* implement the corner() API change: new methods topLeftCorner() etc

* get rid of BlockReturnType: it was not needed, and code was not always using it consistently anyway
* add topRows(), leftCols(), bottomRows(), rightCols()
* add corners unit-test covering all of that
* adapt docs, expand "porting from eigen 2 to 3"
* adapt Eigen2Support

37 files changed, 818 insertions, 348 deletions

diff --git a/Eigen/src/Core/Block.h b/Eigen/src/Core/Block.h
index d0e6d4ee8..32f4b0ab2 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Core/Block.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Core/Block.h
@@ -328,128 +328,456 @@ class Block<XprType,BlockRows,BlockCols,HasDirectAccess>
   * \sa class Block, block(int,int)
   */
 template<typename Derived>
-inline typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type DenseBase<Derived>
+inline Block<Derived> DenseBase<Derived>
   ::block(int startRow, int startCol, int blockRows, int blockCols)
 {
-  return typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type(derived(), startRow, startCol, blockRows, blockCols);
+  return Block<Derived>(derived(), startRow, startCol, blockRows, blockCols);
 }
 
 /** This is the const version of block(int,int,int,int). */
 template<typename Derived>
-inline const typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type DenseBase<Derived>
+inline const Block<Derived> DenseBase<Derived>
   ::block(int startRow, int startCol, int blockRows, int blockCols) const
 {
-  return typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type(derived(), startRow, startCol, blockRows, blockCols);
+  return Block<Derived>(derived(), startRow, startCol, blockRows, blockCols);
 }
 
-/** \returns a dynamic-size expression of a corner of *this.
+
+
+
+/** \returns a dynamic-size expression of a top-right corner of *this.
   *
-  * \param type the type of corner. Can be \a Eigen::TopLeft, \a Eigen::TopRight,
-  * \a Eigen::BottomLeft, \a Eigen::BottomRight.
   * \param cRows the number of rows in the corner
   * \param cCols the number of columns in the corner
   *
-  * Example: \include MatrixBase_corner_enum_int_int.cpp
-  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_corner_enum_int_int.out
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_topRightCorner_int_int.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_topRightCorner_int_int.out
   *
-  * \note Even though the returned expression has dynamic size, in the case
-  * when it is applied to a fixed-size matrix, it inherits a fixed maximal size,
-  * which means that evaluating it does not cause a dynamic memory allocation.
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+inline Block<Derived> DenseBase<Derived>
+  ::topRightCorner(int cRows, int cCols)
+{
+  return Block<Derived>(derived(), 0, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of topRightCorner(int, int).*/
+template<typename Derived>
+inline const Block<Derived>
+DenseBase<Derived>::topRightCorner(int cRows, int cCols) const
+{
+  return Block<Derived>(derived(), 0, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
+}
+
+/** \returns an expression of a fixed-size top-right corner of *this.
+  *
+  * The template parameters CRows and CCols are the number of rows and columns in the corner.
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_template_int_int_topRightCorner.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_template_int_int_topRightCorner.out
   *
   * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
   */
 template<typename Derived>
-inline typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type DenseBase<Derived>
-  ::corner(CornerType type, int cRows, int cCols)
+template<int CRows, int CCols>
+inline Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>
+DenseBase<Derived>::topRightCorner()
 {
-  switch(type)
-  {
-    default:
-      ei_assert(false && "Bad corner type.");
-    case TopLeft:
-      return typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type(derived(), 0, 0, cRows, cCols);
-    case TopRight:
-      return typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type(derived(), 0, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
-    case BottomLeft:
-      return typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type(derived(), rows() - cRows, 0, cRows, cCols);
-    case BottomRight:
-      return typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type(derived(), rows() - cRows, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
-  }
+  return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, cols() - CCols);
 }
 
-/** This is the const version of corner(CornerType, int, int).*/
+/** This is the const version of topRightCorner<int, int>().*/
 template<typename Derived>
-inline const typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type
-DenseBase<Derived>::corner(CornerType type, int cRows, int cCols) const
+template<int CRows, int CCols>
+inline const Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>
+DenseBase<Derived>::topRightCorner() const
 {
-  switch(type)
-  {
-    default:
-      ei_assert(false && "Bad corner type.");
-    case TopLeft:
-      return typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type(derived(), 0, 0, cRows, cCols);
-    case TopRight:
-      return typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type(derived(), 0, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
-    case BottomLeft:
-      return typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type(derived(), rows() - cRows, 0, cRows, cCols);
-    case BottomRight:
-      return typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type(derived(), rows() - cRows, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
-  }
+  return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, cols() - CCols);
 }
 
-/** \returns a fixed-size expression of a corner of *this.
+
+
+
+/** \returns a dynamic-size expression of a top-left corner of *this.
   *
-  * \param type the type of corner. Can be \a Eigen::TopLeft, \a Eigen::TopRight,
-  * \a Eigen::BottomLeft, \a Eigen::BottomRight.
+  * \param cRows the number of rows in the corner
+  * \param cCols the number of columns in the corner
   *
-  * The template parameters CRows and CCols arethe number of rows and columns in the corner.
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_topLeftCorner_int_int.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_topLeftCorner_int_int.out
   *
-  * Example: \include MatrixBase_template_int_int_corner_enum.cpp
-  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_template_int_int_corner_enum.out
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+inline Block<Derived> DenseBase<Derived>
+  ::topLeftCorner(int cRows, int cCols)
+{
+  return Block<Derived>(derived(), 0, 0, cRows, cCols);
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of topLeftCorner(int, int).*/
+template<typename Derived>
+inline const Block<Derived>
+DenseBase<Derived>::topLeftCorner(int cRows, int cCols) const
+{
+  return Block<Derived>(derived(), 0, 0, cRows, cCols);
+}
+
+/** \returns an expression of a fixed-size top-left corner of *this.
+  *
+  * The template parameters CRows and CCols are the number of rows and columns in the corner.
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_template_int_int_topLeftCorner.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_template_int_int_topLeftCorner.out
   *
   * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
   */
 template<typename Derived>
 template<int CRows, int CCols>
-inline typename BlockReturnType<Derived, CRows, CCols>::Type
-DenseBase<Derived>::corner(CornerType type)
+inline Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>
+DenseBase<Derived>::topLeftCorner()
 {
-  switch(type)
-  {
-    default:
-      ei_assert(false && "Bad corner type.");
-    case TopLeft:
-      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, 0);
-    case TopRight:
-      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, cols() - CCols);
-    case BottomLeft:
-      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, 0);
-    case BottomRight:
-      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, cols() - CCols);
-  }
+  return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, 0);
 }
 
-/** This is the const version of corner<int, int>(CornerType).*/
+/** This is the const version of topLeftCorner<int, int>().*/
 template<typename Derived>
 template<int CRows, int CCols>
-inline const typename BlockReturnType<Derived, CRows, CCols>::Type
-DenseBase<Derived>::corner(CornerType type) const
+inline const Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>
+DenseBase<Derived>::topLeftCorner() const
 {
-  switch(type)
-  {
-    default:
-      ei_assert(false && "Bad corner type.");
-    case TopLeft:
-      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, 0);
-    case TopRight:
-      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, cols() - CCols);
-    case BottomLeft:
-      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, 0);
-    case BottomRight:
-      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, cols() - CCols);
-  }
+  return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, 0);
+}
+
+
+
+
+
+
+/** \returns a dynamic-size expression of a bottom-right corner of *this.
+  *
+  * \param cRows the number of rows in the corner
+  * \param cCols the number of columns in the corner
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_bottomRightCorner_int_int.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_bottomRightCorner_int_int.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+inline Block<Derived> DenseBase<Derived>
+  ::bottomRightCorner(int cRows, int cCols)
+{
+  return Block<Derived>(derived(), rows() - cRows, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of bottomRightCorner(int, int).*/
+template<typename Derived>
+inline const Block<Derived>
+DenseBase<Derived>::bottomRightCorner(int cRows, int cCols) const
+{
+  return Block<Derived>(derived(), rows() - cRows, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
+}
+
+/** \returns an expression of a fixed-size bottom-right corner of *this.
+  *
+  * The template parameters CRows and CCols are the number of rows and columns in the corner.
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_template_int_int_bottomRightCorner.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_template_int_int_bottomRightCorner.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int CRows, int CCols>
+inline Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>
+DenseBase<Derived>::bottomRightCorner()
+{
+  return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, cols() - CCols);
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of bottomRightCorner<int, int>().*/
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int CRows, int CCols>
+inline const Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>
+DenseBase<Derived>::bottomRightCorner() const
+{
+  return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, cols() - CCols);
+}
+
+
+
+
+/** \returns a dynamic-size expression of a bottom-left corner of *this.
+  *
+  * \param cRows the number of rows in the corner
+  * \param cCols the number of columns in the corner
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_bottomLeftCorner_int_int.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_bottomLeftCorner_int_int.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+inline Block<Derived> DenseBase<Derived>
+  ::bottomLeftCorner(int cRows, int cCols)
+{
+  return Block<Derived>(derived(), rows() - cRows, 0, cRows, cCols);
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of bottomLeftCorner(int, int).*/
+template<typename Derived>
+inline const Block<Derived>
+DenseBase<Derived>::bottomLeftCorner(int cRows, int cCols) const
+{
+  return Block<Derived>(derived(), rows() - cRows, 0, cRows, cCols);
+}
+
+/** \returns an expression of a fixed-size bottom-left corner of *this.
+  *
+  * The template parameters CRows and CCols are the number of rows and columns in the corner.
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_template_int_int_bottomLeftCorner.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_template_int_int_bottomLeftCorner.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int CRows, int CCols>
+inline Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>
+DenseBase<Derived>::bottomLeftCorner()
+{
+  return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, 0);
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of bottomLeftCorner<int, int>().*/
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int CRows, int CCols>
+inline const Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>
+DenseBase<Derived>::bottomLeftCorner() const
+{
+  return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, 0);
+}
+
+
+
+/** \returns a block consisting of the top rows of *this.
+  *
+  * \param n the number of rows in the block
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_topRows_int.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_topRows_int.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+inline typename DenseBase<Derived>::RowsBlockXpr DenseBase<Derived>
+  ::topRows(int n)
+{
+  return RowsBlockXpr(derived(), 0, 0, n, cols());
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of topRows(int).*/
+template<typename Derived>
+inline const typename DenseBase<Derived>::RowsBlockXpr
+DenseBase<Derived>::topRows(int n) const
+{
+  return RowsBlockXpr(derived(), 0, 0, n, cols());
+}
+
+/** \returns a block consisting of the top rows of *this.
+  *
+  * \param N the number of rows in the block
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_template_int_topRows.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_template_int_topRows.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int N>
+inline typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NRowsBlockXpr<N>::Type
+DenseBase<Derived>::topRows()
+{
+  return typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NRowsBlockXpr<N>::Type(derived(), 0, 0, N, cols());
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of topRows<int>().*/
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int N>
+inline const typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NRowsBlockXpr<N>::Type
+DenseBase<Derived>::topRows() const
+{
+  return typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NRowsBlockXpr<N>::Type(derived(), 0, 0, N, cols());
 }
 
