    /// Return the model array content as data in the specified format.
     public func makeData(format: Format) -> Data? {
         return format.makeData(from: encodeToData() as AnyObject, prettyPrint: true)
+    }
+    
+    /// Return the model array content as a dictionary array
+    public func makeDictionaryArray() -> [[String : Any]] {
+        return self.encodeToData() as! [[String : Any]]
     }
 
     func encodeToData() -> Any {

        self.write(to: &vstore)
        return format.makeData(from: vstore.data as NSDictionary, prettyPrint: true)
    }

    // note: these default implementations do nothing


            else { return nil }
        self = instance
    }
    
    /// Create a model from a dictionary representation 
    public init?(content: [String : Any]) {
        guard let instance = Self.read(from: Store(data: content))
            else { return nil }
        self = instance
    }

    /// Write the store content to a file in the specified format.
    ///
