--- a/configuration/config.py	Tue Mar 27 11:07:51 2012 -0700
+++ b/configuration/config.py	Tue Mar 27 11:19:33 2012 -0700
@@ -248,12 +248,13 @@
                 continue
             parser.add_option(*args, **kw)
 
-    def parser(self, configuration_provider_option=None, **parser_args):
+    def parser(self, configuration_provider_option=None, dump='--dump', **parser_args):
         """
         return OptionParser for this Configuration instance
         - configuration_provider_options : option for configuration files [TODO]
         (also TODO: a special value that equates to the first file extension value
         for the configuration_providers)
+        - dump : option for dumping configuration
         - parser_args : arguments to the OptionParser constructor
         """
         if 'description' not in parser_args:
@@ -269,6 +270,15 @@
                 parser_args['formatter'] = PlainDescriptionFormatter()
         parser = optparse.OptionParser(**parser_args)
         self.optparse_options(parser)
+
+        # TODO: add option(s) for configuration_providers
+
+        # add an option for dumping
+        formats = self.formats()
+        if formats and dump:
+            parser.add_option(dump, dest='dump',
+                              help="dump configuration to a file [Formats: %s]" % formats)
+
         return parser
 
     def parse(self, args=sys.argv[1:], parser=None, configuration_provider_option=None):
@@ -286,11 +296,25 @@
         # generate configuration
         self(cli_config)
 
+        # dump configuration, if specified
+        dump = getattr(options, 'dump')
+        if dump:
+            # TODO: have a way of specifying format other than filename
+            self.serialize(dump)
+
         # return parsed arguments
         return options, args
 
     ### serialization/deserialization
 
+    def formats(self):
+        """formats for deserialization"""
+        retval = []
+        for provider in self.configuration_providers:
+            if provider.extensions and hasattr(provider, 'write'):
+                retval.append(provider.extensions[0])
+        return retval
+
     def configuration_provider(self, format):
         """configuration provider guess for a given filename"""
         for provider in self.configuration_providers:

--- a/tests/unit.py	Tue Mar 27 11:07:51 2012 -0700
+++ b/tests/unit.py	Tue Mar 27 11:19:33 2012 -0700
@@ -96,5 +96,7 @@
                    'activeTests': ['ts']}
         args1 = ['-e', '/opt/bin/firefox']
 
+        #
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()