diff --git a/bin/generate.py b/bin/generate.py
index b45bedd..6df776e 100644
--- a/bin/generate.py
+++ b/bin/generate.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import sys, os.path
 from optparse import OptionParser
 from appy.gen.generator import GeneratorError, ZopeGenerator
 from appy.shared.utils import LinesCounter
-from appy.shared.packaging import Debianizer
+from appy.shared.packaging import Debianizer, Cortexer
 import appy.version
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ S_OPTION = 'Sorts all i18n labels. If you use this option, among the ' \
            'set of translation files.'
 D_OPTION = 'Generates a Debian package for this app. The Debian package will ' \
            'be generated at the same level as the root application folder.'
+X_OPTION = 'Generates a Cortex application definition for this app, in a ' \
+           'folder "cortex.admin" that will be generated at the same level ' \
+           'as the root application folder.'
 
 class GeneratorScript:
     '''usage: %prog [options] app
@@ -68,6 +71,8 @@ class GeneratorScript:
             dest='i18nSort', default=False, help=S_OPTION)
         optParser.add_option("-d", "--debian", action='store_true',
             dest='debian', default=False, help=D_OPTION)
+        optParser.add_option("-x", "--cortex", action='store_true',
+            dest='cortex', default=False, help=X_OPTION)
         (options, args) = optParser.parse_args()
         try:
             self.manageArgs(optParser, options, args)
@@ -87,6 +92,9 @@ class GeneratorScript:
                 f.close()
                 version = version[:version.find('build')-1]
                 Debianizer(app, appDir, appVersion=version).run()
+            # Generates a Cortex application definition if required
+            if options.cortex:
+                Cortexer(args[0]).run()
         except GeneratorError, ge:
             sys.stderr.write(str(ge))
             sys.stderr.write('\n')
diff --git a/bin/new.py b/bin/new.py
index c81a6eb..749a04a 100644
--- a/bin/new.py
+++ b/bin/new.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ class ZopeInstanceCreator:
         os.mkdir('etc')
         f = file('etc/zope.conf', 'w')
         f.write(zopeConf % (self.instancePath, '%s/var' % self.instancePath,
-                            '%s/log' % self.instancePath, ''))
+                            '%s/log' % self.instancePath, '8080', ''))
         f.close()
         # Create other folders
         for name in ('Extensions', 'log', 'Products', 'var'): os.mkdir(name)
diff --git a/shared/packaging.py b/shared/packaging.py
index b903129..5078c70 100644
--- a/shared/packaging.py
+++ b/shared/packaging.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-import os, os.path, subprocess, md5, shutil
+import os, os.path, subprocess, md5, shutil, random
 from appy.shared.utils import getOsTempFolder, FolderDeleter, cleanFolder
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ zopeConf = '''# Zope configuration.
 %%define INSTANCE %s
 %%define DATA %s
 %%define LOG %s
-%%define HTTPPORT 8080
+%%define HTTPPORT %s
 %%define ZOPE_USER zope
 
 instancehome $INSTANCE
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class Debianizer:
        package.'''
 
