@@ -1450,10 +1450,15 @@
 				  db:test-record-fields
 				  t)))
 	       (adj-tests-spec (delete-duplicates (if tests-spec (cons "id" tests-spec) db:test-record-fields))) ;; '("id"))))
 	       (steps-spec  (alist-ref "steps" fields-spec equal?))
 	       (test-field-index (make-hash-table)))
+	  (if (and (args:get-arg "-dumpmode")
+		   (not (member (args:get-arg "-dumpmode") '("sexpr" "json" "ods" "list"))))
+	      (begin
+		(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: dumpmode "(args:get-arg "-dumpmode")" not recognised. Use sexpr, json, ods or list")
+		(exit)))
 	  (if (and tests-spec (not (null? tests-spec))) ;; do some validation and processing of the test-spec
 	      (let ((invalid-tests-spec (filter (lambda (x)(not (member x db:test-record-fields))) tests-spec)))
 		(if (null? invalid-tests-spec)
 		    ;; generate the lookup map test-field-name => index-number
 		    (let loop ((hed (car adj-tests-spec))
@@ -1505,11 +1510,11 @@
 			;; (mutils:hierhash-set! data (conc (db:get-value-by-header run header "id"))  targetstr runname "meta" "id"         )
 			;; (mutils:hierhash-set! data (db:get-value-by-header run header "event_time") targetstr runname "meta" "event_time" )
 			;; (mutils:hierhash-set! data (db:get-value-by-header run header "comment")    targetstr runname "meta" "comment"    )
 			;; ;; add last entry twice - seems to be a bug in hierhash?
 			;; (mutils:hierhash-set! data (db:get-value-by-header run header "comment")    targetstr runname "meta" "comment"    )
-		       (else
+		       ((#f list)
 			(if (null? runs-spec)
 			    (print "Run: " targetstr "/" runname 
 				   " status: " (db:get-value-by-header run header "state")
 				   " run-id: " run-id ", number tests: " (length tests)
 				   " event_time: " (db:get-value-by-header run header "event_time"))
@@ -1521,11 +1526,14 @@
 			       (lambda (field-name)
 				 (if (equal? field-name "target")
 				     (display (conc "target: " targetstr " "))
 				     (display (conc field-name ": " (db:get-value-by-header run header (conc field-name)) " "))))
 			       runs-spec)
-			      (newline)))))
+			      (newline))))
+		       (else
+			(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: dumpmode "(args:get-arg "-dumpmode")" not recognised. Use sexpr, json, ods or list")
+			))
 		       
 		     (for-each 
 		      (lambda (test)
 		      	(common:debug-handle-exceptions #f
 			 exn