diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToByteConverter.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToByteConverter.java
index c66722db1..2abe41bea 100644
--- a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToByteConverter.java
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToByteConverter.java
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ import org.apache.avalon.excalibur.i18n.Resources;
 /**
  * String to byte converter
  *
+ * <p>Hexadecimal numbers begin with 0x, Octal numbers begin with 0o and binary
+ * numbers begin with 0b, all other values are assumed to be decimal.</p>
+ *
  * @author <a href="mailto:peter@apache.org">Peter Donald</a>
  * @ant.converter source="java.lang.String" destination="java.lang.Byte"
  */
@@ -34,7 +37,25 @@ public class StringToByteConverter
     {
         try
         {
-            return new Byte( (String)object );
+            final String value = (String)object;
+            byte result = 0;
+            if( value.startsWith( "0x" ) )
+            {
+                result = Byte.parseByte( value.substring( 2 ), 16 );
+            }
+            else if( value.startsWith( "0o" ) )
+            {
+                result = Byte.parseByte( value.substring( 2 ), 8 );
+            }
+            else if( value.startsWith( "0b" ) )
+            {
+                result = Byte.parseByte( value.substring( 2 ), 2 );
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                result = Byte.parseByte( value );
+            }
+            return new Byte( result );
         }
         catch( final NumberFormatException nfe )
         {
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToIntegerConverter.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToIntegerConverter.java
index f4d3b75e2..8bb17c516 100644
--- a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToIntegerConverter.java
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToIntegerConverter.java
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ import org.apache.avalon.excalibur.i18n.Resources;
 /**
  * String to integer converter.
  *
+ * <p>Hexadecimal numbers begin with 0x, Octal numbers begin with 0o and binary
+ * numbers begin with 0b, all other values are assumed to be decimal.</p>
+ *
  * @author <a href="mailto:peter@apache.org">Peter Donald</a>
  * @ant.converter source="java.lang.String" destination="java.lang.Integer"
  */
@@ -35,7 +38,25 @@ public class StringToIntegerConverter
     {
         try
         {
-            return new Integer( (String)object );
+            final String value = (String)object;
+            int result = 0;
+            if( value.startsWith( "0x" ) )
+            {
+                result = Integer.parseInt( value.substring( 2 ), 16 );
+            }
+            else if( value.startsWith( "0o" ) )
+            {
+                result = Integer.parseInt( value.substring( 2 ), 8 );
+            }
+            else if( value.startsWith( "0b" ) )
+            {
+                result = Integer.parseInt( value.substring( 2 ), 2 );
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                result = Integer.parseInt( value );
+            }
+            return new Integer( result );
         }
         catch( final NumberFormatException nfe )
         {
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToLongConverter.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToLongConverter.java
index 72d76c85e..4c098e9e5 100644
--- a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToLongConverter.java
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToLongConverter.java
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ import org.apache.avalon.excalibur.i18n.Resources;
 /**
  * String to long converter
  *
+ * <p>Hexadecimal numbers begin with 0x, Octal numbers begin with 0o and binary
+ * numbers begin with 0b, all other values are assumed to be decimal.</p>
+ *
  * @author <a href="mailto:peter@apache.org">Peter Donald</a>
  * @ant.converter source="java.lang.String" destination="java.lang.Long"
  */
@@ -34,7 +37,25 @@ public class StringToLongConverter
     {
         try
         {
-            return new Long( (String)object );
+            final String value = (String)object;
+            long result = 0;
+            if( value.startsWith( "0x" ) )
+            {
+                result = Long.parseLong( value.substring( 2 ), 16 );
+            }
+            else if( value.startsWith( "0o" ) )
+            {
+                result = Long.parseLong( value.substring( 2 ), 8 );
+            }
+            else if( value.startsWith( "0b" ) )
+            {
+                result = Long.parseLong( value.substring( 2 ), 2 );
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                result = Long.parseLong( value );
+            }
+            return new Long( result );
         }
         catch( final NumberFormatException nfe )
         {
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToShortConverter.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToShortConverter.java
index 9b81ecfb9..1a8944cc0 100644
--- a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToShortConverter.java
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/lib/StringToShortConverter.java
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ import org.apache.avalon.excalibur.i18n.Resources;
 /**
  * String to short converter
  *
+ * <p>Hexadecimal numbers begin with 0x, Octal numbers begin with 0o and binary
+ * numbers begin with 0b, all other values are assumed to be decimal.</p>
+ *
  * @author <a href="mailto:peter@apache.org">Peter Donald</a>
  * @ant.converter source="java.lang.String" destination="java.lang.Short"
  */
@@ -34,7 +37,25 @@ public class StringToShortConverter
     {
         try
         {
-            return new Short( (String)object );
+            final String value = (String)object;
+            short result = 0;
+            if( value.startsWith( "0x" ) )
+            {
+                result = Short.parseShort( value.substring( 2 ), 16 );
+            }
+            else if( value.startsWith( "0o" ) )
+            {
+                result = Short.parseShort( value.substring( 2 ), 8 );
+            }
+            else if( value.startsWith( "0b" ) )
+            {
+                result = Short.parseShort( value.substring( 2 ), 2 );
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                result = Short.parseShort( value );
+            }
+            return new Short( result );
         }
         catch( final NumberFormatException nfe )
         {