diff --git a/libc/tools/bionic_utils.py b/libc/tools/bionic_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65ff042
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libc/tools/bionic_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,306 @@
+# common python utility routines for the Bionic tool scripts
+
+import sys, os, commands, string
+
+# support Bionic architectures, add new ones as appropriate
+#
+bionic_archs = [ "arm", "x86" ]
+
+# basic debugging trace support
+# call D_setlevel to set the verbosity level
+# and D(), D2(), D3(), D4() to add traces
+#
+verbose = 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
+
+
+def find_dir_of(path):
+    '''return the directory name of 'path', or "." if there is none'''
+    # remove trailing slash
+    if len(path) > 1 and path[-1] == '/':
+        path = path[:-1]
+
+    # find parent directory name
+    d = os.path.dirname(path)
+    if d == "":
+        return "."
+    else:
+        return d
+
+#  other stuff
+#
+#
+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 = find_dir_of(sys.argv[0])
+        D("this script seems to be located in: %s" % path)
+
+    while 1:
+        if path == "":
+            path = "."
+
+        file = path + "/" + target_file
+        D("probing "+file)
+
+        if os.path.isfile(file):
+            D("found %s in %s" % (target_file, path))
+            return file
+
+        if path == ".":
+            break
+
+        path = os.path.dirname(path)
+
+    path = ""
+    while 1:
+        path = "../" + path
+        file = path + target_file
+        D("probing "+file)
+
+        if os.path.isfile(file):
+            D("found %s in %s" % (target_file, path))
+            return file
+
+
+    return None
+
+def find_bionic_root():
+    '''find the root of the Bionic source tree. we check for the SYSCALLS.TXT file
+       from the location of the current program's directory.'''
+
+    # note that we can't use find_file_from_upwards() since we can't use os.path.abspath
+    # that's because in some cases the p4 client is in a symlinked directory, and this
+    # function will return the real path instead, which later creates problems when
+    # p4 commands are issued
+    #
+    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):
+        """ parse a syscall spec line.
+
+        line processing, format is
+           return type    func_name[:syscall_name[:call_id]] ( [paramlist] )   (syscall_number[,syscall_number_x86])|stub
+        """
+        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],' ')
+        call_id = -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
+
+            # now find if there is a call_id for a dispatch-type syscall
+            # after the optional 2nd colon
+            pos_colon2 = syscall_func.find(':', pos_colon + 1)
+            if pos_colon2 < 0:
+                syscall_name = syscall_func[pos_colon+1:]
+                syscall_func = syscall_func[:pos_colon]
+            else:
+                if pos_colon2+1 >= len(syscall_func):
+                    E("misplaced colon2 in '%s'" % line)
+                    return
+                syscall_name = syscall_func[(pos_colon+1):pos_colon2]
+                call_id = int(syscall_func[pos_colon2+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,
+              "cid"    : call_id,
+              "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):
+        D2("parse_file: %s" % 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)
+        if 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))