diff --git a/helper/ccnx-decoding-helper.cc b/helper/ccnx-decoding-helper.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e853c7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helper/ccnx-decoding-helper.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,667 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C++; c-file-style: "gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2011 University of California, Los Angeles
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation;
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+ *
+ * Author: 
+ */
+
+#include "ccnx-decoding-helper.h"
+
+#include "ns3/ccnx.h"
+#include "ns3/name-components.h"
+#include "ns3/ccnx-interest-header.h"
+#include "ns3/ccnx-content-object-header.h"
+
+#include <sstream>
+#include <boost/foreach.hpp>
+
+namespace ns3 {
+
+CcnxParser::InterestVisitor CcnxDecodingHelper::m_interestVisitor;
+CcnxParser::ContentObjectVisitor CcnxDecodingHelper::m_contentObjectVisitor;
+
+size_t
+CcnxDecodingHelper::Deserialize (Buffer::Iterator start, const CcnxInterestHeader &interest)
+{
+  Buffer::Iterator i = start;
+  Ptr<CcnxParser::Block> root = CcnxParser::Block::ParseBlock (i);
+  root->accept (m_interestVisitor, interest);
+
+  return i.GetDistanceFrom (start);
+}
+
+size_t
+CcnxDecodingHelper::Deserialize (Buffer::Iterator start, const CcnxContentObjectHeader &contentObject)
+{
+  Buffer::Iterator i = start;
+  Ptr<CcnxParser::Block> root = CcnxParser::Block::ParseBlock (i);
+  root->accept (m_contentObjectVisitor, contentObject);
+
+  return i.GetDistanceFrom (start);
+}
+
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+const uint8_t CCN_TT_BITS = 3;
+const uint8_t CCN_TT_MASK = ((1 << CCN_TT_BITS) - 1);
+const uint8_t CCN_MAX_TINY= ((1 << (7-CCN_TT_BITS)) - 1);
+const uint8_t CCN_TT_HBIT = ((uint8_t)(1 << 7));
+
+namespace CcnxParser {
+
+Ptr<Block> Block::ParseBlock (Buffer::Iterator &start)
+{
+  uint32_t value = 0;
+
+  // We will have problems if length field is more than 32 bits. Though it's really impossible
+  uint8_t byte = 0;
+  while (!(byte & CCN_TT_HBIT))
+    {
+      value <<= 8;
+      value += byte;
+      byte = start.ReadU8 ();
+    }
+  value <<= 4;
+  value += ( (byte&(~CCN_TT_HBIT)) >> 3);
+
+  switch (byte & CCN_TT_MASK)
+    {
+    case Ccnx::CCN_BLOB:
+      return Create<Blob> (start, value);
+    case Ccnx::CCN_UDATA:
+      return Create<Udata> (start, value);
+    case Ccnx::CCN_TAG:
+      return Create<Tag> (start, value);
+    case Ccnx::CCN_ATTR:
+      return Create<Attr> (start, value);
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG:
+      return Create<Dtag> (start, value);
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DATTR:
+      return Create<Dattr> (start, value);
+    case Ccnx::CCN_EXT:
+      return Create<Ext> (start, value);
+    default:
+      throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+    }
+}
+
+Blob::Blob (Buffer::Iterator &start, uint32_t length)
+{
+  start.Read (m_blob.Begin (), length);
+}
+
+Udata::Udata (Buffer::Iterator &start, uint32_t length)
+{
+  // Ideally, the code should look like this. Unfortunately, we don't have normal compatible iterators
+  // Buffer::Iterator realStart = start;
+  // start.Next (length); // advancing forward
+  // m_udata.assign (realStart, start/*actually, it is the end*/);
+
+  m_udata.reserve (length+1); //just in case we will need \0 at the end later
+  // this is actually the way Read method is implemented in network/src/buffer.cc
+  for (uint32_t i = 0; i < length; i++)
+    {
+      m_udata.append (reinterpret_cast<const char*>(start.ReadU8 ()));
+    }
+}
+
+// length length in octets of UTF-8 encoding of tag name - 1 (minimum tag name length is 1) 
+Tag::Tag (Buffer::Iterator &start, uint32_t length)
+{
+  m_tag.reserve (length+2); // extra byte for potential \0 at the end
+  for (uint32_t i = 0; i < (length+1); i++)
+    {
+      m_tag.append (reinterpret_cast<const char*>(start.ReadU8 ()));
+    }
+  
+  while (!start.IsEnd () && start.PeekU8 ()!=Ccnx::CCN_CLOSE)
+    {
+      m_nestedBlocks.push_back (Block::ParseBlock (start));
+    }
+  if (start.IsEnd ())
+      throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+
+  start.ReadU8 (); // read CCN_CLOSE
+}
+
+// length length in octets of UTF-8 encoding of tag name - 1 (minimum tag name length is 1) 
+Attr::Attr (Buffer::Iterator &start, uint32_t length)
+{
+  m_attr.reserve (length+2); // extra byte for potential \0 at the end
+  for (uint32_t i = 0; i < (length+1); i++)
+    {
+      m_attr.append (reinterpret_cast<const char*>(start.ReadU8 ()));
+    }
+  m_value = DynamicCast<Udata> (Block::ParseBlock (start));
+  if (m_value == 0)
+    throw CcnxDecodingException (); // "ATTR must be followed by UDATA field"
+}
+
+Dtag::Dtag (Buffer::Iterator &start, uint32_t dtag)
+{
+  m_dtag = dtag;
+
+  /**
+   * Hack
+   *
+   * Stop processing after encountering <Content> dtag.  Actual
+   * content (including virtual payload) will be stored in Packet
+   * buffer
+   */
+  if (dtag == Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_Content)
+    return; // hack #1. Do not process nesting block for <Content>
+  
+  while (!start.IsEnd () && start.PeekU8 ()!=Ccnx::CCN_CLOSE)
+    {
+      m_nestedBlocks.push_back (Block::ParseBlock (start));
+
+      // hack #2. Stop processing nested blocks if last block was <Content>
