Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -160,11 +160,11 @@
    exn
    (handle-exceptions
     exn
     (begin
       (debug:print 0 "ERROR: received bad encoded string \"" instr "\", message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
-      (print-call-chain)
+      (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
       #f)
     (read (open-input-string (base64:base64-decode instr))))
    (read (open-input-string (z3:decode-buffer (base64:base64-decode instr))))))
 
 ;;======================================================================

Index: datashare.scm
==================================================================
--- datashare.scm
+++ datashare.scm
@@ -255,11 +255,11 @@
        (else
         (print "EXCEPTION: database overloaded or unreadable.")
         (print " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
         (print "exn=" (condition->list exn))
         (print " status:  " ((condition-property-accessor 'sqlite3 'status) exn))
-        (print-call-chain)
+        (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
         (thread-sleep! sleep-time)
         (print "trying db call one more time....this may never recover, if necessary kill process " (current-process-id) " on host " (get-host-name) " to clean up")))
      (apply open-run-close-exception-handling proc idb params))
    (apply open-run-close-no-exception-handling proc idb params)))
 

Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -329,11 +329,11 @@
 	 exn
 	 (begin 
 	   (debug:print 0 "WARNING: database files may not have been closed correctly. Consider running -cleanup-db")
 	   (debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
 	   (debug:print 0 " db: " rundb)
-	   (print-call-chain)
+	   (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	   #f)
 	 (sqlite3:interrupt! rundb)
 	 (sqlite3:finalize! rundb #t))))
   ;; (mutex-unlock! *db-sync-mutex*)
   )
@@ -436,11 +436,11 @@
      (debug:print 0 " status:  " ((condition-property-accessor 'sqlite3 'status) exn))
      (debug:print 0 " src db:  " (db:dbdat-get-path fromdb))
      (for-each (lambda (dbdat)
 		 (debug:print 0 " dbpath:  " (db:dbdat-get-path dbdat)))
 	       (cons todb slave-dbs))
-     (print-call-chain))
+     (print-call-chain (current-error-port)))
    (cond
     ((not fromdb) (debug:print 3 "WARNING: db:sync-tables called with fromdb missing") -1)
     ((not todb)   (debug:print 3 "WARNING: db:sync-tables called with todb missing") -2)
     ((not (sqlite3:database? (db:dbdat-get-db fromdb)))
      (debug:print 0 "ERROR: db:sync-tables called with fromdb not a database " fromdb) -3)
@@ -649,11 +649,11 @@
        (else
 	(debug:print 0 "EXCEPTION: database probably overloaded or unreadable.")
 	(debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
 	(print "exn=" (condition->list exn))
 	(debug:print 0 " status:  " ((condition-property-accessor 'sqlite3 'status) exn))
-	(print-call-chain)
+	(print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	(thread-sleep! sleep-time)
 	(debug:print-info 0 "trying db call one more time....this may never recover, if necessary kill process " (current-process-id) " on host " (get-host-name) " to clean up")))
      (apply open-run-close-exception-handling proc idb params))
    (apply open-run-close-no-exception-handling proc idb params)))
 
@@ -1549,11 +1549,11 @@
 ;; not-in #t = above behaviour, #f = must match
 (define (db:get-tests-for-run dbstruct run-id testpatt states statuses offset limit not-in sort-by sort-order qryvals)
   (if (not (number? run-id))
       (begin ;; no need to treat this as an error by default
 	(debug:print 4 "WARNING: call to db:get-tests-for-run with bad run-id=" run-id)
-	;; (print-call-chain)
+	;; (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	'())
       (let* ((qryvalstr       (case qryvals
 				((shortlist) "id,run_id,testname,item_path,state,status")
 				((#f)        db:test-record-qry-selector) ;; "id,run_id,testname,state,status,event_time,host,cpuload,diskfree,uname,rundir,item_path,run_duration,final_logf,comment")
 				(else        qryvals)))
@@ -2673,11 +2673,11 @@
      ;; check for (exn sqlite3) ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn)
      (if (eq? err-status 'done)
 	 default
 	 (begin
 	   (debug:print 0 "ERROR:  query " stmt " failed, params: " params ", error: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
-	   (print-call-chain)
+	   (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	   default)))
    (apply sqlite3:first-result db stmt params)))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; Extract ods file from the db

