diff --git a/Gitolite/Commands/QueryRc.pm b/Gitolite/Commands/QueryRc.pm
index a36e4bd..4d241b4 100644
--- a/Gitolite/Commands/QueryRc.pm
+++ b/Gitolite/Commands/QueryRc.pm
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ my $all = 0;
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 sub query_rc {
-    trace( 1, "rc file not found; default should be " . glrc_default_filename() ) if not glrc_filename();
+    trace( 1, "rc file not found; default should be " . glrc('default-filename') ) if not glrc('filename');
 
     my @vars = args();
 
diff --git a/Gitolite/Commands/Setup.pm b/Gitolite/Commands/Setup.pm
index aa312ad..939de8e 100644
--- a/Gitolite/Commands/Setup.pm
+++ b/Gitolite/Commands/Setup.pm
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ sub setup {
 
 sub first_run {
     # if the rc file could not be found, it's *definitely* a first run!
-    return not glrc_filename();
+    return not glrc('filename');
 }
 
 sub args {
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ sub args {
 
 sub setup_glrc {
     trace(1);
-    _print( glrc_default_filename(), glrc_default_text() );
+    _print( glrc('default-filename'), glrc('default-text') );
 }
 
 sub setup_gladmin {
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ sub setup_gladmin {
     trace( 1, $admin );
 
     # reminder: 'admin files' are in ~/.gitolite, 'admin repo' is
-    # $GL_REPO_BASE/gitolite-admin.git
+    # $rc{GL_REPO_BASE}/gitolite-admin.git
 
     # grab the pubkey content before we chdir() away
 
@@ -111,8 +111,8 @@ sub setup_gladmin {
 
     # set up the admin files in admin-base
 
-    _mkdir($GL_ADMIN_BASE);
-    _chdir($GL_ADMIN_BASE);
+    _mkdir( $rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE} );
+    _chdir( $rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE} );
 
     _mkdir("conf");
     my $conf;
@@ -132,15 +132,15 @@ sub setup_gladmin {
     # set up the admin repo in repo-base
 
     _chdir();
-    _mkdir($GL_REPO_BASE);
-    _chdir($GL_REPO_BASE);
+    _mkdir( $rc{GL_REPO_BASE} );
+    _chdir( $rc{GL_REPO_BASE} );
 
     new_repo("gitolite-admin");
 
     # commit the admin files to the admin repo
 
-    $ENV{GIT_WORK_TREE} = $GL_ADMIN_BASE;
-    _chdir("$GL_REPO_BASE/gitolite-admin.git");
+    $ENV{GIT_WORK_TREE} = $rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE};
+    _chdir("$rc{GL_REPO_BASE}/gitolite-admin.git");
     system("git add conf/gitolite.conf");
     system("git add keydir") if $pubkey;
     tsh_try("git config --get user.email") or tsh_run( "git config user.email $ENV{USER}\@" . `hostname` );
diff --git a/Gitolite/Conf.pm b/Gitolite/Conf.pm
index 8f7e111..cffee63 100644
--- a/Gitolite/Conf.pm
+++ b/Gitolite/Conf.pm
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ sub compile {
     trace(3);
     # XXX assume we're in admin-base/conf
 
-    _chdir($GL_ADMIN_BASE);
+    _chdir( $rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE} );
     _chdir("conf");
 
     explode( 'gitolite.conf', 'master', \&parse );
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ sub parse {
         }
     } elsif ( $line =~ /^config (.+) = ?(.*)/ ) {
         my ( $key, $value ) = ( $1, $2 );
-        my @validkeys = split( ' ', ( $GL_GITCONFIG_KEYS || '' ) );
+        my @validkeys = split( ' ', ( $rc{GL_GITCONFIG_KEYS} || '' ) );
         push @validkeys, "gitolite-options\\..*";
         my @matched = grep { $key =~ /^$_$/ } @validkeys;
         # XXX move this also to add_config: _die "git config $key not allowed\ncheck GL_GITCONFIG_KEYS in the rc file for how to allow it" if (@matched < 1);
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ sub incsub {
     # XXX move this to Macros... substitute HOSTNAME word if GL_HOSTNAME defined, otherwise leave as is
     # $include_glob =~ s/\bHOSTNAME\b/$GL_HOSTNAME/ if $GL_HOSTNAME;
 
