Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -142,10 +142,36 @@
 ;; '(print (string-intersperse (map cadr (hash-table-ref/default (read-config "megatest.config" \#f \#t) "disks" '"'"'("none" ""))) "\n"))'
 (define (common:get-disks)
   (hash-table-ref/default 
    (read-config "megatest.config" #f #t)
    "disks" '("none" "")))
+
+;;======================================================================
+;; M I S C   L I S T S
+;;======================================================================
+
+;; items in lista are matched value and position in listb
+;; return the remaining items in listb or #f
+;;
+(define (common:list-is-sublist lista listb)
+  (if (null? lista)
+      listb ;; all items in listb are "remaining"
+      (if (> (length lista)(length listb)) 
+	  #f
+	  (let loop ((heda (car lista))
+		     (tala (cdr lista))
+		     (hedb (car listb))
+		     (talb (cdr listb)))
+	    (if (equal? heda hedb)
+		(if (null? tala) ;; we are done
+		    talb
+		    (loop (car tala)
+			  (cdr tala)
+			  (car talb)
+			  (cdr talb)))
+		#f)))))
+      
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; System stuff
 ;;======================================================================
 

Index: dashboard-tests.scm
==================================================================
--- dashboard-tests.scm
+++ dashboard-tests.scm
@@ -479,11 +479,13 @@
 											      (db:test-data-get-comment  x)))
 										    (open-run-close db:read-test-data #f test-id "%")))
 									      "\n")))
 							       (if (not (equal? currval newval))
 								   (iup:attribute-set! test-data "VALUE" newval ))))) ;; "TITLE" newval)))))
-					  test-data)))))
+					  test-data))
+				       ;;(dashboard:run-controls)
+				       )))
 				 (iup:attribute-set! tabs "TABTITLE0" "Steps")
 				 (iup:attribute-set! tabs "TABTITLE1" "Test Data")
 				 tabs))))
 	    (iup:show self)
 	    (iup:callback-set! *tim* "ACTION_CB"

Index: dashboard.scm
==================================================================
--- dashboard.scm
+++ dashboard.scm
@@ -12,13 +12,15 @@
 (use format)
 (require-library iup)
 (import (prefix iup iup:))
 
 (use canvas-draw)
+(import canvas-draw-iup)
 
 (use sqlite3 srfi-1 posix regex regex-case srfi-69)
 (import (prefix sqlite3 sqlite3:))
+(use trace)
 
 (declare (uses common))
 (declare (uses margs))
 (declare (uses keys))
 (declare (uses items))
@@ -422,12 +424,217 @@
   ;; (print "Setting search for " x " to " val)
   (hash-table-set! *searchpatts* x val))
 