+      if (m_dtag == Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_ContentObject && // we are in <ContentObject>
+          DynamicCast<Dtag> (m_nestedBlocks.back())!=0 && // last block is DTAG
+          DynamicCast<Dtag> (m_nestedBlocks.back())->m_dtag == Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_Content) 
+        {
+          return; 
+        }
+    }
+  if (start.IsEnd ())
+      throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+
+  start.ReadU8 (); // read CCN_CLOSE
+}
+
+// dictionary attributes are not used (yet?) in CCNx 
+Dattr::Dattr (Buffer::Iterator &start, uint32_t dattr)
+{
+  m_dattr = dattr;
+  m_value = DynamicCast<Udata> (Block::ParseBlock (start));
+  if (m_value == 0)
+    throw CcnxDecodingException (); // "ATTR must be followed by UDATA field"
+}
+
+Ext::Ext (Buffer::Iterator &start, uint32_t extSubtype)
+{
+  m_extSubtype = extSubtype;
+}
+
+void
+DepthFirstVisitor::visit (Blob &n)
+{
+  // Buffer n.m_blob;
+}
+ 
+void
+DepthFirstVisitor::visit (Udata &n)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_udata;
+}
+ 
+void
+DepthFirstVisitor::visit (Tag &n)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_tag;
+  // std::list<Ptr<Block> > n.m_nestedBlocks;
+  BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+    {
+      block->accept (*this);
+    }
+}
+ 
+void
+DepthFirstVisitor::visit (Attr &n)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_attr;
+  // Ptr<Udata> n.m_value;
+}
+ 
+void
+DepthFirstVisitor::visit (Dtag &n)
+{
+  // uint32_t n.m_dtag;
+  // std::list<Ptr<Block> > n.m_nestedBlocks;
+  BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+    {
+      block->accept (*this);
+    }
+}
+ 
+void
+DepthFirstVisitor::visit (Dattr &n)
+{
+  // uint32_t n.m_dattr;
+  // Ptr<Udata> n.m_value;
+}
+ 
+void
+DepthFirstVisitor::visit (Ext &n)
+{
+  // uint64_t n.m_extSubtype;
+}
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+ 
+boost::any
+GJNoArguDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Blob &n)
+{
+  // Buffer n.m_blob;
+  return n.m_blob;
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJNoArguDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Udata &n)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_udata;
+  return n.m_udata;
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJNoArguDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Tag &n)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_tag;
+  // std::list<Ptr<Block> > n.m_nestedBlocks;
+  BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+    {
+      block->accept (*this);
+    }
+  return boost::any();
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJNoArguDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Attr &n)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_attr;
+  // Ptr<Udata> n.m_value;
+  return boost::any(
+                    std::pair<std::string,std::string> (
+                                                        n.m_attr,
+                                                        boost::any_cast<std::string> (n.m_value->accept (*this))
+                                                        ));
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJNoArguDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Dtag &n)
+{
+  // uint32_t n.m_dtag;
+  // std::list<Ptr<Block> > n.m_nestedBlocks;
+  BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+    {
+      block->accept (*this);
+    }
+  return boost::any();
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJNoArguDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Dattr &n)
+{
+  // uint32_t n.m_dattr;
+  // Ptr<Udata> n.m_value;
+  return boost::any(
+                    std::pair<uint32_t,std::string> (
+                                                     n.m_dattr,
+                                                     boost::any_cast<std::string> (n.m_value->accept (*this))
+                                                     ));
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJNoArguDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Ext &n)
+{
+  // uint64_t n.m_extSubtype;
+  return n.m_extSubtype;
+}
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+void
+GJVoidDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Blob &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // Buffer n.m_blob;
+}
+ 
+void
+GJVoidDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Udata &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_udata;
+}
+ 
+void
+GJVoidDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Tag &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_tag;
+  // std::list<Ptr<Block> > n.m_nestedBlocks;
+  BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+    {
+      block->accept (*this, param);
+    }
+}
+ 
+void
+GJVoidDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Attr &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_attr;
+  // Ptr<Udata> n.m_value;
+}
+ 
+void
+GJVoidDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Dtag &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // uint32_t n.m_dtag;
+  // std::list<Ptr<Block> > n.m_nestedBlocks;
+  BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+    {
+      block->accept (*this, param);
+    }
+}
+ 
+void
+GJVoidDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Dattr &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // uint32_t n.m_dattr;
