diff --git a/libc/kernel/tools/utils.py b/libc/kernel/tools/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..763c7d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libc/kernel/tools/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,397 @@
+# common python utility routines for the Bionic tool scripts
+
+import sys, os, commands, string, commands
+
+# basic debugging trace support
+# call D_setlevel to set the verbosity level
+# and D(), D2(), D3(), D4() to add traces
+#
+verbose = 0
+
+def panic(msg):
+    sys.stderr.write( find_program_name() + ": error: " )
+    sys.stderr.write( msg )
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+def D(msg):
+    global verbose
+    if verbose > 0:
+        print msg
+
+def D2(msg):
+    global verbose
+    if verbose >= 2:
+        print msg
+
+def D3(msg):
+    global verbose
+    if verbose >= 3:
+        print msg
+
+def D4(msg):
+    global verbose
+    if verbose >= 4:
+        print msg
+
+def D_setlevel(level):
+    global verbose
+    verbose = level
+
+
+#  other stuff
+#
+#
+def find_program_name():
+    return os.path.basename(sys.argv[0])
+
+def find_program_dir():
+    return os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0])
+
+def find_file_from_upwards(from_path,target_file):
+    """find a file in the current directory or its parents. if 'from_path' is None,
+       seach from the current program's directory"""
+    path = from_path
+    if path == None:
+        path = os.path.realpath(sys.argv[0])
+        path = os.path.dirname(path)
+        D("this script seems to be located in: %s" % path)
+
+    while 1:
+        D("probing "+path)
+        if path == "":
+            file = target_file
+        else:
+            file = path + "/" + target_file
+
+        if os.path.isfile(file):
+            D("found %s in %s" % (target_file, path))
+            return file
+
+        if path == "":
+            return None
+
+        path = os.path.dirname(path)
+
+def find_bionic_root():
+    file = find_file_from_upwards(None, "SYSCALLS.TXT")
+    if file:
+        return os.path.dirname(file)
+    else:
+        return None
+
+def find_kernel_headers():
+    """try to find the directory containing the kernel headers for this machine"""
+    status, version = commands.getstatusoutput( "uname -r" )  # get Linux kernel version
+    if status != 0:
+        D("could not execute 'uname -r' command properly")
+        return None
+
+    # get rid of the "-xenU" suffix that is found in Xen virtual machines
+    if len(version) > 5 and version[-5:] == "-xenU":
+        version = version[:-5]
+
+    path = "/usr/src/linux-headers-" + version
+    D("probing %s for kernel headers" % (path+"/include"))
+    ret = os.path.isdir( path )
+    if ret:
+        D("found kernel headers in: %s" % (path + "/include"))
+        return path
+    return None
+
+
+# parser for the SYSCALLS.TXT file
+#
+class SysCallsTxtParser:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.syscalls = []
+        self.lineno   = 0
+
+    def E(msg):
+        print "%d: %s" % (self.lineno, msg)
+
+    def parse_line(self, line):
+        pos_lparen = line.find('(')
+        E          = self.E
+        if pos_lparen < 0:
+            E("missing left parenthesis in '%s'" % line)
+            return
+
+        pos_rparen = line.rfind(')')
+        if pos_rparen < 0 or pos_rparen <= pos_lparen:
+            E("missing or misplaced right parenthesis in '%s'" % line)
+            return
+
+        return_type = line[:pos_lparen].strip().split()
+        if len(return_type) < 2:
+            E("missing return type in '%s'" % line)
+            return
+
+        syscall_func = return_type[-1]
+        return_type  = string.join(return_type[:-1],' ')
+
+        pos_colon = syscall_func.find(':')
+        if pos_colon < 0:
+            syscall_name = syscall_func
+        else:
+            if pos_colon == 0 or pos_colon+1 >= len(syscall_func):
+                E("misplaced colon in '%s'" % line)
+                return
+            syscall_name = syscall_func[pos_colon+1:]
+            syscall_func = syscall_func[:pos_colon]
+
+        if pos_rparen > pos_lparen+1:
+            syscall_params = line[pos_lparen+1:pos_rparen].split(',')
+            params         = string.join(syscall_params,',')
+        else:
+            syscall_params = []
+            params         = "void"
+
+        number = line[pos_rparen+1:].strip()
+        if number == "stub":
+            syscall_id  = -1
+            syscall_id2 = -1
+        else:
+            try:
+                if number[0] == '#':
+                    number = number[1:].strip()
+                numbers = string.split(number,',')
+                syscall_id  = int(numbers[0])
+                syscall_id2 = syscall_id
+                if len(numbers) > 1:
+                    syscall_id2 = int(numbers[1])
+            except:
+                E("invalid syscall number in '%s'" % line)
+                return
+
+        t = { "id"     : syscall_id,
+              "id2"    : syscall_id2,
+              "name"   : syscall_name,
+              "func"   : syscall_func,
+              "params" : syscall_params,
+              "decl"   : "%-15s  %s (%s);" % (return_type, syscall_func, params) }
+
+        self.syscalls.append(t)
+
+    def parse_file(self, file_path):
+        fp = open(file_path)
+        for line in fp.xreadlines():
+            self.lineno += 1
+            line = line.strip()
+            if not line: continue
+            if line[0] == '#': continue
+            self.parse_line(line)
+
+        fp.close()
+
+
+class Output:
+    def  __init__(self,out=sys.stdout):
+        self.out = out
+
+    def write(self,msg):
+        self.out.write(msg)
+
+    def writeln(self,msg):
+        self.out.write(msg)
+        self.out.write("\n")
+
+class StringOutput:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.line = ""
+
+    def write(self,msg):
+        self.line += msg
