diff --git a/tests/util/test_format.py b/tests/util/test_format.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8825218
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/util/test_format.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import unittest
+
+from util.format import *
+
+class format(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_int_from_string(self):
+        self.assertEqual(100, asint('100'))
+        self.assertEqual(-100, asint('-100'))
+        self.assertEqual(0, asint('0'))
+
+    def test_int_from_none(self):
+        self.assertEqual(0, asint(None))
+
+    def test_int_from_int(self):
+        self.assertEqual(100, asint(100))
+        self.assertEqual(-100, asint(-100))
+        self.assertEqual(0, asint(0))
+
+    def test_int_minimum(self):
+        self.assertEqual(100, asint(100, minimum=10))
+        self.assertEqual(100, asint(100, minimum=100))
+        self.assertEqual(10, asint(5, minimum=10))
+
+    def test_int_maximum(self):
+        self.assertEqual(100, asint(100, maximum=200))
+        self.assertEqual(100, asint(100, maximum=100))
+        self.assertEqual(100, asint(200, maximum=100))
+
+    def test_true_from_str(self):
+        self.assertTrue(asbool('true'))
+        self.assertTrue(asbool(True))
+        self.assertTrue(asbool('t'))
+        self.assertTrue(asbool('1'))
+        self.assertTrue(asbool('yes'))
+        self.assertTrue(asbool('y'))
+        self.assertTrue(asbool('on'))
+
+    def test_false_from_str(self):
+        self.assertFalse(asbool('false'))
+        self.assertFalse(asbool(False))
+        self.assertFalse(asbool('f'))
+        self.assertFalse(asbool('0'))
+        self.assertFalse(asbool('no'))
+        self.assertFalse(asbool('n'))
+        self.assertFalse(asbool('off'))
+        self.assertFalse(asbool(None))
+
+    def test_list_from_None(self):
+        self.assertEqual([], aslist(None))
+
+    def test_list_from_list(self):
+        self.assertEqual([1,2,3], aslist([1,2,3]))
+
+    def test_list_from_str(self):
+        self.assertEqual(['12', '13', '14'], aslist('12,13,14'))
+
+# vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/util/format.py b/util/format.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3f5528
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/format.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+
+def asbool(val):
+    if val is None:
+        return False
+    if isinstance(val, bool):
+        return val
+    val = str(val).strip().lower()
+    return val in ('t', 'true', 'y', 'yes', 'on', '1')
+
+def asint(val, minimum=None, maximum=None):
+    if val is None:
+        val = 0
+    val = int(val)
+    val = min(val, maximum if maximum else val)
+    val = max(val, minimum if minimum else val)
+    return val
+
+
+def aslist(val):
+    if val is None:
+        return []
+    if isinstance(val, list):
+        return val
+    return str(val).replace(' ', '').split(',')
+
+# vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4