diff --git a/sample/testHDF5.cpp b/sample/testHDF5.cpp
index 4011889..ab08c98 100644
--- a/sample/testHDF5.cpp
+++ b/sample/testHDF5.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ struct MyStruct2
    int d;
 };
 
+enum MyColors
+{
+  RED, GREEN, BLUE
+};
 
 CTOOL_STRUCT_TYPE(MyStruct, hdf5t_MyStruct,
     ((int, a))
@@ -63,11 +67,17 @@ CTOOL_STRUCT_TYPE(MyStruct2, hdf5t_MyStruct2,
     ((int, d))
 )
 
+CTOOL_ENUM_TYPE(MyColors, hdf5t_MyColors,
+   (RED) (GREEN) (BLUE)
+)
+
 int main()
 {
   typedef  boost::multi_array<float, 2> array_type;
   typedef  boost::multi_array<float, 3> array3_type;
   typedef  boost::multi_array<MyStruct, 1> array_mys_type;
+  typedef  boost::multi_array<MyColors, 1> array_mys_color;
+  typedef  boost::multi_array<bool, 1> array_mys_bool;
   typedef  boost::multi_array<MyStruct2, 1> array_mys2_type;
   typedef  boost::multi_array<std::complex<double>, 2> arrayc_type;
   typedef array_type::index index;
@@ -82,6 +92,13 @@ int main()
   arrayc_type D, E;
   array_mys_type F(boost::extents[10]), G;
   array_mys2_type H(boost::extents[10]);
+  array_mys_color I(boost::extents[2]);
+  array_mys_bool J(boost::extents[2]);
+  
+  I[0] = RED;
+  I[1] = BLUE;
+  J[0] = false;
+  J[1] = true;
   
   int values = 0;
   for (index i = 0; i != 2; i++)
@@ -101,7 +118,8 @@ int main()
   CosmoTool::hdf5_write_array(g, "test_data", A);
   CosmoTool::hdf5_write_array(g, "test_struct", F);
   CosmoTool::hdf5_write_array(g, "test_struct2", H);
-  
+  CosmoTool::hdf5_write_array(g, "colors", I);
+  CosmoTool::hdf5_write_array(g, "bools", J);
   CosmoTool::hdf5_read_array(g, "test_data", B);
 
   int verify = 0;
diff --git a/src/hdf5_array.hpp b/src/hdf5_array.hpp
index 59effef..c3052b1 100644
--- a/src/hdf5_array.hpp
+++ b/src/hdf5_array.hpp
@@ -146,6 +146,34 @@ namespace CosmoTool {
     }
   };
 
+  class hdf5_BoolType
+  {
+  public:
+    H5::EnumType type;
+
+    hdf5_BoolType()
+      : type(sizeof(bool))
+    {
+      bool v;
+      
+      v = true;
+      type.insert("TRUE", &v);
+      v = false;
+      type.insert("FALSE", &v);
+    }
+    static const hdf5_BoolType *ctype()
+    {
+      static hdf5_BoolType singleton;
+      
+      return &singleton;
+    }
+  };
+
+  template<> struct get_hdf5_data_type<bool> { 
+    static H5::DataType type() {
+      return hdf5_BoolType::ctype()->type;
+    }
+  };
 
   template<typename ArrayType>
   void hdf5_write_array(H5::CommonFG& fg, const std::string& data_set_name, const ArrayType& data )
@@ -295,6 +323,38 @@ namespace CosmoTool { \
     }; \
 };
 
+
+#define CTOOL_HDF5_INSERT_ENUM_ELEMENT(r, STRUCT, element) \
+     { \
+       const char *field_name = BOOST_PP_STRINGIZE(element); \
+       STRUCT a = element; \
+       type.insert(field_name, &a); \
+     } 
+
+
+#define CTOOL_ENUM_TYPE(STRUCT, TNAME, ATTRIBUTES) \
+namespace CosmoTool { \
+    class TNAME {  \
+    public:  \
+      H5::EnumType type;  \
+  \
+      TNAME() : type(sizeof(STRUCT)) \
+      {  \
+        long position; \
+        BOOST_PP_SEQ_FOR_EACH(CTOOL_HDF5_INSERT_ENUM_ELEMENT, STRUCT, ATTRIBUTES) \
+      }  \
+      \
+      static const TNAME *ctype() \
+      { \
+        static TNAME singleton; \
+        return &singleton; \
+      } \
+    }; \
+    template<> struct get_hdf5_data_type<STRUCT> { \
+        static H5::DataType type() { return TNAME::ctype()->type; }; \
+    }; \
+};
+
 #define CTOOL_ARRAY_TYPE(ARRAY_TYPE, DIM, TNAME) \
 namespace CosmoTool { \
     class TNAME { \