diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 8a787280a..9034a6ced 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2007-11-05 Jim Sack <jgsack@san.rr.com>
+	* src/test directory added
+	* src/test/{__init__,regrtest,test_init}.py added
+	* src/test/test/test_util_test.py added
+	First steps in a new unittest framework
+
 2007-11-05 Jim Sack <jgsack@san.rr.com>
 	* remove 2 files from version control: config.guess and config.sub
 	These are generated by configure (via autogen.sh).
diff --git a/src/test/__init__.py b/src/test/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8cf3a16d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+#
+# Gramps - a GTK+/GNOME based genealogy program
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2004-2006 Donald N. Allingham
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+# Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+#
+
+# $Id:$
+
+"""
+This package implements unittest support for GRAMPS
+
+It includes a test-running program regrtest.py,
+ and various test support utility modules
+  (first one created being test_util.py)
+
+Also includes tests for code in the parent (src) directory
+and other tests that may be considered top-level tests
+  
+Note: tests for utility code in this directory would be in a
+subdirectory also named test by convention for gramps testing.
+
+Note: test subdirectories do not normally need to have a 
+package-enabling module __init__.py, but this one (src/test) does 
+because it contains utilities used by other test modules.
+Thus, this package would allow test code like
+  from test import test_util
+
+"""
+
+# This file does not presently contain any code. 
+
+#===eof===  
diff --git a/src/test/regrtest.py b/src/test/regrtest.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..f78335965
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/regrtest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+#! /usr/bin/env python
+#
+# Gramps - a GTK+/GNOME based genealogy program
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2000-2005  Donald N. Allingham
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+# Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+#
+# Original: RunAllTests.py Written by Richard Taylor 
+# (jgs: revised for embedded "test" subdirs as regrtest.py )
+
+"""
+Testing framework for performing a variety of unttests for GRAMPS.
+"""
+
+# TODO: review whether logging is really useful for unittest
+#  it does seem to work .. try -v5
+import logging
+ 
+import os
+import sys
+import unittest
+from optparse import OptionParser
+
+from test import test_util as tu
+gramps_root=tu.path_append_parent()
+
+def make_parser():
+    usage = "usage: %prog [options]"
+    parser = OptionParser(usage)
+    parser.add_option("-v", "--verbosity", type="int", 
+                      dest="verbose_level", default=0,
+                      help="Level of verboseness")  
+    parser.add_option("-p", "--performance", action="store_true", 
+                      dest="performance", default=False,
+                      help="Run the performance tests.")  
+    return parser
+
+
+def getTestSuites(loc=gramps_root):
+    # in a developer's checkout, it is worth filtering-out .svn
+    #  and we only need to look inside test subdirs
+    #   (this might change)
+    # this is not so performance critical that we can't afford
+    # a couple of function calls to make it readable
+    # TODO: handle parts of a module (see unittest.py)
+
+    ldr= unittest.defaultTestLoader
+
+    test_dirname = "test"
+    test_suffix = "_test.py"
+    def test_mod(p,ds):
+        """ test for path p=test dir; removes a dir '.svn' in ds """
+        if ".svn" in ds: 
+            ds.remove(".svn")
+        return os.path.basename(p) == test_dirname
+    def match_mod(fs):
+        """ test for any test modules; deletes all non-tests  """
+        # NB: do not delete fs elements within a "for f in fs"
+        dels= [f for f in fs if not f.endswith(test_suffix)]
+        for f in dels:
+            fs.remove(f)
+        return len(fs) > 0
+
+    test_suites = []
+    perf_suites = []
+    # note that test_mod and match_mod modify passed-in lists
+    paths = [(path,files) for path,dirs,files in os.walk(loc) \
+        if test_mod(path,dirs) and match_mod(files)] 
+
+    oldpath = list(sys.path)
+    for (dir,test_modules) in paths:
+        sys.path.append(dir)
