@@ -458,15 +458,11 @@
 		targets)
       (set! *didsomething* #t)))
 
 (define (full-runconfigs-read)
   (let* ((keys   (cdb:remote-run db:get-keys #f))
-	 (target (if (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
-		     (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
-		     (if (args:get-arg "-target")
-			 (args:get-arg "-target")
-			 #f)))
+	 (target (common:args-get-target))
 	 (key-vals (if target (keys:target->keyval keys target) #f))
 	 (sections (if target (list "default" target) #f))
 	 (data     (begin
 		     (setenv "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME" *toppath*)
 		     (if key-vals
@@ -522,12 +518,11 @@
 
 ;; since several actions can be specified on the command line the removal
 ;; is done first
 (define (operate-on action)
   (let* ((runrec (runs:runrec-make-record))
-	 (target (or (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
-		     (args:get-arg "-target"))))
+	 (target (common:args-get-target)))
     (cond
      ((not target)
       (debug:print 0 "ERROR: Missing required parameter for " action ", you must specify -target or -reqtarg")
       (exit 1))
      ((not (args:get-arg ":runname"))
@@ -569,12 +564,13 @@
 	(args:get-arg "-get-run-status"))
     (general-run-call
      "-set-run-status"
      "set run status"
      (lambda (target runname keys keyvals)
-       (let* ((runsdat  (cdb:remote-run db:get-runs-by-patt #f keys runname (or (args:get-arg "-target")
-									       (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")) #f #f))
+       (let* ((runsdat  (cdb:remote-run db:get-runs-by-patt #f keys runname 
+					(common:args-get-target)
+					#f #f))
 	      (header   (vector-ref runsdat 0))
 	      (rows     (vector-ref runsdat 1)))
 	 (if (null? rows)
 	     (begin
 	       (debug:print-info 0 "No matching run found.")
@@ -597,12 +593,13 @@
 	       (runpatt  (args:get-arg "-list-runs"))
 	       (testpatt (if (args:get-arg "-testpatt") 
 			     (args:get-arg "-testpatt") 
 			     "%"))
 	       (keys     (cdb:remote-run db:get-keys #f))
-	       (runsdat  (cdb:remote-run db:get-runs-by-patt #f keys runpatt (or (args:get-arg "-target")
-										 (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")) #f #f))
+	       (runsdat  (cdb:remote-run db:get-runs-by-patt #f keys runpatt
+					 (common:args-get-target)
+					 #f #f))
 		;; (cdb:remote-run db:get-runs #f runpatt #f #f '()))
 	       (runs     (db:get-rows runsdat))
 	       (header   (db:get-header runsdat))
 	       (db-targets (args:get-arg "-list-db-targets"))
 	       (seen     (make-hash-table)))