diff --git a/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamHelp/helpTypes/helpBoundary/helpBoundary.C b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamHelp/helpTypes/helpBoundary/helpBoundary.C
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3d1c995018
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamHelp/helpTypes/helpBoundary/helpBoundary.C
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+  =========                 |
+  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+   \\    /   O peration     |
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2012 OpenCFD Ltd.
+     \\/     M anipulation  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+License
+    This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+
+    OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+    under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+    ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+    FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+    for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#include "helpBoundary.H"
+#include "addToRunTimeSelectionTable.H"
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Static Data Members * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+namespace Foam
+{
+    namespace helpTypes
+    {
+        defineTypeNameAndDebug(helpBoundary, 0);
+        addNamedToRunTimeSelectionTable
+        (
+            helpType,
+            helpBoundary,
+            dictionary,
+            boundary
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Constructors  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+Foam::helpTypes::helpBoundary::helpBoundary()
+{}
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Destructor  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+Foam::helpTypes::helpBoundary::~helpBoundary()
+{}
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+void Foam::helpTypes::helpBoundary::init()
+{
+    helpType::init();
+
+    argList::validArgs.append("boundary");
+
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "field",
+        "word",
+        "list available conditions for field"
+    );
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "constraint",
+        "list constraint patches"
+    );
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "fixedValue",
+        "list fixed value patches (use with -field option)"
+    );
+}
+
+
+void Foam::helpTypes::helpBoundary::execute
+(
+    const argList& args,
+    const fvMesh& mesh
+)
+{
+    bool abortVar(env("FOAM_ABORT"));
+    if (abortVar)
+    {
+        FatalErrorIn
+        (
+            "void Foam::helpTypes::helpBoundary::execute"
+            "("
+                "const argList&, "
+                "const fvMesh&"
+            ")"
+        )
+            << "Please unset FOAM_ABORT to use this utlity"
+            << exit(FatalError);
+    }
+
+    word condition(word::null);
+    word fieldName(word::null);
+
+    if (args.optionReadIfPresent("browse", condition))
+    {
+        // TODO: strip scoping info if present?
+        // e.g. conditions with leading "compressible::" will not be found
+        // ".*[fF]vPatchField.*" + className + ".*"
+        displayDoc(condition, ".*[fF]vPatchField.*", false);
+    }
+    else if (args.optionFound("constraint"))
+    {
+        HashSet<word> constraintTypes(fvPatch::constraintTypes());
+        Info<< "Constraint types:" << nl;
+        forAllConstIter(HashSet<word>, constraintTypes, iter)
+        {
+            Info<< "    " << iter.key() << nl;
+        }
+        Info<< endl;
+    }
+    else if (args.optionReadIfPresent("field", fieldName))
+    {
+        IOobject fieldHeader
+        (
+            fieldName,
+            mesh.time().timeName(),
+            mesh,
+            IOobject::MUST_READ
+        );
+
+        if (fieldHeader.headerOk())
+        {
+            if (args.optionFound("fixedValue"))
+            {
+                fixedValueFieldConditions<scalar>(fieldHeader);
+                fixedValueFieldConditions<vector>(fieldHeader);
+                fixedValueFieldConditions<sphericalTensor>(fieldHeader);
+                fixedValueFieldConditions<symmTensor>(fieldHeader);
+                fixedValueFieldConditions<tensor>(fieldHeader);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                (void)fieldConditions<scalar>(fieldHeader, true);
+                (void)fieldConditions<vector>(fieldHeader, true);
+                (void)fieldConditions<sphericalTensor>(fieldHeader, true);
+                (void)fieldConditions<symmTensor>(fieldHeader, true);
+                (void)fieldConditions<tensor>(fieldHeader, true);
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            FatalErrorIn
+            (
+                "void Foam::helpTypes::helpBoundary::execute"
+                "("
+                    "const argList&, "
+                    "const fvMesh&"
+                ")"
+            )
+                << "Unable to read field " << fieldName << exit(FatalError);
+        }
+    }
+    else if (args.optionReadIfPresent("fixedValue", fieldName))
+    {
+        FatalErrorIn
+        (
+            "void Foam::helpTypes::helpBoundary::execute"
+            "("
+                "const argList&, "
+                "const fvMesh&"
+            ")"
+        )
+            << "-field option must be specified when using the -fixedValue "
+            << "option" << exit(FatalError);
+    }
+}
+
+
+// ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamHelp/helpTypes/helpBoundary/helpBoundary.H b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamHelp/helpTypes/helpBoundary/helpBoundary.H
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..515425b7bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamHelp/helpTypes/helpBoundary/helpBoundary.H
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+  =========                 |
+  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+   \\    /   O peration     |
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2012 OpenCFD Ltd.
