diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 46b72ca8..cbf7369f 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+    - added 'total' and 'iteration' section properties. (Andrei)
+    - added 'start' and 'max' section attributes/properties. (Andrei)
+    - fixed a bug in security checking of functions inside {if} tags. (Andrei)
     - fixed a bug in Config_File that would incorrectly booleanize values that
       weren't really booleans. (Andrei)
 
diff --git a/Smarty.class.php b/Smarty.class.php
index ab912926..4ef52f60 100644
--- a/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/Smarty.class.php
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ class Smarty
     var $compile_dir     =  './templates_c';   // name of directory for compiled templates 
     var $config_dir      =  './configs';       // directory where config files are located
 
-	var $debugging		 =	false;		// enable debugging console true/false
-	var $debug_tpl		 =  'file:debug.tpl'; // path to debug console template
-	    
+    var $debugging       =  false;             // enable debugging console true/false
+    var $debug_tpl       =  'file:debug.tpl';  // path to debug console template
+        
     var $global_assign   =  array( 'HTTP_SERVER_VARS' => array( 'SCRIPT_NAME' )
                                  );     // variables from the GLOBALS array
                                         // that are implicitly assigned
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class Smarty
     
     
     var $security       =   false;      // enable template security (default false)
-    var $secure_dir     =   array("./templates"); // array of directories considered secure
+    var $secure_dir     =   array('./templates'); // array of directories considered secure
     var $security_settings  = array(
                                     'PHP_HANDLING'    => false,
                                     'IF_FUNCS'        => array('array', 'list',
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ class Smarty
 
         if ($display) {
             if (isset($results)) { echo $results; }
-			if ($this->debugging) { echo $this->_generate_debug_output(); }
+            if ($this->debugging) { echo $this->_generate_debug_output(); }
             return;
         } else {
             if (isset($results)) { return $results; }
@@ -586,8 +586,8 @@ class Smarty
     }
 
 /*======================================================================*\
-	Function:	_generate_debug_output()
-	Purpose:	generate debug output
+    Function:   _generate_debug_output()
+    Purpose:    generate debug output
 \*======================================================================*/
 
 function _generate_debug_output() {
@@ -599,12 +599,12 @@ function _generate_debug_output() {
     include($compile_path);
     if ($this->show_info_include) {
         echo "\n<!-- SMARTY_END: ".$this->debug_tpl." -->\n";
-    }	
+    }   
     $results = ob_get_contents();
     ob_end_clean();
-	return $results;
-}	
-	 
+    return $results;
+}   
+     
 /*======================================================================*\
     Function:   _process_template()
     Purpose:    
diff --git a/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index 7120f714..411c3024 100644
--- a/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -421,43 +421,64 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
         foreach ($attrs as $attr_name => $attr_value) {
             switch ($attr_name) {
                 case 'loop':
-                    $output .= "{$section_props}['loop'] = is_array($attr_value) ? count($attr_value) : $attr_value;\n";
+                    $output .= "{$section_props}['loop'] = is_array($attr_value) ? count($attr_value) : max(0, (int)$attr_value);\n";
                     break;
 
                 case 'show':
                     if (is_bool($attr_value))
-                        $attr_value = $attr_value ? 'true' : 'false';
+                        $show_attr_value = $attr_value ? 'true' : 'false';
+                    else
+                        $show_attr_value = $attr_value;
+                    break;
+
+                case 'name':
                     $output .= "{$section_props}['$attr_name'] = $attr_value;\n";
                     break;
 
+                case 'max':
+                    $output .= "{$section_props}['$attr_name'] = max(0, (int)$attr_value);\n";
+                    break;
+
+                case 'start':
+                    $output .= "{$section_props}['$attr_name'] = (int)$attr_value;\n";
+                    break;
+
                 default:
-                    $output .= "{$section_props}['$attr_name'] = $attr_value;\n";
+                    $this->_syntax_error("unknown section attribute - '$attr_name'");
                     break;
             }
         }
 
-        if (isset($attrs['loop'])) {
-            $loop_check_code = "{$section_props}['loop'] > 0 && ";
-        } else {
+        if (!isset($attrs['loop']))
             $output .= "{$section_props}['loop'] = 1;\n";
-        }
 
-        if (isset($attrs['show'])) {
-            $show_check_code = "{$section_props}['show'] && ";
-        } else {
-            $output .= "{$section_props}['show'] = {$section_props}['loop'] > 0;\n";
-        }
+        if (!isset($attrs['max']))
+            $output .= "{$section_props}['max'] = {$section_props}['loop'];\n";
 
-        $output .= "if ($loop_check_code $show_check_code true): ";
+        if (!isset($attrs['start']))
+            $output .= "{$section_props}['start'] = 0;\n";
+        else
+            $output .= "if ({$section_props}['start'] < 0)\n" .
+                       "    {$section_props}['start'] = max(0, (int)({$section_props}['loop'] + {$section_props}['start']));\n";
 
