another c++ification for sp-object.h/cpp and still in progress...

(bzr r9546.1.4)

53 files changed, 273 insertions, 265 deletions

diff --git a/src/box3d-context.cpp b/src/box3d-context.cpp
index 88763e183..354fa1234 100644
--- a/src/box3d-context.cpp
+++ b/src/box3d-context.cpp
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ static void sp_box3d_context_ensure_persp_in_defs(SPDocument *document) {
     SPDefs *defs = (SPDefs *) SP_DOCUMENT_DEFS(document);
 
     bool has_persp = false;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(defs); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = defs->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_PERSP3D(child)) {
             has_persp = true;
             break;
diff --git a/src/box3d.cpp b/src/box3d.cpp
index bdbbbfa7e..7985640cd 100644
--- a/src/box3d.cpp
+++ b/src/box3d.cpp
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ box3d_position_set (SPBox3D *box)
 {
     /* This draws the curve and calls requestDisplayUpdate() for each side (the latter is done in
        box3d_side_position_set() to avoid update conflicts with the parent box) */
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT (box)); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT (box)->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_BOX3D_SIDE(child))
             box3d_side_position_set(SP_BOX3D_SIDE(child));
     }
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ box3d_set_transform(SPItem *item, Geom::Matrix const &xform)
     gdouble const sw = hypot(ret[0], ret[1]);
     gdouble const sh = hypot(ret[2], ret[3]);
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(box); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = box->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(child)) {
             SPItem *childitem = SP_ITEM(child);
 
@@ -1151,7 +1151,7 @@ box3d_recompute_z_orders (SPBox3D *box) {
 static std::map<int, Box3DSide *>
 box3d_get_sides (SPBox3D *box) {
     std::map<int, Box3DSide *> sides;
-    for (SPObject *side = sp_object_first_child(box); side != NULL; side = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(side)) {
+    for (SPObject *side = box->first_child(); side != NULL; side = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(side)) {
         if (SP_IS_BOX3D_SIDE(side))
             sides[Box3D::face_to_int(sp_repr_get_int_attribute(SP_OBJECT_REPR(side),
                                                                "inkscape:box3dsidetype", -1))] = SP_BOX3D_SIDE(side);
@@ -1293,7 +1293,7 @@ box3d_extract_boxes_rec(SPObject *obj, std::list<SPBox3D *> &boxes) {
     if (SP_IS_BOX3D(obj)) {
         boxes.push_back(SP_BOX3D(obj));
     } else if (SP_IS_GROUP(obj)) {
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(obj); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = obj->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             box3d_extract_boxes_rec(child, boxes);
         }
     }
@@ -1354,7 +1354,7 @@ box3d_convert_to_group(SPBox3D *box) {
     Inkscape::XML::Node *grepr = xml_doc->createElement("svg:g");
 
     Inkscape::XML::Node *repr;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(box)); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(box)->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_BOX3D_SIDE(child)) {
             repr = box3d_side_convert_to_path(SP_BOX3D_SIDE(child));
             grepr->appendChild(repr);
diff --git a/src/conn-avoid-ref.cpp b/src/conn-avoid-ref.cpp
index 70e0c3856..a6ac2387a 100644
--- a/src/conn-avoid-ref.cpp
+++ b/src/conn-avoid-ref.cpp
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ static Avoid::Polygon avoid_item_poly(SPItem const *item)
 GSList *get_avoided_items(GSList *list, SPObject *from, SPDesktop *desktop,
         bool initialised)
 {
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(from)) ;
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(from)->first_child() ;
             child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(child) &&
             !desktop->isLayer(SP_ITEM(child)) &&
diff --git a/src/desktop-style.cpp b/src/desktop-style.cpp
index 19a45a285..9a8725fac 100644
--- a/src/desktop-style.cpp
+++ b/src/desktop-style.cpp
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ sp_desktop_apply_css_recursive(SPObject *o, SPCSSAttr *css, bool skip_lines)
     if (SP_IS_USE(o))
         return;
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(o)) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(o)->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (sp_repr_css_property(css, "opacity", NULL) != NULL) {
             // Unset properties which are accumulating and thus should not be set recursively.
             // For example, setting opacity 0.5 on a group recursively would result in the visible opacity of 0.25 for an item in the group.
diff --git a/src/dialogs/clonetiler.cpp b/src/dialogs/clonetiler.cpp
index b1c1cf74a..e25f2602b 100644
--- a/src/dialogs/clonetiler.cpp
+++ b/src/dialogs/clonetiler.cpp
@@ -849,7 +849,7 @@ clonetiler_trace_hide_tiled_clones_recursively (SPObject *from)
     if (!trace_arena)
         return;
 
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(from); o != NULL; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o)) {
+    for (SPObject *o = from->first_child(); o != NULL; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o)) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(o) && clonetiler_is_a_clone_of (o, NULL))
             SP_ITEM(o)->invoke_hide(trace_visionkey); // FIXME: hide each tiled clone's original too!
         clonetiler_trace_hide_tiled_clones_recursively (o);
@@ -981,7 +981,7 @@ clonetiler_unclump( GtkWidget */*widget*/, void * )
 
     GSList *to_unclump = NULL; // not including the original
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(parent); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = parent->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         if (clonetiler_is_a_clone_of (child, obj)) {
             to_unclump = g_slist_prepend (to_unclump, child);
         }
@@ -1004,7 +1004,7 @@ clonetiler_number_of_clones (SPObject *obj)
 
     guint n = 0;
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(parent); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = parent->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         if (clonetiler_is_a_clone_of (child, obj)) {
             n ++;
         }
@@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ clonetiler_remove( GtkWidget */*widget*/, void *, bool do_undo = true )
 
 // remove old tiling
     GSList *to_delete = NULL;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(parent); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = parent->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         if (clonetiler_is_a_clone_of (child, obj)) {
             to_delete = g_slist_prepend (to_delete, child);
         }
diff --git a/src/dialogs/find.cpp b/src/dialogs/find.cpp
index ed693f6ed..89b389d44 100644
--- a/src/dialogs/find.cpp
+++ b/src/dialogs/find.cpp
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ all_items (SPObject *r, GSList *l, bool hidden, bool locked)
     if (!strcmp (SP_OBJECT_REPR (r)->name(), "svg:metadata"))
         return l; // we're not interested in metadata
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(r); child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT (child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = r->first_child(); child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT (child)) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM (child) && !SP_OBJECT_IS_CLONED (child) && !desktop->isLayer(SP_ITEM(child))) {
                 if ((hidden || !desktop->itemIsHidden(SP_ITEM(child))) && (locked || !SP_ITEM(child)->isLocked())) {
                     l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
diff --git a/src/dialogs/spellcheck.cpp b/src/dialogs/spellcheck.cpp
index 5372a8bb5..f95dce0e6 100644
--- a/src/dialogs/spellcheck.cpp
+++ b/src/dialogs/spellcheck.cpp
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ all_text_items (SPObject *r, GSList *l, bool hidden, bool locked)
     if (!strcmp (SP_OBJECT_REPR (r)->name(), "svg:metadata"))
         return l; // we're not interested in metadata
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(r); child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT (child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = r->first_child(); child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT (child)) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM (child) && !SP_OBJECT_IS_CLONED (child) && !_desktop->isLayer(SP_ITEM(child))) {
                 if ((hidden || !_desktop->itemIsHidden(SP_ITEM(child))) && (locked || !SP_ITEM(child)->isLocked())) {
                     if (SP_IS_TEXT(child) || SP_IS_FLOWTEXT(child))
diff --git a/src/document.cpp b/src/document.cpp
index e68bc1f94..6b72f0bb8 100644
--- a/src/document.cpp
+++ b/src/document.cpp
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ SPDocument::setCurrentPersp3D(Persp3D * const persp) {
 void
 SPDocument::getPerspectivesInDefs(std::vector<Persp3D*> &list) {
     SPDefs *defs = SP_ROOT(this->root)->defs;
-    for (SPObject *i = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(defs)); i != NULL; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i) ) {
+    for (SPObject *i = SP_OBJECT(defs)->first_child(); i != NULL; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i) ) {
         if (SP_IS_PERSP3D(i))
             list.push_back(SP_PERSP3D(i));
     }
@@ -1118,7 +1118,7 @@ static GSList *find_items_in_area(GSList *s, SPGroup *group, unsigned int dkey,
 {
     g_return_val_if_fail(SP_IS_GROUP(group), s);
 
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(group)) ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(group)->first_child() ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
         if (!SP_IS_ITEM(o)) {
             continue;
         }
@@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ Returns true if an item is among the descendants of group (recursively).
  */
 bool item_is_in_group(SPItem *item, SPGroup *group)
 {
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(group)) ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(group)->first_child() ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
         if (!SP_IS_ITEM(o)) continue;
         if (SP_ITEM(o) == item)
             return true;
@@ -1162,7 +1162,7 @@ SPDocument::item_from_list_at_point_bottom(unsigned int dkey, SPGroup *group, GS
     Inkscape::Preferences *prefs = Inkscape::Preferences::get();
     gdouble delta = prefs->getDouble("/options/cursortolerance/value", 1.0);
 
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(group)) ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(group)->first_child() ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
 
         if (!SP_IS_ITEM(o)) continue;
 
@@ -1199,7 +1199,7 @@ find_item_at_point(unsigned int dkey, SPGroup *group, Geom::Point const p, gbool
     Inkscape::Preferences *prefs = Inkscape::Preferences::get();
     gdouble delta = prefs->getDouble("/options/cursortolerance/value", 1.0);
 
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(group)) ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(group)->first_child() ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
         if (!SP_IS_ITEM(o)) continue;
 
         if (upto && SP_ITEM(o) == upto)
@@ -1241,7 +1241,7 @@ find_group_at_point(unsigned int dkey, SPGroup *group, Geom::Point const p)
     Inkscape::Preferences *prefs = Inkscape::Preferences::get();
     gdouble delta = prefs->getDouble("/options/cursortolerance/value", 1.0);
 
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(group)) ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(group)->first_child() ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
         if (!SP_IS_ITEM(o)) continue;
         if (SP_IS_GROUP(o) && SP_GROUP(o)->effectiveLayerMode(dkey) == SPGroup::LAYER) {
             SPItem *newseen = find_group_at_point(dkey, SP_GROUP(o), p);
@@ -1421,7 +1421,7 @@ count_objects_recursive(SPObject *obj, unsigned int count)
 {
     count++; // obj itself
 
-    for (SPObject *i = sp_object_first_child(obj); i != NULL; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i)) {
+    for (SPObject *i = obj->first_child(); i != NULL; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i)) {
         count = count_objects_recursive(i, count);
     }
 
