Index: TODO
===================================================================
diff -u -N -r46c536260f793729feb23fff02cc15e3867ae0ee -rbf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02
--- TODO	(.../TODO)	(revision 46c536260f793729feb23fff02cc15e3867ae0ee)
+++ TODO	(.../TODO)	(revision bf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02)
@@ -3083,7 +3083,16 @@
   * regularized the interface of "variable" and "attribute"
   * extended regression test
 
+- nsf.c:
+  * added flag "-array" to nsf::var::set such we have
+    now "::nsf::var::set ?-array? object varName ?value?"
+    With "-array", nsf::var::set behaves like "array get"
+    or "array set" (on instance variables)
+  * use "::nsf::var::set -array" in serializer symmetrically
+    to scalar case
+  * extended regression test
 
+
 TODO:
  - add "delete variable" analogous to "delete attribute"
  - interface of "variable" and "attribute":
@@ -3106,12 +3115,7 @@
      (e) others?
  - call user defined setter in object parameters?
 
-#::nsf::var::exists ?-array? object varName
-#::nsf::var::import object ?arg ...?
-#::nsf::var::set ?-array? object varName ?value?
-#::nsf::var::unset ?-array? object varName 
 
-
 - Revise callstack introspection/intercession, i.e., [current
   activelevel] vs. [current callinglevel] vs. uplevel()/upvar():
   
Index: generic/nsf.c
===================================================================
diff -u -N -r46c536260f793729feb23fff02cc15e3867ae0ee -rbf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02
--- generic/nsf.c	(.../nsf.c)	(revision 46c536260f793729feb23fff02cc15e3867ae0ee)
+++ generic/nsf.c	(.../nsf.c)	(revision bf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02)
@@ -13512,6 +13512,59 @@
 
 /*
  *----------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * SetInstArray --
+ *
+ *    Set an instance variable array of the specified object to the given
+ *    value. This function performs essentially an "array set" or "array get"
+ *    operation.
+ *
+ * Results:
+ *    Tcl result code.
+ *
+ * Side effects:
+ *    Set instance variable.
+ *
+ *----------------------------------------------------------------------
+ */
+static int
+SetInstArray(Tcl_Interp *interp, NsfObject *object, Tcl_Obj *nameObj, Tcl_Obj *valueObj) {
+  CallFrame frame, *framePtr = &frame;
+  int result;
+  Tcl_Obj *ov[4];
+
+  assert(object);
+  //flags = (object->nsPtr) ? TCL_LEAVE_ERR_MSG|TCL_NAMESPACE_ONLY : TCL_LEAVE_ERR_MSG;
+  Nsf_PushFrameObj(interp, object, framePtr);
+  
+  ov[0] = NsfGlobalObjs[NSF_ARRAY];
+  ov[2] = nameObj;
+
+  INCR_REF_COUNT(nameObj);
+  if (valueObj == NULL) {
+    /*
+     * perform an array get
+     */
+    ov[1] = NsfGlobalObjs[NSF_GET];
+    result = Tcl_EvalObjv(interp, 3, ov, 0);
+  } else {
+    /*
+     * perform an array get
+     */
+    ov[1] = NsfGlobalObjs[NSF_SET];
+    ov[3] = valueObj;
+    INCR_REF_COUNT(valueObj);
+    result = Tcl_EvalObjv(interp, 4, ov, 0);
+    DECR_REF_COUNT(valueObj);
+  }
+  DECR_REF_COUNT(nameObj);
+  Nsf_PopFrameObj(interp, framePtr);
+
+  return result;
+}
+
+
+/*
+ *----------------------------------------------------------------------
  * UnsetInstVar --
  *
  *    Unset an instance variable of the specified object.
@@ -18406,19 +18459,24 @@
 
 /*
 cmd var::set NsfVarSetCmd {
+  {-argName "-array" -required 0 -nrargs 0}
   {-argName "object" -required 1 -type object}
   {-argName "varname" -required 1 -type tclobj}
   {-argName "value" -required 0 -type tclobj}
 }
 */
 static int
-NsfVarSetCmd(Tcl_Interp *interp, NsfObject *object, Tcl_Obj *varname, Tcl_Obj *valueObj) {
+NsfVarSetCmd(Tcl_Interp *interp, int withArray,
+	     NsfObject *object, Tcl_Obj *varname, Tcl_Obj *valueObj) {
 
   if (CheckVarName(interp, ObjStr(varname)) != TCL_OK) {
     return TCL_ERROR;
   }
-
-  return SetInstVar(interp, object, varname, valueObj);
+  if (withArray) {
+    return SetInstArray(interp, object, varname, valueObj);
+  } else {
+    return SetInstVar(interp, object, varname, valueObj);
+  }
 }
 
