew {
 			get {
-				return elem.HasAttribute("new_flag");
+				return elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("new_flag");
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/generator/ReturnValue.cs b/generator/ReturnValue.cs
index 6da64f364..bbe55a080 100644
--- a/generator/ReturnValue.cs
+++ b/generator/ReturnValue.cs
@@ -40,11 +40,11 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 		public ReturnValue (XmlElement elem) 
 		{
 			if (elem != null) {
-				is_null_term = elem.HasAttribute ("null_term_array");
-				is_array = elem.HasAttribute ("array") || elem.HasAttribute ("array_length_param");
+				is_null_term = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("null_term_array");
+				is_array = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("array") || elem.HasAttribute ("array_length_param");
 				array_length_param = elem.GetAttribute ("array_length_param");
-				elements_owned = elem.GetAttribute ("elements_owned") == "true";
-				owned = elem.GetAttribute ("owned") == "true";
+				elements_owned = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("elements_owned");
+				owned = elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("owned");
 				ctype = elem.GetAttribute("type");
 				default_value = elem.GetAttribute ("default_value");
 				element_ctype = elem.GetAttribute ("element_type");
diff --git a/generator/Signal.cs b/generator/Signal.cs
index ee61c98b4..de4d601b0 100644
--- a/generator/Signal.cs
+++ b/generator/Signal.cs
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
  		public void GenerateDecl (StreamWriter sw)
  		{
-			if (elem.HasAttribute("new_flag") || (container_type != null && container_type.GetSignalRecursively (Name) != null))
+			if (elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("new_flag") || (container_type != null && container_type.GetSignalRecursively (Name) != null))
 				sw.Write("new ");
 
  			sw.WriteLine ("\t\tevent " + EventHandlerQualifiedName + " " + Name + ";");
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		private bool NeedNew (ObjectBase implementor)
 		{
-			return elem.HasAttribute ("new_flag") ||
+			return elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("new_flag") ||
 				(container_type != null && container_type.GetSignalRecursively (Name) != null) ||
 				(implementor != null && implementor.GetSignalRecursively (Name) != null);
 		}
diff --git a/generator/StructBase.cs b/generator/StructBase.cs
index 9a0b380c7..38bbdc7d8 100644
--- a/generator/StructBase.cs
+++ b/generator/StructBase.cs
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ namespace GtkSharp.Generation {
 
 		private bool DisableNew {
 			get {
-				return Elem.HasAttribute ("disable_new");
+				return Elem.GetAttributeAsBoolean ("disable_new");
 			}
 		}