diff -u -r1.33 -r1.34
--- DetectorElement.java	6 Aug 2007 19:09:31 -0000	1.33
+++ DetectorElement.java	28 Aug 2007 03:21:32 -0000	1.34
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@

  * Implementation of {@link IDetectorElement}.
  * 
  * @author Jeremy McCormick

- * @version $Id: DetectorElement.java,v 1.33 2007/08/06 19:09:31 jeremy Exp $

+ * @version $Id: DetectorElement.java,v 1.34 2007/08/28 03:21:32 jeremy Exp $

  */
 public class DetectorElement 
 extends Named

@@ -428,16 +428,24 @@

         if ( helper == null ) 
         {
             IDetectorElement par = getParent();

-            if ( par.getIdentifierHelper() != null ) 

+            
+            if (par != null)

             {

-                this.helper = par.getIdentifierHelper();
-            }
-
-            if (this.helper == null) 
-            {
-                throw new RuntimeException("Could not locate IdentifierHelper for DetectorElement : " + getName()); 

+            	while (par != null)
+            	{
+            		if (par.getIdentifierHelper() != null)
+            		{
+            			this.helper = par.getIdentifierHelper();
+            			par = null;
+            		}
+            		else
+            		{
+            			par = par.getParent();
+            		}
+            	}

             }
         }

+

         return helper;
     }