+
+
+
+
+/** \returns a block consisting of the bottom rows of *this.
+  *
+  * \param n the number of rows in the block
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_bottomRows_int.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_bottomRows_int.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+inline typename DenseBase<Derived>::RowsBlockXpr DenseBase<Derived>
+  ::bottomRows(int n)
+{
+  return RowsBlockXpr(derived(), rows() - n, 0, n, cols());
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of bottomRows(int).*/
+template<typename Derived>
+inline const typename DenseBase<Derived>::RowsBlockXpr
+DenseBase<Derived>::bottomRows(int n) const
+{
+  return RowsBlockXpr(derived(), rows() - n, 0, n, cols());
+}
+
+/** \returns a block consisting of the bottom rows of *this.
+  *
+  * \param N the number of rows in the block
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_template_int_bottomRows.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_template_int_bottomRows.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int N>
+inline typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NRowsBlockXpr<N>::Type
+DenseBase<Derived>::bottomRows()
+{
+  return typename NRowsBlockXpr<N>::Type(derived(), rows() - N, 0, N, cols());
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of bottomRows<int>().*/
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int N>
+inline const typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NRowsBlockXpr<N>::Type
+DenseBase<Derived>::bottomRows() const
+{
+  return typename NRowsBlockXpr<N>::Type(derived(), rows() - N, 0, N, cols());
+}
+
+
+
+
+
+/** \returns a block consisting of the top columns of *this.
+  *
+  * \param n the number of columns in the block
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_leftCols_int.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_leftCols_int.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+inline typename DenseBase<Derived>::ColsBlockXpr DenseBase<Derived>
+  ::leftCols(int n)
+{
+  return ColsBlockXpr(derived(), 0, 0, rows(), n);
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of leftCols(int).*/
+template<typename Derived>
+inline const typename DenseBase<Derived>::ColsBlockXpr
+DenseBase<Derived>::leftCols(int n) const
+{
+  return ColsBlockXpr(derived(), 0, 0, rows(), n);
+}
+
+/** \returns a block consisting of the top columns of *this.
+  *
+  * \param N the number of columns in the block
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_template_int_leftCols.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_template_int_leftCols.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int N>
+inline typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NColsBlockXpr<N>::Type
+DenseBase<Derived>::leftCols()
+{
+  return typename NColsBlockXpr<N>::Type(derived(), 0, 0, rows(), N);
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of leftCols<int>().*/
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int N>
+inline const typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NColsBlockXpr<N>::Type
+DenseBase<Derived>::leftCols() const
+{
+  return typename NColsBlockXpr<N>::Type(derived(), 0, 0, rows(), N);
+}
+
+
+
+
+
+/** \returns a block consisting of the top columns of *this.
+  *
+  * \param n the number of columns in the block
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_rightCols_int.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_rightCols_int.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+inline typename DenseBase<Derived>::ColsBlockXpr DenseBase<Derived>
+  ::rightCols(int n)
+{
+  return ColsBlockXpr(derived(), 0, cols() - n, rows(), n);
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of rightCols(int).*/
+template<typename Derived>
+inline const typename DenseBase<Derived>::ColsBlockXpr
+DenseBase<Derived>::rightCols(int n) const
+{
+  return ColsBlockXpr(derived(), 0, cols() - n, rows(), n);
+}
+
+/** \returns a block consisting of the top columns of *this.
+  *
+  * \param N the number of columns in the block
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_template_int_rightCols.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_template_int_rightCols.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int N>
+inline typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NColsBlockXpr<N>::Type
+DenseBase<Derived>::rightCols()
+{
+  return typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NColsBlockXpr<N>::Type(derived(), 0, cols() - N, rows(), N);
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of rightCols<int>().*/
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int N>
+inline const typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NColsBlockXpr<N>::Type
+DenseBase<Derived>::rightCols() const
+{
+  return typename DenseBase<Derived>::template NColsBlockXpr<N>::Type(derived(), 0, cols() - N, rows(), N);
+}
+
+
+
+
+
 /** \returns a fixed-size expression of a block in *this.
   *
   * The template parameters \a BlockRows and \a BlockCols are the number of
@@ -468,7 +796,7 @@ DenseBase<Derived>::corner(CornerType type) const
   */
 template<typename Derived>
 template<int BlockRows, int BlockCols>
-inline typename BlockReturnType<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols>::Type
+inline Block<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols>
 DenseBase<Derived>::block(int startRow, int startCol)
 {
   return Block<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols>(derived(), startRow, startCol);
@@ -477,7 +805,7 @@ DenseBase<Derived>::block(int startRow, int startCol)
 /** This is the const version of block<>(int, int). */
 template<typename Derived>
 template<int BlockRows, int BlockCols>
-inline const typename BlockReturnType<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols>::Type
+inline const Block<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols>
 DenseBase<Derived>::block(int startRow, int startCol) const
 {
   return Block<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols>(derived(), startRow, startCol);
@@ -525,4 +853,116 @@ DenseBase<Derived>::row(int i) const
   return RowXpr(derived(), i);
 }
 
+#ifdef EIGEN2_SUPPORT
+
+/** \returns a dynamic-size expression of a corner of *this.
+  *
+  * \param type the type of corner. Can be \a Eigen::TopLeft, \a Eigen::TopRight,
+  * \a Eigen::BottomLeft, \a Eigen::BottomRight.
+  * \param cRows the number of rows in the corner
+  * \param cCols the number of columns in the corner
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_corner_enum_int_int.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_corner_enum_int_int.out
+  *
+  * \note Even though the returned expression has dynamic size, in the case
+  * when it is applied to a fixed-size matrix, it inherits a fixed maximal size,
+  * which means that evaluating it does not cause a dynamic memory allocation.
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+inline Block<Derived> DenseBase<Derived>
+  ::corner(CornerType type, int cRows, int cCols)
+{
+  switch(type)
+  {
+    default:
+      ei_assert(false && "Bad corner type.");
+    case TopLeft:
+      return Block<Derived>(derived(), 0, 0, cRows, cCols);
+    case TopRight:
+      return Block<Derived>(derived(), 0, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
+    case BottomLeft:
+      return Block<Derived>(derived(), rows() - cRows, 0, cRows, cCols);
+    case BottomRight:
+      return Block<Derived>(derived(), rows() - cRows, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
+  }
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of corner(CornerType, int, int).*/
+template<typename Derived>
+inline const Block<Derived>
+DenseBase<Derived>::corner(CornerType type, int cRows, int cCols) const
+{
+  switch(type)
+  {
+    default:
+      ei_assert(false && "Bad corner type.");
+    case TopLeft:
+      return Block<Derived>(derived(), 0, 0, cRows, cCols);
+    case TopRight:
+      return Block<Derived>(derived(), 0, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
+    case BottomLeft:
+      return Block<Derived>(derived(), rows() - cRows, 0, cRows, cCols);
+    case BottomRight:
+      return Block<Derived>(derived(), rows() - cRows, cols() - cCols, cRows, cCols);
+  }
+}
+
+/** \returns a fixed-size expression of a corner of *this.
+  *
+  * \param type the type of corner. Can be \a Eigen::TopLeft, \a Eigen::TopRight,
+  * \a Eigen::BottomLeft, \a Eigen::BottomRight.
+  *
+  * The template parameters CRows and CCols arethe number of rows and columns in the corner.
+  *
+  * Example: \include MatrixBase_template_int_int_corner_enum.cpp
+  * Output: \verbinclude MatrixBase_template_int_int_corner_enum.out
+  *
+  * \sa class Block, block(int,int,int,int)
+  */
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int CRows, int CCols>
+inline Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>
+DenseBase<Derived>::corner(CornerType type)
+{
+  switch(type)
+  {
+    default:
+      ei_assert(false && "Bad corner type.");
+    case TopLeft:
+      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, 0);
+    case TopRight:
+      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, cols() - CCols);
+    case BottomLeft:
+      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, 0);
+    case BottomRight:
+      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, cols() - CCols);
+  }
+}
+
+/** This is the const version of corner<int, int>(CornerType).*/
+template<typename Derived>
+template<int CRows, int CCols>
+inline const Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>
+DenseBase<Derived>::corner(CornerType type) const
+{
+  switch(type)
+  {
+    default:
+      ei_assert(false && "Bad corner type.");
+    case TopLeft:
+      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, 0);
+    case TopRight:
+      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), 0, cols() - CCols);
+    case BottomLeft:
+      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, 0);
+    case BottomRight:
+      return Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>(derived(), rows() - CRows, cols() - CCols);
+  }
+}
+
+#endif // EIGEN2_SUPPORT
+
 #endif // EIGEN_BLOCK_H
diff --git a/Eigen/src/Core/DenseBase.h b/Eigen/src/Core/DenseBase.h
index 566b4b410..da464067b 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Core/DenseBase.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Core/DenseBase.h
@@ -220,8 +220,18 @@ template<typename Derived> class DenseBase
     typedef Matrix<typename NumTraits<typename ei_traits<Derived>::Scalar>::Real, ei_traits<Derived>::ColsAtCompileTime, 1> EigenvaluesReturnType;
     /** \internal expression type of a column */
     typedef Block<Derived, ei_traits<Derived>::RowsAtCompileTime, 1> ColXpr;
-    /** \internal expression type of a column */
+    /** \internal expression type of a row */
     typedef Block<Derived, 1, ei_traits<Derived>::ColsAtCompileTime> RowXpr;
+    /** \internal expression type of a block of whole columns */
+    typedef Block<Derived, ei_traits<Derived>::RowsAtCompileTime, Dynamic> ColsBlockXpr;
+    /** \internal expression type of a block of whole rows */
+    typedef Block<Derived, Dynamic, ei_traits<Derived>::ColsAtCompileTime> RowsBlockXpr;
+    /** \internal expression type of a block of whole columns */
+    template<int N> struct NColsBlockXpr { typedef Block<Derived, ei_traits<Derived>::RowsAtCompileTime, N> Type; };
+    /** \internal expression type of a block of whole rows */
+    template<int N> struct NRowsBlockXpr { typedef Block<Derived, N, ei_traits<Derived>::ColsAtCompileTime> Type; };
+
+    
 #endif // not EIGEN_PARSED_BY_DOXYGEN
 
     const CoeffReturnType x() const;
@@ -334,9 +344,8 @@ template<typename Derived> class DenseBase
     ColXpr col(int i);
     const ColXpr col(int i) const;
 
