Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -2769,11 +2769,12 @@
          (restore-thunks
           (filter
            identity
            (map (lambda (env-pair)
                   (let* ((env-var     (car env-pair))
-                         (new-val     (cadr env-pair))
+                         (new-val     (let ((tmp (cdr env-pair)))
+                                        (if (list? tmp) (car tmp) tmp)))
                          (current-val (get-environment-variable env-var))
                          (restore-thunk
                           (cond
                            ((not current-val) (lambda () (unsetenv env-var)))
                            ((not (string? new-val)) #f)

Index: dashboard-context-menu.scm
==================================================================
--- dashboard-context-menu.scm
+++ dashboard-context-menu.scm
@@ -257,12 +257,13 @@
 ;; item7  custom show run-area-home (%run-area-home%):echo "%run-area-home%"
 ;; item8  custom show megatest root (%mt-root%):echo "%mt-root%"
 ;; item9  custom ls :  ls -lrt
 ;; item10 custom see $MT_RUN_AREA_HOME (not yet implemented) :  echo $MT_RUN_AREA_HOME
 
-(define (dashboard:custom-menu-items  run-id test-id target runname test-name testpatt item-test-path test-info)
+(define (dashboard:custom-menu-items  run-id test-id target run-name test-name testpatt item-test-path test-info)
   (let* ((vars (configf:section-vars *configdat* "custom-context-menu-items"))
+         (item-path (db:test-get-item-path test-info))
          (mt-root (pathname-directory  (pathname-directory *common:this-exe-dir* ))))
     (filter-map
      (lambda (var)
        (let* ((val (configf:lookup *configdat* "custom-context-menu-items" var))
               (m   (string-match "^\\s*([^:]+?)\\s*:\\s*(.*?)\\s*$" val)))
@@ -273,13 +274,15 @@
                           `(( "%run-id%"    . ,run-id   )
                             ( "%test-id%"   . ,test-id  )
                             ( "%target%"    . ,target   )
                             ( "%test-name%" . ,test-name)
                             ( "%test-patt%" . ,testpatt)
-                            ( "%test-run-dir%" . ,(db:test-get-rundir      test-info))
+                            ( "%test-run-dir%" . ,(db:test-get-rundir test-info))
                             ( "%mt-root%" . ,mt-root)
+                            ( "%run-name%" . ,run-name)
                             ( "%run-area-home%" . ,*toppath*)
+                            ( "%item-path%" . ,item-path)
                             ( "%item-test-patt%" . ,item-test-path )))
                     (command-line ;; replace template vars
                           (foldr
                            (lambda (x i)
                              (string-substitute
@@ -301,24 +304,28 @@
                            subst-alist)))
                (iup:menu-item
                 (conc "*"menu-item-text)
                 #:action
                 (lambda (obj)
-                  ;; TODO: with-env-vars <runconfig target vars, env-override vars from mtest>
-                  ;; TODO: with-env-vars MT_*
 
                   (let* ((scheme-match (string-match "^#(\\(.*)" command-line)))
                     ;;(BB> "cmdline is >"command-line"<")
-                    (if scheme-match
-                        (begin
-                          (handle-exceptions
-                           exn
-                           (print "error with custom menu scheme")
-                           (begin
-                             ;;(BB> "gonna eval it!")
-                             (eval (with-input-from-string (cadr scheme-match) read)))))
-                        (common:run-a-command command-line))))))
+                    (common:with-env-vars
+                     ;; TODO: with-env-vars <runconfig target vars, env-override vars from mtest>
+                     ;; TODO: with-env-vars MT_*
+                     (runs:get-mt-env-alist run-id run-name target test-name item-path)
+                     
+                     (lambda ()
+                       (if scheme-match
+                           (begin
+                             (handle-exceptions
+                              exn
+                              (print "error with custom menu scheme")
+                              (begin
+                                ;;(BB> "gonna eval it!")
+                                (eval (with-input-from-string (cadr scheme-match) read)))))
+                           (common:run-a-command command-line with-vars: #t))))))))
              #f)))
      vars)))
 
 (define (dashboard:context-menu  run-id test-id target runname test-name testpatt item-test-path test-info)
   (let* ((run-menu-items

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -46,10 +46,50 @@
 (defstruct runs:testdat
   hed tal reg reruns  test-record
   test-name item-path jobgroup
   waitons testmode  newtal itemmaps prereqs-not-met)
 
+
+(define (runs:get-mt-env-alist run-id runname target testname itempath)
+  ;;(bb-check-path msg: "runs:set-megatest-env-vars entry")
+  `(("MT_TEST_NAME"     . ,testname)
+    
+    ("MT_ITEMPATH"      . ,itempath)
+
+    ("MT_TARGET"        . ,target)
+    
+    ("MT_RUNNAME"       . ,runname)
+    
+    ("MT_RUN_AREA_HOME" . ,*toppath*)
+    
+    ,@(let* ((link-tree (common:get-linktree))) ;; (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "linktree")))
+        (if link-tree
+            (list (cons "MT_LINKTREE" link-tree)
+                  
+                  (cons "MT_TEST_RUN_DIR"
+                        (conc link-tree  "/" target "/" runname "/" testname
+                              (if (and (string? itempath) (not (equal? itempath "")))
+                                  (conc "/" itempath)
+                                  "")))
+                  )
+            '()))
+    
+    ,@(map
+       (lambda (key)
+         (cons  (car key) (cadr key)))
+       (keys:target->keyval (rmt:get-keys) target))
+    
+    ,@(map (lambda (var)
+             (let ((val (configf:lookup *configdat* "custom-context-menu-items" var)))
+               (cons var val)))
+           (configf:section-vars *configdat* "env-override"))))
+
+
+    
+
+    
+    
 ;; set up needed environment variables given a run-id and optionally a target, itempath etc.
 ;;
 (define (runs:set-megatest-env-vars run-id #!key (inkeys #f)(inrunname #f)(inkeyvals #f)(intarget #f)(testname #f)(itempath #f))
   ;;(bb-check-path msg: "runs:set-megatest-env-vars entry")
   (let* ((target    (or intarget