diff --git a/lemon/lgf_writer.h b/lemon/lgf_writer.h
--- a/lemon/lgf_writer.h
+++ b/lemon/lgf_writer.h
@@ -71,6 +71,27 @@
       }
     };
 
+    template <typename _Graph, bool _dir, typename _Map>
+    class GraphArcMapLess {
+    public:
+      typedef _Map Map;
+      typedef _Graph Graph;
+      typedef typename Graph::Edge Item;
+
+    private:
+      const Graph& _graph;
+      const Map& _map;
+      
+    public:
+      GraphArcMapLess(const Graph& graph, const Map& map) 
+	: _graph(graph), _map(map) {}
+
+      bool operator()(const Item& left, const Item& right) {
+	return _map[_graph.direct(left, _dir)] < 
+	  _map[_graph.direct(right, _dir)];
+      }
+    };
+
     template <typename _Item>    
     class MapStorageBase {
     public:
@@ -110,6 +131,36 @@
       }
     };
 
+    template <typename _Graph, bool _dir, typename _Map, 
+	      typename _Converter = DefaultConverter<typename _Map::Value> >
+    class GraphArcMapStorage : public MapStorageBase<typename _Graph::Edge> {
+    public:
+      typedef _Map Map;
+      typedef _Converter Converter;
+      typedef _Graph Graph;
+      typedef typename Graph::Edge Item;
+      static const bool dir = _dir;
+      
+    private:
+      const Graph& _graph;
+      const Map& _map;
+      Converter _converter;
+
+    public:
+      GraphArcMapStorage(const Graph& graph, const Map& map,  
+			 const Converter& converter = Converter()) 
+	: _graph(graph), _map(map), _converter(converter) {}
+      virtual ~GraphArcMapStorage() {}
+
+      virtual std::string get(const Item& item) {
+	return _converter(_map[_graph.direct(item, dir)]);
+      }
+      virtual void sort(std::vector<Item>& items) {
+	GraphArcMapLess<Graph, dir, Map> less(_graph, _map);
+	std::sort(items.begin(), items.end(), less);
+      }
+    };
+
     class ValueStorageBase {
     public:
       ValueStorageBase() {}
@@ -154,6 +205,26 @@
       }
     };
 
+    template <typename Graph>
+    struct GraphArcLookUpConverter {
+      const Graph& _graph;
+      const std::map<typename Graph::Edge, std::string>& _map;
+      
+      GraphArcLookUpConverter(const Graph& graph, 
+			      const std::map<typename Graph::Edge, 
+			                     std::string>& map) 
+	: _graph(graph), _map(map) {}
+      
+      std::string operator()(const typename Graph::Arc& val) {
+	typename std::map<typename Graph::Edge, std::string>
+	  ::const_iterator it = _map.find(val);
+	if (it == _map.end()) {
+	  throw DataFormatError("Item not found");
+	}
+	return (_graph.direction(val) ? '+' : '-') + it->second;
+      }
+    };
+
     bool isWhiteSpace(char c) {
       return c == ' ' || c == '\t' || c == '\v' || 
         c == '\n' || c == '\r' || c == '\f'; 
@@ -738,6 +809,517 @@
     DigraphWriter<Digraph> tmp(fn, digraph);
     return tmp;
   }
+
+  /// \ingroup lemon_io
+  ///  
+  /// \brief LGF writer for directed graphs
+  ///
+  /// This utility writes an \ref lgf-format "LGF" file.
