diff --git a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java
index df2c769..67ab489 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java
@@ -3159,6 +3159,18 @@
         parent = (PNode) in.readObject();
     }
 
+    // ****************************************************************
+    // Debugging - methods for debugging
+    // ****************************************************************
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a string representation of this object for debugging purposes.
+     */
+    public String toString() {
+        String result = super.toString().replaceAll(".*\\.", "");
+        return result + "[" + paramString() + "]";
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
      * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
@@ -3166,10 +3178,34 @@
      * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
      * 
      * @return a string representation of this node's state
-     * @deprecated
      */
-    protected final String paramString() {
-        return "this Method (paramString) is deprecated and will go away in the next release.";
+    protected String paramString() {
+        StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
+
+        result.append("bounds=" + (bounds == null ? "null" : bounds.toString()));
+        result.append(",fullBounds=" + (fullBoundsCache == null ? "null" : fullBoundsCache.toString()));
+        result.append(",transform=" + (transform == null ? "null" : transform.toString()));
+        result.append(",paint=" + (paint == null ? "null" : paint.toString()));
+        result.append(",transparency=" + transparency);
+        result.append(",childrenCount=" + getChildrenCount());
+
+        if (fullBoundsInvalid) {
+            result.append(",fullBoundsInvalid");
+        }
+
+        if (pickable) {
+            result.append(",pickable");
+        }
+
+        if (childrenPickable) {
+            result.append(",childrenPickable");
+        }
+
+        if (visible) {
+            result.append(",visible");
+        }
+
+        return result.toString();
     }
 
     public PInputEventListener[] getInputEventListeners() {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PImage.java b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PImage.java
index b9d0851..8b74d70 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PImage.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PImage.java
@@ -240,4 +240,22 @@
         g2.dispose();
         return result;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
+     * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
+     * format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The
+     * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
+     * 
+     * @return a string representation of this node's state
+     */
+    protected String paramString() {
+        StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
+
+        result.append("image=" + (image == null ? "null" : image.toString()));
+        result.append(',');
+        result.append(super.paramString());
+
+        return result.toString();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PPath.java b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PPath.java
index b4e41ef..e53a841 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PPath.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PPath.java
@@ -426,4 +426,28 @@
         stroke = PUtil.readStroke(in);
         path = PUtil.readPath(in);
     }
+
+    // ****************************************************************
+    // Debugging - methods for debugging
+    // ****************************************************************
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
+     * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
+     * format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The
+     * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
+     * 
+     * @return a string representation of this node's state
+     */
+    protected String paramString() {
+        StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
+
+        result.append("path=" + (path == null ? "null" : path.toString()));
+        result.append(",stroke=" + (stroke == null ? "null" : stroke.toString()));
+        result.append(",strokePaint=" + (strokePaint == null ? "null" : strokePaint.toString()));
+        result.append(',');
+        result.append(super.paramString());
+
+        return result.toString();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PText.java b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PText.java
index 956337d..abcfcd9 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PText.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PText.java
@@ -344,4 +344,27 @@
 			double height) {
 		recomputeLayout();
 	}
+
+	// ****************************************************************
+	// Debugging - methods for debugging
+	// ****************************************************************
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
+	 * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
+	 * format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The
+	 * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
+	 * 
+	 * @return a string representation of this node's state
+	 */
+	protected String paramString() {
+		StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
+
+		result.append("text=" + (text == null ? "null" : text));
+		result.append(",font=" + (font == null ? "null" : font.toString()));
+		result.append(',');
+		result.append(super.paramString());
+
+		return result.toString();
+	}
 }
diff --git a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java
index 65067c6..6627e88 100644
--- a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java
+++ b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java
@@ -141,4 +141,27 @@
             }
         }
     }
+
+    // ****************************************************************
+    // Debugging - methods for debugging
+    // ****************************************************************
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
+     * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
+     * format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The
+     * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
+     * 
+     * @return a string representation of this node's state
+     */
+    protected String paramString() {
+        StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
+
+        result.append("image=" + (image == null ? "null" : image.toString()));
+
+        result.append(',');
+        result.append(super.paramString());
+
+        return result.toString();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java
index 5f6db1e..9794fe2 100644
--- a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java
+++ b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java
@@ -424,4 +424,27 @@
         }
         setShape(path);
     }
+
+    // ****************************************************************
+    // Debugging - methods for debugging
+    // ****************************************************************
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
+     * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
+     * format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The
+     * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
+     * 
+     * @return a string representation of this node's state
+     */
+    protected String paramString() {
+        StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
+
+        result.append("path=" + (shape == null ? "null" : shape.toString()));
+        result.append(",strokePaint=" + (strokePaint == null ? "null" : strokePaint.toString()));
+        result.append(',');
+        result.append(super.paramString());
+
+        return result.toString();
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file