diff --git a/FL/Fl_Preferences.H b/FL/Fl_Preferences.H
index 5897a736a..228c21bb0 100644
--- a/FL/Fl_Preferences.H
+++ b/FL/Fl_Preferences.H
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// "$Id: Fl_Preferences.H,v 1.1.2.10 2002/08/27 03:03:34 easysw Exp $"
+// "$Id: Fl_Preferences.H,v 1.1.2.11 2002/09/05 20:44:35 matthiaswm Exp $"
 //
 // Preferences definitions for the Fast Light Tool Kit (FLTK).
 //
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ private:
     // node methods
     int write( FILE *f );
     Node *find( const char *path );
-    Node *search( const char *path );
+    Node *search( const char *path, int offset=0 );
     Node *addChild( const char *path );
     void setParent( Node *parent );
     char remove();
@@ -157,5 +157,5 @@ private:
 #endif // !Fl_Preferences_H
 
 //
-// End of "$Id: Fl_Preferences.H,v 1.1.2.10 2002/08/27 03:03:34 easysw Exp $".
+// End of "$Id: Fl_Preferences.H,v 1.1.2.11 2002/09/05 20:44:35 matthiaswm Exp $".
 //
diff --git a/documentation/Fl_Preferences.html b/documentation/Fl_Preferences.html
index 88dd21ace..b5ce6a4b0 100644
--- a/documentation/Fl_Preferences.html
+++ b/documentation/Fl_Preferences.html
@@ -161,6 +161,9 @@ by <tt>groups()</tt>.
 <H4><a name="Fl_Preferences.groupExists">int Fl_Preferences::groupExists(const char *groupname)</a></H4>
 
 <P>Returns non-zero if a group with this name exists.
+Groupnames are relative to the Preferences node and can contain a path.
+<tt>"."</tt> describes the current node, <tt>"./"</tt> describes the topmost node.
+By preceding a groupname with a <tt>"./"</tt>, its path becomes relative to the topmost node.
 
 <H4><a name="Fl_Preferences.groups">int Fl_Preferences::groups()</a></H4>
 
diff --git a/src/Fl_Preferences.cxx b/src/Fl_Preferences.cxx
index 0eb03d083..afe433762 100644
--- a/src/Fl_Preferences.cxx
+++ b/src/Fl_Preferences.cxx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// "$Id: Fl_Preferences.cxx,v 1.1.2.19 2002/08/27 03:03:37 easysw Exp $"
+// "$Id: Fl_Preferences.cxx,v 1.1.2.20 2002/09/05 20:44:36 matthiaswm Exp $"
 //
 // Preferences methods for the Fast Light Tool Kit (FLTK).
 //
@@ -1013,19 +1013,48 @@ Fl_Preferences::Node *Fl_Preferences::Node::find( const char *path )
 }
 
 // find a group somewhere in the tree starting here
+// caller must not set 'offset' argument
 // - if the node does not exist, 'search' returns NULL
-Fl_Preferences::Node *Fl_Preferences::Node::search( const char *path )
+// - if the pathname is "." (current node) return this node
+// - if the pathname is "./" (root node) return the topmost node
+// - if the pathname starts with "./", start the search at the root node instead
+Fl_Preferences::Node *Fl_Preferences::Node::search( const char *path, int offset )
 {
-  int len = strlen( path_ );
-  if ( strncmp( path, path_, len ) == 0 )
+
+  if ( offset == 0 )
   {
-    if ( path[ len ] == 0 ) 
+    if ( path[0] == '.' )
+    {
+      if ( path[1] == 0 )
+      {
+	return this; // user was searching for current node
+      }
+      else if ( path[1] == '/' )
+      {
+	Node *nn = this;
+	while ( nn->parent_ ) nn = nn->parent_;
+	if ( path[2]==0 )
+	{ // user is searching for root ( "./" )
+	  return nn;
+	}
+	return nn->search( path+2, 2 ); // do a relative search on the root node
+      }
+    }
+    offset = strlen( path_ ) + 1;
+  }
+  
+  int len = strlen( path_ );
+  if ( len < offset-1 ) return 0;
+  len -= offset;
+  if ( ( len <= 0 ) || ( strncmp( path, path_+offset, len ) == 0 ) )
+  {
+    if ( len > 0 && path[ len ] == 0 ) 
       return this;
-    if ( path[ len ] == '/' )
+    if ( len <= 0 || path[ len ] == '/' )
     {
       for ( Node *nd = child_; nd; nd = nd->next_ )
       {
-	Node *nn = nd->find( path );
+	Node *nn = nd->search( path, offset );
 	if ( nn ) return nn;
       }
       return 0;
@@ -1084,5 +1113,5 @@ char Fl_Preferences::Node::remove()
 
 
 //
-// End of "$Id: Fl_Preferences.cxx,v 1.1.2.19 2002/08/27 03:03:37 easysw Exp $".
+// End of "$Id: Fl_Preferences.cxx,v 1.1.2.20 2002/09/05 20:44:36 matthiaswm Exp $".
 //
diff --git a/test/preferences.fl b/test/preferences.fl
index 443684c2c..06f6b25c1 100644
--- a/test/preferences.fl
+++ b/test/preferences.fl
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ decl {\#include <stdlib.h>} {}
 
 decl {\#include <FL/filename.H>} {} 
 
+decl {\#include <FL/fl_ask.H>} {} 
+
 decl {void readPrefs();} {public
 } 
 
@@ -294,9 +296,26 @@ Function {writePrefs()} {open return_type void
 
     eat.set( Fl_Preferences::Name( 3 ), "Test3" );
 
-  /** sample code only:
+  /* sample: create a sub-sub-group */
+  Fl_Preferences eatMore( eat, "More" );
+
+    eatMore.set( "more", "stuff" );
+
+  /* all the following searches should return 1 */
+  int sum = 0;
+  sum += app.groupExists( "Breakfast" ); /* find 'eat' relative to 'app' */
+  sum += app.groupExists( "Breakfast/More" ); /* find 'eat.eatMore' relative to 'app' */
+  sum += app.groupExists( "./Breakfast/More" ); /* find 'eat.eatMore' relative to Preferences */
+  sum += eat.groupExists( "More" ); /* find 'eatMore' relative to 'eat' */
+  sum += eat.groupExists( "./Breakfast/More" ); /* find 'eat.eatMore' relative to Preferences */
+  sum += eat.groupExists( "." ); /* find myself ('eat') */
+  sum += eat.groupExists( "./" ); /* find the topmost group ('app') */
+  if ( sum != 7 )
+    fl_message( "Assertion failed:\\nNot all group entries were found!" );
+
+  /* sample code only: */
     unsigned int hex = 0x2387efcd;
     eat.set( "binFoo", (void*)&hex, sizeof( unsigned int ) );
-    eat.set( "binFoo2", (void*)&writePrefs, 1024 );
-  **/} {}
+  eat.set( "binFoo2", (void*)&writePrefs, 256 );
+  } {}
 }