diff -r de8ca3eb8d31 -r 6075d8d99f77 autobuild/autobuild_tool_build.py
--- a/autobuild/autobuild_tool_build.py	Thu Apr 12 12:29:39 2012 -0700
+++ b/autobuild/autobuild_tool_build.py	Sun Apr 15 18:03:23 2012 -0400
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
     def run(self, args):
         config = configfile.ConfigurationDescription(args.config_file)
         current_directory = os.getcwd()
-        build_directory = config.make_build_directory()
+        build_directory = config.make_build_directory(args.dry_run)
         logger.debug("building in %s" % build_directory)
         if not args.use_cwd:
             os.chdir(build_directory)
diff -r de8ca3eb8d31 -r 6075d8d99f77 autobuild/autobuild_tool_configure.py
--- a/autobuild/autobuild_tool_configure.py	Thu Apr 12 12:29:39 2012 -0700
+++ b/autobuild/autobuild_tool_configure.py	Sun Apr 15 18:03:23 2012 -0400
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@
     def run(self, args):
         config = configfile.ConfigurationDescription(args.config_file)
         current_directory = os.getcwd()
-        build_directory = config.make_build_directory()
+        build_directory = config.make_build_directory(args.dry_run)
         logger.debug("configuring in %s" % build_directory)
-        if not args.use_cwd:
+        if not ( args.use_cwd or args.dry_run ):
             os.chdir(build_directory)
         try:
             if args.all:
diff -r de8ca3eb8d31 -r 6075d8d99f77 autobuild/autobuild_tool_install.py
--- a/autobuild/autobuild_tool_install.py	Thu Apr 12 12:29:39 2012 -0700
+++ b/autobuild/autobuild_tool_install.py	Sun Apr 15 18:03:23 2012 -0400
@@ -546,7 +546,8 @@
     if options.install_dir:
         logger.debug("specified install directory: " + options.install_dir)
     else:
-        options.install_dir = os.path.join(config_file.make_build_directory(), 'packages')
+        build_directory = config_file.make_build_directory(options.dry_run)
+        options.install_dir = os.path.join(build_directory, 'packages')
         logger.debug("default install directory: " + options.install_dir)
 
     # get the absolute paths to the install dir and installed-packages.xml file
diff -r de8ca3eb8d31 -r 6075d8d99f77 autobuild/autobuild_tool_uninstall.py
--- a/autobuild/autobuild_tool_uninstall.py	Thu Apr 12 12:29:39 2012 -0700
+++ b/autobuild/autobuild_tool_uninstall.py	Sun Apr 15 18:03:23 2012 -0400
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
             # load config file to get default install_dir
             logger.debug("loading " + options.install_filename)
             config_file = configfile.ConfigurationDescription(options.install_filename)
-            install_dir = os.path.join(config_file.make_build_directory(), 'packages')
+            install_dir = os.path.join(config_file.make_build_directory(options.dry_run), 'packages')
             logger.info("default install directory: " + install_dir)
 
         # get the absolute path to the installed-packages.xml file
diff -r de8ca3eb8d31 -r 6075d8d99f77 autobuild/configfile.py
--- a/autobuild/configfile.py	Thu Apr 12 12:29:39 2012 -0700
+++ b/autobuild/configfile.py	Sun Apr 15 18:03:23 2012 -0400
@@ -156,13 +156,19 @@
         """
         return self.get_platform(get_current_platform())
     
-    def make_build_directory(self):
+    def make_build_directory(self, dry_run):
         """
         Makes the working platform's build directory if it does not exist and returns a path to it.
         """
         build_directory = self.get_build_directory(common.get_current_platform())
         if not os.path.isdir(build_directory):
-            os.makedirs(build_directory)
+            if not dry_run:
+                logger.info("Creating build directory %s"
+                            % build_directory)
+                os.makedirs(build_directory)
+            else:
+                logger.warn("Dry run mode: not creating build directory %s"
+                            % build_directory)
         return build_directory
             
     def save(self):