Index: Makefile
==================================================================
--- Makefile
+++ Makefile
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 FILES=$(glob *.scm)
 
 megatest: common.scm configf.scm db.scm keys.scm launch.scm megatest.scm process.scm runs.scm gui.scm
 	csc megatest.scm 
 
-dashboard: megatest
+dashboard: megatest dashboard.scm 
 	csc dashboard.scm
 
 $(PREFIX)/bin/megatest : megatest
 	@echo Installing to PREFIX=$(PREFIX), use ^C to cancel and change
 	sleep 5

Index: configf.scm
==================================================================
--- configf.scm
+++ configf.scm
@@ -53,11 +53,17 @@
 	       (include-rx ( x include-file ) (begin
 						(read-config include-file res)
 						(loop (read-line inp) curr-section-name)))
 	       (section-rx ( x section-name ) (loop (read-line inp) section-name))
 	       (key-sys-pr ( x key cmd      ) (let ((alist (hash-table-ref/default res curr-section-name '()))
-						    (val   (let ((res (car (cmd-run->list cmd))))
+						    (val   (let* ((cmdres  (cmd-run->list cmd))
+								  (status  (cadr cmdres))
+								  (res     (car  cmdres)))
+							     (if (not (eq? status 0))
+								 (begin
+								   (print "ERROR: problem with " inl ", return code not 0")
+								   (exit 1)))
 							     (if (null? res)
 								 ""
 								 (string-intersperse res " ")))))
 						(hash-table-set! res curr-section-name 
 								 (config:assoc-safe-add alist key val))
@@ -66,11 +72,11 @@
 	       (key-val-pr ( x key val      ) (let ((alist (hash-table-ref/default res curr-section-name '())))
 						(hash-table-set! res curr-section-name 
 								 (config:assoc-safe-add alist key val))
 								 ;; (append alist (list (list key val))))
 						(loop (read-line inp) curr-section-name)))
-	       (else (print "ERROR: Should not get here,\n   \"" inl "\"")
+	       (else (print "ERROR: problem parsing " path ",\n   \"" inl "\"")
 		     (loop (read-line inp) curr-section-name))))))))
   
 (define (find-and-read-config fname)
   (let* ((curr-dir   (current-directory))
          (configinfo (find-config fname))

Index: dashboard.scm
==================================================================
--- dashboard.scm
+++ dashboard.scm
@@ -105,11 +105,15 @@
 			       (if (file-exists? logfile)
 				   (system (conc "firefox " logfile "&"))
 				   (message-window (conc "File " logfile " not found")))))
 	       (xterm        (lambda (x)
 			       (if (directory-exists? rundir)
-				   (system (conc "cd " rundir ";xterm -T " (string-translate testfullname "()" "  ") "&"))
+				   (let ((shell (if (get-environment-variable "SHELL") 
+						    (conc "-e " (get-environment-variable "SHELL"))
+						    "")))
+				     (system (conc "cd " rundir 
+						   ";xterm -T \"" (string-translate testfullname "()" "  ") "\" " shell "&")))
 				   (message-window  (conc "Directory " rundir " not found")))))
 	       (newstatus    currstatus)
 	       (newstate     currstate)
 	       (self         #f))