diff --git a/lib/cdist/core/explorer.py b/lib/cdist/core/explorer.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7e1d48de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/core/explorer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# 2011 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+# 2011 Nico Schottelius (nico-cdist at schottelius.org)
+#
+# This file is part of cdist.
+#
+# cdist 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 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# cdist 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 cdist. If not, see .
+#
+#
+
+import logging
+import os
+
+import cdist
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+'''
+common:
+ runs only remotely, needs local and remote
+
+ env:
+ __explorer: full qualified path to other global explorers on remote side == remote.global_explorer_path
+
+global explorer is:
+ folder full of scripts which have to be:
+ (- copied to remote)
+ - executed one by one on remote
+ - output saved to local files
+
+ env:
+
+ creates: local files with explorer output
+
+type explorer is:
+ folder full of scripts which have to be:
+ (- copied to remote)
+ - executed one by one on remote for each object instance
+ - output saved into object instance
+
+ env:
+ __object: full qualified path to the object's remote dir
+ __object_id: the objects id
+ __object_fq: full qualified object id, iow: $type.name + / + object_id
+ __type_explorer: full qualified path to the other type explorers on remote side
+
+ creates: nothing, all output is handled by the object instances
+'''
+
+
+class Explorer(object):
+ """Executes cdist explorers.
+
+ """
+ def __init__(self, target_host, local, remote):
+ self.target_host = target_host
+ self.local = local
+ self.remote = remote
+ self.env = {
+ '__target_host': self.target_host,
+ '__explorer': self.remote.global_explorer_path,
+ }
+
+ def transfer_global_explorers(self):
+ """Transfer the global explorers to the remote side."""
+ self.remote.mkdir(self.remote.global_explorer_path)
+ self.remote.transfer(self.local.global_explorer_path, self.remote.global_explorer_path)
+
+ def run_global_explorer(self, explorer):
+ """Run the given global explorer and return it's output."""
+ script = os.path.join(self.remote.global_explorer_path, explorer)
+ return self.remote.run_script(script, env=self.env)
+
+ def transfer_type_explorers(self, cdist_type):
+ """Transfer the type explorers for the given type to the remote side."""
+ source = os.path.join(self.local.type_path, cdist_type.explorer_path)
+ destination = os.path.join(self.remote.type_path, cdist_type.explorer_path)
+ self.remote.mkdir(destination)
+ self.remote.transfer(source, destination)
+
+ # FIXME: should i do this? probably not
+ def transfer_object_parameters(self, cdist_object):
+ pass
+
+ def run_type_explorer(self, explorer, cdist_object):
+ """Run the given type explorer for the given object and return it's output."""
+ cdist_type = cdist_object.type
+ env = self.env.copy()
+ env.update({
+ '__object': cdist_object.absolute_path,
+ '__object_id': cdist_object.object_id,
+ '__object_fq': cdist_object.path,
+ '__type_explorer': os.path.join(self.remote.type_path, cdist_type.explorer_path)
+ })
+ script = os.path.join(self.remote.type_path, cdist_type.explorer_path, explorer)
+ return self.remote.run_script(script, env=env)
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/explorer/__init__.py b/lib/cdist/test/explorer/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6fad157b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/explorer/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# 2010-2011 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+#
+# This file is part of cdist.
+#
+# cdist 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 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# cdist 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 cdist. If not, see .
+#
+#
+
+import os
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+import shutil
+import getpass
+
+import cdist
+from cdist import core
+from cdist import test
+from cdist.exec import local
+from cdist.exec import remote
+from cdist.core import explorer
+
+import os.path as op
+my_dir = op.abspath(op.dirname(__file__))
+fixtures = op.join(my_dir, 'fixtures')
+local_base_path = fixtures
+
+class ExplorerClassTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+
+ def mkdtemp(self, **kwargs):
+ return tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix='tmp.cdist.test.', **kwargs)
+
+ def mkstemp(self, **kwargs):
+ return tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='tmp.cdist.test.', **kwargs)
+
+ def setUp(self):
+ target_host = 'localhost'
+
+ self.local_base_path = local_base_path
+ self.out_path = self.mkdtemp()
+ self.local = local.Local(target_host, self.local_base_path, self.out_path)
+ self.local.create_directories()
+
+ self.remote_base_path = self.mkdtemp()
+ self.user = getpass.getuser()
+ remote_exec = "ssh -o User=%s -q" % self.user
+ remote_copy = "scp -o User=%s -q" % self.user
+ self.remote = remote.Remote(target_host, self.remote_base_path, remote_exec, remote_copy)
+
+ self.explorer = explorer.Explorer(target_host, self.local, self.remote)
+
+ def tearDown(self):
+ shutil.rmtree(self.out_path)
+ shutil.rmtree(self.remote_base_path)
+
+ def test_transfer_global_explorers(self):
+ # FIXME: test result
+ self.explorer.transfer_global_explorers()
+
+ def test_run_global_explorer(self):
+ # FIXME: test result
+ self.explorer.transfer_global_explorers()
+ self.explorer.run_global_explorer('global')
+
+ def test_transfer_type_explorers(self):
+ # FIXME: test result
+ cdist_type = core.Type(self.local.type_path, '__test_type')
+ self.explorer.transfer_type_explorers(cdist_type)
+
+ def test_run_type_explorer(self):
+ cdist_type = core.Type(self.local.type_path, '__test_type')
+ cdist_object = core.Object(cdist_type, self.local.object_path, 'whatever')
+ self.explorer.transfer_type_explorers(cdist_type)
+ self.assertEqual(self.explorer.run_type_explorer('world', cdist_object), 'hello\n')
+
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/explorer/global b/lib/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/explorer/global
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..39c16ea8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/explorer/global
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+echo global
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/type/__test_type/explorer/world b/lib/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/type/__test_type/explorer/world
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..21ba6825
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/type/__test_type/explorer/world
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+echo hello
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/type/__test_type_object_parameter/explorer/test_parameter b/lib/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/type/__test_type_object_parameter/explorer/test_parameter
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..0778907c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/type/__test_type_object_parameter/explorer/test_parameter
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+cat "$__object/parameter/test"