@@ -1056,23 +1056,34 @@
 ;; Remove old run(s)
 ;;======================================================================
 
 ;; since several actions can be specified on the command line the removal
 ;; is done first
-(define (operate-on action #!key (mode #f)) ;; #f is "use default"
+(define (operate-on action #!key (mode #f)(target-in #f)(runname-in #f)(keys-in #f)(keyvals-in #f)) ;; #f is "use default"
   (let* ((runrec (runs:runrec-make-record))
-	 (target (common:args-get-target)))
+	 (target (or target-in   (common:args-get-target))) ;; eventually get rid of the call to common:args-get-target
+	 (runname (or runname-in
+		      (args:get-arg "-runname"))) ;; eventually get rid of the get-arg calls
+	 (testpatt (or (args:get-arg "-testpatt")
+		       (and (eq? action 'archive) ;; if it is an archive command fallback to MT_TEST_NAME and MT_ITEMPATH
+			    (common:get-full-testname))
+		       (and (eq? action 'kill-runs)
+			    "%/%") ;; I'm just guessing that this is correct :(
+		       (common:args-get-testpatt #f) ;; (args:get-arg "-testpatt")))
+		       ))) ;; 
     (cond
      ((not target)
-      (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "Missing required parameter for " action ", you must specify -target or -reqtarg")
+      (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "Missing required parameter for "
+			 action ", you must specify -target or -reqtarg")
       (exit 1))
-     ((not (or (args:get-arg ":runname")
-	       (args:get-arg "-runname")))
-      (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "Missing required parameter for " action ", you must specify the run name pattern with -runname patt")
+     ((not runname)
+      (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "Missing required parameter for "
+			 action ", you must specify the run name pattern with -runname patt")
       (exit 2))
-     ((not (or (args:get-arg "-testpatt") (eq? action 'kill-runs)))
-      (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "Missing required parameter for " action ", you must specify the test pattern with -testpatt")
+     ((not testpatt)
+      (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "Missing required parameter for "
+			 action ", you must specify the test pattern with -testpatt")
       (exit 3))
      (else
       (if (not (car *configinfo*))
 	  (begin
 	    (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "Attempted " action "on test(s) but run area config file not found")
@@ -1081,13 +1092,13 @@
 	  (begin
 	    ;; check for correct version, exit with message if not correct
 	    (common:exit-on-version-changed)
 	    (runs:operate-on  action
 			      target
-			      (common:args-get-runname)  ;; (or (args:get-arg "-runname")(args:get-arg ":runname"))
-			      (common:args-get-testpatt #f) ;; (args:get-arg "-testpatt")
-			      state: (common:args-get-state)
+			      runname
+			      testpatt
+			      state:  (common:args-get-state)
 			      status: (common:args-get-status)
 			      new-state-status: (args:get-arg "-set-state-status")
                               mode: mode)))
       (set! *didsomething* #t)))))
 
@@ -1883,11 +1894,11 @@
     ;; else do a general-run-call
     (general-run-call 
      "-archive"
      "Archive"
      (lambda (target runname keys keyvals)
-       (operate-on 'archive))))
+       (operate-on 'archive target-in: target runname-in: runame ))))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; Extract a spreadsheet from the runs database
 ;;======================================================================