diff --git a/src/Pluf/DB.php b/src/Pluf/DB.php
index 166dd85..e99391f 100644
--- a/src/Pluf/DB.php
+++ b/src/Pluf/DB.php
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ function Pluf_DB_IdentityFromDb($val)
  */
 function Pluf_DB_IdentityToDb($val, $db)
 {
-    if (is_null($val)) {
+    if (null === $val) {
         return 'NULL';
     }
     return $db->esc($val);
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ function Pluf_DB_SerializedFromDb($val)
 
 function Pluf_DB_SerializedToDb($val, $db)
 {
-    if (is_null($val)) {
+    if (null === $val) {
         return 'NULL';
     }
     return $db->esc(serialize($val));
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ function Pluf_DB_CompressedFromDb($val)
 
 function Pluf_DB_CompressedToDb($val, $db)
 {
-    return (is_null($val)) ? 'NULL' : $db->esc(gzdeflate($val, 9));
+    return (null === $val) ? 'NULL' : $db->esc(gzdeflate($val, 9));
 }
 
 function Pluf_DB_BooleanFromDb($val) {
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ function Pluf_DB_BooleanFromDb($val) {
 }
 
 function Pluf_DB_BooleanToDb($val, $db) {
-    if (is_null($val)) {
+    if (null === $val) {
         return 'NULL';
     }
     if ($val) {
@@ -197,15 +197,11 @@ function Pluf_DB_BooleanToDb($val, $db) {
 }
 
 function Pluf_DB_IntegerFromDb($val) {
-    if (is_null($val)) return null;
-    return (int) $val;
+    return (null === $val) ? null : (int) $val;
 }
 
 function Pluf_DB_IntegerToDb($val, $db) {
-    if (is_null($val)) {
-        return 'NULL';
-    }
-    return (string)(int)$val;
+    return (null === $val) ? 'NULL' : (string)(int)$val;
 }
 
 function Pluf_DB_PasswordToDb($val, $db) {
diff --git a/src/Pluf/DB/Field.php b/src/Pluf/DB/Field.php
index 4325de8..1697dc6 100644
--- a/src/Pluf/DB/Field.php
+++ b/src/Pluf/DB/Field.php
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ class Pluf_DB_Field
     {
         $this->value = $value;
         $this->column = $column;
-        $this->extra = array_merge($this->extra, $extra);
+        if ($extra) {
+            $this->extra = array_merge($this->extra, $extra);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/Pluf/Model.php b/src/Pluf/Model.php
index df3fd37..71c24c4 100644
--- a/src/Pluf/Model.php
+++ b/src/Pluf/Model.php
@@ -290,10 +290,16 @@ class Pluf_Model
      */
     function _getConnection()
     {
+        static $con = null;
         if ($this->_con !== null) {
             return $this->_con;
         }
+        if ($con !== null) {
+            $this->_con = $con;
+            return $this->_con;
+        }
         $this->_con = &Pluf::db($this);
+        $con = $this->_con;
         return $this->_con;
     }
 
@@ -323,12 +329,8 @@ class Pluf_Model
      */
     function __get($prop)
     {
-        if (array_key_exists($prop, $this->_data)) return $this->_data[$prop];
-        else try {
-            return $this->__call($prop, array());
-        } catch (Exception $e) {
-            throw new Exception(sprintf('Cannot get property "%s".', $prop));
-        }
+        return (array_key_exists($prop, $this->_data)) ?
+            $this->_data[$prop] : $this->__call($prop, array());
     }
 
     /**
@@ -339,7 +341,7 @@ class Pluf_Model
      */
     function __set($prop, $val)
     {
-        if (!is_null($val) and isset($this->_cache['fk'][$prop])) {
+        if (null !== $val and isset($this->_cache['fk'][$prop])) {
             $this->_data[$prop] = $val->id;
             unset($this->_cache['get_'.$prop]);
         } else {
@@ -737,41 +739,53 @@ class Pluf_Model
 
