diff --git a/sources/elementdefinition.cpp b/sources/elementdefinition.cpp
index 79566b93b..d0ddcd139 100644
--- a/sources/elementdefinition.cpp
+++ b/sources/elementdefinition.cpp
@@ -175,6 +175,20 @@ ElementDefinition *ElementDefinition::createElement(const QString &) {
 	return(0);
 }
 
+/**
+	@return always true - an element contains nothing but itself
+*/
+bool ElementDefinition::isEmpty() {
+	return(false);
+}
+
+/**
+	@return always 1
+*/
+int ElementDefinition::count() {
+	return(1);
+}
+
 /**
 	@return toujours 0 - un element n'est pas une collection
 */
diff --git a/sources/elementdefinition.h b/sources/elementdefinition.h
index 757d2c613..6d542439f 100644
--- a/sources/elementdefinition.h
+++ b/sources/elementdefinition.h
@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ class ElementDefinition : public ElementsCollectionItem {
 	virtual QList<ElementDefinition *> elements();
 	virtual ElementDefinition *element(const QString &);
 	virtual ElementDefinition *createElement(const QString &);
+	virtual bool isEmpty();
+	virtual int count();
 	virtual ElementsCollectionItem *copy(ElementsCategory *, MoveElementsHandler *, bool = true);
 	virtual ElementsCollectionItem *move(ElementsCategory *, MoveElementsHandler *);
 	
diff --git a/sources/elementscategory.cpp b/sources/elementscategory.cpp
index 1cb310bbd..ba610352d 100644
--- a/sources/elementscategory.cpp
+++ b/sources/elementscategory.cpp
@@ -615,6 +615,17 @@ bool ElementsCategory::isEmpty() {
 	return(categories().count() || elements().count());
 }
 
+/**
+	@return the count of categories and elements within this collection
+*/
+int ElementsCategory::count() {
+	int items_count = elements().count();
+	foreach(ElementsCategory *category, categories()) {
+		items_count += category -> count();
+	}
+	return(items_count);
+}
+
 /**
 	Methode permettant d'obtenir le nom affichable de cette categorie.
 	@return Le nom affichable de la categorie
diff --git a/sources/elementscategory.h b/sources/elementscategory.h
index 19f57b91b..b714008e2 100644
--- a/sources/elementscategory.h
+++ b/sources/elementscategory.h
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ class ElementsCategory : public ElementsCollectionItem {
 	virtual void deleteUnusedElements(MoveElementsHandler *handler);
 	virtual void deleteEmptyCategories(MoveElementsHandler *handler);
 	virtual bool isEmpty();
+	virtual int count();
 	
 	// Methodes propres a la classe ElementsCategory
 	public:
diff --git a/sources/elementscollection.cpp b/sources/elementscollection.cpp
index a0eb12de3..f6860bbda 100644
--- a/sources/elementscollection.cpp
+++ b/sources/elementscollection.cpp
@@ -378,6 +378,15 @@ bool ElementsCollection::isEmpty() {
 	return(root_category -> isEmpty());
 }
 
+/**
+	@return the count of categories and elements within this collection
+*/
+int ElementsCollection::count() {
+	ElementsCategory *root_category = rootCategory();
+	if (!root_category) return(0);
+	return(root_category -> count());
+}
+
 /**
 	@param item_path chemin d'un item sous la forme d'une adresse
 	virtuelle comme common://cat1/cat2/cat3
@@ -404,3 +413,4 @@ ElementsCollectionItem *ElementsCollection::item(const QString &item_path, bool
 	
 	return(result);
 }
+
diff --git a/sources/elementscollection.h b/sources/elementscollection.h
index 9e61b9923..98b9ae851 100644
--- a/sources/elementscollection.h
+++ b/sources/elementscollection.h
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ class ElementsCollection : public ElementsCollectionItem {
 	virtual ElementDefinition *element(const QString &);
 	virtual ElementDefinition *createElement(const QString &);
 	virtual bool isEmpty();
+	virtual int count();
 	
 	// Methodes propres a la classe ElementsCollection
 	public:
diff --git a/sources/elementscollectionitem.h b/sources/elementscollectionitem.h
index 258e9833e..eb5ebbc80 100644
--- a/sources/elementscollectionitem.h
+++ b/sources/elementscollectionitem.h
@@ -202,5 +202,13 @@ class ElementsCollectionItem : public QObject {
 		@return un nouvel element cree a partir d'un chemin virtuel
 	*/
 	virtual ElementDefinition *createElement(const QString &) = 0;
+	/**
+		@return true if the item is empty, false otherwise
+	*/
+	virtual bool isEmpty() = 0;
+	/**
+		@return the count of categories and elements within this item
+	*/
+	virtual int count() = 0;
 };
 #endif