-    typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type block(int startRow, int startCol, int blockRows, int blockCols);
-    const typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type
-    block(int startRow, int startCol, int blockRows, int blockCols) const;
+    Block<Derived> block(int startRow, int startCol, int blockRows, int blockCols);
+    const Block<Derived> block(int startRow, int startCol, int blockRows, int blockCols) const;
 
     VectorBlock<Derived> segment(int start, int size);
     const VectorBlock<Derived> segment(int start, int size) const;
@@ -347,18 +356,46 @@ template<typename Derived> class DenseBase
     VectorBlock<Derived> tail(int size);
     const VectorBlock<Derived> tail(int size) const;
 
-    typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type corner(CornerType type, int cRows, int cCols);
-    const typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type corner(CornerType type, int cRows, int cCols) const;
+    Block<Derived>       topLeftCorner(int cRows, int cCols);
+    const Block<Derived> topLeftCorner(int cRows, int cCols) const;
+    Block<Derived>       topRightCorner(int cRows, int cCols);
+    const Block<Derived> topRightCorner(int cRows, int cCols) const;
+    Block<Derived>       bottomLeftCorner(int cRows, int cCols);
+    const Block<Derived> bottomLeftCorner(int cRows, int cCols) const;
+    Block<Derived>       bottomRightCorner(int cRows, int cCols);
+    const Block<Derived> bottomRightCorner(int cRows, int cCols) const;
+
+    RowsBlockXpr       topRows(int n);
+    const RowsBlockXpr topRows(int n) const;
+    RowsBlockXpr       bottomRows(int n);
+    const RowsBlockXpr bottomRows(int n) const;
+    ColsBlockXpr       leftCols(int n);
+    const ColsBlockXpr leftCols(int n) const;
+    ColsBlockXpr       rightCols(int n);
+    const ColsBlockXpr rightCols(int n) const;
+
+    template<int CRows, int CCols> Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>       topLeftCorner();
+    template<int CRows, int CCols> const Block<Derived, CRows, CCols> topLeftCorner() const;
+    template<int CRows, int CCols> Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>       topRightCorner();
+    template<int CRows, int CCols> const Block<Derived, CRows, CCols> topRightCorner() const;
+    template<int CRows, int CCols> Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>       bottomLeftCorner();
+    template<int CRows, int CCols> const Block<Derived, CRows, CCols> bottomLeftCorner() const;
+    template<int CRows, int CCols> Block<Derived, CRows, CCols>       bottomRightCorner();
+    template<int CRows, int CCols> const Block<Derived, CRows, CCols> bottomRightCorner() const;
+
+    template<int NRows> typename NRowsBlockXpr<NRows>::Type       topRows();
+    template<int NRows> const typename NRowsBlockXpr<NRows>::Type topRows() const;
+    template<int NRows> typename NRowsBlockXpr<NRows>::Type       bottomRows();
+    template<int NRows> const typename NRowsBlockXpr<NRows>::Type bottomRows() const;
+    template<int NCols> typename NColsBlockXpr<NCols>::Type       leftCols();
+    template<int NCols> const typename NColsBlockXpr<NCols>::Type leftCols() const;
+    template<int NCols> typename NColsBlockXpr<NCols>::Type       rightCols();
+    template<int NCols> const typename NColsBlockXpr<NCols>::Type rightCols() const;
 
     template<int BlockRows, int BlockCols>
-    typename BlockReturnType<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols>::Type block(int startRow, int startCol);
+    Block<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols> block(int startRow, int startCol);
     template<int BlockRows, int BlockCols>
-    const typename BlockReturnType<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols>::Type block(int startRow, int startCol) const;
-
-    template<int CRows, int CCols>
-    typename BlockReturnType<Derived, CRows, CCols>::Type corner(CornerType type);
-    template<int CRows, int CCols>
-    const typename BlockReturnType<Derived, CRows, CCols>::Type corner(CornerType type) const;
+    const Block<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols> block(int startRow, int startCol) const;
 
     template<int Size> VectorBlock<Derived,Size> head(void);
     template<int Size> const VectorBlock<Derived,Size> head() const;
@@ -523,6 +560,17 @@ template<typename Derived> class DenseBase
     const Eigen::Reverse<Derived, BothDirections> reverse() const;
     void reverseInPlace();
 
+#ifdef EIGEN2_SUPPORT
+
+    Block<Derived> corner(CornerType type, int cRows, int cCols);
+    const Block<Derived> corner(CornerType type, int cRows, int cCols) const;
+    template<int CRows, int CCols>
+    Block<Derived, CRows, CCols> corner(CornerType type);
+    template<int CRows, int CCols>
+    const Block<Derived, CRows, CCols> corner(CornerType type) const;
+
+#endif // EIGEN2_SUPPORT
+
     #ifdef EIGEN_DENSEBASE_PLUGIN
     #include EIGEN_DENSEBASE_PLUGIN
     #endif
diff --git a/Eigen/src/Core/DenseStorageBase.h b/Eigen/src/Core/DenseStorageBase.h
index 687c76cf8..220cd86c7 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Core/DenseStorageBase.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Core/DenseStorageBase.h
@@ -566,9 +566,9 @@ struct ei_conservative_resize_like_impl
       const int new_cols = other.cols() - _this.cols();
       _this.derived().m_storage.conservativeResize(other.size(),other.rows(),other.cols());
       if (new_rows>0)
-        _this.corner(BottomRight, new_rows, other.cols()) = other.corner(BottomRight, new_rows, other.cols());
+        _this.bottomRightCorner(new_rows, other.cols()) = other.bottomRows(new_rows);
       else if (new_cols>0)
-        _this.corner(BottomRight, other.rows(), new_cols) = other.corner(BottomRight, other.rows(), new_cols);
+        _this.bottomRightCorner(other.rows(), new_cols) = other.rightCols(new_cols);
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/Eigen/src/Core/util/Constants.h b/Eigen/src/Core/util/Constants.h
index 51c3dd287..023ef3852 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Core/util/Constants.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Core/util/Constants.h
@@ -165,7 +165,11 @@ enum {
 
 enum { Unaligned=0, Aligned=1 };
 enum { ConditionalJumpCost = 5 };
+
+// FIXME after the corner() API change, this was not needed anymore, except by AlignedBox
+// TODO: find out what to do with that. Adapt the AlignedBox API ?
 enum CornerType { TopLeft, TopRight, BottomLeft, BottomRight };
+
 enum DirectionType { Vertical, Horizontal, BothDirections };
 enum ProductEvaluationMode { NormalProduct, CacheFriendlyProduct };
 
diff --git a/Eigen/src/Core/util/XprHelper.h b/Eigen/src/Core/util/XprHelper.h
index 4eb132cf7..f895dad1c 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Core/util/XprHelper.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Core/util/XprHelper.h
@@ -329,13 +329,6 @@ struct ei_special_scalar_op_base<Derived,Scalar,OtherScalar,true>  : public Eige
   { return static_cast<const ei_special_scalar_op_base&>(matrix).operator*(scalar); }
 };
 
-/** \internal Gives the type of a sub-matrix or sub-vector of a matrix of type \a ExpressionType and size \a Size
-  * TODO: could be a good idea to define a big ReturnType struct ??
-  */
-template<typename ExpressionType, int RowsOrSize=Dynamic, int Cols=Dynamic> struct BlockReturnType {
-  typedef Block<ExpressionType, RowsOrSize, Cols> Type;
-};
-
 template<typename ExpressionType> struct HNormalizedReturnType {
 
   enum {
diff --git a/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/HessenbergDecomposition.h b/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/HessenbergDecomposition.h
index 451604252..a1ac31981 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/HessenbergDecomposition.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/HessenbergDecomposition.h
@@ -272,11 +272,11 @@ void HessenbergDecomposition<MatrixType>::_compute(MatrixType& matA, CoeffVector
     // i.e., compute A = H A H'
 
     // A = H A
-    matA.corner(BottomRight, remainingSize, remainingSize)
+    matA.bottomRightCorner(remainingSize, remainingSize)
         .applyHouseholderOnTheLeft(matA.col(i).tail(remainingSize-1), h, &temp.coeffRef(0));
 
     // A = A H'
-    matA.corner(BottomRight, n, remainingSize)
+    matA.rightCols(remainingSize)
         .applyHouseholderOnTheRight(matA.col(i).tail(remainingSize-1).conjugate(), ei_conj(h), &temp.coeffRef(0));
   }
 }
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ HessenbergDecomposition<MatrixType>::matrixQ() const
   VectorType temp(n);
   for (int i = n-2; i>=0; i--)
   {
-    matQ.corner(BottomRight,n-i-1,n-i-1)
+    matQ.bottomRightCorner(n-i-1,n-i-1)
         .applyHouseholderOnTheLeft(m_matrix.col(i).tail(n-i-2), ei_conj(m_hCoeffs.coeff(i)), &temp.coeffRef(0,0));
   }
   return matQ;
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ HessenbergDecomposition<MatrixType>::matrixH() const
   int n = m_matrix.rows();
   MatrixType matH = m_matrix;
   if (n>2)
-    matH.corner(BottomLeft,n-2, n-2).template triangularView<Lower>().setZero();
+    matH.bottomLeftCorner(n-2, n-2).template triangularView<Lower>().setZero();
   return matH;
 }
 
diff --git a/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/RealSchur.h b/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/RealSchur.h
index dd4a1ab7e..c2835f1fb 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/RealSchur.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/RealSchur.h
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ inline typename MatrixType::Scalar RealSchur<MatrixType>::computeNormOfT()
   const int size = m_matU.cols();
   // FIXME to be efficient the following would requires a triangular reduxion code
   // Scalar norm = m_matT.upper().cwiseAbs().sum() 
-  //               + m_matT.corner(BottomLeft,size-1,size-1).diagonal().cwiseAbs().sum();
+  //               + m_matT.bottomLeftCorner(size-1,size-1).diagonal().cwiseAbs().sum();
   Scalar norm = 0.0;
   for (int j = 0; j < size; ++j)
     norm += m_matT.row(j).segment(std::max(j-1,0), size-std::max(j-1,0)).cwiseAbs().sum();
diff --git a/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/Tridiagonalization.h b/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/Tridiagonalization.h
index c320242ef..a41a5f670 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/Tridiagonalization.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Eigenvalues/Tridiagonalization.h
@@ -171,11 +171,11 @@ Tridiagonalization<MatrixType>::matrixT(void) const
   // and fill it ? (to avoid temporaries)
   int n = m_matrix.rows();
   MatrixType matT = m_matrix;
-  matT.corner(TopRight,n-1, n-1).diagonal() = subDiagonal().template cast<Scalar>().conjugate();
+  matT.topRightCorner(n-1, n-1).diagonal() = subDiagonal().template cast<Scalar>().conjugate();
   if (n>2)
   {
-    matT.corner(TopRight,n-2, n-2).template triangularView<Upper>().setZero();
-    matT.corner(BottomLeft,n-2, n-2).template triangularView<Lower>().setZero();
+    matT.topRightCorner(n-2, n-2).template triangularView<Upper>().setZero();
+    matT.bottomLeftCorner(n-2, n-2).template triangularView<Lower>().setZero();
   }
   return matT;
 }
@@ -210,12 +210,12 @@ void Tridiagonalization<MatrixType>::_compute(MatrixType& matA, CoeffVectorType&
     // i.e., A = H A H' where H = I - h v v' and v = matA.col(i).tail(n-i-1)
     matA.col(i).coeffRef(i+1) = 1;
 
