Index: library/Zend/Config/Ini.php
===================================================================
--- library/Zend/Config/Ini.php	(Revision 7199)
+++ library/Zend/Config/Ini.php	(Arbeitskopie)
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
      * @param  boolean|array $config
      * @throws Zend_Config_Exception
      */
-    public function __construct($filename, $section = null, $config = false)
+    public function __construct($filename, $section = null, $config = false, $detectTypes = null)
     {
         if (empty($filename)) {
             /** @see Zend_Config_Exception */
@@ -102,6 +102,9 @@
                 $this->_nestSeparator = (string) $config['nestSeparator'];
             }
         }
+        if (!is_bool($detectTypes)) {
+            $detectTypes = isset($config['detectTypes']) ? (bool) $config['detectTypes'] : false;
+        }
 
         $iniArray = parse_ini_file($filename, true);
         $preProcessedArray = array();
@@ -132,7 +135,7 @@
             foreach ($preProcessedArray as $sectionName => $sectionData) {
                 $dataArray[$sectionName] = $this->_processExtends($preProcessedArray, $sectionName);
             }
-            parent::__construct($dataArray, $allowModifications);
+            parent::__construct($dataArray, $allowModifications, $detectTypes);
         } elseif (is_array($section)) {
             $dataArray = array();
             foreach ($section as $sectionName) {
@@ -144,14 +147,14 @@
                 $dataArray = array_merge($this->_processExtends($preProcessedArray, $sectionName), $dataArray);
 
             }
-            parent::__construct($dataArray, $allowModifications);
+            parent::__construct($dataArray, $allowModifications, $detectTypes);
         } else {
             if (!isset($preProcessedArray[$section])) {
                 /** @see Zend_Config_Exception */
                 require_once 'Zend/Config/Exception.php';
                 throw new Zend_Config_Exception("Section '$section' cannot be found in $filename");
             }
-            parent::__construct($this->_processExtends($preProcessedArray, $section), $allowModifications);
+            parent::__construct($this->_processExtends($preProcessedArray, $section), $allowModifications, $detectTypes);
         }
 
         $this->_loadedSection = $section;
Index: library/Zend/Config/Xml.php
===================================================================
--- library/Zend/Config/Xml.php	(Revision 7199)
+++ library/Zend/Config/Xml.php	(Arbeitskopie)
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
      * @param boolean $allowModifications
      * @throws Zend_Config_Exception
      */
-    public function __construct($filename, $section = null, $allowModifications = false)
+    public function __construct($filename, $section = null, $allowModifications = false, $detectTypes = false)
     {
         if (empty($filename)) {
             /** @see Zend_Config_Exception */
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
             foreach ($config as $sectionName => $sectionData) {
                 $dataArray[$sectionName] = $this->_processExtends($config, $sectionName);
             }
-            parent::__construct($dataArray, $allowModifications);
+            parent::__construct($dataArray, $allowModifications, $detectTypes);
         } elseif (is_array($section)) {
             $dataArray = array();
             foreach ($section as $sectionName) {
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
                 }
                 $dataArray = array_merge($this->_processExtends($config, $sectionName), $dataArray);
             }
-            parent::__construct($dataArray, $allowModifications);
+            parent::__construct($dataArray, $allowModifications, $detectTypes);
         } else {
             if (!isset($config->$section)) {
                 /** @see Zend_Config_Exception */
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@
                 // section in the XML file contains just one top level string
                 $dataArray = array($section=>$dataArray);
             }
-            parent::__construct($dataArray, $allowModifications);
+            parent::__construct($dataArray, $allowModifications, $detectTypes);
         }
 
         $this->_loadedSection = $section;
Index: library/Zend/Config.php
===================================================================
--- library/Zend/Config.php	(Revision 7199)
+++ library/Zend/Config.php	(Arbeitskopie)
@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@
     protected $_allowModifications;
 
     /**
+     * Check and cast types, or not
+     *
+     * @var boolean
+     */
+    protected $_detectTypes;
+
+    /**
      * Iteration index
      *
      * @var integer
@@ -87,15 +94,16 @@
      * @param  boolean $allowModifications
      * @return void
      */
-    public function __construct($array, $allowModifications = false)
+    public function __construct($array, $allowModifications = false, $detectTypes = false)
     {
         $this->_allowModifications = (boolean) $allowModifications;
+        $this->_detectTypes = (boolean) $detectTypes;
         $this->_loadedSection = null;
         $this->_index = 0;
         $this->_data = array();
         foreach ($array as $key => $value) {
             if (is_array($value)) {
-                $this->_data[$key] = new self($value, $this->_allowModifications);
+                $this->_data[$key] = new self($value, $this->_allowModifications, $this->_detectTypes);
             } else {
                 $this->_data[$key] = $value;
             }
@@ -115,6 +123,7 @@
         $result = $default;
         if (array_key_exists($name, $this->_data)) {
             $result = $this->_data[$name];
+            $result = $this->_detectTypes($result);
         }
         return $result;
     }
@@ -167,7 +176,7 @@
             if ($value instanceof Zend_Config) {
                 $array[$key] = $value->toArray();
             } else {
-                $array[$key] = $value;
+                $array[$key] = $this->_detectTypes($value);
             }
         }
         return $array;
@@ -345,4 +354,33 @@
         $this->_extends[$extendingSection] = $extendedSection;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Checks $value in being one of the elemental data types and casts it accordingly.
+     *
+     * @param string $value
+     * @return mixed
+     */
+    protected function _detectTypes($value)
+    {
+        if ($this->_detectTypes and !$value instanceof Zend_Config) {
+            switch(true) {
+                case strtolower($value) === "true":
+                    $value = (bool) true;
+                    break;
+
+                case strtolower($value) === "false":
+                    $value = (bool) false;
+                    break;
+
+                case $value === (string)(int) $value:
+                    $value = (int) $value;
+                    break;
+
+                case $value === (string)(float) $value:
+                    $value = (float) $value;
+                    break;
+            }
+        }
+        return $value;
+    }
 }