diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index fb25d2dd8..96efa97dd 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ else()
   option(GTSAM_BUILD_SHARED_LIBRARY        "Enable/Disable building of a shared version of gtsam" ON)
 endif()
 option(GTSAM_BUILD_STATIC_LIBRARY        "Enable/Disable building of a static version of gtsam" ON)
+option(GTSAM_BUILD_TYPE_POSTFIXES        "Enable/Disable appending the build type to the name of compiled libraries" OFF)
 option(GTSAM_USE_QUATERNIONS             "Enable/Disable using an internal Quaternion representation for rotations instead of rotation matrices" OFF)
 if(MSVC)
   option(GTSAM_BUILD_CONVENIENCE_LIBRARIES "Enable/Disable use of convenience libraries for faster development rebuilds, but slower install" OFF)
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ print_config_flag(${GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS}                 "Build Tests
 print_config_flag(${GTSAM_BUILD_WRAP}                  "Build Wrap                     ")
 print_config_flag(${GTSAM_BUILD_SHARED_LIBRARY}        "Build shared GTSAM Library     ")
 print_config_flag(${GTSAM_BUILD_STATIC_LIBRARY}        "Build static GTSAM Library     ")
+print_config_flag(${GTSAM_BUILD_TYPE_POSTFIXES}        "Put build-type in library name ")
 print_config_flag(${GTSAM_BUILD_CONVENIENCE_LIBRARIES} "Build Convenience Libraries    ")
 if(GTSAM_UNSTABLE_AVAILABLE)
     print_config_flag(${GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE}           "Build libgtsam_unstable       ")
diff --git a/gtsam/base/types.cpp b/gtsam/base/types.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ea4db72c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gtsam/base/types.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+ * GTSAM Copyright 2010, Georgia Tech Research Corporation, 
+ * Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0415
+ * All Rights Reserved
+ * Authors: Frank Dellaert, et al. (see THANKS for the full author list)
+
+ * See LICENSE for the license information
+
+ * -------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+/**
+ * @file     types.h
+ * @brief    Typedefs for easier changing of types
+ * @author   Richard Roberts
+ * @date     Aug 21, 2010
+ * @addtogroup base
+ */
+
+#include <boost/lexical_cast.hpp>
+
+#include <gtsam/base/types.h>
+
+namespace gtsam {
+
+  std::string _defaultIndexFormatter(Index j) {
+    return boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(j);
+  }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/gtsam/base/types.h b/gtsam/base/types.h
index 5559518b3..a42c2acc5 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/types.h
+++ b/gtsam/base/types.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include <cstddef>
 
+#include <string>
 #include <boost/function/function1.hpp>
 
 namespace gtsam {
@@ -32,6 +33,11 @@ namespace gtsam {
    * to a nonlinear key and then to a Symbol. */
   typedef boost::function<std::string(Index)> IndexFormatter;
 
+  std::string _defaultIndexFormatter(Index j);
+
+  /** The default IndexFormatter outputs the index */
+  static const IndexFormatter DefaultIndexFormatter = &_defaultIndexFormatter;
+
 	/**
 	 * Helper class that uses templates to select between two types based on
 	 * whether TEST_TYPE is const or not.
diff --git a/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteConditional.h b/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteConditional.h
index 6de9989f2..e05bfd669 100644
--- a/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteConditional.h
+++ b/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteConditional.h
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ namespace gtsam {
 
 		/** GTSAM-style print */
 		void print(const std::string& s = "Discrete Conditional: ",
-				const boost::function<std::string(Index)>& formatter
-				= &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>)) const {
+				const IndexFormatter& formatter
+				=DefaultIndexFormatter) const {
 			std::cout << s << std::endl;
 			IndexConditional::print(s, formatter);
 			Potentials::print(s);
diff --git a/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteFactor.h b/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteFactor.h
index deac7efce..9b1130bae 100644
--- a/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteFactor.h
+++ b/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteFactor.h
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ namespace gtsam {
 
 		// print
 		virtual void print(const std::string& s = "DiscreteFactor\n",
-				const boost::function<std::string(Index)>& formatter
-				= &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>)) const {
+				const IndexFormatter& formatter
+				=DefaultIndexFormatter) const {
 			IndexFactor::print(s,formatter);
 		}
 
diff --git a/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteFactorGraph.h b/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteFactorGraph.h
index 44b814507..0f399abdd 100644
--- a/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteFactorGraph.h
+++ b/gtsam/discrete/DiscreteFactorGraph.h
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ public:
 
