diff --git a/tests/check_compilations.bat b/tests/check_compilations.bat
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..16037c3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/check_compilations.bat
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+setlocal
+cd /d %~dp0..
+set COMPILE_ALL_BASEDIR=%CD%
+mkdir tests\temp
+"%ISE_EIFFEL%\tools\spec\%ISE_PLATFORM%\bin\compile_all.exe" %* -ecb -melt -eifgen "%CD%\tests\temp" -ignore "%CD%\tests\compile_all.ini"
+
+cd %~dp0
+
+endlocal
diff --git a/tests/check_compilations.sh b/tests/check_compilations.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..70869eee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/check_compilations.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+cd ..
+COMPILE_ALL_BASEDIR=`pwd`
+mkdir $COMPILE_ALL_BASEDIR/tests/temp
+"$ISE_EIFFEL/tools/spec/$ISE_PLATFORM/bin/compile_all" $1 $2 $3 $4  -ecb -melt -eifgen "$COMPILE_ALL_BASEDIR/tests/temp" -ignore "$COMPILE_ALL_BASEDIR/tests/compile_all.ini"
+
diff --git a/tests/compile_all.ini b/tests/compile_all.ini
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f15d0884
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/compile_all.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+;
+; this file lists configurations/targets that should be ignored if 
+; compile_all is run on the trunk
+;
+
+[$COMPILE_ALL_BASEDIR/ext]
+[$COMPILE_ALL_BASEDIR\ext]
+
+