-    # XXX g2 diff: include glob is *implicitly* from $GL_ADMIN_BASE/conf, not *explicitly*
-    # for my $file (glob($include_glob =~ m(^/) ? $include_glob : "$GL_ADMIN_BASE/conf/$include_glob")) {
+    # XXX g2 diff: include glob is *implicitly* from $rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE}/conf, not *explicitly*
+    # for my $file (glob($include_glob =~ m(^/) ? $include_glob : "$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE}/conf/$include_glob")) {
 
     trace( 3, $is_subconf, $include_glob );
 
diff --git a/Gitolite/Conf/Load.pm b/Gitolite/Conf/Load.pm
index 9367296..3237748 100644
--- a/Gitolite/Conf/Load.pm
+++ b/Gitolite/Conf/Load.pm
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ sub access {
 
 sub load_common {
 
-    _chdir("$GL_ADMIN_BASE");
+    _chdir( $rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE} );
 
     # we take an unusual approach to caching this function!
     # (requires that first call to load_common is before first call to load_1)
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ sub load_1 {
     my $repo = shift;
     trace( 4, $repo );
 
-    _chdir("$GL_REPO_BASE");
+    _chdir( $rc{GL_REPO_BASE} );
 
     if ( $repo eq $last_repo ) {
         $repos{$repo} = $one_repo{$repo};
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ sub memberships {
 }
 
 sub data_version_mismatch {
-    return $data_version ne $current_data_version;
+    return $data_version ne glrc('current-data-version');
 }
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -192,10 +192,10 @@ Usage:  gitolite list-groups
     load_common();
 
     my @g = ();
-    while (my ($k, $v) = each ( %groups )) {
-        push @g, @{ $v };
+    while ( my ( $k, $v ) = each(%groups) ) {
+        push @g, @{$v};
     }
-    return (sort_u(\@g));
+    return ( sort_u( \@g ) );
 }
 
 sub list_users {
@@ -213,19 +213,18 @@ Usage:  gitolite list-users
 
     load_common();
 
-    my @u = map { keys %{ $_ } } values %repos;
-    $total = scalar(keys %split_conf);
+    my @u = map { keys %{$_} } values %repos;
+    $total = scalar( keys %split_conf );
     warn "WARNING: you have $total repos to check; this could take some time!\n" if $total > 100;
     for my $one ( keys %split_conf ) {
         load_1($one);
-        $count++; print STDERR "$count / $total\r" if not ( $count % 100 ) and timer(5);
-        push @u, map { keys %{ $_ } } values %one_repo;
+        $count++; print STDERR "$count / $total\r" if not( $count % 100 ) and timer(5);
+        push @u, map { keys %{$_} } values %one_repo;
     }
     print STDERR "\n";
-    return (sort_u(\@u));
+    return ( sort_u( \@u ) );
 }
 
-
 sub list_repos {
 
     die "
@@ -241,7 +240,7 @@ Usage:  gitolite list-repos
     my @r = keys %repos;
     push @r, keys %split_conf;
 
-    return (sort_u(\@r));
+    return ( sort_u( \@r ) );
 }
 
 sub list_memberships {
@@ -258,7 +257,7 @@ Usage:  gitolite list-memberships <name>
 
     load_common();
     my @m = memberships($name);
-    return (sort_u(\@m));
+    return ( sort_u( \@m ) );
 }
 
 sub list_members {
@@ -276,13 +275,13 @@ Usage:  gitolite list-members <group name>
     load_common();
 
     my @m = ();
-    while (my ($k, $v) = each ( %groups )) {
-        for my $g ( @{ $v } ) {
+    while ( my ( $k, $v ) = each(%groups) ) {
+        for my $g ( @{$v} ) {
             push @m, $k if $g eq $name;
         }
     }
 
-    return (sort_u(\@m));
+    return ( sort_u( \@m ) );
 }
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Gitolite/Conf/Store.pm b/Gitolite/Conf/Store.pm
index 518a750..b99ac0b 100644
--- a/Gitolite/Conf/Store.pm
+++ b/Gitolite/Conf/Store.pm
@@ -145,14 +145,14 @@ sub set_subconf {
 
 sub new_repos {
     trace(3);
-    _chdir($GL_REPO_BASE);
+    _chdir( $rc{GL_REPO_BASE} );
 
