--- a/src/fem_get_mesh.cc	Mon Jul 08 21:43:24 2013 +0200
+++ b/src/fem_get_mesh.cc	Thu Jul 11 18:00:26 2013 +0200
@@ -17,7 +17,16 @@
 
 #include "mesh.h"
 
-DEFUN_DLD (fem_get_mesh, args, , "return a mesh in the (p, e, t) from a mesh declared with fem_init_mesh")
+DEFUN_DLD (fem_get_mesh, args, ,"-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Function File} {[@var{mesh}]} = \
+fem_get_mesh (@var{fem_mesh}) \n\
+Return a (p, e, t) representation of @var{fem_mesh}\n\
+The @var{mesh_to_read} should be an object created with \
+fem_init_mesh().\n\
+The output @var{mesh} is a PDE-tool like structure\n\
+with matrix fields (p,e,t).\n\
+@seealso{fem_init_mesh}\n\
+@end deftypefn")
 {
   int nargin = args.length ();
   octave_value retval;
@@ -32,9 +41,7 @@
           retval = octave_value (msh.get_pet ());
         }
       else
-        error ("fem_get_mesh: the argument is not a mesh type \n\
-maybe the mesh type has not been loaded, try fem_init_env()");
-
+        error ("fem_get_mesh: the argument is not a mesh type");
     }
   return retval;
 }

--- a/src/fem_init_mesh.cc	Mon Jul 08 21:43:24 2013 +0200
+++ b/src/fem_init_mesh.cc	Thu Jul 11 18:00:26 2013 +0200
@@ -17,7 +17,20 @@
 
 #include "mesh.h"
 
-DEFUN_DLD (fem_init_mesh, args, , "initialize a mesh from (p, e, t) or file")
+DEFUN_DLD (fem_init_mesh, args, ,"-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Function File} {[@var{mesh_out}]} = \
+fem_get_mesh (@var{mesh_in}) \n\
+The @var{mesh_in} should be either\n\
+@itemize @bullet \n\
+@item a string containing the name of the file where the mesh is stored\
+(compatible formats are the ones which are compatible with Fenics\n\
+@item a a PDE-tool like structure with matrix fields (p,e,t)\n\
+@end itemize\n\
+fem_init_mesh().\n\
+The output @var{mesh_out} is a representation of the\n\
+@var{mesh_in} which is compatible with fem-fenics\n\
+@seealso{fem_get_mesh}\n\
+@end deftypefn")
 {
   int nargin = args.length ();
   octave_value retval = 0;

--- a/src/mesh.cc	Mon Jul 08 21:43:24 2013 +0200
+++ b/src/mesh.cc	Thu Jul 11 18:00:26 2013 +0200
@@ -18,21 +18,10 @@
 
 #include <mesh.h>
 
-const dolfin::Mesh & 
-mesh::get_msh () const
-{
-  return msh;
-}
-
-void
-mesh::set_msh (dolfin::Mesh & _msh)
-{
-  msh = _msh;
-}
-
 octave_scalar_map
 mesh::get_pet () const
 {
+  const dolfin::Mesh & msh (*pmsh);
   //p matrix
   uint D = msh.topology ().dim ();
   std::size_t num_v = msh.num_vertices ();
@@ -120,6 +109,7 @@
   else
     {
       dolfin::MeshEditor editor;
+      dolfin::Mesh msh;
       editor.open (msh, D, D);
       editor.init_vertices (p.cols ());
       editor.init_cells (t.cols ());
@@ -362,5 +352,8 @@
         }
 
       *(msh.domains ().markers (D)) = cell;
+
+     boost::shared_ptr<const dolfin::Mesh> my_m (new dolfin::Mesh (msh)); 
+     pmsh = my_m;
     }
 }

--- a/src/mesh.h	Mon Jul 08 21:43:24 2013 +0200
+++ b/src/mesh.h	Thu Jul 11 18:00:26 2013 +0200
@@ -22,42 +22,44 @@
 #include <octave/oct.h>
 #include <octave/oct-map.h>
 
-class mesh : public octave_base_value, public dolfin::Mesh
+class mesh : public octave_base_value
 {
 
  public:
 
-  // Constructors
   mesh () : octave_base_value () {}
 
-  mesh (const dolfin::Mesh& _msh) : octave_base_value (), msh (_msh) {}
+  mesh (const dolfin::Mesh& _msh) :
+       octave_base_value (), pmsh (new dolfin::Mesh(_msh)) {}
 
   mesh (Array<double>& p, Array<octave_idx_type>& e, Array<octave_idx_type>& t);
 
-  mesh (std::string _filename): octave_base_value (), msh (_filename) {}
+  mesh (std::string _filename):
+       octave_base_value (), pmsh (new dolfin::Mesh(_filename)) {}
 
-  //a method for printing
   void print (std::ostream& os, bool pr_as_read_syntax = false) const
-  { os << "msh : " << msh.label() << " with " << msh.num_vertices()
+  { os << "msh : " << pmsh ->label () << " with " << pmsh -> num_vertices ()
        << " vertices " << std::endl; }
 
-  //destructor
-  ~mesh(void) { };
+  ~mesh(void) {}
 
   bool is_defined (void) const { return true; }
 
-  //get the information from the private member
-  const dolfin::Mesh & get_msh (void) const;
+  const dolfin::Mesh & get_msh (void) const
+  { return *pmsh; }
+
+  const boost::shared_ptr<const dolfin::Mesh> & get_p_msh (void) const
+  { return pmsh; }
+
   octave_scalar_map get_pet (void) const;
 
-  // set the value of the private member
-  void set_msh (dolfin::Mesh & _msh);
- 
  private:
 
-  dolfin::Mesh msh;
+  boost::shared_ptr<const dolfin::Mesh> pmsh;
+
   DECLARE_OCTAVE_ALLOCATOR;
   DECLARE_OV_TYPEID_FUNCTIONS_AND_DATA;
 
 };
+
 #endif