+/**
+ * Read properties from an in-memory buffer.
+ *
+ * @param buf A character buffer containing the xml data.
+ * @param size The size/length of the buffer in bytes
+ * @param start_node The root node for reading properties.
+ * @return true if the read succeeded, false otherwise.
+ */
+void readProperties (const char *buf, const int size,
+ SGPropertyNode * start_node)
+{
+ PropsVisitor visitor(start_node, "");
+ readXML(buf, size, visitor);
+ if (visitor.hasException())
+ throw visitor.getException();
+}
+