diff --git a/Expression.cpp b/Expression.cpp
index bb0aede..ec1455c 100644
--- a/Expression.cpp
+++ b/Expression.cpp
@@ -1,24 +1,29 @@
 #include "Expression.h"
+#include "Operand.h"
 #include <iostream>
 
 namespace jet {
 
-   Expression::Expression(coreutils::ZString &expression) : MString() {
-      std::cout << "Expression construction:" << expression << std::endl;
+   Expression::Expression(coreutils::ZString &in) : MString() {
+      std::cout << "Expression construction:" << in << std::endl;
 
-      if(isNumber(0, expression)) {
-	 
-      } else if(expression.equals("true"))
-        write(expression);
-      else if(expression.equals("false"))
-        write(expression);
+      Operand op1(in);
+      
+      boolean = op1.boolean;
    }
 
    Expression::~Expression() {}
 
-   bool Expression::isNumber(int reg, coreutils::ZString &expression) {
-
-      return false;
-   }   
+   bool Expression::getBooleanResult() {
+      return boolean;
+   }
    
+   double Expression::getNumericResult() {
+      return 0;
+   }
+   
+   coreutils::ZString Expression::getStringResult() {
+      return coreutils::ZString();
+   }
+      
 }
diff --git a/Expression.h b/Expression.h
index 1aeabad..875b9d9 100644
--- a/Expression.h
+++ b/Expression.h
@@ -8,11 +8,13 @@ namespace  jet {
    class Expression : public coreutils::MString {
 
     public:
-      Expression(coreutils::ZString &expression);
+      Expression(coreutils::ZString &in);
       virtual ~Expression();
 
-    private:
-      bool isNumber(int reg, coreutils::ZString &expression); 
+      bool getBooleanResult();
+      double getNumericResult();
+      coreutils::ZString getStringResult();
+      bool boolean;
    };
 
 }
diff --git a/Operand.cpp b/Operand.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..deaf72f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Operand.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#include "Operand.h"
+
+namespace jet {
+
+   Operand::Operand(coreutils::ZString &in) {
+
+      if(in.ifNext("true")) {
+	 boolean = true;
+	 return;
+      }
+      if(in.ifNext("false")) {
+	 boolean = false;
+	 return;
+      }
+      
+
+ /*     
+      if(in.ifNext("+")) {
+      }
+      if(in.ifNext("-")) {
+      }
+      if(in.getTokenInclude("0123456789")) {
+      }
+      if(in.ifNext(".")) {
+      }
+      if(in.getTokenInclude("0123456789")) {
+      }	 
+
+      if(in.ifNext("\"")) {
+      }
+    */  
+	 
+
+   }
+   
+}
diff --git a/Operand.h b/Operand.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d6b523
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Operand.h
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#ifndef __Operand_h__
+#define __Operand_h__
+
+#include "ZString.h"
+
+namespace jet {
+
+   class Operand {
+
+    public:
+      Operand(coreutils::ZString &in);
+
+      bool isNumber();
+      bool isInteger();
+      bool isFloat();
+      bool isString();
+      bool isVariable();
+
+
+      ///
+      /// boolean is set by internal processes to return the boolean
+      /// equivilent value.
+      ///
+      
+      bool boolean;
+      
+    private:
+//      dataType enum ={};
+      double doubleValue;
+      
+
+   };
+}
+
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/__if.cpp b/__if.cpp
index cb8e2a5..e7ed345 100644
--- a/__if.cpp
+++ b/__if.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 #include "__if.h"
 #include "Exception.h"
 #include <iostream>
@@ -15,11 +14,12 @@ namespace jet {
 	   throw coreutils::Exception("Either value1 or expr can be specified but not both.");
 	 if(variableDefined("value2")) {
 	    if(variableDefined("type")) {
-	       result = "true";
+	       result = Expression(variables["expr"]);
 	    } else
 	      throw coreutils::Exception("type expected if value1 and value2 specified.");
 	 } else
 	   throw coreutils::Exception("value2 required if value1 specified.");
+	 std::cout << variables["value1"].str() << "' and value2 '" << variables["value2"].str() << "' comparison" << std::endl;
       } else if(variableDefined("expr")) {
    	   if(variableDefined("value2"))
 	        throw coreutils::Exception("value2 should not be specified with expr.");
diff --git a/testjet.cpp b/testjet.cpp
index 9364ff7..5151c79 100644
--- a/testjet.cpp
+++ b/testjet.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 			   " >>>$[thename]<<<\n"
 			   " local: >>>#[name]<<<\n"
 			   " <mysql key=\"uu\">\n"
-			   "  <if value1=\"X\" value2=\"Y\" type=\"eq\">\n"
+			   "  <if value1=\"X\" value2=\"Y\" type=\"ne\">\n"
 			   "   789\n"
 			   "   <if expr=\"false\">\n"
 			   "    123\n"