Index: lock-queue.scm
==================================================================
--- lock-queue.scm
+++ lock-queue.scm
@@ -189,19 +189,19 @@
     (handle-exceptions
      exn
      (begin
        (debug:print 0 "WARNING: Failed to find out if it is ok to skip the wait queue. Will try again in few seconds")
        (debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
-       (print-call-chain)
+       (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
        (thread-sleep! 10)
        (if (> count 0)
 	   (begin
 	     (sqlite3:finalize! db)
 	     (lock-queue:wait-turn fname test-id count: (- count 1)))
 	   (begin
 	     (debug:print 0 "Giving up calls to lock-queue:wait-turn for test-id " test-id " at path " fname ", printing call chain")
-	     (print-call-chain)
+	     (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	     #f)))
      (tasks:wait-on-journal (lock-queue:db-dat-get-path dbdat) 1200 waiting-msg: "lock-queue:wait-turn; waiting on journal file")
      (sqlite3:execute
       db
       "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO queue (test_id,start_time,state) VALUES (?,?,'waiting');"

Index: mt.scm
==================================================================
--- mt.scm
+++ mt.scm
@@ -168,11 +168,11 @@
 ;; speed up for common cases with a little logic
 (define (mt:test-set-state-status-by-id run-id test-id newstate newstatus newcomment)
   (if (not (and run-id test-id))
       (begin
 	(debug:print 0 "ERROR: bad data handed to mt:test-set-state-status-by-id, run-id=" run-id ", test-id=" test-id ", newstate=" newstate)
-	(print-call-chain)
+	(print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	#f)
       (begin
 	(cond
 	 ((and newstate newstatus newcomment)
 	  (rmt:general-call 'state-status-msg run-id newstate newstatus newcomment test-id))

Index: portlogger.scm
==================================================================
--- portlogger.scm
+++ portlogger.scm
@@ -58,11 +58,11 @@
        ;; (release-dot-lock fname)
        (debug:print 0 "ERROR: portlogger:open-run-close failed. " proc " " params)
        (debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
        (debug:print 0 "exn=" (condition->list exn))
        (if (file-exists? fname)(delete-file fname)) ;; brutally get rid of it
-       (print-call-chain))
+       (print-call-chain (current-error-port)))
      (let* (;; (lock   (obtain-dot-lock fname 2 9 10))
 	    (db     (portlogger:open-db fname))
 	    (res    (apply proc db params)))
        (sqlite3:finalize! db)
        ;; (release-dot-lock fname)
@@ -104,11 +104,11 @@
    exn
    (begin
      (debug:print 0 "EXCEPTION: portlogger database probably overloaded or unreadable. If you see this message again remove /tmp/.$USER-portlogger.db")
      (debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
      (debug:print 0 "exn=" (condition->list exn))
-     (print-call-chain)
+     (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
      (debug:print 0 "Continuing anyway.")
      #f)
    (sqlite3:fold-row
     (lambda (var curr)
       (or curr var curr))
@@ -129,11 +129,11 @@
      exn
      (begin
        (debug:print 0 "EXCEPTION: portlogger database probably overloaded or unreadable. If you see this message again remove /tmp/.$USER-portlogger.db")
        (debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
        (debug:print 0 "exn=" (condition->list exn))
-       (print-call-chain)
+       (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
        (debug:print 0 "Continuing anyway."))
      (portlogger:take-port db portnum))
     portnum))
 
 ;; set port to "released", "failed" etc.
@@ -160,11 +160,11 @@
 	   (begin
 	     (debug:print 0 "EXCEPTION: portlogger database at " dbfname " probably overloaded or unreadable. Try removing it.")
 	     (debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
 	     (print "exn=" (condition->list exn))
 	     (debug:print 0 " status:  " ((condition-property-accessor 'sqlite3 'status) exn))
-	     (print-call-chain))
+	     (print-call-chain (current-error-port)))
 	   (cond
 	    ((> numargs 1) ;; most commands
 	     (case (string->symbol (car args)) ;; commands with two or more params
 	       ((take)(portlogger:take-port db (string->number (cadr args))))
 	       ((set) (portlogger:set-port db 

Index: rmt.scm
==================================================================
--- rmt.scm
+++ rmt.scm
@@ -97,11 +97,11 @@
 	      ;;     (begin
 	      ;;       (hash-table-delete! *runremote* run-id)
 	      ;;       (thread-sleep! 0.5)
 	      ;;       (rmt:send-receive cmd rid params attempnum: (+ attemptnum 1)))
 	      ;;     (begin
-	      ;;       (print-call-chain)
+	      ;;       (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	      ;;       (debug:print 0 "ERROR: too many attempts to communicate have failed. Giving up. Kill your mtest processes and start over")
 	      ;;       (exit 1)))))
 	      (begin ;; let ((new-connection-info (client:setup run-id)))
 		(debug:print 0 "WARNING: Communication failed, trying call to http-transport:client-api-send-receive again.")
 		(hash-table-delete! *runremote* run-id) ;; don't keep using the same connection
@@ -300,11 +300,11 @@
 (define (rmt:get-test-info-by-id run-id test-id)
   (if (and (number? run-id)(number? test-id))
       (rmt:send-receive 'get-test-info-by-id run-id (list run-id test-id))
       (begin
 	(debug:print 0 "WARNING: Bad data handed to rmt:get-test-info-by-id run-id=" run-id ", test-id=" test-id)
-	(print-call-chain)
+	(print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	#f)))
 
