diff --git a/headers/private/app/PortLink.h b/headers/private/app/PortLink.h
index e05d8078aa..00b1daa5a8 100644
--- a/headers/private/app/PortLink.h
+++ b/headers/private/app/PortLink.h
@@ -35,13 +35,7 @@ public:
 	status_t FlushWithReply(PortMessage *msg,bigtime_t timeout=B_INFINITE_TIMEOUT);
 	
 	status_t Attach(const void *data, size_t size);
-	status_t Attach(int32 data);
-	status_t Attach(int16 data);
-	status_t Attach(int8 data);
-	status_t Attach(float data);
-	status_t Attach(bool data);
-	status_t Attach(BRect data);
-	status_t Attach(BPoint data);
+	template <class Type> status_t Attach(Type data);
 	void MakeEmpty(void);
 protected:	
 	void FlattenData(int8 **buffer,int32 *size);
diff --git a/headers/private/app/PortMessage.h b/headers/private/app/PortMessage.h
index 5aa584457d..4d6c5e96c2 100644
--- a/headers/private/app/PortMessage.h
+++ b/headers/private/app/PortMessage.h
@@ -47,15 +47,8 @@ public:
 	void *Buffer(void) { return _buffer; }
 	ssize_t BufferSize(void) { return _buffersize; }
 	
-	status_t Read(int64 *data);
-	status_t Read(bool *data);
-	status_t Read(BPoint *data);
-	status_t Read(BRect *data);
-	status_t Read(float *data);
-	status_t Read(int *data);
-	status_t Read(long *data);
-	status_t Read(double *data);
 	status_t Read(void *data, ssize_t size);
+	template <class Type> status_t Read(Type *data);
 
 	void Rewind(void);
 	
diff --git a/src/kits/app/PortLink.cpp b/src/kits/app/PortLink.cpp
index e67afdee4e..cb750e0001 100644
--- a/src/kits/app/PortLink.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/app/PortLink.cpp
@@ -536,178 +536,9 @@ printf("\tAttach(): Couldn't assign data to PortLinkData object\n");
 	return B_OK;
 }
 
-// These functions were added for a major convenience in passing common types
-// Eventually, I'd like to templatize these, but for now, this'll do
-
-status_t PortLink::Attach(int32 data)
+template <class Type> status_t PortLink::Attach(Type data)
 {
-#ifdef PLDEBUG
-printf("Attach(%ld)\n",data);
-#endif
-	int32 size=sizeof(int32);
-
-#ifdef CAPACITY_CHECKING
-	if(bufferlength+size>capacity)
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-#endif
-	
-	// create a new storage object and stash the data
-	PortLinkData *pld=new PortLinkData;
-	if(pld->Set(&data,size)==B_OK)
-	{
-		attachlist->AddItem(pld);
-		bufferlength+=size;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		delete pld;
-		return B_ERROR;
-	}
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortLink::Attach(int16 data)
-{
-#ifdef PLDEBUG
-printf("Attach(%d)\n",data);
-#endif
-	int32 size=sizeof(int16);
-
-#ifdef CAPACITY_CHECKING
-	if(bufferlength+size>capacity)
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-#endif
-	
-	// create a new storage object and stash the data
-	PortLinkData *pld=new PortLinkData;
-	if(pld->Set(&data,size)==B_OK)
-	{
-		attachlist->AddItem(pld);
-		bufferlength+=size;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		delete pld;
-		return B_ERROR;
-	}
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortLink::Attach(int8 data)
-{
-#ifdef PLDEBUG
-printf("Attach(%d)\n",data);
-#endif
-	int32 size=sizeof(int8);
-
-#ifdef CAPACITY_CHECKING
-	if(bufferlength+size>capacity)
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-#endif
-	
-	// create a new storage object and stash the data
-	PortLinkData *pld=new PortLinkData;
-	if(pld->Set(&data,size)==B_OK)
-	{
-		attachlist->AddItem(pld);
-		bufferlength+=size;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		delete pld;
-		return B_ERROR;
-	}
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortLink::Attach(float data)
-{
-#ifdef PLDEBUG
-printf("Attach(%f)\n",data);
-#endif
-	int32 size=sizeof(float);
-
-#ifdef CAPACITY_CHECKING
-	if(bufferlength+size>capacity)
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-#endif
-	
-	// create a new storage object and stash the data
-	PortLinkData *pld=new PortLinkData;
-	if(pld->Set(&data,size)==B_OK)
-	{
-		attachlist->AddItem(pld);
-		bufferlength+=size;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		delete pld;
-		return B_ERROR;
-	}
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortLink::Attach(bool data)
-{
-#ifdef PLDEBUG
-printf("Attach(%s)\n",(data)?"true":"false");
-#endif
-
-	int32 size=sizeof(bool);
-
-#ifdef CAPACITY_CHECKING
-	if(bufferlength+size>capacity)
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-#endif
-	
-	// create a new storage object and stash the data
-	PortLinkData *pld=new PortLinkData;
-	if(pld->Set(&data,size)==B_OK)
-	{
-		attachlist->AddItem(pld);
-		bufferlength+=size;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		delete pld;
-		return B_ERROR;
-	}
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortLink::Attach(BRect data)
-{
-#ifdef PLDEBUG
-printf("Attach(BRect(%f,%f,%f,%f))\n",data.left,data.top,data.right,data.bottom);
-#endif
-	int32 size=sizeof(BRect);
-
-#ifdef CAPACITY_CHECKING
-	if(bufferlength+size>capacity)
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-#endif
-	
-	// create a new storage object and stash the data
-	PortLinkData *pld=new PortLinkData;
-	if(pld->Set(&data,size)==B_OK)
-	{
-		attachlist->AddItem(pld);
-		bufferlength+=size;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		delete pld;
-		return B_ERROR;
-	}
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortLink::Attach(BPoint data)
-{
-#ifdef PLDEBUG
-printf("Attach(BPoint(%f,%f))\n",data.x,data.y);
-#endif
-	int32 size=sizeof(BPoint);
+	int32 size=sizeof(Type);
 
