diff --git a/tests/app/testRunner.ts b/tests/app/testRunner.ts
index 6e05b6763..789b5bd0d 100644
--- a/tests/app/testRunner.ts
+++ b/tests/app/testRunner.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ allTests["CONNECTIVITY"] = require("./connectivity-tests");
 // allTests["PROXY-VIEW-CONTAINER"] = require("./ui/proxy-view-container/proxy-view-container-tests")
 allTests["SCROLL-VIEW"] = require("./ui/scroll-view/scroll-view-tests");
 allTests["ACTION-BAR"] = require("./ui/action-bar/action-bar-tests");
-// allTests["XML-DECLARATION"] = require("./xml-declaration/xml-declaration-tests");
+allTests["XML-DECLARATION"] = require("./xml-declaration/xml-declaration-tests");
 allTests["DOCKLAYOUT"] = require("./ui/layouts/dock-layout-tests");
 allTests["WRAPLAYOUT"] = require("./ui/layouts/wrap-layout-tests");
 allTests["ABSOLUTELAYOUT"] = require("./ui/layouts/absolute-layout-tests");
diff --git a/tests/app/xml-declaration/template-builder-tests/template-view.ts b/tests/app/xml-declaration/template-builder-tests/template-view.ts
index 7e263802a..a5f65d710 100644
--- a/tests/app/xml-declaration/template-builder-tests/template-view.ts
+++ b/tests/app/xml-declaration/template-builder-tests/template-view.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import {Template} from "ui/core/view"
-import {Property, PropertyMetadataSettings} from "ui/core/dependency-observable"
+import { Template } from "ui/core/view"
+import { Property } from "ui/core/properties"
 import * as proxy from "ui/core/proxy"
 import { LayoutBase } from "ui/layouts/layout-base"
 import { parse } from "ui/builder"
@@ -9,27 +9,17 @@ export module knownTemplates {
 }
 
 export class TemplateView extends LayoutBase {
-	public static templateProperty = new Property(
-        "template",
-        "TemplateView",
-        new proxy.PropertyMetadata(
-            undefined,
-            PropertyMetadataSettings.AffectsLayout,
-            null
-            )
-        );
-        
-    public static testEvent: string = "test";
-	
-    get template(): string | Template {
-        return this._getValue(TemplateView.templateProperty);
-    }
-	
-    set template(value: string | Template) {
-        this._setValue(TemplateView.templateProperty, value);
-    }
+    public template: string;
+
+	public static testEvent: string = "test";
 	
     public parseTemplate() {
         this.addChild(parse(this.template));
     }
 }
+
+export const templateProperty = new Property<TemplateView, string>({
+        name: "template",
+        affectsLayout: true
+    });
+templateProperty.register(TemplateView);
diff --git a/tests/app/xml-declaration/xml-declaration-tests.ts b/tests/app/xml-declaration/xml-declaration-tests.ts
index cc19afbfb..e9f5b3de6 100644
--- a/tests/app/xml-declaration/xml-declaration-tests.ts
+++ b/tests/app/xml-declaration/xml-declaration-tests.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import * as platform from "platform";
 import * as gesturesModule from "ui/gestures";
 import * as segmentedBar from "ui/segmented-bar";
 import { Source } from "utils/debug";
-import { PercentLength } from "ui/core/view";
+import { PercentLength, Length } from "ui/core/view";
 
 export function test_load_IsDefined() {
     TKUnit.assertTrue(types.isFunction(builder.load), "ui/builder should have load method!");
@@ -296,14 +296,15 @@ export function test_parse_ShouldSetGridAttachedProperties() {
 
 export function test_parse_ShouldSetCanvasAttachedProperties() {
     var p = <Page>builder.parse("<Page><AbsoluteLayout><Label left='1' top='2' right='3' bottom='4' /></AbsoluteLayout></Page>");
-    var grid = <gridLayoutModule.GridLayout>p.content;
-    var child = grid.getChildAt(0);
+    var absLayout = <absoluteLayoutModule.AbsoluteLayout>p.content;
+    var child = absLayout.getChildAt(0);
 
     var left = absoluteLayoutModule.AbsoluteLayout.getLeft(child);
-    TKUnit.assertEqual(left, 1, "Expected result for canvas left: 1; Actual result: " + left + ";");
+    
+    TKUnit.assert(Length.equals(left, Length.parse("1")), `Expected result for canvas left: 1; Actual result: ${(<any>left).value};`)
 
