diff --git a/examples/osgvolume/osgvolume.cpp b/examples/osgvolume/osgvolume.cpp
index 192af181d..3f4231264 100644
--- a/examples/osgvolume/osgvolume.cpp
+++ b/examples/osgvolume/osgvolume.cpp
@@ -2309,6 +2309,23 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv )
         
         if (useShader)
         {
+            switch(shadingModel)
+            {
+                case(Standard):
+                    break;
+                case(Light):
+                    layer->addProperty(new osgVolume::LightingProperty);
+                    break;
+                case(Isosurface):
+                    layer->addProperty(new osgVolume::IsoSurfaceProperty(alphaFunc));
+                    break;
+                case(MaximumIntensityProjection):
+                    layer->addProperty(new osgVolume::MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty);
+                    break;
+            }
+            
+            layer->addProperty(new osgVolume::AlphaFuncProperty(alphaFunc));
+        
             tile->setVolumeTechnique(new osgVolume::ShaderTechnique);
         }
         else
diff --git a/include/osgVolume/Layer b/include/osgVolume/Layer
index d2099dbae..195f814ba 100644
--- a/include/osgVolume/Layer
+++ b/include/osgVolume/Layer
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT Layer : public osg::Object
         /** Get the const Property that informs the VolumeTechnique how this layer should be rendered.*/
         const Property* getProperty() const { return _property.get(); }
 
+        /** Add a property, automatically creating a CompositePorperty if one isn't already assigned.*/
+        void addProperty(Property* property);
+
 
         /** increment the modified count."*/
         virtual void dirty() {};
diff --git a/include/osgVolume/Property b/include/osgVolume/Property
index 47fdd306d..9d9d5a275 100644
--- a/include/osgVolume/Property
+++ b/include/osgVolume/Property
@@ -15,11 +15,39 @@
 #define OSGVOLUME_PROPERTY 1
 
 #include <osg/TransferFunction>
+#include <osg/Uniform>
 
 #include <osgVolume/Export>
 
 namespace osgVolume {
 
+// forward decarle
+class Property;
+class CompositeProperty;
+class TransferFunctionProperty;
+class ScalarProperty;
+class IsoSurfaceProperty;
+class MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty;
+class LightingProperty;
+class AlphaFuncProperty;
+
+class PropertyVisitor
+{
+    public:
+    
+        PropertyVisitor() {}
+        virtual ~PropertyVisitor() {}
+        
+        virtual void apply(Property&) {}
+        virtual void apply(CompositeProperty&) {}
+        virtual void apply(TransferFunctionProperty&) {}
+        virtual void apply(ScalarProperty&) {}
+        virtual void apply(IsoSurfaceProperty&) {}
+        virtual void apply(AlphaFuncProperty&) {}
+        virtual void apply(MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty&) {}
+        virtual void apply(LightingProperty&) {}
+};
+
 class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT Property : public osg::Object
 {
     public:
@@ -31,6 +59,8 @@ class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT Property : public osg::Object
         
         META_Object(osgVolume, Property);
         
+        virtual void accept(PropertyVisitor& pv) { pv.apply(*this); }
+        
     protected:
 
         virtual ~Property();
@@ -47,6 +77,8 @@ class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT CompositeProperty : public Property
         
         META_Object(osgVolume, CompositeProperty);
 
+        virtual void accept(PropertyVisitor& pv) { pv.apply(*this); }
+
         void clear();
 
         typedef std::vector< osg::ref_ptr<Property> > Properties;
@@ -78,10 +110,21 @@ class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT TransferFunctionProperty : public Property
         TransferFunctionProperty(osg::TransferFunction* tf = 0);
         
         /** Copy constructor using CopyOp to manage deep vs shallow copy.*/
-        TransferFunctionProperty(const TransferFunctionProperty& tfProperty,const osg::CopyOp& copyop=osg::CopyOp::SHALLOW_COPY);
+        TransferFunctionProperty(const TransferFunctionProperty& tfp,const osg::CopyOp& copyop=osg::CopyOp::SHALLOW_COPY);
         
         META_Object(osgVolume, TransferFunctionProperty);
         
