Index: configf.scm
==================================================================
--- configf.scm
+++ configf.scm
@@ -118,20 +118,24 @@
 	    (configf:lookup config "default" var))
 	(configf:lookup config "default" var))))
 
 (define-inline (configf:read-line p ht allow-processing)
   (let loop ((inl (read-line p)))
-    (if (and (string? inl)
-	     (not (string-null? inl))
-	     (equal? "\\" (string-take-right inl 1))) ;; last character is \ 
-	(let ((nextl (read-line p)))
-	  (if (not (eof-object? nextl))
-	      (loop (string-append inl nextl))))
-	(if (and allow-processing 
-		 (not (eq? allow-processing 'return-string)))
-	    (configf:process-line inl ht)
-	    inl))))
+    (let ((cont-line (and (string? inl)
+			  (not (string-null? inl))
+			  (equal? "\\" (string-take-right inl 1)))))
+      (if cont-line ;; last character is \ 
+	  (let ((nextl (read-line p)))
+	    (if (not (eof-object? nextl))
+		(loop (string-append (if cont-line 
+					 (string-take inl (- (string-length inl) 1))
+					 inl)
+				     nextl))))
+	  (if (and allow-processing 
+		   (not (eq? allow-processing 'return-string)))
+	      (configf:process-line inl ht)
+	      inl)))))
 
 ;; read a config file, returns hash table of alists
 
 ;; read a config file, returns hash table of alists
 ;; adds to ht if given (must be #f otherwise)

Index: dashboard-tests.scm
==================================================================
--- dashboard-tests.scm
+++ dashboard-tests.scm
@@ -374,13 +374,15 @@
 				    (need-update   (or (and (> curr-mod-time db-mod-time)
 							    (> (current-milliseconds)(+ last-update 250))) ;; every half seconds if db touched
 						       (> (current-milliseconds)(+ last-update 10000))     ;; force update even 10 seconds
 						       request-update))
 				    (newtestdat (if need-update 
+						    ;; NOTE: BUG HIDER, try to eliminate this exception handler
 						    (handle-exceptions
 						     exn 
-						     (debug:print-info 2 "test db access issue: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
+						     (debug:print-info 0 "WARNING: test db access issue for test " test-id ": " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))
+						     (make-db:test)
 						     (let* ((newdat (open-run-close db:get-test-info-by-id db test-id ))
 							    (tstdat (if newdat
 									(open-run-close tests:testdat-get-testinfo db test-id #f)
 									'())))
 						       (if (and newdat 
@@ -391,11 +393,12 @@
 								  (run-dur  (vector-ref rec 3)))
 							     (db:test-set-run_duration! newdat run-dur)
 							     (db:test-set-diskfree!     newdat diskfree)
 							     (db:test-set-cpuload!      newdat cpuload)))
 						       ;; (debug:print 0 "newdat=" newdat)
-						       newdat))
+						       newdat)
+						     )
 						    #f)))
 			       ;; (debug:print 0 "newtestdat=" newtestdat)
 			       (cond
 				((and need-update newtestdat)
 				 (set! testdat newtestdat)

Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -90,15 +90,15 @@
 ;; keeping it around for debugging purposes only
 (define (open-run-close-no-exception-handling  proc idb . params)
   (debug:print-info 11 "open-run-close-no-exception-handling START given a db=" (if idb "yes " "no ") ", params=" params)
   (if (or *db-write-access*
 	  (not (member proc *db:all-write-procs*)))
-      (let* ((db   (if idb 
-		       (if (procedure? idb)
-			   (idb)
-			   idb)
-		       (open-db)))
+      (let* ((db   (cond
+		    ((sqlite3:database? idb) idb)
+		    ((not idb)               (open-db))
+		    ((procedure? idb)       (idb))
+		    (else   	            (open-db))))
 	     (res #f))
 	(set! res (apply proc db params))
 	(if (not idb)(sqlite3:finalize! db))
 	(debug:print-info 11 "open-run-close-no-exception-handling END" )
 	res)
@@ -1914,11 +1914,11 @@
 	;; hand queries off to the write queue
 	(let ((response (case *transport-type*
 			  ((http)
 			   (debug:print-info 7 "Queuing item " item " for wrapped write")
 			   (db:queue-write-and-wait db qry-sig query params))
-			  (else  
+			  (else 
 			   (apply sqlite3:execute db query params)
 			   #t))))
 	  (debug:print-info 7 "Received " response " from wrapped write")
 	  (server:reply return-address qry-sig response response))
 	;; otherwise if appropriate flush the queue (this is a read or complex query)
@@ -2168,18 +2168,19 @@
     (if (sqlite3:database? tdb)
 	(handle-exceptions
 	 exn
 	 (debug:print 0 "ERROR: error on access to testdat for test with id " test-id)
 	 '()
-	 (sqlite3:for-each-row 
-	  (lambda (id test-id stepname state status event-time logfile)
-	    (set! res (cons (vector id test-id stepname state status event-time (if (string? logfile) logfile "")) res)))
-	  tdb
-	  "SELECT id,test_id,stepname,state,status,event_time,logfile FROM test_steps WHERE test_id=? ORDER BY id ASC;" ;; event_time DESC,id ASC;
-	  test-id)
-	 (sqlite3:finalize! tdb)
-	 (reverse res))
+	 (begin
+	   (sqlite3:for-each-row 
+	    (lambda (id test-id stepname state status event-time logfile)
+	      (set! res (cons (vector id test-id stepname state status event-time (if (string? logfile) logfile "")) res)))
+	    tdb
+	    "SELECT id,test_id,stepname,state,status,event_time,logfile FROM test_steps WHERE test_id=? ORDER BY id ASC;" ;; event_time DESC,id ASC;
+	    test-id)
+	   (sqlite3:finalize! tdb)
+	   (reverse res)))
 	'())))
 