+
+        for module in test_modules:
+            if not module.endswith(test_suffix):
+                raise ValueError
+            mod = __import__(module[:-len(".py")])
+            if getattr(mod,"suite",None):
+                test_suites.append(mod.suite())
+            else:
+                test_suites.append(ldr.loadTestsFromModule(mod))
+            try:
+                perf_suites.append(mod.perfSuite())
+            except:
+                pass
+        # remove temporary paths added
+        sys.path = list(oldpath)
+    return (test_suites,perf_suites)
+
+    
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    def logging_init():
+        global logger
+        global console
+        console = logging.StreamHandler()
+        console.setLevel(logging.INFO)
+        console.setFormatter(logging.Formatter(
+            '%(name)-12s: %(levelname)-8s %(message)s'))
+        logger = logging.getLogger('Gramps')
+        logger.addHandler(console)
+        return console, logger
+    
+    def logging_adjust(verbose_level):
+        if verbose_level == 1:
+            logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
+            console.setLevel(logging.INFO)
+        elif verbose_level == 2:
+            logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+            console.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+        elif verbose_level == 3:
+            logger.setLevel(logging.NOTSET)
+            console.setLevel(logging.NOTSET)
+        elif verbose_level >= 4:
+            logger.setLevel(logging.NOTSET)
+            console.setLevel(logging.NOTSET)
+            os.environ['GRAMPS_SIGNAL'] = "1"
+        else:
+            logger.setLevel(logging.ERROR)
+            console.setLevel(logging.ERROR)
+  
+    console,logger = logging_init()
+    options,args = make_parser().parse_args()
+    logging_adjust(options.verbose_level)
+
+    # TODO allow multiple subdirs, modules, or testnames
+    #  (see unittest.py)
+    # hmmm this is starting to look like a unittest.Testprog
+    # (maybe with a custom TestLoader)
+    if args and os.path.isdir(args[0]):
+        loc =  args[0]
+    else:
+        loc = gramps_root
+
+    utests, ptests = getTestSuites(loc)
+    if options.performance:
+        suite = unittest.TestSuite(ptests)
+    else:
+        suite = unittest.TestSuite(utests)
+        
+    unittest.TextTestRunner(verbosity=options.verbose_level).run(suite)
+
+#===eof===
diff --git a/src/test/test/test_util_test.py b/src/test/test/test_util_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2b3fb9b37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/test/test_util_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+"""unittest (test_util_test.py) for test_util.py"""
+
+import sys
+import os
+import tempfile
+import unittest as U
+
+usage_note="""
+  **************************************************************
+  Testing (and runing) Gramps requires that PYTHONPATH include
+  the path to the top Gramps directory (where gramps.py resides).
+
+  For example, in bash, a shell export would look like 
+    export PYTHONPATH=/.../src
+  with the ... filled in appropriately.
+  **************************************************************
+"""
+
+# **************************************************************
+#
+# Since this module is used by other test modules, it is
+# strongly advised to test this module to 100% coverage,
+# and in all calling variations, eg:
+#  run directly, from this dir with and without ./ prefix
+#  run from other dirs (with path prefix) 
+#  run from within regrtest.py 
+#  run from regrtest.py with other test modules present
+#    which use the test_util module itself
+#
+# **************************************************************
+
+try:
+    from test import test_util as tu
+    ##here = tu.absdir()
+except ImportError:
+    print "Cannot import 'test_util'from package 'test'" + usage_note
+    exit(1) 
+
+
+# grouping into multiple TestCases (classes) is not required,
+# but may be useful for various reasons, such as collecting 
+# tests that share a setUp/tearDown mechanism or that share 
+# some test data, or just because they're related.
+#
+# The test function name should not have docstrings, but should
+# have names which add to the value of failure reporting, and 
+# which make it easy to find them within the source.
