Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -391,13 +391,32 @@
   (hash-table-ref/default 
    (or configf (read-config "megatest.config" #f #t))
    "disks" '("none" "")))
 
 ;;======================================================================
-;; T A R G E T S
+;; T A R G E T S  ,   S T A T E ,   S T A T U S ,   
+;;                    R U N N A M E    A N D   T E S T P A T T
 ;;======================================================================
 
+(define (common:args-get-state)
+  (or (args:get-arg "-state")(args:get-arg ":state")))
+
+(define (common:args-get-status)
+  (or (args:get-arg "-status")(args:get-arg ":status")))
+
+(define (common:args-get-testpatt)
+  (let* ((args-testpatt (or (args:get-arg "-testpatt")
+			    (args:get-arg "-runtests")))
+	 (testpatt    (or (and (equal? args-testpatt "%")
+			       (getenv "TESTPATT"))
+			  args-testpatt)))
+    testpatt))
+
+(define (common:args-get-runname)
+  (or (args:get-arg "-runname")
+      (args:get-arg ":runname")))
+
 (define (common:args-get-target #!key (split #f))
   (let* ((keys    (keys:config-get-fields *configdat*))
 	 (numkeys (length keys))
 	 (target  (if (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
 		      (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")

Index: megatest.scm
==================================================================
--- megatest.scm
+++ megatest.scm
@@ -853,14 +853,14 @@
 	    (debug:print 0 "ERROR: Attempted " action "on test(s) but run area config file not found")
 	    (exit 1))
 	  ;; put test parameters into convenient variables
 	  (runs:operate-on  action
 			    target
-			    (or (args:get-arg "-runname")(args:get-arg ":runname"))
-			    (args:get-arg "-testpatt")
-			    state: (or (args:get-arg "-state")(args:get-arg ":state") )
-			    status: (or (args:get-arg "-status")(args:get-arg ":status"))
+			    (common:args-get-runname)  ;; (or (args:get-arg "-runname")(args:get-arg ":runname"))
+			    (common:args-get-testpatt) ;; (args:get-arg "-testpatt")
+			    state: (common:args-get-state)
+			    status: (common:args-get-status)
 			    new-state-status: (args:get-arg "-set-state-status")))
       (set! *didsomething* #t)))))
 	  
 (if (args:get-arg "-remove-runs")
     (general-run-call 

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -47,14 +47,17 @@
 		               (begin
 		                 (debug:print 0 "ERROR: Called setup in a non-megatest area, exiting")
 		                 (exit 1)))))
 	  (runrec      (runs:runrec-make-record))
 	  (target      (common:args-get-target))
-	  (runname     (or (args:get-arg "-runname")
-		           (args:get-arg ":runname")))
-	  (testpatt    (or (args:get-arg "-testpatt")
-		           (args:get-arg "-runtests")))
+	  (runname     (common:args-get-runname))
+	  (testpatt    (common:args-get-testpatt))
+;; 	  (args-testpatt (or (args:get-arg "-testpatt")
+;; 			     (args:get-arg "-runtests")))
+;; 	  (testpatt    (or (and (equal? args-testpatt "%")
+;; 				(getenv "TESTPATT"))
+;; 			   args-testpatt))
 	  (keys        (keys:config-get-fields mconfig))
 	  (keyvals     (keys:target->keyval keys target))
 	  (toppath     *toppath*)
 	  (envdat      keyvals) ;; initial values start with keyvals
 	  (runconfig   #f)