 (define (mark-for-update)
   (set! *last-db-update-time* 0)
-  (set! *delayed-update* 1)
-  )
+  (set! *delayed-update* 1))
+
+;;======================================================================
+;; R U N C O N T R O L
+;;======================================================================
+
+;; target populating logic
+;;  
+;; lb            = <vector curr-label-object next-label-object>
+;; field         = target field name for this dropdown
+;; referent-vals = selected value in the left dropdown
+;; targets       = list of targets to use to build the dropdown
+;; 
+;; each node is chained: key1 -> key2 -> key3
+;;
+;; must select values from only apropriate targets
+;;   a b c
+;;   a d e
+;;   a b f
+;;        a/b => c f
+;;
+(define (dashboard:populate-target-dropdown lb referent-vals targets)
+  ;; is the current value in the new list? choose new default if not
+  (let* ((remvalues  (map (lambda (row)
+			    (common:list-is-sublist referent-vals (vector->list row)))
+			  targets))
+	 (values     (delete-duplicates (map car (filter list? remvalues))))
+	 (sel-valnum (iup:attribute lb "VALUE"))
+	 (sel-val    (iup:attribute lb sel-valnum))
+	 (val-num    1))
+    ;; first check if the current value is in the new list, otherwise replace with 
+    ;; first value from values
+    (iup:attribute-set! lb "REMOVEITEM" "ALL")
+    (for-each (lambda (val)
+		;; (iup:attribute-set! lb "APPENDITEM" val)
+		(iup:attribute-set! lb (conc val-num) val)
+		(if (equal? sel-val val)
+		    (iup:attribute-set! lb "VALUE" val-num))
+		(set! val-num (+ val-num 1)))
+	      values)
+    (let ((val (iup:attribute lb "VALUE")))
+      (if val
+	  val
+	  (if (not (null? values))
+	      (let ((newval (car values)))
+		(iup:attribute-set! lb "VALUE" newval)
+		newval))))))
+
+(define (dashboard:update-target-selector key-lbs #!key (action-proc #f))
+  (let* ((db-target-dat (open-run-close db:get-targets #f))
+	 (header        (vector-ref db-target-dat 0))
+	 (db-targets    (vector-ref db-target-dat 1))
+	 (key-listboxes (if key-lbs key-lbs (make-list (length header) #f))))
+    (let loop ((key     (car header))
+	       (remkeys (cdr header))
+	       (refvals '())
+	       (indx    0)
+	       (lbs     '()))
+      (let* ((lb (let ((lb (list-ref key-listboxes indx)))
+		   (if lb
+		       lb
+		       (iup:listbox 
+			#:size "x10" 
+			#:fontsize "10"
+			#:expand "VERTICAL"
+			;; #:dropdown "YES"
+			#:editbox "YES"
+			#:action action-proc
+			))))
+	     ;; loop though all the targets and build the list for this dropdown
+	     (selected-value (dashboard:populate-target-dropdown lb refvals db-targets)))
+	(if (null? remkeys)
+	    ;; return a list of the listbox items and an iup:hbox with the labels and listboxes
+	    (let ((listboxes (append lbs (list lb))))
+	      (list listboxes
+		    (map (lambda (htxt lb)
+			   (iup:vbox
+			    (iup:label htxt)
+			    lb))
+			 header
+			 listboxes)))
+	    (loop (car remkeys)
+		  (cdr remkeys)
+		  (append refvals (list selected-value))
+		  (+ indx 1)
+		  (append lbs (list lb))))))))
+
+(define (dashboard:draw-tests cnv xadj yadj test-draw-state sorted-testnames)
+  (canvas-clear! cnv)
+  (canvas-font-set! cnv "Courier New, -10")
+  (let-values (((sizex sizey sizexmm sizeymm) (canvas-size cnv))
+	       ((originx originy)             (canvas-origin cnv)))
+      (if (hash-table-ref/default test-draw-state 'first-time #t)
+	  (begin
+	    (hash-table-set! test-draw-state 'first-time #f)
+	    (hash-table-set! test-draw-state 'scalef 8)
+	    ;; set these 
+	    (hash-table-set! test-draw-state 'test-browse-xoffset 20) ;; (- 0 (* (/ sizex 2) (* 8 xadj))))
+	    (hash-table-set! test-draw-state 'test-browse-yoffset 20))) ;; (- 0 (* (/ sizey 2) (* 8 (- 1 yadj)))))))
+      (let* ((scalef (hash-table-ref/default test-draw-state 'scalef 8))
+	     (test-browse-xoffset (hash-table-ref test-draw-state 'test-browse-xoffset))
+	     (test-browse-yoffset (hash-table-ref test-draw-state 'test-browse-yoffset))
+	     (xtorig (+ test-browse-xoffset (* (/ sizex 2) scalef (- 0.5 xadj)))) ;;  (- xadj 1))))
+	     (ytorig (+ test-browse-yoffset (* (/ sizey 2) scalef (- yadj 0.5))))
+	     (boxw   90)
+	     (boxh   25)
+	     (gapx   20)
+	     (gapy   30))
+	(print "sizex: " sizex " sizey: " sizey " font: " (canvas-font cnv) " originx: " originx " originy: " originy " xtorig: " xtorig " ytorig: " ytorig " xadj: " xadj " yadj: " yadj)
+	(let loop ((hed (car (reverse sorted-testnames)))
+		   (tal (cdr (reverse sorted-testnames)))
+		   (llx xtorig)
+		   (lly ytorig)
+		   (urx (+ xtorig boxw))
+		   (ury (+ ytorig boxh)))
+	  ; (print "hed " hed " llx " llx " lly " lly " urx " urx " ury " ury)
+	  (canvas-text! cnv (+ llx 5)(+ lly 5) hed) ;; (conc testname " (" xtorig "," ytorig ")"))
+	  (canvas-rectangle! cnv llx urx lly ury)
+	  (if (not (null? tal))
+	      ;; leave a column of space to the right to list items
+	      (let ((have-room 
+		     (if #t ;; put "auto" here where some form of auto rearanging can be done
+			 (> (* 3 (+ boxw gapx)) (- urx xtorig))
+			 (< urx (- sizex boxw gapx boxw)))))  ;; is there room for another column?
+		(loop (car tal)
+		      (cdr tal)
+		      (if have-room (+ llx boxw gapx) xtorig) ;; have room, 
+		      (if have-room lly (+ lly boxh gapy))
+		      (if have-room (+ urx boxw gapx) (+ xtorig boxw))
+		      (if have-room ury (+ ury boxh gapy)))))))))
+
+(define (dashboard:run-controls)
+  (let* ((targets       (make-hash-table))
+	 (runconf-targs (common:get-runconfig-targets))
+	 (test-records  (make-hash-table))
+	 (test-names    (tests:get-valid-tests *toppath* '()))
+	 (sorted-testnames #f)
+	 (action        "-runtests")
+	 (cmdln         "")
+	 (runlogs       (make-hash-table))
+	 (key-listboxes #f)
+	 (update-keyvals (lambda (obj b c d)
+			   ;; (print "obj: " obj ", b " b ", c " c ", d " d)
+			   (dashboard:update-target-selector key-listboxes)
+			   ))
+	 (tests-draw-state (make-hash-table))) ;; use for keeping state of the test canvas
+    (hash-table-set! tests-draw-state 'first-time #t)
+    (hash-table-set! tests-draw-state 'scalef 8)
+    (tests:get-full-data test-names test-records '())
+    (set! sorted-testnames (tests:sort-by-priority-and-waiton test-records))
+    
+    ;; refer to *keys*, *dbkeys* for keys
+    (iup:vbox
+     (iup:hbox
+       ;; Target and action
+      (iup:frame
+       #:title "Target"
+       (iup:vbox
+        ;; Target selectors
+        (apply iup:hbox
+	       (let* ((dat      (dashboard:update-target-selector key-listboxes action-proc: update-keyvals))
+		      (key-lb   (car dat))
+		      (combos   (cadr dat)))
+		 (set! key-listboxes key-lb)
+		 combos))))
+      (iup:frame
+       #:title "Tests and Tasks"
+       (iup:vbox
+	(iup:canvas #:action (make-canvas-action
+			      (lambda (cnv xadj yadj)
+				;; (print "cnv: " cnv " x: " x " y: " y)
+				(dashboard:draw-tests cnv xadj yadj tests-draw-state sorted-testnames)))
+		    #:size "150x150"
+		    #:expand "YES"
+		    #:scrollbar "YES"
+		    #:posx "0.5"
+		    #:posy "0.5")))))))
+
+
+(trace dashboard:populate-target-dropdown
+       common:list-is-sublist)
+
+;;       ;; key1 key2 key3 ...
+;;       ;; target entry (wild cards allowed)
+;;       
+;;       ;; The action
+;;       (iup:hbox
+;;        ;; label Action | action selector
+;;        ))
+;;      ;; Test/items selector
+;;      (iup:hbox
+;;       ;; tests
+;;       ;; items
+;;       ))
+;;     ;; The command line
+;;     (iup:hbox
+;;      ;; commandline entry
+;;      ;; GO button
+;;      )
+;;     ;; The command log monitor
+;;     (iup:tabs
+;;      ;; log monitor
+;;      )))
+   
+;;======================================================================
+;; R U N S 
+;;======================================================================
 
