5 files changed, 47 insertions, 8 deletions

diff --git a/lib/git/objects/commit.py b/lib/git/objects/commit.py
index a68a7bed..4080305f 100644
--- a/lib/git/objects/commit.py
+++ b/lib/git/objects/commit.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ class Commit(base.Object, Iterable, diff.Diffable):
 	type = "commit"
 	__slots__ = ("tree", "author", "authored_date", "committer", "committed_date",
 					"message", "parents")
+	_id_attribute_ = "id"
 	
 	def __init__(self, repo, id, tree=None, author=None, authored_date=None,
 				 committer=None, committed_date=None, message=None, parents=None):
diff --git a/lib/git/refs.py b/lib/git/refs.py
index 3428915e..8c9d6672 100644
--- a/lib/git/refs.py
+++ b/lib/git/refs.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class Reference(LazyMixin, Iterable):
 	"""
 	__slots__ = ("repo", "path")
 	_common_path_default = "refs"
+	_id_attribute_ = "name"
 	
 	def __init__(self, repo, path, object = None):
 		"""
diff --git a/lib/git/remote.py b/lib/git/remote.py
index da37414e..e043e6db 100644
--- a/lib/git/remote.py
+++ b/lib/git/remote.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ class Remote(LazyMixin, Iterable):
 	"""
 	
 	__slots__ = ( "repo", "name", "_config_reader" )
+	_id_attribute_ = "name"
 	
 	def __init__(self, repo, name):
 		"""
diff --git a/lib/git/repo.py b/lib/git/repo.py
index c5b3d79b..0f4be1b1 100644
--- a/lib/git/repo.py
+++ b/lib/git/repo.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class Repo(object):
 		this repo
 
 		Returns
-			``git.Head[]``
+			``git.IterableList(Head, ...)``
 		"""
 		return Head.list_items(self)
 
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ class Repo(object):
 	def remotes(self):
 		"""
 		A list of Remote objects allowing to access and manipulate remotes
+		
+		Returns
+			``git.IterableList(Remote, ...)``
 		"""
 		return Remote.list_items(self)
 		
@@ -138,11 +141,7 @@ class Repo(object):
 		Raise 
 			ValueError if no remote with such a name exists
 		"""
-		for remote in Remote.iter_items(self):
-			if remote.name == name:
-				return remote
-		# END for each existing remote
-		raise ValueError( "Remote named %s does not exist" % name )
+		return Remote(self, name)
 
 	@property
 	def tags(self):
@@ -150,7 +149,7 @@ class Repo(object):
 		A list of ``Tag`` objects that are available in this repo
 
 		Returns
-			``git.Tag[]``
+			``git.IterableList(TagReference, ...)``
 		"""
 		return TagReference.list_items(self)
 		
diff --git a/lib/git/utils.py b/lib/git/utils.py
index f84c247d..3e7e8e75 100644
--- a/lib/git/utils.py
+++ b/lib/git/utils.py
@@ -56,12 +56,46 @@ class LazyMixin(object):
 		pass
 
 
+class IterableList(list):
+	"""
+	List of iterable objects allowing to query an object by id or by named index::
+	 
+	 heads = repo.heads
+	 heads.master
+	 heads['master']
+	 heads[0]
+	"""
+	__slots__ = '_id_attr'
+	
+	def __new__(cls, id_attr):
+		return super(IterableList,cls).__new__(cls)
+		
+	def __init__(self, id_attr):
+		self._id_attr = id_attr
+		
+	def __getattr__(self, attr):
+		for item in self:
+			if getattr(item, self._id_attr) == attr:
+				return item
+		# END for each item
+		return list.__getattribute__(self, attr)
+		
+	def __getitem__(self, index):
+		if isinstance(index, int):
+			return list.__getitem__(self,index)
+		
+		try:
+			return getattr(self, index)
+		except AttributeError:
+			raise IndexError( "No item found with id %r" % index )
+
 class Iterable(object):
 	"""
 	Defines an interface for iterable items which is to assure a uniform 
 	way to retrieve and iterate items within the git repository
 	"""
 	__slots__ = tuple()
+	_id_attribute_ = "attribute that most suitably identifies your instance"
 	
 	@classmethod
 	def list_items(cls, repo, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -75,7 +109,10 @@ class Iterable(object):
 		Returns:
 			list(Item,...) list of item instances 
 		"""
-		return list(cls.iter_items(repo, *args, **kwargs))
+		#return list(cls.iter_items(repo, *args, **kwargs))
+		out_list = IterableList( cls._id_attribute_ )
+		out_list.extend(cls.iter_items(repo, *args, **kwargs))
+		return out_list
 		
 		
 	@classmethod