@@ -1443,7 +1443,7 @@ vacuum_document_recursive(SPObject *obj)
             def->requestOrphanCollection();
         }
     } else {
-        for (SPObject *i = sp_object_first_child(obj); i != NULL; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i)) {
+        for (SPObject *i = obj->first_child(); i != NULL; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i)) {
             vacuum_document_recursive(i);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/extension/internal/cairo-render-context.cpp b/src/extension/internal/cairo-render-context.cpp
index 5849230bf..b6b411e0e 100644
--- a/src/extension/internal/cairo-render-context.cpp
+++ b/src/extension/internal/cairo-render-context.cpp
@@ -962,7 +962,7 @@ CairoRenderContext::popState(void)
 
 static bool pattern_hasItemChildren (SPPattern *pat)
 {
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(pat)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(pat)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM (child)) {
             return true;
         }
@@ -1068,7 +1068,7 @@ CairoRenderContext::_createPatternPainter(SPPaintServer const *const paintserver
     // show items and render them
     for (SPPattern *pat_i = pat; pat_i != NULL; pat_i = pat_i->ref ? pat_i->ref->getObject() : NULL) {
         if (pat_i && SP_IS_OBJECT (pat_i) && pattern_hasItemChildren(pat_i)) { // find the first one with item children
-            for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(pat_i)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+            for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(pat_i)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
                 if (SP_IS_ITEM (child)) {
                     SP_ITEM (child)->invoke_show (arena, dkey, SP_ITEM_REFERENCE_FLAGS);
                     _renderer->renderItem(pattern_ctx, SP_ITEM (child));
@@ -1097,7 +1097,7 @@ CairoRenderContext::_createPatternPainter(SPPaintServer const *const paintserver
     // hide all items
     for (SPPattern *pat_i = pat; pat_i != NULL; pat_i = pat_i->ref ? pat_i->ref->getObject() : NULL) {
         if (pat_i && SP_IS_OBJECT (pat_i) && pattern_hasItemChildren(pat_i)) { // find the first one with item children
-            for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(pat_i)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+            for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(pat_i)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
                 if (SP_IS_ITEM (child)) {
                     SP_ITEM (child)->invoke_hide (dkey);
                 }
diff --git a/src/extension/internal/cairo-renderer.cpp b/src/extension/internal/cairo-renderer.cpp
index 81531b2db..3c5cfc7c1 100644
--- a/src/extension/internal/cairo-renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/extension/internal/cairo-renderer.cpp
@@ -671,7 +671,7 @@ CairoRenderer::applyClipPath(CairoRenderContext *ctx, SPClipPath const *cp)
 
     TRACE(("BEGIN clip\n"));
     SPObject *co = SP_OBJECT(cp);
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(co) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = co->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(child)) {
             SPItem *item = SP_ITEM(child);
 
@@ -729,7 +729,7 @@ CairoRenderer::applyMask(CairoRenderContext *ctx, SPMask const *mask)
 
     TRACE(("BEGIN mask\n"));
     SPObject *co = SP_OBJECT(mask);
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(co) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = co->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(child)) {
             SPItem *item = SP_ITEM(child);
             renderItem(ctx, item);
diff --git a/src/file.cpp b/src/file.cpp
index 2344c67f2..15e5bbe72 100644
--- a/src/file.cpp
+++ b/src/file.cpp
@@ -976,7 +976,7 @@ file_import(SPDocument *in_doc, const Glib::ustring &uri,
 
         // Count the number of top-level items in the imported document.
         guint items_count = 0;
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_DOCUMENT_ROOT(doc));
+        for (SPObject *child = SP_DOCUMENT_ROOT(doc)->first_child();
              child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child))
         {
             if (SP_IS_ITEM(child)) items_count++;
@@ -1004,7 +1004,7 @@ file_import(SPDocument *in_doc, const Glib::ustring &uri,
         // Construct a new object representing the imported image,
         // and insert it into the current document.
         SPObject *new_obj = NULL;
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_DOCUMENT_ROOT(doc));
+        for (SPObject *child = SP_DOCUMENT_ROOT(doc)->first_child();
              child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) )
         {
             if (SP_IS_ITEM(child)) {
@@ -1024,7 +1024,7 @@ file_import(SPDocument *in_doc, const Glib::ustring &uri,
             else if (SP_OBJECT_REPR(child)->type() == Inkscape::XML::ELEMENT_NODE) {
                 const gchar *tag = SP_OBJECT_REPR(child)->name();
                 if (!strcmp(tag, "svg:defs")) {
-                    for (SPObject *x = sp_object_first_child(child);
+                    for (SPObject *x = child->first_child();
                          x != NULL; x = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(x))
                     {
                         SP_OBJECT_REPR(in_defs)->addChild(SP_OBJECT_REPR(x)->duplicate(xml_in_doc), last_def);
diff --git a/src/filter-chemistry.cpp b/src/filter-chemistry.cpp
index 3d5a795c7..f180dc661 100644
--- a/src/filter-chemistry.cpp
+++ b/src/filter-chemistry.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ count_filter_hrefs(SPObject *o, SPFilter *filter)
         i ++;
     }
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(o);
+    for (SPObject *child = o->first_child();
          child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         i += count_filter_hrefs(child, filter);
     }
diff --git a/src/gradient-chemistry.cpp b/src/gradient-chemistry.cpp
index 76b29bb09..0d99e7fa6 100644
--- a/src/gradient-chemistry.cpp
+++ b/src/gradient-chemistry.cpp
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ count_gradient_hrefs(SPObject *o, SPGradient *gr)
         i ++;
     }
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(o);
+    for (SPObject *child = o->first_child();
          child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         i += count_gradient_hrefs(child, gr);
     }
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ sp_item_gradient_reverse_vector (SPItem *item, bool fill_or_stroke)
     GSList *child_reprs = NULL;
     GSList *child_objects = NULL;
     std::vector<double> offsets;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(vector);
+    for (SPObject *child = vector->first_child();
          child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         child_reprs = g_slist_prepend (child_reprs, SP_OBJECT_REPR(child));
         child_objects = g_slist_prepend (child_objects, child);
diff --git a/src/gradient-drag.cpp b/src/gradient-drag.cpp
index 5fb490b8b..e6dc22cea 100644
--- a/src/gradient-drag.cpp
+++ b/src/gradient-drag.cpp
@@ -2001,7 +2001,7 @@ GrDrag::deleteSelected (bool just_one)
         // cannot use vector->vector.stops.size() because the vector might be invalidated by deletion of a midstop
         // manually count the children, don't know if there already exists a function for this...
         int len = 0;
-        for ( SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(stopinfo->vector) ;
+        for ( SPObject *child = (stopinfo->vector)->first_child() ;
               child != NULL ;
               child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) )
         {
diff --git a/src/helper/pixbuf-ops.cpp b/src/helper/pixbuf-ops.cpp
index 2b0d5781a..b5630edd3 100644
--- a/src/helper/pixbuf-ops.cpp
+++ b/src/helper/pixbuf-ops.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ hide_other_items_recursively(SPObject *o, GSList *list, unsigned dkey)
 
     // recurse
     if (!g_slist_find(list, o)) {
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(o) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = o->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             hide_other_items_recursively(child, list, dkey);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/helper/png-write.cpp b/src/helper/png-write.cpp
index f8321cc03..5ccb6c7fa 100644
--- a/src/helper/png-write.cpp
+++ b/src/helper/png-write.cpp
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ hide_other_items_recursively(SPObject *o, GSList *list, unsigned dkey)
 
     // recurse
     if (!g_slist_find(list, o)) {
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(o) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = o->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             hide_other_items_recursively(child, list, dkey);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/helper/stock-items.cpp b/src/helper/stock-items.cpp
index cb2769c8e..6cdb50c35 100644
--- a/src/helper/stock-items.cpp
+++ b/src/helper/stock-items.cpp
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ SPObject *get_stock_item(gchar const *urn)
 
         SPObject *object = NULL;
         if (!strcmp(base, "marker")) {
-            for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(defs));
+            for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(defs)->first_child();
                  child != NULL;
                  child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child))
             {
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ SPObject *get_stock_item(gchar const *urn)
             
         }
         else if (!strcmp(base,"pattern"))  {
-            for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(defs)) ;
+            for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(defs)->first_child() ;
                  child != NULL;
                  child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) )
             {
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ SPObject *get_stock_item(gchar const *urn)
             
         }
         else if (!strcmp(base,"gradient"))  {
-            for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(defs));
+            for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(defs)->first_child();
                  child != NULL;
                  child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child))
             {
diff --git a/src/id-clash.cpp b/src/id-clash.cpp
index 43ce393dd..7572e6a42 100644
--- a/src/id-clash.cpp
+++ b/src/id-clash.cpp
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ find_references(SPObject *elem, refmap_type *refmap)
     }
     
     /* recurse */
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(elem);
+    for (SPObject *child = elem->first_child();
          child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) )
     {
         find_references(child, refmap);
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ change_clashing_ids(SPDocument *imported_doc, SPDocument *current_doc,
     }
 
     /* recurse */
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(elem);
+    for (SPObject *child = elem->first_child();
          child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) )
     {
         change_clashing_ids(imported_doc, current_doc, child, refmap, id_changes);
diff --git a/src/object-snapper.cpp b/src/object-snapper.cpp
index 379626683..00bd10fe2 100644
--- a/src/object-snapper.cpp
+++ b/src/object-snapper.cpp
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ void Inkscape::ObjectSnapper::_findCandidates(SPObject* parent,
     Geom::Rect bbox_to_snap_incl = bbox_to_snap; // _incl means: will include the snapper tolerance
     bbox_to_snap_incl.expandBy(getSnapperTolerance()); // see?
 
-    for (SPObject* o = sp_object_first_child(parent); o != NULL; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o)) {
+    for (SPObject* o = parent->first_child(); o != NULL; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o)) {
         g_assert(_snapmanager->getDesktop() != NULL);
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(o) && !(_snapmanager->getDesktop()->itemIsHidden(SP_ITEM(o)) && !clip_or_mask)) {
             // Snapping to items in a locked layer is allowed
diff --git a/src/persp3d.cpp b/src/persp3d.cpp
index 817bb97d7..4b2e55b9d 100644
--- a/src/persp3d.cpp
+++ b/src/persp3d.cpp
@@ -246,14 +246,14 @@ persp3d_create_xml_element (SPDocument *document, Persp3DImpl *dup) {// if dup i
     SP_OBJECT_REPR(defs)->addChild(repr, NULL);
     Inkscape::GC::release(repr);
 
-    return (Persp3D *) sp_object_get_child_by_repr (SP_OBJECT(defs), repr);
+    return (Persp3D *) SP_OBJECT(defs)->get_child_by_repr (repr);
 }
 