 (define (make-dashboard-buttons nruns ntests keynames)
   (let* ((nkeys   (length keynames))
 	 (runsvec (make-vector nruns))
 	 (header  (make-vector nruns))
@@ -602,20 +809,26 @@
 	  (loop runnum (+ testnum 1) testvec (cons butn res))))))
     ;; now assemble the hdrlst and bdylst and kick off the dialog
     (iup:show
      (iup:dialog 
       #:title "Megatest dashboard"
-      (iup:vbox
-	(apply iup:hbox 
-	       (cons (apply iup:vbox lftlst)
-		     (list 
-		      (iup:vbox
-		       ;; the header
-		       (apply iup:hbox (reverse hdrlst))
-		       (apply iup:hbox (reverse bdylst))))))
-       controls)))
-    (vector keycol lftcol header runsvec)))
+      (let ((tabs (iup:tabs
+		   (iup:vbox
+		    (apply iup:hbox 
+			   (cons (apply iup:vbox lftlst)
+				 (list 
+				  (iup:vbox
+				   ;; the header
+				   (apply iup:hbox (reverse hdrlst))
+				   (apply iup:hbox (reverse bdylst))))))
+		    controls)
+		   (dashboard:run-controls)
+		   )))
+	(iup:attribute-set! tabs "TABTITLE0" "Runs")
+	(iup:attribute-set! tabs "TABTITLE1" "Run Control")
+	tabs)))
+     (vector keycol lftcol header runsvec)))
 
