diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 5b6cc3a50..98888f07c 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,25 @@
+2009-10-12 Richard Frith-Macdonald <rfm@gnu.org>
+
+	* Source/NSProcessInfo.m:
+	* Headers/Foundation/NSProcessInfo.h:
+	* Tools/gspath.m:
+	* Tools/plmerge.m:
+	* Tools/xmlparse.m:
+	* Tools/sfparse.m:
+	* Tools/plparse.m:
+	* Tools/pldes.m:
+	* Tools/defaults.m:
+	* Tools/plget.m:
+	* Tools/pl2link.m:
+	* Tools/gdnc.m:
+	* Tools/plser.m:
+	* Tools/autogsdoc.m:
+	* Tools/HTMLLinker.m:
+	* Tools/cvtenc.m:
+	Add function for easy process initialisation when the automatic
+	mechanisms don't work (eg calling ObjC code from within a C or C++
+	application).
+
 2009-10-11 Eric Wasylishen <ewasylishen@gmail.com>
 
 	* Source/NSKeyValueObserving.m: add setters for common structures.
diff --git a/Headers/Foundation/NSProcessInfo.h b/Headers/Foundation/NSProcessInfo.h
index 2c9568349..9284488d6 100644
--- a/Headers/Foundation/NSProcessInfo.h
+++ b/Headers/Foundation/NSProcessInfo.h
@@ -237,19 +237,25 @@ enum {
  */
 - (BOOL) setLogFile: (NSString*)path;
 
-/**
- * Fallback/override method. The developer must call this method to initialize
- * the NSProcessInfo system if none of the system-specific hacks to
- * auto-initialize it are working.<br />
- * It is also safe to call this method to override the effects
- * of the automatic initialisation, which some applications may need
- * to do when using GNUstep libraries embedded within other frameworks.
+/** Obsolete ... the GSInitializeProcess() function has the same effect and
+ * can be called more easily from other languages (particularly C).
  */
 + (void) initializeWithArguments: (char**)argv
                            count: (int)argc
                      environment: (char**)env;
 @end
 
+/**
+ * Fallback/override function.<br />
+ * The developer must call this method to initialize
+ * the NSProcessInfo system if none of the system-specific hacks to
+ * auto-initialize it are working.<br />
+ * It is also safe to call this function to override the effects
+ * of the automatic initialisation, which some applications may need
+ * to do when using GNUstep libraries embedded within other frameworks.
+ */
+GS_EXPORT void GSInitializeProcess(int argc, char **argv, char **envp);
+
 /**
  * Function for rapid testing to see if a debug level is set.<br />
  * This is used by the debugging macros.<br />
diff --git a/Source/NSProcessInfo.m b/Source/NSProcessInfo.m
index 5b3a34d59..08635e09f 100644
--- a/Source/NSProcessInfo.m
+++ b/Source/NSProcessInfo.m
@@ -1362,6 +1362,16 @@ static void determineOperatingSystem()
 
 @end
 
+void
+GSInitializeProcess(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
+{
+  [NSProcessInfo class];
+  [gnustep_global_lock lock];
+  fallbackInitialisation = YES;
+  _gnu_process_args(argc, argv, envp);
+  [gnustep_global_lock unlock];
+}
+
 @implementation	NSProcessInfo (GNUstep)
 
 static BOOL	debugTemporarilyDisabled = NO;
@@ -1370,10 +1380,7 @@ static BOOL	debugTemporarilyDisabled = NO;
                            count: (int)argc
                      environment: (char**)env
 {
-  [gnustep_global_lock lock];
-  fallbackInitialisation = YES;
-  _gnu_process_args(argc, argv, env);
-  [gnustep_global_lock unlock];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 }
 
 - (BOOL) debugLoggingEnabled
diff --git a/Tools/HTMLLinker.m b/Tools/HTMLLinker.m
index a8705003b..4fe4c3dd8 100644
--- a/Tools/HTMLLinker.m
+++ b/Tools/HTMLLinker.m
@@ -1124,7 +1124,7 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv, char** env)
   CREATE_AUTORELEASE_POOL(pool);
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments:argv count:argc environment:env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
 
   /* Set up the cache.  */
diff --git a/Tools/autogsdoc.m b/Tools/autogsdoc.m
index 1a121aa32..ed9974a97 100644
--- a/Tools/autogsdoc.m
+++ b/Tools/autogsdoc.m
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv, char **env)
    */
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments: argv count: argc environment: env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
 
