diff --git a/ext/notes.txt b/ext/notes.txt
index 44e5815..702cc55 100644
--- a/ext/notes.txt
+++ b/ext/notes.txt
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ Core 'Objects'
   TODO: int   sqlite3_busy_timeout(sqlite3*)
   TODO: void  sqlite3_progress_hander(sqlite3*, int, int(*)(void*), void*)
 
-  TODO : tracing should be an IO object, if it is true then send it to STDERR
-  TODO : tracing should also yield a block like a transaction so that during the block the db has tracing turned on.
-  sqlite3_trace
+  *done* tracing should be an IO object, if it is true then send it to STDERR
+  *done* tracing should also yield a block like a transaction so that during the block the db has tracing turned on.
+  *done* sqlite3_trace
 
   TODO: create Table and Column classes
   TODO: int sqlite3_table_column_metadata();
diff --git a/lib/amalgalite/database.rb b/lib/amalgalite/database.rb
index 1f68079..82824ad 100644
--- a/lib/amalgalite/database.rb
+++ b/lib/amalgalite/database.rb
@@ -298,6 +298,17 @@ def profile_tap=( tap_obj )
       @api.register_profile_tap( @profile_tap )
       @profile_tap.profile( 'registered as profile tap', 0.0 )
     end
+
+    ##
+    # :call-seq:
+    #   db.schema( dbname = "main" ) -> Schema
+    # 
+    # Returns a Schema object  containing the table and column structure of the
+    # database.
+    #
+    def schema( dbname = "main" ) 
+      @schema ||= ::Amalgalite::Schema.new( self, dbname )
+    end
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/amalgalite/index.rb b/lib/amalgalite/index.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aad0f56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/amalgalite/index.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#--
+# Copyright (c) 2008 Jeremy Hinegardner
+# All rights reserved.  See LICENSE and/or COPYING for details.
+#++
+
+module Amalgalite
+  #
+  # abstrace of the meta informationa about 1 Index
+  #
+  class Index
+    attr_reader   :name
+    attr_reader   :sql
+    attr_accessor :table
+
+    def initialize( name, sql, table ) 
+      @name  = name
+      @sql   = sql
+      @table = table
+    end
+  end
+end
+
diff --git a/lib/amalgalite/schema.rb b/lib/amalgalite/schema.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b32050
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/amalgalite/schema.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#--
+# Copyright (c) 2008 Jeremy Hinegardner
+# All rights reserved.  See LICENSE and/or COPYING for details.
+#++
+
+require 'amalgalite/table'
+require 'amalgalite/index'
+
+module Amalgalite
+  #
+  # An object view of the schema  in the SQLite database.  If the schema changes
+  # after this class is created, it has no knowledge of that.
+  #
+  class Schema
+
+    attr_reader :catalog
+    attr_reader :schema 
+
+    def initialize( db, catalog = 'main', schema = 'sqlite')
+      @db = db
+      @catalog = catalog
+      @schema = schema
+
+      load_schema!
+    end
+
+    #
+    # load the schema from the database
+    def load_schema!
+      load_tables
+      load_views
+    end
+
+    ##
+    # load all the tables
+    #
+    def load_tables
+      @tables = {}
+      @db.execute("SELECT tbl_name, sql FROM sqlite_master WHERE type = 'table'") do |table_info|
+        table = Amalgalite::Table.new( table_info['name'], table_info['sql'] )
+        table.columns = @db.pragma "table_info( #{table.name })"
+
+        @db.execute("SELECT name, sql FROM sqlite_master WHERE type ='index' and tbl_name = @name") do |idx_info|
+          table.indexes << Amalgalite::Index.new( idx_info['name'], idx_info['sql'], table )
+        end
+        @tables[table.name] = table
+      end
+      @tables
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/amalgalite/table.rb b/lib/amalgalite/table.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bec9244
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/amalgalite/table.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#--
+# Copyright (c) 2008 Jeremy Hinegardner
+# All rights reserved.  See LICENSE and/or COPYING for details.
+#++
+
+module Amalgalite
+  #
+  # abstrace of the meta informationa bout 1 table
+  #
+  class Table
+    attr_reader   :name
+    attr_reader   :sql
+    attr_accessor :indexes
+
+    def initialize( name, sql ) 
+      @name    = name
+      @sql     = sql
+      @indexes = []
+    end
+  end
+end
+
diff --git a/spec/database_spec.rb b/spec/database_spec.rb
index 1fe1114..2ca3853 100644
--- a/spec/database_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/database_spec.rb
@@ -9,12 +9,14 @@
 describe Amalgalite::Database do
   before(:each) do
     @schema = IO.read( SpecInfo.test_schema_file )
-    @iso_db = SpecInfo.make_iso_db
+    @iso_db_file = SpecInfo.make_iso_db
+    @iso_db = Amalgalite::Database.new( SpecInfo.make_iso_db )
   end
 
   after(:each) do
     File.unlink SpecInfo.test_db if File.exist?( SpecInfo.test_db )
-    File.unlink @iso_db if File.exist?( @iso_db )
+    @iso_db.close
+    File.unlink @iso_db_file if File.exist?( @iso_db_file )
   end
 
   it "can create a new database" do
diff --git a/spec/schema_spec.rb b/spec/schema_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f58f2ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/schema_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+require 'rubygems'
+require 'spec'
+
+$: << File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__),"..","lib"))
+require 'amalgalite'
+require 'amalgalite/schema'
+
+describe Amalgalite::Schema do
+  before(:each) do
+    @schema = IO.read( SpecInfo.test_schema_file )
+    @iso_db_file = SpecInfo.make_iso_db
+    @iso_db = Amalgalite::Database.new( SpecInfo.make_iso_db )
+  end
+
+  after(:each) do
+    File.unlink SpecInfo.test_db if File.exist?( SpecInfo.test_db )
+    @iso_db.close
+    File.unlink @iso_db_file if File.exist?( @iso_db_file )
+  end
+
+  it "loads the schema of a database" do
+    schema =  @iso_db.schema
+    schema.tables.size.should == 2
+  end
+
+end