 (if (or (args:get-arg "-rows")
 	(get-environment-variable "DASHBOARDROWS" ))
     (begin
         (set! *num-tests* (string->number (or (args:get-arg "-rows")

Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -508,10 +508,11 @@
 	 "SELECT fieldname,fieldtype FROM keys ORDER BY id DESC;")
 	(set! *db-keys* res)
 	(debug:print-info 11 "db:get-keys END (cache miss)")
 	res)))
 
+;; 
 (define (db:get-value-by-header row header field)
   (debug:print-info 4 "db:get-value-by-header row: " row " header: " header " field: " field)
   (if (null? header) #f
       (let loop ((hed (car header))
 		 (tal (cdr header))
@@ -617,10 +618,31 @@
      db
      qrystr
      )
     (debug:print-info 11 "db:get-runs END qrystr: " qrystr " keypatts: " keypatts " offset: " offset " limit: " count)
     (vector header res)))
+
+;; Get all targets from the db
+;;
+(define (db:get-targets db)
+  (let* ((res       '())
+	 (keys       (db:get-keys db))
+	 (header     (map key:get-fieldname keys))
+	 (keystr     (keys->keystr keys))
+	 (qrystr     (conc "SELECT " keystr " FROM runs;"))
+	 (seen       (make-hash-table)))
+    (sqlite3:for-each-row
+     (lambda (a . x)
+       (let ((targ (cons a x)))
+	 (if (not (hash-table-ref/default seen targ #f))
+	     (begin
+	       (hash-table-set! seen targ #t)
+	       (set! res (cons (apply vector targ) res))))))
+     db
+     qrystr)
+    (debug:print-info 11 "db:get-targets END qrystr: " qrystr )
+    (vector header res)))
 
 ;; just get count of runs
 (define (db:get-num-runs db runpatt)
   (let ((numruns 0))
     (debug:print-info 11 "db:get-num-runs START " runpatt)

Index: docs/manual/megatest_manual.txt
==================================================================
--- docs/manual/megatest_manual.txt
+++ docs/manual/megatest_manual.txt
@@ -3,27 +3,10 @@
 Matt Welland <matt@kiatoa.com>
 v1.0, April 2012
 :doctype: book
 
 
-[dedication]
-Dedication
-==========
-
-Dedicated to my wife Joanna who has kindly supported my working on various projects over the years.
-
-Thanks
-------
-
-Thank you the many people I've worked over the years who have 
-shared their knowledge and insights with me.
-
-Thanks also to the creators of the various open source projects that
-Megatest is built on. These include Linux, xemacs, chicken scheme,
-fossil and asciidoc. Without these projects something like Megatest 
-would be difficult or impossible to do.
-
 [preface]
 Preface
 =======
 This book is organised as three sub-books; getting started, writing tests and reference.
 

