Index: ulex/ulex.scm
==================================================================
--- ulex/ulex.scm
+++ ulex/ulex.scm
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@
 	       (Z      (alist-ref 'Z      captn)))
 	  (udat-captain-address-set! udata ipaddr)
 	  (udat-captain-host-set!    udata host)
 	  (udat-captain-port-set!    udata port)
 	  (udat-captain-pid-set!     udata pid)
-	  (if (ping udata ipaddr port)
+	  (if (ping udata (conc ipaddr ":" port))
 	      udata
 	      (begin
 		(remove-captain-pkt udata captn)
 		(setup))))
 	(setup-as-captain udata)) ;; this saves the thread to captain-thread and starts the thread
@@ -313,23 +313,28 @@
 	  #f)
       #f))
 
 (define (get-peer-dat udata host-port #!optional (hostname #f)(pid #f))
   (let* ((pdat (or (hash-table-ref/default (udat-outgoing-conns udata) host-port #f)
-		   (let ((npdat (make-peer addr-port: host-port)))
-		     (if hostname (peer-hostname-set! npdat hostname))
-		     (if pid (peer-pid-set! npdat pid))
-		     (let-values (((ninp noup)(tcp-connect host-port)))
-		       (peer-inp-set! npdat ninp)
-		       (peer-oup-set! npdat noup))
-		     (hash-table-set! (udat-outgoing-conns udata) host-port npdat)
-		     npdat))))
+		   (handle-exceptions ;; ERROR - MAKE THIS EXCEPTION HANDLER MORE SPECIFIC
+		    exn
+		    #f
+		    (let ((npdat (make-peer addr-port: host-port)))
+		      (if hostname (peer-hostname-set! npdat hostname))
+		      (if pid (peer-pid-set! npdat pid))
+		      (let-values (((ninp noup)(tcp-connect host-port)))
+			(peer-inp-set! npdat ninp)
+			(peer-oup-set! npdat noup))
+		      (hash-table-set! (udat-outgoing-conns udata) host-port npdat)
+		      npdat)))))
     pdat))
 
 (define (get-peer-ports udata host-port #!optional (hostname #f)(pid #f))
   (let ((pdat (get-peer-dat udata host-port hostname pid)))
-    (values (peer-inp pdat)(peer-oup pdat))))
+    (if pdat
+	 (values (peer-inp pdat)(peer-oup pdat))
+	 (values #f #f))))
 
 ;; send structured data to recipient
 ;;
 ;;  NOTE: qrykey is what was called the "cookie" previously
 ;;
@@ -337,38 +342,43 @@
   (let-values (((inp oup)(get-peer-ports udata host-port hostname pid)))
     ;; CONTROL LINE: (note: removed the hostname - I don't think it adds much value
     ;;
     ;;    handlerkey host:port pid qrykey params ...
     ;;
-    (write-line (conc
-		 handler " "
-		 (udat-my-address  udata) ":" (udat-my-port udata) " "
-		 ;; (udat-my-hostname udata) " "
-		 (udat-my-pid  udata) " "
-		 qrykey
-		 (if (null? params) "" (conc " " (string-intersperse params " "))))
-		oup)
-    (write-line data oup)
-    ;; NOTE: DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO LOOK AT ANY DATA ON INP HERE!
-    ;;       (there is a listener for handling that)
-    ))
+    (if (and inp oup)
+	(begin
+	  (write-line (conc
+		       handler " "
+		       (udat-my-address  udata) ":" (udat-my-port udata) " "
+		       ;; (udat-my-hostname udata) " "
+		       (udat-my-pid  udata) " "
+		       qrykey
+		       (if (null? params) "" (conc " " (string-intersperse params " "))))
+		      oup)
+	  (write-line data oup)
+	  #t
+	  ;; NOTE: DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO LOOK AT ANY DATA ON INP HERE!
+	  ;;       (there is a listener for handling that)
+	  )
+	#f))) ;; #f means failed to connect and send
 
 ;; send a request to the given host-port and register a mailbox in udata
 ;; wait for the mailbox data and return it
 ;;
 (define (send-receive udata host-port handler qrykey data #!key (hostname #f)(pid #f)(params '()))
   (let ((mbox      (make-mailbox))
 	(mbox-time (current-milliseconds))
 	(mboxes    (udat-mboxes udata)))
     (hash-table-set! mboxes qrykey mbox)
-    (send udata host-port handler qrykey data hostname: hostname pid: pid params: params)
-    (let* ((mbox-timeout-secs    20)
-	   (mbox-timeout-result 'MBOX_TIMEOUT)
-	   (res                  (mailbox-receive! mbox mbox-timeout-secs mbox-timeout-result))
-	   (mbox-receive-time    (current-milliseconds)))
-      (hash-table-delete! mboxes qrykey)
-      res)))
+    (if (send udata host-port handler qrykey data hostname: hostname pid: pid params: params)
+	(let* ((mbox-timeout-secs    20)
+	       (mbox-timeout-result 'MBOX_TIMEOUT)
+	       (res                  (mailbox-receive! mbox mbox-timeout-secs mbox-timeout-result))
+	       (mbox-receive-time    (current-milliseconds)))
+	  (hash-table-delete! mboxes qrykey)
+	  res)
+	#f))) ;; #f means failed to communicate
 
 (define (add-to-work-queue udata peer-dat handlerkey qrykey data)
   (let ((wdat (make-work peer-dat: peer-dat handlerkey: handlerkey qrykey: qrykey data: data)))
     (if (udat-busy udata)
 	(queue-add! (udat-work-queue udata) wdat)
@@ -405,20 +415,21 @@
       (let loop ((state 'start))
 	(let* ((controldat (read-line inp))
 	       (data       (read-line inp)))
 	  (match (string-split controldat)
 	    ((handlerkey host:port pid qrykey params ...)
+	     (print "handlerkey: " handlerkey " host:port: " host:port " pid: " pid " qrykey: " qrykey " params: " params)
 	     (case (string->symbol handlerkey)
 	       ((ack)(print "Got ack!"))
 	       ((ping)
 		(let* ((proc (hash-table-ref/default (udat-handlers udata) 'ping #f))
 		       (val  (if proc (proc) "gotping")))
 		  (send udata host:port "version" qrykey val)))
 	       ((rucaptain)
 		(send udata host:port "iamcaptain" qrykey (if (udat-my-cpkt-key udata)
-							       "yes"
-							       "no")))
+							      "yes"
+							      "no")))
 	       (else
 		;; (send-ack udata host:port qrykey)
 		(add-to-work-queue udata (get-peer-dat udata host:port) handlerkey qrykey data)))
 	     (else (print "BAD DATA? handler=" handlerkey " data=" data)))))
 	(loop state)))))