+        virtual void accept(PropertyVisitor& pv) { pv.apply(*this); }
+
+        /** Set the transfer function.*/
+        void setTransferFunction(osg::TransferFunction* tf) { _tf = tf; }
+
+        /** Get the transfer function.*/
+        osg::TransferFunction* getTransferFunction() { return _tf.get(); }
+
+        /** Get the const transfer function.*/
+        const osg::TransferFunction* getTransferFunction() const { return _tf.get(); }
+
     protected:
     
         virtual ~TransferFunctionProperty() {}
@@ -90,6 +133,111 @@ class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT TransferFunctionProperty : public Property
 };
 
 
+
+class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT ScalarProperty : public Property
+{
+    public:
+
+        ScalarProperty();
+
+        ScalarProperty(const std::string& scaleName, float value);
+        
+        ScalarProperty(const ScalarProperty& scalarProperty,const osg::CopyOp& copyop=osg::CopyOp::SHALLOW_COPY);
+        
+        META_Object(osgVolume, ScalarProperty);
+        
+        virtual void accept(PropertyVisitor& pv) { pv.apply(*this); }
+
+        /** Set the value.*/
+        void setValue(float v) { _uniform->set(v); }
+
+        /** Get the value.*/
+        float getValue() const { float v; _uniform->get(v); return v; }
+
+        /** Get the underlying uniform.*/
+        osg::Uniform* getUniform() { return _uniform.get(); }
+
+        /** Get the underlying uniform.*/
+        const osg::Uniform* getUniform() const { return _uniform.get(); }
+
+    protected:
+    
+        virtual ~ScalarProperty() {}
+        
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Uniform>  _uniform;
+};
+
+
+class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT IsoSurfaceProperty : public ScalarProperty
+{
+    public:
+
+        IsoSurfaceProperty(float value=1.0);
+        
+        IsoSurfaceProperty(const IsoSurfaceProperty& isp,const osg::CopyOp& copyop=osg::CopyOp::SHALLOW_COPY);
+        
+        META_Object(osgVolume, IsoSurfaceProperty);
+        
+        virtual void accept(PropertyVisitor& pv) { pv.apply(*this); }
+
+    protected:
+    
+        virtual ~IsoSurfaceProperty() {}
+};
+
+class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT AlphaFuncProperty : public ScalarProperty
+{
+    public:
+
+        AlphaFuncProperty(float value=1.0);
+        
+        AlphaFuncProperty(const AlphaFuncProperty& isp,const osg::CopyOp& copyop=osg::CopyOp::SHALLOW_COPY);
+        
+        META_Object(osgVolume, AlphaFuncProperty);
+        
+        virtual void accept(PropertyVisitor& pv) { pv.apply(*this); }
+
+    protected:
+    
+        virtual ~AlphaFuncProperty() {}
+};
+
+class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty : public Property
+{
+    public:
+
+        MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty();
+        
+        MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty(const MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty& mipp,const osg::CopyOp& copyop=osg::CopyOp::SHALLOW_COPY);
+        
+        META_Object(osgVolume, MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty);
+        
+        virtual void accept(PropertyVisitor& pv) { pv.apply(*this); }
+
+    protected:
+    
+        virtual ~MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty() {}
+};
+
+
+class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT LightingProperty : public Property
+{
+    public:
+
+        LightingProperty();
+        
+        LightingProperty(const LightingProperty& mipp,const osg::CopyOp& copyop=osg::CopyOp::SHALLOW_COPY);
+        
+        META_Object(osgVolume, LightingProperty);
+        
+        virtual void accept(PropertyVisitor& pv) { pv.apply(*this); }
+
+    protected:
+    
+        virtual ~LightingProperty() {}
+};
+
+
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/osgVolume/VolumeTile b/include/osgVolume/VolumeTile
index d756c1213..6b5e1052b 100644
--- a/include/osgVolume/VolumeTile
+++ b/include/osgVolume/VolumeTile
@@ -117,16 +117,17 @@ class OSGVOLUME_EXPORT VolumeTile : public osg::Group
 
         void setLayer(Layer* layer) { _layer = layer; }
         Layer* getLayer() { return _layer.get(); }
-        const Layer* getLayer() const  { return _layer.get(); }
+        const Layer* getLayer() const { return _layer.get(); }
 
 
-        /** Set the VolumeTechnique*/
+
+        /** Set the VolumeTechnique that will be used to render this tile. */
         void setVolumeTechnique(VolumeTechnique* VolumeTechnique);
 