Index: margs.scm
==================================================================
--- margs.scm
+++ margs.scm
@@ -17,12 +17,12 @@
       (hash-table-ref/default args:arg-hash arg #f)
       (hash-table-ref/default args:arg-hash arg (car default))))
 
 (define (args:get-arg-from ht arg . default)
   (if (null? default)
-      (hash-table-ref/default ht arg #f))
-      (hash-table-ref/default ht arg (car default)))
+      (hash-table-ref/default ht arg #f)
+      (hash-table-ref/default ht arg (car default))))
 
 (define (args:usage . args)
   (if (> (length args) 0)
       (apply print "ERROR: " args))
   (if (string? help)
@@ -34,11 +34,12 @@
 (define (args:get-args args params switches arg-hash num-needed)
   (let* ((numargs (length args))
 	 (adj-num-needed (if num-needed (+ num-needed 2) #f)))
     (if (< numargs (if adj-num-needed adj-num-needed 2))
 	(if (>= num-needed 1)
-	    (args:usage "No arguments provided"))
+	    (args:usage "No arguments provided")
+	    '())
 	(let loop ((arg (cadr args))
 		   (tail (cddr args))
 		   (remargs '()))
 	  (cond 
 	   ((member arg params) ;; args with params

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -215,83 +215,14 @@
 	  (cdb:remote-run db:set-tests-state-status #f run-id test-names #f "FAIL" "NOT_STARTED" "FAIL")))
 
     ;; from here on out the db will be opened and closed on every call runs:run-tests-queue
     ;; (sqlite3:finalize! db) 
     ;; now add non-directly referenced dependencies (i.e. waiton)
-    (if (not (null? test-names))
-	(let loop ((hed (car test-names))
-		   (tal (cdr test-names)))         ;; 'return-procs tells the config reader to prep running system but return a proc
-	  (debug:print-info 4 "hed=" hed " at top of loop")
-	  (let* ((config  (tests:get-testconfig hed 'return-procs))
-		 (waitons (let ((instr (if config 
-					   (config-lookup config "requirements" "waiton")
-					   (begin ;; No config means this is a non-existant test
-					     (debug:print 0 "ERROR: non-existent required test \"" hed "\"")
-					     (if db (sqlite3:finalize! db))
-					     (exit 1)))))
-			    (debug:print-info 8 "waitons string is " instr)
-			    (string-split (cond
-					   ((procedure? instr)
-					    (let ((res (instr)))
-					      (debug:print-info 8 "waiton procedure results in string " res " for test " hed)
-					      res))
-					   ((string? instr)     instr)
-					   (else 
-					    ;; NOTE: This is actually the case of *no* waitons! ;; (debug:print 0 "ERROR: something went wrong in processing waitons for test " hed)
-					    ""))))))
-	    (debug:print-info 8 "waitons: " waitons)
-	    ;; check for hed in waitons => this would be circular, remove it and issue an
-	    ;; error
-	    (if (member hed waitons)
-		(begin
-		  (debug:print 0 "ERROR: test " hed " has listed itself as a waiton, please correct this!")
-		  (set! waitons (filter (lambda (x)(not (equal? x hed))) waitons))))
-	    
-	    ;; (items   (items:get-items-from-config config)))
-	    (if (not (hash-table-ref/default test-records hed #f))
-		(hash-table-set! test-records
-				 hed (vector hed     ;; 0
-					     config  ;; 1
-					     waitons ;; 2
-					     (config-lookup config "requirements" "priority")     ;; priority 3
-					     (let ((items      (hash-table-ref/default config "items" #f)) ;; items 4
-						   (itemstable (hash-table-ref/default config "itemstable" #f))) 
-					       ;; if either items or items table is a proc return it so test running
-					       ;; process can know to call items:get-items-from-config
-					       ;; if either is a list and none is a proc go ahead and call get-items
-					       ;; otherwise return #f - this is not an iterated test
-					       (cond
-						((procedure? items)      
-						 (debug:print-info 4 "items is a procedure, will calc later")
-						 items)            ;; calc later
-						((procedure? itemstable)
-						 (debug:print-info 4 "itemstable is a procedure, will calc later")
-						 itemstable)       ;; calc later
-						((filter (lambda (x)
-							   (let ((val (car x)))
-							     (if (procedure? val) val #f)))
-							 (append (if (list? items) items '())
-								 (if (list? itemstable) itemstable '())))
-						 'have-procedure)
-						((or (list? items)(list? itemstable)) ;; calc now
-						 (debug:print-info 4 "items and itemstable are lists, calc now\n"
-							      "    items: " items " itemstable: " itemstable)
-						 (items:get-items-from-config config))
-						(else #f)))                           ;; not iterated
-					     #f      ;; itemsdat 5
-					     #f      ;; spare - used for item-path
-					     )))
-	    (for-each 
-	     (lambda (waiton)
-	       (if (and waiton (not (member waiton test-names)))
-		   (begin
-		     (set! required-tests (cons waiton required-tests))
-		     (set! test-names (cons waiton test-names))))) ;; was an append, now a cons
-	     waitons)
-	    (let ((remtests (delete-duplicates (append waitons tal))))
-	      (if (not (null? remtests))
-		  (loop (car remtests)(cdr remtests)))))))
+    ;;======================================================================
+    ;; refactoring this block into tests:get-full-data
+    ;;======================================================================
+    (tests:get-full-data test-names test-records required-tests)
 