-    hCoeffs.tail(n-i-1).noalias() = (matA.corner(BottomRight,remainingSize,remainingSize).template selfadjointView<Lower>()
+    hCoeffs.tail(n-i-1).noalias() = (matA.bottomRightCorner(remainingSize,remainingSize).template selfadjointView<Lower>()
                                   * (ei_conj(h) * matA.col(i).tail(remainingSize)));
 
     hCoeffs.tail(n-i-1) += (ei_conj(h)*Scalar(-0.5)*(hCoeffs.tail(remainingSize).dot(matA.col(i).tail(remainingSize)))) * matA.col(i).tail(n-i-1);
 
-    matA.corner(BottomRight, remainingSize, remainingSize).template selfadjointView<Lower>()
+    matA.bottomRightCorner(remainingSize, remainingSize).template selfadjointView<Lower>()
       .rankUpdate(matA.col(i).tail(remainingSize), hCoeffs.tail(remainingSize), -1);
 
     matA.col(i).coeffRef(i+1) = beta;
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ void Tridiagonalization<MatrixType>::matrixQInPlace(MatrixBase<QDerived>* q) con
   RowVectorType aux(n);
   for (int i = n-2; i>=0; i--)
   {
-    matQ.corner(BottomRight,n-i-1,n-i-1)
+    matQ.bottomRightCorner(n-i-1,n-i-1)
         .applyHouseholderOnTheLeft(m_matrix.col(i).tail(n-i-2), ei_conj(m_hCoeffs.coeff(i)), &aux.coeffRef(0,0));
   }
 }
diff --git a/Eigen/src/Geometry/Transform.h b/Eigen/src/Geometry/Transform.h
index 1240a95bc..1f4db8098 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Geometry/Transform.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Geometry/Transform.h
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ Transform<Scalar,Dim,Mode>::prescale(const MatrixBase<OtherDerived> &other)
 template<typename Scalar, int Dim, int Mode>
 inline Transform<Scalar,Dim,Mode>& Transform<Scalar,Dim,Mode>::prescale(Scalar s)
 {
-  m_matrix.template corner<Dim,HDim>(TopLeft) *= s;
+  m_matrix.template topRows<Dim>() *= s;
   return *this;
 }
 
@@ -940,18 +940,19 @@ Transform<Scalar,Dim,Mode>::inverse(TransformTraits hint) const
   {
     if (hint == Isometry)
     {
-      res.matrix().template corner<Dim,Dim>(TopLeft) = linear().transpose();
+      res.matrix().template topLeftCorner<Dim,Dim>() = linear().transpose();
     }
     else if(hint&Affine)
     {
-      res.matrix().template corner<Dim,Dim>(TopLeft) = linear().inverse();
+      res.matrix().template topLeftCorner<Dim,Dim>() = linear().inverse();
     }
     else
     {
       ei_assert(false && "Invalid transform traits in Transform::Inverse");
     }
     // translation and remaining parts
-    res.matrix().template corner<Dim,1>(TopRight) = - res.matrix().template corner<Dim,Dim>(TopLeft) * translation();
+    res.matrix().template topRightCorner<Dim,1>()
+      = - res.matrix().template topLeftCorner<Dim,Dim>() * translation();
     if(int(Mode)!=int(AffineCompact))
     {
       res.matrix().template block<1,Dim>(Dim,0).setZero();
@@ -1247,8 +1248,8 @@ struct ei_transform_left_product_impl<Other,Mode,Dim,HDim, Dim,Dim>
     TransformType res;
     if(Mode!=AffineCompact)
       res.matrix().row(Dim) = tr.matrix().row(Dim);
-    res.matrix().template corner<Dim,HDim>(TopLeft).noalias()
-      = other * tr.matrix().template corner<Dim,HDim>(TopLeft);
+    res.matrix().template topRows<Dim>().noalias()
+      = other * tr.matrix().template topRows<Dim>();
     return res;
   }
 };
diff --git a/Eigen/src/Geometry/Umeyama.h b/Eigen/src/Geometry/Umeyama.h
index c5d99d533..262d27aa3 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Geometry/Umeyama.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Geometry/Umeyama.h
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ umeyama(const MatrixBase<Derived>& src, const MatrixBase<OtherDerived>& dst, boo
   // Note that we first assign dst_mean to the destination so that there no need
   // for a temporary.
   Rt.col(m).head(m) = dst_mean;
-  Rt.col(m).head(m).noalias() -= c*Rt.corner(TopLeft,m,m)*src_mean;
+  Rt.col(m).head(m).noalias() -= c*Rt.topLeftCorner(m,m)*src_mean;
 
   if (with_scaling) Rt.block(0,0,m,m) *= c;
 
diff --git a/Eigen/src/Householder/HouseholderSequence.h b/Eigen/src/Householder/HouseholderSequence.h
index 05e883168..4bac484eb 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Householder/HouseholderSequence.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Householder/HouseholderSequence.h
@@ -161,10 +161,10 @@ template<typename VectorsType, typename CoeffsType, int Side> class HouseholderS
       {
         int cornerSize = rows() - k - m_shift;
         if(m_trans)
-          dst.corner(BottomRight, cornerSize, cornerSize)
+          dst.bottomRightCorner(cornerSize, cornerSize)
           .applyHouseholderOnTheRight(essentialVector(k), m_coeffs.coeff(k), &temp.coeffRef(0));
         else
-          dst.corner(BottomRight, cornerSize, cornerSize)
+          dst.bottomRightCorner(cornerSize, cornerSize)
             .applyHouseholderOnTheLeft(essentialVector(k), m_coeffs.coeff(k), &temp.coeffRef(0));
       }
     }
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ template<typename VectorsType, typename CoeffsType, int Side> class HouseholderS
       for(int k = 0; k < m_actualVectors; ++k)
       {
         int actual_k = m_trans ? m_actualVectors-k-1 : k;
-        dst.corner(BottomRight, dst.rows(), rows()-m_shift-actual_k)
+        dst.rightCols(rows()-m_shift-actual_k)
            .applyHouseholderOnTheRight(essentialVector(actual_k), m_coeffs.coeff(actual_k), &temp.coeffRef(0));
       }
     }
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ template<typename VectorsType, typename CoeffsType, int Side> class HouseholderS
       for(int k = 0; k < m_actualVectors; ++k)
       {
         int actual_k = m_trans ? k : m_actualVectors-k-1;
-        dst.corner(BottomRight, rows()-m_shift-actual_k, dst.cols())
+        dst.bottomRows(rows()-m_shift-actual_k)
            .applyHouseholderOnTheLeft(essentialVector(actual_k), m_coeffs.coeff(actual_k), &temp.coeffRef(0));
       }
     }
diff --git a/Eigen/src/LU/FullPivLU.h b/Eigen/src/LU/FullPivLU.h
index 241fb9d16..1b0e67b3a 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/LU/FullPivLU.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/LU/FullPivLU.h
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ FullPivLU<MatrixType>& FullPivLU<MatrixType>::compute(const MatrixType& matrix)
     // biggest coefficient in the remaining bottom-right corner (starting at row k, col k)
     int row_of_biggest_in_corner, col_of_biggest_in_corner;
     RealScalar biggest_in_corner;
-    biggest_in_corner = m_lu.corner(Eigen::BottomRight, rows-k, cols-k)
+    biggest_in_corner = m_lu.bottomRightCorner(rows-k, cols-k)
                         .cwiseAbs()
                         .maxCoeff(&row_of_biggest_in_corner, &col_of_biggest_in_corner);
     row_of_biggest_in_corner += k; // correct the values! since they were computed in the corner,
@@ -535,9 +535,9 @@ MatrixType FullPivLU<MatrixType>::reconstructedMatrix() const
   // LU
   MatrixType res(m_lu.rows(),m_lu.cols());
   // FIXME the .toDenseMatrix() should not be needed...
-  res = m_lu.corner(TopLeft,m_lu.rows(),smalldim)
+  res = m_lu.leftCols(smalldim)
             .template triangularView<UnitLower>().toDenseMatrix()
-      * m_lu.corner(TopLeft,smalldim,m_lu.cols())
+      * m_lu.topRows(smalldim)
             .template triangularView<Upper>().toDenseMatrix();
 
   // P^{-1}(LU)
@@ -618,9 +618,9 @@ struct ei_kernel_retval<FullPivLU<_MatrixType> >
     // ok, we have our trapezoid matrix, we can apply the triangular solver.
     // notice that the math behind this suggests that we should apply this to the
     // negative of the RHS, but for performance we just put the negative sign elsewhere, see below.
-    m.corner(TopLeft, rank(), rank())
+    m.topLeftCorner(rank(), rank())
      .template triangularView<Upper>().solveInPlace(
-        m.corner(TopRight, rank(), dimker)
+        m.topRightCorner(rank(), dimker)
       );
 
     // now we must undo the column permutation that we had applied!
@@ -707,21 +707,21 @@ struct ei_solve_retval<FullPivLU<_MatrixType>, Rhs>
 
     // Step 2
     dec().matrixLU()
-        .corner(Eigen::TopLeft,smalldim,smalldim)
+        .topLeftCorner(smalldim,smalldim)
         .template triangularView<UnitLower>()
-        .solveInPlace(c.corner(Eigen::TopLeft, smalldim, c.cols()));
+        .solveInPlace(c.topRows(smalldim));
     if(rows>cols)
     {
-      c.corner(Eigen::BottomLeft, rows-cols, c.cols())
-        -= dec().matrixLU().corner(Eigen::BottomLeft, rows-cols, cols)
-        * c.corner(Eigen::TopLeft, cols, c.cols());
+      c.bottomRows(rows-cols)
+        -= dec().matrixLU().bottomRows(rows-cols)
+         * c.topRows(cols);
     }
 
     // Step 3
     dec().matrixLU()
-        .corner(TopLeft, nonzero_pivots, nonzero_pivots)
+        .topLeftCorner(nonzero_pivots, nonzero_pivots)
         .template triangularView<Upper>()
-        .solveInPlace(c.corner(TopLeft, nonzero_pivots, c.cols()));
+        .solveInPlace(c.topRows(nonzero_pivots));
 