-        /** Get the VolumeTechnique*/
+        /** Get the VolumeTechnique that will be used to render this tile. */
         VolumeTechnique* getVolumeTechnique() { return _volumeTechnique.get(); }
         
-        /** Get the const VolumeTechnique*/
+        /** Get the const VolumeTechnique that will be used to render this tile. */
         const VolumeTechnique* getVolumeTechnique() const { return _volumeTechnique.get(); }
 
 
diff --git a/src/osgVolume/Layer.cpp b/src/osgVolume/Layer.cpp
index 18c11e8e2..a52f3eac1 100644
--- a/src/osgVolume/Layer.cpp
+++ b/src/osgVolume/Layer.cpp
@@ -43,13 +43,36 @@ osg::BoundingSphere Layer::computeBound() const
     osg::Vec3d left, right;
     getLocator()->computeLocalBounds(left, right);
     
-    osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"left = "<<left<<std::endl;
-    osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"right = "<<right<<std::endl;
+    //osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"left = "<<left<<std::endl;
+    //osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"right = "<<right<<std::endl;
 
     return osg::BoundingSphere((left+right)*0.5, (right-left).length()*0.5);
 }
 
 
+void Layer::addProperty(Property* property)
+{
+    if (!property) return;
+
+    if (!_property) 
+    {
+        _property = property;
+        return;
+    }
+    
+    CompositeProperty* cp = dynamic_cast<CompositeProperty*>(_property.get());
+    if (cp)
+    {
+        cp->addProperty(property);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        cp = new CompositeProperty;
+        cp->addProperty(property);
+        _property = cp;
+    }
+}
+
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //
 // ImageLayer
diff --git a/src/osgVolume/Property.cpp b/src/osgVolume/Property.cpp
index 013871722..00e040449 100644
--- a/src/osgVolume/Property.cpp
+++ b/src/osgVolume/Property.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ CompositeProperty::CompositeProperty()
 {
 }
 
-CompositeProperty::CompositeProperty(const CompositeProperty& compositeProperty,const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
+CompositeProperty::CompositeProperty(const CompositeProperty& compositeProperty, const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
     Property(compositeProperty,copyop)
 {
 }
@@ -56,8 +56,85 @@ TransferFunctionProperty::TransferFunctionProperty(osg::TransferFunction* tf):
 {
 }
 
-TransferFunctionProperty::TransferFunctionProperty(const TransferFunctionProperty& tfp,const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
+TransferFunctionProperty::TransferFunctionProperty(const TransferFunctionProperty& tfp, const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
     Property(tfp,copyop),
     _tf(tfp._tf)
 {
 }
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// ScalarProperty
+//
+ScalarProperty::ScalarProperty()
+{
+    _uniform = new osg::Uniform;
+}
+
+ScalarProperty::ScalarProperty(const std::string& scalarName, float value)
+{
+    setName(scalarName);
+    _uniform = new osg::Uniform(scalarName.c_str(), value);
+}
+
+ScalarProperty::ScalarProperty(const ScalarProperty& sp, const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
+    Property(sp,copyop)
+{
+    _uniform = new osg::Uniform(sp._uniform->getName().c_str(), getValue());
+
+}
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// IsoSurfaceProperty
+//
+IsoSurfaceProperty::IsoSurfaceProperty(float value):
+    ScalarProperty("IsoSurfaceValue",value)
+{
+}
+
+IsoSurfaceProperty::IsoSurfaceProperty(const IsoSurfaceProperty& isp,const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
+    ScalarProperty(isp, copyop)
+{
+}
+
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// AlphaFuncProperty
+//
+AlphaFuncProperty::AlphaFuncProperty(float value):
+    ScalarProperty("AlphaFuncValue",value)
+{
+}
+
+AlphaFuncProperty::AlphaFuncProperty(const AlphaFuncProperty& afp,const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
+    ScalarProperty(afp, copyop)
+{
+}
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty
+//
+MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty::MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty()
+{
+}
+
+MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty::MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty(const MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty& isp,const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
+    Property(isp, copyop)
+{
+}
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// LightingProperty
+//
+LightingProperty::LightingProperty()
+{
+}
+
+LightingProperty::LightingProperty(const LightingProperty& isp,const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
+    Property(isp, copyop)
+{
+}
diff --git a/src/osgVolume/ShaderTechnique.cpp b/src/osgVolume/ShaderTechnique.cpp
index e4730438d..8643e064d 100644
--- a/src/osgVolume/ShaderTechnique.cpp
+++ b/src/osgVolume/ShaderTechnique.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,36 @@ enum ShadingModel
     MaximumIntensityProjection
 };
 