+        if (isset($attrs['show']))
+            $show_attr_code .= "$show_attr_value &&";
+        $output .= "{$section_props}['show'] = $show_attr_code {$section_props}['loop'] > 0 && {$section_props}['max'] > 0 && {$section_props}['start'] < {$section_props}['loop'];\n";
+
+        $output .= "if ({$section_props}['show'])\n" .
+                   "    {$section_props}['total'] = min({$section_props}['loop'] - {$section_props}['start'], {$section_props}['max']);\n" .
+                   "else\n" .
+                   "    {$section_props}['total'] = 0;\n";
+
+        $output .= "if ({$section_props}['show']):\n";
         $output .= "
-            for ({$section_props}['index'] = 0;
-                 {$section_props}['index'] < {$section_props}['loop'];
-                 {$section_props}['index']++):\n";
+            for ({$section_props}['index'] = {$section_props}['start'], {$section_props}['iteration'] = 1;
+                 {$section_props}['index'] < {$section_props}['loop'] && {$section_props}['iteration'] <= {$section_props}['max'];
+                 {$section_props}['index']++, {$section_props}['iteration']++):\n";
         $output .= "{$section_props}['rownum'] = {$section_props}['index'] + 1;\n";
         $output .= "{$section_props}['index_prev'] = {$section_props}['index'] - 1;\n";
         $output .= "{$section_props}['index_next'] = {$section_props}['index'] + 1;\n";
-        $output .= "{$section_props}['first']      = ({$section_props}['index'] == 0);\n";
+        $output .= "{$section_props}['first']      = ({$section_props}['index'] == {$section_props}['start']);\n";
         $output .= "{$section_props}['last']       = ({$section_props}['index'] == {$section_props}['loop']-1);\n";
 
         $output .= "?>";
@@ -566,7 +587,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
                 default:
                     if($this->security &&
                        $tokens[$i+1] == '(' &&
-                       !preg_match("|[^a-zA-Z_]|",$tokens[$i]) &&
+                       preg_match('!^[a-zA-Z_]\w+$!', $tokens[$i]) &&
                        !in_array($tokens[$i], $this->security_settings['IF_FUNCS'])) {
                         $this->_syntax_error("(secure mode) '".$tokens[$i]."' not allowed in if statement");                
                     }
diff --git a/demo/index.php b/demo/index.php
index 5acebb36..9b751fc5 100644
--- a/demo/index.php
+++ b/demo/index.php
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ require("Smarty.class.php");
 $smarty = new Smarty;
 
 $smarty->compile_check = true;
-$smarty->debugging = true;
 
 $smarty->assign("now", time());
 
diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index 5acebb36..9b751fc5 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ require("Smarty.class.php");
 $smarty = new Smarty;
 
 $smarty->compile_check = true;
-$smarty->debugging = true;
 
 $smarty->assign("now", time());
 
diff --git a/libs/Smarty.class.php b/libs/Smarty.class.php
index ab912926..4ef52f60 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty.class.php
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ class Smarty
     var $compile_dir     =  './templates_c';   // name of directory for compiled templates 
     var $config_dir      =  './configs';       // directory where config files are located
 
-	var $debugging		 =	false;		// enable debugging console true/false
-	var $debug_tpl		 =  'file:debug.tpl'; // path to debug console template
-	    
+    var $debugging       =  false;             // enable debugging console true/false
+    var $debug_tpl       =  'file:debug.tpl';  // path to debug console template
+        
     var $global_assign   =  array( 'HTTP_SERVER_VARS' => array( 'SCRIPT_NAME' )
                                  );     // variables from the GLOBALS array
                                         // that are implicitly assigned
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class Smarty
     
     
     var $security       =   false;      // enable template security (default false)
-    var $secure_dir     =   array("./templates"); // array of directories considered secure
+    var $secure_dir     =   array('./templates'); // array of directories considered secure
     var $security_settings  = array(
                                     'PHP_HANDLING'    => false,
                                     'IF_FUNCS'        => array('array', 'list',
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ class Smarty
 
         if ($display) {
             if (isset($results)) { echo $results; }
-			if ($this->debugging) { echo $this->_generate_debug_output(); }
+            if ($this->debugging) { echo $this->_generate_debug_output(); }
             return;
         } else {
             if (isset($results)) { return $results; }
@@ -586,8 +586,8 @@ class Smarty
     }
 