     // Step 4
     for(int i = 0; i < nonzero_pivots; ++i)
diff --git a/Eigen/src/LU/PartialPivLU.h b/Eigen/src/LU/PartialPivLU.h
index 42c74ee53..695b7d75c 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/LU/PartialPivLU.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/LU/PartialPivLU.h
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ struct ei_partial_lu_impl
         int rrows = rows-k-1;
         int rsize = size-k-1;
         lu.col(k).tail(rrows) /= lu.coeff(k,k);
-        lu.corner(BottomRight,rrows,rsize).noalias() -= lu.col(k).tail(rrows) * lu.row(k).tail(rsize);
+        lu.bottomRightCorner(rrows,rsize).noalias() -= lu.col(k).tail(rrows) * lu.row(k).tail(rsize);
       }
     }
     return true;
diff --git a/Eigen/src/QR/ColPivHouseholderQR.h b/Eigen/src/QR/ColPivHouseholderQR.h
index 5893125cd..8c9c8840b 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/QR/ColPivHouseholderQR.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/QR/ColPivHouseholderQR.h
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ ColPivHouseholderQR<MatrixType>& ColPivHouseholderQR<MatrixType>::compute(const
     {
       m_nonzero_pivots = k;
       m_hCoeffs.tail(size-k).setZero();
-      m_qr.corner(BottomRight,rows-k,cols-k)
+      m_qr.bottomRightCorner(rows-k,cols-k)
           .template triangularView<StrictlyLower>()
           .setZero();
       break;
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ ColPivHouseholderQR<MatrixType>& ColPivHouseholderQR<MatrixType>::compute(const
     if(ei_abs(beta) > m_maxpivot) m_maxpivot = ei_abs(beta);
 
     // apply the householder transformation
-    m_qr.corner(BottomRight, rows-k, cols-k-1)
+    m_qr.bottomRightCorner(rows-k, cols-k-1)
         .applyHouseholderOnTheLeft(m_qr.col(k).tail(rows-k-1), m_hCoeffs.coeffRef(k), &m_temp.coeffRef(k+1));
 
     // update our table of squared norms of the columns
@@ -483,17 +483,17 @@ struct ei_solve_retval<ColPivHouseholderQR<_MatrixType>, Rhs>
     ));
 
     dec().matrixQR()
-       .corner(TopLeft, nonzero_pivots, nonzero_pivots)
+       .topLeftCorner(nonzero_pivots, nonzero_pivots)
        .template triangularView<Upper>()
-       .solveInPlace(c.corner(TopLeft, nonzero_pivots, c.cols()));
+       .solveInPlace(c.topRows(nonzero_pivots));
 
 
     typename Rhs::PlainObject d(c);
-    d.corner(TopLeft, nonzero_pivots, c.cols())
+    d.topRows(nonzero_pivots)
       = dec().matrixQR()
-       .corner(TopLeft, nonzero_pivots, nonzero_pivots)
+       .topLeftCorner(nonzero_pivots, nonzero_pivots)
        .template triangularView<Upper>()
-       * c.corner(TopLeft, nonzero_pivots, c.cols());
+       * c.topRows(nonzero_pivots);
 
     for(int i = 0; i < nonzero_pivots; ++i) dst.row(dec().colsPermutation().indices().coeff(i)) = c.row(i);
     for(int i = nonzero_pivots; i < cols; ++i) dst.row(dec().colsPermutation().indices().coeff(i)).setZero();
diff --git a/Eigen/src/QR/FullPivHouseholderQR.h b/Eigen/src/QR/FullPivHouseholderQR.h
index 8df2ed1e0..0195e1330 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/QR/FullPivHouseholderQR.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/QR/FullPivHouseholderQR.h
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ FullPivHouseholderQR<MatrixType>& FullPivHouseholderQR<MatrixType>::compute(cons
     int row_of_biggest_in_corner, col_of_biggest_in_corner;
     RealScalar biggest_in_corner;
 
-    biggest_in_corner = m_qr.corner(Eigen::BottomRight, rows-k, cols-k)
+    biggest_in_corner = m_qr.bottomRightCorner(rows-k, cols-k)
                             .cwiseAbs()
                             .maxCoeff(&row_of_biggest_in_corner, &col_of_biggest_in_corner);
     row_of_biggest_in_corner += k;
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ FullPivHouseholderQR<MatrixType>& FullPivHouseholderQR<MatrixType>::compute(cons
     m_qr.col(k).tail(rows-k).makeHouseholderInPlace(m_hCoeffs.coeffRef(k), beta);
     m_qr.coeffRef(k,k) = beta;
 
-    m_qr.corner(BottomRight, rows-k, cols-k-1)
+    m_qr.bottomRightCorner(rows-k, cols-k-1)
         .applyHouseholderOnTheLeft(m_qr.col(k).tail(rows-k-1), m_hCoeffs.coeffRef(k), &m_temp.coeffRef(k+1));
   }
 
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ struct ei_solve_retval<FullPivHouseholderQR<_MatrixType>, Rhs>
     {
       int remainingSize = rows-k;
       c.row(k).swap(c.row(dec().rowsTranspositions().coeff(k)));
-      c.corner(BottomRight, remainingSize, rhs().cols())
+      c.bottomRightCorner(remainingSize, rhs().cols())
        .applyHouseholderOnTheLeft(dec().matrixQR().col(k).tail(remainingSize-1),
                                   dec().hCoeffs().coeff(k), &temp.coeffRef(0));
     }
@@ -397,17 +397,17 @@ struct ei_solve_retval<FullPivHouseholderQR<_MatrixType>, Rhs>
     if(!dec().isSurjective())
     {
       // is c is in the image of R ?
-      RealScalar biggest_in_upper_part_of_c = c.corner(TopLeft, dec().rank(), c.cols()).cwiseAbs().maxCoeff();
-      RealScalar biggest_in_lower_part_of_c = c.corner(BottomLeft, rows-dec().rank(), c.cols()).cwiseAbs().maxCoeff();
+      RealScalar biggest_in_upper_part_of_c = c.topRows(   dec().rank()     ).cwiseAbs().maxCoeff();
+      RealScalar biggest_in_lower_part_of_c = c.bottomRows(rows-dec().rank()).cwiseAbs().maxCoeff();
       // FIXME brain dead
       const RealScalar m_precision = NumTraits<Scalar>::epsilon() * std::min(rows,cols);
       if(!ei_isMuchSmallerThan(biggest_in_lower_part_of_c, biggest_in_upper_part_of_c, m_precision))
         return;
     }
     dec().matrixQR()
-       .corner(TopLeft, dec().rank(), dec().rank())
+       .topLeftCorner(dec().rank(), dec().rank())
        .template triangularView<Upper>()
-       .solveInPlace(c.corner(TopLeft, dec().rank(), c.cols()));
+       .solveInPlace(c.topRows(dec().rank()));
 
     for(int i = 0; i < dec().rank(); ++i) dst.row(dec().colsPermutation().indices().coeff(i)) = c.row(i);
     for(int i = dec().rank(); i < cols; ++i) dst.row(dec().colsPermutation().indices().coeff(i)).setZero();
diff --git a/Eigen/src/QR/HouseholderQR.h b/Eigen/src/QR/HouseholderQR.h
index 10b9fb93f..6a2883939 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/QR/HouseholderQR.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/QR/HouseholderQR.h
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ HouseholderQR<MatrixType>& HouseholderQR<MatrixType>::compute(const MatrixType&
     m_qr.coeffRef(k,k) = beta;
 
     // apply H to remaining part of m_qr from the left
-    m_qr.corner(BottomRight, remainingRows, remainingCols)
+    m_qr.bottomRightCorner(remainingRows, remainingCols)
         .applyHouseholderOnTheLeft(m_qr.col(k).tail(remainingRows-1), m_hCoeffs.coeffRef(k), &m_temp.coeffRef(k+1));
   }
   m_isInitialized = true;
@@ -239,17 +239,17 @@ struct ei_solve_retval<HouseholderQR<_MatrixType>, Rhs>
 
     // Note that the matrix Q = H_0^* H_1^*... so its inverse is Q^* = (H_0 H_1 ...)^T
     c.applyOnTheLeft(householderSequence(
-      dec().matrixQR().corner(TopLeft,rows,rank),
+      dec().matrixQR().leftCols(rank),
       dec().hCoeffs().head(rank)).transpose()
     );
 
     dec().matrixQR()
-       .corner(TopLeft, rank, rank)
+       .topLeftCorner(rank, rank)
        .template triangularView<Upper>()
-       .solveInPlace(c.corner(TopLeft, rank, c.cols()));
+       .solveInPlace(c.topRows(rank));
 
-    dst.corner(TopLeft, rank, c.cols()) = c.corner(TopLeft, rank, c.cols());
-    dst.corner(BottomLeft, cols-rank, c.cols()).setZero();
+    dst.topRows(rank) = c.topRows(rank);
+    dst.bottomRows(cols-rank).setZero();
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/Eigen/src/SVD/UpperBidiagonalization.h b/Eigen/src/SVD/UpperBidiagonalization.h
index 0a63b4265..53e04076a 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/SVD/UpperBidiagonalization.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/SVD/UpperBidiagonalization.h
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ UpperBidiagonalization<_MatrixType>& UpperBidiagonalization<_MatrixType>::comput
                  .makeHouseholderInPlace(m_householder.coeffRef(k,k),
                                          m_bidiagonal.template diagonal<0>().coeffRef(k));
     // apply householder transform to remaining part of m_householder on the left
-    m_householder.corner(BottomRight, remainingRows, remainingCols)
+    m_householder.bottomRightCorner(remainingRows, remainingCols)
                  .applyHouseholderOnTheLeft(m_householder.col(k).tail(remainingRows-1),
                                             m_householder.coeff(k,k),
                                             temp.data());
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ UpperBidiagonalization<_MatrixType>& UpperBidiagonalization<_MatrixType>::comput
                  .makeHouseholderInPlace(m_householder.coeffRef(k,k+1),
                                          m_bidiagonal.template diagonal<1>().coeffRef(k));
     // apply householder transform to remaining part of m_householder on the left
-    m_householder.corner(BottomRight, remainingRows-1, remainingCols)
+    m_householder.bottomRightCorner(remainingRows-1, remainingCols)
                  .applyHouseholderOnTheRight(m_householder.row(k).tail(remainingCols-1).transpose(),
                                              m_householder.coeff(k,k+1),
                                              temp.data());
diff --git a/Eigen/src/Sparse/SparseMatrixBase.h b/Eigen/src/Sparse/SparseMatrixBase.h
index d269ce604..65fa19a79 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/Sparse/SparseMatrixBase.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/Sparse/SparseMatrixBase.h
@@ -433,19 +433,11 @@ template<typename Derived> class SparseMatrixBase : public EigenBase<Derived>
 //     typename BlockReturnType<Derived,Dynamic>::SubVectorType end(int size);
 //     const typename BlockReturnType<Derived,Dynamic>::SubVectorType end(int size) const;
 //
-//     typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type corner(CornerType type, int cRows, int cCols);
-//     const typename BlockReturnType<Derived>::Type corner(CornerType type, int cRows, int cCols) const;
-//
 //     template<int BlockRows, int BlockCols>
 //     typename BlockReturnType<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols>::Type block(int startRow, int startCol);
 //     template<int BlockRows, int BlockCols>
 //     const typename BlockReturnType<Derived, BlockRows, BlockCols>::Type block(int startRow, int startCol) const;
 