 /*
Index: generic/nsfAPI.decls
===================================================================
diff -u -N -rdcee5f2f7bac79f3fb2b966d68360cdfcef8002a -rbf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02
--- generic/nsfAPI.decls	(.../nsfAPI.decls)	(revision dcee5f2f7bac79f3fb2b966d68360cdfcef8002a)
+++ generic/nsfAPI.decls	(.../nsfAPI.decls)	(revision bf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02)
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@
   {-argName "args" -type args}
 }
 cmd "var::set" NsfVarSetCmd {
+  {-argName "-array" -required 0 -nrargs 0}
   {-argName "object" -required 1 -type object}
   {-argName "varName" -required 1 -type tclobj}
   {-argName "value" -required 0 -type tclobj}
Index: generic/nsfAPI.h
===================================================================
diff -u -N -rdcee5f2f7bac79f3fb2b966d68360cdfcef8002a -rbf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02
--- generic/nsfAPI.h	(.../nsfAPI.h)	(revision dcee5f2f7bac79f3fb2b966d68360cdfcef8002a)
+++ generic/nsfAPI.h	(.../nsfAPI.h)	(revision bf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02)
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@
 static int NsfUnsetUnknownArgsCmd(Tcl_Interp *interp);
 static int NsfVarExistsCmd(Tcl_Interp *interp, int withArray, NsfObject *object, CONST char *varName);
 static int NsfVarImportCmd(Tcl_Interp *interp, NsfObject *object, int nobjc, Tcl_Obj *CONST nobjv[]);
-static int NsfVarSetCmd(Tcl_Interp *interp, NsfObject *object, Tcl_Obj *varName, Tcl_Obj *value);
+static int NsfVarSetCmd(Tcl_Interp *interp, int withArray, NsfObject *object, Tcl_Obj *varName, Tcl_Obj *value);
 static int NsfVarUnsetCmd(Tcl_Interp *interp, NsfObject *object, Tcl_Obj *varName);
 static int NsfOAutonameMethod(Tcl_Interp *interp, NsfObject *obj, int withInstance, int withReset, Tcl_Obj *name);
 static int NsfOClassMethod(Tcl_Interp *interp, NsfObject *obj, Tcl_Obj *class);
@@ -1647,12 +1647,13 @@
                      &pc) != TCL_OK) {
     return TCL_ERROR;
   } else {
-    NsfObject *object = (NsfObject *)pc.clientData[0];
-    Tcl_Obj *varName = (Tcl_Obj *)pc.clientData[1];
-    Tcl_Obj *value = (Tcl_Obj *)pc.clientData[2];
+    int withArray = (int )PTR2INT(pc.clientData[0]);
+    NsfObject *object = (NsfObject *)pc.clientData[1];
+    Tcl_Obj *varName = (Tcl_Obj *)pc.clientData[2];
+    Tcl_Obj *value = (Tcl_Obj *)pc.clientData[3];
 
     assert(pc.status == 0);
-    return NsfVarSetCmd(interp, object, varName, value);
+    return NsfVarSetCmd(interp, withArray, object, varName, value);
 