+  template <typename _Graph>
+  class GraphWriter {
+  public:
+
+    typedef _Graph Graph;
+    TEMPLATE_GRAPH_TYPEDEFS(Graph);
+    
+  private:
+
+
+    std::ostream* _os;
+    bool local_os;
+
+    Graph& _graph;
+
+    std::string _nodes_caption;
+    std::string _edges_caption;
+    std::string _attributes_caption;
+    
+    typedef std::map<Node, std::string> NodeIndex;
+    NodeIndex _node_index;
+    typedef std::map<Edge, std::string> EdgeIndex;
+    EdgeIndex _edge_index;
+
+    typedef std::vector<std::pair<std::string, 
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Node>* > > NodeMaps;    
+    NodeMaps _node_maps; 
+
+    typedef std::vector<std::pair<std::string, 
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Edge>* > >EdgeMaps;
+    EdgeMaps _edge_maps;
+
+    typedef std::vector<std::pair<std::string, 
+      _writer_bits::ValueStorageBase*> > Attributes;
+    Attributes _attributes;
+
+    bool _skip_nodes;
+    bool _skip_edges;
+
+  public:
+
+    /// \brief Constructor
+    ///
+    /// Construct a directed graph writer, which writes to the given
+    /// output stream.
+    GraphWriter(std::ostream& is, Graph& graph) 
+      : _os(&is), local_os(false), _graph(graph),
+	_skip_nodes(false), _skip_edges(false) {}
+
+    /// \brief Constructor
+    ///
+    /// Construct a directed graph writer, which writes to the given
+    /// output file.
+    GraphWriter(const std::string& fn, Graph& graph) 
+      : _os(new std::ofstream(fn.c_str())), local_os(true), _graph(graph),
+	_skip_nodes(false), _skip_edges(false) {}
+
+    /// \brief Constructor
+    ///
+    /// Construct a directed graph writer, which writes to the given
+    /// output file.
+    GraphWriter(const char* fn, Graph& graph) 
+      : _os(new std::ofstream(fn)), local_os(true), _graph(graph),
+	_skip_nodes(false), _skip_edges(false) {}
+
+    /// \brief Copy constructor
+    ///
+    /// The copy constructor transfers all data from the other writer,
+    /// therefore the copied writer will not be usable more. 
+    GraphWriter(GraphWriter& other) 
+      : _os(other._os), local_os(other.local_os), _graph(other._graph),
+	_skip_nodes(other._skip_nodes), _skip_edges(other._skip_edges) {
+
+      other._os = 0;
+      other.local_os = false;
+
+      _node_index.swap(other._node_index);
+      _edge_index.swap(other._edge_index);
+
+      _node_maps.swap(other._node_maps);
+      _edge_maps.swap(other._edge_maps);
+      _attributes.swap(other._attributes);
+
+      _nodes_caption = other._nodes_caption;
+      _edges_caption = other._edges_caption;
+      _attributes_caption = other._attributes_caption;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Destructor
+    ~GraphWriter() {
+      for (typename NodeMaps::iterator it = _node_maps.begin(); 
+	   it != _node_maps.end(); ++it) {
+	delete it->second;
+      }
+
+      for (typename EdgeMaps::iterator it = _edge_maps.begin(); 
+	   it != _edge_maps.end(); ++it) {
+	delete it->second;
+      }
+
+      for (typename Attributes::iterator it = _attributes.begin(); 
+	   it != _attributes.end(); ++it) {
+	delete it->second;
+      }
+
+      if (local_os) {
+	delete _os;
+      }
+    }
+
+  private:
+    
+    GraphWriter& operator=(const GraphWriter&);
+
+  public:
+
+    /// \name Writing rules
+    /// @{
+    
+    /// \brief Node map reading rule
+    ///
+    /// Add a node map reading rule to the writer.
+    template <typename Map>
+    GraphWriter& nodeMap(const std::string& caption, const Map& map) {
+      checkConcept<concepts::ReadMap<Node, typename Map::Value>, Map>();
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Node>* storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::MapStorage<Node, Map>(map);
+      _node_maps.push_back(std::make_pair(caption, storage));
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Node map writing rule
+    ///
+    /// Add a node map writing rule with specialized converter to the
+    /// writer.
+    template <typename Map, typename Converter>
+    GraphWriter& nodeMap(const std::string& caption, const Map& map, 
+			   const Converter& converter = Converter()) {
+      checkConcept<concepts::ReadMap<Node, typename Map::Value>, Map>();
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Node>* storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::MapStorage<Node, Map, Converter>(map, converter);
+      _node_maps.push_back(std::make_pair(caption, storage));
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Edge map writing rule
+    ///
+    /// Add an edge map writing rule to the writer.
