new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ezminc/tests/ezminc_stats.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,213 @@
+#include <iostream>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <vector>
+#include <math.h>
+
+#include "minc_1_rw.h"
+#include "minc_1_simple.h"
+
+using namespace minc;
+
+
+
+template<class TPixel> void make_rw_test(const char * filename,int slice_dim,nc_type datatype,bool is_signed,double max_diff=0.0)
+{
+
+  std::string history="History ";
+  
+  // generate info
+  minc_info info(3);
+  int volume=1.0;
+  
+  for(int i=0;i<3;i++)
+  {
+    info[i].dim=dim_info::dimensions( dim_info::DIM_X+i);
+    
+    info[i].length=10+i;
+    info[i].step  =i+0.1;
+    info[i].start =i-5.0;
+    
+    info[i].have_dir_cos=true;
+    
+    for(int j=0;j<3;j++)
+      info[i].dir_cos[j]=(i==j?1.0:0.0);    
+    
+    volume*=info[i].length;
+  }
+  
+  //fill the buffer
+  std::vector<TPixel> buffer(volume);
+  
+  if(typeid(TPixel)==typeid(float) || typeid(TPixel)==typeid(double))
+    for(int i=0;i<volume;i++)
+      buffer[i]=static_cast<TPixel>(random())*100.0/RAND_MAX;
+  else
+    for(int i=0;i<volume;i++)
+      buffer[i]=static_cast<TPixel>(random());
+  
+    
+  std::vector<double> double_attr(10);
+  std::vector<int> int_attr(10);
+  std::vector<short> short_attr(10);
+  std::string  string_attr="Test string attribuite";
+  
+  for(int i=0;i<10;i++)
+  {
+    double_attr[i]=i+0.1;
+    int_attr[i]=i*100;
+    short_attr[i]=i;
+  }
+    
+  //now let's write volume
+  minc_1_writer wrt;
+  wrt.open(filename,info,slice_dim,datatype,is_signed);
+  
+  //atributes
+  wrt.append_history(history.c_str());
+  wrt.insert("patient","double_attr",double_attr);
+  wrt.insert("patient","int_attr",int_attr);
+  wrt.insert("patient","short_attr",short_attr);
+  wrt.insert("patient","string_attr",string_attr.c_str());
+  
+  if(typeid(TPixel)==typeid(unsigned char))
+    wrt.setup_write_byte();
+  else if(typeid(TPixel)==typeid(int))
+    wrt.setup_write_int();
+  else if(typeid(TPixel)==typeid(float))
+    wrt.setup_write_float(); 
+  else if(typeid(TPixel)==typeid(double))
+    wrt.setup_write_double(); 
+  else 
+    REPORT_ERROR("Data type not supported for minc io"); 
+  
+  
+  
+  //write volume
+  save_standard_volume(wrt,&buffer[0]);
+  
+  wrt.close();
+
+  //reading volume
+  minc_1_reader rdr;
+  rdr.open(filename);
+  
+  if(history!=rdr.history())
+      REPORT_ERROR("Mismatched history");
+ 
+  std::vector<double> double_attr_rd=rdr.att_value_double("patient","double_attr");
+  std::vector<int>  int_attr_rd=rdr.att_value_int("patient","int_attr");
+  std::vector<short> short_attr_rd=rdr.att_value_short("patient","short_attr");
+  std::string string_attr_rd=rdr.att_value_string("patient","string_attr");
+  
+  if(string_attr_rd!=string_attr)
+    REPORT_ERROR("Mismatched string attribute");
+  
+  for(int i=0;i<10;i++)
+  {
+    if(double_attr_rd[i]!=double_attr[i])
+      REPORT_ERROR("Mismatched double attribute");
+    if(int_attr_rd[i]!=int_attr[i])
+      REPORT_ERROR("Mismatched int attribute");
+    if(short_attr_rd[i]!=short_attr[i])