+  // Ptr<Udata> n.m_value;
+}
+ 
+void
+GJVoidDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Ext &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // uint64_t n.m_extSubtype;
+}
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+ 
+boost::any
+GJDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Blob &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // Buffer n.m_blob;
+  return n.m_blob;
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Udata &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_udata;
+  return n.m_udata;
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Tag &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_tag;
+  // std::list<Ptr<Block> > n.m_nestedBlocks;
+  BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+    {
+      block->accept (*this, param);
+    }
+  return boost::any();
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Attr &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_attr;
+  // Ptr<Udata> n.m_value;
+  return boost::any(
+                    std::pair<std::string,std::string> (
+                                                        n.m_attr,
+                                                        boost::any_cast<std::string> (n.m_value->accept (*this,param))
+                                                        ));
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Dtag &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // uint32_t n.m_dtag;
+  // std::list<Ptr<Block> > n.m_nestedBlocks;
+  BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+    {
+      block->accept (*this, param);
+    }
+  return boost::any();
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Dattr &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // uint32_t n.m_dattr;
+  // Ptr<Udata> n.m_value;
+  return boost::any(
+                    std::pair<uint32_t,std::string> (
+                                                     n.m_dattr,
+                                                     boost::any_cast<std::string> (n.m_value->accept (*this,param))
+                                                     ));
+}
+ 
+boost::any
+GJDepthFirstVisitor::visit (Ext &n, boost::any param)
+{
+  // uint64_t n.m_extSubtype;
+  return n.m_extSubtype;
+}
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+boost::any
+NonNegativeIntegerVisitor::visit (Blob &n) //to throw parsing error
+{
+  // Buffer n.m_blob;
+  throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+}
+
+boost::any
+NonNegativeIntegerVisitor::visit (Udata &n)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_udata;
+  std::istringstream is (n.m_udata);
+  int32_t value;
+  is >> value;
+  if (value<0) // value should be non-negative
+    throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+
+  return static_cast<uint32_t> (value);
+}
+
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+boost::any
+StringVisitor::visit (Blob &n) //to throw parsing error
+{
+  // Buffer n.m_blob;
+  throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+}
+
+boost::any
+StringVisitor::visit (Udata &n)
+{
+  // std::string n.m_udata;
+  return n.m_udata;
+}
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+StringVisitor NameComponentsVisitor::m_stringVisitor; 
+
+void
+NameComponentsVisitor::visit (Dtag &n, boost::any param/*should be Name::Components&*/)
+{
+  // uint32_t n.m_dtag;
+  // std::list<Ptr<Block> > n.m_nestedBlocks;
+  Name::Components &components = boost::any_cast<Name::Components&> (param);
+
+  switch (n.m_dtag)
+    {
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_Component:
+      if (n.m_nestedBlocks.size()!=1) // should be exactly one UDATA inside this tag
+        throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+      components.Add (
+                      boost::any_cast<std::string> ((*n.m_nestedBlocks.begin())->accept(
+                                                                                        m_stringVisitor
+                                                                                        )));
+      break;
+    default:
+      // ignore any other components
+      // when parsing Exclude, there could be <Any /> and <Bloom /> tags
+      break;
+    }
+}
+ 
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+NonNegativeIntegerVisitor InterestVisitor::m_nonNegativeIntegerVisitor;
+NameComponentsVisitor     InterestVisitor::m_nameComponentsVisitor;
+
+// We don't really care about any other fields
+void
+InterestVisitor::visit (Dtag &n, boost::any param/*should be CcnxInterestHeader&*/)
+{
+  // uint32_t n.m_dtag;
+  // std::list<Ptr<Block> > n.m_nestedBlocks;
+  CcnxInterestHeader &interest = boost::any_cast<CcnxInterestHeader&> (param);
+  
+  switch (n.m_dtag)
+    {
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_Interest:
+      // process nested blocks
+      BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+        {
+          block->accept (*this, param);
+        }
+      break;
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_Name:
+      {
+        // process name components
+        Ptr<Name::Components> name = Create<Name::Components> ();
+        
+        BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+          {
+            block->accept (m_nameComponentsVisitor, *name);
+          }
+        interest.SetName (name);
+        break;
+      }