+    template <typename Map>
+    GraphWriter& edgeMap(const std::string& caption, const Map& map) {
+      checkConcept<concepts::ReadMap<Edge, typename Map::Value>, Map>();
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Edge>* storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::MapStorage<Edge, Map>(map);
+      _edge_maps.push_back(std::make_pair(caption, storage));
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Edge map writing rule
+    ///
+    /// Add an edge map writing rule with specialized converter to the
+    /// writer.
+    template <typename Map, typename Converter>
+    GraphWriter& edgeMap(const std::string& caption, const Map& map, 
+			  const Converter& converter = Converter()) {
+      checkConcept<concepts::ReadMap<Edge, typename Map::Value>, Map>();
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Edge>* storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::MapStorage<Edge, Map, Converter>(map, converter);
+      _edge_maps.push_back(std::make_pair(caption, storage));
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Arc map writing rule
+    ///
+    /// Add an arc map writing rule to the writer.
+    template <typename Map>
+    GraphWriter& arcMap(const std::string& caption, const Map& map) {
+      checkConcept<concepts::ReadMap<Arc, typename Map::Value>, Map>();
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Edge>* forward_storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::GraphArcMapStorage<Graph, true, Map>(_graph, map);
+      _edge_maps.push_back(std::make_pair('+' + caption, forward_storage));
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Edge>* backward_storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::GraphArcMapStorage<Graph, false, Map>(_graph, map);
+      _edge_maps.push_back(std::make_pair('-' + caption, backward_storage));
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Arc map writing rule
+    ///
+    /// Add an arc map writing rule with specialized converter to the
+    /// writer.
+    template <typename Map, typename Converter>
+    GraphWriter& arcMap(const std::string& caption, const Map& map, 
+			  const Converter& converter = Converter()) {
+      checkConcept<concepts::ReadMap<Arc, typename Map::Value>, Map>();
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Edge>* forward_storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::GraphArcMapStorage<Graph, true, Map, Converter>
+	(_graph, map, converter);
+      _edge_maps.push_back(std::make_pair('+' + caption, forward_storage));
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Edge>* backward_storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::GraphArcMapStorage<Graph, false, Map, Converter>
+	(_graph, map, converter);
+      _edge_maps.push_back(std::make_pair('-' + caption, backward_storage));
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Attribute writing rule
+    ///
+    /// Add an attribute writing rule to the writer.
+    template <typename Value>
+    GraphWriter& attribute(const std::string& caption, const Value& value) {
+      _writer_bits::ValueStorageBase* storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::ValueStorage<Value>(value);
+      _attributes.push_back(std::make_pair(caption, storage));
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Attribute writing rule
+    ///
+    /// Add an attribute writing rule with specialized converter to the
+    /// writer.
+    template <typename Value, typename Converter>
+    GraphWriter& attribute(const std::string& caption, const Value& value, 
+			     const Converter& converter = Converter()) {
+      _writer_bits::ValueStorageBase* storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::ValueStorage<Value, Converter>(value, converter);
+      _attributes.push_back(std::make_pair(caption, storage));
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Node writing rule
+    ///
+    /// Add a node writing rule to the writer.
+    GraphWriter& node(const std::string& caption, const Node& node) {
+      typedef _writer_bits::MapLookUpConverter<Node> Converter;
+      Converter converter(_node_index);
+      _writer_bits::ValueStorageBase* storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::ValueStorage<Node, Converter>(node, converter);
+      _attributes.push_back(std::make_pair(caption, storage));
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Edge writing rule
+    ///
+    /// Add an edge writing rule to writer.
+    GraphWriter& edge(const std::string& caption, const Edge& edge) {
+      typedef _writer_bits::MapLookUpConverter<Edge> Converter;
+      Converter converter(_edge_index);
+      _writer_bits::ValueStorageBase* storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::ValueStorage<Edge, Converter>(edge, converter);
+      _attributes.push_back(std::make_pair(caption, storage));
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Arc writing rule
+    ///
+    /// Add an arc writing rule to writer.
