Index: configf.scm
==================================================================
--- configf.scm
+++ configf.scm
@@ -213,16 +213,18 @@
 						    (loop (configf:read-line inp res) curr-section-name #f #f))))
 	       (else (debug:print 0 "ERROR: problem parsing " path ",\n   \"" inl "\"")
 		     (set! var-flag #f)
 		     (loop (configf:read-line inp res) curr-section-name #f #f))))))))
   
-(define (find-and-read-config fname #!key (environ-patt #f)(given-toppath #f))
+;; pathenvvar will set the named var to the path of the config
+(define (find-and-read-config fname #!key (environ-patt #f)(given-toppath #f)(pathenvvar #f))
   (let* ((curr-dir   (current-directory))
          (configinfo (find-config fname toppath: given-toppath))
 	 (toppath    (car configinfo))
 	 (configfile (cadr configinfo)))
     (if toppath (change-directory toppath)) 
+    (if (and toppath pathenvvar)(setenv pathenvvar toppath))
     (let ((configdat  (if configfile (read-config configfile #f #t environ-patt: environ-patt) #f))) ;; (make-hash-table))))
       (if toppath (change-directory curr-dir))
       (list configdat toppath configfile fname))))
 
 (define (config-lookup cfgdat section var)

Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -382,11 +382,12 @@
 
 ;; returns number if string->number is successful, string otherwise
 ;; also updates *global-delta*
 (define (db:get-var db var)
   (let* ((start-ms (current-milliseconds))
-         (throttle (string->number (config-lookup *configdat* "setup" "throttle")))
+         (throttle (let ((t  (config-lookup *configdat* "setup" "throttle")))
+		     (if t (string->number t) t)))
 	 (res      #f))
     (sqlite3:for-each-row
      (lambda (val)
        (set! res val))
      db "SELECT val FROM metadat WHERE var=?;" var)

Index: launch.scm
==================================================================
--- launch.scm
+++ launch.scm
@@ -346,11 +346,12 @@
   ;; pass on that idea for now
   ;; special case
   (set! *configinfo* (find-and-read-config 
 		      (if (args:get-arg "-config")(args:get-arg "-config") "megatest.config")
 		      environ-patt: "env-override"
-		      given-toppath: (get-environment-variable "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME")))
+		      given-toppath: (get-environment-variable "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME")
+		      pathenvvar: "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME"))
   (set! *configdat*  (if (car *configinfo*)(car *configinfo*) #f))
   (set! *toppath*    (if (car *configinfo*)(cadr *configinfo*) #f))
   (if *toppath*
       (setenv "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME" *toppath*) ;; to be deprecated
       (debug:print 0 "ERROR: failed to find the top path to your run setup."))

Index: tests/fullrun/megatest.config
==================================================================
--- tests/fullrun/megatest.config
+++ tests/fullrun/megatest.config
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@
 # refareas can be searched to find previous runs
 # the path points to where megatest.db exists
 [refareas]
 area1 /tmp/oldarea/megatest
 
-[include config/mt_include_1.config]
+[include #{getenv MT_RUN_AREA_HOME}/config/mt_include_1.config]
 
 [setup]
 # FULL or 2, NORMAL or 1, OFF or 0
 synchronous OFF
 # Throttle roughly scales the db access milliseconds to seconds delay
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@
 WACKYVAR3 #{getenv USER}
 WACKYVAR4 #{scheme (+ 5 6 7)}
 WACKYVAR5 #{getenv sysname}/#{getenv fsname}/#{getenv datapath}
 WACKYVAR6 #{scheme (args:get-arg "-target")}
 PREDICTABLE the_ans
+MRAH MT_RUN_AREA_HOME=#{getenv MT_RUN_AREA_HOME}
 
 # XTERM   [system xterm]
 # RUNDEAD [system exit 56]
 
 ## disks are: