Index: archive.scm
==================================================================
--- archive.scm
+++ archive.scm
@@ -359,11 +359,11 @@
 	(archive-dir  (if archive-info (cdr archive-info) #f))
 	(archive-id   (if archive-info (car archive-info) -1))
         (home-host    (server:choose-server *toppath* 'homehost))
         (archive-time (seconds->std-time-str (current-seconds)))
         (archive-staging-db (conc *toppath* "/.db-snapshot/archive_" archive-time))
-        (tmp-db-path (conc (common:get-db-tmp-area) "/megatest.db"))
+        (tmp-db-path (conc (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* "") "/megatest.db"))
         (dbfile             (conc  archive-staging-db "/megatest.db"))) 
         (create-directory archive-staging-db #t)
         (let-values (((pid-val exit-status exit-code) (run-n-wait rsync-exe params: (list "-v" (conc (car home-host) ":"tmp-db-path) archive-staging-db) print-cmd: print-prefix)))
             (if (eq? exit-code 0)   
               (case archiver

Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -247,11 +247,11 @@
 (define *common:this-exe-fullpath* (common:get-this-exe-fullpath))
 (define *common:this-exe-dir*      (pathname-directory *common:this-exe-fullpath*))
 (define *common:this-exe-name*     (pathname-strip-directory *common:this-exe-fullpath*))
 
 (define (common:get-sync-lock-filepath)
-  (let* ((tmp-area     (common:get-db-tmp-area))
+  (let* ((tmp-area     (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* ""))
          (lockfile     (conc tmp-area "/megatest.db.lock")))
     lockfile))
 
 (define *common:logpro-exit-code->status-sym-alist*
   '( ( 0 . pass )
@@ -2280,11 +2280,11 @@
 (define (common:check-db-dir-space)
   (let* ((required (string->number 
                     ;; default is 1GB (or actually a billion bytes) This is the number of 1 kB blocks.
 		    (or (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "dbdir-space-required")
 			"1000000")))
-	 (dbdir    (common:get-db-tmp-area)) ;; (db:get-dbdir))
+	 (dbdir    (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* "")) ;; (db:get-dbdir))
 	 (tdbspace (common:check-space-in-dir dbdir required))
 	 (mdbspace (common:check-space-in-dir *toppath* required)))
     (sort (list tdbspace mdbspace) (lambda (a b)
 				     (< (cadr a)(cadr b))))))
 

Index: dashboard.scm
==================================================================
--- dashboard.scm
+++ dashboard.scm
@@ -402,12 +402,12 @@
     (dboard:setup-tabdat dat)
     (dboard:setup-num-rows dat)
     dat))
 
 (define (dboard:setup-tabdat tabdat)
-  (dboard:tabdat-dbdir-set! tabdat (db:dbfile-path)) ;; (conc (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "linktree") "/.db"))
-  (dboard:tabdat-dbfpath-set! tabdat (db:dbfile-path))
+  (dboard:tabdat-dbdir-set! tabdat (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* "")) ;; (conc (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "linktree") "/.db"))
+  (dboard:tabdat-dbfpath-set! tabdat (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* ""))
   (dboard:tabdat-monitor-db-path-set! tabdat (conc (dboard:tabdat-dbdir tabdat) "/monitor.db"))
 
 
   ;; HACK ALERT: this is a hack, please fix.
   (dboard:tabdat-ro-set! tabdat (not (file-read-access? (dboard:tabdat-dbfpath tabdat))))

Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -133,11 +133,11 @@
 	   default)))
    (apply sqlite3:first-result db stmt params)))
 
 (define (db:setup do-sync)
   (assert *toppath* "FATAL: db:setup called before launch:setup has been run.")
-  (let* ((tmpdir (common:get-db-tmp-area)))
+  (let* ((tmpdir (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* "")))
     (if (not *dbstruct-dbs*)
 	(dbfile:setup do-sync *toppath* tmpdir)
 	*dbstruct-dbs*)))
 
