Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -195,10 +195,35 @@
 ;; '(print (string-intersperse (map cadr (hash-table-ref/default (read-config "megatest.config" \#f \#t) "disks" '"'"'("none" ""))) "\n"))'
 (define (common:get-disks)
   (hash-table-ref/default 
    (read-config "megatest.config" #f #t)
    "disks" '("none" "")))
+
+;;======================================================================
+;; T A R G E T S
+;;======================================================================
+
+(define (common:args-get-target #!key (split #f))
+  (let* ((target  (if (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
+		      (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
+		      (if (args:get-arg "-target")
+			  (args:get-arg "-target")
+			  #f)))
+	 (tlist   (if target (string-split target "/" #t) '()))
+	 (valid   (if target
+		      (and (not (null? tlist))
+			   (null? (filter string-null? tlist)))
+		      #f)))
+    (if valid
+	(if split
+	    tlist
+	    target)
+	(if target
+	    (begin
+	      (debug:print 0 "ERROR: Invalid target, spaces or blanks not allowed")
+	      #f)
+	    #f))))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; M I S C   L I S T S
 ;;======================================================================
 
@@ -321,28 +346,32 @@
 	 (uname #f))
     (if (null? (car uname-res))
 	"unknown"
 	(caar uname-res))))
 	      
-(define (save-environment-as-files fname #!key (ignorevars (list "DISPLAY" "LS_COLORS" "XKEYSYMDB" "EDITOR")))
+(define (save-environment-as-files fname #!key (ignorevars (list "USER" "HOME" "DISPLAY" "LS_COLORS" "XKEYSYMDB" "EDITOR")))
   (let ((envvars (get-environment-variables))
         (whitesp (regexp "[^a-zA-Z0-9_\\-:;,.\\/%$]")))
      (with-output-to-file (conc fname ".csh")
        (lambda ()
           (for-each (lambda (key)
-		      (if (not (member key ignorevars))
-			  (let* ((val (cdr key))
-				 (sval (if (string-search whitesp val)(conc "\"" val "\"") val)))
-			    (print "setenv " (car key) " " sval))))
+		      (let* ((val (cdr key))
+			     (sval (if (string-search whitesp val)(conc "\"" val "\"") val)))
+			(print (if (member key ignorevars)
+				   "# setenv "
+				   "setenv ")
+			       (car key) " " sval)))
 		      envvars)))
      (with-output-to-file (conc fname ".sh")
        (lambda ()
           (for-each (lambda (key)
-		      (if (not (member key ignorevars))
-			  (let* ((val (cdr key))
-				 (sval (if (string-search whitesp val)(conc "\"" val "\"") val)))
-			    (print "export " (car key) "=" sval))))
+		      (let* ((val (cdr key))
+			     (sval (if (string-search whitesp val)(conc "\"" val "\"") val)))
+			(print (if (member key ignorevars)
+				   "# export "
+				   "export ")
+			       (car key) "=" sval)))
                     envvars)))))
 
 ;; set some env vars from an alist, return an alist with original values
 ;; (("VAR" "value") ...)
 (define (alist->env-vars lst)

Index: megatest.scm
==================================================================
--- megatest.scm
+++ megatest.scm
@@ -458,15 +458,11 @@
 		targets)
       (set! *didsomething* #t)))
 
 (define (full-runconfigs-read)
   (let* ((keys   (cdb:remote-run db:get-keys #f))
-	 (target (if (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
-		     (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
-		     (if (args:get-arg "-target")
-			 (args:get-arg "-target")
-			 #f)))
+	 (target (common:args-get-target))
 	 (key-vals (if target (keys:target->keyval keys target) #f))
 	 (sections (if target (list "default" target) #f))
 	 (data     (begin
 		     (setenv "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME" *toppath*)
 		     (if key-vals
@@ -522,12 +518,11 @@
 
 ;; since several actions can be specified on the command line the removal
 ;; is done first
 (define (operate-on action)
   (let* ((runrec (runs:runrec-make-record))
-	 (target (or (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
-		     (args:get-arg "-target"))))
+	 (target (common:args-get-target)))
     (cond
      ((not target)
       (debug:print 0 "ERROR: Missing required parameter for " action ", you must specify -target or -reqtarg")
       (exit 1))
      ((not (args:get-arg ":runname"))
@@ -569,12 +564,13 @@
 	(args:get-arg "-get-run-status"))
     (general-run-call
      "-set-run-status"
      "set run status"
      (lambda (target runname keys keyvals)
-       (let* ((runsdat  (cdb:remote-run db:get-runs-by-patt #f keys runname (or (args:get-arg "-target")
-									       (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")) #f #f))
+       (let* ((runsdat  (cdb:remote-run db:get-runs-by-patt #f keys runname 
+					(common:args-get-target)
+					#f #f))
 	      (header   (vector-ref runsdat 0))
 	      (rows     (vector-ref runsdat 1)))
 	 (if (null? rows)
 	     (begin
 	       (debug:print-info 0 "No matching run found.")
@@ -597,12 +593,13 @@
 	       (runpatt  (args:get-arg "-list-runs"))
 	       (testpatt (if (args:get-arg "-testpatt") 
 			     (args:get-arg "-testpatt") 
 			     "%"))
 	       (keys     (cdb:remote-run db:get-keys #f))
-	       (runsdat  (cdb:remote-run db:get-runs-by-patt #f keys runpatt (or (args:get-arg "-target")
-										 (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")) #f #f))
+	       (runsdat  (cdb:remote-run db:get-runs-by-patt #f keys runpatt
+					 (common:args-get-target)
+					 #f #f))
 		;; (cdb:remote-run db:get-runs #f runpatt #f #f '()))
 	       (runs     (db:get-rows runsdat))
 	       (header   (db:get-header runsdat))
 	       (db-targets (args:get-arg "-list-db-targets"))
 	       (seen     (make-hash-table)))

