Index: common_records.scm
==================================================================
--- common_records.scm
+++ common_records.scm
@@ -52,15 +52,24 @@
 	(print "ERROR: Invalid debug value \"" vstr "\"")
 	#f)
       #t))
 
 (define (debug:debug-mode n)
-  (or (and (number? *verbosity*)
-	   (<= n *verbosity*))
-      (and (list? *verbosity*)
-	   (member n *verbosity*))))
-
+  (cond
+   ((and (number? *verbosity*)   ;; number number
+	 (number? n))
+    (<= n *verbosity*))
+   ((and (list? *verbosity*)     ;; list   number
+	 (number? n))
+    (member n *verbosity*))
+   ((and (list? *verbosity*)     ;; list   list
+	 (list? n))
+    (not (null? (lset-intersection! eq? *verbosity* n))))
+   ((and (number? *verbosity*)
+	 (list? n))
+    (member *verbosity* n))))
+      
 (define (debug:setup)
   (let ((debugstr (or (args:get-arg "-debug")
 		      (getenv "MT_DEBUG_MODE"))))
     (set! *verbosity* (debug:calc-verbosity debugstr))
     (debug:check-verbosity *verbosity* debugstr)
@@ -85,11 +94,11 @@
 
 (define (debug:print-info n . params)
   (if (debug:debug-mode n)
       (with-output-to-port (current-error-port)
 	(lambda ()
-	  (let ((res (format#format #f "INFO: (~2d) ~a" n (apply conc params))))
+	  (let ((res (format#format #f "INFO: (~a) ~a" n (apply conc params))))
 	    (if *logging*
 		(db:log-event res)
 		;; (apply print "pid:" (current-process-id) " " "INFO: (" n ") " params) ;; res)
 		(apply print "INFO: (" n ") " params) ;; res)
 		))))))

Index: configf.scm
==================================================================
--- configf.scm
+++ configf.scm
@@ -151,10 +151,11 @@
 ;; envion-patt is a regex spec that identifies sections that will be eval'd
 ;; in the environment on the fly
 ;; sections: #f => get all, else list of sections to gather
 (define (read-config path ht allow-system #!key (environ-patt #f)(curr-section #f)(sections #f))
   (debug:print-info 5 "read-config " path " allow-system " allow-system " environ-patt " environ-patt " curr-section: " curr-section " sections: " sections " pwd: " (current-directory))
+  (debug:print 9 "START: " path)
   (if (not (file-exists? path))
       (begin 
 	(debug:print-info 1 "read-config - file not found " path " current path: " (current-directory))
 	;; WARNING: This is a risky change but really, we should not return an empty hash table if no file read?
 	#f) ;; (if (not ht)(make-hash-table) ht))
@@ -167,10 +168,11 @@
 	  (debug:print-info 8 "curr-section-name: " curr-section-name " var-flag: " var-flag "\n   inl: \"" inl "\"")
 	  (if (eof-object? inl) 
 	      (begin
 		(close-input-port inp)
 		(hash-table-delete! res "") ;; we are using "" as a dumping ground and must remove it before returning the ht
+		(debug:print 9 "END: " path)
 		res)
 	      (regex-case 
 	       inl 
 	       (configf:comment-rx _                  (loop (configf:read-line inp res allow-system) curr-section-name #f #f))
 	       (configf:blank-l-rx _                  (loop (configf:read-line inp res allow-system) curr-section-name #f #f))
@@ -183,15 +185,16 @@
 											   ".")
 										       "/" include-file)))))
 							(if (file-exists? full-conf)
 							    (begin
 							      ;; (push-directory conf-dir)
+							      (debug:print 9 "Including: " full-conf)
 							      (read-config full-conf res allow-system environ-patt: environ-patt curr-section: curr-section-name sections: sections)
 							      ;; (pop-directory)
 							      (loop (configf:read-line inp res allow-system) curr-section-name #f #f))
 							    (begin
-							      (debug:print 2 "INFO: include file " include-file " not found (called from " path ")")
+							      (debug:print '(2 9) "INFO: include file " include-file " not found (called from " path ")")
 							      (debug:print 2 "        " full-conf)
 							      (loop (configf:read-line inp res allow-system) curr-section-name #f #f)))))
 	       (configf:section-rx ( x section-name ) (loop (configf:read-line inp res allow-system)
 							    ;; if we have the sections list then force all settings into "" and delete it later?
 							    (if (or (not sections) 
@@ -227,14 +230,16 @@
 								  (realval (if envar
 									       (config:eval-string-in-environment val)
 									       val)))
 							     (debug:print-info 6 "read-config env setting, envar: " envar " realval: " realval " val: " val " key: " key " curr-section-name: " curr-section-name)
 							     (if envar (safe-setenv key realval))
+							     (debug:print 10 "   setting: [" curr-section-name "] " key " = " val)
 							     (hash-table-set! res curr-section-name 
 									      (config:assoc-safe-add alist key realval))
 							     (loop (configf:read-line inp res allow-system) curr-section-name key #f)))
 	       (configf:key-no-val ( x key val)             (let* ((alist   (hash-table-ref/default res curr-section-name '())))
+							      (debug:print 10 "   setting: [" curr-section-name "] " key " = #t")
 							      (hash-table-set! res curr-section-name 
 									       (config:assoc-safe-add alist key #t))
 							      (loop (configf:read-line inp res allow-system) curr-section-name key #f)))
 	       ;; if a continued line
 	       (configf:cont-ln-rx ( x whsp val     ) (let ((alist (hash-table-ref/default res curr-section-name '())))

ADDED   tests/fullrun/tests/dynamic_waiton/testconfig
Index: tests/fullrun/tests/dynamic_waiton/testconfig
==================================================================
--- /dev/null
+++ tests/fullrun/tests/dynamic_waiton/testconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+[ezsteps]
+listfiles ls
+
+[requirements]
+waiton #{scheme (string-intersperse \
+                  (tests:filter-test-names \
+                      (hash-table-keys (tests:get-all)) \
+                      (or (args:get-arg "-runtests") \
+                          (args:get-arg "-testpatt") "")) " ")}
+
+[items]
+
+[test_meta]
+author matt
+owner  bob
+description This test runs a single ezstep which is expected to pass \
+but there is an items definition with no items. This should evoke an \
+error.
+
+tags first,single
+reviewed 09/10/2011, by Matt