     var top = absoluteLayoutModule.AbsoluteLayout.getTop(child);
-    TKUnit.assertEqual(top, 2, "Expected result for canvas top: 2; Actual result: " + top + ";");
+    TKUnit.assert(Length.equals(top, Length.parse("2")), `Expected result for canvas top: 2; Actual result: ${(<any>top).value};`)
 };
 
 export function test_parse_ShouldParseNumberProperties() {
@@ -445,13 +446,13 @@ export function test_parse_ShouldParseBindingsToGesturesWithOn() {
 };
 
 export function test_parse_ShouldParseSubProperties() {
-    var p = <Page>builder.parse("<Page><Switch style.visibility='collapsed' checked='{{ myProp }}' /></Page>");
+    var p = <Page>builder.parse("<Page><Switch style.visibility='collapse' checked='{{ myProp }}' /></Page>");
     var obj = new observable.Observable();
     obj.set("myProp", true);
     p.bindingContext = obj;
     var sw = <switchModule.Switch>p.content;
 
-    TKUnit.assert(sw.visibility === "collapse", "Expected result: collapsed; Actual result: " + sw.visibility + "; type: " + typeof (sw.visibility));
+    TKUnit.assert(sw.visibility === "collapse", "Expected result: collapse; Actual result: " + sw.visibility + "; type: " + typeof (sw.visibility));
 };
 
 export function test_parse_ShouldParseBindingToSpecialProperty() {
@@ -539,10 +540,10 @@ export function test_parse_ShouldParseCustomComponentWithXml() {
 };
 
 export function test_parse_ShouldParseCustomComponentWithXml_WithAttributes() {
-    var p = <Page>builder.parse('<Page xmlns:customControls="xml-declaration/mymodulewithxml"><customControls:MyControl visibility="collapsed" /></Page>');
+    var p = <Page>builder.parse('<Page xmlns:customControls="xml-declaration/mymodulewithxml"><customControls:MyControl visibility="collapse" /></Page>');
     var panel = <stackLayoutModule.StackLayout>p.content;
 
-    TKUnit.assertEqual(panel.visibility, "collapsed", "panel.visibility");
+    TKUnit.assertEqual(panel.visibility, "collapse", "panel.visibility");
 };
 
 export function test_parse_ShouldParseCustomComponentWithXml_WithCustomAttributes() {
@@ -561,10 +562,10 @@ export function test_parse_ShouldParseCustomComponentWithXmlNoJS() {
 };
 
 export function test_parse_ShouldParseCustomComponentWithXmlNoJS_WithAttributes() {
-    var p = <Page>builder.parse('<Page xmlns:customControls="xml-declaration/mymodulewithxml"><customControls:my-control-no-js visibility="collapsed" /></Page>');
+    var p = <Page>builder.parse('<Page xmlns:customControls="xml-declaration/mymodulewithxml"><customControls:my-control-no-js visibility="collapse" /></Page>');
     var panel = <stackLayoutModule.StackLayout>p.content;
 
-    TKUnit.assertEqual(panel.visibility, "collapsed", "panel.visibility");
+    TKUnit.assertEqual(panel.visibility, "collapse", "panel.visibility");
 };
 
 export function test_parse_ShouldParseCustomComponentWithXmlNoJS_WithCustomAttributes() {
@@ -613,13 +614,23 @@ export function test_parse_ShouldParseNestedListViewInListViewTemplate() {
 }
 
 export function test_parse_ShouldEvaluateEventBindingExpressionInListViewTemplate() {
-    var p = <Page>builder.parse('<Page xmlns="http://schemas.nativescript.org/tns.xsd"><ListView items="{{ items }}" itemLoading="{{ itemLoading }}"><ListView.itemTemplate><SegmentedBar items="{{ $parents[\'ListView\'].items }}" selectedIndexChanged="{{ $parents[\'ListView\'].changed }}" /></ListView.itemTemplate></ListView></Page>');
+    var p = <Page>builder.parse('<Page xmlns="http://schemas.nativescript.org/tns.xsd"><ListView items="{{ items }}" itemLoading="{{ itemLoading }}"><ListView.itemTemplate><SegmentedBar items="{{ $parents[\'ListView\'].segmentedBarItems }}" selectedIndexChanged="{{ $parents[\'ListView\'].changed }}" /></ListView.itemTemplate></ListView></Page>');
 