+     \\/     M anipulation  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+License
+    This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+
+    OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+    under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+    ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+    FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+    for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+Class
+    Foam::helpBoundary
+
+Description
+    
+
+SourceFiles
+    helpBoundary.C
+    helpBoundaryTemplates.C
+
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#ifndef helpBoundary_H
+#define helpBoundary_H
+
+#include "helpType.H"
+#include "IOobject.H"
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+namespace Foam
+{
+namespace helpTypes
+{
+
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+                        Class helpBoundary Declaration
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+class helpBoundary
+:
+    public helpType
+{
+
+protected:
+
+    // Protected Member Functions
+
+        //- Return/output the available boundary conditions for fields of Type
+        template<class Type>
+        wordList fieldConditions(const IOobject& io, const bool write) const;
+
+        //- Output the available fixed boundary conditions for fields of Type
+        template<class Type>
+        void fixedValueFieldConditions(const IOobject& io) const;
+
+
+public:
+
+    //- Runtime type information
+    TypeName("helpBoundary");
+
+    //- Constructor
+    helpBoundary();
+
+    //- Destructor
+    virtual ~helpBoundary();
+
+
+    // Member Functions
+
+        //- Initialise - typically setting static variables,
+        //  e.g. command line arguments
+        virtual void init();
+
+        //- Execute the help
+        virtual void execute(const argList& args, const fvMesh& mesh);
+};
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+} // End namespace helpTypes
+} // End namespace Foam
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+#ifdef NoRepository
+    #include "helpBoundaryTemplates.C"
+#endif
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+#endif
+
+// ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamHelp/helpTypes/helpBoundary/helpBoundaryTemplates.C b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamHelp/helpTypes/helpBoundary/helpBoundaryTemplates.C
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d9ee2c92f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamHelp/helpTypes/helpBoundary/helpBoundaryTemplates.C
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+  =========                 |
+  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+   \\    /   O peration     |
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2012 OpenCFD Ltd.
+     \\/     M anipulation  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+License
+    This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+
+    OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+    under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+    ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+    FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+    for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#include "GeometricField.H"
+#include "fvPatchField.H"
+#include "volMesh.H"
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+template<class Type>
+Foam::wordList Foam::helpTypes::helpBoundary::fieldConditions
+(
+    const IOobject& io,
+    const bool write
+) const
+{
+    typedef GeometricField<Type, fvPatchField, volMesh> fieldType;
+
+    if (io.headerClassName() == fieldType::typeName)
+    {
+        wordList types
+        (
+            fvPatchField<Type>::dictionaryConstructorTablePtr_->sortedToc()
+        );
+
+        if (write)
+        {
+            Info<< "Available boundary conditions for "
+                << pTraits<Type>::typeName << " field: " << io.name() << nl;
+
+            forAll(types, i)
+            {
+                Info<< "    " << types[i] << nl;
+            }
+
+            Info<< endl;
+        }
+
+        return types;
+    }
+
+    return wordList();
+}
+
+
+template<class Type>
+void Foam::helpTypes::helpBoundary::fixedValueFieldConditions
+(
+    const IOobject& io
+) const
+{
+    wordList types(fieldConditions<Type>(io, false));
+
+    if (!types.size())
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    typedef GeometricField<Type, fvPatchField, volMesh> fieldType;
+
+    const fvMesh& mesh = dynamic_cast<const fvMesh&>(io.db());
+
+    fieldType fld
+    (
+        IOobject
+        (
+            "dummy",
+            mesh.time().timeName(),
+            mesh,
+            IOobject::NO_READ,
+            IOobject::NO_WRITE,
+            false
+        ),
+        mesh,   
+        dimensioned<Type>("zero", dimless, pTraits<Type>::zero)
+    );
+
+
+    Info<< "Fixed value boundary conditions for "
+        << pTraits<Type>::typeName << " field: " << io.name() << nl;
+
+    // throw exceptions to avoid fatal errors when casting from generic patch
+    // type to incompatible patch type
+    FatalIOError.throwExceptions();
+    FatalError.throwExceptions();
+
+    bool foundFixed = false;
+    forAll(types, i)
+    {
+        const word& patchType = types[i];
+
+        try
+        {
+            polyPatch pp
+            (
+                "defaultFaces",
+                0,
+                mesh.nInternalFaces(),
+                0,
+                mesh.boundaryMesh()
+            );
+
+            fvPatch fvp(pp, mesh.boundary());
+
+            tmp<fvPatchField<Type> > pf
+            (
+                fvPatchField<Type>::New
+                (
+                    patchType,
+                    fvp,
+                    fld
+                )
+            );
+
+            if (pf().fixesValue())
+            {
+                Info<< "    " << patchType << nl;
+                foundFixed = true;
+            }
+        }
+        catch (...)
+        {
+            // do nothing
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (!foundFixed)
+    {
+        // no conditions???
+        Info<< "    none" << nl;
+    }
+
+    Info<< endl;
+}
+
+
+// ************************************************************************* //