 (define (rmt:test-get-rundir-from-test-id run-id test-id)
   (rmt:send-receive 'test-get-rundir-from-test-id run-id (list run-id test-id)))
 
@@ -325,11 +325,11 @@
 (define (rmt:get-tests-for-run run-id testpatt states statuses offset limit not-in sort-by sort-order qryvals)
   (if (number? run-id)
       (rmt:send-receive 'get-tests-for-run run-id (list run-id testpatt states statuses offset limit not-in sort-by sort-order qryvals))
       (begin
 	(debug:print "ERROR: rmt:get-tests-for-run called with bad run-id=" run-id)
-	(print-call-chain)
+	(print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	'())))
 
 (define (rmt:get-tests-for-runs-mindata run-ids testpatt states status not-in)
   (let ((run-id-list (if run-ids
 			 run-ids

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -670,27 +670,15 @@
      
      ;; Register tests 
      ;;
      ((not (hash-table-ref/default test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name item-path) #f))
       (debug:print-info 4 "Pre-registering test " test-name "/" item-path " to create placeholder" )
-      (if #t ;; always do firm registration now in v1.60 and greater ;; (eq? *transport-type* 'fs) ;; no point in parallel registration if use fs
-	  (begin
-	    (rmt:general-call 'register-test run-id run-id test-name item-path)
-	    (hash-table-set! test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name item-path) 'done))
-	  (let ((th (make-thread (lambda ()
-				   (mutex-lock! registry-mutex)
-				   (hash-table-set! test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name item-path) 'start)
-				   (mutex-unlock! registry-mutex)
-				   ;; If haven't done it before register a top level test if this is an itemized test
-				   (if (not (eq? (hash-table-ref/default test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name "") #f) 'done))
-				       (rmt:general-call 'register-test run-id run-id test-name ""))
-				   (rmt:general-call 'register-test run-id run-id test-name item-path)
-				   (mutex-lock! registry-mutex)
-				   (hash-table-set! test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name item-path) 'done)
-				   (mutex-unlock! registry-mutex))
-				 (conc test-name "/" item-path))))
-	    (thread-start! th)))
+      ;; always do firm registration now in v1.60 and greater ;; (eq? *transport-type* 'fs) ;; no point in parallel registration if use fs
+      (rmt:general-call 'register-test run-id run-id test-name item-path)
+      (if (not (eq? (hash-table-ref/default test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name "") #f) 'done))
+	  (rmt:general-call 'register-test run-id run-id test-name ""))
+      (hash-table-set! test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name item-path) 'done)
       (runs:shrink-can-run-more-tests-count)   ;; DELAY TWEAKER (still needed?)
       (if (and (null? tal)(null? reg))
 	  (list hed tal (append reg (list hed)) reruns)
 	  (list (runs:queue-next-hed tal reg reglen regfull)
 		(runs:queue-next-tal tal reg reglen regfull)

Index: tasks.scm
==================================================================
--- tasks.scm
+++ tasks.scm
@@ -23,37 +23,39 @@
 ;;======================================================================
 
 ;; wait up to aprox n seconds for a journal to go away
 ;;
 (define (tasks:wait-on-journal path n #!key (remove #f)(waiting-msg #f))
-  (let ((fullpath (conc path "-journal")))
-    (handle-exceptions
-     exn
-     #t ;; if stuff goes wrong just allow it to move on
-     (let loop ((journal-exists (file-exists? fullpath))
-		(count          n)) ;; wait ten times ...
-       (if journal-exists
-	   (begin
-	     (if (and waiting-msg
-		      (eq? (modulo n 30) 0))
-		 (debug:print 0 waiting-msg))
-	     (if (> count 0)
-		 (begin
-		   (thread-sleep! 1)
-		   (loop (file-exists? fullpath)
-			 (- count 1)))
-		 (begin
-		   (if remove (system (conc "rm -rf " fullpath)))
-		   #f)))
-	   #t)))))
+  (if (not (string? path))
+      (debug:print 0 "ERROR: Called tasks:wait-on-journal with path=" path " (not a string)")
+      (let ((fullpath (conc path "-journal")))
+	(handle-exceptions
+	 exn
+	 #t ;; if stuff goes wrong just allow it to move on
+	 (let loop ((journal-exists (file-exists? fullpath))
+		    (count          n)) ;; wait ten times ...
+	   (if journal-exists
+	       (begin
+		 (if (and waiting-msg
+			  (eq? (modulo n 30) 0))
+		     (debug:print 0 waiting-msg))
+		 (if (> count 0)
+		     (begin
+		       (thread-sleep! 1)
+		       (loop (file-exists? fullpath)
+			     (- count 1)))
+		     (begin
+		       (if remove (system (conc "rm -rf " fullpath)))
+		       #f)))
+	       #t))))))
 