 ;; moved from dbfile
@@ -267,17 +267,10 @@
 		     ", arguments: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'arguments) exn)
 		     ", location: "  ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'location)  exn)
 		     ))
 
 
-;; NB// #f => return dbdir only
-;;      (was planned to be;  zeroth db with name=main.db)
-;; 
-;; If run-id is #f return to create and retrieve the path where the db will live.
-;;
-(define db:dbfile-path common:get-db-tmp-area)
-
 (define (db:set-sync db)
   (let ((syncprag (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "sychronous")))
     (sqlite3:execute db (conc "PRAGMA synchronous = " (or syncprag 0) ";")))) 
 
 
@@ -467,11 +460,11 @@
 	 (get-mtime shm-file))))
 	 
 ;; (define (db:all-db-sync dbstruct)
 ;;   (let* ((dbdat (db:open-db dbstruct #f db:initialize-main-db))
 ;; 	 (data-synced       0) ;; count of changed records
-;;     (tmp-area       (common:get-db-tmp-area))
+;;     (tmp-area       (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath*))
 ;;     (dbfiles        (glob (conc tmp-area"/.mtdb/*.db")))
 ;;     (sync-durations (make-hash-table))
 ;;     (no-sync-db        (db:open-no-sync-db)))
 ;;     (for-each
 ;;      (lambda (file) ;; tmp db file
@@ -556,11 +549,11 @@
 ;;  run-ids: '(1 2 3 ...) or #f (for all)
 ;;
 (define (db:multi-db-sync dbstruct . options)
   (let* (;; (dbdat       (db:open-db dbstruct #f dbfile:db-init-proc))
 	 (data-synced 0) ;; count of changed records
-	 (tmp-area       (common:get-db-tmp-area))
+	 (tmp-area       (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* ""))
 	 (old2new (member 'old2new options))
 	 (dejunk (member 'dejunk options))
 	 (killservers (member 'killservers options))
 	 (src-area (if old2new *toppath* tmp-area))
 	 (dest-area (if old2new tmp-area *toppath*))
@@ -1254,11 +1247,11 @@
 ;; no-sync.db - small bits of data to be shared between servers
 ;;======================================================================
 
 (define (db:get-dbsync-path)
   (case (rmt:transport-mode)
-    ((http)(common:get-db-tmp-area))
+    ((http)(dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* ""))
     ((tcp) (conc *toppath*"/.mtdb"))
     ((nfs) (conc *toppath*"/.mtdb"))
     (else "/tmp/dunno-this-gonna-exist")))
 
 ;; This is needed for api.scm
@@ -1580,11 +1573,11 @@
 ;; TODO: Switch this to use max(update_time) from each run db? Then if using a server there is no disk traffic (using cachedb db) ???
 ;;
 ;; NOTE: This DOESN'T (necessarily) get the real run ids, but the number of the <number>.db!!
 
 (define (db:get-changed-run-ids since-time)
-  (let* ((dbdir      (db:dbfile-path)) ;; (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "dbdir"))
+  (let* ((dbdir      (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* "")) ;; (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "dbdir"))
 	 (alldbs     (glob (conc *toppath* "/.mtdb/[0-9]*.db*")))
 	 (changed    (filter (lambda (dbfile)
 			       (> (file-modification-time dbfile) since-time))
 			     alldbs)))
     (delete-duplicates
@@ -4314,11 +4307,11 @@
         ))))
 