 Persp3D *
 persp3d_document_first_persp (SPDocument *document) {
     SPDefs *defs = (SPDefs *) SP_DOCUMENT_DEFS(document);
     Inkscape::XML::Node *repr;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(defs); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = defs->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         repr = SP_OBJECT_REPR(child);
         if (SP_IS_PERSP3D(child)) {
             return SP_PERSP3D(child);
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ void
 persp3d_print_debugging_info_all(SPDocument *document) {
     SPDefs *defs = (SPDefs *) SP_DOCUMENT_DEFS(document);
     Inkscape::XML::Node *repr;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(defs); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = defs->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         repr = SP_OBJECT_REPR(child);
         if (SP_IS_PERSP3D(child)) {
             persp3d_print_debugging_info(SP_PERSP3D(child));
diff --git a/src/selection-chemistry.cpp b/src/selection-chemistry.cpp
index 066b86ddf..7b0f353ab 100644
--- a/src/selection-chemistry.cpp
+++ b/src/selection-chemistry.cpp
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ void add_ids_recursive(std::vector<const gchar *> &ids, SPObject *obj)
     ids.push_back(obj->getId());
 
     if (SP_IS_GROUP(obj)) {
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(obj) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = obj->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             add_ids_recursive(ids, child);
         }
     }
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ void sp_edit_clear_all(SPDesktop *dt)
 GSList *
 get_all_items(GSList *list, SPObject *from, SPDesktop *desktop, bool onlyvisible, bool onlysensitive, GSList const *exclude)
 {
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(from)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(from)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(child) &&
             !desktop->isLayer(SP_ITEM(child)) &&
             (!onlysensitive || !SP_ITEM(child)->isLocked()) &&
@@ -782,7 +782,7 @@ prev_sibling(SPObject *child)
     if (!SP_IS_GROUP(parent)) {
         return NULL;
     }
-    for ( SPObject *i = sp_object_first_child(parent) ; i; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i) ) {
+    for ( SPObject *i = parent->first_child() ; i; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i) ) {
         if (i->next == child)
             return i;
     }
@@ -981,7 +981,7 @@ void sp_selection_lower_to_bottom(SPDesktop *desktop)
         pp = document->getObjectByRepr(sp_repr_parent(repr));
         minpos = 0;
         g_assert(SP_IS_GROUP(pp));
-        pc = sp_object_first_child(pp);
+        pc = pp->first_child();
         while (!SP_IS_ITEM(pc)) {
             minpos += 1;
             pc = pc->next;
@@ -1339,7 +1339,7 @@ void sp_selection_apply_affine(Inkscape::Selection *selection, Geom::Matrix cons
         // we're moving both a clone and its original or any ancestor in clone chain?
         bool transform_clone_with_original = selection_contains_original(item, selection);
         // ...both a text-on-path and its path?
-        bool transform_textpath_with_path = (SP_IS_TEXT_TEXTPATH(item) && selection->includes( sp_textpath_get_path_item(SP_TEXTPATH(sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(item)))) ));
+        bool transform_textpath_with_path = (SP_IS_TEXT_TEXTPATH(item) && selection->includes( sp_textpath_get_path_item(SP_TEXTPATH(SP_OBJECT(item)->first_child())) ));
         // ...both a flowtext and its frame?
         bool transform_flowtext_with_frame = (SP_IS_FLOWTEXT(item) && selection->includes( SP_FLOWTEXT(item)->get_frame(NULL))); // (only the first frame is checked so far)
         // ...both an offset and its source?
@@ -1743,7 +1743,7 @@ SPItem *next_item_from_list(SPDesktop *desktop, GSList const *items, SPObject *r
 struct Forward {
     typedef SPObject *Iterator;
 
-    static Iterator children(SPObject *o) { return sp_object_first_child(o); }
+    static Iterator children(SPObject *o) { return o->first_child(); }
     static Iterator siblings_after(SPObject *o) { return SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o); }
     static void dispose(Iterator /*i*/) {}
 
@@ -2200,7 +2200,7 @@ sp_select_clone_original(SPDesktop *desktop)
     } else if (SP_IS_OFFSET(item) && SP_OFFSET(item)->sourceHref) {
         original = sp_offset_get_source(SP_OFFSET(item));
     } else if (SP_IS_TEXT_TEXTPATH(item)) {
-        original = sp_textpath_get_path_item(SP_TEXTPATH(sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(item))));
+        original = sp_textpath_get_path_item(SP_TEXTPATH(SP_OBJECT(item)->first_child()));
     } else if (SP_IS_FLOWTEXT(item)) {
         original = SP_FLOWTEXT(item)->get_frame(NULL); // first frame only
     } else { // it's an object that we don't know what to do with
@@ -2520,7 +2520,7 @@ sp_selection_untile(SPDesktop *desktop)
         Geom::Matrix pat_transform = to_2geom(pattern_patternTransform(SP_PATTERN(server)));
         pat_transform *= item->transform;
 
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(pattern)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(pattern)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             Inkscape::XML::Node *copy = SP_OBJECT_REPR(child)->duplicate(xml_doc);
             SPItem *i = SP_ITEM(desktop->currentLayer()->appendChildRepr(copy));
 
@@ -3099,7 +3099,7 @@ void sp_selection_unset_mask(SPDesktop *desktop, bool apply_clip_path) {
     for ( std::map<SPObject*,SPItem*>::iterator it = referenced_objects.begin() ; it != referenced_objects.end() ; ++it) {
         SPObject *obj = (*it).first; // Group containing the clipped paths or masks
         GSList *items_to_move = NULL;
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(obj) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = obj->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             // Collect all clipped paths and masks within a single group
             Inkscape::XML::Node *copy = SP_OBJECT_REPR(child)->duplicate(xml_doc);
             items_to_move = g_slist_prepend(items_to_move, copy);
diff --git a/src/sp-clippath.cpp b/src/sp-clippath.cpp
index bae5f5e56..a36d9b443 100644
--- a/src/sp-clippath.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-clippath.cpp
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ sp_clippath_update(SPObject *object, SPCtx *ctx, guint flags)
 
     SPObjectGroup *og = SP_OBJECTGROUP(object);
     GSList *l = NULL;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(og)); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(og)->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         g_object_ref(G_OBJECT(child));
         l = g_slist_prepend(l, child);
     }
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ sp_clippath_modified(SPObject *object, guint flags)
 
     SPObjectGroup *og = SP_OBJECTGROUP(object);
     GSList *l = NULL;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(og)); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(og)->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         g_object_ref(G_OBJECT(child));
         l = g_slist_prepend(l, child);
     }
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ sp_clippath_show(SPClipPath *cp, NRArena *arena, unsigned int key)
     NRArenaItem *ai = NRArenaGroup::create(arena);
     cp->display = sp_clippath_view_new_prepend(cp->display, key, ai);
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(cp)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(cp)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(child)) {
             NRArenaItem *ac = SP_ITEM(child)->invoke_show(arena, key, SP_ITEM_REFERENCE_FLAGS);
             if (ac) {
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ sp_clippath_hide(SPClipPath *cp, unsigned int key)
     g_return_if_fail(cp != NULL);
     g_return_if_fail(SP_IS_CLIPPATH(cp));
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(cp)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(cp)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(child)) {
             SP_ITEM(child)->invoke_hide(key);
         }
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ void
 sp_clippath_get_bbox(SPClipPath *cp, NRRect *bbox, Geom::Matrix const &transform, unsigned const /*flags*/)
 {
     SPObject *i;
-    for (i = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(cp)); i && !SP_IS_ITEM(i); i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i)){};
+    for (i = SP_OBJECT(cp)->first_child(); i && !SP_IS_ITEM(i); i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i)){};
     if (!i) return;
 
     SP_ITEM(i)->invoke_bbox_full( bbox, Geom::Matrix(SP_ITEM(i)->transform) * transform, SPItem::GEOMETRIC_BBOX, FALSE);
diff --git a/src/sp-defs.cpp b/src/sp-defs.cpp
index aa0cb0be7..76cb2e1d9 100644
--- a/src/sp-defs.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-defs.cpp
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ static void sp_defs_modified(SPObject *object, guint flags)
     flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
     GSList *l = NULL;
-    for ( SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for ( SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         g_object_ref(G_OBJECT(child));
         l = g_slist_prepend(l, child);
     }
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ static Inkscape::XML::Node *sp_defs_write(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Docum
         }
 
         GSList *l = NULL;
-        for ( SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for ( SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             Inkscape::XML::Node *crepr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
             if (crepr) l = g_slist_prepend(l, crepr);
         }
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ static Inkscape::XML::Node *sp_defs_write(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Docum
         }
 
     } else {
-        for ( SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for ( SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             child->updateRepr(flags);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/sp-filter.cpp b/src/sp-filter.cpp
index 1ac8a6733..2464b73a5 100644
--- a/src/sp-filter.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-filter.cpp
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ sp_filter_write(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *doc, Inkscape::XML::N
             repr = doc->createElement("svg:filter");
         }
         l = NULL;
-        for (child = sp_object_first_child(object); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (child = object->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             crepr = child->updateRepr(doc, NULL, flags);
             if (crepr) l = g_slist_prepend (l, crepr);
         }
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ sp_filter_write(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *doc, Inkscape::XML::N
             l = g_slist_remove (l, l->data);
         }
     } else {
-        for (child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             child->updateRepr(flags);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/sp-flowdiv.cpp b/src/sp-flowdiv.cpp
index 6d679701f..41df69609 100644
--- a/src/sp-flowdiv.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-flowdiv.cpp
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ sp_flowdiv_update (SPObject *object, SPCtx *ctx, unsigned int flags)
 	flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
 	GSList* l = NULL;
-	for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ sp_flowdiv_modified (SPObject *object, guint flags)
 	flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
 	l = NULL;
-	for (child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ sp_flowdiv_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::
 	if ( flags&SP_OBJECT_WRITE_BUILD ) {
 		if ( repr == NULL ) repr = xml_doc->createElement("svg:flowDiv");
 		GSList *l = NULL;
-		for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+		for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 			Inkscape::XML::Node* c_repr=NULL;
 			if ( SP_IS_FLOWTSPAN (child) ) {
 				c_repr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ sp_flowdiv_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::
 			l = g_slist_remove (l, l->data);
 		}
 	} else {
-		for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+		for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 			if ( SP_IS_FLOWTSPAN (child) ) {
 				child->updateRepr(flags);
 			} else if ( SP_IS_FLOWPARA(child) ) {
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ sp_flowtspan_update (SPObject *object, SPCtx *ctx, unsigned int flags)
 	flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
 	GSList* l = NULL;
-	for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ sp_flowtspan_modified (SPObject *object, guint flags)
 	flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
 	l = NULL;
-	for (child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ sp_flowtspan_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape
 	if ( flags&SP_OBJECT_WRITE_BUILD ) {
 		if ( repr == NULL ) repr = xml_doc->createElement("svg:flowSpan");
 		GSList *l = NULL;
-		for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+		for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 			Inkscape::XML::Node* c_repr=NULL;
 			if ( SP_IS_FLOWTSPAN (child) ) {
 				c_repr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ sp_flowtspan_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape
 			l = g_slist_remove (l, l->data);
 		}
 	} else {
-		for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+		for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 			if ( SP_IS_FLOWTSPAN (child) ) {
 				child->updateRepr(flags);
 			} else if ( SP_IS_FLOWPARA (child) ) {
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ sp_flowpara_update (SPObject *object, SPCtx *ctx, unsigned int flags)
 	flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
 	GSList* l = NULL;
-	for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ sp_flowpara_modified (SPObject *object, guint flags)
 	flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
 	l = NULL;
-	for (child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ sp_flowpara_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape:
 	if ( flags&SP_OBJECT_WRITE_BUILD ) {
 		if ( repr == NULL ) repr = xml_doc->createElement("svg:flowPara");
 		GSList *l = NULL;
-		for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+		for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 			Inkscape::XML::Node* c_repr=NULL;
 			if ( SP_IS_FLOWTSPAN (child) ) {
 				c_repr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ sp_flowpara_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape:
 			l = g_slist_remove (l, l->data);
 		}
 	} else {
-		for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+		for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 			if ( SP_IS_FLOWTSPAN (child) ) {
 				child->updateRepr(flags);
 			} else if ( SP_IS_FLOWPARA (child) ) {
diff --git a/src/sp-flowregion.cpp b/src/sp-flowregion.cpp
index 79007cac7..29ee05f5e 100644
--- a/src/sp-flowregion.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-flowregion.cpp
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ sp_flowregion_update (SPObject *object, SPCtx *ctx, unsigned int flags)
 	flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
 	l = NULL;
-	for (child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ void             SPFlowregion::UpdateComputed(void)
         delete *it;
     computed.clear();
 