+
+
+# some enabling infrastructure features
+class Test1(U.TestCase):
+    def test1a_custom_exception(s):
+        tmsg = "testing"
+        try:
+            err = None
+            raise tu.TestError(tmsg)
+        except tu.TestError,e:
+            emsg = e.value
+        s.assertEqual(emsg, tmsg,
+            "raising TestError: g=%r e=%r" % (emsg, tmsg))
+
+    def test1b_msg_reporting_utility(s):
+        g,e = "got this", "expected that"
+        m,p = "your message here", "pfx"
+        tmsg0 = m + "\n .....got:'" + g + \
+            "'\n expected:'" + e +"'"
+        tmsg1 = p + ": " + tmsg0
+        s.assertEqual(tu.msg(g,e,m), tmsg0, "non-prefix message")
+        s.assertEqual(tu.msg(g,e,m,p), tmsg1, "prefix message")
+
+
+# path-related features (note use of tu.msg tested above)
+class Test2(U.TestCase):
+    def test2a_context_via_traceback(s):
+        e = __file__.rstrip(".co")   # eg in *.py[co]
+        g = tu._caller_context()[0]
+        g.rstrip('c')
+        s.assertEqual(g,e, tu.msg(g,e, "_caller_context"))
+  
+    def test2b_absdir(s):
+        here = tu.absdir();
+        g=tu.absdir(__file__)
+        s.assertEqual(g,here, tu.msg(g,here, "absdir"))
+  
+    def test2c_path_append_parent(s):
+        here = tu.absdir();
+        par = os.path.dirname(here)
+        was_there = par in sys.path
+        if was_there:
+            while par in sys.path:
+                sys.path.remove(par)
+        np = len(sys.path)
+        
+        for p in (None, __file__):
+            s.assertFalse(par in sys.path, "par not in initial path")
+            if not p:
+                g = tu.path_append_parent()
+            else:
+                g = tu.path_append_parent(p)
+            s.assertEqual(g,par, tu.msg(g,par, "path_append_parent return"))
+            s.assertTrue(par in sys.path, "actually appends")
+            sys.path.remove(par)
+            l= len(sys.path)
+            s.assertEqual(l,np, tu.msg(l,np,"numpaths"))
+        if was_there:
+            # restore entry state (but no multiples needed!)
+            sys.path.append(par)
+
+# make and remove test dirs
+class Test3(U.TestCase):
+    here = tu.absdir()
+    bases = (here, tempfile.gettempdir())
+    asubs = map(lambda b: os.path.join(b,"test_sub"), bases)
+    home= os.environ["HOME"]
+    if home:
+        home_junk = os.path.join(home,"test_junk")
+    def _rmsubs(s):
+        import shutil
+        for sub in s.asubs:
+            if os.path.isdir(sub):
+                shutil.rmtree(sub)
+  
+    def setUp(s):
+        s._rmsubs()
+        if s.home and not os.path.isdir(s.home_junk):
+            os.mkdir(s.home_junk)
+
+    def tearDown(s):
+        s._rmsubs()
+        if s.home and os.path.isdir(s.home_junk):
+            os.rmdir(s.home_junk)
+
+    def test3a_subdir(s):
+        for sub in s.asubs:
+            s.assertFalse(os.path.isdir(sub), "init: no dir %r" % sub)
+            b,d = os.path.dirname(sub), os.path.basename(sub)
+            md = tu.make_subdir(d, b)
+            s.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(sub), "made dir %r" % sub)
+            s.assertEqual(md,sub, tu.msg(md,sub, 
+                "make_subdir returns path"))
+
+            s2 = os.path.join(sub,"sub2")
+            tu.make_subdir("sub2", sub)
+            s.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(s2), "made dir %r" % s2)
+            f = os.path.join(s2,"test_file")
+
+            open(f,"w").write("testing..")
+            s.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(f), "file %r exists" % f)
+            tu.delete_tree(sub)
+            s.assertFalse(os.path.isdir(sub), 
+                "delete_tree removes subdir %r" % sub )
+
+    def test3b_delete_tree_constraint(s):
+        if s.home:
+            err = None
+            try:
+                tu.delete_tree(s.home_junk)
+            except tu.TestError, e:
+                err = e.value
+            s.assertFalse(err is None, 
+                "deltree on %r raises TestError" % (s.home_junk))
+        else:
+            s.fail("Skip deltree constraint test, no '$HOME' var")
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    U.main()
+#===eof===
diff --git a/src/test/test_util.py b/src/test/test_util.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e49431d4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/test_util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+"""unittest support utility module"""
+
+import os
+import sys
+import traceback
+import tempfile
+import shutil
+
+# _caller_context is primarily here to support and document the process
+# of determining the test-module's directory.
