Index: dataobj/tabfile.cc
===================================================================
--- dataobj/tabfile.cc	(revision 8773)
+++ dataobj/tabfile.cc	(working copy)
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@
 }
 
 
-bool tabfile_t::read(tabfileobj_t &objinfo)
+bool tabfile_t::read(tabfileobj_t &objinfo, FILE *fp)
 {
 	bool lines = false;
 	char line[4096];
@@ -440,10 +440,16 @@
 
 						printf("%s = %s\n", line_expand, delim_expand);
 						objinfo.put(line_expand, delim_expand);
+						if (fp != NULL) {
+							fprintf(fp, "%s=%s\n", line_expand, delim_expand);
+						}
 					}
 				}
 				else {
 					objinfo.put(line, delim);
+					if (fp != NULL) {
+						fprintf(fp, "%s=%s\n", line, delim);
+					}
 				}
 				lines = true;
 			}
Index: dataobj/tabfile.h
===================================================================
--- dataobj/tabfile.h	(revision 8773)
+++ dataobj/tabfile.h	(working copy)
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@
 	 *
 	 * @author V. Meyer
 	 */
-	bool read(tabfileobj_t &objinfo);
+	bool read(tabfileobj_t &objinfo, FILE *fp = NULL);
 };
 
 
Index: descriptor/writer/root_writer.cc
===================================================================
--- descriptor/writer/root_writer.cc	(revision 8773)
+++ descriptor/writer/root_writer.cc	(working copy)
@@ -479,3 +479,79 @@
 	printf("This program can pack the following object types (pak version %d) :\n", COMPILER_VERSION_CODE);
 	show_capabilites();
 }
+
+
+void root_writer_t::expand_dat(const char* filename, int argc, char* argv[])
+{
+	searchfolder_t find;
+	FILE* outfp = NULL;
+	bool generate_name = false;
+	string file = find.complete(filename, "dat");
+
+	if (file[file.size()-1] == '/') {
+		printf("writing individual files to %s\n", filename);
+		generate_name = true;
+	}
+	else {
+		outfp = fopen(file.c_str(), "wb");
+
+		if (!outfp) {
+			dbg->fatal( "Write dat", "Cannot create destination file %s", filename );
+			exit(3);
+		}
+		printf("writing file %s\n", filename);
+	}
+
+	for(  int i=0;  i==0  ||  i<argc;  i++  ) {
+		const char* arg = (i < argc) ? argv[i] : "./";
+
+		find.search(arg, "dat");
+
+		FOR(searchfolder_t, const& i, find) {
+			tabfile_t infile;
+
+			if (infile.open(i)) {
+				tabfileobj_t obj;
+
+				printf("   reading file %s\n", i);
+
+				inpath = arg;
+				string::size_type n = inpath.rfind('/');
+
+				if(n!=string::npos) {
+					inpath = inpath.substr(0, n + 1);
+				}
+				else {
+					inpath = "";
+				}
+
+				if(generate_name) {
+					string name(i);
+
+					name.replace(name.size() - 3, 3, "expanded.dat");
+
+					outfp = fopen(name.c_str(), "wb");
+					if (!outfp) {
+						dbg->fatal( "Write pak", "Cannot create destination file %s", name.c_str() );
+						exit(3);
+					}
+					printf("   writing file %s\n", name.c_str());
+				}
+					// fprintf(outfp, "# Expanded file by makeobj\n");
+				while(infile.read(obj, outfp)) {
+					fprintf(outfp, "---\n");
+				}
+
+				if(generate_name) {
+					fclose(outfp);
+				}
+			}
+			else {
+				dbg->warning( "Write dat", "Cannot read %s", i);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if(!generate_name) {
+		fclose(outfp);
+	}
+}
Index: descriptor/writer/root_writer.h
===================================================================
--- descriptor/writer/root_writer.h	(revision 8773)
+++ descriptor/writer/root_writer.h	(working copy)
@@ -32,6 +32,19 @@
 		void list(int argc, char* argv[]);
 		void copy(const char* name, int argc, char* argv[]);
 
+		/**
+		 * @brief Expands makeobj pre-processor stuff
+		 *
+		 * Dat files can contain 'minified' pre-processor-like features, this
+		 * function will run the dat on the tabfile reader and return write
+		 * its output to a $filename-expanded.dat file.
+		 *
+		 * @param name Filename of the output file or folder
+		 * @param argc Number of input files
+		 * @param argv List of input files' paths
+		 */
+		void expand_dat(const char* name, int argc, char* argv[]);
+
 		/* makes single files from a merged file */
 		void uncopy(const char* name);
 
Index: makeobj/makeobj.cc
===================================================================
--- makeobj/makeobj.cc	(revision 8773)
+++ makeobj/makeobj.cc	(working copy)
@@ -106,6 +106,30 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (argc && !STRICMP(argv[0], "expand")) {
+		argv++, argc--;
+
+		try {
+			const char* dest;
+
+			if (argc) {
+				dest = argv[0];
+				argv++, argc--;
+			}
+			else {
+				dest = "./";
+			}
+
+			root_writer_t::instance()->expand_dat(dest, argc, argv);
+		}
+		catch (const obj_pak_exception_t& e) {
+			dbg->error( e.get_class(), e.get_info() );
+			return 1;
+		}
+
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	if (argc > 1) {
 		if (!STRICMP(argv[0], "dump")) {
 			argv++, argc--;
@@ -153,6 +177,8 @@
 		"         List the internal nodes of a file\n"
 		"      MakeObj MERGE <pak file library> <pak file(s)>\n"
 		"         Merges multiple pak files into one new pak file library\n"
+		"      MakeObj EXPAND <output> <dat file(s)>\n"
+		"         Expands minified notation to complete notation on dat file(s)\n"
 		"      MakeObj EXTRACT <pak file archive>\n"
 		"         Creates single files from a pak file library\n"
 		"\n"