-	for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         Shape *shape = NULL;
 		GetDest(child,&shape);
         computed.push_back(shape);
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ sp_flowregion_modified (SPObject *object, guint flags)
 	flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
 	l = NULL;
-	for (child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ sp_flowregion_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscap
 	}
 
         GSList *l = NULL;
-        for ( SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for ( SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if (SP_IS_TITLE(child) || SP_IS_DESC(child)) continue;
             Inkscape::XML::Node *crepr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
             if (crepr) l = g_slist_prepend(l, crepr);
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ sp_flowregion_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscap
         }
 
     } else {
-        for ( SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for ( SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if (SP_IS_TITLE(child) || SP_IS_DESC(child)) continue;
             child->updateRepr(flags);
         }
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ sp_flowregionexclude_update (SPObject *object, SPCtx *ctx, unsigned int flags)
 	flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
 	l = NULL;
-	for (child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ void             SPFlowregionExclude::UpdateComputed(void)
         computed = NULL;
     }
 
-	for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		GetDest(child,&computed);
 	}
 }
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ sp_flowregionexclude_modified (SPObject *object, guint flags)
 	flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
 	l = NULL;
-	for (child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ sp_flowregionexclude_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc,
 	}
 
         GSList *l = NULL;
-        for ( SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for ( SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             Inkscape::XML::Node *crepr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
             if (crepr) l = g_slist_prepend(l, crepr);
         }
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ sp_flowregionexclude_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc,
         }
 
     } else {
-        for ( SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for ( SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             child->updateRepr(flags);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/sp-flowtext.cpp b/src/sp-flowtext.cpp
index b18b72968..b18d6f182 100644
--- a/src/sp-flowtext.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-flowtext.cpp
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ sp_flowtext_update(SPObject *object, SPCtx *ctx, unsigned flags)
     flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 
     GSList *l = NULL;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         g_object_ref(G_OBJECT(child));
         l = g_slist_prepend(l, child);
     }
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ sp_flowtext_modified(SPObject *object, guint flags)
         }
     }
 
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(ft)) ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(ft)->first_child() ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
         if (SP_IS_FLOWREGION(o)) {
             region = o;
             break;
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ sp_flowtext_write(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::
     if ( flags & SP_OBJECT_WRITE_BUILD ) {
         if ( repr == NULL ) repr = xml_doc->createElement("svg:flowRoot");
         GSList *l = NULL;
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             Inkscape::XML::Node *c_repr = NULL;
             if ( SP_IS_FLOWDIV(child) || SP_IS_FLOWPARA(child) || SP_IS_FLOWREGION(child) || SP_IS_FLOWREGIONEXCLUDE(child)) {
                 c_repr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ sp_flowtext_write(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::
             l = g_slist_remove(l, l->data);
         }
     } else {
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if ( SP_IS_FLOWDIV(child) || SP_IS_FLOWPARA(child) || SP_IS_FLOWREGION(child) || SP_IS_FLOWREGIONEXCLUDE(child) ) {
                 child->updateRepr(flags);
             }
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ void SPFlowtext::_buildLayoutInput(SPObject *root, Shape const *exclusion_shape,
         *pending_line_break_object = NULL;
     }
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(root) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = root->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_STRING(child)) {
             if (*pending_line_break_object) {
                 if (SP_IS_FLOWREGIONBREAK(*pending_line_break_object))
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ SPItem *SPFlowtext::get_frame(SPItem *after)
     SPObject *ft = SP_OBJECT (this);
     SPObject *region = NULL;
 
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(ft)) ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(ft)->first_child() ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
         if (SP_IS_FLOWREGION(o)) {
             region = o;
             break;
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ SPItem *SPFlowtext::get_frame(SPItem *after)
     bool past = false;
     SPItem *frame = NULL;
 
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(region)) ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(region)->first_child() ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(o)) {
             if (after == NULL || past) {
                 frame = SP_ITEM(o);
diff --git a/src/sp-gradient.cpp b/src/sp-gradient.cpp
index bc86e2135..604da3b7c 100644
--- a/src/sp-gradient.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-gradient.cpp
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ void SPGradientImpl::build(SPObject *object, SPDocument *document, Inkscape::XML
         (* ((SPObjectClass *) gradient_parent_class)->build)(object, document, repr);
 
     SPObject *ochild;
-    for ( ochild = sp_object_first_child(object) ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
+    for ( ochild = object->first_child() ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
         if (SP_IS_STOP(ochild)) {
             gradient->has_stops = TRUE;
             break;
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ void SPGradientImpl::childAdded(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *child, In
     if (((SPObjectClass *) gradient_parent_class)->child_added)
         (* ((SPObjectClass *) gradient_parent_class)->child_added)(object, child, ref);
 
-    SPObject *ochild = sp_object_get_child_by_repr(object, child);
+    SPObject *ochild = object->get_child_by_repr(child);
     if ( ochild && SP_IS_STOP(ochild) ) {
         gr->has_stops = TRUE;
     }
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ void SPGradientImpl::removeChild(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *child)
 
     gr->has_stops = FALSE;
     SPObject *ochild;
-    for ( ochild = sp_object_first_child(object) ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
+    for ( ochild = object->first_child() ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
         if (SP_IS_STOP(ochild)) {
             gr->has_stops = TRUE;
             break;
@@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ void SPGradientImpl::modified(SPObject *object, guint flags)
 
     // FIXME: climb up the ladder of hrefs
     GSList *l = NULL;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         g_object_ref(G_OBJECT(child));
         l = g_slist_prepend(l, child);
     }
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ void SPGradientImpl::modified(SPObject *object, guint flags)
 SPStop* SPGradient::getFirstStop()
 {
     SPStop* first = 0;
-    for (SPObject *ochild = sp_object_first_child(this); ochild && !first; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild)) {
+    for (SPObject *ochild = this->first_child(); ochild && !first; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild)) {
         if (SP_IS_STOP(ochild)) {
             first = SP_STOP(ochild);
         }
@@ -689,7 +689,7 @@ Inkscape::XML::Node *SPGradientImpl::write(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Docu
 
     if (flags & SP_OBJECT_WRITE_BUILD) {
         GSList *l = NULL;
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object); child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+        for (SPObject *child = object->first_child(); child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
             Inkscape::XML::Node *crepr;
             crepr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
             if (crepr) l = g_slist_prepend(l, crepr);
@@ -985,7 +985,7 @@ bool SPGradient::invalidateVector()
 void SPGradient::rebuildVector()
 {
     gint len = 0;
-    for ( SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(this)) ;
+    for ( SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(this)->first_child() ;
           child != NULL ;
           child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_STOP(child)) {
@@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ void SPGradient::rebuildVector()
         }
     }
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(this)) ;
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(this)->first_child() ;
          child != NULL;
          child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_STOP(child)) {
diff --git a/src/sp-item-group.cpp b/src/sp-item-group.cpp
index 1d38771bc..79a673e05 100644
--- a/src/sp-item-group.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-item-group.cpp
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ sp_group_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::XM
                 repr = xml_doc->createElement("svg:g");
         }
         l = NULL;
-        for (child = sp_object_first_child(object); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (child = object->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if (SP_IS_TITLE(child) || SP_IS_DESC(child)) continue;
             crepr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
             if (crepr) l = g_slist_prepend (l, crepr);
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ sp_group_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::XM
             l = g_slist_remove (l, l->data);
         }
     } else {
-        for (child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if (SP_IS_TITLE(child) || SP_IS_DESC(child)) continue;
             child->updateRepr(flags);
         }
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ sp_group_hide (SPItem *item, unsigned int key)
 
 static void sp_group_snappoints (SPItem const *item, std::vector<Inkscape::SnapCandidatePoint> &p, Inkscape::SnapPreferences const *snapprefs)
 {
-    for (SPObject const *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(item));
+    for (SPObject const *o = SP_OBJECT(item)->first_child();
          o != NULL;
          o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o))
     {
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ sp_item_group_ungroup (SPGroup *group, GSList **children, bool do_done)
     /* Step 1 - generate lists of children objects */
     GSList *items = NULL;
     GSList *objects = NULL;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(group)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(group)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 
         if (SP_IS_ITEM (child)) {
 
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ sp_item_group_item_list (SPGroup * group)
 
     GSList *s = NULL;
 
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(group)) ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(group)->first_child() ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM (o)) {
             s = g_slist_prepend (s, o);
         }
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ SPObject *
 sp_item_group_get_child_by_name (SPGroup *group, SPObject *ref, const gchar *name)
 {
     SPObject *child;
-    child = (ref) ? SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ref) : sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(group));
+    child = (ref) ? SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ref) : SP_OBJECT(group)->first_child();
     while ( child && strcmp (SP_OBJECT_REPR(child)->name(), name) ) {
         child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child);
     }
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ void SPGroup::translateChildItems(Geom::Translate const &tr)
     if (this->hasChildren())
     {
         SPObject *o = NULL;
-        for (o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(this)) ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+        for (o = SP_OBJECT(this)->first_child() ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
             if (SP_IS_ITEM (o)) {
                 sp_item_move_rel(static_cast<SPItem *>(o), tr);
             }
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ void CGroup::onChildAdded(Inkscape::XML::Node *child) {
             }
         }
     } else {    // general case
-        SPObject *ochild = sp_object_get_child_by_repr(_group, child);
+        SPObject *ochild = _group->get_child_by_repr(child);
         if ( ochild && SP_IS_ITEM(ochild) ) {
             /* TODO: this should be moved into SPItem somehow */
             SPItemView *v;
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ void CGroup::onPrint(SPPrintContext *ctx) {
 
 gint CGroup::getItemCount() {
     gint len = 0;
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(_group)) ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(_group)->first_child() ; o != NULL ; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(o)) {
             len++;
         }
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ void CGroup::hide (unsigned int key) {
 
 void CGroup::onOrderChanged (Inkscape::XML::Node *child, Inkscape::XML::Node *, Inkscape::XML::Node *)
 {
-    SPObject *ochild = sp_object_get_child_by_repr(_group, child);
+    SPObject *ochild = _group->get_child_by_repr(child);
     if ( ochild && SP_IS_ITEM(ochild) ) {
         /* TODO: this should be moved into SPItem somehow */
         SPItemView *v;
diff --git a/src/sp-item.cpp b/src/sp-item.cpp
index 72f318a25..7f67caee8 100644
--- a/src/sp-item.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-item.cpp
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ SPItem::sp_item_write(SPObject *const object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc,
         Inkscape::XML::Node *crepr;
         GSList *l;
         l = NULL;
-        for (child = sp_object_first_child(object); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (child = object->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if (!SP_IS_TITLE(child) && !SP_IS_DESC(child)) continue;
             crepr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
             if (crepr) l = g_slist_prepend (l, crepr);
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ SPItem::sp_item_write(SPObject *const object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc,
             l = g_slist_remove (l, l->data);
         }
     } else {
-        for (child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if (!SP_IS_TITLE(child) && !SP_IS_DESC(child)) continue;
             child->updateRepr(flags);
         }
@@ -921,7 +921,7 @@ unsigned SPItem::pos_in_parent()
     SPObject *object = SP_OBJECT(this);
 