 ;; sync for filesystem local db writes
 ;;
 (define (db:run-lock-and-sync no-sync-db)
-  (let* ((tmp-area       (common:get-db-tmp-area))
+  (let* ((tmp-area       (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* ""))
 	 (dbfiles        (glob (conc tmp-area"/.mtdb/*.db")))
 	 (sync-durations (make-hash-table)))
     ;; (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "lock-and-sync, dbfiles: "dbfiles)
     (for-each
      (lambda (file)
@@ -4370,11 +4363,11 @@
 	(sync-stale-seconds (configf:lookup-number *configdat* "server" "sync-stale-seconds" default: 300))
  	(debug-mode         (debug:debug-mode 1))
  	(last-time          (current-seconds))     ;; last time through the sync loop
  	(no-sync-db         (db:open-no-sync-db))
  	(sync-duration      0)  ;; run time of the sync in milliseconds
-	(tmp-area           (common:get-db-tmp-area)))
+	(tmp-area           (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* "")))
     ;; Sync moved to http-transport keep-running loop
     (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "Periodic copy-based sync thread started. syncer is copy-sync, tmp-area is " tmp-area)
     (debug:print-info 3 *default-log-port* "watchdog starting. syncer is copy-sync pid="(current-process-id));;  " this-wd-num="this-wd-num)
     
     (if (and legacy-sync (not *time-to-exit*))
@@ -4478,11 +4471,11 @@
  		       (for-each
  			(lambda (subdb)
  			  (let* (;;(dbstruct (db:setup))
  				 (mtdb       (dbr:subdb-mtdb subdb))
  				 (mtpath     (db:dbdat-get-path mtdb))
- 				 (tmp-area   (common:get-db-tmp-area))
+ 				 (tmp-area   (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* ""))
  				 (res        (db:sync-to-megatest.db dbstruct no-sync-db: no-sync-db))) ;; did we sync any data? If so need to set the db touched flag to keep the server alive
  			    (set! sync-duration (- (current-milliseconds) sync-start))
  			    (if (> res 0) ;; some records were transferred, keep the db alive
  				(begin
  				  (mutex-lock! *heartbeat-mutex*)

Index: dbfile.scm
==================================================================
--- dbfile.scm
+++ dbfile.scm
@@ -242,11 +242,12 @@
           #f
   )
 )
 
 (define (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name areapath tmpadj)
-  (let* ((dname (conc "/tmp/"(current-user-name)"/" (string-translate areapath "/" ".") tmpadj)))
+  (let* ((area (pathname-file areapath))
+         (dname (conc "/tmp/"(current-user-name)"/megatest_localdb/" area "/" (string-translate areapath "/" ".") tmpadj "/.mtdb")))
     (unless (directory-exists? dname)
       (create-directory dname #t))
     dname))
 
 (define (dbfile:run-id->path apath run-id)
@@ -487,11 +488,11 @@
 ;; NOTE: this is already protected by mutex *no-sync-db-mutex*
 ;;
 (define (dbfile:raw-open-no-sync-db dbpath)
   (if (not (file-exists? dbpath))
       (create-directory dbpath #t))
-  (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Opening "dbpath"/no-sync.db")
+  (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "(dbfile:raw-open-no-sync-db: Opening "dbpath"/no-sync.db")
   (let* ((dbname    (conc dbpath "/no-sync.db"))
 	 (db-exists (file-exists? dbname))
 	 (init-proc (lambda (db)
 		      (sqlite3:with-transaction
 		       db
@@ -675,20 +676,26 @@
 ;;    fails    returns  (#f lock-creation-time identifier)
 ;;    succeeds (returns (#t lock-creation-time identifier)
 ;; use (db:no-sync-del! db keyname) to release the lock
 ;;
 (define (db:no-sync-get-lock-with-id db keyname identifier)
+  (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "db:no-sync-get-lock-with-id: db: " db " keyname: " keyname " identifier: " identifier)
   (sqlite3:with-transaction
    db
    (lambda ()
      (condition-case
       (let* ((curr-val (db:no-sync-get/default db keyname #f)))
+        (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "db:no-sync-get-lock-with-id: curr-val: " curr-val)
 	(if curr-val
 	    (match (db:extract-time-identifier curr-val) ;; result->timestamp, identifier
 	       ((timestamp . ident)
 		(cons (equal? ident identifier) timestamp))
-	       (else (cons #f 'malformed-lock)))  ;; lock malformed
+	       (else 
+                (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "db:no-sync-get-lock-with-id: malformed lock")
+                (cons #f 'malformed-lock)
+                )
+            )  ;; lock malformed
 	    (let ((curr-sec (current-seconds))
 		  (lock-value (if identifier
 				  (conc (current-seconds)"+"identifier)
 				  (current-seconds))))
 	      (sqlite3:execute db "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO no_sync_metadat (var,val) VALUES(?,?);" keyname lock-value)

