diff -r ca98021c3f96 -r 7d60c819e420 src/python/m5/SimObject.py
--- a/src/python/m5/SimObject.py	Thu Dec 15 00:43:35 2011 -0500
+++ b/src/python/m5/SimObject.py	Fri Dec 16 15:30:47 2011 -0600
@@ -897,6 +897,43 @@
 
         print >>ini_file        # blank line between objects
 
+    # generate a tree of dictionaries expressing all the parameters in the
+    # instantiated system for use by scripts that want to do power, thermal
+    # visualization, and other similar tasks
+    def get_dict(self):
+        d = attrdict()
+        if hasattr(self, 'type'):
+            d.type = self.type
+        if hasattr(self, 'cxx_class'):
+            d.cxx_class = self.cxx_class
+
+        param_names = self._params.keys()
+        param_names.sort()
+        for param in param_names:
+            value = self._values.get(param)
+            try:
+                d[param] = self._values[param].value
+            except AttributeError:
+                pass
+
+        child_names = self._children.keys()
+        child_names.sort()
+        for n in child_names:
+            d[self._children[n].get_name()] =  self._children[n].get_dict()
+
+        port_names = self._ports.keys()
+        port_names.sort()
+        for port_name in port_names:
+            port = self._port_refs.get(port_name, None)
+            if port != None:
+                # Might want to actually make this reference the object
+                # in the future, although execing the string problem would
+                # get some of the way there
+                d[port_name] = port.ini_str()
+
+
+        return d
+
     def getCCParams(self):
         if self._ccParams:
             return self._ccParams
diff -r ca98021c3f96 -r 7d60c819e420 src/python/m5/main.py
--- a/src/python/m5/main.py	Thu Dec 15 00:43:35 2011 -0500
+++ b/src/python/m5/main.py	Fri Dec 16 15:30:47 2011 -0600
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@
     group("Configuration Options")
     option("--dump-config", metavar="FILE", default="config.ini",
         help="Dump configuration output file [Default: %default]")
+    option("--pkl-config", metavar="FILE", default="config.pkl",
+        help="Create a Python pickle of the configuration [Default: %default]")
 
     # Debugging options
     group("Debugging Options")
diff -r ca98021c3f96 -r 7d60c819e420 src/python/m5/params.py
--- a/src/python/m5/params.py	Thu Dec 15 00:43:35 2011 -0500
+++ b/src/python/m5/params.py	Fri Dec 16 15:30:47 2011 -0600
@@ -228,6 +228,12 @@
             for obj in v.descendants():
                 yield obj
 
+    def get_dict(self):
+        a = []
+        for v in self:
+            a.append(v.get_dict())
+        return a
+
 class VectorParamDesc(ParamDesc):
     # Convert assigned value to appropriate type.  If the RHS is not a
     # list or tuple, it generates a single-element list.
diff -r ca98021c3f96 -r 7d60c819e420 src/python/m5/simulate.py
--- a/src/python/m5/simulate.py	Thu Dec 15 00:43:35 2011 -0500
+++ b/src/python/m5/simulate.py	Fri Dec 16 15:30:47 2011 -0600
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 import atexit
 import os
 import sys
+import pickle
 
 # import the SWIG-wrapped main C++ functions
 import internal
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@
 import ticks
 import objects
 from util import fatal
+from util import attrdict
 
 # define a MaxTick parameter
 MaxTick = 2**63 - 1
@@ -71,6 +73,16 @@
             obj.print_ini(ini_file)
         ini_file.close()
 
+    if options.pkl_config:
+        pkl_file = file(os.path.join(options.outdir, options.pkl_config), 'w')
+        # Print ini sections in sorted order for easier diffing
+        d = attrdict()
+        for obj in sorted(root.descendants(), key=lambda o: o.path()):
+            d[obj.path()] = obj.get_dict()
+        pickle.dump(d, pkl_file)
+        pkl_file.close()
+
+
     # Initialize the global statistics
     stats.initSimStats()