     unsigned pos=0;
-    for ( SPObject *iter = sp_object_first_child(parent) ; iter ; iter = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(iter)) {
+    for ( SPObject *iter = parent->first_child() ; iter ; iter = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(iter)) {
         if ( iter == object ) {
             return pos;
         }
@@ -1669,7 +1669,7 @@ sp_item_repr_compare_position(SPItem *first, SPItem *second)
 SPItem *
 sp_item_first_item_child (SPObject *obj)
 {
-    for ( SPObject *iter = sp_object_first_child(obj) ; iter ; iter = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(iter)) {
+    for ( SPObject *iter = obj->first_child() ; iter ; iter = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(iter)) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM (iter))
             return SP_ITEM (iter);
     }
diff --git a/src/sp-lpe-item.cpp b/src/sp-lpe-item.cpp
index 71352ed98..6c49b79c1 100644
--- a/src/sp-lpe-item.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-lpe-item.cpp
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ sp_lpe_item_child_added (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *child, Inkscape:
         (* ((SPObjectClass *) (parent_class))->child_added) (object, child, ref);
 
     if (SP_IS_LPE_ITEM(object) && sp_lpe_item_has_path_effect_recursive(SP_LPE_ITEM(object))) {
-        SPObject *ochild = sp_object_get_child_by_repr(object, child);
+        SPObject *ochild = object->get_child_by_repr(child);
         if ( ochild && SP_IS_LPE_ITEM(ochild) ) {
             sp_lpe_item_create_original_path_recursive(SP_LPE_ITEM(ochild));
         }
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ static void
 sp_lpe_item_remove_child (SPObject * object, Inkscape::XML::Node * child)
 {
     if (SP_IS_LPE_ITEM(object) && sp_lpe_item_has_path_effect_recursive(SP_LPE_ITEM(object))) {
-        SPObject *ochild = sp_object_get_child_by_repr(object, child);
+        SPObject *ochild = object->get_child_by_repr(child);
         if ( ochild && SP_IS_LPE_ITEM(ochild) ) {
             sp_lpe_item_cleanup_original_path_recursive(SP_LPE_ITEM(ochild));
         }
diff --git a/src/sp-mask.cpp b/src/sp-mask.cpp
index e57b5cc47..0c28cd014 100644
--- a/src/sp-mask.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-mask.cpp
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ sp_mask_update (SPObject *object, SPCtx *ctx, guint flags)
 
 	SPObjectGroup *og = SP_OBJECTGROUP (object);
 	GSList *l = NULL;
-	for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(og)); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+	for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(og)->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ sp_mask_modified (SPObject *object, guint flags)
 
 	SPObjectGroup *og = SP_OBJECTGROUP (object);
 	GSList *l = NULL;
-	for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(og)); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+	for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(og)->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
 		g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 		l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 	}
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ sp_mask_show (SPMask *mask, NRArena *arena, unsigned int key)
 	NRArenaItem *ai = NRArenaGroup::create(arena);
 	mask->display = sp_mask_view_new_prepend (mask->display, key, ai);
 
-	for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(mask)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+	for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(mask)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
 		if (SP_IS_ITEM (child)) {
 			NRArenaItem *ac = SP_ITEM (child)->invoke_show (arena, key, SP_ITEM_REFERENCE_FLAGS);
 			if (ac) {
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ sp_mask_hide (SPMask *cp, unsigned int key)
 	g_return_if_fail (cp != NULL);
 	g_return_if_fail (SP_IS_MASK (cp));
 
-	for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(cp)); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+	for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(cp)->first_child(); child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
 		if (SP_IS_ITEM (child)) {
 			SP_ITEM(child)->invoke_hide (key);
 		}
diff --git a/src/sp-namedview.cpp b/src/sp-namedview.cpp
index 8c750f347..52c42866e 100644
--- a/src/sp-namedview.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-namedview.cpp
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ static void sp_namedview_build(SPObject *object, SPDocument *document, Inkscape:
     sp_object_read_attr(object, "inkscape:connector-spacing");
 
     /* Construct guideline list */
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(og)) ; o != NULL; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(og)->first_child() ; o != NULL; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
         if (SP_IS_GUIDE(o)) {
             SPGuide * g = SP_GUIDE(o);
             nv->guides = g_slist_prepend(nv->guides, g);
@@ -789,7 +789,7 @@ void sp_namedview_update_layers_from_document (SPDesktop *desktop)
     }
     // if that didn't work out, look for the topmost layer
     if (!layer) {
-        SPObject *iter = sp_object_first_child(SP_DOCUMENT_ROOT(document));
+        SPObject *iter = SP_DOCUMENT_ROOT(document)->first_child();
         for ( ; iter ; iter = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(iter) ) {
             if (desktop->isLayer(iter)) {
                 layer = iter;
diff --git a/src/sp-object-group.cpp b/src/sp-object-group.cpp
index 1d5c04339..02ae5d29a 100644
--- a/src/sp-object-group.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-object-group.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ sp_objectgroup_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inksca
 		       	repr = xml_doc->createElement("svg:g");
 		}
 		l = NULL;
-		for ( child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+		for ( child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 			crepr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
 			if (crepr) l = g_slist_prepend (l, crepr);
 		}
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ sp_objectgroup_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inksca
 			l = g_slist_remove (l, l->data);
 		}
 	} else {
-		for ( child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+		for ( child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 			child->updateRepr(flags);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/sp-object-repr.cpp b/src/sp-object-repr.cpp
index 62143e3ab..207d08277 100644
--- a/src/sp-object-repr.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-object-repr.cpp
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ sp_object_repr_build_tree(SPDocument *document, Inkscape::XML::Node *repr)
     g_assert(newobj != NULL);
     SPObject *const object = SP_OBJECT(newobj);
     g_assert(object != NULL);
-    sp_object_invoke_build(object, document, repr, FALSE);
+    object->invoke_build(document, repr, FALSE);
 
     return object;
 }
diff --git a/src/sp-object.cpp b/src/sp-object.cpp
index 08d13b2cc..edcdd60f5 100644
--- a/src/sp-object.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-object.cpp
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ SPObject::appendChildRepr(Inkscape::XML::Node *repr) {
  */
 GSList *SPObject::childList(bool add_ref, Action) {
     GSList *l = NULL;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(this) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = this->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (add_ref)
             g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (child));
 
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ SPObject::requestOrphanCollection() {
 /** Sends the delete signal to all children of this object recursively */
 void
 SPObject::_sendDeleteSignalRecursive() {
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(this); child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = this->first_child(); child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         child->_delete_signal.emit(child);
         child->_sendDeleteSignalRecursive();
     }
@@ -607,58 +607,58 @@ SPObject::deleteObject(bool propagate, bool propagate_descendants)
  * also update object's XML space.
  */
 void
-sp_object_attach(SPObject *parent, SPObject *object, SPObject *prev)
+SPObject::attach(SPObject *object, SPObject *prev)
 {
-    g_return_if_fail(parent != NULL);
-    g_return_if_fail(SP_IS_OBJECT(parent));
+    //g_return_if_fail(parent != NULL);
+    //g_return_if_fail(SP_IS_OBJECT(parent));
     g_return_if_fail(object != NULL);
     g_return_if_fail(SP_IS_OBJECT(object));
     g_return_if_fail(!prev || SP_IS_OBJECT(prev));
-    g_return_if_fail(!prev || prev->parent == parent);
+    g_return_if_fail(!prev || prev->parent == this);
     g_return_if_fail(!object->parent);
 
-    sp_object_ref(object, parent);
-    object->parent = parent;
-    parent->_updateTotalHRefCount(object->_total_hrefcount);
+    sp_object_ref(object, this);
+    object->parent = this;
+    this->_updateTotalHRefCount(object->_total_hrefcount);
 
     SPObject *next;
     if (prev) {
         next = prev->next;
         prev->next = object;
     } else {
-        next = parent->children;
-        parent->children = object;
+        next = this->children;
+        this->children = object;
     }
     object->next = next;
     if (!next) {
-        parent->_last_child = object;
+        this->_last_child = object;
     }
     if (!object->xml_space.set)
-        object->xml_space.value = parent->xml_space.value;
+        object->xml_space.value = this->xml_space.value;
 }
 
 /**
  * In list of object's siblings, move object behind prev.
  */
 void
-sp_object_reorder(SPObject *object, SPObject *prev) {
-    g_return_if_fail(object != NULL);
-    g_return_if_fail(SP_IS_OBJECT(object));
-    g_return_if_fail(object->parent != NULL);
-    g_return_if_fail(object != prev);
+SPObject::reorder(SPObject *prev) {
+    //g_return_if_fail(object != NULL);
+    //g_return_if_fail(SP_IS_OBJECT(object));
+    g_return_if_fail(this->parent != NULL);
+    g_return_if_fail(this != prev);
     g_return_if_fail(!prev || SP_IS_OBJECT(prev));
-    g_return_if_fail(!prev || prev->parent == object->parent);
+    g_return_if_fail(!prev || prev->parent == this->parent);
 
-    SPObject *const parent=object->parent;
+    SPObject *const parent=this->parent;
 
     SPObject *old_prev=NULL;
-    for ( SPObject *child = parent->children ; child && child != object ;
+    for ( SPObject *child = parent->children ; child && child != this ;
           child = child->next )
     {
         old_prev = child;
     }
 
-    SPObject *next=object->next;
+    SPObject *next=this->next;
     if (old_prev) {
         old_prev->next = next;
     } else {
@@ -669,14 +669,14 @@ sp_object_reorder(SPObject *object, SPObject *prev) {
     }
     if (prev) {
         next = prev->next;
-        prev->next = object;
+        prev->next = this;
     } else {
         next = parent->children;
-        parent->children = object;
+        parent->children = this;
     }
-    object->next = next;
+    this->next = next;
     if (!next) {
-        parent->_last_child = object;
+        parent->_last_child = this;
     }
 }
 
@@ -684,17 +684,17 @@ sp_object_reorder(SPObject *object, SPObject *prev) {
  * Remove object from parent's children, release and unref it.
  */
 void
-sp_object_detach(SPObject *parent, SPObject *object) {
-    g_return_if_fail(parent != NULL);
-    g_return_if_fail(SP_IS_OBJECT(parent));
+SPObject::detach(SPObject *object) {
+    //g_return_if_fail(parent != NULL);
+    //g_return_if_fail(SP_IS_OBJECT(parent));
     g_return_if_fail(object != NULL);
     g_return_if_fail(SP_IS_OBJECT(object));
-    g_return_if_fail(object->parent == parent);
+    g_return_if_fail(object->parent == this);
 
     object->releaseReferences();
 
     SPObject *prev=NULL;
-    for ( SPObject *child = parent->children ; child && child != object ;
+    for ( SPObject *child = this->children ; child && child != object ;
           child = child->next )
     {
         prev = child;
@@ -704,32 +704,32 @@ sp_object_detach(SPObject *parent, SPObject *object) {
     if (prev) {
         prev->next = next;
     } else {
-        parent->children = next;
+        this->children = next;
     }
     if (!next) {
-        parent->_last_child = prev;
+       	this->_last_child = prev;
     }
 
     object->next = NULL;
     object->parent = NULL;
 
-    parent->_updateTotalHRefCount(-object->_total_hrefcount);
-    sp_object_unref(object, parent);
+    this->_updateTotalHRefCount(-object->_total_hrefcount);
+    sp_object_unref(object, this);
 }
 
