diff --git a/functions.cc b/functions.cc
index f8d4d598b38d9ef0e54fd20b68601a56a13f43e5..47ac91bc6875f60079ee52f5e9454a9c38adacc0 100644
--- a/functions.cc
+++ b/functions.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #include "options.h"
 
+// $Id$
+
 namespace Utilities {
 
   void string_to_T(bool &b, const string& s) {
@@ -21,4 +23,10 @@ namespace Utilities {
     v = atof(s.c_str());
   }
 
+  ostream& operator<<(ostream &os, const BaseOption& o) {
+    return os << 
+      "\t" << o.key() << 
+      "\t" << o.help_text();
+  }
+
 }