diff --git a/panel-plugin/utils.c b/panel-plugin/utils.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dcb99e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/panel-plugin/utils.c
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+/*  XFce 4 - Netload Plugin
+ *    Copyright (c) 2003 Bernhard Walle <bernhard.walle@gmx.de>
+ * 
+ *  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ *  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ *  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ *  (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ *  GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ *  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ *  Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ */
+
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <limits.h>
+#include <locale.h>
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#ifndef BUFSIZ
+#define BUFSIZ 512
+#endif
+
+
+char* format_with_thousandssep( char* string, int stringsize, double number, int digits )
+{
+    char* str = string;
+    char buffer[BUFSIZ], formatstring[BUFSIZ];
+    char* bufptr = buffer;
+    unsigned int i;
+    int numberOfIntegerChars, count;
+    struct lconv* localeinfo = localeconv();
+    int grouping = (int)localeinfo->grouping[0] == 0 ? INT_MAX : (int)localeinfo->grouping[0];
+    
+    
+    /* sensible value for digits */
+    if( digits < 0 || digits >= 10 )
+    {
+        digits = 2;
+    }
+    
+    snprintf( formatstring, BUFSIZ, "%%.%df", digits );
+    snprintf( buffer, BUFSIZ, formatstring, number );
+    
+    /* get the number of integer characters */
+    count = numberOfIntegerChars = ( digits > 0
+                        ? ( strstr( buffer, localeinfo->decimal_point ) - buffer )
+                        :   strlen( buffer ) );
+    
+    
+    /* check for length */
+    if( numberOfIntegerChars / grouping + (int)strlen( buffer ) > stringsize )
+    {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    
+    
+    /* insert the thousands separator */
+    while( *bufptr != 0 && *bufptr != localeinfo->decimal_point[0] )
+    {
+        if( count % grouping == 0 && count != numberOfIntegerChars )
+        {
+            for( i = 0; i < strlen( localeinfo->thousands_sep ); i++ )
+            {
+                *str++ = localeinfo->thousands_sep[i];
+            }
+        }
+        *str++ = *bufptr++;
+        count--;
+    }
+    
+    /* Copy the rest */
+    while( digits > 0 && *bufptr != 0 )
+    {
+        *str++ = *bufptr++;
+    }
+    
+    /* terminate with 0 finally */
+    *str = 0;
+    
+    return string;
+}
diff --git a/panel-plugin/utils.h b/panel-plugin/utils.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc39b34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/panel-plugin/utils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+
+#ifndef UTILS_H
+#define UTILS_H
+
+/**
+ * Formats the number according the current locale with thousands separator. E.g.
+ * 1234.5678 is formated in a German locale with digits=2 to 1.234,57. If the size
+ * is too small, <code>NULL</code> is returned and the string contains garbage.
+ * @param   string      a character array in which the result is stored
+ * @param   stringsize  the size of the character array
+ * @param   number      the number that should be formated
+ * @param   digits      the number of digits after the decimal point
+ * @return  the string to allow concatening buffers or <code>null</code>
+ */
+char* format_with_thousandssep( char* string, int stringsize, double number, int digits );
+
+#endif /* UTILS_H */