 	/// print
 	void print(const std::string& s = "DiscreteFactorGraph",
-			const IndexFormatter& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>)) const;
+			const IndexFormatter& formatter =DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 };
 // DiscreteFactorGraph
 
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/BayesNet-inl.h b/gtsam/inference/BayesNet-inl.h
index 89361e8fc..c306cb39d 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/BayesNet-inl.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/BayesNet-inl.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 	/* ************************************************************************* */
 	template<class CONDITIONAL>
 	void BayesNet<CONDITIONAL>::print(const std::string& s,
-			const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter) const {
+			const IndexFormatter& formatter) const {
 		std::cout << s;
 		BOOST_REVERSE_FOREACH(sharedConditional conditional, conditionals_)
 			conditional->print("Conditional", formatter);
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/BayesNet.h b/gtsam/inference/BayesNet.h
index 32abd9ed6..67d59c48d 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/BayesNet.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/BayesNet.h
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ public:
 
   /** print */
   void print(const std::string& s = "",
-  		const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, KeyType>)) const;
+  		const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
   /** print statistics */
   void printStats(const std::string& s = "") const;
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/BayesTree.h b/gtsam/inference/BayesTree.h
index 6413e4b0d..7391e9a10 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/BayesTree.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/BayesTree.h
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 		// A convenience class for a list of shared cliques
 		struct Cliques : public std::list<sharedClique> {
 			void print(const std::string& s = "Cliques",
-					const IndexFormatter& indexFormatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>)) const;
+					const IndexFormatter& indexFormatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 			bool equals(const Cliques& other, double tol = 1e-9) const;
 		};
 
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 
 		/** print */
 		void print(const std::string& s = "",
-				const IndexFormatter& indexFormatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>) ) const;
+				const IndexFormatter& indexFormatter = DefaultIndexFormatter ) const;
 
 		/// @}
 		/// @name Standard Interface
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 		 */
 
 		/** saves the Tree to a text file in GraphViz format */
-		void saveGraph(const std::string& s, const IndexFormatter& indexFormatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>) ) const;
+		void saveGraph(const std::string& s, const IndexFormatter& indexFormatter = DefaultIndexFormatter ) const;
 
 		/// @}
 		/// @name Advanced Interface
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/BayesTreeCliqueBase.h b/gtsam/inference/BayesTreeCliqueBase.h
index d054fe43f..a2fb8feef 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/BayesTreeCliqueBase.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/BayesTreeCliqueBase.h
@@ -93,10 +93,10 @@ namespace gtsam {
     }
 
     /** print this node */
-    void print(const std::string& s = "", const IndexFormatter& indexFormatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>) ) const;
+    void print(const std::string& s = "", const IndexFormatter& indexFormatter = DefaultIndexFormatter ) const;
 
     /** print this node and entire subtree below it */
-    void printTree(const std::string& indent="", const IndexFormatter& indexFormatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>) ) const;
+    void printTree(const std::string& indent="", const IndexFormatter& indexFormatter = DefaultIndexFormatter ) const;
 
   	/// @}
   	/// @name Standard Interface
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/ClusterTree-inl.h b/gtsam/inference/ClusterTree-inl.h
index b3fe204e7..3b8deb316 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/ClusterTree-inl.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/ClusterTree-inl.h
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 	/* ************************************************************************* */
 	template<class FG>
 	void ClusterTree<FG>::Cluster::print(const std::string& indent,
-			const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter) const {
+			const IndexFormatter& formatter) const {
 		std::cout << indent;
 		BOOST_FOREACH(const Index key, frontal)
 						std::cout << formatter(key) << " ";
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 	/* ************************************************************************* */
 	template<class FG>
 	void ClusterTree<FG>::Cluster::printTree(const std::string& indent,
-			const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter) const {
+			const IndexFormatter& formatter) const {
 		print(indent, formatter);
 		BOOST_FOREACH(const shared_ptr& child, children_)
 						child->printTree(indent + "  ", formatter);
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 	 * ************************************************************************* */
 	template<class FG>
 	void ClusterTree<FG>::print(const std::string& str,
-			const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter) const {
+			const IndexFormatter& formatter) const {
 		std::cout << str << std::endl;
 		if (root_) root_->printTree("", formatter);
 	}
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/ClusterTree.h b/gtsam/inference/ClusterTree.h
index f253fe4d6..276ef374d 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/ClusterTree.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/ClusterTree.h
@@ -78,10 +78,10 @@ namespace gtsam {
       Cluster(FRONTALIT firstFrontal, FRONTALIT lastFrontal, SEPARATORIT firstSeparator, SEPARATORIT lastSeparator);
 
