public function get($type) {

        // determine if there is any extra info tacked on
        if (strpos($type, '#') !== false) list($type, $string) = explode('#', $type, 2);
        else $string = '';

        if (!isset($this->info[$type])) {
            trigger_error('Cannot retrieve undefined attribute type ' . $type, E_USER_ERROR);
            return;
        }

        return $this->info[$type]->make($string);

    }