diff --git a/mercurial/ignore.py b/mercurial/ignore.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mercurial/ignore.py
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+# ignore.py - ignored file handling for mercurial
+#
+# Copyright 2007 Matt Mackall <mpm@selenic.com>
+#
+# This software may be used and distributed according to the terms
+# of the GNU General Public License, incorporated herein by reference.
+
+from i18n import _
+import util
+
+def _parselines(fp):
+    for line in fp:
+        if not line.endswith('\n'):
+            line += '\n'
+        escape = False
+        for i in xrange(len(line)):
+            if escape: escape = False
+            elif line[i] == '\\': escape = True
+            elif line[i] == '#': break
+        line = line[:i].rstrip()
+        if line:
+            yield line
+
+def ignore(root, files, warn):
+    '''return the contents of .hgignore files as a list of patterns.
+
+    the files parsed for patterns include:
+    .hgignore in the repository root
+    any additional files specified in the [ui] section of ~/.hgrc
+
+    trailing white space is dropped.
+    the escape character is backslash.
+    comments start with #.
+    empty lines are skipped.
+
+    lines can be of the following formats:
+
+    syntax: regexp # defaults following lines to non-rooted regexps
+    syntax: glob   # defaults following lines to non-rooted globs
+    re:pattern     # non-rooted regular expression
+    glob:pattern   # non-rooted glob
+    pattern        # pattern of the current default type'''
+
+    syntaxes = {'re': 'relre:', 'regexp': 'relre:', 'glob': 'relglob:'}
+    pats = {}
+    for f in files:
+        try:
+            pats[f] = []
+            fp = open(f)
+            syntax = 'relre:'
+            for line in _parselines(fp):
+                if line.startswith('syntax:'):
+                    s = line[7:].strip()
+                    try:
+                        syntax = syntaxes[s]
+                    except KeyError:
+                        warn(_("%s: ignoring invalid syntax '%s'\n") % (f, s))
+                    continue
+                pat = syntax + line
+                for s in syntaxes.values():
+                    if line.startswith(s):
+                        pat = line
+                        break
+                pats[f].append(pat)
+        except IOError, inst:
+            if f != files[0]:
+                warn(_("skipping unreadable ignore file '%s': %s\n") %
+                     (f, inst.strerror))
+
+    allpats = []
+    [allpats.extend(patlist) for patlist in pats.values()]
+    if not allpats:
+        return util.never
+
+    try:
+        files, ignorefunc, anypats = (
+            util.matcher(root, inc=allpats, src='.hgignore'))
+    except util.Abort:
+        # Re-raise an exception where the src is the right file
+        for f, patlist in pats.items():
+            files, ignorefunc, anypats = (
+                util.matcher(root, inc=patlist, src=f))
+
+    return ignorefunc
+
+
+    '''default match function used by dirstate and
+    localrepository.  this honours the repository .hgignore file
+    and any other files specified in the [ui] section of .hgrc.'''
+