     # normal repos
     my @repos = grep { $_ =~ $REPONAME_PATT and not /^@/ } sort keys %repos;
     # add in members of repo groups
     map { push @repos, keys %{ $groups{$_} } } grep { /^@/ } keys %repos;
 
-    for my $repo ( @{ sort_u(\@repos) } ) {
+    for my $repo ( @{ sort_u( \@repos ) } ) {
         next unless $repo =~ $REPONAME_PATT;    # skip repo patterns
         next if $repo =~ m(^\@|EXTCMD/);        # skip groups and fake repos
 
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ sub new_repo {
     _mkdir("$repo.git");
     _chdir("$repo.git");
     system("git init --bare >&2");
-    _chdir($GL_REPO_BASE);
+    _chdir( $rc{GL_REPO_BASE} );
     hook_1($repo);
 
     # XXX ignoring creator for now
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ sub new_repo {
 sub hook_repos {
     trace(3);
     # all repos, all hooks
-    _chdir($GL_REPO_BASE);
+    _chdir( $rc{GL_REPO_BASE} );
 
     # XXX g2 diff: we now don't care if it's a symlink -- it's upto the admin
     # on the server to make sure things are kosher
@@ -195,14 +195,14 @@ sub store {
     trace(3);
 
     # first write out the ones for the physical repos
-    _chdir($GL_REPO_BASE);
+    _chdir( $rc{GL_REPO_BASE} );
     my $phy_repos = list_phy_repos(1);
 
-    for my $repo (@{ $phy_repos }) {
+    for my $repo ( @{$phy_repos} ) {
         store_1($repo);
     }
 
-    _chdir($GL_ADMIN_BASE);
+    _chdir( $rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE} );
     store_common();
 }
 
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ sub store_common {
     my $cc = "conf/gitolite.conf-compiled.pm";
     my $compiled_fh = _open( ">", "$cc.new" );
 
-    my $data_version = $current_data_version;
+    my $data_version = glrc('current-data-version');
     trace( 1, "data_version = $data_version" );
     print $compiled_fh Data::Dumper->Dump( [$data_version], [qw(*data_version)] );
 
@@ -296,20 +296,20 @@ sub store_common {
         # reset the gitolite supplied hooks, in case someone fiddled with
         # them, but only once per run
         if ( not $hook_reset ) {
-            _mkdir("$GL_ADMIN_BASE/hooks/common");
-            _mkdir("$GL_ADMIN_BASE/hooks/gitolite-admin");
-            _print( "$GL_ADMIN_BASE/hooks/common/update",              update_hook() );
-            _print( "$GL_ADMIN_BASE/hooks/gitolite-admin/post-update", post_update_hook() );
-            chmod 0755, "$GL_ADMIN_BASE/hooks/common/update";
-            chmod 0755, "$GL_ADMIN_BASE/hooks/gitolite-admin/post-update";
+            _mkdir("$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE}/hooks/common");
+            _mkdir("$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE}/hooks/gitolite-admin");
+            _print( "$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE}/hooks/common/update",              update_hook() );
+            _print( "$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE}/hooks/gitolite-admin/post-update", post_update_hook() );
+            chmod 0755, "$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE}/hooks/common/update";
+            chmod 0755, "$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE}/hooks/gitolite-admin/post-update";
             $hook_reset++;
         }
 
         # propagate user hooks
-        ln_sf( "$GL_ADMIN_BASE/hooks/common", "*", "$repo.git/hooks" );
+        ln_sf( "$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE}/hooks/common", "*", "$repo.git/hooks" );
 
         # propagate admin hook
-        ln_sf( "$GL_ADMIN_BASE/hooks/gitolite-admin", "*", "$repo.git/hooks" ) if $repo eq 'gitolite-admin';
+        ln_sf( "$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE}/hooks/gitolite-admin", "*", "$repo.git/hooks" ) if $repo eq 'gitolite-admin';
 