+    GraphWriter& arc(const std::string& caption, const Arc& arc) {
+      typedef _writer_bits::GraphArcLookUpConverter<Graph> Converter;
+      Converter converter(_graph, _edge_index);
+      _writer_bits::ValueStorageBase* storage = 
+	new _writer_bits::ValueStorage<Arc, Converter>(arc, converter);
+      _attributes.push_back(std::make_pair(caption, storage));
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \name Select section by name
+    /// @{
+
+    /// \brief Set \c \@nodes section to be read
+    ///
+    /// Set \c \@nodes section to be read
+    GraphWriter& nodes(const std::string& caption) {
+      _nodes_caption = caption;
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Set \c \@edges section to be read
+    ///
+    /// Set \c \@edges section to be read
+    GraphWriter& edges(const std::string& caption) {
+      _edges_caption = caption;
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Set \c \@attributes section to be read
+    ///
+    /// Set \c \@attributes section to be read
+    GraphWriter& attributes(const std::string& caption) {
+      _attributes_caption = caption;
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \name Skipping section
+    /// @{
+
+    /// \brief Skip writing the node set
+    ///
+    /// The \c \@nodes section will be not written to the stream.
+    GraphWriter& skipNodes() {
+      LEMON_ASSERT(!_skip_nodes, "Multiple usage of skipNodes() member");
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Skip writing edge set
+    ///
+    /// The \c \@edges section will be not written to the stream.
+    GraphWriter& skipEdges() {
+      LEMON_ASSERT(!_skip_edges, "Multiple usage of skipEdges() member");
+      return *this;
+    }
+
+    /// @}
+
+  private:
+
+    void writeNodes() {
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Node>* label = 0;
+      for (typename NodeMaps::iterator it = _node_maps.begin();
+	   it != _node_maps.end(); ++it) {
+        if (it->first == "label") {
+	  label = it->second;
+	  break;
+	}
+      }
+
+      *_os << "@nodes";
+      if (!_nodes_caption.empty()) {
+	_writer_bits::writeToken(*_os << ' ', _nodes_caption);
+      }
+      *_os << std::endl;
+
+      if (label == 0) {
+	*_os << "label" << '\t';
+      }
+      for (typename NodeMaps::iterator it = _node_maps.begin();
+	   it != _node_maps.end(); ++it) {
+	_writer_bits::writeToken(*_os, it->first) << '\t';
+      }
+      *_os << std::endl;
+
+      std::vector<Node> nodes;
+      for (NodeIt n(_graph); n != INVALID; ++n) {
+	nodes.push_back(n);
+      }
+      
+      if (label == 0) {
+	IdMap<Graph, Node> id_map(_graph);
+	_writer_bits::MapLess<IdMap<Graph, Node> > id_less(id_map);
+	std::sort(nodes.begin(), nodes.end(), id_less);
+      } else {
+	label->sort(nodes);
+      }
+
+      for (int i = 0; i < static_cast<int>(nodes.size()); ++i) {
+	Node n = nodes[i];
+	if (label == 0) {
+	  std::ostringstream os;
+	  os << _graph.id(n);
+	  _writer_bits::writeToken(*_os, os.str());
+	  *_os << '\t';
+	  _node_index.insert(std::make_pair(n, os.str()));
+	}
+	for (typename NodeMaps::iterator it = _node_maps.begin();
+	     it != _node_maps.end(); ++it) {
+	  std::string value = it->second->get(n);
+	  _writer_bits::writeToken(*_os, value);
+	  if (it->first == "label") {
+	    _node_index.insert(std::make_pair(n, value));
+	  }
+	  *_os << '\t';
+	}
+	*_os << std::endl;
+      }
+    }
+
+    void writeEdges() {