+      REPORT_ERROR("Mismatched short attribute");
+  }
+  // let's compare info
+  for(int i=0;i<3;i++)
+  {
+    if(rdr.info()[i].dim!=info[i].dim) 
+      REPORT_ERROR("Mismatched dimension");
+    
+    if(rdr.info()[i].length!=info[i].length) 
+      REPORT_ERROR("Mismatched dimension length");
+    
+    if(rdr.info()[i].step!=info[i].step) 
+      REPORT_ERROR("Mismatched step");
+    
+    if(rdr.info()[i].start!=info[i].start) 
+      REPORT_ERROR("Mismatched step");
+    
+    if(rdr.info()[i].have_dir_cos!=info[i].have_dir_cos) 
+      REPORT_ERROR("Mismatched have direction cosines");
+    
+    for(int j=0;j<3;j++)
+      if(rdr.info()[i].dir_cos[j]!=info[i].dir_cos[j])
+        REPORT_ERROR("Mismatched direction cosines");
+  }
+  
+  if(typeid(TPixel)==typeid(unsigned char))
+    rdr.setup_read_byte();
+  else if(typeid(TPixel)==typeid(int))
+    rdr.setup_read_int();
+  else if(typeid(TPixel)==typeid(float))
+    rdr.setup_read_float(); 
+  else if(typeid(TPixel)==typeid(double))
+    rdr.setup_read_double();
+  else 
+    REPORT_ERROR("Data type not supported for minc io");
+  
+  
+  std::vector<TPixel> in_buffer(volume);
+  load_standard_volume(rdr,&in_buffer[0]);
+  rdr.close();
+  
+  if(max_diff==0.0)
+  {
+    for(int i=0;i<volume;i++)
+      if(buffer[i]!=in_buffer[i])
+        REPORT_ERROR("Data mismatched!");
+  } else { //ALLOW rounding error
+    for(int i=0;i<volume;i++)
+      if(fabs(buffer[i]-in_buffer[i])>max_diff)
+      {
+        std::cerr<<"Expected:"<<buffer[i]<<" got:"<<in_buffer[i]<<" @ "<<i<<std::endl;
+        REPORT_ERROR("Data mismatched too much!");
+      }
+  }
+}
+
+
+int main(int argc,char **argv)
+{
+  try
+  {
+    if(argc>1) 
+    {
+      chdir(argv[1]);
+    }
+    
+    //no rounding expected
+    make_rw_test<unsigned char>("EZminc_byte_2.mnc",2,NC_BYTE,false);
+    make_rw_test<unsigned char>("EZminc_byte_3.mnc",3,NC_BYTE,false);
+    
+    make_rw_test<int>("EZminc_int_2.mnc",2,NC_INT,true);
+    make_rw_test<int>("EZminc_int_3.mnc",3,NC_INT,true);
+    
+    make_rw_test<float>("EZminc_float_2.mnc",2,NC_FLOAT,true);
+    make_rw_test<float>("EZminc_float_3.mnc",3,NC_FLOAT,true);
+    
+    make_rw_test<double>("EZminc_double_2.mnc",2,NC_DOUBLE,true);
+    make_rw_test<double>("EZminc_double_3.mnc",3,NC_DOUBLE,true);
+    
+    // some rounding expected
+    make_rw_test<float>("EZminc_float_2_short.mnc",2,NC_SHORT,true,0.1);
+    make_rw_test<float>("EZminc_float_3_short.mnc",3,NC_SHORT,true,0.1);
+    
+    make_rw_test<double>("EZminc_double_2_short.mnc",2,NC_SHORT,true,0.1);
+    make_rw_test<double>("EZminc_double_3_short.mnc",3,NC_SHORT,true,0.1);
+    
+    make_rw_test<float>("EZminc_float_2_byte.mnc",2,NC_BYTE,false,0.5);
+    make_rw_test<float>("EZminc_float_3_byte.mnc",3,NC_BYTE,false,0.5);
+    
+    make_rw_test<double>("EZminc_double_2_byte.mnc",2,NC_BYTE,false,0.5);
+    make_rw_test<double>("EZminc_double_3_byte.mnc",3,NC_BYTE,false,0.5);
+    
+  } catch (const minc::generic_error & err) {
+    std::cerr << "Got an error at:" << err.file () << ":" << err.line () << std::endl;
+    std::cerr << err.msg()<<std::endl;
+    return 1;
+  }
+  
+  return 0;
+}
+