 			/// print
-			void print(const std::string& indent, const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, KeyType>)) const;
+			void print(const std::string& indent, const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
 			/// print the enire tree
-			void printTree(const std::string& indent, const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, KeyType>)) const;
+			void printTree(const std::string& indent, const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
 			/// check equality
 			bool equals(const Cluster& other) const;
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
   	/// @{
 
 		/// print the object
-		void print(const std::string& str="", const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, KeyType>)) const;
+		void print(const std::string& str="", const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
 		/** check equality */
 		bool equals(const ClusterTree<FG>& other, double tol = 1e-9) const;
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/Conditional.h b/gtsam/inference/Conditional.h
index 97f885596..8363c1800 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/Conditional.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/Conditional.h
@@ -131,8 +131,7 @@ public:
 	/// @{
 
   /** print with optional formatter */
-  void print(const std::string& s = "Conditional",
-  		const boost::function<std::string(KEY)>& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, KEY>) ) const;
+  void print(const std::string& s = "Conditional", const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
   /** check equality */
   template<class DERIVED>
@@ -201,7 +200,7 @@ private:
 
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 template<typename KEY>
-void Conditional<KEY>::print(const std::string& s, const boost::function<std::string(KEY)>& formatter) const {
+void Conditional<KEY>::print(const std::string& s, const IndexFormatter& formatter) const {
   std::cout << s << " P(";
   BOOST_FOREACH(KeyType key, frontals()) std::cout << " " << formatter(key);
   	if (nrParents()>0) std::cout << " |";
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree-inl.h b/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree-inl.h
index 81c98c926..2e977aa4b 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree-inl.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree-inl.h
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ EliminationTree<FACTOR>::Create(const FactorGraph<DERIVEDFACTOR>& factorGraph) {
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 template<class FACTORGRAPH>
 void EliminationTree<FACTORGRAPH>::print(const std::string& name,
-		const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter) const {
+		const IndexFormatter& formatter) const {
   std::cout << name << " (" << formatter(key_) << ")" << std::endl;
   BOOST_FOREACH(const sharedFactor& factor, factors_) {
     factor->print(name + "  ", formatter); }
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree.h b/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree.h
index 8e57a7208..495fb40c8 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree.h
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ public:
 
   /** Print the tree to cout */
   void print(const std::string& name = "EliminationTree: ",
-  		const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, KeyType>)) const;
+  		const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
   /** Test whether the tree is equal to another */
   bool equals(const EliminationTree& other, double tol = 1e-9) const;
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/Factor-inl.h b/gtsam/inference/Factor-inl.h
index ad9f43701..6636b646c 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/Factor-inl.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/Factor-inl.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 	/* ************************************************************************* */
 	template<typename KEY>
 	void Factor<KEY>::print(const std::string& s,
-			const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter) const {
+			const IndexFormatter& formatter) const {
 		std::cout << s << " ";
 		BOOST_FOREACH(KEY key, keys_) std::cout << " " << formatter(key);
 		std::cout << std::endl;
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/Factor.h b/gtsam/inference/Factor.h
index 0e80fc8ea..d81c911a3 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/Factor.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/Factor.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <boost/foreach.hpp>
 #include <boost/function/function1.hpp>
 #include <boost/lexical_cast.hpp>
+#include <gtsam/base/types.h>
 #include <gtsam/base/FastMap.h>
 
 namespace gtsam {
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ public:
 
