Megatest

	 ;;; THIS INTERACTS WITH [server] timeout. Suggest using 0.1 or above for timeout (6 seconds)
	 (idletime    (configf:lookup-number *configdat* "server" "idletime" default: 4))
	 (server-key (conc (get-host-name) "-" (current-process-id))))
    (if (file-exists? start-flag)
	(let* ((fmodtime (file-modification-time start-flag))
	       (delta    (- (current-seconds) fmodtime))
	       (old-enough   (> delta idletime))
               (new-server-key "")
               (new-server-key ""))
              )

          ;; write start-flag file, wait 0.25s, then if previously the start-flag file was older than <idletime> seconds, and the new file still has the same server key as you just wrote, return #t.
	  ;; the intention is to make sure nfs can read the file we just wrote, and make sure it was written by us, and not another process.
           (if (and old-enough
		   (begin
                     (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "Writing " start-flag)
		     (with-output-to-file start-flag (lambda () (print server-key)))
		     (thread-sleep! 0.25)
		     (set! new-server-key (with-input-from-file start-flag (lambda () (read-line))))
		     (equal? server-key new-server-key))
		    (begin
                      (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "Writing " start-flag)
		      (with-output-to-file start-flag (lambda () (print server-key)))
		      (thread-sleep! 0.25)
		      (set! new-server-key (with-input-from-file start-flag (lambda () (read-line))))
		      (equal? server-key new-server-key)))
                )
	      #t
	       #t

           ;; If either of the above conditions is not true, print a "Gating server start" message, wait <idle-time> + 1, then call this function recursively. 
	      (begin
		(debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Gating server start, last start: "
				  (seconds->time-string fmodtime) ", time since last start: " delta ", required idletime: " idletime ", gating reason:" (if old-enough "another job started a server" "too soon to start another server"))

		(thread-sleep! ( + 1 idletime))
		(server:wait-for-server-start-last-flag areapath)))))))
               ;; If either of the above conditions is not true, print a "Gating server start" message, wait <idle-time> + 1, then call this function recursively. 
	       (begin
		 (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Gating server start, last start: "
				   (seconds->time-string fmodtime) ", time since last start: " delta ", required idletime: " idletime ", gating reason:" (if old-enough "another job started a server" "too soon to start another server"))
		 
		 (thread-sleep! ( + 1 idletime))
		 (server:wait-for-server-start-last-flag areapath)))))))


        
;; kind start up of server, wait before allowing another server for a given
;; area to be launched
;;
(define (server:kind-run areapath)
  ;; look for $MT_RUN_AREA_HOME/logs/server-start-last
  ;; and wait for it to be at least <server idletime> seconds old
  (server:wait-for-server-start-last-flag areapath)
  (if (not (server:check-if-running areapath)) ;; why try if there is already a server running?
      (let* (
	     (lock-file    (conc areapath "/logs/server-start.lock")))
      (let* ((lock-file    (conc areapath "/logs/server-start.lock")))
	(let* ((start-flag (conc areapath "/logs/server-start-last")))
	  (common:simple-file-lock-and-wait lock-file expire-time: 25)
	  (debug:print-info  2 *default-log-port* "server:kind-run: touching " start-flag)
	  (system (conc "touch " start-flag)) ;; lazy but safe
	  (server:run areapath)
	  (thread-sleep! 20) ;; don't release the lock for at least a few seconds. And allow time for the server startup to get to "SERVER STARTED".
	  (common:simple-file-release-lock lock-file)))

      (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Found server already running. NOT trying to start another.")
      (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Found server already running. NOT trying to start another.")))
   )
)

;; this one seems to be the general entry point
;;
(define (server:start-and-wait areapath #!key (timeout 60))
  (let ((give-up-time (+ (current-seconds) timeout)))
    (let loop ((server-info (server:check-if-running areapath))
	       (try-num    0))