diff --git a/latticeBaseFeature.py b/latticeBaseFeature.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..20d59f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/latticeBaseFeature.py
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+#***************************************************************************
+#*                                                                         *
+#*   Copyright (c) 2015 - Victor Titov (DeepSOIC)                          *
+#*                                               <vv.titov@gmail.com>      *  
+#*                                                                         *
+#*   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify  *
+#*   it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL)    *
+#*   as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of     *
+#*   the License, or (at your option) any later version.                   *
+#*   for detail see the LICENCE text file.                                 *
+#*                                                                         *
+#*   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,       *
+#*   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of        *
+#*   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the         *
+#*   GNU Library General Public License for more details.                  *
+#*                                                                         *
+#*   You should have received a copy of the GNU Library General Public     *
+#*   License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software   *
+#*   Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  *
+#*   USA                                                                   *
+#*                                                                         *
+#***************************************************************************
+
+__title__="Base feature module for lattice object of lattice workbench for FreeCAD"
+__author__ = "DeepSOIC"
+__url__ = ""
+
+import Part
+from pivy import coin
+
+from latticeCommon import *
+import latticeCompoundExplorer as LCE
+
+def makeLatticeFeature(name, AppClass, icon, ViewClass = None):
+    '''makeLatticeFeature(name, AppClass, ViewClass = None): makes a document object for a LatticeFeature-derived object.'''
+    obj = FreeCAD.ActiveDocument.addObject("Part::FeaturePython",name)
+    AppClass(obj)
+    if ViewClass:
+        ViewClass(obj.ViewObject)
+    else:
+        vp = ViewProviderLatticeFeature(obj.ViewObject)
+        vp.icon = icon
+    return obj
+    
+
+class LatticeFeature():
+    "Base object for lattice objects (arrays of placements)"
+    
+    def __init__(self,obj):
+        self.Type = "latticeFeature"
+
+        prop = "NumElements"
+        obj.addProperty("App::PropertyInteger",prop,"Info","Number of placements in the array")
+        obj.setEditorMode(prop, 1) # set read-only
+        self.derivedInit(obj)
+        
+        obj.Proxy = self
+
+        
+    def derivedInit(self, obj):
+        '''for overriding by derived classes'''
+        pass
+        
+    def execute(self,obj):
+        derivedExecute(self, obj)
+        obj.NumElements = LCE.CalculateNumberOfLeaves(obj.Shape)
+        
+        return
+    
+    def derivedExecute():
+        '''For overriding by derived class'''
+        pass
+    
+    
+class ViewProviderLatticeFeature:
+    "A View Provider for base lattice object"
+
+    def __init__(self,vobj):
+        vobj.Proxy = self
+#        vobj.DisplayMode = "Markers"
+        vobj.PointSize = 4
+        vobj.PointColor = (1.0, 0.7019608020782471, 0.0, 0.0) #orange
+       
+    def getIcon(self):
+        if hasattr(self, "icon"):
+            if self.icon:
+                return getIconPath(self.icon)
+        return getIconPath("Lattice.svg")
+
+    def attach(self, vobj):
+        self.ViewObject = vobj
+        self.Object = vobj.Object
+
+  
+    def setEdit(self,vobj,mode):
+        return False
+    
+    def unsetEdit(self,vobj,mode):
+        return
+
+    def __getstate__(self):
+        return None
+
+    def __setstate__(self,state):
+        return None
+
+
+    
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/latticeCompoundExplorer.py b/latticeCompoundExplorer.py
index c293b9b..015e744 100644
--- a/latticeCompoundExplorer.py
+++ b/latticeCompoundExplorer.py
@@ -130,3 +130,15 @@ class CompoundExplorer:
         assert(msg != 0)
         self.lastMsg = msg
         return (sh, msg, self)
+
+
+def CalculateNumberOfLeaves(compound):
+    '''CalculateNumberOfLeaves(compound): calculates the number of non-compound shapes (leaves) in the compound tree. Slow; good candidate for transferring into C++.'''
+    if compound.ShapeType != 'Compound':
+        return 1
+    else:
+        children = compound.childShapes(False,False)
+        cnt = 0
+        for ch in children:
+            cnt += CalculateNumberOfLeaves(ch)
+        return cnt
\ No newline at end of file