diff --git a/direct/src/level/EditMgrAI.py b/direct/src/level/EditMgrAI.py
index b5cac959d1..3e6331773c 100755
--- a/direct/src/level/EditMgrAI.py
+++ b/direct/src/level/EditMgrAI.py
@@ -1,44 +1,22 @@
 """EditMgrAI module: contains the EditMgrAI class"""
 
 import EditMgrBase
-from PythonUtil import list2dict, uniqueElements
-
-if __debug__:
-    EntIdRange = 5000
-    username2entIdBase = {
-        'darren': 1*EntIdRange,
-        'samir':  2*EntIdRange,
-        'skyler': 3*EntIdRange,
-        'joe':    4*EntIdRange,
-        'mark':   5*EntIdRange,
-        }
-    assert uniqueElements(username2entIdBase.values())
-
-    UndefinedUsername = 'UNDEFINED_USERNAME'
-    UsernameConfigVar = 'factory-edit-username'
-    username = config.GetString(UsernameConfigVar, UndefinedUsername)
 
 class EditMgrAI(EditMgrBase.EditMgrBase):
     """This class handles AI-side editor-specific functionality"""
     if __debug__:
+        from PythonUtil import list2dict
+        import EditorGlobals
+        
         def setRequestNewEntity(self, data):
             # pick an unused entId
             spec = self.level.levelSpec
             entIds = spec.getAllEntIds()
             entIdDict = list2dict(entIds)
 
-            # Feel free to add your name to the table if it's not in there yet
-            if username == UndefinedUsername:
-                self.setRequestSave(None)
-                self.notify.error("you must config '%s'" % UsernameConfigVar)
-            if username not in username2entIdBase:
-                self.notify.error("unknown editor username '%s'" % username)
-
             # dumb linear search for now
             # make this smarter (cache last-allocated id)
-            baseId = username2entIdBase[username]
-            id = baseId
-            for id in xrange(baseId, baseId + EntIdRange):
+            for id in xrange(*EditorGlobals.getEntIdAllocRange()):
                 if not id in entIdDict:
                     break
             else:
diff --git a/direct/src/level/EditorGlobals.py b/direct/src/level/EditorGlobals.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..0a8562f320
--- /dev/null
+++ b/direct/src/level/EditorGlobals.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+"""EditorGlobals module: contains global editor data"""
+
+from PythonUtil import uniqueElements
+
+EntIdRange = 10000
+username2entIdBase = {
+    'darren': 1*EntIdRange,
+    'samir':  2*EntIdRange,
+    'skyler': 3*EntIdRange,
+    'joe':    4*EntIdRange,
+    'mark':   5*EntIdRange,
+    }
+assert uniqueElements(username2entIdBase.values())
+
+usernameConfigVar = 'level-edit-username'
+undefinedUsername = 'UNDEFINED_USERNAME'
+editUsername = config.GetString(usernameConfigVar, undefinedUsername)
+
+# call this to make sure things have been set up correctly
+def assertReadyToEdit():
+    assert editUsername != undefinedUsername, (
+        "you must config '%s'" % usernameConfigVar)
+    # Feel free to add your name to the table if it's not in there
+    assert editUsername in username2entIdBase, (
+        "unknown editor username '%s'" % username)
+
+def getEntIdAllocRange():
+    """range of valid entId values for this user.
+    returns [min, max+1] (values taken by range() and xrange())"""
+    baseId = username2entIdBase[editUsername]
+    return [baseId, baseId+EntIdRange]