   /// print
   void print(const std::string& s = "Factor",
-  		const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, KeyType>)) const;
+  		const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
   /// check equality
   bool equals(const This& other, double tol = 1e-9) const;
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/FactorGraph-inl.h b/gtsam/inference/FactorGraph-inl.h
index c787655af..caf18d60e 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/FactorGraph-inl.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/FactorGraph-inl.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 	/* ************************************************************************* */
 	template<class FACTOR>
 	void FactorGraph<FACTOR>::print(const std::string& s,
-			const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter) const {
+			const IndexFormatter& formatter) const {
 		std::cout << s << std::endl;
 		std::cout << "size: " << size() << std::endl;
 		for (size_t i = 0; i < factors_.size(); i++) {
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/FactorGraph.h b/gtsam/inference/FactorGraph.h
index 905afc55c..d0b9952d5 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/FactorGraph.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/FactorGraph.h
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ template<class CONDITIONAL, class CLIQUE> class BayesTree;
 
 		/** print out graph */
 		void print(const std::string& s = "FactorGraph",
-				const boost::function<std::string(KeyType)>& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, KeyType>)) const;
+				const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
 		/** Check equality */
 		bool equals(const This& fg, double tol = 1e-9) const;
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/GaussianConditional.h b/gtsam/linear/GaussianConditional.h
index 68b537c2d..5b7801156 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/GaussianConditional.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/GaussianConditional.h
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ public:
 
 	/** print */
 	void print(const std::string& = "GaussianConditional",
-			const IndexFormatter& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>)) const;
+			const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
 	/** equals function */
 	bool equals(const GaussianConditional &cg, double tol = 1e-9) const;
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/GaussianDensity.h b/gtsam/linear/GaussianDensity.h
index 61db582f4..4d4f673f9 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/GaussianDensity.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/GaussianDensity.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 
 		/// print
 		void print(const std::string& = "GaussianDensity",
-				const IndexFormatter& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>)) const;
+				const IndexFormatter& formatter =DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
 		/// Mean \f$ \mu = R^{-1} d \f$
 		Vector mean() const;
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/GaussianFactor.h b/gtsam/linear/GaussianFactor.h
index 64e4e970c..a20c09a43 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/GaussianFactor.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/GaussianFactor.h
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 
     // Implementing Testable interface
     virtual void print(const std::string& s = "",
-    		const IndexFormatter& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>)) const = 0;
+    		const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const = 0;
 
     virtual bool equals(const GaussianFactor& lf, double tol = 1e-9) const = 0;
 
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/HessianFactor.h b/gtsam/linear/HessianFactor.h
index 92f5c06d0..f90a33c5e 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/HessianFactor.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/HessianFactor.h
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 
     /** Print the factor for debugging and testing (implementing Testable) */
     virtual void print(const std::string& s = "",
-    		const IndexFormatter& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>)) const;
+    		const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
     /** Compare to another factor for testing (implementing Testable) */
     virtual bool equals(const GaussianFactor& lf, double tol = 1e-9) const;
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.h b/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.h
index 14d073576..0ac085987 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.h
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 
     // Implementing Testable interface
     virtual void print(const std::string& s = "",
-    		const IndexFormatter& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>)) const;
+    		const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
     virtual bool equals(const GaussianFactor& lf, double tol = 1e-9) const;
 
     Vector unweighted_error(const VectorValues& c) const; /** (A*x-b) */
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
index 89c59a6ad..04c280577 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 
     /** print required by Testable for unit testing */
     void print(const std::string& str = "VectorValues: ",
-    		const IndexFormatter& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>)) const;
+    		const IndexFormatter& formatter =DefaultIndexFormatter) const;
 
     /** equals required by Testable for unit testing */
     bool equals(const VectorValues& x, double tol = 1e-9) const;
diff --git a/gtsam/nonlinear/ISAM2.h b/gtsam/nonlinear/ISAM2.h
index 00c8a026c..c118cb44e 100644
--- a/gtsam/nonlinear/ISAM2.h
+++ b/gtsam/nonlinear/ISAM2.h
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ public:
 
   /** print this node */
   void print(const std::string& s = "",
-  		const IndexFormatter& formatter = &(boost::lexical_cast<std::string, Index>)) const {
+  		const IndexFormatter& formatter = DefaultIndexFormatter) const {
     Base::print(s,formatter);
     if(cachedFactor_)
       cachedFactor_->print(s + "Cached: ", formatter);