new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ov-str-mat.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+/*
+
+Copyright (C) 1996 John W. Eaton
+
+This file is part of Octave.
+
+Octave is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any
+later version.
+
+Octave 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 Octave; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to the Free
+Software Foundation, 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
+
+*/
+
+#if defined (__GNUG__)
+#pragma implementation
+#endif
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#include "lo-ieee.h"
+#include "mx-base.h"
+
+#include "ops.h"
+#include "ov-re-mat.h"
+#include "ov-str-mat.h"
+#include "gripes.h"
+#include "pr-output.h"
+
+int octave_char_matrix_str::t_id = -1;
+
+const string octave_char_matrix_str::t_name ("string");
+
+static octave_value *
+default_numeric_conversion_function (const octave_value& a)
+{
+  CAST_CONV_ARG (const octave_char_matrix_str&);
+
+  return new octave_matrix (v.matrix_value ());
+}
+
+octave_value::numeric_conv_fcn
+octave_char_matrix_str::numeric_conversion_function (void) const
+{
+  return default_numeric_conversion_function;
+}
+
+octave_value
+octave_char_matrix_str::all (void) const
+{
+  octave_value retval;
+  error ("octave_char_matrix_str::all(): not implemented");
+  return retval;
+}
+
+octave_value
+octave_char_matrix_str::any (void) const
+{
+  octave_value retval;
+  error ("octave_char_matrix_str::any(): not implemented");
+  return retval;
+}
+
+bool
+octave_char_matrix_str::valid_as_scalar_index (void) const
+{
+  bool retval = false;
+  error ("octave_char_matrix_str::valid_as_scalar_index(): not implemented");
+  return retval;
+}
+bool
+octave_char_matrix_str::valid_as_zero_index (void) const
+{
+  bool retval = false;
+  error ("octave_char_matrix_str::valid_as_zero_index(): not implemented");
+  return retval;
+}
+
+bool
+octave_char_matrix_str::is_true (void) const
+{
+  bool retval = false;
+  error ("octave_char_matrix_str::is_true(): not implemented");
+  return retval;
+}
+
+Matrix
+octave_char_matrix_str::matrix_value (bool force_string_conv) const
+{
+  Matrix retval;
+
+  int flag = force_string_conv;
+
+  if (! flag)
+    flag = Vimplicit_str_to_num_ok;
+
+  if (flag < 0)
+    gripe_implicit_conversion ("string", "real matrix");
+
+  if (flag)
+    retval = Matrix (matrix);
+  else
+    gripe_invalid_conversion ("string", "real matrix");
+
+  return retval;
+}
+
+charMatrix
+octave_char_matrix_str::all_strings (void) const
+{
+  charMatrix retval;
+  error ("octave_char_matrix_str::all_strings(): not implemented");
+  return retval;
+}
+
+string
+octave_char_matrix_str::string_value (void) const
+{
+  return matrix.row_as_string (0);  // XXX FIXME??? XXX
+}
+
+void
+octave_char_matrix_str::print (ostream& os)
+{
+  octave_print_internal (os, matrix, false, true, struct_indent);
+}
+
+/*
+;;; Local Variables: ***
+;;; mode: C++ ***
+;;; End: ***
+*/