diff --git a/src/Mod/Part/App/Attacher.cpp b/src/Mod/Part/App/Attacher.cpp
index 1fd9642ea2c8..d0a83b0d8cb8 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Part/App/Attacher.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Part/App/Attacher.cpp
@@ -120,6 +120,38 @@ const char* AttachEngine::eMapModeStrings[]= {
 
     NULL};
 
+//this list must be in sync with eRefType enum.
+//These strings are used only by Py interface of Attacher. Strings for use in Gui are in Mod/Part/Gui/AttacherTexts.cpp
+const char* AttachEngine::eRefTypeStrings[]= {
+    "Any",
+    "Vertex",
+    "Edge",
+    "Face",
+
+    "Line",
+    "Curve",
+    "Circle",
+    "Conic",
+    "Ellipse",
+    "Parabola",
+    "Hyperbola",
+
+    "Plane",
+    "Sphere",
+    "Revolve",
+    "Cylinder",
+    "Torus",
+    "Cone",
+
+    "Object",
+    "Solid",
+    "Wire",
+    NULL
+};
+
+
+
+
 
 TYPESYSTEM_SOURCE_ABSTRACT(Attacher::AttachEngine, Base::BaseClass);
 
@@ -578,6 +610,57 @@ std::string AttachEngine::getModeName(eMapMode mmode)
     return std::string(AttachEngine::eMapModeStrings[mmode]);
 }
 
+eMapMode AttachEngine::getModeByName(const std::string &modeName)
+{
+    for (int mmode = 0   ;   mmode < mmDummy_NumberOfModes   ;   mmode++){
+        if (strcmp(eMapModeStrings[mmode],modeName.c_str())==0) {
+            return eMapMode(mmode);
+        }
+    }
+    std::stringstream errMsg;
+    errMsg << "AttachEngine::getModeByName: mode with this name doesn't exist: " << modeName;
+    throw Base::Exception(errMsg.str());
+}
+
+std::string AttachEngine::getRefTypeName(eRefType shapeType)
+{
+    eRefType flagless = eRefType(shapeType & 0xFF);
+    if(flagless < 0 || flagless >= rtDummy_numberOfShapeTypes)
+        throw Base::Exception("eRefType value is out of range");
+    std::string result = std::string(eRefTypeStrings[flagless]);
+    if (shapeType & rtFlagHasPlacement){
+        result.append("|Placement");
+    }
+    return result;
+}
+
+eRefType AttachEngine::getRefTypeByName(const std::string& typeName)
+{
+    std::string flagless;
+    std::string flags;
+    size_t seppos = typeName.find('|');
+    flagless = typeName.substr(0, seppos);
+    if(seppos != std::string::npos ){
+        flags = typeName.substr(seppos+1);
+    }
+    for(int irt = 0   ;   irt < rtDummy_numberOfShapeTypes   ;   irt++){
+        if(strcmp(flagless.c_str(),eRefTypeStrings[irt]) == 0){
+            if(strcmp("Placement",flags.c_str()) == 0){
+                return eRefType(irt | rtFlagHasPlacement);
+            } else if (flags.length() == 0){
+                return eRefType(irt);
+            } else {
+                std::stringstream errmsg;
+                errmsg << "RefType flag not recognized: " << flags;
+                throw Base::Exception(errmsg.str());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    std::stringstream errmsg;
+    errmsg << "RefType not recognized: " << typeName;
+    throw Base::Exception(errmsg.str());
+}
+
 GProp_GProps AttachEngine::getInertialPropsOfShape(const std::vector<const TopoDS_Shape*> &shapes)
 {
     //explode compounds
diff --git a/src/Mod/Part/App/Attacher.h b/src/Mod/Part/App/Attacher.h
index d2eb8b22c568..c0e88040115a 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Part/App/Attacher.h
+++ b/src/Mod/Part/App/Attacher.h
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ enum eMapMode {
 
 /**
  * @brief The eRefType enum lists the types of references. If adding one, see
- * also AttachEngine::getShapeType(), AttachEngine::downgradeType(), AttacherTexts.cpp/getShTypeText()
+ * also AttachEngine::eRefTypeStrings, AttachEngine::getShapeType(),
+ * AttachEngine::downgradeType(), AttacherTexts.cpp/getShTypeText()
  */
 enum eRefType {
     //topo             //ranks: (number of times the type is downgradable)
@@ -333,11 +334,18 @@ class PartExport AttachEngine : public Base::BaseClass
      */
     static std::string getModeName(eMapMode mmode);
 
+    static eMapMode getModeByName(const std::string &modeName);
+
+    static std::string getRefTypeName(eRefType shapeType);
+
+    static eRefType getRefTypeByName(const std::string &typeName);
+
     static GProp_GProps getInertialPropsOfShape(const std::vector<const TopoDS_Shape*> &shapes);
 
 
 public: //enums
     static const char* eMapModeStrings[];
+    static const char* eRefTypeStrings[];
 
 
 public: //members