Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -208,21 +208,12 @@
 	(open-run-close setup-env-defaults db runconfigf run-id *already-seen-runconfig-info* "pre-launch-env-vars")
 	(debug:print 0 "WARNING: You do not have a run config file: " runconfigf))
     
     ;; look up all tests matching the comma separated list of globs in
     ;; test-patts (using % as wildcard)
-    (for-each 
-     (lambda (patt)
-       (let ((tests (glob (conc *toppath* "/tests/" (string-translate patt "%" "*")))))
-	 (set! tests (filter (lambda (test)(file-exists? (conc test "/testconfig"))) tests))
-	 (set! test-names (append test-names 
-				  (map (lambda (testp)
-					 (last (string-split testp "/")))
-				       tests)))))
-     (if test-patts (string-split test-patts ",")(list "%")))
-
-     ;; now remove duplicates
+
+    (set! test-names (tests:get-valid-tests *toppath* test-patts test-names: test-names))
     (set! test-names (delete-duplicates test-names))
 
     (debug:print 0 "INFO: test names " test-names)
 
     ;; on the first pass or call to run-tests set FAILS to NOT_STARTED if
@@ -304,11 +295,11 @@
 
     (if (not (null? required-tests))
 	(debug:print 1 "INFO: Adding " required-tests " to the run queue"))
     ;; NOTE: these are all parent tests, items are not expanded yet.
     (debug:print 4 "INFO: test-records=" (hash-table->alist test-records))
-    (runs:run-tests-queue run-id runname test-records keyvallst flags)
+    (runs:run-tests-queue run-id runname test-records keyvallst flags test-patts)
     (debug:print 4 "INFO: All done by here")))
 
 (define (runs:calc-fails prereqs-not-met)
   (filter (lambda (test)
 	    (and (vector? test) ;; not (string? test))
@@ -333,16 +324,15 @@
 
 (define (runs:make-full-test-name testname itempath)
   (if (equal? itempath "") testname (conc testname "/" itempath)))
 
 ;; test-records is a hash table testname:item_path => vector < testname testconfig waitons priority items-info ... >
-(define (runs:run-tests-queue run-id runname test-records keyvallst flags)
+(define (runs:run-tests-queue run-id runname test-records keyvallst flags test-patts)
     ;; At this point the list of parent tests is expanded 
     ;; NB// Should expand items here and then insert into the run queue.
   (debug:print 5 "test-records: " test-records ", keyvallst: " keyvallst " flags: " (hash-table->alist flags))
   (let ((sorted-test-names (tests:sort-by-priority-and-waiton test-records))
-	(item-patts        (hash-table-ref/default flags "-itempatt" #f))
 	(test-registery    (make-hash-table))
 	(num-retries        0)
 	(max-retries       (config-lookup *configdat* "setup" "maxretries")))
     (set! max-retries (if (and max-retries (string->number max-retries))(string->number max-retries) 100))
     (if (not (null? sorted-test-names))
@@ -404,15 +394,14 @@
 		;; Don't know at this time if the test have been launched at some time in the past
 		;; i.e. is this a re-launch?
 		(debug:print 4 "INFO: run-limits-info = " run-limits-info)
 		(cond ;; INNER COND #1 for a launchable test
 		 ;; Check item path against item-patts
-		 ((and (not (patt-list-match item-path item-patts))
-		       (not (equal? item-path "")))
+		 ((not (tests:match test-patts (tests:testqueue-get-testname test-record) item-path)) ;; This test/itempath is not to be run
 		  ;; else the run is stuck, temporarily or permanently
 		  ;; but should check if it is due to lack of resources vs. prerequisites
-		  (debug:print 1 "INFO: Skipping " (tests:testqueue-get-testname test-record) " " item-path " as it doesn't match " item-patts)
+		  (debug:print 1 "INFO: Skipping " (tests:testqueue-get-testname test-record) " " item-path " as it doesn't match " test-patts)
 		  (thread-sleep! *global-delta*)
 		  (if (not (null? tal))
 		      (loop (car tal)(cdr tal) reruns)))
 		 ((and (not (hash-table-ref/default test-registery (runs:make-full-test-name test-name item-path) #f))
 		       (and max-concurrent-jobs (> (- max-concurrent-jobs num-running) 5)))
@@ -467,11 +456,11 @@
 	       (lambda (my-itemdat)
 		 (let* ((new-test-record (let ((newrec (make-tests:testqueue)))
 					   (vector-copy! test-record newrec)
 					   newrec))
 			(my-item-path (item-list->path my-itemdat)))
-		   (if (patt-list-match my-item-path item-patts)           ;; yes, we want to process this item, NOTE: Should not need this check here!
+		   (if (tests:match test-patts hed my-item-path) ;; (patt-list-match my-item-path item-patts)           ;; yes, we want to process this item, NOTE: Should not need this check here!
 		       (let ((newtestname (runs:make-full-test-name hed my-item-path)))    ;; test names are unique on testname/item-path
 			 (tests:testqueue-set-items!     new-test-record #f)
 			 (tests:testqueue-set-itemdat!   new-test-record my-itemdat)
 			 (tests:testqueue-set-item_path! new-test-record my-item-path)
 			 (hash-table-set! test-records newtestname new-test-record)