 /**
  * Return object's child whose node pointer equals repr.
  */
 SPObject *
-sp_object_get_child_by_repr(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *repr)
+SPObject::get_child_by_repr(Inkscape::XML::Node *repr)
 {
-    g_return_val_if_fail(object != NULL, NULL);
-    g_return_val_if_fail(SP_IS_OBJECT(object), NULL);
+    //g_return_val_if_fail(object != NULL, NULL);
+    //g_return_val_if_fail(SP_IS_OBJECT(object), NULL);
     g_return_val_if_fail(repr != NULL, NULL);
 
-    if (object->_last_child && SP_OBJECT_REPR(object->_last_child) == repr)
-        return object->_last_child;   // optimization for common scenario
-    for ( SPObject *child = object->children ; child ; child = child->next ) {
+    if (this->_last_child && SP_OBJECT_REPR(this->_last_child) == repr)
+        return this->_last_child;   // optimization for common scenario
+    for ( SPObject *child = this->children ; child ; child = child->next ) {
         if ( SP_OBJECT_REPR(child) == repr ) {
             return child;
         }
@@ -750,11 +750,11 @@ sp_object_child_added(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *child, Inkscape::XM
         return;
     }
     SPObject *ochild = SP_OBJECT(g_object_new(type, 0));
-    SPObject *prev = ref ? sp_object_get_child_by_repr(object, ref) : NULL;
-    sp_object_attach(object, ochild, prev);
+    SPObject *prev = ref ? object->get_child_by_repr(ref) : NULL;
+    object->attach(ochild, prev);
     sp_object_unref(ochild, NULL);
 
-    sp_object_invoke_build(ochild, object->document, child, SP_OBJECT_IS_CLONED(object));
+    ochild->invoke_build(object->document, child, SP_OBJECT_IS_CLONED(object));
 }
 
 /**
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ static void sp_object_release(SPObject *object)
 {
     debug("id=%x, typename=%s", object, g_type_name_from_instance((GTypeInstance*)object));
     while (object->children) {
-        sp_object_detach(object, object->children);
+        object->detach(object->children);
     }
 }
 
@@ -788,10 +788,10 @@ static void
 sp_object_remove_child(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *child)
 {
     debug("id=%x, typename=%s", object, g_type_name_from_instance((GTypeInstance*)object));
-    SPObject *ochild = sp_object_get_child_by_repr(object, child);
+    SPObject *ochild = object->get_child_by_repr(child);
     g_return_if_fail (ochild != NULL || !strcmp("comment", child->name())); // comments have no objects
     if (ochild)
-        sp_object_detach(object, ochild);
+        object->detach(ochild);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -803,10 +803,10 @@ sp_object_remove_child(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *child)
 static void sp_object_order_changed(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *child, Inkscape::XML::Node */*old_ref*/,
                                     Inkscape::XML::Node *new_ref)
 {
-    SPObject *ochild = sp_object_get_child_by_repr(object, child);
+    SPObject *ochild = object->get_child_by_repr(child);
     g_return_if_fail(ochild != NULL);
-    SPObject *prev = new_ref ? sp_object_get_child_by_repr(object, new_ref) : NULL;
-    sp_object_reorder(ochild, prev);
+    SPObject *prev = new_ref ? object->get_child_by_repr(new_ref) : NULL;
+    ochild->reorder(prev);
     ochild->_position_changed_signal.emit(ochild);
 }
 
@@ -837,73 +837,73 @@ sp_object_build(SPObject *object, SPDocument *document, Inkscape::XML::Node *rep
             continue;
         }
         SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(g_object_new(type, 0));
-        sp_object_attach(object, child, object->lastChild());
+        object->attach(child, object->lastChild());
         sp_object_unref(child, NULL);
-        sp_object_invoke_build(child, document, rchild, SP_OBJECT_IS_CLONED(object));
+        child->invoke_build(document, rchild, SP_OBJECT_IS_CLONED(object));
     }
 }
 
-void sp_object_invoke_build(SPObject *object, SPDocument *document, Inkscape::XML::Node *repr, unsigned int cloned)
+void SPObject::invoke_build(SPDocument *document, Inkscape::XML::Node *repr, unsigned int cloned)
 {
-    debug("id=%x, typename=%s", object, g_type_name_from_instance((GTypeInstance*)object));
+    debug("id=%x, typename=%s", this, g_type_name_from_instance((GTypeInstance*)this));
 
-    g_assert(object != NULL);
-    g_assert(SP_IS_OBJECT(object));
+    //g_assert(object != NULL);
+    //g_assert(SP_IS_OBJECT(object));
     g_assert(document != NULL);
     g_assert(repr != NULL);
 
-    g_assert(object->document == NULL);
-    g_assert(object->repr == NULL);
-    g_assert(object->getId() == NULL);
+    g_assert(this->document == NULL);
+    g_assert(this->repr == NULL);
+    g_assert(this->getId() == NULL);
 
     /* Bookkeeping */
 
-    object->document = document;
-    object->repr = repr;
+    this->document = document;
+    this->repr = repr;
     if (!cloned)
         Inkscape::GC::anchor(repr);
-    object->cloned = cloned;
+    this->cloned = cloned;
 
-    if (!SP_OBJECT_IS_CLONED(object)) {
-        object->document->bindObjectToRepr(object->repr, object);
+    if (!SP_OBJECT_IS_CLONED(this)) {
+        this->document->bindObjectToRepr(this->repr, this);
 
-        if (Inkscape::XML::id_permitted(object->repr)) {
+        if (Inkscape::XML::id_permitted(this->repr)) {
             /* If we are not cloned, and not seeking, force unique id */
-            gchar const *id = object->repr->attribute("id");
+            gchar const *id = this->repr->attribute("id");
             if (!document->isSeeking()) {
                 {
-                    gchar *realid = sp_object_get_unique_id(object, id);
+                    gchar *realid = sp_object_get_unique_id(this, id);
                     g_assert(realid != NULL);
 
-                    object->document->bindObjectToId(realid, object);
-                    SPObjectImpl::setId(object, realid);
+                    this->document->bindObjectToId(realid, this);
+                    SPObjectImpl::setId(this, realid);
                     g_free(realid);
                 }
 
                 /* Redefine ID, if required */
-                if ((id == NULL) || (strcmp(id, object->getId()) != 0)) {
-                    object->repr->setAttribute("id", object->getId());
+                if ((id == NULL) || (strcmp(id, this->getId()) != 0)) {
+                    this->repr->setAttribute("id", this->getId());
                 }
             } else if (id) {
                 // bind if id, but no conflict -- otherwise, we can expect
                 // a subsequent setting of the id attribute
-                if (!object->document->getObjectById(id)) {
-                    object->document->bindObjectToId(id, object);
-                    SPObjectImpl::setId(object, id);
+                if (!this->document->getObjectById(id)) {
+                    this->document->bindObjectToId(id, this);
+                    SPObjectImpl::setId(this, id);
                 }
             }
         }
     } else {
-        g_assert(object->getId() == NULL);
+        g_assert(this->getId() == NULL);
     }
 
     /* Invoke derived methods, if any */
-    if (((SPObjectClass *) G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS(object))->build) {
-        (*((SPObjectClass *) G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS(object))->build)(object, document, repr);
+    if (((SPObjectClass *) G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS(this))->build) {
+        (*((SPObjectClass *) G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS(this))->build)(this, document, repr);
     }
 
     /* Signalling (should be connected AFTER processing derived methods */
-    sp_repr_add_listener(repr, &object_event_vector, object);
+    sp_repr_add_listener(repr, &object_event_vector, this);
 }
 
 void SPObject::releaseReferences() {
@@ -1606,7 +1606,7 @@ SPObject *
 sp_object_prev(SPObject *child)
 {
     SPObject *parent = SP_OBJECT_PARENT(child);
-    for ( SPObject *i = sp_object_first_child(parent); i; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i) ) {
+    for ( SPObject *i = parent->first_child(); i; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i) ) {
         if (SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i) == child)
             return i;
     }
diff --git a/src/sp-object.h b/src/sp-object.h
index 633091668..cb7a5a6ce 100644
--- a/src/sp-object.h
+++ b/src/sp-object.h
@@ -498,6 +498,14 @@ public:
     CollectionPolicy _collection_policy;
     gchar *_label;
     mutable gchar *_default_label;
+	void attach(SPObject *object, SPObject *prev);
+	void reorder(SPObject *prev);
+	void detach(SPObject *object);
+	SPObject *get_child_by_repr(Inkscape::XML::Node *repr);
+	SPObject *first_child() {
+		    return firstChild();
+	}
+	void invoke_build(SPDocument *document, Inkscape::XML::Node *repr, unsigned int cloned);
 
 private:
     // Private member functions used in the definitions of setTitle(),
@@ -540,16 +548,16 @@ struct SPObjectClass {
  * Attaching/detaching
  */
 
-void sp_object_attach(SPObject *parent, SPObject *object, SPObject *prev);
-void sp_object_reorder(SPObject *object, SPObject *prev);
-void sp_object_detach(SPObject *parent, SPObject *object);
+//void sp_object_attach(SPObject *parent, SPObject *object, SPObject *prev);
+//void sp_object_reorder(SPObject *object, SPObject *prev);
+//void sp_object_detach(SPObject *parent, SPObject *object);
 
-inline SPObject *sp_object_first_child(SPObject *parent) {
+/*inline SPObject *sp_object_first_child(SPObject *parent) {
     return parent->firstChild();
-}
-SPObject *sp_object_get_child_by_repr(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *repr);
+}*/
+//SPObject *sp_object_get_child_by_repr(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *repr);
 
-void sp_object_invoke_build(SPObject *object, SPDocument *document, Inkscape::XML::Node *repr, unsigned int cloned);
+//void sp_object_invoke_build(SPObject *object, SPDocument *document, Inkscape::XML::Node *repr, unsigned int cloned);
 
 void sp_object_set(SPObject *object, unsigned int key, gchar const *value);
 
diff --git a/src/sp-pattern.cpp b/src/sp-pattern.cpp
index b076b5701..3958da66a 100644
--- a/src/sp-pattern.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-pattern.cpp
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ sp_pattern_child_added (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *child, Inkscape::
 	if (((SPObjectClass *) (pattern_parent_class))->child_added)
 		(* ((SPObjectClass *) (pattern_parent_class))->child_added) (object, child, ref);
 
-	SPObject *ochild = sp_object_get_child_by_repr(object, child);
+	SPObject *ochild = object->get_child_by_repr(child);
 	if (SP_IS_ITEM (ochild)) {
 