+class CollectPropertiesVisitor : public osgVolume::PropertyVisitor
+{
+    public:
+    
+        CollectPropertiesVisitor() {}
+        
+        virtual void apply(Property&) {}
+        
+        virtual void apply(CompositeProperty& cp)
+        { 
+            for(unsigned int i=0; i<cp.getNumProperties(); ++i)
+            {
+                cp.getProperty(i)->accept(*this);
+            }
+        }
+        virtual void apply(TransferFunctionProperty& tf) { _tfProperty = &tf; }
+        virtual void apply(ScalarProperty&) {}
+        virtual void apply(IsoSurfaceProperty& iso) { _isoProperty = &iso; }
+        virtual void apply(AlphaFuncProperty& af) { _afProperty = &af; }
+        virtual void apply(MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty& mip) { _mipProperty = &mip; }
+        virtual void apply(LightingProperty& lp) { _lightingProperty = &lp; }
+        
+        osg::ref_ptr<TransferFunctionProperty> _tfProperty;
+        osg::ref_ptr<IsoSurfaceProperty> _isoProperty;
+        osg::ref_ptr<AlphaFuncProperty> _afProperty;
+        osg::ref_ptr<MaximumIntensityProjectionProperty> _mipProperty;
+        osg::ref_ptr<LightingProperty> _lightingProperty;
+        
+};
+
 void ShaderTechnique::init()
 {
     osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"ShaderTechnique::init()"<<std::endl;
@@ -66,6 +96,41 @@ void ShaderTechnique::init()
 
     image_3d = _volumeTile->getLayer()->getImage();
     
+    CollectPropertiesVisitor cpv;
+    if (_volumeTile->getLayer()->getProperty())
+    {
+        _volumeTile->getLayer()->getProperty()->accept(cpv);
+    }
+
+    if (cpv._isoProperty.valid())
+    {
+        shadingModel = Isosurface;
+        alphaFuncValue = cpv._isoProperty->getValue();
+    }
+    else if (cpv._mipProperty.valid())
+    {
+        shadingModel = MaximumIntensityProjection;
+    }
+    else if (cpv._lightingProperty.valid())
+    {
+        shadingModel = Light;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        shadingModel = Standard;
+    }
+
+    if (cpv._tfProperty.valid())
+    {
+        tf = dynamic_cast<osg::TransferFunction1D*>(cpv._tfProperty->getTransferFunction());
+    }
+
+    if (cpv._afProperty.valid())
+    {
+        alphaFuncValue = cpv._afProperty->getValue();
+    }
+
+
     if (_volumeTile->getLayer() && !masterLocator)
     {
         masterLocator = _volumeTile->getLayer()->getLocator();
diff --git a/src/osgVolume/VolumeTile.cpp b/src/osgVolume/VolumeTile.cpp
index 51e16e663..363922a6d 100644
--- a/src/osgVolume/VolumeTile.cpp
+++ b/src/osgVolume/VolumeTile.cpp
@@ -158,7 +158,26 @@ void VolumeTile::setDirty(bool dirty)
 
 osg::BoundingSphere VolumeTile::computeBound() const
 {
-    if (_layer.valid()) return _layer->computeBound();
+    const Locator* masterLocator = getLocator();
+    if (_layer.valid() && !masterLocator) 
+    {
+        masterLocator = _layer->getLocator();
+    }
 
-    return osg::BoundingSphere();
+    if (masterLocator)
+    {
+        osg::Vec3d left, right;
+        masterLocator->computeLocalBounds(left, right);
+
+        return osg::BoundingSphere((left+right)*0.5, (right-left).length()*0.5);
+    }
+    else if (_layer.valid())
+    {
+        // we have a layer but no Locator defined so will assume a Identity Locator
+        return osg::BoundingSphere( osg::Vec3(0.5,0.5,0.5), 0.867);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        return osg::BoundingSphere();
+    }
 }