-//     template<int CRows, int CCols>
-//     typename BlockReturnType<Derived, CRows, CCols>::Type corner(CornerType type);
-//     template<int CRows, int CCols>
-//     const typename BlockReturnType<Derived, CRows, CCols>::Type corner(CornerType type) const;
-
 //     template<int Size> typename BlockReturnType<Derived,Size>::SubVectorType start(void);
 //     template<int Size> const typename BlockReturnType<Derived,Size>::SubVectorType start() const;
 
diff --git a/doc/A05_PortingFrom2To3.dox b/doc/A05_PortingFrom2To3.dox
index 57f801f84..554ca7f2c 100644
--- a/doc/A05_PortingFrom2To3.dox
+++ b/doc/A05_PortingFrom2To3.dox
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ and to help porting an application from Eigen2 to Eigen3.
   - \ref CompatibilitySupport
   - \ref ChangeList
   - \ref CoefficientWiseOperations
+  - \ref Corners
   - \ref LazyVsNoalias
 
 \section CompatibilitySupport Eigen2 compatibility support
@@ -81,6 +82,34 @@ With Eigen2 you would have written:
 c = (a.cwise().abs().cwise().pow(3)).cwise() * (b.cwise().abs().cwise().sin());
 \endcode
 
+\section Corners Corners
+
+<table>
+<tr><td>Eigen 2</td><td>Eigen 3</td></tr>
+<tr><td>\code
+matrix.corner(TopLeft,r,c)
+matrix.corner(TopRight,r,c)
+matrix.corner(BottomLeft,r,c)
+matrix.corner(BottomRight,r,c)
+matrix.corner<r,c>(TopLeft)
+matrix.corner<r,c>(TopRight)
+matrix.corner<r,c>(BottomLeft)
+matrix.corner<r,c>(BottomRight)
+\endcode</td><td>\code
+matrix.topLeftCorner(r,c)
+matrix.topRightCorner(r,c)
+matrix.bottomLeftCorner(r,c)
+matrix.bottomRightCorner(r,c)
+matrix.topLeftCorner<r,c>()
+matrix.topRightCorner<r,c>()
+matrix.bottomLeftCorner<r,c>()
+matrix.bottomRightCorner<r,c>()
+\endcode</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+Notice that Eigen3 also provides these new convenience methods: topRows(), bottomRows(), leftCols(), rightCols(). See in class DenseBase.
+
 \section LazyVsNoalias Lazy evaluation and noalias
 
 In Eigen all operations are performed in a lazy fashion except the matrix products which are always evaluated into a temporary by default.
diff --git a/doc/AsciiQuickReference.txt b/doc/AsciiQuickReference.txt
index 74de7344b..d2e973f5d 100644
--- a/doc/AsciiQuickReference.txt
+++ b/doc/AsciiQuickReference.txt
@@ -47,15 +47,14 @@ x.segment(i, n)                    // x(i+1 : i+n)
 x.segment<n>(i)                    // x(i+1 : i+n)
 P.block(i, j, rows, cols)          // P(i+1 : i+rows, j+1 : j+cols)
 P.block<rows, cols>(i, j)          // P(i+1 : i+rows, j+1 : j+cols)
-P.corner(TopLeft, rows, cols)      // P(1:rows, 1:cols)
-P.corner(TopRight, rows, cols)     // [m n]=size(P); P(1:rows, n-cols+1:n)
-P.corner(BottomLeft, rows, cols)   // [m n]=size(P); P(m-rows+1:m, 1:cols)
-P.corner(BottomRight, rows, cols)  // [m n]=size(P); P(m-rows+1:m, n-cols+1:n)
-P.corner<rows,cols>(TopLeft)       // P(1:rows, 1:cols)
-P.corner<rows,cols>(TopRight)      // [m n]=size(P); P(1:rows, n-cols+1:n)
-P.corner<rows,cols>(BottomLeft)    // [m n]=size(P); P(m-rows+1:m, 1:cols)
-P.corner<rows,cols>(BottomRight)   // [m n]=size(P); P(m-rows+1:m, n-cols+1:n)
-P.minor(i, j)                      // Something nasty.
+P.topLeftCorner(rows, cols)        // P(1:rows, 1:cols)
+P.topRightCorner(rows, cols)       // [m n]=size(P); P(1:rows, n-cols+1:n)
+P.bottomLeftCorner(rows, cols)     // [m n]=size(P); P(m-rows+1:m, 1:cols)
+P.bottomRightCorner(rows, cols)    // [m n]=size(P); P(m-rows+1:m, n-cols+1:n)
+P.topLeftCorner<rows,cols>()       // P(1:rows, 1:cols)
+P.topRightCorner<rows,cols>()      // [m n]=size(P); P(1:rows, n-cols+1:n)
+P.bottomLeftCorner<rows,cols>()    // [m n]=size(P); P(m-rows+1:m, 1:cols)
+P.bottomRightCorner<rows,cols>()   // [m n]=size(P); P(m-rows+1:m, n-cols+1:n)
 
 // Of particular note is Eigen's swap function which is highly optimized.
 // Eigen                           // Matlab
diff --git a/doc/C01_QuickStartGuide.dox b/doc/C01_QuickStartGuide.dox
index b346e2371..79705aa9d 100644
--- a/doc/C01_QuickStartGuide.dox
+++ b/doc/C01_QuickStartGuide.dox
@@ -577,29 +577,22 @@ Read-write access to sub-matrices:</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
       \link DenseBase::block(int,int) (more) \endlink</td>
   <td>the \c rows x \c cols sub-matrix \n starting from position (\c i,\c j)</td></tr><tr>
  <td>\code
- mat1.corner(TopLeft,rows,cols)
- mat1.corner(TopRight,rows,cols)
- mat1.corner(BottomLeft,rows,cols)
- mat1.corner(BottomRight,rows,cols)\endcode
- \link DenseBase::corner(CornerType,int,int) (more) \endlink</td>
+ mat1.topLeftCorner(rows,cols)
+ mat1.topRightCorner(rows,cols)
+ mat1.bottomLeftCorner(rows,cols)
+ mat1.bottomRightCorner(rows,cols)\endcode
  <td>\code
- mat1.corner<rows,cols>(TopLeft)
- mat1.corner<rows,cols>(TopRight)
- mat1.corner<rows,cols>(BottomLeft)
- mat1.corner<rows,cols>(BottomRight)\endcode
- \link DenseBase::corner(CornerType) (more) \endlink</td>
+ mat1.topLeftCorner<rows,cols>()
+ mat1.topRightCorner<rows,cols>()
+ mat1.bottomLeftCorner<rows,cols>()
+ mat1.bottomRightCorner<rows,cols>()\endcode
  <td>the \c rows x \c cols sub-matrix \n taken in one of the four corners</td></tr>
-<tr><td>\code
-mat4x4.minor(i,j) = mat3x3;
-mat3x3 = mat4x4.minor(i,j);\endcode
-</td><td></td><td>
-\link DenseBase::minor() minor \endlink (read-write)</td>
-</tr>
 </table>
 
 
 
-<a href="#" class="top">top</a>\section TutorialCoreDiagonalMatrices Diagonal matrices \matrixworld
+<a href="#" class="top">top</a>\section TutorialCoreDiagonalMatrices Diagonal matrices
+\matrixworld
 
 <table class="tutorial_code">
 <tr><td>
diff --git a/doc/C03_TutorialGeometry.dox b/doc/C03_TutorialGeometry.dox
index e349c68ce..6d02df40c 100644
--- a/doc/C03_TutorialGeometry.dox
+++ b/doc/C03_TutorialGeometry.dox
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ glLoadMatrixf(t.data());\endcode</td></tr>
 <tr><td>
 OpenGL compatibility \b 2D </td><td>\code
 Transform3f aux(Transform3f::Identity);
-aux.linear().corner<2,2>(TopLeft) = t.linear();
+aux.linear().topLeftCorner<2,2>() = t.linear();
 aux.translation().start<2>() = t.translation();
 glLoadMatrixf(aux.data());\endcode</td></tr>
 </table>
diff --git a/doc/Overview.dox b/doc/Overview.dox
index 10463900e..6b7000c4d 100644
--- a/doc/Overview.dox
+++ b/doc/Overview.dox
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ o /** \mainpage Eigen
 
 This is the API documentation for Eigen3.
 
-You come from Eigen2? Here is a \ref Eigen2ToEigen3 guide for porting your application from Eigen2 to Eigen3.
+Eigen2 users: here is a \ref Eigen2ToEigen3 guide to help porting your application.
 
 For a first contact with Eigen, the best place is to have a look at the \ref TutorialCore "tutorial". For an even shorter overview, we have an <a href="AsciiQuickReference.txt">ASCII quick reference</a> with Matlab translations.
 
