Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -682,11 +682,11 @@
 		(debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Exiting watchdog timer, *time-to-exit* = " *time-to-exit*" pid="(current-process-id)" this-wd-num="this-wd-num)))))))
 
 ;; TODO: for multiple areas, we will have multiple watchdogs; and multiple threads to manage
 (define (common:watchdog)
   (let ((dbstruct (db:setup)))
-    (if (dbstruct-readonly dbstruct)
+    (if (dbr:dbstruct-read-only dbstruct)
         (common:readonly-watchdog dbstruct)
         (common:writable-watchdog dbstruct))))
 
 
 (define (std-exit-procedure)

Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -304,14 +304,16 @@
 ;; Make the dbstruct, setup up auxillary db's and call for main db at least once
 ;;
 ;; called in http-transport and replicated in rmt.scm for *local* access. 
 ;;
 (define (db:setup #!key (areapath #f))
+  ;;
   (cond
    (*dbstruct-db* *dbstruct-db*);; TODO: when multiple areas are supported, this optimization will be a hazard
    (else ;;(common:on-homehost?)
     (let* ((dbstruct (make-dbr:dbstruct)))
+      (launch:setup areapath: areapath)
       (db:open-db dbstruct areapath: areapath)
       (set! *dbstruct-db* dbstruct)
       dbstruct))))
    ;; (else
    ;;  (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: attempt to open database when not on homehost. Exiting. Homehost: " (common:get-homehost))

Index: launch.scm
==================================================================
--- launch.scm
+++ launch.scm
@@ -721,24 +721,24 @@
 ;;   side effects:
 ;;     sets; *configdat*    (megatest.config info)
 ;;           *runconfigdat* (runconfigs.config info)
 ;;           *configstatus* (status of the read data)
 ;;
-(define (launch:setup #!key (force #f))
+(define (launch:setup #!key (force #f) (areapath #f))
   (mutex-lock! *launch-setup-mutex*)
   (if (and *toppath*
 	   (eq? *configstatus* 'fulldata)) ;; got it all
       (begin
 	(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "NOTE: skipping launch:setup-body call since we have fulldata")
 	(mutex-unlock! *launch-setup-mutex*)
 	*toppath*)
-      (let ((res (launch:setup-body force: force)))
+      (let ((res (launch:setup-body force: force areapath: areapath)))
 	(mutex-unlock! *launch-setup-mutex*)
 	res)))
 
-(define (launch:setup-body #!key (force #f))
-  (let* ((toppath  (or *toppath* (getenv "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME"))) ;; preserve toppath
+(define (launch:setup-body #!key (force #f) (areapath #f))
+  (let* ((toppath  (or *toppath* areapath (getenv "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME"))) ;; preserve toppath
 	 (runname  (common:args-get-runname))
 	 (target   (common:args-get-target))
 	 (linktree (common:get-linktree))
 	 (sections (if target (list "default" target) #f)) ;; for runconfigs
 	 (mtconfig (or (args:get-arg "-config") "megatest.config")) ;; allow overriding megatest.config 

Index: rmt.scm
==================================================================
--- rmt.scm
+++ rmt.scm
@@ -56,12 +56,14 @@
   ;; 2. check the age of the connections. refresh the connection if it is older than timeout-20 seconds.
   ;; 3. do the query, if on homehost use local access
   ;;
   (let* ((start-time (current-seconds)) ;; snapshot time so all use cases get same value
          (areapath *toppath*);; TODO - resolve from dbstruct to be compatible with multiple areas
-         (readonly-mode (file-write-access? (conc *toppath* "/megatest.db")  )) ;; TODO: use dbstruct or runremote to figure this out in future
+         (dbfile (conc *toppath* "/megatest.db"))
+         (readonly-mode (not (file-write-access? dbfile))) ;; TODO: use dbstruct or runremote to figure this out in future
 	 (runremote  (or area-dat *runremote*)))
+    ;;(print "BB> readonly-mode is "readonly-mode" dbfile is "dbfile)
     (cond
      ;; give up if more than 15 attempts
      ((> attemptnum 15)
       (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: 15 tries to start/connect to server. Giving up.")
       (exit 1))