 /*======================================================================*\
-	Function:	_generate_debug_output()
-	Purpose:	generate debug output
+    Function:   _generate_debug_output()
+    Purpose:    generate debug output
 \*======================================================================*/
 
 function _generate_debug_output() {
@@ -599,12 +599,12 @@ function _generate_debug_output() {
     include($compile_path);
     if ($this->show_info_include) {
         echo "\n<!-- SMARTY_END: ".$this->debug_tpl." -->\n";
-    }	
+    }   
     $results = ob_get_contents();
     ob_end_clean();
-	return $results;
-}	
-	 
+    return $results;
+}   
+     
 /*======================================================================*\
     Function:   _process_template()
     Purpose:    
diff --git a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index 7120f714..411c3024 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -421,43 +421,64 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
         foreach ($attrs as $attr_name => $attr_value) {
             switch ($attr_name) {
                 case 'loop':
-                    $output .= "{$section_props}['loop'] = is_array($attr_value) ? count($attr_value) : $attr_value;\n";
+                    $output .= "{$section_props}['loop'] = is_array($attr_value) ? count($attr_value) : max(0, (int)$attr_value);\n";
                     break;
 
                 case 'show':
                     if (is_bool($attr_value))
-                        $attr_value = $attr_value ? 'true' : 'false';
+                        $show_attr_value = $attr_value ? 'true' : 'false';
+                    else
+                        $show_attr_value = $attr_value;
+                    break;
+
+                case 'name':
                     $output .= "{$section_props}['$attr_name'] = $attr_value;\n";
                     break;
 
+                case 'max':
+                    $output .= "{$section_props}['$attr_name'] = max(0, (int)$attr_value);\n";
+                    break;
+
+                case 'start':
+                    $output .= "{$section_props}['$attr_name'] = (int)$attr_value;\n";
+                    break;
+
                 default:
-                    $output .= "{$section_props}['$attr_name'] = $attr_value;\n";
+                    $this->_syntax_error("unknown section attribute - '$attr_name'");
                     break;
             }
         }
 
-        if (isset($attrs['loop'])) {
-            $loop_check_code = "{$section_props}['loop'] > 0 && ";
-        } else {
+        if (!isset($attrs['loop']))
             $output .= "{$section_props}['loop'] = 1;\n";
-        }
 
-        if (isset($attrs['show'])) {
-            $show_check_code = "{$section_props}['show'] && ";
-        } else {
-            $output .= "{$section_props}['show'] = {$section_props}['loop'] > 0;\n";
-        }
+        if (!isset($attrs['max']))
+            $output .= "{$section_props}['max'] = {$section_props}['loop'];\n";
 
-        $output .= "if ($loop_check_code $show_check_code true): ";
+        if (!isset($attrs['start']))
+            $output .= "{$section_props}['start'] = 0;\n";
+        else
+            $output .= "if ({$section_props}['start'] < 0)\n" .
+                       "    {$section_props}['start'] = max(0, (int)({$section_props}['loop'] + {$section_props}['start']));\n";
 
+        if (isset($attrs['show']))
+            $show_attr_code .= "$show_attr_value &&";
+        $output .= "{$section_props}['show'] = $show_attr_code {$section_props}['loop'] > 0 && {$section_props}['max'] > 0 && {$section_props}['start'] < {$section_props}['loop'];\n";
+
+        $output .= "if ({$section_props}['show'])\n" .
+                   "    {$section_props}['total'] = min({$section_props}['loop'] - {$section_props}['start'], {$section_props}['max']);\n" .
+                   "else\n" .
+                   "    {$section_props}['total'] = 0;\n";
+
+        $output .= "if ({$section_props}['show']):\n";
         $output .= "
-            for ({$section_props}['index'] = 0;
-                 {$section_props}['index'] < {$section_props}['loop'];
-                 {$section_props}['index']++):\n";
+            for ({$section_props}['index'] = {$section_props}['start'], {$section_props}['iteration'] = 1;
+                 {$section_props}['index'] < {$section_props}['loop'] && {$section_props}['iteration'] <= {$section_props}['max'];
+                 {$section_props}['index']++, {$section_props}['iteration']++):\n";
         $output .= "{$section_props}['rownum'] = {$section_props}['index'] + 1;\n";
         $output .= "{$section_props}['index_prev'] = {$section_props}['index'] - 1;\n";
         $output .= "{$section_props}['index_next'] = {$section_props}['index'] + 1;\n";
-        $output .= "{$section_props}['first']      = ({$section_props}['index'] == 0);\n";
+        $output .= "{$section_props}['first']      = ({$section_props}['index'] == {$section_props}['start']);\n";
         $output .= "{$section_props}['last']       = ({$section_props}['index'] == {$section_props}['loop']-1);\n";
 
         $output .= "?>";
@@ -566,7 +587,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
                 default:
                     if($this->security &&
                        $tokens[$i+1] == '(' &&
-                       !preg_match("|[^a-zA-Z_]|",$tokens[$i]) &&
+                       preg_match('!^[a-zA-Z_]\w+$!', $tokens[$i]) &&
                        !in_array($tokens[$i], $this->security_settings['IF_FUNCS'])) {
                         $this->_syntax_error("(secure mode) '".$tokens[$i]."' not allowed in if statement");                
                     }