diff --git a/doc/echelon.cpp b/doc/echelon.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index c95be6f3b..000000000
--- a/doc/echelon.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,121 +0,0 @@
-#include <Eigen/Core>
-
-USING_PART_OF_NAMESPACE_EIGEN
-
-namespace Eigen {
-
-/* Echelon a matrix in-place:
- *
- * Meta-Unrolled version, for small fixed-size matrices
- */
-template<typename Derived, int Step>
-struct unroll_echelon
-{
-  enum { k = Step - 1,
-         Rows = Derived::RowsAtCompileTime,
-         Cols = Derived::ColsAtCompileTime,
-         CornerRows = Rows - k,
-         CornerCols = Cols - k
-  };
-  static void run(MatrixBase<Derived>& m)
-  {
-    unroll_echelon<Derived, Step-1>::run(m);
-    int rowOfBiggest, colOfBiggest;
-    m.template corner<CornerRows, CornerCols>(BottomRight)
-     .cwise().abs()
-     .maxCoeff(&rowOfBiggest, &colOfBiggest);
-    m.row(k).swap(m.row(k+rowOfBiggest));
-    m.col(k).swap(m.col(k+colOfBiggest));
-    m.template corner<CornerRows-1, CornerCols>(BottomRight)
-      -= m.col(k).template tail<CornerRows-1>()
-       * (m.row(k).template tail<CornerCols>() / m(k,k));
-  }
-};
-
-template<typename Derived>
-struct unroll_echelon<Derived, 0>
-{
-  static void run(MatrixBase<Derived>& m) {}
-};
-
-/* Echelon a matrix in-place:
- *
- * Non-unrolled version, for dynamic-size matrices.
- * (this version works for all matrices, but in the fixed-size case the other
- * version is faster).
- */
-template<typename Derived>
-struct unroll_echelon<Derived, Dynamic>
-{
-  static void run(MatrixBase<Derived>& m)
-  {
-    for(int k = 0; k < m.diagonal().size() - 1; k++)
-    {
-      int rowOfBiggest, colOfBiggest;
-      int cornerRows = m.rows()-k, cornerCols = m.cols()-k;
-      m.corner(BottomRight, cornerRows, cornerCols)
-      .cwise().abs()
-      .maxCoeff(&rowOfBiggest, &colOfBiggest);
-      m.row(k).swap(m.row(k+rowOfBiggest));
-      m.col(k).swap(m.col(k+colOfBiggest));
-      m.corner(BottomRight, cornerRows-1, cornerCols)
-        -= m.col(k).tail(cornerRows-1) * (m.row(k).tail(cornerCols) / m(k,k));
-    }
-  }
-};
-
-using namespace std;
-template<typename Derived>
-void echelon(MatrixBase<Derived>& m)
-{
-  const int size = DiagonalCoeffs<Derived>::SizeAtCompileTime;
-  const bool unroll = size <= 4;
-  unroll_echelon<Derived, unroll ? size-1 : Dynamic>::run(m);
-}
-
-template<typename Derived>
-void doSomeRankPreservingOperations(MatrixBase<Derived>& m)
-{
-  for(int a = 0; a < 3*(m.rows()+m.cols()); a++)
-  {
-    double d = ei_random<double>(-1,1);
-    int i = ei_random<int>(0,m.rows()-1); // i is a random row number
-    int j;
-    do {
-      j = ei_random<int>(0,m.rows()-1);
-    } while (i==j); // j is another one (must be different)
-    m.row(i) += d * m.row(j);
-
-    i = ei_random<int>(0,m.cols()-1); // i is a random column number
-    do {
-      j = ei_random<int>(0,m.cols()-1);
-    } while (i==j); // j is another one (must be different)
-    m.col(i) += d * m.col(j);
-  }
-}
-
-} // namespace Eigen
-
-using namespace std;
-
-int main(int, char **)
-{
-  srand((unsigned int)time(0));
-  const int Rows = 6, Cols = 4;
-  typedef Matrix<double, Rows, Cols> Mat;
-  const int N = Rows < Cols ? Rows : Cols;
-
-  // start with a matrix m that's obviously of rank N-1
-  Mat m = Mat::identity(Rows, Cols); // args just in case of dyn. size
-  m.row(0) = m.row(1) = m.row(0) + m.row(1);
-
-  doSomeRankPreservingOperations(m);
-
-  // now m is still a matrix of rank N-1
-  cout << "Here's the matrix m:" << endl << m << endl;
-
-  cout << "Now let's echelon m (repeating many times for benchmarking purposes):" << endl;
-  for(int i = 0; i < 1000000; i++) echelon(m);
-
-  cout << "Now m is:" << endl << m << endl;
-}
diff --git a/doc/snippets/MatrixBase_corner_enum_int_int.cpp b/doc/snippets/MatrixBase_corner_enum_int_int.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index fd6c950cc..000000000
--- a/doc/snippets/MatrixBase_corner_enum_int_int.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-Matrix4i m = Matrix4i::Random();
-cout << "Here is the matrix m:" << endl << m << endl;
-cout << "Here is the bottom-right 2x3 corner in m:" << endl
-     << m.corner(Eigen::BottomRight, 2, 3) << endl;
-m.corner(Eigen::BottomRight, 2, 3).setZero();
-cout << "Now the matrix m is:" << endl << m << endl;
diff --git a/doc/snippets/MatrixBase_template_int_int_corner_enum.cpp b/doc/snippets/MatrixBase_template_int_int_corner_enum.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 05ed0ad2f..000000000
--- a/doc/snippets/MatrixBase_template_int_int_corner_enum.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-Matrix4i m = Matrix4i::Random();
-cout << "Here is the matrix m:" << endl << m << endl;
-cout << "Here is the bottom-right 2x3 corner in m:" << endl
-     << m.corner<2,3>(Eigen::BottomRight) << endl;
-m.corner<2,3>(Eigen::BottomRight).setZero();
-cout << "Now the matrix m is:" << endl << m << endl;
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index cadd3e31a..b89b54d57 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ ei_add_test(unalignedcount)
 ei_add_test(redux)
 ei_add_test(visitor)
 ei_add_test(block)
+ei_add_test(corners)
 ei_add_test(product_small)
 ei_add_test(product_large)
 ei_add_test(product_extra)
diff --git a/test/corners.cpp b/test/corners.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3baea1b96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/corners.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+// This file is part of Eigen, a lightweight C++ template library
+// for linear algebra.
+//
+// Copyright (C) 2006-2010 Benoit Jacob <jacob.benoit.1@gmail.com>
+//
+// Eigen is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+// modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+// version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// Alternatively, 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.
+//
+// Eigen 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 Lesser General Public License or the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License and a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+// Eigen. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+#include "main.h"
+
+#define COMPARE_CORNER(A,B) \
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL(matrix.A, matrix.B); \
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL(const_matrix.A, const_matrix.B);
+
+template<typename MatrixType> void corners(const MatrixType& m)
+{
+  int rows = m.rows();
+  int cols = m.cols();
+
+  int r = ei_random<int>(1,rows);
+  int c = ei_random<int>(1,cols);
+
+  MatrixType matrix = MatrixType::Random(rows,cols);
+  const MatrixType const_matrix = MatrixType::Random(rows,cols);
+
+  COMPARE_CORNER(topLeftCorner(r,c), block(0,0,r,c));
+  COMPARE_CORNER(topRightCorner(r,c), block(0,cols-c,r,c));
+  COMPARE_CORNER(bottomLeftCorner(r,c), block(rows-r,0,r,c));
+  COMPARE_CORNER(bottomRightCorner(r,c), block(rows-r,cols-c,r,c));
+
+  COMPARE_CORNER(topRows(r), block(0,0,r,cols));
+  COMPARE_CORNER(bottomRows(r), block(rows-r,0,r,cols));
+  COMPARE_CORNER(leftCols(c), block(0,0,rows,c));
+  COMPARE_CORNER(rightCols(c), block(0,cols-c,rows,c));
+}
+
+template<typename MatrixType, int CRows, int CCols> void corners_fixedsize()
+{
+  MatrixType matrix = MatrixType::Random();
+  const MatrixType const_matrix = MatrixType::Random();
+
+  enum {
+    rows = MatrixType::RowsAtCompileTime,
+    cols = MatrixType::ColsAtCompileTime,
+    r = CRows,
+    c = CCols
+  };
+
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((matrix.template topLeftCorner<r,c>()), (matrix.template block<r,c>(0,0)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((matrix.template topRightCorner<r,c>()), (matrix.template block<r,c>(0,cols-c)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((matrix.template bottomLeftCorner<r,c>()), (matrix.template block<r,c>(rows-r,0)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((matrix.template bottomRightCorner<r,c>()), (matrix.template block<r,c>(rows-r,cols-c)));
+
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((matrix.template topRows<r>()), (matrix.template block<r,cols>(0,0)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((matrix.template bottomRows<r>()), (matrix.template block<r,cols>(rows-r,0)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((matrix.template leftCols<c>()), (matrix.template block<rows,c>(0,0)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((matrix.template rightCols<c>()), (matrix.template block<rows,c>(0,cols-c)));
+
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((const_matrix.template topLeftCorner<r,c>()), (const_matrix.template block<r,c>(0,0)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((const_matrix.template topRightCorner<r,c>()), (const_matrix.template block<r,c>(0,cols-c)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((const_matrix.template bottomLeftCorner<r,c>()), (const_matrix.template block<r,c>(rows-r,0)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((const_matrix.template bottomRightCorner<r,c>()), (const_matrix.template block<r,c>(rows-r,cols-c)));
+
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((const_matrix.template topRows<r>()), (const_matrix.template block<r,cols>(0,0)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((const_matrix.template bottomRows<r>()), (const_matrix.template block<r,cols>(rows-r,0)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((const_matrix.template leftCols<c>()), (const_matrix.template block<rows,c>(0,0)));
+  VERIFY_IS_EQUAL((const_matrix.template rightCols<c>()), (const_matrix.template block<rows,c>(0,cols-c)));
+}
+
+void test_corners()
+{
+  for(int i = 0; i < g_repeat; i++) {
+    CALL_SUBTEST_1( corners(Matrix<float, 1, 1>()) );
+    CALL_SUBTEST_2( corners(Matrix4d()) );
+    CALL_SUBTEST_3( corners(Matrix<int,10,12>()) );
+    CALL_SUBTEST_4( corners(MatrixXcf(5, 7)) );
+    CALL_SUBTEST_5( corners(MatrixXf(21, 20)) );
+
+    CALL_SUBTEST_1(( corners_fixedsize<Matrix<float, 1, 1>, 1, 1>() ));
+    CALL_SUBTEST_2(( corners_fixedsize<Matrix4d,2,2>() ));
+    CALL_SUBTEST_3(( corners_fixedsize<Matrix<int,10,12>,4,7>() ));
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/main.h b/test/main.h
index 0603f6e7a..a1c45b4fe 100644
--- a/test/main.h
+++ b/test/main.h
@@ -351,9 +351,10 @@ struct test_is_equal_impl
 {
   static bool run(const Derived1& a1, const Derived2& a2)
   {
+    if(a1.size() == 0 && a2.size() == 0) return true;
     if(a1.size() != a2.size()) return false;
     // we evaluate a2 into a temporary of the shape of a1. this allows to let Assign.h handle the transposing if needed.
-    typename Derived1::PlainObject a2_evaluated;
+    typename Derived1::PlainObject a2_evaluated(a2.size());
     a2_evaluated(0,0) = a2(0,0); // shut up GCC 4.5.0 bogus warning about a2_evaluated's array being used uninitialized in the 1x1 case, see block_1 test
     a2_evaluated = a2;
     for(int i = 0; i < a1.size(); ++i)
@@ -367,6 +368,7 @@ struct test_is_equal_impl<Derived1, Derived2, false>
 {
   static bool run(const Derived1& a1, const Derived2& a2)
   {
+    if(a1.size() == 0 && a2.size() == 0) return true;
     if(a1.rows() != a2.rows()) return false;
     if(a1.cols() != a2.cols()) return false;
     for(int j = 0; j < a1.cols(); ++j)
diff --git a/test/product_notemporary.cpp b/test/product_notemporary.cpp
index 9084cde6b..ca1140353 100644
--- a/test/product_notemporary.cpp
+++ b/test/product_notemporary.cpp
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ template<typename MatrixType> void product_notemporary(const MatrixType& m)
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( rm3.noalias() = (s1 * m1.adjoint()).template triangularView<Upper>() * (m2+m2), 1);
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( rm3.noalias() = (s1 * m1.adjoint()).template triangularView<UnitUpper>() * m2.adjoint(), 0);
 
