diff --git a/src/tags.hpp b/src/tags.hpp
index 99ce7e61..2f2ef6e9 100644
--- a/src/tags.hpp
+++ b/src/tags.hpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 /*!
   @file    tags.hpp
   @brief   %Exif tag and type information
-  @version $Name:  $ $Revision: 1.7 $
+  @version $Name:  $ $Revision: 1.8 $
   @author  Andreas Huggel (ahu)
            <a href="mailto:ahuggel@gmx.net">ahuggel@gmx.net</a>
   @date    15-Jan-04, ahu: created
@@ -250,6 +250,15 @@ namespace Exif {
     // No default implementation: let the compiler/linker complain
 //    template<typename T> inline TypeId getType() { return invalid; }
 
+    //! Utility function to convert the argument of any type to a string
+    template<typename T> 
+    std::string toString(T arg)
+    {
+        std::ostringstream os;
+        os << arg;
+        return os.str();
+    }
+
 }                                       // namespace Exif
 
 #endif                                  // #ifndef TAGS_HPP_