     (if (not (null? required-tests))
 	(debug:print-info 1 "Adding " required-tests " to the run queue"))
     ;; NOTE: these are all parent tests, items are not expanded yet.
     (debug:print-info 4 "test-records=" (hash-table->alist test-records))
@@ -713,11 +644,11 @@
 	       (cdb:remote-run db:testmeta-update-field #f test-name fld val)))))
      '(("author" 2)("owner" 3)("description" 4)("reviewed" 5)("tags" 9)))))
 
 ;; Update test_meta for all tests
 (define (runs:update-all-test_meta db)
-  (let ((test-names (get-all-legal-tests)))
+  (let ((test-names (tests:get-valid-tests)))
     (for-each 
      (lambda (test-name)
        (let* ((test-path    (conc *toppath* "/tests/" test-name))
 	      (test-configf (conc test-path "/testconfig"))
 	      (testexists   (and (file-exists? test-configf)(file-read-access? test-configf)))

Index: tests.scm
==================================================================
--- tests.scm
+++ tests.scm
@@ -26,20 +26,10 @@
 (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
-     (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))
@@ -430,19 +420,23 @@
 	    (change-directory orig-dir)
 	    ;; NB// tests:test-set-toplog! is remote internal...
 	    (tests:test-set-toplog! db run-id test-name outputfilename)
 	    )))))
 
-(define (get-all-legal-tests)
-  (let* ((tests  (glob (conc *toppath* "/tests/*")))
-	 (res    '()))
-    (debug:print-info 4 "Looking at tests " (string-intersperse tests ","))
-    (for-each (lambda (testpath)
-		(if (file-exists? (conc testpath "/testconfig"))
-		    (set! res (cons (last (string-split testpath "/")) res))))
-	      tests)
-    res))
+;;======================================================================
+;; Gather data from test/task specifications
+;;======================================================================
+
+(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
+     (filter (lambda (testname)
+	       (tests:match test-patts testname #f))
+	     (map (lambda (testp)
+		    (last (string-split testp "/")))
+		  tests)))))
 