Index: tests.scm
==================================================================
--- tests.scm
+++ tests.scm
@@ -26,10 +26,58 @@
 (include "common_records.scm")
 (include "key_records.scm")
 (include "db_records.scm")
 (include "run_records.scm")
 (include "test_records.scm")
+
+(define (tests:get-valid-tests testsdir test-patts #!key (test-names '()))
+  (let ((tests (glob (conc testsdir "/tests/*")))) ;; " (string-translate patt "%" "*")))))
+    (set! tests (filter (lambda (test)(file-exists? (conc test "/testconfig"))) tests))
+    (delete-duplicates
+     (append test-names 
+	     (filter (lambda (testname)
+		       (tests:match test-patts testname #f))
+		     (map (lambda (testp)
+			    (last (string-split testp "/")))
+			  tests))))))
+
+;; tests:glob-like-match
+(define (tests:glob-like-match patt str) 
+  (let ((like (substring-index "%" patt)))
+    (let* ((notpatt  (equal? (substring-index "~" patt) 0))
+	   (newpatt  (if notpatt (substring patt 1) patt))
+	   (finpatt  (if like
+			(string-substitute (regexp "%") ".*" newpatt)
+			(string-substitute (regexp "\\*") ".*" newpatt)))
+	   (res      #f))
+      ;; (print "tests:glob-like-match => notpatt: " notpatt ", newpatt: " newpatt ", finpatt: " finpatt)
+      (set! res (string-match (regexp finpatt (if like #t #f)) str))
+      (if notpatt (not res) res))))
+
+;; if itempath is #f then look only at the testname part
+;;
+(define (tests:match patterns testname itempath)
+  (if (string? patterns)
+      (let ((patts (string-split patterns ",")))
+	(if (null? patts) ;;; no pattern(s) means no match
+	    #f
+	    (let loop ((patt (car patts))
+		       (tal  (cdr patts)))
+	      ;; (print "loop: patt: " patt ", tal " tal)
+	      (if (string=? patt "")
+		  #f ;; nothing ever matches empty string - policy
+		  (let* ((patt-parts (string-match (regexp "^([^\\/]*)(\\/(.*)|)$") patt))
+			 (test-patt  (cadr patt-parts))
+			 (item-patt  (cadddr patt-parts)))
+		    ;; (print "tests:match => patt-parts: " patt-parts ", test-patt: " test-patt ", item-patt: " item-patt)
+		    (if (and (tests:glob-like-match test-patt testname)
+			     (or (not itempath)
+				 (tests:glob-like-match (if item-patt item-patt "") itempath)))
+			#t
+			(if (null? tal)
+			    #f
+			    (loop (car tal)(cdr tal)))))))))))
 
 ;; get the previous record for when this test was run where all keys match but runname
 ;; returns #f if no such test found, returns a single test record if found
 (define (test:get-previous-test-run-record db run-id test-name item-path)
   (let* ((keys    (db:get-keys db))

Index: tests/Makefile
==================================================================
--- tests/Makefile
+++ tests/Makefile
@@ -26,11 +26,11 @@
 	mkdir -p simplelinks simpleruns
 	cd simplerun;cp ../../*_records.scm .;perl -pi.bak -e 's/define-inline/define/' *_records.scm
 	cd simplerun;echo '(load "../tests.scm")' | $(MEGATEST) -repl -debug $(DEBUG)
 
 test2 : fullprep
-	cd fullrun;$(MEGATEST) -runtests ez_pass,runfirst -reqtarg ubuntu/nfs/none -itempatt a/1 :runname $(RUNNAME)_a $(SERVER)
+	cd fullrun;$(MEGATEST) -runtests ez_pass,runfirst/a/% -reqtarg ubuntu/nfs/none -itempatt a/1 :runname $(RUNNAME)_a $(SERVER)
 	cd fullrun;sleep 20;megatest -target ubuntu/nfs/none :runname $(RUNNAME) -set-state-status :state COMPLETED :status FORCED -testpatt runfirst -itempatt ''
 
 
 test3 : fullprep
 	cd fullrun;$(MEGATEST) -runtests runfirst -reqtarg ubuntu/nfs/none :runname $(RUNNAME)_b  $(SERVER) -debug 10

Index: tests/tests.scm
==================================================================
--- tests/tests.scm
+++ tests/tests.scm
@@ -16,10 +16,33 @@
 ;;======================================================================
 
 (test "cmd-run-with-stderr->list" '("No such file or directory")
       (let ((reslst (cmd-run-with-stderr->list "ls" "/tmp/ihadbetternotexist")))
 	(string-search (regexp "No such file or directory")(car reslst))))
+
+;;======================================================================
+;; T E S T   M A T C H I N G
+;;======================================================================
+(test #f '("abc") (tests:glob-like-match "abc" "abc"))
+(for-each 
+ (lambda (patt str expected)
+   (test (conc patt " " str "=>" expected) expected (tests:glob-like-match patt str)))
+ (list "abc"    "~abc" "~abc" "a*c"  "a%c")
+ (list "abc"    "abcd" "abc"  "ABC"  "ABC")
+ (list '("abc")  #t      #f     #f '("ABC"))
+ )
+
+(test #f #t (tests:match "abc/def" "abc" "def"))
+(for-each 
+ (lambda (patterns testname itempath expected)
+   (test (conc patterns " " testname "/" itempath "=>" expected)
+	 expected 
+	 (tests:match patterns testname itempath)))
+ (list "abc" "abc/%" "ab%/c%" "~abc/c%" "abc/~c%" "a,b/c,%/d")
+ (list "abc" "abc"   "abcd"   "abc"     "abc"     "a"        )
+ (list   ""  ""      "cde"    "cde"     "cde"     ""         )
+ (list   #t    #t       #t    #f           #f      #t))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; C O N F I G   F I L E S 
 ;;======================================================================