 #ifdef CAPACITY_CHECKING
 	if(bufferlength+size>capacity)
diff --git a/src/kits/app/PortMessage.cpp b/src/kits/app/PortMessage.cpp
index 5d246c4bd3..1ab7a91f3d 100644
--- a/src/kits/app/PortMessage.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/app/PortMessage.cpp
@@ -128,130 +128,20 @@ void PortMessage::SetBuffer(const void *buffer, const ssize_t &size, const bool
 	}
 }
 
-status_t PortMessage::Read(int64 *data)
+template <class Type> status_t PortMessage::Read(Type *data)
 {
+	int32 size = sizeof(Type);
+
 	if(!data)
 		return B_BAD_VALUE;
 
 	if( !_buffer || 
-		_buffersize<sizeof(int64) ||
-		((_index+sizeof(int64))>(_buffer+_buffersize)) )
+		(_buffersize < size) ||
+		(_index+size > _buffer+_buffersize) )
 		return B_NO_MEMORY;
 	
-	*data=*((int64*)_index);
-	_index+=sizeof(bool);
-	
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortMessage::Read(bool *data)
-{
-	if(!data)
-		return B_BAD_VALUE;
-
-	if( !_buffer || 
-		_buffersize<sizeof(bool) ||
-		((_index+sizeof(bool))>(_buffer+_buffersize)) )
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-	
-	*data=*((bool*)_index);
-	_index+=sizeof(bool);
-	
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortMessage::Read(BPoint *data)
-{
-	if(!data)
-		return B_BAD_VALUE;
-
-	if( !_buffer || 
-		_buffersize<sizeof(BPoint) ||
-		((_index+sizeof(BPoint))>(_buffer+_buffersize)) )
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-	
-	*data=*((BPoint*)_index);
-	_index+=sizeof(BPoint);
-	
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortMessage::Read(BRect *data)
-{
-	if(!data)
-		return B_BAD_VALUE;
-
-	if( !_buffer || 
-		_buffersize<sizeof(BRect) ||
-		((_index+sizeof(BRect))>(_buffer+_buffersize)) )
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-	
-	*data=*((BRect*)_index);
-	_index+=sizeof(BRect);
-	
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortMessage::Read(float *data)
-{
-	if(!data)
-		return B_BAD_VALUE;
-
-	if( !_buffer || 
-		_buffersize<sizeof(float) ||
-		((_index+sizeof(float))>(_buffer+_buffersize)) )
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-	
-	*data=*((float*)_index);
-	_index+=sizeof(float);
-	
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortMessage::Read(int *data)
-{
-	if(!data)
-		return B_BAD_VALUE;
-
-	if( !_buffer || 
-		_buffersize<sizeof(int) ||
-		((_index+sizeof(int))>(_buffer+_buffersize)) )
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-	
-	*data=*((int*)_index);
-	_index+=sizeof(int);
-	
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortMessage::Read(long *data)
-{
-	if(!data)
-		return B_BAD_VALUE;
-
-	if( !_buffer || 
-		_buffersize<sizeof(long) ||
-		((_index+sizeof(long))>(_buffer+_buffersize)) )
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-	
-	*data=*((long*)_index);
-	_index+=sizeof(long);
-	
-	return B_OK;
-}
-
-status_t PortMessage::Read(double *data)
-{
-	if(!data)
-		return B_BAD_VALUE;
-
-	if( !_buffer || 
-		_buffersize<sizeof(double) ||
-		((_index+sizeof(double))>(_buffer+_buffersize)) )
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-	
-	*data=*((double*)_index);
-	_index+=sizeof(double);
+	*data=*((Type*)_index);
+	_index+=size;
 	
 	return B_OK;
 }