Index: megatest.scm
==================================================================
--- megatest.scm
+++ megatest.scm
@@ -968,11 +968,11 @@
 	   (tl         (launch:setup))
 	   (keys       (keys:config-get-fields *configdat*)))
       (case (rmt:transport-mode)
 	((tcp)
 	 (let* ((timeout    (server:expiration-timeout)))
-	   (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "INFO: Running using tcp method with server timeout of "timeout)
+	   (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "INFO: Starting server for " dbfname " using tcp method with server timeout of "timeout)
 	   (tt-server-timeout-param timeout)
 	   (if dbfname
 	       (tt:start-server tl #f dbfname api:tcp-dispatch-request-make-handler keys)
 	       (begin
 		 (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: transport mode is tcp - -db is required.")
@@ -1092,10 +1092,12 @@
             )
           )
        )
        dbfiles
      )
+     ;; remove this db, because otherwise metadata contains records for old servers, and this causes a problem with db:no-sync-get-lock-with-id.
+     (delete-file (conc *toppath* "/.mtdb/no-sync.db"))
      (set! *didsomething* #t)
      (exit)  
   )
 )
 
@@ -2132,13 +2134,13 @@
              (exit 1)))
          (if (common:file-exists? (conc  *toppath* "/megatest.db"))
              (begin  
                (debug:print-info 1 *default-log-port* "File " (conc  *toppath* "/megatest.db") " already exists. Please remove it before trying to replicate db")
                (exit 1)))
-         (if (and (common:get-db-tmp-area) (> (length (directory   (common:get-db-tmp-area) #f)) 0))
+         (if (and (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* "") (> (length (directory   (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* "") #f)) 0))
            (begin
-           (debug:print-info 1 *default-log-port* (common:get-db-tmp-area) " not empty. Please remove it before trying to replicate db")
+           (debug:print-info 1 *default-log-port* (dbfile:make-tmpdir-name *toppath* "") " not empty. Please remove it before trying to replicate db")
            (exit 1)))    
           ;; check if timestamp 
           (let* ((source (args:get-arg "-source"))
                 (src     (if (not (equal? (substring source 0 1) "/"))
                              (conc (current-directory) "/" source)