+      _writer_bits::MapStorageBase<Edge>* label = 0;
+      for (typename EdgeMaps::iterator it = _edge_maps.begin();
+	   it != _edge_maps.end(); ++it) {
+        if (it->first == "label") {
+	  label = it->second;
+	  break;
+	}
+      }
+
+      *_os << "@edges";
+      if (!_edges_caption.empty()) {
+	_writer_bits::writeToken(*_os << ' ', _edges_caption);
+      }
+      *_os << std::endl;
+
+      *_os << '\t' << '\t';
+      if (label == 0) {
+	*_os << "label" << '\t';
+      }
+      for (typename EdgeMaps::iterator it = _edge_maps.begin();
+	   it != _edge_maps.end(); ++it) {
+	_writer_bits::writeToken(*_os, it->first) << '\t';
+      }
+      *_os << std::endl;
+
+      std::vector<Edge> edges;
+      for (EdgeIt n(_graph); n != INVALID; ++n) {
+	edges.push_back(n);
+      }
+      
+      if (label == 0) {
+	IdMap<Graph, Edge> id_map(_graph);
+	_writer_bits::MapLess<IdMap<Graph, Edge> > id_less(id_map);
+	std::sort(edges.begin(), edges.end(), id_less);
+      } else {
+	label->sort(edges);
+      }
+
+      for (int i = 0; i < static_cast<int>(edges.size()); ++i) {
+	Edge e = edges[i];
+	_writer_bits::writeToken(*_os, _node_index.
+				 find(_graph.u(e))->second);
+	*_os << '\t';
+	_writer_bits::writeToken(*_os, _node_index.
+				 find(_graph.v(e))->second);
+	*_os << '\t';
+	if (label == 0) {
+	  std::ostringstream os;
+	  os << _graph.id(e);
+	  _writer_bits::writeToken(*_os, os.str());
+	  *_os << '\t';
+	  _edge_index.insert(std::make_pair(e, os.str()));
+	}
+	for (typename EdgeMaps::iterator it = _edge_maps.begin();
+	     it != _edge_maps.end(); ++it) {
+	  std::string value = it->second->get(e);
+	  _writer_bits::writeToken(*_os, value);
+	  if (it->first == "label") {
+	    _edge_index.insert(std::make_pair(e, value));
+	  }
+	  *_os << '\t';
+	}
+	*_os << std::endl;
+      }
+    }
+
+    void writeAttributes() {
+      if (_attributes.empty()) return;
+      *_os << "@attributes";
+      if (!_attributes_caption.empty()) {
+	_writer_bits::writeToken(*_os << ' ', _attributes_caption);
+      }
+      *_os << std::endl;
+      for (typename Attributes::iterator it = _attributes.begin();
+	   it != _attributes.end(); ++it) {
+	_writer_bits::writeToken(*_os, it->first) << ' ';
+	_writer_bits::writeToken(*_os, it->second->get());
+	*_os << std::endl;
+      }
+    }
+    
+  public:
+    
+    /// \name Execution of the writer    
+    /// @{
+
+    /// \brief Start the batch processing
+    ///
+    /// This function starts the batch processing
+    void run() {
+      if (!_skip_nodes) {
+	writeNodes();
+      }
+      if (!_skip_edges) {      
+	writeEdges();
+      }
+      writeAttributes();
+    }
+
+    /// \brief Gives back the stream of the writer
+    ///
+    /// Gives back the stream of the writer
+    std::ostream& ostream() {
+      return *_os;
+    }
+
+    /// @}
+  };
+
+  /// \relates GraphWriter
+  template <typename Graph>
+  GraphWriter<Graph> graphWriter(std::ostream& os, Graph& graph) {
+    GraphWriter<Graph> tmp(os, graph);
+    return tmp;
+  }
+
+  /// \relates GraphWriter
+  template <typename Graph>
+  GraphWriter<Graph> graphWriter(const std::string& fn, Graph& graph) {
+    GraphWriter<Graph> tmp(fn, graph);
+    return tmp;
+  }
+
+  /// \relates GraphWriter
+  template <typename Graph>
+  GraphWriter<Graph> graphWriter(const char* fn, Graph& graph) {
+    GraphWriter<Graph> tmp(fn, graph);
+    return tmp;
+  }
 }
 
 #endif