         # g2 diff: no "site-wide" hooks (the stuff in between gitolite hooks
         # and user hooks) anymore.  I don't think anyone used them anyway...
diff --git a/Gitolite/Hooks/PostUpdate.pm b/Gitolite/Hooks/PostUpdate.pm
index 813733f..1ce07b2 100644
--- a/Gitolite/Hooks/PostUpdate.pm
+++ b/Gitolite/Hooks/PostUpdate.pm
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ sub post_update {
     _die "no files/dirs called 'hooks' or 'logs' are allowed" if tsh_text() =~ /^(hooks|logs)$/;
 
     {
-        local $ENV{GIT_WORK_TREE} = $GL_ADMIN_BASE;
+        local $ENV{GIT_WORK_TREE} = $rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE};
         tsh_try("git checkout -f --quiet master");
     }
     system("$ENV{GL_BINDIR}/gitolite compile");
diff --git a/Gitolite/Rc.pm b/Gitolite/Rc.pm
index 94f6613..6fe0ff9 100644
--- a/Gitolite/Rc.pm
+++ b/Gitolite/Rc.pm
@@ -4,24 +4,14 @@ package Gitolite::Rc;
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 @EXPORT = qw(
-  $GL_ADMIN_BASE
-  $GL_REPO_BASE
-
-  $GL_UMASK
-
-  $GL_GITCONFIG_KEYS
-
-  glrc_default_text
-  glrc_default_filename
-  glrc_filename
+  %rc
+  glrc
 
   $ADC_CMD_ARGS_PATT
   $REF_OR_FILENAME_PATT
   $REPONAME_PATT
   $REPOPATT_PATT
   $USERNAME_PATT
-
-  $current_data_version
 );
 
 use Exporter 'import';
@@ -32,14 +22,12 @@ use Gitolite::Common;
 # variables that are/could be/should be in the rc file
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-$GL_ADMIN_BASE = "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite";
-$GL_REPO_BASE  = "$ENV{HOME}/repositories";
+$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE} = "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite";
+$rc{GL_REPO_BASE}  = "$ENV{HOME}/repositories";
 
 # variables that should probably never be changed
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-$current_data_version = "3.0";
-
 $ADC_CMD_ARGS_PATT    = qr(^[0-9a-zA-Z._\@/+:-]*$);
 $REF_OR_FILENAME_PATT = qr(^[0-9a-zA-Z][0-9a-zA-Z._\@/+ :,-]*$);
 $REPONAME_PATT        = qr(^\@?[0-9a-zA-Z][0-9a-zA-Z._\@/+-]*$);
@@ -48,44 +36,56 @@ $USERNAME_PATT        = qr(^\@?[0-9a-zA-Z][0-9a-zA-Z._\@+-]*$);
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+my $current_data_version = "3.0";
+
+my $rc = glrc('filename');
+do $rc if -r $rc;
+# let values specified in rc file override our internal ones
+@rc{ keys %RC } = values %RC;
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-my $rc = glrc_filename();
-do $rc if -r $rc;
-
+my $glrc_default_text = '';
 {
-    my $glrc_default_text = '';
+    local $/ = undef;
+    $glrc_default_text = <DATA>;
+}
 
-    sub glrc_default_text {
+sub glrc {
+    my $cmd = shift;
+    if ( $cmd eq 'default-filename' ) {
+        trace( 1, "..should happen only on first run" );
+        return "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite.rc";
+    } elsif ( $cmd eq 'default-text' ) {
         trace( 1, "..should happen only on first run" );
         return $glrc_default_text if $glrc_default_text;
-        local $/ = undef;
-        $glrc_default_text = <DATA>;
+        _die "rc file default text not set; this should not happen!";
+    } elsif ( $cmd eq 'filename' ) {
+        # where is the rc file?
+        trace(4);
+
+        # search $HOME first
+        return "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite.rc" if -f "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite.rc";
+        trace( 2, "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite.rc not found" );
+
+        # XXX for fedora, we can add the following line, but I would really prefer
+        # if ~/.gitolite.rc on each $HOME was just a symlink to /etc/gitolite.rc
+        # XXX return "/etc/gitolite.rc" if -f "/etc/gitolite.rc";
+
+        return '';
+    } elsif ( $cmd eq 'current-data-version' ) {
+        return $current_data_version;
+    } else {
+        _die "unknown argument to glrc: $cmd";
     }
 }
 
