Index: server.scm
==================================================================
--- server.scm
+++ server.scm
@@ -366,50 +366,49 @@
   (if *my-client-signature* *my-client-signature*
       (let ((sig (server:mk-signature)))
         (set! *my-client-signature* sig)
         *my-client-signature*)))
 
-;; if server-start-last exists, overwrite it. Otherwise loop recursively until it is old enough.
+
+;; if server-start-last exists, and wasn't old enough, wait <idle time>, then call this function recursively until it is old enough.
+;; if it is old enough, overwrite it and wait 0.25 seconds.
+;; if it then has the wrong server key, wait <idle time> and call this function recursively.
 ;;
 (define (server:wait-for-server-start-last-flag areapath)
   (let* ((start-flag (conc areapath "/logs/server-start-last"))
 	 ;;; 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))
-	       (all-go   (> delta idletime))
-               (old-server-key (with-input-from-file start-flag (lambda () (read-line))))
+	       (old-enough   (> delta idletime))
               )
 
-          ;; write a new start-flag file, wait 0.25s, then if the previous start-flag file was older than <idletime> seconds, and the new file still has the same server key as you just wrote, return #t.
+          ;; 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.
           ;; 
-	  (if (and all-go
+	  (if (and old-enough
 		   (begin
                      (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Writing " start-flag)
-		     (with-output-to-file start-flag
-		       (lambda ()
-			 (print server-key)))
+		     (with-output-to-file start-flag (lambda () (print server-key)))
 		     (thread-sleep! 0.25)
-		     (let ((res (with-input-from-file start-flag
-				  (lambda ()
-				    (read-line)))))
+		     (let ((res (with-input-from-file start-flag (lambda () (read-line)))))
 		       (equal? server-key res)))
                 )
-	      #t ;; (system (conc "touch " start-flag)) ;; lazy but safe
+	      #t
 
-           ;; If either of the above conditions are not true, print a "Gating server start" message, wait <idle-time>, then call this function recursively. 
+           ;; If either of the above conditions is not true, print a "Gating server start" message, wait <idle-time>, 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 all-go "server key does not match" "too soon to start another server"))
-		(debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "server keys: from file: " old-server-key " needed: " server-key)
+				  (seconds->time-string fmodtime) ", time since last start: " delta ", required idletime: " idletime ", gating reason:" (if old-enough "server key does not match" "too soon to start another server"))
 
 		(thread-sleep! idletime)
 		(server:wait-for-server-start-last-flag areapath)))))))
 
-;; kind start up of servers, wait before allowing another server for a given
+
+        
+;; 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
@@ -416,11 +415,11 @@
   (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* ((start-flag (conc areapath "/logs/server-start-last")))
-	  (common:simple-file-lock-and-wait lock-file expire-time: 15)
+	  (common:simple-file-lock-and-wait lock-file expire-time: 25)
 	  (debug:print-info  0 *default-log-port* "server:kind-run: touching " start-flag)
 	  (system (conc "touch " start-flag)) ;; lazy but safe
 	  (server:run areapath)
 	  (thread-sleep! 18) ;; 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)))