diff --git a/src/hdf5_array.hpp b/src/hdf5_array.hpp
index abcdc79..68c3dcb 100644
--- a/src/hdf5_array.hpp
+++ b/src/hdf5_array.hpp
@@ -97,13 +97,13 @@ namespace CosmoTool {
 //!     \author leo Goodstadt (04 March 2013)
 //!     
 //!_______________________________________________________________________________________
-  template<typename T, std::size_t DIMENSIONS, typename hdf5_data_type>
+  template<typename ArrayType,  typename hdf5_data_type>
   void hdf5_write_array(H5::CommonFG& fg, const std::string& data_set_name, 
-                        const boost::multi_array<T, DIMENSIONS>& data, 
+                        const ArrayType& data, 
                         const hdf5_data_type& datatype)
   {
-      std::vector<hsize_t> dimensions(data.shape(), data.shape() + DIMENSIONS);
-      H5::DataSpace dataspace(DIMENSIONS, dimensions.data());
+      std::vector<hsize_t> dimensions(data.shape(), data.shape() + data.num_dimensions());
+      H5::DataSpace dataspace(data.num_dimensions(), dimensions.data());
 
       H5::DataSet dataset = fg.createDataSet(data_set_name, datatype, dataspace);
 
@@ -134,19 +134,27 @@ namespace CosmoTool {
     }
   };
 
-  template<typename T, std::size_t DIMENSIONS>
-  void hdf5_write_array(H5::CommonFG& fg, const std::string& data_set_name, const boost::multi_array<T, DIMENSIONS>& data )
+  template<> struct get_hdf5_data_type<std::complex<float> > { 
+    static H5::DataType type() { 
+      return hdf5_ComplexType<float>::ctype()->type; 
+    }
+  };
+
+  template<> struct get_hdf5_data_type<std::complex<double> > { 
+    static H5::DataType type() { 
+      return hdf5_ComplexType<double>::ctype()->type; 
+    }
+  };
+
+
+  template<typename ArrayType>
+  void hdf5_write_array(H5::CommonFG& fg, const std::string& data_set_name, const ArrayType& data )
   {
+      typedef typename ArrayType::value_type T;
       get_hdf5_data_type<T> hdf_data_type;
+      
       hdf5_write_array(fg, data_set_name, data, hdf_data_type.type());
   }
-
-  template<typename T, std::size_t DIMENSIONS>
-  void hdf5_write_array(H5::CommonFG& fg, const std::string& data_set_name, const boost::multi_array<std::complex<T>, DIMENSIONS>& data )
-  {
-      hdf5_write_array(fg, data_set_name, data, hdf5_ComplexType<T>::ctype()->type);
-  }
-
   
   // HDF5 array reader
   //