diff --git a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/Animation.cpp b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/Animation.cpp
index 30e599324..5f08723c0 100644
--- a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/Animation.cpp
+++ b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/Animation.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ static void readContainer( osgDB::InputStream& is, ContainerType* container )
     if ( hasContainer )
     {
         unsigned int size = 0;
-        is >> size >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
+        size = is.readSize(); is >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
         for ( unsigned int i=0; i<size; ++i )
         {
             double time = 0.0f;
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ static void readContainer2( osgDB::InputStream& is, ContainerType* container )
     if ( hasContainer )
     {
         unsigned int size = 0;
-        is >> size >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
+        size = is.readSize(); is >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
         for ( unsigned int i=0; i<size; ++i )
         {
             double time = 0.0f;
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ static void writeContainer( osgDB::OutputStream& os, ContainerType* container )
     os << osgDB::PROPERTY("KeyFrameContainer") << (container!=NULL);
     if ( container!=NULL )
     {
-        os << container->size() << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
+        os.writeSize(container->size()); os << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
         for ( unsigned int i=0; i<container->size(); ++i )
         {
             os << (*container)[i].getTime() << (*container)[i].getValue() << std::endl;
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ static void writeContainer2( osgDB::OutputStream& os, ContainerType* container )
     os << osgDB::PROPERTY("KeyFrameContainer") << (container!=NULL);
     if ( container!=NULL )
     {
-        os << container->size() << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
+        os.writeSize(container->size()); os << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
         for ( unsigned int i=0; i<container->size(); ++i )
         {
             const KeyType& keyframe = (*container)[i];
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ static bool checkChannels( const osgAnimation::Animation& ani )
 
 static bool readChannels( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgAnimation::Animation& ani )
 {
-    unsigned int size = 0; is >> size >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
+    unsigned int size = is.readSize(); is >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
     for ( unsigned int i=0; i<size; ++i )
     {
         std::string type;
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ static bool readChannels( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgAnimation::Animation& ani )
 static bool writeChannels( osgDB::OutputStream& os, const osgAnimation::Animation& ani )
 {
     const osgAnimation::ChannelList& channels = ani.getChannels();
-    os << channels.size() << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
+    os.writeSize(channels.size()); os << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
     for ( osgAnimation::ChannelList::const_iterator itr=channels.begin();
           itr!=channels.end(); ++itr )
     {
diff --git a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/AnimationManagerBase.cpp b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/AnimationManagerBase.cpp
index 4b4216250..d6a14541f 100644
--- a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/AnimationManagerBase.cpp
+++ b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/AnimationManagerBase.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ static bool checkAnimations( const osgAnimation::AnimationManagerBase& manager )
 
 static bool readAnimations( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgAnimation::AnimationManagerBase& manager )
 {
-    unsigned int size = 0; is >> size >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
+    unsigned int size = is.readSize(); is >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
     for ( unsigned int i=0; i<size; ++i )
     {
         osgAnimation::Animation* ani = dynamic_cast<osgAnimation::Animation*>( is.readObject() );
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ static bool readAnimations( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgAnimation::AnimationManag
 static bool writeAnimations( osgDB::OutputStream& os, const osgAnimation::AnimationManagerBase& manager )
 {
     const osgAnimation::AnimationList& animations = manager.getAnimationList();
-    os << animations.size() << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
+    os.writeSize(animations.size()); os << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
     for ( osgAnimation::AnimationList::const_iterator itr=animations.begin();
           itr!=animations.end(); ++itr )
     {
diff --git a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/MorphGeometry.cpp b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/MorphGeometry.cpp
index 6cc6aa4f1..2f9a3ea67 100644
--- a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/MorphGeometry.cpp
+++ b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/MorphGeometry.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ static bool checkMorphTargets( const osgAnimation::MorphGeometry& geom )
 
