diff --git a/panda/src/putil/test_uniqueIdAllocator.cxx b/panda/src/putil/test_uniqueIdAllocator.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9a50b7b40c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/panda/src/putil/test_uniqueIdAllocator.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+
+
+#include "stdafx.h"
+
+#include <iostream>
+#include <map>
+#include <cassert>
+using namespace std;
+
+#include "uniqueIdAllocator.h"
+
+
+int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[]) {
+	cout <<"UniqueIdAllocator Test"<<endl;
+	UniqueIdAllocator b=UniqueIdAllocator(2, 9);
+	b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.free(2); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.free(3); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.free(4); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.free(5); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.free(3); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.free(2); b.printTo(cout);
+
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+
+	b.free(4); b.printTo(cout);
+	b.free(3); b.printTo(cout);
+
+	b.allocate(); b.printTo(cout);
+
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/panda/src/putil/uniqueIdAllocator.cxx b/panda/src/putil/uniqueIdAllocator.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dfd72606a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/panda/src/putil/uniqueIdAllocator.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+// Filename: uniqueIdAllocator.cxx
+// Created by:  schuyler 2003-03-13
+//
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// PANDA 3D SOFTWARE
+// Copyright (c) 2001, Disney Enterprises, Inc.  All rights reserved
+//
+// All use of this software is subject to the terms of the Panda 3d
+// Software license.  You should have received a copy of this license
+// along with this source code; you will also find a current copy of
+// the license at http://www.panda3d.org/license.txt .
+//
+// To contact the maintainers of this program write to
+// panda3d@yahoogroups.com .
+//
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// 
+
+#include "pandabase.h"
+#include "notify.h"
+
+#include "uniqueIdAllocator.h"
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: 
+//       Access: 
+//  Description: Create a free id pool in the range [min:max].
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+UniqueIdAllocator::
+UniqueIdAllocator(U32 min, U32 max)
+  : _min(min), _max(max) {
+  //cout<<"UniqueIdAllocator::UniqueIdAllocator("<<min<<", "<<max<<")"<<endl;
+  _size=_max-_min;
+  assert(_size); // size must be > 0.
+  _table=new U32[_size];
+  assert(_table); // This should be redundant if new throws an exception.
+  for (U32 i=0; i<_size; ++i) {
+    _table[i]=i+1;
+  }
+  _table[_size-1]=-1;
+  _next_free=0;
+  _last_free=_size-1;
+  _free=_size;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: 
+//       Access: 
+//  Description: 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+UniqueIdAllocator::
+~UniqueIdAllocator() {
+  //cout<<"UniqueIdAllocator::~UniqueIdAllocator()"<<endl;
+  delete [] _table;
+}
+
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: 
+//       Access: 
+//  Description: Receive an id between _min and _max (that were passed
+//               to the constructor).  This code will succede or call
+//               exit().
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+U32 UniqueIdAllocator::
+allocate() {
+  if (_next_free==-1) {
+    // ...all ids allocated.
+    cerr<<"UniqueIdAllocator Error: all ids allocated."<<endl;
+    // TODO:throw an exception rather than calling exit.
+    exit(1);
+  }
+  // This next block is redundant with the one above it, but I'm leaving
+  // the one above in place, in case anyone removes this next block.
+  if (_free<=(_size>>2)) {
+    // ...under 1/4 of the ids are free.
+    cerr<<"UniqueIdAllocator Error: 75% of ids allocated."<<endl;
+    // TODO:throw an exception rather than calling exit.
+    exit(1);
+  }
+  U32 id=_min+_next_free;
+  _next_free=_table[_next_free];
+  assert(_table[id-_min]=-2); // this assignment is debug only.
+  --_free;
+  //cout<<"UniqueIdAllocator::allocate() returning "<<id<<endl;
+  return id;
+}
+
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: 
+//       Access: 
+//  Description: Free an allocated index (index must be between _min
+//               and _max that were passed to the constructor).
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void UniqueIdAllocator::
+free(U32 index) {
+  //cout<<"UniqueIdAllocator::free(index)"<<endl;
+  assert(index>=_min); // Attempt to free out-of-range id.
+  assert(index<_max); // Attempt to free out-of-range id.
+  index=index-_min;
+  assert(_table[index]==-2); // Attempt to free non-allocated id.
+  _table[index]=-1;
+  _table[_last_free]=index;
+  _last_free=index;
+  ++_free;
+}
+
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: 
+//       Access: 
+//  Description: ...intended for debugging only.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void UniqueIdAllocator::
+printTo(ostream& os) const {
+  os  <<"[_next_free: "<<long(_next_free)
+      <<"; _last_free: "<<long(_last_free)
+      <<"; _size: "<<_size
+      <<"; _free: "<<_free
+      <<"; used: "<<_size-_free
+      <<"; %used: "<<float(_size-_free)/_size // This differs the %used code above.
+      <<";\n     ";
+  for (U32 i=0; i<_size; ++i) {
+    os<<long(_table[i])<<", ";
+  }
+  os<<"]"<<endl;
+}
+
diff --git a/panda/src/putil/uniqueIdAllocator.h b/panda/src/putil/uniqueIdAllocator.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d8091c3363
--- /dev/null
+++ b/panda/src/putil/uniqueIdAllocator.h
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+// Filename: uniqueIdAllocator.h
+// Created by:  schuyler 2003-03-13
+//
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// PANDA 3D SOFTWARE
+// Copyright (c) 2001, Disney Enterprises, Inc.  All rights reserved
+//
+// All use of this software is subject to the terms of the Panda 3d
+// Software license.  You should have received a copy of this license
+// along with this source code; you will also find a current copy of
+// the license at http://www.panda3d.org/license.txt .
+//
+// To contact the maintainers of this program write to
+// panda3d@yahoogroups.com .
+//
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// 
+
+#ifndef _UNIQUEIDALLOCATOR_H //[
+#define _UNIQUEIDALLOCATOR_H
+
+#include "pandabase.h"
+
+typedef unsigned long U32;
+
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//       Class : UniqueIdAllocator
+// Description : 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+class EXPCL_PANDA UniqueIdAllocator {
+PUBLISHED:
+  UniqueIdAllocator(U32 min=0, U32 max=20);
+  ~UniqueIdAllocator();
+  U32 allocate();
+  void free(U32 index);
+  void printTo(ostream& os) const;
+
+protected:
+  U32* _table;
+  U32 _min;
+  U32 _max;
+  U32 _next_free;
+  U32 _last_free;
+  U32 _size;
+  U32 _free;
+};
+
+#endif //]