Index: actor/gui/PtolemyQuery.java
===================================================================
--- actor/gui/PtolemyQuery.java	(revision 71666)
+++ actor/gui/PtolemyQuery.java	(working copy)
@@ -535,6 +535,12 @@
 
         // Attach the entry to the attribute by registering a listener.
         attribute.addValueListener(this);
+        
+        // if the attribute is a Variable, set a weak dependency to avoid
+        // warnings if the attribute changes containers.
+        if(attribute instanceof Variable) {
+            ((Variable)attribute).setValueListenerAsWeakDependency(this);
+        }
 
         // Put the attribute in a Map from attribute -> (list of entry names
         // attached to attribute), but only if entryName is not already
Index: data/expr/Variable.java
===================================================================
--- data/expr/Variable.java	(revision 71666)
+++ data/expr/Variable.java	(working copy)
@@ -816,6 +816,9 @@
         if (_valueListeners != null) {
             _valueListeners.remove(listener);
         }
+        if (_weakValueListeners != null) {
+            _weakValueListeners.remove(listener);
+        }
     }
 
     /** Reset the variable to its initial value. If the variable was
@@ -882,16 +885,26 @@
             NameDuplicationException {
         Nameable previousContainer = getContainer();
 
+        
         // Warn if there are variables that depend on this one.
-        if (container != previousContainer && previousContainer != null
-                && _valueListeners != null && _valueListeners.size() > 0) {
-            if (!MessageHandler
-                    .yesNoQuestion("WARNING: There are variables depending on "
-                            + getName() + ". Continue?")) {
-                // Cancel.
-                throw new IllegalActionException(this,
-                        "Cancelled change of container.");
+        if (container != previousContainer && previousContainer != null) {
+            Set<ValueListener> listeners = new HashSet<ValueListener>();
+            if(_valueListeners != null && !_valueListeners.isEmpty()) {
+                listeners.addAll(_valueListeners);
             }
+            if(_weakValueListeners != null && !_weakValueListeners.isEmpty()) {
+                listeners.removeAll(_weakValueListeners);
+            }
+            
+            if(!listeners.isEmpty()) {
+                if (!MessageHandler
+                        .yesNoQuestion("WARNING: There are variables depending on "
+                                + getName() + ". Continue?")) {
+                    // Cancel.
+                    throw new IllegalActionException(this,
+                            "Cancelled change of container.");
+                }
+            }
         }
 
         super.setContainer(container);
@@ -1382,6 +1395,17 @@
         _isTokenUnknown = value;
     }
 
+    /** Set a value listener as a weak dependency. When this Variable changes
+     *  containers, the value listener is not considered a dependency.
+     *  @see #setContainer()
+     */
+    public void setValueListenerAsWeakDependency(ValueListener listener) {
+        if (_weakValueListeners == null) {
+            _weakValueListeners = new HashSet<ValueListener>();
+        }           
+        _weakValueListeners.add(listener);
+    }
+    
     /** Set the visibility of this variable.  The argument should be one
      *  of the public static instances in Settable.
      *  @param visibility The visibility of this variable.
@@ -2536,7 +2560,11 @@
 
     // The visibility of this variable.
     private Settable.Visibility _visibility = Settable.EXPERT;
+    
+    /** Value listeners that should not be treated as true dependencies. */
+    private Set<ValueListener> _weakValueListeners;
 
+
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     ////                         inner classes                     ////