-sub glrc_default_filename {
-    trace( 1, "..should happen only on first run" );
-    return "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite.rc";
-}
-
-# where is the rc file?
-sub glrc_filename {
-    trace(4);
-
-    # search $HOME first
-    return "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite.rc" if -f "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite.rc";
-    trace( 2, "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite.rc not found" );
-
-    # XXX for fedora, we can add the following line, but I would really prefer
-    # if ~/.gitolite.rc on each $HOME was just a symlink to /etc/gitolite.rc
-    # XXX return "/etc/gitolite.rc" if -f "/etc/gitolite.rc";
-
-    return '';
-}
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 1;
 
@@ -99,8 +99,10 @@ __DATA__
 # this file is in perl syntax.  However, you do NOT need to know perl to edit
 # it; it should be fairly self-explanatory and easy to maintain
 
-$GL_UMASK = 0077;
-$GL_GITCONFIG_KEYS = "";
+%RC = (
+    GL_UMASK                    =>  0077,
+    GL_GITCONFIG_KEYS           =>  "",
+);
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # per perl rules, this should be the last line in such a file:
diff --git a/gitolite b/gitolite
index 8cd39d2..d8d1c3e 100755
--- a/gitolite
+++ b/gitolite
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ sub args {
         print "$_\n" for ( @{ list_repos() } );
     } elsif ( $command eq 'list-phy-repos' ) {
         shift @ARGV;
-        _chdir($GL_REPO_BASE);
+        _chdir( $rc{GL_REPO_BASE} );
         print "$_\n" for ( @{ list_phy_repos() } );
     } elsif ( $command eq 'list-memberships' ) {
         shift @ARGV;
diff --git a/gitolite-shell b/gitolite-shell
index 479773c..59b2984 100755
--- a/gitolite-shell
+++ b/gitolite-shell
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ my $ret = access( $repo, $user, $aa, 'unknown' );
 trace( 1, "access($repo, $user, $aa, 'unknown') -> $ret" );
 _die $ret if $ret =~ /DENIED/;
 