Index: tcp-transportmod.scm
==================================================================
--- tcp-transportmod.scm
+++ tcp-transportmod.scm
@@ -132,26 +132,27 @@
 ;; do all the busy work of finding and setting up conn for
 ;; connecting to a server
 ;; 
 (define (tt:client-connect-to-server ttdat dbfname run-id testsuite)
   (assert (tt:valid-run-id run-id dbfname) "FATAL: invalid run-id "run-id)
+  (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "tt:client-connect-to-server " dbfname " " run-id)
   (let* ((conn (hash-table-ref/default (tt-conns ttdat) dbfname #f))
 	 (server-start-proc (lambda ()
 			      (tt:server-process-run
 			       (tt-areapath ttdat)
 			       testsuite ;; (dbfile:testsuite-name)
 			       (common:find-local-megatest)
 			       run-id))))
     (if conn
 	(begin 
-          ; (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "already connected to the server")
+          (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "already connected to a server")
            conn) ;; we are already connected to the server
 	(let* ((sdat (tt:get-current-server-info ttdat dbfname)))
 	  (match sdat
 	    ((host port start-time server-id pid dbfname2 servinffile)
 	     (assert (equal? dbfname dbfname2) "FATAL: read server info from wrong file.")
-             ;(debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "in match servinffile:" servinffile)
+             (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "no conn - in match servinffile:" servinffile)
 	     (let* ((host-port (conc host":"port))
 		    (conn (make-tt-conn
 			   host: host
 			   port: port
 			   host-port: host-port
@@ -162,34 +163,38 @@
 			   pid: pid)))
 	       ;; verify we can talk to this server
 	       (let* ((result   (tt:timed-ping host port server-id))
 		      (ping-res (car result))
 		      (ping     (cdr result)))
-                 (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "ping time: " ping)
+                 (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "host " host " port " port " ping time: " ping " result " ping-res)
 		 (case ping-res
 		   ((running)
+                    (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "Setting conn = " conn " in hash table")
 		    (hash-table-set! (tt-conns ttdat) dbfname conn) ;;; is this ok to save before validating that the connection is good?
 		    conn)
 		   ((starting)
 		    (thread-sleep! 0.5)
+                    (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "server was in starting state, retrying connect")
 		    (tt:client-connect-to-server ttdat dbfname run-id testsuite))
 		   (else
 		    (let* ((curr-secs (current-seconds)))
 		      ;; rm the (last server) would go here
 		      (if (> (- curr-secs (tt-last-serv-start ttdat)) 10)
 			  (begin
 			    (tt-last-serv-start-set! ttdat curr-secs)
 			    (server-start-proc))) ;; start server if 30 sec since last attempt
 		      (thread-sleep! 1)
+                      (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "server ping result was neither running nor starting. Retrying connect")
 		      (tt:client-connect-to-server ttdat dbfname run-id testsuite)))))))
 	    (else ;; no good server found, if haven't started server in > 5 secs, start another
 	     (if (> (- (current-seconds) (tt-last-serv-start ttdat)) 5) ;; BUG - grow this number really do not want to swamp the machine with servers
 		 (begin
 		   (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "No server found. Starting one for run-id "run-id" in dbfile "dbfname)
 		   (server-start-proc)
 		   (tt-last-serv-start-set! ttdat (current-seconds))))
 	     (thread-sleep! 1)
+             (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "no good server found, try connect again")
 	     (tt:client-connect-to-server ttdat dbfname run-id testsuite)))))))
 
 (define (tt:timed-ping host port server-id)
   (let* ((start-time (current-milliseconds))
 	 (result     (tt:ping host port server-id)))
@@ -223,10 +228,11 @@
 ;; client side handler
 ;;
 ;;(tt:handler #<tt> get-keys #f () 2 #f "/home/matt/data/megatest/ext-tests" #f "main.db" "ext-tests" "/home/matt/data/megatest/bin/.22.04/../megatest")
 ;;
 (define (tt:handler ttdat cmd run-id params attemptnum area-dat areapath readonly-mode dbfname testsuite mtexe)
+  (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "tt:handler cmd: " cmd " run-id: " run-id " attemptnum: " attemptnum)
   ;; NOTE: areapath is passed in and in tt struct. We'll use passed in value for now.
   (let* ((conn (tt:client-connect-to-server ttdat dbfname run-id testsuite))) ;; (hash-table-ref/default (tt-conns ttdat) dbfname #f)))
     (if conn
 	;; have connection, call the server
 	(let* ((res (tt:send-receive ttdat conn cmd run-id params)))
@@ -464,10 +470,11 @@
 ;; Server viability is checked in keep-running. Blindly start and run here.
 ;;
 (define (tt:start-server areapath run-id dbfname-in handler keys)
   (assert areapath "FATAL: areapath not provided for tt:start-server")
   ;; is there already a server for this dbfile? Then exit.
+  (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "tt:start-server: " dbfname-in)
   (let* ((ttdat   (make-tt areapath: areapath))
 	 (dbfname (or dbfname-in (dbmod:run-id->dbfname run-id)))
 	 (servers (tt:find-server areapath dbfname))) ;; should use tt:get-current-server-info instead
     (if (> (length servers) 4)
 	(begin