1 files changed, 20 insertions, 8 deletions
diff --git a/lib/spack/llnl/util/tty/__init__.py b/lib/spack/llnl/util/tty/__init__.py
index 41eef5d284..79ca5a9929 100644
--- a/lib/spack/llnl/util/tty/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/spack/llnl/util/tty/__init__.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ from six.moves import input
 
 from llnl.util.tty.color import cprint, cwrite, cescape, clen
 
-_debug = False
+# Globals
+_debug = 0
 _verbose = False
 _stacktrace = False
 _timestamp = False
@@ -29,21 +30,26 @@ _error_enabled = True
 indent = "  "
 
 
+def debug_level():
+    return _debug
+
+
 def is_verbose():
     return _verbose
 
 
-def is_debug():
-    return _debug
+def is_debug(level=1):
+    return _debug >= level
 
 
 def is_stacktrace():
     return _stacktrace
 
 
-def set_debug(flag):
+def set_debug(level=0):
     global _debug
-    _debug = flag
+    assert level >= 0, 'Debug level must be a positive value'
+    _debug = level
 
 
 def set_verbose(flag):
@@ -132,12 +138,17 @@ def process_stacktrace(countback):
     return st_text
 
 
+def show_pid():
+    return is_debug(2)
+
+
 def get_timestamp(force=False):
     """Get a string timestamp"""
     if _debug or _timestamp or force:
         # Note inclusion of the PID is useful for parallel builds.
-        return '[{0}, {1}] '.format(
-            datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d-%H:%M:%S.%f"), os.getpid())
+        pid = ', {0}'.format(os.getpid()) if show_pid() else ''
+        return '[{0}{1}] '.format(
+            datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d-%H:%M:%S.%f"), pid)
     else:
         return ''
 
@@ -197,7 +208,8 @@ def verbose(message, *args, **kwargs):
 
 
 def debug(message, *args, **kwargs):
-    if _debug:
+    level = kwargs.get('level', 1)
+    if is_debug(level):
         kwargs.setdefault('format', 'g')
         kwargs.setdefault('stream', sys.stderr)
         info(message, *args, **kwargs)