-$repo = "'$GL_REPO_BASE/$repo.git'";
+$repo = "'$rc{GL_REPO_BASE}/$repo.git'";
 exec( "git", "shell", "-c", "$verb $repo" );
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/Gitolite/Rc.pm b/src/Gitolite/Rc.pm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e84ee0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Gitolite/Rc.pm
@@ -0,0 +1,214 @@
+package Gitolite::Rc;
+
+# everything to do with 'rc'.  Also defines some 'constants'
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+@EXPORT = qw(
+  %rc
+  glrc
+  query_rc
+  version
+
+  $REMOTE_COMMAND_PATT
+  $REF_OR_FILENAME_PATT
+  $REPONAME_PATT
+  $REPOPATT_PATT
+  $USERNAME_PATT
+);
+
+use Exporter 'import';
+use Getopt::Long;
+
+use Gitolite::Common;
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+our %rc;
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# variables that are/could be/should be in the rc file
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+$rc{GL_BINDIR}     = $ENV{GL_BINDIR};
+$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE} = "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite";
+$rc{GL_REPO_BASE}  = "$ENV{HOME}/repositories";
+
+# variables that should probably never be changed
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+$REMOTE_COMMAND_PATT  = qr(^[- 0-9a-zA-Z\@\%_=+:,./]*$);
+$REF_OR_FILENAME_PATT = qr(^[0-9a-zA-Z][0-9a-zA-Z._\@/+ :,-]*$);
+$REPONAME_PATT        = qr(^\@?[0-9a-zA-Z][0-9a-zA-Z._\@/+-]*$);
+$REPOPATT_PATT        = qr(^\@?[0-9a-zA-Z[][\\^.$|()[\]*+?{}0-9a-zA-Z._\@/,-]*$);
+$USERNAME_PATT        = qr(^\@?[0-9a-zA-Z][0-9a-zA-Z._\@+-]*$);
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+my $current_data_version = "3.0";
+
+my $rc = glrc('filename');
+do $rc if -r $rc;
+_die "$rc seems to be for older gitolite" if defined($GL_ADMINDIR);
+# let values specified in rc file override our internal ones
+@rc{ keys %RC } = values %RC;
+
+# testing sometimes requires all of it to be overridden silently; use an
+# env var that is highly unlikely to appear in real life :)
+do $ENV{G3T_RC} if exists $ENV{G3T_RC} and -r $ENV{G3T_RC};
+
+# fix PATH (TODO: do it only if 'gitolite' isn't in PATH)
+$ENV{PATH} = "$ENV{GL_BINDIR}:$ENV{PATH}";
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+use strict;
+use warnings;
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+my $glrc_default_text = '';
+{
+    local $/ = undef;
+    $glrc_default_text = <DATA>;
+}
+
+sub glrc {
+    my $cmd = shift;
+    if ( $cmd eq 'default-filename' ) {
+        return "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite.rc";
+    } elsif ( $cmd eq 'default-text' ) {
+        return $glrc_default_text if $glrc_default_text;
+        _die "rc file default text not set; this should not happen!";
+    } elsif ( $cmd eq 'filename' ) {
+        # where is the rc file?
+
+        # search $HOME first
+        return "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite.rc" if -f "$ENV{HOME}/.gitolite.rc";
+
+        # XXX for fedora, we can add the following line, but I would really prefer
+        # if ~/.gitolite.rc on each $HOME was just a symlink to /etc/gitolite.rc
+        # XXX return "/etc/gitolite.rc" if -f "/etc/gitolite.rc";
+
+        return '';
+    } elsif ( $cmd eq 'current-data-version' ) {
+        return $current_data_version;
+    } else {
+        _die "unknown argument to glrc: $cmd";
+    }
+}
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# implements 'gitolite query-rc' and 'version'
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+my $all  = 0;
+my $nonl = 0;
+
+sub query_rc {
+
+    my @vars = args();
+
+    no strict 'refs';
+
+    if ($all) {
+        for my $e ( sort keys %rc ) {
+            print "$e=" . ( defined( $rc{$e} ) ? $rc{$e} : 'undef' ) . "\n";
+        }
+        return;
+    }
+
+    print join( "\t", map { $rc{$_} || '' } @vars ) . ( $nonl ? '' : "\n" ) if @vars;
+}
+
+sub version {
+    my $version = '';
+    $version = '(unknown)';
+    for ("$rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE}/VERSION") {
+        $version = slurp($_) if -r $_;
+    }
+    chomp($version);
+    return $version;
+}
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=for args
+Usage:  gitolite query-rc -a
+        gitolite query-rc [-n] <list of rc variables>
+
+    -a          print all variables and values
+    -n          do not append a newline
+
+Example:
+
+    gitolite query-rc GL_ADMIN_BASE UMASK
+    # prints "/home/git/.gitolite<tab>0077" or similar
+
+    gitolite query-rc -a
+    # prints all known variables and values, one per line
+=cut
+
+sub args {
+    my $help = 0;
+
+    GetOptions(
+        'all|a'  => \$all,
+        'nonl|n' => \$nonl,
+        'help|h' => \$help,
+    ) or usage();
+
+    usage("'-a' cannot be combined with other arguments") if $all and @ARGV;
+    usage() if not $all and not @ARGV or $help;
+    return @ARGV;
+}
+
+1;
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+__DATA__
+# configuration variables for gitolite
+
+# This file is in perl syntax.  But you do NOT need to know perl to edit it --
+# just mind the commas and make sure the brackets and braces stay matched up!
+
+# (Tip: perl allows a comma after the last item in a list also!)
+
+%RC = (
+    UMASK                       =>  0077,
+    GL_GITCONFIG_KEYS           =>  "",
+
+    # comment out or uncomment as needed
+    # these will run in sequence during the conf file parse
+    SYNTACTIC_SUGAR             =>
+        [
+            # 'continuation-lines',
+        ],
+
+    # comment out or uncomment as needed
+    # these will run in sequence after post-update
+    POST_COMPILE                =>
+        [
+            'post-compile/ssh-authkeys',
+        ],
+
+    # comment out or uncomment as needed
+    # these are available to remote users
+    COMMANDS                    =>
+        {
+            'help'              =>  1,
+            'info'              =>  1,
+        },
+);
+
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# per perl rules, this should be the last line in such a file:
+1;
+
+# Local variables:
+# mode: perl
+# End:
+# vim: set syn=perl: