Megatest

	       (ipaddr (alist-ref 'ipaddr captn))
	       (pid    (alist-ref 'pid    captn))
	       (Z      (alist-ref 'Z      captn)))
	  (udat-captain-address-set! udata ipaddr)
	  (udat-captain-host-set!    udata host)
	  (udat-captain-port-set!    udata port)
	  (udat-captain-pid-set!     udata pid)
	  (if (ping udata (conc ipaddr ":" port))
	      udata
	      (begin
		(remove-captain-pkt udata captn)
		(setup))))
	(setup-as-captain udata)) ;; this saves the thread to captain-thread and starts the thread
    ))

	    (udat-handler-thread-set! udata th)
	    (thread-start! th))
	  #f)
      #f))

(define (get-peer-dat udata host-port #!optional (hostname #f)(pid #f))
  (let* ((pdat (or (hash-table-ref/default (udat-outgoing-conns udata) host-port #f)
		   (handle-exceptions ;; ERROR - MAKE THIS EXCEPTION HANDLER MORE SPECIFIC
		    exn
		    #f
		    (let ((npdat (make-peer addr-port: host-port)))
		      (if hostname (peer-hostname-set! npdat hostname))
		      (if pid (peer-pid-set! npdat pid))
		      (let-values (((ninp noup)(tcp-connect host-port)))
			(peer-inp-set! npdat ninp)
			(peer-oup-set! npdat noup))
		      (hash-table-set! (udat-outgoing-conns udata) host-port npdat)
		      npdat)))))
    pdat))

(define (get-peer-ports udata host-port #!optional (hostname #f)(pid #f))
  (let ((pdat (get-peer-dat udata host-port hostname pid)))
    (if pdat
	 (values (peer-inp pdat)(peer-oup pdat))
	 (values #f #f))))

;; send structured data to recipient
;;
;;  NOTE: qrykey is what was called the "cookie" previously
;;
(define (send udata host-port handler qrykey data #!key (hostname #f)(pid #f)(params '()))
  (let-values (((inp oup)(get-peer-ports udata host-port hostname pid)))
    ;; CONTROL LINE: (note: removed the hostname - I don't think it adds much value
    ;;
    ;;    handlerkey host:port pid qrykey params ...
    ;;
    (if (and inp oup)
	(begin
	  (write-line (conc
		       handler " "
		       (udat-my-address  udata) ":" (udat-my-port udata) " "
		       ;; (udat-my-hostname udata) " "
		       (udat-my-pid  udata) " "
		       qrykey
		       (if (null? params) "" (conc " " (string-intersperse params " "))))
		      oup)
	  (write-line data oup)
	  #t
	  ;; NOTE: DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO LOOK AT ANY DATA ON INP HERE!
	  ;;       (there is a listener for handling that)

	  )
	#f))) ;; #f means failed to connect and send

;; send a request to the given host-port and register a mailbox in udata
;; wait for the mailbox data and return it
;;
(define (send-receive udata host-port handler qrykey data #!key (hostname #f)(pid #f)(params '()))
  (let ((mbox      (make-mailbox))
	(mbox-time (current-milliseconds))
	(mboxes    (udat-mboxes udata)))
    (hash-table-set! mboxes qrykey mbox)
    (if (send udata host-port handler qrykey data hostname: hostname pid: pid params: params)
	(let* ((mbox-timeout-secs    20)
	       (mbox-timeout-result 'MBOX_TIMEOUT)
	       (res                  (mailbox-receive! mbox mbox-timeout-secs mbox-timeout-result))
	       (mbox-receive-time    (current-milliseconds)))
	  (hash-table-delete! mboxes qrykey)
	  res)
	#f))) ;; #f means failed to communicate

(define (add-to-work-queue udata peer-dat handlerkey qrykey data)
  (let ((wdat (make-work peer-dat: peer-dat handlerkey: handlerkey qrykey: qrykey data: data)))
    (if (udat-busy udata)
	(queue-add! (udat-work-queue udata) wdat)
	(process-work udata wdat)) ;; passing in wdat tells process-work to first process the passed in wdat
    ))

      ;;   handlerkey resp-addr:resp-port hostname pid qrykey [dbpath/dbfile.db]
      ;;   data
      (let loop ((state 'start))
	(let* ((controldat (read-line inp))
	       (data       (read-line inp)))
	  (match (string-split controldat)
	    ((handlerkey host:port pid qrykey params ...)
	     (print "handlerkey: " handlerkey " host:port: " host:port " pid: " pid " qrykey: " qrykey " params: " params)
	     (case (string->symbol handlerkey)
	       ((ack)(print "Got ack!"))
	       ((ping)
		(let* ((proc (hash-table-ref/default (udat-handlers udata) 'ping #f))
		       (val  (if proc (proc) "gotping")))
		  (send udata host:port "version" qrykey val)))
	       ((rucaptain)
		(send udata host:port "iamcaptain" qrykey (if (udat-my-cpkt-key udata)
							      "yes"
							      "no")))
	       (else
		;; (send-ack udata host:port qrykey)
		(add-to-work-queue udata (get-peer-dat udata host:port) handlerkey qrykey data)))
	     (else (print "BAD DATA? handler=" handlerkey " data=" data)))))
	(loop state)))))

;; add a proc to the handler list