     function testAction(views: Array<viewModule.View>) {
         let ctrl: segmentedBar.SegmentedBar = null;
         let changed;
         let obj = new observable.Observable();
+
+        let firstItem = new segmentedBar.SegmentedBarItem();
+        firstItem.title = "One";
+        let secondItem = new segmentedBar.SegmentedBarItem();
+        secondItem.title = "Two";
+        let thirdItem = new segmentedBar.SegmentedBarItem();
+        thirdItem.title = "Tree";
+        let segmentedBarItems = [firstItem, secondItem, thirdItem];
+
         obj.set("items", [1, 2, 3]);
+        obj.set("segmentedBarItems", segmentedBarItems);
         obj.set("itemLoading", function (args: listViewModule.ItemEventData) {
             ctrl = <segmentedBar.SegmentedBar>args.view
         });
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/core/bindable.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/core/bindable.ts
index 7bffcaa5f..e1f1db8c8 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/core/bindable.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/core/bindable.ts
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ export class Binding {
 
     public loadedHandlerVisualTreeBinding(args) {
         let target = args.object;
-        target.off(ViewBase.loadedEvent, this.loadedHandlerVisualTreeBinding, this);
+        target.off("loaded", this.loadedHandlerVisualTreeBinding, this);
         if (!types.isNullOrUndefined(target.bindingContext)) {
             this.bind(target.bindingContext);
         }
@@ -288,8 +288,8 @@ export class Binding {
                     currentObject = parentView.bindingContext;
                 } else {
                     let targetInstance = this.target.get();
-                    targetInstance.off(ViewBase.loadedEvent, this.loadedHandlerVisualTreeBinding, this);
-                    targetInstance.on(ViewBase.loadedEvent, this.loadedHandlerVisualTreeBinding, this);
+                    targetInstance.off("loaded", this.loadedHandlerVisualTreeBinding, this);
+                    targetInstance.on("loaded", this.loadedHandlerVisualTreeBinding, this);
                 }
 
                 currentObjectChanged = true;
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/core/properties.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/core/properties.ts
index 7c9c79169..3b65869b3 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/core/properties.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/core/properties.ts
@@ -362,7 +362,6 @@ export class InheritedProperty<T extends ViewBase, U> extends Property<T, U> imp
             if (currentValue !== newValue) {
 
                 if (this.hasListeners(eventName)) {
-                    console.log("Notify " + eventName);
                     this.notify({
                         eventName: eventName,
                         propertyName: name,
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/gestures/gestures.ios.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/gestures/gestures.ios.ts
index 9228a2290..8186b110f 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/gestures/gestures.ios.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/gestures/gestures.ios.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { GestureEventData, SwipeGestureEventData, PanGestureEventData, RotationGestureEventData, PinchGestureEventData } from "ui/gestures";
-import { GesturesObserverBase, toString, TouchAction, GestureStateTypes, GestureTypes, SwipeDirection,  View, EventData } from "./gestures-common";
+import { GesturesObserverBase, toString, TouchAction, GestureStateTypes, GestureTypes, SwipeDirection, View, EventData } from "./gestures-common";
 import { ios } from "utils/utils";
 import getter = ios.getter;
 
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ export class GesturesObserver extends GesturesObserverBase {
                 this._detach();
             };
 
-            this.target.on(View.loadedEvent, this._onTargetLoaded);
-            this.target.on(View.unloadedEvent, this._onTargetUnloaded);
+            this.target.on("loaded", this._onTargetLoaded);
+            this.target.on("unloaded", this._onTargetUnloaded);
 
             if (this.target.isLoaded) {
                 this._attach(this.target, type);
@@ -183,8 +183,8 @@ export class GesturesObserver extends GesturesObserverBase {
         this._detach();
 
         if (this.target) {
-            this.target.off(View.loadedEvent, this._onTargetLoaded);
-            this.target.off(View.unloadedEvent, this._onTargetUnloaded);
+            this.target.off("loaded", this._onTargetLoaded);
+            this.target.off("unloaded", this._onTargetUnloaded);
 
             this._onTargetLoaded = null;
             this._onTargetUnloaded = null;
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/html-view/html-view.ios.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/html-view/html-view.ios.ts
index 572dd34f3..f60dddbbf 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/html-view/html-view.ios.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/html-view/html-view.ios.ts
@@ -67,5 +67,3 @@ export class HtmlView extends HtmlViewBase {
         this._ios.attributedText = NSAttributedString.alloc().initWithDataOptionsDocumentAttributesError(nsData, <any>{ [NSDocumentTypeDocumentAttribute]: NSHTMLTextDocumentType }, null);
     }
 }
-
-htmlProperty.register(HtmlView);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/layouts/absolute-layout/absolute-layout.d.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/layouts/absolute-layout/absolute-layout.d.ts
index ec9ac51e6..09d7635f0 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/layouts/absolute-layout/absolute-layout.d.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/layouts/absolute-layout/absolute-layout.d.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 declare module "ui/layouts/absolute-layout" {
-    import { LayoutBase, View, Property } from "ui/layouts/layout-base";
+    import { LayoutBase, View, Property, Length } from "ui/layouts/layout-base";
 