 (define (tasks:get-task-db-path)
-  (if *task-db*
-      (vector-ref *task-db* 1)
-      (let* ((linktree     (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "linktree"))
-	     (dbpath       (conc linktree "/.db/monitor.db")))
-	dbpath)))
+  (let* ((linktree     (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "linktree"))
+	 (dbpath       (conc linktree "/.db")))
+    dbpath))
+
+
 
 ;; If file exists AND
 ;;    file readable
 ;;         ==> open it
 ;; If file exists AND
@@ -67,26 +69,28 @@
       *task-db*
       (handle-exceptions
        exn
        (if (> numretries 0)
 	   (begin
-	     (print-call-chain)
+	     (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	     (debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
-	     (print "exn=" (condition->list exn))
+	     (debug:print 0 " exn=" (condition->list exn))
 	     (thread-sleep! 1)
 	     (tasks:open-db numretries (- numretries 1)))
 	   (begin
-	     (print-call-chain)
+	     (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	     (debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
-	     (print "exn=" (condition->list exn))))
+	     (debug:print 0 " exn=" (condition->list exn))))
        (let* ((dbpath       (tasks:get-task-db-path))
+	      (dbfile       (conc dbpath "/monitor.db"))
 	      (avail        (tasks:wait-on-journal dbpath 10)) ;; wait up to about 10 seconds for the journal to go away
 	      (exists       (file-exists? dbpath))
 	      (write-access (file-write-access? dbpath))
-	      (mdb          (cond
-			     ((file-write-access? *toppath*)(sqlite3:open-database dbpath))
-			     ((file-read-access? dbpath)    (sqlite3:open-database dbpath))
+	      (mdb          (cond ;; what the hek is *toppath* doing here?
+			     ((and (string? *toppath*)(file-write-access? *toppath*))
+			      (sqlite3:open-database dbfile))
+			     ((file-read-access? dbpath)    (sqlite3:open-database dbfile))
 			     (else (sqlite3:open-database ":memory:")))) ;; (never-give-up-open-db dbpath))
 	      (handler      (make-busy-timeout 36000)))
 	 (if (and exists
 		  (not write-access))
 	     (set! *db-write-access* write-access)) ;; only unset so other db's also can use this control
@@ -308,11 +312,11 @@
      exn
      (begin 
        (debug:print 0 "WARNING: tasks:get-server db access error.")
 	   (debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
 	   (debug:print 0 " for run " run-id)
-	   (print-call-chain)
+	   (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
 	   (if (> retries 0)
 	       (begin
 		 (debug:print 0 " trying call to tasks:get-server again in 10 seconds")
 		 (thread-sleep! 10)
 		 (tasks:get-server mdb run-id retries: (- retries 0)))

Index: tests.scm
==================================================================
--- tests.scm
+++ tests.scm
@@ -660,11 +660,11 @@
     ;;        (debug:print 0 "ERROR: tried for over a minute to update meta info and failed. Giving up")
     ;;        (debug:print 0 "EXCEPTION: database probably overloaded or unreadable.")
     ;;        (debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
     ;;        (print "exn=" (condition->list exn))
     ;;        (debug:print 0 " status:  " ((condition-property-accessor 'sqlite3 'status) exn))
-    ;;        (print-call-chain)))
+    ;;        (print-call-chain (current-error-port))))
     ;;  (let* ((num-records 0) ;; (test:tdb-get-rundat-count tdb))
     ;;         (cpuload  (get-cpu-load))
     ;;         (diskfree (get-df (current-directory)))
     ;;         (uname    (get-uname "-srvpio"))
     ;;         (hostname (get-host-name)))
@@ -688,11 +688,11 @@
 	   (debug:print 0 "ERROR: tried for over a minute to update meta info and failed. Giving up")
 	   (debug:print 0 "EXCEPTION: database probably overloaded or unreadable.")
 	   (debug:print 0 " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
 	   (print "exn=" (condition->list exn))
 	   (debug:print 0 " status:  " ((condition-property-accessor 'sqlite3 'status) exn))
-	   (print-call-chain)))
+	   (print-call-chain (current-error-port))))
      (tests:update-testdat-meta-info db test-id work-area cpuload diskfree minutes)
   )))
 	 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; A R C H I V I N G