--- a/src/tools/utils.py	Thu Mar 19 19:44:37 2015 +0100
+++ b/src/tools/utils.py	Thu Mar 19 19:47:01 2015 +0100
@@ -20,10 +20,14 @@
 """ various useful methods """
 
 import unicodedata
+import os.path
+from sat.core.log import getLogger
+log = getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def clean_ustr(ustr):
     """Clean unicode string
+
     remove special characters from unicode string"""
     def valid_chars(unicode_source):
         for char in unicode_source:
@@ -32,3 +36,61 @@
             yield char
     return ''.join(valid_chars(ustr))
 
+def getRepositoryData(as_string=True):
+    """Retrieve info on current mecurial repository
+
+    @param as_string(bool): if True return a string, else return a dictionary
+    @return (unicode, dictionary): retrieved info in a nice string,
+        or a dictionary with retrieved data (key is not present if data is not found),
+        key can be:
+            - node: full revision number (40 bits)
+            - branch: branch name
+            - date: ISO 8601 format date
+            - tag: latest tag used in hierarchie
+    """
+    from distutils.spawn import find_executable
+    import subprocess
+    import sat
+    KEYS=("node", "branch", "date", "tag")
+    sat_root = os.path.dirname(sat.__file__)
+    hg_path = find_executable('hg')
+
+    if hg_path is not None:
+        os.chdir(sat_root)
+        try:
+            hg_data_raw = subprocess.check_output(["hg","parents","--template","{node}\n{branch}\n{date|isodate}\n{latesttag}"])
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            hg_data = {}
+        else:
+            hg_data = dict(zip(KEYS, hg_data_raw.split('\n')))
+        try:
+            hg_data['modified'] = '+' in subprocess.check_output(["hg","id","-i"])
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            pass
+
+    if not hg_data:
+        log.debug(u"Mercurial not available or working, trying to get data from dirstate")
+        os.chdir(os.path.relpath('..', sat_root))
+        try:
+            with open('.hg/dirstate') as hg_dirstate:
+                hg_data['node'] = hg_dirstate.read(20).encode('hex')
+        except IOError:
+            log.warning(u"Can't access repository data")
+
+    if as_string:
+        if not hg_data:
+            return u'repository data unknown'
+        strings = [u'rev', hg_data['node']]
+        try:
+            if hg_data['modified']:
+                strings.append(u"[M]")
+        except KeyError:
+            pass
+        try:
+            strings.extend([u'({branch} {date})'.format(**hg_data)])
+        except KeyError:
+            pass
+
+        return u' '.join(strings)
+    else:
+        return hg_data