Index: runconfig.scm
==================================================================
--- runconfig.scm
+++ runconfig.scm
@@ -11,12 +11,11 @@
 (include "common_records.scm")
 
 (define (setup-env-defaults fname run-id already-seen keyvals #!key (environ-patt #f)(change-env #t))
   (let* ((keys    (map car keyvals))
 	 (thekey  (if keyvals (string-intersperse (map (lambda (x)(if x x "-na-")) (map cadr keyvals)) "/")
-		      (or (args:get-arg "-reqtarg") 
-			  (args:get-arg "-target")
+		      (or (common:args-get-target)
 			  (get-environment-variable "MT_TARGET")
 			  (begin
 			    (debug:print 0 "ERROR: setup-env-defaults called with no run-id or -target or -reqtarg")
 			    "nothing matches this I hope"))))
 	 ;; Why was system disallowed in the reading of the runconfigs file?
@@ -60,12 +59,11 @@
     finaldat))
 
 (define (set-run-config-vars run-id keyvals targ-from-db)
   (push-directory *toppath*) ;; the push/pop doesn't appear to do anything ...
   (let ((runconfigf (conc  *toppath* "/runconfigs.config"))
-	(targ       (or (args:get-arg "-target")
-			(args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
+	(targ       (or (common:args-get-target)
 			targ-from-db
 			(get-environment-variable "MT_TARGET"))))
     (pop-directory)
     (if (file-exists? runconfigf)
 	(setup-env-defaults runconfigf run-id #t keyvals

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -42,12 +42,11 @@
 		               *configdat*
 		               (begin
 		                 (debug:print 0 "ERROR: Called setup in a non-megatest area, exiting")
 		                 (exit 1)))))
 	  (runrec      (runs:runrec-make-record))
-	  (target      (or (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
-		           (args:get-arg "-target")))
+	  (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")))
 	  (keys        (keys:config-get-fields mconfig))
@@ -94,12 +93,11 @@
 			  (configf:get-section runconfig section)))
 	      (list "default" target))
     (vector target runname testpatt keys keyvals envdat mconfig runconfig serverdat transport db toppath run-id)))
 
 (define (set-megatest-env-vars run-id #!key (inkeys #f)(inrunname #f)(inkeyvals #f))
-  (let* ((target      (or (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
-			  (args:get-arg "-target")
+  (let* ((target      (or (common:args-get-target)
 			  (get-environment-variable "MT_TARGET")))
 	 (keys    (if inkeys    inkeys    (cdb:remote-run db:get-keys #f)))
 	 (keyvals (if inkeyvals inkeyvals (keys:target->keyval keys target)))
 	 (vals (hash-table-ref/default *env-vars-by-run-id* run-id #f)))
     ;; get the info from the db and put it in the cache
@@ -1395,26 +1393,21 @@
 
 ;; Since many calls to a run require pretty much the same setup 
 ;; this wrapper is used to reduce the replication of code
 (define (general-run-call switchname action-desc proc)
   (let ((runname (args:get-arg ":runname"))
-	(target  (if (args:get-arg "-target")
-		     (args:get-arg "-target")
-		     (args:get-arg "-reqtarg"))))
-	;; (th1     #f))
+	(target  (common:args-get-target)))
     (cond
      ((not target)
       (debug:print 0 "ERROR: Missing required parameter for " switchname ", you must specify the target with -target")
       (exit 3))
      ((not runname)
       (debug:print 0 "ERROR: Missing required parameter for " switchname ", you must specify the run name with :runname runname")
       (exit 3))
      (else
       (let ((db   #f)
-	    (keys #f)
-	    (target (or (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
-			(args:get-arg "-target"))))
+	    (keys #f))
 	(if (not (setup-for-run))
 	    (begin 
 	      (debug:print 0 "Failed to setup, exiting")
 	      (exit 1)))
 	;; (if (args:get-arg "-server")