diff --git a/tools/fqbn.py b/tools/fqbn.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..629bceb744
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/fqbn.py
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+from __future__ import print_function
+import re
+import os
+import sys
+import json
+import argparse
+import collections
+
+desc = 'Arduino boards.txt parser for FQBN details'
+
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=desc)
+parser.add_argument('--machine', action='store_true',
+                    help='machine json')
+parser.add_argument('--json', action='store_true',
+                    help='json')
+args = parser.parse_args()
+
+if not args.machine:
+  print('#')
+  print('# -- ' + desc + ' --')
+  print('#')
+  print('# random example:')
+  print('#     esp8266com:esp8266:d1:xtal=80,vt=flash,exception=disabled,eesz=4M,ip=lm2f,dbg=Disabled,lvl=None____,wipe=none,baud=460800')
+  print('#')
+  print('# description of possible values in configurable menu entries:')
+  print('# (run with \'--machine\' for machine version)')
+  print('#')
+  print('#')
+
+REmenuentry = re.compile('^([^\.]*)\.menu\.([^\.]*)\.([^\.]*)(?:\.linux|\.macos|\.windows|)=(.*)')
+REmenudesc = re.compile('^menu\.([^\.]*)=(.*)')
+REmenuinternal = re.compile('^([^\.]*)\.([^\.]*)\.([^\.]*)=(.*)')
+
+menudescs = collections.OrderedDict([ ( 'UploadTool', 'Upload Tool' ) ])
+menuentries = collections.OrderedDict([ ])
+boards = collections.OrderedDict([ ])
+
+boardstxt = False
+for f in ( "../boards.txt", "boards.txt" ):
+  if os.path.isfile(f):
+    boardstxt = open(f)
+if not boardstxt:
+  print("cannot open " + f)
+  sys.exit(1)
+
+line = boardstxt.readline()
+
+while line:
+
+  catch = REmenudesc.match(line)
+  if catch:
+    #print("menudesc " + str(catch.groups()))
+    menudescs.update(collections.OrderedDict([ ( catch.group(1), catch.group(2) ) ]))
+
+  catch = REmenuentry.match(line)
+  if catch:
+    #print("menuentry " + str(catch.groups()))
+    if not catch.group(2) in menuentries:
+      menuentries.update(collections.OrderedDict([(catch.group(2), collections.OrderedDict([]))]))
+    menuentries[catch.group(2)].update(collections.OrderedDict([(catch.group(3), catch.group(4))]))
+
+  catch = REmenuinternal.match(line)
+  if catch:
+     #print("menuinternal " + str(catch.groups()))
+     if catch.group(3) == 'board':
+       boards.update(collections.OrderedDict([ (catch.group(1), catch.group(4)) ]))
+
+  line = boardstxt.readline()
+
+# end parsing
+# now formatting
+
+all = { }
+
+all["options"] = [ ]
+for entry in menuentries:
+  list = [ ]
+  for value in menuentries[entry]:
+    subdict = { }
+    subdict["value"] = value
+    subdict["description"] = menuentries[entry][value]
+    list.append(subdict)
+  dict = { }
+  dict["values"] = list
+  dict["ID"] = entry
+  dict["description"] = menudescs[entry]
+  all["options"].append(dict)
+
+all["menus"] = [ ]
+for desc in menudescs:
+  dict = { }
+  dict["description"] = menudescs[desc]
+  dict["ID"] = desc
+  all["menus"].append(dict)
+
+all["boards"] = [ ]
+for board in boards:
+  dict = { }
+  dict["description"] = boards[board]
+  dict["ID"] = board
+  all["boards"].append(dict)
+
+# display
+
+if args.machine:
+  print(json.dumps(all))
+elif args.json:
+  print(json.dumps(all, indent=2))
+  print()
+else:
+  print('FQBN parameters:')
+  #for entry in menuentries:
+  for desc in menudescs:
+    entry = desc
+    print()
+    print('    ' + entry + ':  (' + menudescs[entry] + ')')
+    for value in menuentries[entry]:
+      print('%20s'%value + '    => ' + menuentries[entry][value])
+  print()
+