+        D2("write '%s'" % msg)
+
+    def writeln(self,msg):
+        self.line += msg + '\n'
+        D2("write '%s\\n'"% msg)
+
+    def get(self):
+        return self.line
+
+
+def create_file_path(path):
+    dirs = []
+    while 1:
+        parent = os.path.dirname(path)
+        #print "parent: %s <- %s" % (parent, path)
+        if parent == "/" or parent == "":
+            break
+        dirs.append(parent)
+        path = parent
+
+    dirs.reverse()
+    for dir in dirs:
+        #print "dir %s" % dir
+        if os.path.isdir(dir):
+            continue
+        os.mkdir(dir)
+
+def walk_source_files(paths,callback,args,excludes=[]):
+    """recursively walk a list of paths and files, only keeping the source files in directories"""
+    for path in paths:
+        if not os.path.isdir(path):
+            callback(path,args)
+        else:
+            for root, dirs, files in os.walk(path):
+                #print "w-- %s (ex: %s)" % (repr((root,dirs)), repr(excludes))
+                if len(excludes):
+                    for d in dirs[:]:
+                        if d in excludes:
+                            dirs.remove(d)
+                for f in files:
+                    r, ext = os.path.splitext(f)
+                    if ext in [ ".h", ".c", ".cpp", ".S" ]:
+                        callback( "%s/%s" % (root,f), args )
+
+def cleanup_dir(path):
+    """create a directory if needed, and ensure that it is totally empty
+       by removing any existing content in it"""
+    if not os.path.exists(path):
+        os.mkdir(path)
+    else:
+        for root, dirs, files in os.walk(path, topdown=False):
+            if root.endswith("kernel_headers/"):
+                # skip 'kernel_headers'
+                continue
+            for name in files:
+                os.remove(os.path.join(root, name))
+            for name in dirs:
+                os.rmdir(os.path.join(root, name))
+
+def update_file( path, newdata ):
+    """update a file on disk, only if its content has changed"""
+    if os.path.exists( path ):
+        try:
+            f = open( path, "r" )
+            olddata = f.read()
+            f.close()
+        except:
+            D("update_file: cannot read existing file '%s'" % path)
+            return 0
+
+        if oldata == newdata:
+            D2("update_file: no change to file '%s'" % path )
+            return 0
+
+        update = 1
+    else:
+        try:
+            create_file_path(path)
+        except:
+            D("update_file: cannot create path to '%s'" % path)
+            return 0
+
+    f = open( path, "w" )
+    f.write( newdata )
+    f.close()
+
+    return 1
+
+
+class BatchFileUpdater:
+    """a class used to edit several files at once"""
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.old_files = set()
+        self.new_files = set()
+        self.new_data  = {}
+
+    def readFile(self,path):
+        #path = os.path.realpath(path)
+        if os.path.exists(path):
+            self.old_files.add(path)
+
+    def readDir(self,path):
+        #path = os.path.realpath(path)
+        for root, dirs, files in os.walk(path):
+            for f in files:
+                dst = "%s/%s" % (root,f)
+                self.old_files.add(dst)
+
+    def editFile(self,dst,data):
+        """edit a destination file. if the file is not mapped from a source,
+           it will be added. return 0 if the file content wasn't changed,
+           1 if it was edited, or 2 if the file is new"""
+        #dst = os.path.realpath(dst)
+        result = 1
+        if os.path.exists(dst):
+            f = open(dst, "r")
+            olddata = f.read()
+            f.close()
+            if olddata == data:
+                self.old_files.remove(dst)
+                return 0
+        else:
+            result = 2
+
+        self.new_data[dst] = data
+        self.new_files.add(dst)
+        return result
+
+    def getChanges(self):
+        """determine changes, returns (adds, deletes, edits)"""
+        adds    = set()
+        edits   = set()
+        deletes = set()
+
+        for dst in self.new_files:
+            if not (dst in self.old_files):
+                adds.add(dst)
+            else:
+                edits.add(dst)
+
+        for dst in self.old_files:
+            if not dst in self.new_files:
+                deletes.add(dst)
+
+        return (adds, deletes, edits)
+
+    def _writeFile(self,dst,data=None):
+        if not os.path.exists(os.path.dirname(dst)):
+            create_file_path(dst)
+        if data == None:
+            data = self.new_data[dst]
+        f = open(dst, "w")
+        f.write(self.new_data[dst])
+        f.close()
+
+    def updateFiles(self):
+        adds, deletes, edits = self.getChanges()
+
+        for dst in sorted(adds):
+            self._writeFile(dst)
+
+        for dst in sorted(edits):
+            self._writeFile(dst)
+
+        for dst in sorted(deletes):
+            os.remove(dst)
+
+    def updateP4Files(self):
+        adds, deletes, edits = self.getChanges()
+
+        if len(adds):
+            files = string.join(sorted(adds)," ")
+            D( "%d new files will be p4 add-ed" % len(adds) )
+            for dst in adds:
+                self._writeFile(dst)
+            D2("P4 ADDS: %s" % files)
+            o = commands.getoutput( "p4 add " + files )
+            D2( o )
+
+        if len(edits):
+            files = string.join(sorted(edits)," ")
+            D( "%d files will be p4 edit-ed" % len(edits) )
+            D2("P4 EDITS: %s" % files)
+            o = commands.getoutput( "p4 edit " + files )
+            D2( o )
+            for dst in edits:
+                self._writeFile(dst)
+
+        if len(deletes):
+            files = string.join(sorted(deletes)," ")
+            D( "%d files will be p4 delete-d" % len(deletes) )
+            D2("P4 DELETES: %s" % files)
+            o = commands.getoutput( "p4 delete " + files )
+            D2( o )