Index: source/ariba/utility/serialization/DataStream.hpp
===================================================================
--- source/ariba/utility/serialization/DataStream.hpp	(revision 4890)
+++ source/ariba/utility/serialization/DataStream.hpp	(revision 5284)
@@ -44,4 +44,5 @@
 #include <boost/type_traits/make_unsigned.hpp>
 
+#include <cassert>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <vector>
@@ -331,4 +332,17 @@
 		bits.setLength(index);
 		return bits;
+	}
+
+	finline uint8_t* bytes( size_t length ) {
+		assert((index%bits.word_width)==0);
+		if (!isMeasure()) {
+			bits.ensureLength( index + length * 8);
+			uint8_t* buffer = (uint8_t*)bits.getBuffer()+(index/bits.word_width);
+			index += length*8;
+			return buffer;
+		} else {
+			index += length*8;
+			return NULL;
+		}
 	}