diff --git a/src/osgDB/Field.cpp b/src/osgDB/Field.cpp
index ae340de0f..5103b00e4 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/Field.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/Field.cpp
@@ -11,11 +11,111 @@
  * OpenSceneGraph Public License for more details.
 */
 #include <string.h>
+#include <math.h>
+#include <osg/Notify>
 #include <osgDB/Field>
 
 using namespace osgDB;
 using namespace std;
 
+
+double osg_atof(const char* str)
+{
+    const char* ptr = str;
+
+    // check if could be a hex number.
+    if (strncmp(ptr,"0x",2)==0)
+    {
+
+        double value = 0.0;
+
+        // skip over leading 0x, and then go through rest of string
+        // checking to make sure all values are 0...9 or a..f.
+        ptr+=2;
+        while (
+               *ptr!=0 &&
+               ((*ptr>='0' && *ptr<='9') ||
+                (*ptr>='a' && *ptr<='f') ||  
+                (*ptr>='A' && *ptr<='F'))
+              )
+        {
+            if (*ptr>='0' && *ptr<='9') value = value*16.0 + double(*ptr-'0');
+            else if (*ptr>='a' && *ptr<='f') value = value*16.0 + double(*ptr-'a'+10);
+            else if (*ptr>='A' && *ptr<='F') value = value*16.0 + double(*ptr-'A'+10);
+            ++ptr;
+        }
+        
+        // osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Read "<<str<<" result = "<<value<<std::endl;
+        return value;
+    }
+    
+    ptr = str;
+    
+    bool    hadDecimal[2];
+    double  value[2];
+    double  sign[2];
+    double  decimalMultiplier[2];
+    
+    hadDecimal[0] = hadDecimal[1] = false;
+    sign[0] = sign[1] = 1.0;
+    value[0] = value[1] = 0.0;
+    decimalMultiplier[0] = decimalMultiplier[1] = 0.1;
+    int pos = 0;
+    
+    // compute mantissa and exponent parts
+    while (*ptr!=0 && pos<2)
+    {
+        if (*ptr=='+')
+        {
+            sign[pos] = 1.0;
+        }
+        else if (*ptr=='-')
+        {
+            sign[pos] = -1.0;
+        }
+        else if (*ptr>='0' && *ptr<='9')
+        {
+            if (!hadDecimal[pos])
+            {
+                value[pos] = value[pos]*10.0 + double(*ptr-'0');
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                value[pos] = value[pos] + decimalMultiplier[pos] * double(*ptr-'0');
+                decimalMultiplier[pos] *= 0.1;
+            }
+        }
+        else if (*ptr=='.')
+        {
+            hadDecimal[pos] = true;
+        }
+        else if (*ptr=='e' || *ptr=='E')
+        {
+            if (pos==1) break;
+            
+            pos = 1;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            break;
+        }
+        ++ptr;
+    }
+
+    if (pos==0)
+    {
+        // osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Read "<<str<<" result = "<<value[0]*sign[0]<<std::endl;
+        return value[0]*sign[0];
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        double mantissa = value[0]*sign[0];
+        double exponent = value[1]*sign[1];
+        //osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Read "<<str<<" mantissa = "<<mantissa<<" exponent="<<exponent<<" result = "<<mantissa*pow(10.0,exponent)<<std::endl;
+        return mantissa*pow(10.0,exponent);
+    }
+}
+
 Field::Field()
 {
     _init();
@@ -338,7 +438,7 @@ bool Field::matchFloat(float f) const
     getFieldType();
     if (_fieldType==REAL || _fieldType==INTEGER)
     {
-        return (float)atof(_fieldCache)==f;
+        return (float)osg_atof(_fieldCache)==f;
     }
     else
     {
@@ -352,7 +452,7 @@ bool Field::getFloat(float& f) const
     getFieldType();
     if (_fieldType==REAL || _fieldType==INTEGER)
     {
-        f = (float)atof(_fieldCache);
+        f = (float)osg_atof(_fieldCache);
         return true;
     }
     else
@@ -366,7 +466,7 @@ bool Field::getFloat(double& f) const
     getFieldType();
     if (_fieldType==REAL || _fieldType==INTEGER)
     {
-        f = atof(_fieldCache);
+        f = osg_atof(_fieldCache);
         return true;
     }
     else