Index: generic/predefined.xotcl
===================================================================
diff -u -rfb73930aa9ecf6ce966e512e6f899acb5784ea8c -rda3c5178da77ecdf47a0aea6e04b61e63e4a709b
--- generic/predefined.xotcl	(.../predefined.xotcl)	(revision fb73930aa9ecf6ce966e512e6f899acb5784ea8c)
+++ generic/predefined.xotcl	(.../predefined.xotcl)	(revision da3c5178da77ecdf47a0aea6e04b61e63e4a709b)
@@ -1093,6 +1093,20 @@
 # some utilities
 #######################################################
 
+namespace eval ::nx {
+  #
+  # Provide an ensemble-like interface to the nx::core primitiva to
+  # access variables. Note that aliasing in the next scripting
+  # framework is faster than namespace-ensembles.
+  #
+  Object create ::nx::var {
+    :alias exists ::nx::core::existsvar 
+    :alias import ::nx::core::importvar
+    :alias set ::nx::core::setvar
+  }
+}
+
+
 namespace eval ::nx::core {
   #
   # determine platform aware temp directory