 static bool readMorphTargets( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgAnimation::MorphGeometry& geom )
 {
-    unsigned int size = 0; is >> size >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
+    unsigned int size = is.readSize(); is >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
     for ( unsigned int i=0; i<size; ++i )
     {
         float weight = 0.0f;
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ static bool readMorphTargets( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgAnimation::MorphGeometr
 static bool writeMorphTargets( osgDB::OutputStream& os, const osgAnimation::MorphGeometry& geom )
 {
     const osgAnimation::MorphGeometry::MorphTargetList& targets = geom.getMorphTargetList();
-    os << targets.size() << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
+    os.writeSize(targets.size()); os << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
     for ( osgAnimation::MorphGeometry::MorphTargetList::const_iterator itr=targets.begin();
           itr!=targets.end(); ++itr )
     {
diff --git a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/RigGeometry.cpp b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/RigGeometry.cpp
index 0d16cd2f4..56d57ff50 100644
--- a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/RigGeometry.cpp
+++ b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/RigGeometry.cpp
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@ static bool checkInfluenceMap( const osgAnimation::RigGeometry& geom )
 static bool readInfluenceMap( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgAnimation::RigGeometry& geom )
 {
     osgAnimation::VertexInfluenceMap* map = new osgAnimation::VertexInfluenceMap;
-    unsigned int size = 0; is >> size >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
+    unsigned int size = is.readSize(); is >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
     for ( unsigned int i=0; i<size; ++i )
     {
         std::string name;
         unsigned int viSize = 0;
-        is >> osgDB::PROPERTY("VertexInfluence") >> name >> viSize >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
+        is >> osgDB::PROPERTY("VertexInfluence") >> name; viSize = is.readSize(); is >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
         
         osgAnimation::VertexInfluence vi;
         vi.setName( name );
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ static bool readInfluenceMap( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgAnimation::RigGeometry&
 static bool writeInfluenceMap( osgDB::OutputStream& os, const osgAnimation::RigGeometry& geom )
 {
     const osgAnimation::VertexInfluenceMap* map = geom.getInfluenceMap();
-    os << map->size() << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
+    os.writeSize(map->size()); os << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
     for ( osgAnimation::VertexInfluenceMap::const_iterator itr=map->begin();
           itr!=map->end(); ++itr )
     {
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ static bool writeInfluenceMap( osgDB::OutputStream& os, const osgAnimation::RigG
         const osgAnimation::VertexInfluence& vi = itr->second;
         if ( name.empty() ) name = "Empty";
         
-        os << osgDB::PROPERTY("VertexInfluence") << name << vi.size()
-           << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
+        os << osgDB::PROPERTY("VertexInfluence") << name; os.writeSize(vi.size()) ; os << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
+
         for ( osgAnimation::VertexInfluence::const_iterator vitr=vi.begin();
               vitr != vi.end(); ++vitr )
         {
diff --git a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/UpdateMatrixTransform.cpp b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/UpdateMatrixTransform.cpp
index 0b98cb8ef..fc7a4340a 100644
--- a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/UpdateMatrixTransform.cpp
+++ b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgAnimation/UpdateMatrixTransform.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ static bool checkStackedTransforms( const osgAnimation::UpdateMatrixTransform& o
 static bool readStackedTransforms( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgAnimation::UpdateMatrixTransform& obj )
 {
     osgAnimation::StackedTransform& transform = obj.getStackedTransforms();
-    unsigned int size = 0; is >> size >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
+    unsigned int size = is.readSize(); is >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
     for ( unsigned int i=0; i<size; ++i )
     {
         osgAnimation::StackedTransformElement* element =
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ static bool readStackedTransforms( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgAnimation::UpdateM
 static bool writeStackedTransforms( osgDB::OutputStream& os, const osgAnimation::UpdateMatrixTransform& obj )
 {
     const osgAnimation::StackedTransform& transform = obj.getStackedTransforms();
-    os << transform.size() << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
+    os.writeSize(transform.size()); os << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
     for ( osgAnimation::StackedTransform::const_iterator itr=transform.begin();
           itr!=transform.end(); ++itr )
     {
diff --git a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgFX/MultiTextureControl.cpp b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgFX/MultiTextureControl.cpp
index 49e7b3149..1353b303f 100644
--- a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgFX/MultiTextureControl.cpp
+++ b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgFX/MultiTextureControl.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ static bool checkTextureWeights( const osgFX::MultiTextureControl& ctrl )
 
 static bool readTextureWeights( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgFX::MultiTextureControl& ctrl )
 {
-    unsigned int size = 0; is >> size >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
+    unsigned int size = is.readSize(); is >> osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET;
     for ( unsigned int i=0; i<size; ++i )
     {
         float weight = 0.0f; is >> weight;
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ static bool readTextureWeights( osgDB::InputStream& is, osgFX::MultiTextureContr
 static bool writeTextureWeights( osgDB::OutputStream& os, const osgFX::MultiTextureControl& ctrl )
 {
     unsigned int size = ctrl.getNumTextureWeights();
-    os << size << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
+    os.writeSize(size); os << osgDB::BEGIN_BRACKET << std::endl;
     for ( unsigned int i=0; i<size; ++i )
     {
         os << ctrl.getTextureWeight(i);