 		SPPaintServer *ps = SP_PAINT_SERVER (pat);
@@ -353,8 +353,8 @@ pattern_getchildren (SPPattern *pat)
 	GSList *l = NULL;
 
 	for (SPPattern *pat_i = pat; pat_i != NULL; pat_i = pat_i->ref ? pat_i->ref->getObject() : NULL) {
-		if (sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(pat_i))) { // find the first one with children
-			for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT (pat)) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+		if (SP_OBJECT(pat_i)->first_child()) { // find the first one with children
+			for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT (pat)->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 				l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
 			}
 			break; // do not go further up the chain if children are found
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ SPPattern *
 pattern_getroot (SPPattern *pat)
 {
 	for (SPPattern *pat_i = pat; pat_i != NULL; pat_i = pat_i->ref ? pat_i->ref->getObject() : NULL) {
-		if (sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(pat_i))) { // find the first one with children
+		if (SP_OBJECT (pat_i)->first_child()) { // find the first one with children
 			return pat_i;
 		}
 	}
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ NRRect *pattern_viewBox (SPPattern *pat)
 
 bool pattern_hasItemChildren (SPPattern *pat)
 {
-	for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(pat)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+	for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT (pat)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 		if (SP_IS_ITEM (child)) {
 			return true;
 		}
@@ -736,7 +736,7 @@ sp_pattern_painter_new (SPPaintServer *ps, Geom::Matrix const &full_transform, G
 	pp->_release_connections = new std::map<SPObject *, sigc::connection>;
 	for (SPPattern *pat_i = pat; pat_i != NULL; pat_i = pat_i->ref ? pat_i->ref->getObject() : NULL) {
 		if (pat_i && SP_IS_OBJECT (pat_i) && pattern_hasItemChildren(pat_i)) { // find the first one with item children
-			for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(pat_i)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+			for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT (pat_i)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
 				if (SP_IS_ITEM (child)) {
 					// for each item in pattern,
 					NRArenaItem *cai;
diff --git a/src/sp-root.cpp b/src/sp-root.cpp
index 72c0b6de9..c032654ff 100644
--- a/src/sp-root.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-root.cpp
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ sp_root_build(SPObject *object, SPDocument *document, Inkscape::XML::Node *repr)
         (* ((SPObjectClass *) parent_class)->build) (object, document, repr);
 
     /* Search for first <defs> node */
-    for (SPObject *o = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(group)) ; o != NULL; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
+    for (SPObject *o = SP_OBJECT(group)->first_child() ; o != NULL; o = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(o) ) {
         if (SP_IS_DEFS(o)) {
             root->defs = SP_DEFS(o);
             break;
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ sp_root_child_added(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *child, Inkscape::XML:
     if (co && SP_IS_DEFS(co)) {
         SPObject *c;
         /* We search for first <defs> node - it is not beautiful, but works */
-        for (c = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(group)) ; c != NULL; c = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(c) ) {
+        for (c = SP_OBJECT(group)->first_child() ; c != NULL; c = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(c) ) {
             if (SP_IS_DEFS(c)) {
                 root->defs = SP_DEFS(c);
                 break;
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ static void sp_root_remove_child(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Node *child)
     if ( root->defs && SP_OBJECT_REPR(root->defs) == child ) {
         SPObject *iter;
         /* We search for first remaining <defs> node - it is not beautiful, but works */
-        for ( iter = sp_object_first_child(object) ; iter ; iter = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(iter) ) {
+        for ( iter = object->first_child() ; iter ; iter = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(iter) ) {
             if ( SP_IS_DEFS(iter) && (SPDefs *)iter != root->defs ) {
                 root->defs = (SPDefs *)iter;
                 break;
diff --git a/src/sp-style-elem-test.h b/src/sp-style-elem-test.h
index 6d0b59daa..38dc1d367 100644
--- a/src/sp-style-elem-test.h
+++ b/src/sp-style-elem-test.h
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ public:
         SPStyleElem &style_elem = *SP_STYLE_ELEM(g_object_new(SP_TYPE_STYLE_ELEM, NULL));
         Inkscape::XML::Node *const repr = sp_document_repr_doc(_doc)->createElement("svg:style");
         repr->setAttribute("type", "text/css");
-        sp_object_invoke_build(&style_elem, _doc, repr, false);
+        (&style_elem)->invoke_build( _doc, repr, false);
         TS_ASSERT( style_elem.is_css );
         TS_ASSERT( style_elem.media.print );
         TS_ASSERT( style_elem.media.screen );
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ public:
         repr->setAttribute("type", "text/css");
         Inkscape::XML::Node *const content_repr = sp_document_repr_doc(_doc)->createTextNode(".myclass { }");
         repr->addChild(content_repr, NULL);
-        sp_object_invoke_build(&style_elem, _doc, repr, false);
+        (&style_elem)->invoke_build(_doc, repr, false);
         TS_ASSERT( style_elem.is_css );
         TS_ASSERT( _doc->style_cascade );
         CRStyleSheet const *const stylesheet = cr_cascade_get_sheet(_doc->style_cascade, ORIGIN_AUTHOR);
diff --git a/src/sp-switch.cpp b/src/sp-switch.cpp
index 07575c4f0..2d67b8637 100644
--- a/src/sp-switch.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-switch.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ CSwitch::~CSwitch() {
 }
 
 SPObject *CSwitch::_evaluateFirst() {
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(_group) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = _group->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM(child) && sp_item_evaluate(SP_ITEM(child)))
             return child;
     }
diff --git a/src/sp-text.cpp b/src/sp-text.cpp
index 46e17a75a..7bdd84989 100644
--- a/src/sp-text.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-text.cpp
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ sp_text_update (SPObject *object, SPCtx *ctx, guint flags)
 
     /* Create temporary list of children */
     GSList *l = NULL;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         sp_object_ref (SP_OBJECT (child), object);
         l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
     }
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ sp_text_modified (SPObject *object, guint flags)
     /* Create temporary list of children */
     GSList *l = NULL;
     SPObject *child;
-    for (child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         sp_object_ref (SP_OBJECT (child), object);
         l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
     }
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ sp_text_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::XML
         if (!repr)
             repr = xml_doc->createElement("svg:text");
         GSList *l = NULL;
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if (SP_IS_TITLE(child) || SP_IS_DESC(child)) continue;
             Inkscape::XML::Node *crepr = NULL;
             if (SP_IS_STRING(child)) {
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ sp_text_write (SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::XML
             l = g_slist_remove (l, l->data);
         }
     } else {
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if (SP_IS_TITLE(child) || SP_IS_DESC(child)) continue;
             if (SP_IS_STRING(child)) {
                 SP_OBJECT_REPR(child)->setContent(SP_STRING(child)->string.c_str());
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ unsigned SPText::_buildLayoutInput(SPObject *root, Inkscape::Text::Layout::Optio
             child_attrs_offset--;
         }
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(root) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = root->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (SP_IS_STRING(child)) {
             Glib::ustring const &string = SP_STRING(child)->string;
             layout.appendText(string, root->style, child, &optional_attrs, child_attrs_offset + length);
diff --git a/src/sp-textpath.h b/src/sp-textpath.h
index 193196606..6642587d2 100644
--- a/src/sp-textpath.h
+++ b/src/sp-textpath.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ struct SPTextPathClass {
 
 GType sp_textpath_get_type();
 
-#define SP_IS_TEXT_TEXTPATH(obj) (SP_IS_TEXT(obj) && sp_object_first_child(obj) && SP_IS_TEXTPATH(sp_object_first_child(obj)))
+#define SP_IS_TEXT_TEXTPATH(obj) (SP_IS_TEXT(obj) && obj->first_child() && SP_IS_TEXTPATH(obj->first_child()))
 
 SPItem *sp_textpath_get_path_item(SPTextPath *tp);
 void sp_textpath_to_text(SPObject *tp);
diff --git a/src/sp-tref.cpp b/src/sp-tref.cpp
index 382b55740..850ebbd42 100644
--- a/src/sp-tref.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-tref.cpp
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ sp_tref_href_changed(SPObject */*old_ref*/, SPObject */*ref*/, SPTRef *tref)
         tref->_delete_connection.disconnect();
 
         if (tref->stringChild) {
-            sp_object_detach(SP_OBJECT(tref), tref->stringChild);
+            SP_OBJECT(tref)->detach(tref->stringChild);
             tref->stringChild = NULL;
         }
 
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ sp_tref_update_text(SPTRef *tref)
         build_string_from_root(SP_OBJECT_REPR(tref->getObjectReferredTo()), &charData);
 
         if (tref->stringChild) {
-            sp_object_detach(SP_OBJECT(tref), tref->stringChild);
+            SP_OBJECT(tref)->detach(tref->stringChild);
             tref->stringChild = NULL;
         }
 
@@ -527,9 +527,9 @@ sp_tref_update_text(SPTRef *tref)
         tref->stringChild = SP_OBJECT(g_object_new(sp_repr_type_lookup(newStringRepr), NULL));
 
         // Add this SPString as a child of the tref
-        sp_object_attach(SP_OBJECT(tref), tref->stringChild, tref->lastChild());
+        SP_OBJECT(tref)->attach(tref->stringChild, tref->lastChild());
         sp_object_unref(tref->stringChild, NULL);
-        sp_object_invoke_build(tref->stringChild, SP_OBJECT(tref)->document, newStringRepr, TRUE);
+        (tref->stringChild)->invoke_build(SP_OBJECT(tref)->document, newStringRepr, TRUE);
 
         Inkscape::GC::release(newStringRepr);
     }
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ sp_tref_convert_to_tspan(SPObject *obj)
     ////////////////////
     else {
         GSList *l = NULL;
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(obj) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = obj->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             sp_object_ref (SP_OBJECT (child), obj);
             l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
         }
diff --git a/src/sp-tspan.cpp b/src/sp-tspan.cpp
index db2fe6fed..a7391ac98 100644
--- a/src/sp-tspan.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-tspan.cpp
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ sp_tspan_update(SPObject *object, SPCtx *ctx, guint flags)
     flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 	
     SPObject *ochild;
-    for ( ochild = sp_object_first_child(object) ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
+    for ( ochild = object->first_child() ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
         if ( flags || ( ochild->uflags & SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_FLAG )) {
 	    ochild->updateDisplay(ctx, flags);
         }
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ sp_tspan_modified(SPObject *object, unsigned flags)
     flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 	
     SPObject *ochild;
-    for ( ochild = sp_object_first_child(object) ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
+    for ( ochild = object->first_child() ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
         if (flags || (ochild->mflags & SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_FLAG)) {
             ochild->emitModified(flags);
         }
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ sp_tspan_write(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::XML
 	
     if ( flags&SP_OBJECT_WRITE_BUILD ) {
         GSList *l = NULL;
-        for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             Inkscape::XML::Node* c_repr=NULL;
             if ( SP_IS_TSPAN(child) || SP_IS_TREF(child) ) {
                 c_repr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ sp_tspan_write(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::XML
             l = g_slist_remove(l, l->data);
         }
     } else {
-        for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if ( SP_IS_TSPAN(child) || SP_IS_TREF(child) ) {
                 child->updateRepr(flags);
             } else if ( SP_IS_TEXTPATH(child) ) {
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ sp_textpath_update(SPObject *object, SPCtx *ctx, guint flags)
     flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 			
     SPObject *ochild;
-    for ( ochild = sp_object_first_child(object) ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
+    for ( ochild = object->first_child() ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
         if ( flags || ( ochild->uflags & SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_FLAG )) {
             ochild->updateDisplay(ctx, flags);
         }
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ sp_textpath_modified(SPObject *object, unsigned flags)
     flags &= SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_CASCADE;
 	
