+GtkBuilder *
+builder_new_real (const gchar *name)
+{
+ GtkBuilder *builder = gtk_builder_new ();
+
+ GError *err = NULL;
+ if ( ! gtk_builder_add_from_file (builder, name, &err))
+ {
+ g_critical ("Couldnt open user interface file %s: %s", name, err->message);
+ g_clear_error (&err);
+ }
+
+ return builder;
+}
+
+
+GObject *
+get_object_assert (GtkBuilder *builder, const gchar *name, GType type)
+{
+ GObject *o = NULL;
+ g_assert (name);
+
+ o = gtk_builder_get_object (builder, name);
+
+ if ( !o )
+ g_critical ("Object \"%s\" could not be found\n", name);
+
+ if ( ! g_type_is_a (G_OBJECT_TYPE (o), type))
+ {
+ g_critical ("Object \"%s\" was expected to have type %s, but in fact has type %s",
+ name, g_type_name (type), G_OBJECT_TYPE_NAME (o));
+ }
+
+ return o;
+}
+
+
+GtkAction *
+get_action_assert (GtkBuilder *builder, const gchar *name)
+{
+ return GTK_ACTION (get_object_assert (builder, name, GTK_TYPE_ACTION));
+}
+