diff --git a/e107_handlers/core_functions.php b/e107_handlers/core_functions.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3e762b43b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e107_handlers/core_functions.php
@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+<?php
+/*
+ * e107 website system
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2001-2008 e107 Inc (e107.org)
+ * Released under the terms and conditions of the
+ * GNU General Public License (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt)
+ *
+ * e107 Core functions
+ *
+ * $Source: /cvs_backup/e107_0.8/e107_handlers/core_functions.php,v $
+ * $Revision: 1.1 $
+ * $Date: 2009-08-05 19:53:47 $
+ * $Author: secretr $
+*/
+
+//
+// Use these to combine isset() and use of the set value. or defined and use of a constant
+// i.e. to fix  if($pref['foo']) ==> if ( varset($pref['foo']) ) will use the pref, or ''.
+// Can set 2nd param to any other default value you like (e.g. false, 0, or whatever)
+// $testvalue adds additional test of the value (not just isset())
+// Examples:
+// $something = pref;  // Bug if pref not set         ==> $something = varset(pref);
+// $something = isset(pref) ? pref : "";              ==> $something = varset(pref);
+// $something = isset(pref) ? pref : default;         ==> $something = varset(pref,default);
+// $something = isset(pref) && pref ? pref : default; ==> use varsettrue(pref,default)
+//
+function varset(&$val, $default='')
+{
+	if (isset($val)) { return $val; }
+	return $default;
+}
+
+function defset($str, $default='')
+{
+	if (defined($str)) { return constant($str); }
+	return $default;
+}
+
+//
+// These variants are like the above, but only return the value if both set AND 'true'
+//
+function varsettrue(&$val, $default='')
+{
+	if (isset($val) && $val) { return $val; }
+	return $default;
+}
+
+function defsettrue($str,$default='')
+{
+	if (defined($str) && constant($str)) {return constant($str); }
+	return $default;
+}
+
+function e107_include($fname)
+{
+	global $e107_debug;
+	$ret = ($e107_debug ? include($fname) : @include($fname));
+	return $ret;
+}
+
+function e107_include_once($fname)
+{
+	global $e107_debug;
+	if(is_readable($fname))
+	{
+		$ret = (!$e107_debug)? @include_once($fname) : include_once($fname);
+	}
+	return (isset($ret)) ? $ret : '';
+}
+
+function e107_require_once($fname)
+{
+	global $e107_debug;
+	$ret = ($e107_debug ? require_once($fname) : @require_once($fname));
+	return $ret;
+}
+
+function e107_require($fname)
+{
+	global $e107_debug;
+	$ret = ($e107_debug ? require($fname) : @require($fname));
+	return $ret;
+}
+
+
+function print_a($var, $return = FALSE)
+{
+	if( ! $return)
+	{
+		echo '<pre>'.htmlspecialchars(print_r($var, TRUE), ENT_QUOTES, 'utf-8').'</pre>';
+		return TRUE;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		return '<pre>'.htmlspecialchars(print_r($var, true), ENT_QUOTES, 'utf-8').'</pre>';
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Strips slashes from a var if magic_quotes_gqc is enabled
+ *
+ * @param mixed $data
+ * @return mixed
+ */
+function strip_if_magic($data)
+{
+	if (MAGIC_QUOTES_GPC == true)
+	{
+		return array_stripslashes($data);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		return $data;
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Strips slashes from a string or an array
+ *
+ * @param mixed $value
+ * @return mixed
+ */
+function array_stripslashes($data)
+{
+	return is_array($data) ? array_map('array_stripslashes', $data) : stripslashes($data);
+}
+
+function echo_gzipped_page()
+{
+
+    if(headers_sent())
+	{
+        $encoding = false;
+    }
+	elseif( strpos($_SERVER["HTTP_ACCEPT_ENCODING"], 'x-gzip') !== false )
+	{
+        $encoding = 'x-gzip';
+    }
+	elseif( strpos($_SERVER["HTTP_ACCEPT_ENCODING"],'gzip') !== false )
+	{
+        $encoding = 'gzip';
+    }
+	else
+	{
+        $encoding = false;
+    }
+
+    if($encoding)
+	{
+        $contents = ob_get_contents();
+        ob_end_clean();
+        header('Content-Encoding: '.$encoding);
+        print("\x1f\x8b\x08\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00");
+        $size = strlen($contents);
+        $contents = gzcompress($contents, 9);
+        $contents = substr($contents, 0, $size);
+        print($contents);
+        exit();
+    }
+	else
+	{
+        ob_end_flush();
+        exit();
+    }
+}
+
+?>
\ No newline at end of file