     def __init__(self, app, out, appVersion='0.1.0',
-                 pythonVersions=('2.6',),
+                 pythonVersions=('2.6',), zopePort=8080,
                  depends=('zope2.12', 'openoffice.org', 'imagemagick')):
         # app is the path to the Python package to Debianize.
         self.app = app
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ class Debianizer:
         self.appVersion = appVersion
         # On which Python versions will the Debian package depend?
         self.pythonVersions = pythonVersions
+        # Port for Zope
+        self.zopePort = zopePort
         # Debian package dependencies
         self.depends = depends
         # Zope 2.12 requires Python 2.6
@@ -189,7 +191,7 @@ class Debianizer:
             productsFolder = '/usr/lib/python%s/%s/zope' % \
                              (self.pythonVersions[0], self.appName)
             f.write(zopeConf % ('/var/lib/%s' % n, '/var/lib/%s' % n,
-                                '/var/log/%s' % n,
+                                '/var/log/%s' % n, str(self.zopePort),
                                 'products %s\n' % productsFolder))
             f.close()
             # /etc/init.d/<app> (start the app at boot time)
@@ -305,4 +307,90 @@ class Debianizer:
         # Clean temp files
         FolderDeleter.delete(debFolder)
         os.chdir(curdir)
+
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+definitionJson = '''{
+  "name": "%s",
+  "description": "%s, a Appy-based application",
+  "packages": [{"name": "python-appy" }, {"name": "python-appy-%s" }],
+  "files": [
+    { "group": "root", "mode": "644", "name": "%s.conf",
+      "owner": "root", "path": "/etc/%s.conf",
+      "template": "%s"
+    }],
+  "handlers": [
+    { "on": ["_install"] },
+    { "on": ["_uninstall" ] },
+    { "on": ["%s_http_port"],
+      "do": [
+        { "action": "update", "resource": "file://%s.conf" }, 
+        { "action": "restart", "resource": "service://%s" }
+      ]},
+    ], 
+  "services": [
+    { "name": "%s", "enabled": "true", "running": "false" }, 
+    { "name": "oo",  "enabled": "true",  "running": "false" }], 
+}
+'''
+definitionJsonConf = '''{
+  "name": "%s.conf",
+  "uuid": "%s",
+  "parameters": [
+    { "key": "%s_http_port",  "name": "%s HTTP port",
+      "description": "%s HTTP port for the Zope process",
+      "value": "8080"}
+  ],
+}
+'''
+
+class Cortexer:
+    '''This class allows to produce a Cortex application definition for
+       a Debianized Python/Appy application.'''
+    def __init__(self, app, pythonVersions=('2.6',)):
+        self.appName = os.path.basename(app)
+        self.pythonVersions = pythonVersions
+        appFolder = os.path.dirname(app)
+        # Prepare the output folder (remove any existing one)
+        cortexFolder = os.path.join(appFolder, 'cortex.admin')
+        if os.path.exists(cortexFolder):
+            FolderDeleter.delete(cortexFolder)
+        allFolders = os.path.join(cortexFolder, 'applications', self.appName)
+        os.makedirs(allFolders)
+        self.out = allFolders
+
+    uuidChars= ['0','1','2','3','4','5','6','7','8','9','A','B','C','D','E','F']
+    def generateUid(self):
+        '''Generates a 32-chars-wide UID for identifying the configuration file
+           in the Cortex DB.'''
+        res = ''
+        for i in range(32):
+            res += self.uuidChars[random.randint(0,15)]
+        return res
+
+    def run(self):
+        # Create the root app description file "definition.json".
+        uid = self.generateUid()
+        name = os.path.join(self.out, 'definition.json')
+        f = file(name, 'w')
+        n = self.appName
+        nl = self.appName.lower()
+        f.write(definitionJson % (n, n, nl, nl, nl, uid, nl, nl, nl, nl))
+        f.close()
+        # Create the folder corresponding to the config file, and its content.
+        confFolder = os.path.join(self.out, '%s.conf' % nl)
+        os.mkdir(confFolder)
+        # Create the definition file for this config file, that will contain
+        # the names of Cortex-managed variables within the configuration file.
+        name = os.path.join(confFolder, 'definition.json')
+        f = file(name, 'w')
+        f.write(definitionJsonConf % (nl, uid, nl, n, n))
+        f.close()
+        # Create the Zope config file, with Cortex-like variables within in.
+        name = os.path.join(confFolder, '%s.conf' % nl)
+        f = file(name, 'w')
+        productsFolder='/usr/lib/python%s/%s/zope' % (self.pythonVersions[0],n)
+        f.write(zopeConf % ('/var/lib/%s' % n, '/var/lib/%s' % n,
+                            '/var/log/%s' % n, '${%s_http_port}' % nl,
+                            'products %s\n' % productsFolder))
+        f.close()
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------