     /**
      *  A layout that lets you specify exact locations (left/top coordinates) of its children.
@@ -8,31 +8,31 @@
         /**
          * Gets the value of the Left property from a given View.
          */
-        static getLeft(view: View): number;
+        static getLeft(view: View): Length;
 
         /**
          * Sets the value of the Left property from a given View.
          */
-        static setLeft(view: View, value: number): void;
+        static setLeft(view: View, value: Length): void;
 
         /**
          * Gets the value of the Top property from a given View.
          */
-        static getTop(view: View): number;
+        static getTop(view: View): Length;
 
         /**
          * Sets the value of the Top property from a given View.
          */
-        static setTop(view: View, value: number): void;
+        static setTop(view: View, value: Length): void;
     }
 
     /**
      * Represents the observable property backing the left property.
      */
-    export const leftProperty: Property<View, number>;
+    export const leftProperty: Property<View, Length>;
 
     /**
      * Represents the observable property backing the top property.
      */
-    export const topProperty: Property<View, number>;
+    export const topProperty: Property<View, Length>;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar-common.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar-common.ts
index 904aafbe6..b426e38a6 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar-common.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar-common.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ export abstract class SegmentedBarBase extends View implements SegmentedBarDefin
                 this.items = new Array<SegmentedBarItemBase>();
             }
             this.items.push(<SegmentedBarItemBase>value);
+            selectedIndexProperty.coerce(this);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar.android.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar.android.ts
index 8fc8d2750..3efc3d6d5 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar.android.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar.android.ts
@@ -259,9 +259,9 @@ export class SegmentedBar extends SegmentedBarBase {
         if (newItems) {
             newItems.forEach((item, i, arr) => this.insertTab(item, i));
 
-            if (this.selectedIndex < 0) {
-                this.selectedIndex = tabHost.getCurrentTab();
-            }
+            // if (this.selectedIndex < 0) {
+            //     this.selectedIndex = tabHost.getCurrentTab();
+            // }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar.ios.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar.ios.ts
index 7730cd6b4..133d164f8 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar.ios.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/segmented-bar/segmented-bar.ios.ts
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ export class SegmentedBar extends SegmentedBarBase {
                 segmentedControl.insertSegmentWithTitleAtIndexAnimated(title, index, false);
             })
 
-            if (this.selectedIndex < 0) {
-                this.selectedIndex = segmentedControl.selectedSegmentIndex;
-            }
+            // if (this.selectedIndex < 0) {
+            //     this.selectedIndex = segmentedControl.selectedSegmentIndex;
+            // }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view-common.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view-common.ts
index f55c71a16..fad893d70 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view-common.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view-common.ts
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ export class TabViewBase extends View implements TabViewDefinition, AddChildFrom
             }
             this.items.push(<TabViewItemBase>value);
             this._addView(value);
+            selectedIndexProperty.coerce(this);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view.android.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view.android.ts
index 979ed7799..533e30698 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view.android.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view.android.ts
@@ -358,11 +358,6 @@ export class TabView extends TabViewBase {
             const tv = tabLayout.getTextViewForItemAt(i);
             item.setNativeView(tv);
         });
-
-        let selectedIndex = this.selectedIndex;
-        if (selectedIndex < 0) {
-            this.selectedIndex = this._viewPager.getCurrentItem();
-        }
     }
 
     get [androidOffscreenTabLimitProperty.native](): number {
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view.ios.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view.ios.ts
index c25aee44c..f1de61226 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view.ios.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/tab-view/tab-view.ios.ts
@@ -268,10 +268,6 @@ export class TabView extends TabViewBase {
 
         // When we set this._ios.viewControllers, someone is clearing the moreNavigationController.delegate, so we have to reassign it each time here.
         this._ios.moreNavigationController.delegate = this._moreNavigationControllerDelegate;
-
-        if (this.selectedIndex < 0) {
-            this.selectedIndex = this._ios.selectedIndex;
-        }
     }
 
     private _getIconRenderingMode(): UIImageRenderingMode {