Index: rmtmod.scm
==================================================================
--- rmtmod.scm
+++ rmtmod.scm
@@ -79,12 +79,13 @@
 ;;
 (define (rmt:connect alldat dbfname)
   (let* ((ulexdat    (let ((uconn (alldat-ulexdat alldat)))
 		       (if uconn
 			   uconn
-			   (let* ((new-ulexdat (ulex:setup))) ;; establish connection to ulex
+	  		   (let* ((new-ulexdat (ulex:setup))) ;; establish connection to ulex
 			     (alldat-ulexdat-set! alldat new-ulexdat)
+			     (rmt:setup-ulex alldat)
 			     new-ulexdat)))))
     (ulex:connect ulexdat dbfname)))
 
 ;; set up a connection to the current owner of the dbfile associated with rid
 ;; then send the query to that dbfile owner and wait for a response.
@@ -96,10 +97,16 @@
 		       "main.db"
 		       (conc rid ".db")))
 	 (dbfile   (conc areapath "/.db/" dbfname))
 	 (ulexconn (rmt:connect alldat dbfname)))  
     (rmt:open-qry-close-locally cmd 0 params)))
+
+;; setup the remote calls
+(define (rmt:setup-ulex alldat)
+  (let ((udata (alldat-ulexdat alldat)))
+    (ulex:register-handler udata 'ping common:get-full-version)
+  ))
 ;;   
 ;; ;; #;(common:telemetry-log (conc "rmt:"(->string cmd))
 ;; ;; #;(define (rmt:send-receive cmd rid params #!key (attemptnum 1)(area-dat #f)) ;; start attemptnum at 1 so the modulo below works as expected
 ;; ;; 
 ;; ;; #;(common:telemetry-log (conc "rmt:"(->string cmd))

Index: ulex/ulex.scm
==================================================================
--- ulex/ulex.scm
+++ ulex/ulex.scm
@@ -114,11 +114,11 @@
   (my-hostname     #f)
   (my-port         #f)
   (my-pid          (current-process-id))
   (serv-listener   #f)
   (handler-thread  #f)
-  (handlers        '())
+  (handlers        (make-hash-table))
   (outgoing-conns  (make-hash-table))  ;; host:port -> conn
   )
 
 ;; struct for keeping track of others we are talking to
 
@@ -243,11 +243,12 @@
 
 (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))))
 
-;; send back ack
+;; send back ack, amusing I suppose that this looks almost like what
+;; tcp itself does ...
 ;;
 (define (reply udata host-port handler qrykey data #!optional (hostname #f)(pid #f))
   (let-values (((inp oup)(get-peer-ports udata host-port hostname pid)))
     (write-line (conc
 		 handler " "
@@ -279,10 +280,14 @@
 	       (data       (read-line inp)))
 	  (match (string-split controldat)
 	    ((handlerkey host:port hostname pid qrykey 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")))
+		  (reply udata host:port "version" qrykey val)))
 	       ((rucaptain)
 		(reply udata host:port "iamcaptain" qrykey (if (udat-my-cpkt-key udata)
 							       "yes"
 							       "no")))
 	       (else
@@ -289,10 +294,14 @@
 		(send-ack udata host:port qrykey hostname pid)
 		(add-to-work-queue udata (get-peer-dat udata host:port) handlerkey data)))
 	     (else (print "BAD DATA? handler=" handlerkey " data=" data)))))
 	(loop state)))))
 
+;; add a proc to the handler list
+(define (register-handler udata key proc)
+  (hash-table-set! (udat-handlers udata) key proc))
+
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; connection setup and management functions
 ;;======================================================================
 
 ;; find or become the captain, return a ulex object