+# 
+# NB: the traceback 0-element is 'limit'-levels back, or earliest calling
+# context if that is less than limit.
+#  The -1 element is this very function; -2 is its caller, etc.
+# A traceback context tuple is: 
+#  (file, line, active function, text of the call-line)
+def _caller_context():
+    """Return context of first caller outside this module"""
+    lim = 5  #  1 for this function, plus futrher chain within this module
+    st = traceback.extract_stack(limit=lim)
+    thisfile = __file__.rstrip("co")  # eg, in ".py[co] 
+    while st and st[-1][0] == thisfile:
+        del(st[-1])
+    if not st:
+        raise TestError("Unexpected function call chain length!")
+    return st[-1]
+
+
+# NB: tb[0] differs between running 'XYZ_test.py' and './XYZ_test.py'
+#     so, always take the abspath.
+def _caller_dir():
+    """Return directory of caller function (caller outside this module)"""
+    tb =  _caller_context()
+    return os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(tb[0]))
+
+
+class TestError(Exception):
+    """Exception for use by test modules
+    
+    Use this, for example, to distuinguish testing errors.
+
+    """
+    def __init__(self, value):
+        self.value = value
+    def __str__(self):
+        return repr(self.value)
+
+
+def msg(got, exp, msg, pfx=""):
+    """Error-report message formatting utility
+
+    This improves unittest failure messages by showing data values
+    Usage:
+      assertEqual(got,exp, msg(got,exp,"mess" [,prefix])
+    The failure message will show as 
+      [prefix: ] mess
+        .....got:repr(value-of-got)
+        expected:repr(value-of-exp)
+
+    """
+    if pfx:
+        pfx += ": "
+    return "%s%s\n .....got:%r\n expected:%r" % (pfx, msg, got, exp)
+
+
+def absdir(path=None):
+    """Return absolute dir of the specified path
+    
+    The path parm may be dir or file  or missing.
+    If a file, the dir of the file is used.
+    If missing, the dir of test-module caller is used
+
+    Common usage is 
+      here = absdir()
+      here = absdir(__file__)
+    These 2 return the same result
+
+    """
+    if not path:
+        path = _caller_dir()
+    loc = os.path.abspath(path)
+    if os.path.isfile(loc):
+        loc = os.path.dirname(loc)
+    return loc
+
+
+def path_append_parent(path=None):
+    """Append (if required) the parent of a path to the python system path,
+    and return the abspath to the parent as a possible convenience
+
+    The path parm may be a dir or a file or missing.
+      If a file, the the dir of the file is used. 
+      If missing the test-module caller's dir is used.
+    And then the parent of that dir is appended (if not already present)
+
+    Common usage is
+      path_append_parent()
+      path_append_parent(__file__)
+    These 2 produce the same result
+
+    """
+    pdir = os.path.dirname(absdir(path))
+    if not pdir in sys.path:
+        sys.path.append(pdir)
+    return pdir
+
+
+def make_subdir(dir, parent=None):
+    """Make (if required) a subdir to a given parent and return its path
+    
+    The parent parm may be dir or file or missing
+      If a file, the dir of the file us used
+      If missing, the test-module caller's dir is used
+    Then the subdir dir in the parent dir is created if not already present
+
+    """
+    if not parent:
+        parent = _caller_dir()
+    sdir = os.path.join(parent,dir)
+    if not os.path.exists(sdir):
+        os.mkdir(sdir)
+    return sdir
+
+def delete_tree(dir):
+    """Recursively delete directory and content
+    
+    WARNING: this is clearly dangerous
+      it will only operate on subdirs of the test module dir or of /tmp
+
+    Test writers may explicitly use shutil.rmtree if really needed
+    """
+
+    if not os.path.isdir(dir):
+        raise TestError("%r is not a dir" % dir)
+    sdir = os.path.abspath(dir)
+    here = _caller_dir() + os.path.sep
+    tmp = tempfile.gettempdir() + os.path.sep
+    if not (sdir.startswith(here) or sdir.startswith(tmp)):
+        raise TestError("%r is not a subdir of here (%r) or %r" 
+            % (dir, here, tmp))
+    shutil.rmtree(sdir)
+
+#===eof===