Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -698,15 +698,23 @@
 	    (if (common:low-noise-print 30)
 		(debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Exiting watchdog timer, *time-to-exit* = " *time-to-exit*" pid="(current-process-id)" this-wd-num="this-wd-num)))))))
 
 ;; TODO: for multiple areas, we will have multiple watchdogs; and multiple threads to manage
 (define (common:watchdog)
+  ;;#t)
   (BB> "common:watchdog entered.")
-  (let ((dbstruct (db:setup)))
-    (if (dbr:dbstruct-read-only dbstruct)
-        (common:readonly-watchdog dbstruct)
-        (common:writable-watchdog dbstruct))))
+
+ (let ((dbstruct (db:setup)))
+     (cond
+      ((dbr:dbstruct-read-only dbstruct)
+       (BB> "loading read-only watchdog")
+       common:readonly-watchdog dbstruct)
+      (else
+         (BB> "loading writable-watchdog.")
+         (common:writable-watchdog dbstruct))))
+     (BB> "watchdog done.");;)
+ )
 
 
 (define (std-exit-procedure)
   (on-exit (lambda () 0))
   ;;(BB> "std-exit-procedure called; *time-to-exit*="*time-to-exit*)

Index: dashboard.scm
==================================================================
--- dashboard.scm
+++ dashboard.scm
@@ -113,15 +113,17 @@
       (exit 1)))
 
 ;; create a watch dog to move changes from lt/.db/*.db to megatest.db
 ;;
 ;;;(if (file-write-access? (conc *toppath* "/megatest.db"))
-    (thread-start! (make-thread common:watchdog "Watchdog thread"))
-    (if (not (args:get-arg "-use-db-cache"))
-	(begin
-	  (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Forcing db-cache mode due to read-only access to megatest.db")
-	  (hash-table-set! args:arg-hash "-use-db-cache" #t)));;;)
+;;(BB> "Before common:watchdog spawn")
+(thread-start! (make-thread common:watchdog "Watchdog thread"))
+;;(BB> "After common:watchdog spawn")
+(if (not (args:get-arg "-use-db-cache"))
+    (begin
+      (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Forcing db-cache mode due to read-only access to megatest.db")
+      (hash-table-set! args:arg-hash "-use-db-cache" #t)));;;)
 
 ;; data common to all tabs goes here
 ;;
 (defstruct dboard:commondat
   ((curr-tab-num 0) : number)

Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -274,20 +274,21 @@
 ;;
 (define (db:open-db dbstruct #!key (areapath #f)) ;; TODO: actually use areapath
   (let ((tmpdb-stack (dbr:dbstruct-dbstack dbstruct))) ;; RA => Returns the first reference in dbstruct
     (if (stack? tmpdb-stack)
 	(db:get-db tmpdb-stack) ;; get previously opened db (will create new db handle if all in the stack are already used
-        (let* ((dbpath       (db:dbfile-path)) ;;  0))
+        (let* ((dbpath       (db:dbfile-path )) ;;  0))
                (dbexists     (file-exists? dbpath))
 	       (dbfexists    (file-exists? (conc dbpath "/megatest.db")))
                (tmpdb        (db:open-megatest-db path: dbpath)) ;; lock-create-open dbpath db:initialize-main-db))
                (mtdb         (db:open-megatest-db))
                (refndb       (db:open-megatest-db path: dbpath name: "megatest_ref.db"))
                (write-access (file-write-access? dbpath)))
+          (BB> "db:open-db>> dbpath="dbpath" dbexists="dbexists" and write-access="write-access)
           (if (and dbexists (not write-access))
               (begin (set! *db-write-access* #f)
-                     (dbr:dbstruct-readonly-set! dbstruct #t)))
+                     (dbr:dbstruct-read-only-set! dbstruct #t)))
           (dbr:dbstruct-mtdb-set!   dbstruct mtdb)
           (dbr:dbstruct-tmpdb-set!  dbstruct tmpdb)
           (dbr:dbstruct-dbstack-set! dbstruct (make-stack)) ;; BB: why a stack?  Why would the number of db's be indeterminate?  Is this a legacy of 1.db 2.db .. ?
           (stack-push! (dbr:dbstruct-dbstack dbstruct) tmpdb) ;; olddb is already a (cons db path)
           (dbr:dbstruct-refndb-set! dbstruct refndb)
@@ -312,10 +313,11 @@
    (else ;;(common:on-homehost?)
     (let* ((dbstruct (make-dbr:dbstruct)))
       (when (not *toppath*) (launch:setup areapath: areapath))
       (db:open-db dbstruct areapath: areapath)
       (set! *dbstruct-db* dbstruct)
+      (BB> "new dbstruct = "(dbr:dbstruct->alist dbstruct))
       dbstruct))))
    ;; (else
    ;;  (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: attempt to open database when not on homehost. Exiting. Homehost: " (common:get-homehost))
    ;;  (exit 1))))