 #if GS_WITH_GC == 0
diff --git a/Tools/cvtenc.m b/Tools/cvtenc.m
index 05478815e..6795f7d41 100644
--- a/Tools/cvtenc.m
+++ b/Tools/cvtenc.m
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv, char **env)
   NSStringEncoding	enc = 0;
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments: argv count: argc environment: env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
   pool = [NSAutoreleasePool new];
   proc = [NSProcessInfo processInfo];
diff --git a/Tools/defaults.m b/Tools/defaults.m
index fa2f5ac35..4617d0560 100644
--- a/Tools/defaults.m
+++ b/Tools/defaults.m
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv, char **env)
   int derror = 0;
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments:argv count:argc environment:env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
   [NSObject enableDoubleReleaseCheck: YES];
   pool = [NSAutoreleasePool new];
diff --git a/Tools/gdnc.m b/Tools/gdnc.m
index da35d0d1d..e25600005 100644
--- a/Tools/gdnc.m
+++ b/Tools/gdnc.m
@@ -1059,7 +1059,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv, char** env)
   CREATE_AUTORELEASE_POOL(pool);
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments: argv count: argc environment: env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
   [NSObject enableDoubleReleaseCheck: YES];
   pInfo = [NSProcessInfo processInfo];
diff --git a/Tools/gspath.m b/Tools/gspath.m
index 571aa2c1e..91a4bdd9d 100644
--- a/Tools/gspath.m
+++ b/Tools/gspath.m
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv, char **env)
   NSArray		*args;
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments:argv count:argc environment:env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
   pool = [NSAutoreleasePool new];
   proc = [NSProcessInfo processInfo];
diff --git a/Tools/pl2link.m b/Tools/pl2link.m
index 4437de777..89d890a0f 100644
--- a/Tools/pl2link.m
+++ b/Tools/pl2link.m
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv, char **env)
   NSString		*entry;
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments:argv count:argc environment:env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
   pool = [NSAutoreleasePool new];
   procinfo = [NSProcessInfo processInfo];
diff --git a/Tools/pldes.m b/Tools/pldes.m
index ef2fa012c..6df1c3da0 100644
--- a/Tools/pldes.m
+++ b/Tools/pldes.m
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv, char **env)
   unsigned		i;
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments:argv count:argc environment:env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
   pool = [NSAutoreleasePool new];
   proc = [NSProcessInfo processInfo];
diff --git a/Tools/plget.m b/Tools/plget.m
index 78b793855..90e08c60a 100644
--- a/Tools/plget.m
+++ b/Tools/plget.m
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv, char **env)
   int			count;
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments:argv count:argc environment:env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
   proc = [NSProcessInfo processInfo];
   if (proc == nil)
diff --git a/Tools/plmerge.m b/Tools/plmerge.m
index 3c7682ccc..234c4814f 100644
--- a/Tools/plmerge.m
+++ b/Tools/plmerge.m
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv, char **env)
   unsigned		i;
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments:argv count:argc environment:env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
   pool = [NSAutoreleasePool new];
   procinfo = [NSProcessInfo processInfo];
diff --git a/Tools/plparse.m b/Tools/plparse.m
index edc6f8358..78767f394 100644
--- a/Tools/plparse.m
+++ b/Tools/plparse.m
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv, char **env)
   int			retval = 0;
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments:argv count:argc environment:env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
   pool = [NSAutoreleasePool new];
   proc = [NSProcessInfo processInfo];
diff --git a/Tools/plser.m b/Tools/plser.m
index b73aa53e0..708304646 100644
--- a/Tools/plser.m
+++ b/Tools/plser.m
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv, char **env)
   unsigned		i;
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments:argv count:argc environment:env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
   pool = [NSAutoreleasePool new];
   proc = [NSProcessInfo processInfo];
diff --git a/Tools/sfparse.m b/Tools/sfparse.m
index 14fc1e45d..a3c95c23d 100644
--- a/Tools/sfparse.m
+++ b/Tools/sfparse.m
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv, char **env)
   int			retval = 0;
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments:argv count:argc environment:env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
   pool = [NSAutoreleasePool new];
   proc = [NSProcessInfo processInfo];
diff --git a/Tools/xmlparse.m b/Tools/xmlparse.m
index 31a61544d..1f8297ea1 100644
--- a/Tools/xmlparse.m
+++ b/Tools/xmlparse.m
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv, char **env)
   CREATE_AUTORELEASE_POOL(pool);
 
 #ifdef GS_PASS_ARGUMENTS
-  [NSProcessInfo initializeWithArguments: argv count: argc environment: env];
+  GSInitializeProcess(argc, argv, env);
 #endif
 
 #ifndef HAVE_LIBXML