   }
 }
@@ -2570,7 +2571,8 @@
   {"object", NSF_ARG_REQUIRED, 1, Nsf_ConvertToObject, NULL,NULL,"object",NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL},
   {"args", 0, 1, ConvertToNothing, NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL}}
 },
-{"::nsf::var::set", NsfVarSetCmdStub, 3, {
+{"::nsf::var::set", NsfVarSetCmdStub, 4, {
+  {"-array", 0, 0, Nsf_ConvertToString, NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL},
   {"object", NSF_ARG_REQUIRED, 1, Nsf_ConvertToObject, NULL,NULL,"object",NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL},
   {"varName", NSF_ARG_REQUIRED, 1, Nsf_ConvertToTclobj, NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL},
   {"value", 0, 1, Nsf_ConvertToTclobj, NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL}}
Index: generic/nsfInt.h
===================================================================
diff -u -N -r46c536260f793729feb23fff02cc15e3867ae0ee -rbf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02
--- generic/nsfInt.h	(.../nsfInt.h)	(revision 46c536260f793729feb23fff02cc15e3867ae0ee)
+++ generic/nsfInt.h	(.../nsfInt.h)	(revision bf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02)
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@
   /* constants */
   NSF_ALIAS, NSF_ARGS, NSF_CMD, NSF_FILTER, NSF_FORWARD, 
   NSF_METHOD, NSF_OBJECT, NSF_SETTER, NSF_VALUECHECK,
-  NSF_GUARD_OPTION, NSF___UNKNOWN__, 
+  NSF_GUARD_OPTION, NSF___UNKNOWN__, NSF_ARRAY, NSF_GET, NSF_SET,
   NSF_UNKNOWN_HANDLER,
   /* Partly redefined Tcl commands; leave them together at the end */
   NSF_EXPR, NSF_FORMAT, NSF_INFO_BODY, NSF_INFO_FRAME, NSF_INTERP, NSF_IS, 
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@
   /* constants */
   "alias", "args", "cmd", "filter",  "forward", 
   "method", "object", "setter", "valuecheck",
-  "-guard", "__unknown__",
+  "-guard", "__unknown__", "::array", "get", "set",
   /* nsf tcl commands */
   "::nsf::object::unknown",
   /* tcl commands */
Index: library/serialize/serializer.tcl
===================================================================
diff -u -N -rc6057c18970d5bc19fe0f1f760ef0d29898ecfdd -rbf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02
--- library/serialize/serializer.tcl	(.../serializer.tcl)	(revision c6057c18970d5bc19fe0f1f760ef0d29898ecfdd)
+++ library/serialize/serializer.tcl	(.../serializer.tcl)	(revision bf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02)
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@
 	    continue
 	  }
           if {[::nsf::var::exists -array $o $v]} {
-            lappend setcmd [list array set :$v [$o eval [list array get :$v]]]
+            lappend setcmd [list array set :$v [::nsf::var::set -array $o $v]]
           } else {
             lappend setcmd [list set :$v [::nsf::var::set $o $v]]
           }
Index: tests/var-access.test
===================================================================
diff -u -N -re02cb00ae815bd6f8561a6a03fceacc13fd91903 -rbf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02
--- tests/var-access.test	(.../var-access.test)	(revision e02cb00ae815bd6f8561a6a03fceacc13fd91903)
+++ tests/var-access.test	(.../var-access.test)	(revision bf363a408bfa522970f24b06967f2091604b6d02)
@@ -17,6 +17,46 @@
   :alias set ::nsf::var::set
 }
 
+
+nx::Test case set+array {
+  nx::Object create o1
+  
+  # first set a scalar variable
+  ? {nsf::var::set o1 x 100} "100"
+  ? {nsf::var::set o1 x} "100"
+
+  # now, set an array variable; "nsf::var::set -array" is a wrapper
+  # around "array set" or "array get"
+  ? {nsf::var::set -array o1 a {a 1 y 2}} ""
+  ? {nsf::var::set -array o1 a} "y 2 a 1"
+
+  # We have now a scalar and an array variable set.
+  ? {lsort [o1 info vars]} "a x"
+
+  # "x" is a variable, but not an array
+  ? {nsf::var::exists o1 x} 1
+  ? {nsf::var::exists -array o1 x} 0
+  
+  # "a" is a variable and an array
+  ? {nsf::var::exists -array o1 a} 1
+  ? {nsf::var::exists o1 a} 1
+
+  # we unset the array
+  ? {nsf::var::unset o1 a} ""
+  ? {nsf::var::exists o1 a} 0
+  ? {nsf::var::exists -array o1 a} 0
+
+  # now, just the scalar is left
+  ? {o1 info vars} "x"
+  ? {nsf::var::exists o1 x} 1
+  ? {nsf::var::exists -array o1 x} 0
+
+  # we unset the scalar
+  ? {nsf::var::unset o1 x} ""
+  ? {nsf::var::exists o1 x} 0
+  ? {nsf::var::exists -array o1 x} 0
+}
+
 nx::Test parameter count 10000
 nx::Test case dummy {
   nx::Object create o {