     /**
      * Create the model into the database.
+     *
+     * If raw insert is requested, the preSave/postSave methods are
+     * not called and the current id of the object is directly
+     * used. This is particularily used when doing backup/restore of
+     * data.
      * 
+     * @param bool Raw insert (false)
      * @return bool Success
      */
-    function create($force_id=false)
+    function create($raw=false)
     {
-        $this->preSave(true);
+        if (!$raw) {
+            $this->preSave(true);
+        }
         $req = 'INSERT INTO '.$this->getSqlTable()."\n";
         $icols = array();
         $ivals = array();
         $assoc = array();
         foreach ($this->_a['cols'] as $col=>$val) {
             $field = new $val['type']();
-            if ($col == 'id' and !$force_id) {
+            if ($col == 'id' and !$raw) {
                 continue;
             } elseif ($field->type == 'manytomany') {
                 // If is a defined array, we need to associate.
-                if (is_array($this->$col)) {
-                    $assoc[$val['model']] = $this->$col;
+                if (is_array($this->_data[$col])) {
+                    $assoc[$val['model']] = $this->_data[$col];
                 }
                 continue;
             }
             $icols[] = $this->_con->qn($col);
-            $ivals[] = $this->_toDb($this->$col, $col);
+            $ivals[] = $this->_toDb($this->_data[$col], $col);
         }
         $req .= '('.implode(', ', $icols).') VALUES ';
         $req .= '('.implode(','."\n", $ivals).')';
         $this->_con->execute($req);
-        if (false === ($id=$this->_con->getLastID())) {
-            throw new Exception($this->_con->getError());
+        if (!$raw) {
+            if (false === ($id=$this->_con->getLastID())) {
+                throw new Exception($this->_con->getError());
+            }
+            $this->_data['id'] = $id;
         }
-        $this->_data['id'] = $id;
         foreach ($assoc as $model=>$ids) {
             $this->batchAssoc($model, $ids);
         }
-        $this->postSave(true);
+        if (!$raw) {
+            $this->postSave(true);
+        }
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -956,7 +970,7 @@ class Pluf_Model
     function _fromDb($val, $col)
     {
         $m = $this->_con->type_cast[$this->_a['cols'][$col]['type']][0];
-        return $m($val);
+        return ($m == 'Pluf_DB_IdentityFromDb') ? $val : $m($val);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/Pluf/Test/Fixture.php b/src/Pluf/Test/Fixture.php
index 209bbcc..d53b72a 100644
--- a/src/Pluf/Test/Fixture.php
+++ b/src/Pluf/Test/Fixture.php
@@ -40,15 +40,15 @@ class Pluf_Test_Fixture
         if (false === ($ffile=Pluf::fileExists($file))) {
             throw new Exception(sprintf(__('Fixture file not found: %s.'), $file));
         }
-        $json = file_get_contents($ffile);
-        return self::load($json);
+        return self::load(file_get_contents($ffile));
     }
 
 
-    public static function load($json)
+    public static function load($json, $deserialize=true)
     {
         $created = array();
-        $data = json_decode($json, true);
+        $data = ($deserialize) ? json_decode($json, true) : $json;
+        unset($json);
         foreach ($data as $model) {
             if ((int)$model['pk'] > 0) {
                 $item = new $model['model']($model['pk']);
@@ -58,22 +58,34 @@ class Pluf_Test_Fixture
             }
             $m = new $model['model']();
             $m->setFromFormData($model['fields']);
-            $m->create(true); // we force the id
+            $m->create(true); // we load in raw mode
             $created[] = array($model['model'], $model['pk']);
         }
         return $created;
     }
 
-    public static function dump($model)
+    /**
+     * Given a model or model name, dump the content.
+     *
+     * If the object is given, only this single object is dumped else
+     * the complete table.
+     *
+     * @param mixed Model object or model name
+     * @param bool Serialize as JSON (true)
+     * @return mixed Array or JSON string
+     */
+    public static function dump($model, $serialize=true)
     {
         if (is_object($model)) {
-            return json_encode(array(self::prepare($model)));
+            return ($serialize) ?
+                json_encode(array(self::prepare($model))) :
+                array(self::prepare($model));
         }
         $out = array();
-        foreach (Pluf::factory($model)->getList() as $item) {
+        foreach (Pluf::factory($model)->getList(array('order' =>'id ASC')) as $item) {
             $out[] = self::prepare($item);
         }
-        return json_encode($out);
+        return ($serialize) ? json_encode($out) : $out;
     }
 
     /**