Index: configf.scm
==================================================================
--- configf.scm
+++ configf.scm
@@ -19,21 +19,26 @@
 (declare (uses process))
 
 (include "common_records.scm")
 
 ;; return list (path fullpath configname)
-(define (find-config configname)
-  (let* ((cwd (string-split (current-directory) "/")))
-    (let loop ((dir cwd))
-      (let* ((path     (conc "/" (string-intersperse dir "/")))
-	     (fullpath (conc path "/" configname)))
-	(if (file-exists? fullpath)
-	    (list path fullpath configname)
-	    (let ((remcwd (take dir (- (length dir) 1))))
-	      (if (null? remcwd)
-		  (list #f #f #f) ;;  #f #f) 
-		  (loop remcwd))))))))
+(define (find-config configname #!key (toppath #f))
+  (if toppath
+      (let ((cfname (conc toppath "/" configname)))
+	(if (file-exists? cfname)
+	    (list toppath cfname configname)
+	    (list #f      #f     #f)))
+      (let* ((cwd (string-split (current-directory) "/")))
+	(let loop ((dir cwd))
+	  (let* ((path     (conc "/" (string-intersperse dir "/")))
+		 (fullpath (conc path "/" configname)))
+	    (if (file-exists? fullpath)
+		(list path fullpath configname)
+		(let ((remcwd (take dir (- (length dir) 1))))
+		  (if (null? remcwd)
+		      (list #f #f #f) ;;  #f #f) 
+		  (loop remcwd)))))))))
 
 (define (config:assoc-safe-add alist key val)
   (let ((newalist (filter (lambda (x)(not (equal? key (car x)))) alist)))
     (append newalist (list (list key val)))))
 
@@ -208,13 +213,13 @@
 						    (loop (configf:read-line inp res) curr-section-name #f #f))))
 	       (else (debug:print 0 "ERROR: problem parsing " path ",\n   \"" inl "\"")
 		     (set! var-flag #f)
 		     (loop (configf:read-line inp res) curr-section-name #f #f))))))))
   
-(define (find-and-read-config fname #!key (environ-patt #f))
+(define (find-and-read-config fname #!key (environ-patt #f)(given-toppath #f))
   (let* ((curr-dir   (current-directory))
-         (configinfo (find-config fname))
+         (configinfo (find-config fname toppath: given-toppath))
 	 (toppath    (car configinfo))
 	 (configfile (cadr configinfo)))
     (if toppath (change-directory toppath)) 
     (let ((configdat  (if configfile (read-config configfile #f #t environ-patt: environ-patt) #f))) ;; (make-hash-table))))
       (if toppath (change-directory curr-dir))

Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -41,10 +41,11 @@
 	 (dbexists  (file-exists? dbpath))
 	 (db        (sqlite3:open-database dbpath)) ;; (never-give-up-open-db dbpath))
 	 (handler   (make-busy-timeout (if (args:get-arg "-override-timeout")
 					   (string->number (args:get-arg "-override-timeout"))
 					   36000)))) ;; 136000)))
+    (debug:print 4 "INFO: dbpath=" dbpath)
     (sqlite3:set-busy-handler! db handler)
     (if (not dbexists)
 	(db:initialize db))
     db))
 

Index: launch.scm
==================================================================
--- launch.scm
+++ launch.scm
@@ -348,12 +348,16 @@
 
 ;; set up the very basics needed for doing anything here.
 (define (setup-for-run)
   ;; would set values for KEYS in the environment here for better support of env-override but 
   ;; have chicken/egg scenario. need to read megatest.config then read it again. Going to 
-  ;; pass on that idea for now.
-  (set! *configinfo* (find-and-read-config (if (args:get-arg "-config")(args:get-arg "-config") "megatest.config") environ-patt: "env-override"))
+  ;; pass on that idea for now
+  ;; special case
+  (set! *configinfo* (find-and-read-config 
+		      (if (args:get-arg "-config")(args:get-arg "-config") "megatest.config")
+		      environ-patt: "env-override"
+		      given-toppath: (get-environment-variable "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME")))
   (set! *configdat*  (if (car *configinfo*)(car *configinfo*) #f))
   (set! *toppath*    (if (car *configinfo*)(cadr *configinfo*) #f))
   (if *toppath*
       (setenv "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME" *toppath*) ;; to be deprecated
       (debug:print 0 "ERROR: failed to find the top path to your run setup."))
@@ -638,7 +642,8 @@
 	    (process-signal (current-process-id) signal/kill)
 	    ))
       (alist->env-vars miscprevvals)
       (alist->env-vars testprevvals)
       (alist->env-vars commonprevvals)
-      launch-results)))
+      launch-results))
+  (change-directory *toppath*))
 

Index: megatest-version.scm
==================================================================
--- megatest-version.scm
+++ megatest-version.scm
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ;; Always use two digit decimal
 ;; 1.01, 1.02...1.10,1.11 ... 1.99,2.00..
 
 (declare (unit megatest-version))
 
-(define megatest-version 1.4401)
+(define megatest-version 1.4402)