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_MinSuffixComponents:
+      if (n.m_nestedBlocks.size()!=1) // should be exactly one UDATA inside this tag
+        throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+      interest.SetMinSuffixComponents (
+               boost::any_cast<uint32_t> (
+                                          (*n.m_nestedBlocks.begin())->accept(
+                                                                           m_nonNegativeIntegerVisitor
+                                                                           )));
+      break;
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_MaxSuffixComponents:
+      if (n.m_nestedBlocks.size()!=1) // should be exactly one UDATA inside this tag
+        throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+      interest.SetMaxSuffixComponents (
+               boost::any_cast<uint32_t> (
+                                          (*n.m_nestedBlocks.begin())->accept(
+                                                                           m_nonNegativeIntegerVisitor
+                                                                           )));
+      break;
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_Exclude:
+      {
+        // process exclude components
+        Ptr<Name::Components> exclude = Create<Name::Components> ();
+        
+        BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+          {
+            block->accept (m_nameComponentsVisitor, *exclude);
+          }
+        interest.SetExclude (exclude);
+        break;
+      }
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_ChildSelector:
+      if (n.m_nestedBlocks.size()!=1) // should be exactly one UDATA inside this tag
+        throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+
+      interest.SetChildSelector (
+               1 == boost::any_cast<uint32_t> (
+                                          (*n.m_nestedBlocks.begin())->accept(
+                                                                           m_nonNegativeIntegerVisitor
+                                                                           )));
+      break;
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_AnswerOriginKind:
+      if (n.m_nestedBlocks.size()!=1) // should be exactly one UDATA inside this tag
+        throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+      interest.SetAnswerOriginKind (
+               1 == boost::any_cast<uint32_t> (
+                                          (*n.m_nestedBlocks.begin())->accept(
+                                                                           m_nonNegativeIntegerVisitor
+                                                                           )));
+      break;
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_Scope: 
+      if (n.m_nestedBlocks.size()!=1) // should be exactly one UDATA inside this tag
+        throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+      interest.SetScope (
+               boost::any_cast<uint32_t> (
+                                          (*n.m_nestedBlocks.begin())->accept(
+                                                                           m_nonNegativeIntegerVisitor
+                                                                           )));
+      break;
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_InterestLifetime:
+      if (n.m_nestedBlocks.size()!=1) // should be exactly one UDATA inside this tag
+        throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+      break;
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_Nonce:
+      if (n.m_nestedBlocks.size()!=1) // should be exactly one UDATA inside this tag
+        throw CcnxDecodingException ();
+      break;
+    }
+}
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+NameComponentsVisitor ContentObjectVisitor::m_nameComponentsVisitor;
+
+// We don't really care about any other fields
+void
+ContentObjectVisitor::visit (Dtag &n, boost::any param/*should be CcnxContentObjectHeader&*/)
+{
+  // uint32_t n.m_dtag;
+  // std::list<Ptr<Block> > n.m_nestedBlocks;
+  CcnxContentObjectHeader &contentObject = boost::any_cast<CcnxContentObjectHeader&> (param);
+  
+  switch (n.m_dtag)
+    {
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_ContentObject:
+      // process nested blocks
+      BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+        {
+          block->accept (*this, param);
+        }
+      break;
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_Name:
+      {
+        // process name components
+        Ptr<Name::Components> name = Create<Name::Components> ();
+        
+        BOOST_FOREACH (Ptr<Block> block, n.m_nestedBlocks)
+          {
+            block->accept (m_nameComponentsVisitor, *name);
+          }
+        contentObject.SetName (name);
+        break;
+      }
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_Signature: // ignoring
+      break;
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_SignedInfo: // ignoring
+      break;
+    case Ccnx::CCN_DTAG_Content: // !!! HACK
+      // This hack was necessary for memory optimizations (i.e., content is virtual payload)
+      NS_ASSERT_MSG (n.m_nestedBlocks.size() == 0, "Parser should have stopped just after processing <Content> tag");
+      break;
+    }
+}
+
+} // namespace CcnxParser
+} // namespace ns3