diff --git a/src/java/com/samskivert/depot/util/RuntimeUtil.java b/src/java/com/samskivert/depot/util/RuntimeUtil.java
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/src/java/com/samskivert/depot/util/RuntimeUtil.java
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+//
+// $Id$
+//
+// Depot library - a Java relational persistence library
+// Copyright (C) 2006-2009 Michael Bayne and Pär Winzell
+//
+// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+// Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+// Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+
+package com.samskivert.depot.util;
+
+import java.lang.reflect.Field;
+
+import com.google.common.base.Function;
+
+import com.samskivert.depot.PersistentRecord;
+
+/**
+ * Creates functions that map persistent records to runtime counterparts and vice versa.
+ */
+public class RuntimeUtil
+{
+    /**
+     * Creates a function that creates an instance of R and initializes all accessible (ie. public)
+     * fields of R from fields of P with matching name. Fields of P that do not exist in R will be
+     * ignored. Note: the types of the fields must match exactly.
+     */
+    public static <P extends PersistentRecord, R> Function<P, R> makeToRuntime (
+        Class<P> pclass, final Class<R> rclass)
+    {
+        final Field[] rfields = rclass.getFields();
+        final Field[] pfields = getPersistentFields(pclass, rfields);
+        return new Function<P, R>() {
+            public R apply (P record) {
+                try {
+                    R object = rclass.newInstance();
+                    for (int ii = 0, ll = rfields.length; ii < ll; ii++) {
+                        rfields[ii].set(object, pfields[ii].get(record));
+                    }
+                    return object;
+                } catch (Exception e) {
+                    throw new RuntimeException(e);
+                }
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a function that creates an instance of P and initializes all accessible (ie. public)
+     * fields of P from fields of R with matching name. Fields of P that do not exist in R will be
+     * left as default. Note: the types of the fields must match exactly.
+     */
+    public static <R, P extends PersistentRecord> Function<R, P> makeToRecord (
+        Class<R> rclass, final Class<P> pclass)
+    {
+        final Field[] rfields = rclass.getFields();
+        final Field[] pfields = getPersistentFields(pclass, rfields);
+        return new Function<R, P>() {
+            public P apply (R object) {
+                try {
+                    P record = pclass.newInstance();
+                    for (int ii = 0, ll = rfields.length; ii < ll; ii++) {
+                        pfields[ii].set(record, rfields[ii].get(object));
+                    }
+                    return record;
+                } catch (Exception e) {
+                    throw new RuntimeException(e);
+                }
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+    protected static Field[] getPersistentFields (
+        Class<? extends PersistentRecord> pclass, Field[] rfields)
+    {
+        Field[] pfields = new Field[rfields.length];
+        for (int ii = 0; ii < rfields.length; ii++) {
+            try {
+                pfields[ii] = pclass.getField(rfields[ii].getName());
+            } catch (NoSuchFieldException nsfe) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+                    "Cannot create mapping for " + rfields[ii] + ". " +
+                    "No corresponding field exists in " + pclass + ".");
+            }
+            if (!pfields[ii].getType().equals(rfields[ii].getType())) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Cannot create mapping from " + pfields[ii] +
+                                                   " to " + rfields[ii] + ".");
+            }
+        }
+        return pfields;
+    }
+}