diff --git a/README b/README
index 67dcf9dc..c10ac31e 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ After installing or building the documentation, you can point your
 browser to doc/index.html for the complete Exiv2 API documentation and
 metadata tag reference.
 
+For more information on XMP support in Exiv2, see doc/README-XMP.
+
 
 Building and Installing
 =======================
diff --git a/README-XMP b/doc/README-XMP
similarity index 94%
rename from README-XMP
rename to doc/README-XMP
index 97d230b6..a4bbec51 100644
--- a/README-XMP
+++ b/doc/README-XMP
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-XMP support
-***********
+Exiv2 XMP support
+*****************
 
 XMP support is controlled with the --enable-xmp and --disable-xmp
 options to the configure script. Building Exiv2 with XMP support
 requires the Expat XML parser library (http://expat.sourceforge.net/).
 The --with-expat configure option can be used if it is installed in a
-non-standard directory. See the main README file for more information
-on building exiv2.
+non-standard directory. See the main README file for general build
+information.
 
 For API documentation of XMP classes and samples, build or install the 
 documentation and go to doc/html/getting-started.html
diff --git a/doc/cmdxmp.txt b/doc/cmdxmp.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..75bfa982
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/cmdxmp.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+# Sample Exiv2 command file for XMP tags
+# --------------------------------------
+
+# Set basic properties. Exiv2 uses the value type of the XMP specification 
+# for the property, if it is not specified. The default XMP value type
+# for unknown properties is a simple text value.
+
+# A simple text property.
+set Xmp.dc.source      xmpsample.cpp
+
+# An array item (unordered array).
+set Xmp.dc.subject     "Palmtree"
+
+# Add a 2nd array item
+set Xmp.dc.subject     "Rubbertree"
+
+# A language alternative (without a default)
+set Xmp.dc.title       lang=en-US Sunset on the beach
+set Xmp.dc.title       lang=de-DE Sonnenuntergang am Strand
+
+# Any properties can be set provided the namespace is known.
+set Xmp.dc.one         -1
+set Xmp.dc.two         3.1415
+set Xmp.dc.three       5/7
+set Xmp.dc.four        255
+set Xmp.dc.five        256
+set Xmp.dc.six         false
+set Xmp.dc.seven       Seven
+
+# The value type can be specified. Exiv2 has support for a limited number
+# of specific XMP types with built-in types: The basic XmpText, array 
+# types XmpAlt (alternative array), XmpBag (unordered array), XmpSeq 
+# (ordered array) and language alternatives LangAlt.
+
+# Simple text property with explicitly specified value type
+set Xmp.dc.format XmpText "image/jpeg"
+
+# An ordered array
+set Xmp.dc.creator XmpSeq "1) The first creator"
+set Xmp.dc.creator  "2) The second creator"
+set Xmp.dc.creator  "3) And another one"
+
+# A language alternative. The default entry of a langauge alternative
+# doesn't need a language qualifier.
+set Xmp.dc.description LangAlt lang=de-DE Hallo, Welt
+set Xmp.dc.description LangAlt Hello, World
+
+# According to the XMP specification, Xmp.tiff.ImageDescription is an
+# alias for Xmp.dc.description. Exiv2 treats an alias just like any
+# other property.
+set Xmp.tiff.ImageDescription TIFF image description
+set Xmp.tiff.ImageDescription lang=de-DE TIFF Bildbeschreibung
+
+# Register a namespace which Exiv2 doesn't know yet with a prefix.
+reg ns myNamespace/
+
+# There are no built-in Exiv2 value types for structures, qualifiers and
+# nested types. However, these can be added by using an XmpText value and a
+# path as the key.
+
+# Add a structure
+set Xmp.xmpDM.videoFrameSize/stDim:w    16
+set Xmp.xmpDM.videoFrameSize/stDim:h    9
+set Xmp.xmpDM.videoFrameSize/stDim:unit inch
+
+# Add an element with a qualifier (using the namespace registered earlier)
+set Xmp.dc.publisher James Bond
+set Xmp.dc.publisher/?ns:role secret agent
+
+# Add a qualifer to an array element of Xmp.dc.creator (added above)
+set Xmp.dc.creator[2]/?ns:role programmer
+
+# Add an array of structures. First set a text property with just the 
+# array type. (Note: this is not the same as creating an XmpBag property.)
+set Xmp.xmpBJ.JobRef  XmpText type=Bag
+
+# Then set the array items. Each of them is a structure with two elements.
+set Xmp.xmpBJ.JobRef[1]/stJob:name   XmpText   Birthday party
+set Xmp.xmpBJ.JobRef[1]/stJob:role   XmpText   Photographer
+
+set Xmp.xmpBJ.JobRef[2]/stJob:name             Wedding ceremony
+set Xmp.xmpBJ.JobRef[2]/stJob:role             Best man
diff --git a/src/exiv2.1 b/src/exiv2.1
index 95852a0c..bbdd226a 100644
--- a/src/exiv2.1
+++ b/src/exiv2.1
@@ -303,6 +303,12 @@ that for IPTC \fBTime\fP values is HH:MM:SS+|\-HH:MM, where HH:MM:SS
 refers to local hour, minute and seconds and +|\-HH:MM refers to hours
 and minutes ahead or behind Universal Coordinated Time (+|\- means
 either a + or a \- sign is required).
+.TP
+An additional command is available to register XMP namespaces:
+.TP
+.nf
+\fBreg\fP \fIprefix\fP \fInamespace\fP
+.fi
 .SS Command file format
 Empty lines and lines starting with \fB#\fP in a command file are
 ignored (comments). Remaining lines are commands as described above.