 (define (tests:get-testconfig test-name system-allowed)
   (let* ((test-path    (conc *toppath* "/tests/" test-name))
 	 (test-configf (conc test-path "/testconfig"))
 	 (testexists   (and (file-exists? test-configf)(file-read-access? test-configf))))
@@ -531,10 +525,95 @@
 				     (set! keep-test #f)))) ;; no point in running this one again
 			     waitons))))
 	 (if keep-test (set! runnables (cons testkeyname runnables)))))
      testkeynames)
     runnables))
+
+;;======================================================================
+;; refactoring this block into tests:get-full-data from line 263 of runs.scm
+;;======================================================================
+;; hed is the test name
+;; test-records is a hash of test-name => test record
+(define (tests:get-full-data test-names test-records required-tests)
+  (if (not (null? test-names))
+      (let loop ((hed (car test-names))
+		 (tal (cdr test-names)))         ;; 'return-procs tells the config reader to prep running system but return a proc
+	(debug:print-info 4 "hed=" hed " at top of loop")
+	(let* ((config  (tests:get-testconfig hed 'return-procs))
+	       (waitons (let ((instr (if config 
+					 (config-lookup config "requirements" "waiton")
+					 (begin ;; No config means this is a non-existant test
+					   (debug:print 0 "ERROR: non-existent required test \"" hed "\", grep through your testconfigs to find and remove or create the test. Discarding and continuing.")
+					     ""))))
+			  (debug:print-info 8 "waitons string is " instr)
+			  (string-split (cond
+					 ((procedure? instr)
+					  (let ((res (instr)))
+					    (debug:print-info 8 "waiton procedure results in string " res " for test " hed)
+					    res))
+					 ((string? instr)     instr)
+					 (else 
+					  ;; NOTE: This is actually the case of *no* waitons! ;; (debug:print 0 "ERROR: something went wrong in processing waitons for test " hed)
+					  ""))))))
+	  (if (not config) ;; this is a non-existant test called in a waiton. 
+	      (if (null? tal)
+		  test-records
+		  (loop (car tal)(cdr tal)))
+	      (begin
+		(debug:print-info 8 "waitons: " waitons)
+		;; check for hed in waitons => this would be circular, remove it and issue an
+		;; error
+		(if (member hed waitons)
+		    (begin
+		      (debug:print 0 "ERROR: test " hed " has listed itself as a waiton, please correct this!")
+		      (set! waitons (filter (lambda (x)(not (equal? x hed))) waitons))))
+		
+		;; (items   (items:get-items-from-config config)))
+		(if (not (hash-table-ref/default test-records hed #f))
+		    (hash-table-set! test-records
+				     hed (vector hed     ;; 0
+						 config  ;; 1
+						 waitons ;; 2
+						 (config-lookup config "requirements" "priority")     ;; priority 3
+						 (let ((items      (hash-table-ref/default config "items" #f)) ;; items 4
+						       (itemstable (hash-table-ref/default config "itemstable" #f))) 
+						   ;; if either items or items table is a proc return it so test running
+						   ;; process can know to call items:get-items-from-config
+						   ;; if either is a list and none is a proc go ahead and call get-items
+						   ;; otherwise return #f - this is not an iterated test
+						   (cond
+						    ((procedure? items)      
+						     (debug:print-info 4 "items is a procedure, will calc later")
+						     items)            ;; calc later
+						    ((procedure? itemstable)
+						     (debug:print-info 4 "itemstable is a procedure, will calc later")
+						     itemstable)       ;; calc later
+						    ((filter (lambda (x)
+							       (let ((val (car x)))
+								 (if (procedure? val) val #f)))
+							     (append (if (list? items) items '())
+								     (if (list? itemstable) itemstable '())))
+						     'have-procedure)
+						    ((or (list? items)(list? itemstable)) ;; calc now
+						     (debug:print-info 4 "items and itemstable are lists, calc now\n"
+								       "    items: " items " itemstable: " itemstable)
+						     (items:get-items-from-config config))
+						    (else #f)))                           ;; not iterated
+						 #f      ;; itemsdat 5
+						 #f      ;; spare - used for item-path
+						 )))
+		(for-each 
+		 (lambda (waiton)
+		   (if (and waiton (not (member waiton test-names)))
+		       (begin
+			 (set! required-tests (cons waiton required-tests))
+			 (set! test-names (cons waiton test-names))))) ;; was an append, now a cons
+		 waitons)
+		(let ((remtests (delete-duplicates (append waitons tal))))
+		  (if (not (null? remtests))
+		      (loop (car remtests)(cdr remtests))
+		      test-records))))))))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; test steps
 ;;======================================================================