-  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( rm3.col(c0).noalias() = (s1 * m1.adjoint()).template triangularView<UnitUpper>() * (s2*m2.row(c0)).adjoint(), 0);
+  // NOTE this is because the blas_traits require innerstride==1 to avoid a temporary, but that doesn't seem to be actually needed for the triangular products
+  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( rm3.col(c0).noalias() = (s1 * m1.adjoint()).template triangularView<UnitUpper>() * (s2*m2.row(c0)).adjoint(), 1);
 
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m1.template triangularView<Lower>().solveInPlace(m3), 0);
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m1.adjoint().template triangularView<Lower>().solveInPlace(m3.transpose()), 0);
@@ -95,8 +96,9 @@ template<typename MatrixType> void product_notemporary(const MatrixType& m)
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3.noalias() = s2 * m2.adjoint() * (s1 * m1.adjoint()).template selfadjointView<Upper>(), 0);
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( rm3.noalias() = (s1 * m1.adjoint()).template selfadjointView<Lower>() * m2.adjoint(), 0);
 
-  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3.col(c0).noalias() = (s1 * m1).adjoint().template selfadjointView<Lower>() * (-m2.row(c0)*s3).adjoint(), 0);
-  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3.col(c0).noalias() -= (s1 * m1).adjoint().template selfadjointView<Upper>() * (-m2.row(c0)*s3).adjoint(), 0);
+  // NOTE this is because the blas_traits require innerstride==1 to avoid a temporary, but that doesn't seem to be actually needed for the triangular products
+  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3.col(c0).noalias() = (s1 * m1).adjoint().template selfadjointView<Lower>() * (-m2.row(c0)*s3).adjoint(), 1);
+  VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3.col(c0).noalias() -= (s1 * m1).adjoint().template selfadjointView<Upper>() * (-m2.row(c0)*s3).adjoint(), 1);
 
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3.block(r0,c0,r1,c1).noalias() += m1.block(r0,r0,r1,r1).template selfadjointView<Upper>() * (s1*m2.block(r0,c0,r1,c1)), 0);
   VERIFY_EVALUATION_COUNT( m3.block(r0,c0,r1,c1).noalias() = m1.block(r0,r0,r1,r1).template selfadjointView<Upper>() * m2.block(r0,c0,r1,c1), 0);
diff --git a/unsupported/Eigen/NonLinearOptimization b/unsupported/Eigen/NonLinearOptimization
index 149b658f8..e19db33cc 100644
--- a/unsupported/Eigen/NonLinearOptimization
+++ b/unsupported/Eigen/NonLinearOptimization
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ namespace Eigen {
   * (c)minpack performs VERY well compared to those, both in accuracy and speed.
   * 
   * The documentation for running the tests is on the wiki
-  * http://eigen.tuxfamily.org/index.php?title=Developer%27s_Corner#Running_the_unit_tests
+  * http://eigen.tuxfamily.org/index.php?title=Tests
   * 
   * \section API API : overview of methods
   * 
diff --git a/unsupported/Eigen/src/MatrixFunctions/MatrixFunction.h b/unsupported/Eigen/src/MatrixFunctions/MatrixFunction.h
index 270d23b8b..8ed856770 100644
--- a/unsupported/Eigen/src/MatrixFunctions/MatrixFunction.h
+++ b/unsupported/Eigen/src/MatrixFunctions/MatrixFunction.h
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ class MatrixFunction<MatrixType, 1>
     void permuteSchur();
     void swapEntriesInSchur(int index);
     void computeBlockAtomic();
-    typename BlockReturnType<MatrixType>::Type block(const MatrixType& A, int i, int j);
+    Block<MatrixType> block(const MatrixType& A, int i, int j);
     void computeOffDiagonal();
     DynMatrixType solveTriangularSylvester(const DynMatrixType& A, const DynMatrixType& B, const DynMatrixType& C);
 
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ void MatrixFunction<MatrixType,1>::computeBlockAtomic()
 
 /** \brief Return block of matrix according to blocking given by #m_blockStart */
 template <typename MatrixType>
-typename BlockReturnType<MatrixType>::Type MatrixFunction<MatrixType,1>::block(const MatrixType& A, int i, int j)
+Block<MatrixType> MatrixFunction<MatrixType,1>::block(const MatrixType& A, int i, int j)
 {
   return A.block(m_blockStart(i), m_blockStart(j), m_clusterSize(i), m_clusterSize(j));
 }
diff --git a/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/LevenbergMarquardt.h b/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/LevenbergMarquardt.h
index f99366bbc..3d5b6ea70 100644
--- a/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/LevenbergMarquardt.h
+++ b/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/LevenbergMarquardt.h
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ LevenbergMarquardt<FunctorType,Scalar>::minimizeOptimumStorageOneStep(FVectorTyp
 
         /* compute the scaled predicted reduction and */
         /* the scaled directional derivative. */
-        wa3 = fjac.corner(TopLeft,n,n).template triangularView<Upper>() * (permutation.inverse() * wa1);
+        wa3 = fjac.topLeftCorner(n,n).template triangularView<Upper>() * (permutation.inverse() * wa1);
         temp1 = ei_abs2(wa3.stableNorm() / fnorm);
         temp2 = ei_abs2(ei_sqrt(par) * pnorm / fnorm);
         prered = temp1 + temp2 / Scalar(.5);
diff --git a/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/covar.h b/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/covar.h
index 2f983a958..97709a6a6 100644
--- a/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/covar.h
+++ b/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/covar.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ void ei_covar(
     }
 
     /* symmetrize the covariance matrix in r. */
-    r.corner(TopLeft,n,n).template triangularView<StrictlyUpper>() = r.corner(TopLeft,n,n).transpose();
+    r.topLeftCorner(n,n).template triangularView<StrictlyUpper>() = r.topLeftCorner(n,n).transpose();
     r.diagonal() = wa;
 }
 
diff --git a/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/lmpar.h b/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/lmpar.h
index d763bd4e7..850011912 100644
--- a/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/lmpar.h
+++ b/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/lmpar.h
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ void ei_lmpar2(
     const int rank = qr.rank(); // use a threshold
     wa1 = qtb;
     wa1.tail(n-rank).setZero();
-    qr.matrixQR().corner(TopLeft, rank, rank).template triangularView<Upper>().solveInPlace(wa1.head(rank));
+    qr.matrixQR().topLeftCorner(rank, rank).template triangularView<Upper>().solveInPlace(wa1.head(rank));
 
     x = qr.colsPermutation()*wa1;
 
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ void ei_lmpar2(
     parl = 0.;
     if (rank==n) {
         wa1 = qr.colsPermutation().inverse() *  diag.cwiseProduct(wa2)/dxnorm;
-        qr.matrixQR().corner(TopLeft, n, n).transpose().template triangularView<Lower>().solveInPlace(wa1);
+        qr.matrixQR().topLeftCorner(n, n).transpose().template triangularView<Lower>().solveInPlace(wa1);
         temp = wa1.blueNorm();
         parl = fp / delta / temp / temp;
     }
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ void ei_lmpar2(
         /* compute the newton correction. */
         wa1 = qr.colsPermutation().inverse() * diag.cwiseProduct(wa2/dxnorm);
         // we could almost use this here, but the diagonal is outside qr, in sdiag[]
-        // qr.matrixQR().corner(TopLeft, n, n).transpose().template triangularView<Lower>().solveInPlace(wa1);
+        // qr.matrixQR().topLeftCorner(n, n).transpose().template triangularView<Lower>().solveInPlace(wa1);
         for (j = 0; j < n; ++j) {
             wa1[j] /= sdiag[j];
             temp = wa1[j];
diff --git a/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/qrsolv.h b/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/qrsolv.h
index f89a5f9a8..205d934bd 100644
--- a/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/qrsolv.h
+++ b/unsupported/Eigen/src/NonLinearOptimization/qrsolv.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ void ei_qrsolv(
     x = s.diagonal();
     wa = qtb;
 
-    s.corner(TopLeft,n,n).template triangularView<StrictlyLower>() = s.corner(TopLeft,n,n).transpose();
+    s.topLeftCorner(n,n).template triangularView<StrictlyLower>() = s.topLeftCorner(n,n).transpose();
 
     /*     eliminate the diagonal matrix d using a givens rotation. */
     for (j = 0; j < n; ++j) {
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void ei_qrsolv(
     for (nsing=0; nsing<n && sdiag[nsing]!=0; nsing++);
 
     wa.tail(n-nsing).setZero();
-    s.corner(TopLeft, nsing, nsing).transpose().template triangularView<Upper>().solveInPlace(wa.head(nsing));
+    s.topLeftCorner(nsing, nsing).transpose().template triangularView<Upper>().solveInPlace(wa.head(nsing));
 
     // restore
     sdiag = s.diagonal();
diff --git a/unsupported/test/NonLinearOptimization.cpp b/unsupported/test/NonLinearOptimization.cpp
index 38329ea81..3867c316e 100644
--- a/unsupported/test/NonLinearOptimization.cpp
+++ b/unsupported/test/NonLinearOptimization.cpp
@@ -227,10 +227,10 @@ void testLmder()
 //  std::cout << fjac*covfac << std::endl;
 
   MatrixXd cov;
-  cov =  covfac*lm.fjac.corner<n,n>(TopLeft);
+  cov =  covfac*lm.fjac.topLeftCorner<n,n>();
   VERIFY_IS_APPROX( cov, cov_ref);
   // TODO: why isn't this allowed ? :
-  // VERIFY_IS_APPROX( covfac*fjac.corner<n,n>(TopLeft) , cov_ref);
+  // VERIFY_IS_APPROX( covfac*fjac.topLeftCorner<n,n>() , cov_ref);
 }
 
 struct hybrj_functor : Functor<double>
@@ -618,10 +618,10 @@ void testLmdif()
 //  std::cout << fjac*covfac << std::endl;
 
   MatrixXd cov;
-  cov =  covfac*lm.fjac.corner<n,n>(TopLeft);
+  cov =  covfac*lm.fjac.topLeftCorner<n,n>();
   VERIFY_IS_APPROX( cov, cov_ref);
   // TODO: why isn't this allowed ? :
-  // VERIFY_IS_APPROX( covfac*fjac.corner<n,n>(TopLeft) , cov_ref);
+  // VERIFY_IS_APPROX( covfac*fjac.topLeftCorner<n,n>() , cov_ref);
 }
 
 struct chwirut2_functor : Functor<double>