     SPObject *ochild;
-    for ( ochild = sp_object_first_child(object) ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
+    for ( ochild = object->first_child() ; ochild ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
         if (flags || (ochild->mflags & SP_OBJECT_MODIFIED_FLAG)) {
             ochild->emitModified(flags);
         }
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ sp_textpath_write(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::
 	
     if ( flags&SP_OBJECT_WRITE_BUILD ) {
         GSList *l = NULL;
-        for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             Inkscape::XML::Node* c_repr=NULL;
             if ( SP_IS_TSPAN(child) || SP_IS_TREF(child) ) {
                 c_repr = child->updateRepr(xml_doc, NULL, flags);
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ sp_textpath_write(SPObject *object, Inkscape::XML::Document *xml_doc, Inkscape::
             l = g_slist_remove(l, l->data);
         }
     } else {
-        for (SPObject* child = sp_object_first_child(object) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject* child = object->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if ( SP_IS_TSPAN(child) || SP_IS_TREF(child) ) {
                 child->updateRepr(flags);
             } else if ( SP_IS_TEXTPATH(child) ) {
diff --git a/src/sp-use.cpp b/src/sp-use.cpp
index 1125550c8..3770b2324 100644
--- a/src/sp-use.cpp
+++ b/src/sp-use.cpp
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ sp_use_finalize(GObject *obj)
     SPUse *use = (SPUse *) obj;
 
     if (use->child) {
-        sp_object_detach(SP_OBJECT(obj), use->child);
+        SP_OBJECT(obj)->detach(use->child);
         use->child = NULL;
     }
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ sp_use_release(SPObject *object)
     SPUse *use = SP_USE(object);
 
     if (use->child) {
-        sp_object_detach(object, use->child);
+        object->detach(use->child);
         use->child = NULL;
     }
 
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ sp_use_href_changed(SPObject */*old_ref*/, SPObject */*ref*/, SPUse *use)
     use->_transformed_connection.disconnect();
 
     if (use->child) {
-        sp_object_detach(SP_OBJECT(use), use->child);
+        SP_OBJECT(use)->detach(use->child);
         use->child = NULL;
     }
 
@@ -537,9 +537,9 @@ sp_use_href_changed(SPObject */*old_ref*/, SPObject */*ref*/, SPUse *use)
             g_return_if_fail(type > G_TYPE_NONE);
             if (g_type_is_a(type, SP_TYPE_ITEM)) {
                 use->child = (SPObject*) g_object_new(type, 0);
-                sp_object_attach(SP_OBJECT(use), use->child, use->lastChild());
+                SP_OBJECT(use)->attach(use->child, use->lastChild());
                 sp_object_unref(use->child, SP_OBJECT(use));
-                sp_object_invoke_build(use->child, SP_OBJECT(use)->document, childrepr, TRUE);
+                (use->child)->invoke_build(SP_OBJECT(use)->document, childrepr, TRUE);
 
                 for (SPItemView *v = item->display; v != NULL; v = v->next) {
                     NRArenaItem *ai;
diff --git a/src/text-chemistry.cpp b/src/text-chemistry.cpp
index 5af97165e..9d4c23b25 100644
--- a/src/text-chemistry.cpp
+++ b/src/text-chemistry.cpp
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ text_remove_from_path()
             continue;
         }
 
-        SPObject *tp = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(items->data));
+        SPObject *tp = SP_OBJECT(items->data)->first_child();
 
         did = true;
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ text_remove_all_kerns_recursively(SPObject *o)
         g_strfreev(xa_comma);
     }
 
-    for (SPObject *i = sp_object_first_child(o); i != NULL; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i)) {
+    for (SPObject *i = o->first_child(); i != NULL; i = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(i)) {
         text_remove_all_kerns_recursively(i);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/text-editing.cpp b/src/text-editing.cpp
index 600059303..2ed5270fd 100644
--- a/src/text-editing.cpp
+++ b/src/text-editing.cpp
@@ -872,8 +872,8 @@ sp_te_set_repr_text_multiline(SPItem *text, gchar const *str)
     SPObject *object;
     bool is_textpath = false;
     if (SP_IS_TEXT_TEXTPATH (text)) {
-        repr = SP_OBJECT_REPR (sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT (text)));
-        object = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT (text));
+        repr = SP_OBJECT_REPR (SP_OBJECT (text)->first_child());
+        object = SP_OBJECT (text)->first_child();
         is_textpath = true;
     } else {
         repr = SP_OBJECT_REPR (text);
@@ -1331,7 +1331,7 @@ static void apply_css_recursive(SPObject *o, SPCSSAttr const *css)
 {
     sp_repr_css_change(SP_OBJECT_REPR(o), const_cast<SPCSSAttr*>(css), "style");
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(o)) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+    for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(o)->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
         if (sp_repr_css_property(const_cast<SPCSSAttr*>(css), "opacity", NULL) != NULL) {
             // Unset properties which are accumulating and thus should not be set recursively.
             // For example, setting opacity 0.5 on a group recursively would result in the visible opacity of 0.25 for an item in the group.
@@ -1418,7 +1418,7 @@ static void recursively_apply_style(SPObject *common_ancestor, SPCSSAttr const *
                         child_span->appendChild(text_in_span);
                         Inkscape::GC::release(text_in_span);
                         child->deleteObject();
-                        child = sp_object_get_child_by_repr(common_ancestor, child_span);
+                        child = common_ancestor->get_child_by_repr(child_span);
 
                     } else
                         surround_entire_string = true;
@@ -1430,7 +1430,7 @@ static void recursively_apply_style(SPObject *common_ancestor, SPCSSAttr const *
                     SP_OBJECT_REPR(common_ancestor)->removeChild(child_repr);
                     child_span->appendChild(child_repr);
                     Inkscape::GC::release(child_repr);
-                    child = sp_object_get_child_by_repr(common_ancestor, child_span);
+                    child = common_ancestor->get_child_by_repr(child_span);
                 }
                 Inkscape::GC::release(child_span);
 
diff --git a/src/tweak-context.cpp b/src/tweak-context.cpp
index cd6ff325a..775e7aec3 100644
--- a/src/tweak-context.cpp
+++ b/src/tweak-context.cpp
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ sp_tweak_dilate_recursive (Inkscape::Selection *selection, SPItem *item, Geom::P
 
     if (SP_IS_GROUP(item) && !SP_IS_BOX3D(item)) {
         GSList *children = NULL;
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(item)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(item)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if (SP_IS_ITEM(child)) {
                 children = g_slist_prepend(children, child);
             }
@@ -863,7 +863,7 @@ tweak_colors_in_gradient (SPItem *item, bool fill_or_stroke,
     double offset_l = 0;
     double offset_h = 0;
     SPObject *child_prev = NULL;
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(vector);
+    for (SPObject *child = vector->first_child();
          child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child)) {
         if (!SP_IS_STOP(child))
             continue;
@@ -923,7 +923,7 @@ sp_tweak_color_recursive (guint mode, SPItem *item, SPItem *item_at_point,
     bool did = false;
 
     if (SP_IS_GROUP(item)) {
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(item)) ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(item)->first_child() ; child != NULL; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if (SP_IS_ITEM(child)) {
                 if (sp_tweak_color_recursive (mode, SP_ITEM(child), item_at_point,
                                           fill_goal, do_fill,
diff --git a/src/ui/clipboard.cpp b/src/ui/clipboard.cpp
index aa59a7b23..e050d69b4 100644
--- a/src/ui/clipboard.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/clipboard.cpp
@@ -702,7 +702,7 @@ void ClipboardManagerImpl::_copyUsedDefs(SPItem *item)
     }
     // Copy text paths
     if (SP_IS_TEXT_TEXTPATH(item)) {
-        _copyTextPath(SP_TEXTPATH(sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(item))));
+        _copyTextPath(SP_TEXTPATH(SP_OBJECT(item)->first_child()));
     }
     // Copy clipping objects
     if (item->clip_ref->getObject()) {
@@ -759,7 +759,7 @@ void ClipboardManagerImpl::_copyPattern(SPPattern *pattern)
         _copyNode(SP_OBJECT_REPR(pattern), _doc, _defs);
 
         // items in the pattern may also use gradients and other patterns, so recurse
-        for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(pattern)) ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
+        for (SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(pattern)->first_child() ; child != NULL ; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(child) ) {
             if (!SP_IS_ITEM (child)) {
                 continue;
             }
diff --git a/src/ui/dialog/find.cpp b/src/ui/dialog/find.cpp
index 837b82291..5068e3bf4 100644
--- a/src/ui/dialog/find.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/dialog/find.cpp
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ Find::all_items (SPObject *r, GSList *l, bool hidden, bool locked)
     if (!strcmp (SP_OBJECT_REPR (r)->name(), "svg:metadata"))
         return l; // we're not interested in metadata
 
-    for (SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(r); child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT (child)) {
+    for (SPObject *child = r->first_child(); child; child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT (child)) {
         if (SP_IS_ITEM (child) && !SP_OBJECT_IS_CLONED (child) && !desktop->isLayer(SP_ITEM(child))) {
                 if ((hidden || !desktop->itemIsHidden(SP_ITEM(child))) && (locked || !SP_ITEM(child)->isLocked())) {
                     l = g_slist_prepend (l, child);
diff --git a/src/widgets/gradient-vector.cpp b/src/widgets/gradient-vector.cpp
index d8bbcd788..ffa5b12dd 100644
--- a/src/widgets/gradient-vector.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/gradient-vector.cpp
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ static void verify_grad(SPGradient *gradient)
     int i = 0;
     SPStop *stop = NULL;
     /* count stops */
-    for ( SPObject *ochild = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(gradient)) ; ochild != NULL ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
+    for ( SPObject *ochild = SP_OBJECT(gradient)->first_child() ; ochild != NULL ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
         if (SP_IS_STOP(ochild)) {
             i++;
             stop = SP_STOP(ochild);
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ static void verify_grad(SPGradient *gradient)
 static void select_stop_in_list( GtkWidget *mnu, SPGradient *gradient, SPStop *new_stop)
 {
     int i = 0;
-    for ( SPObject *ochild = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(gradient)) ; ochild != NULL ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
+    for ( SPObject *ochild = SP_OBJECT(gradient)->first_child() ; ochild != NULL ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
         if (SP_IS_STOP(ochild)) {
             if (SP_OBJECT(ochild) == SP_OBJECT(new_stop)) {
                 gtk_option_menu_set_history(GTK_OPTION_MENU(mnu), i);
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ static void update_stop_list( GtkWidget *mnu, SPGradient *gradient, SPStop *new_
     gtk_widget_show(m);
     GSList *sl = NULL;
     if ( gradient->hasStops() ) {
-        for ( SPObject *ochild = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(gradient)) ; ochild != NULL ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
+        for ( SPObject *ochild = SP_OBJECT(gradient)->first_child() ; ochild != NULL ; ochild = SP_OBJECT_NEXT(ochild) ) {
             if (SP_IS_STOP(ochild)) {
                 sl = g_slist_append(sl, ochild);
             }
diff --git a/src/widgets/stroke-style.cpp b/src/widgets/stroke-style.cpp
index 0d7b95f4c..65732d488 100644
--- a/src/widgets/stroke-style.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/stroke-style.cpp
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ ink_marker_list_get (SPDocument *source)
 
     GSList *ml   = NULL;
     SPDefs *defs = (SPDefs *) SP_DOCUMENT_DEFS (source);
-    for ( SPObject *child = sp_object_first_child(SP_OBJECT(defs));
+    for ( SPObject *child = SP_OBJECT(defs)->first_child();
           child != NULL;
           child = SP_OBJECT_NEXT (child) )
     {