 ;; get a pretty table to summarize steps
 ;;
 (define (db:get-steps-table db test-id #!key (work-area #f))

Index: db_records.scm
==================================================================
--- db_records.scm
+++ db_records.scm
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-(define (make-db:test)(make-vector 6))
+(define (make-db:test)(make-vector 20))
 (define-inline (db:test-get-id           vec) (vector-ref vec 0))
 (define-inline (db:test-get-run_id       vec) (vector-ref vec 1))
 (define-inline (db:test-get-testname     vec) (vector-ref vec 2))
 (define-inline (db:test-get-state        vec) (vector-ref vec 3))
 (define-inline (db:test-get-status       vec) (vector-ref vec 4))

Index: items.scm
==================================================================
--- items.scm
+++ items.scm
@@ -69,13 +69,18 @@
 				    (debug:print 6 "item-assoc->item-list x: " x)
 				    (if (< (length x) 2)
 					(begin
 					  (debug:print 0 "ERROR: malformed items spec " (string-intersperse x " "))
 					  (list (car x)'()))
-					(let ((name (car x))
-					      (items (cadr x)))
-					  (list name (string-split items)))))
+					(let* ((name (car x))
+					       (items (cadr x))
+					       (ilist (list name (if (string? items)
+								     (string-split items)
+								     '()))))
+					  (if (null? ilist)
+					      (debug:print 0 "ERROR: No items specified for " name))
+					  ilist)))
 				  itemsdat))))
 	(let ((debuglevel 5))
 	  (debug:print 5 "item-assoc->item-list: itemsdat => itemlst ")
 	  (if (debug:debug-mode 5)
 	      (begin

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -436,11 +436,11 @@
 	  (if (list? items-list)
 	      (begin
 		(tests:testqueue-set-items! test-record items-list)
 		(list hed tal reg reruns))
 	      (begin
-		(debug:print 0 "ERROR: The proc from reading the setup did not yield a list - please report this")
+		(debug:print 0 "ERROR: The proc from reading the items table did not yield a list - please report this")
 		(exit 1))))))
 
      ((and (null? fails)
 	   (not (null? non-completed)))
       (let* ((allinqueue (map (lambda (x)(if (string? x) x (db:test-get-testname x)))

Index: tests.scm
==================================================================
--- tests.scm
+++ tests.scm
@@ -737,16 +737,17 @@
     
 (define (tests:testdat-get-testinfo db test-id work-area)
    (let ((tdb         (db:open-test-db-by-test-id db test-id work-area: work-area))
 	 (res         '()))
      (if (sqlite3:database? tdb)
-	 (sqlite3:for-each-row
-	  (lambda (update-time cpuload diskfree run-duration)
-	    (set! res (cons (vector update-time cpuload diskfree run-duration) res)))
-	  tdb
-	  "SELECT update_time,cpuload,diskfree,run_duration FROM test_rundat ORDER BY update_time ASC;")
-	 (sqlite3:finalize! tdb))
+	 (begin
+	   (sqlite3:for-each-row
+	    (lambda (update-time cpuload diskfree run-duration)
+	      (set! res (cons (vector update-time cpuload diskfree run-duration) res)))
+	    tdb
+	    "SELECT update_time,cpuload,diskfree,run_duration FROM test_rundat ORDER BY update_time ASC;")
+	   (sqlite3:finalize! tdb)))
      res))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; A R C H I V I N G
 ;;======================================================================

ADDED   tests/fullrun/tests/no_items/testconfig
Index: tests/fullrun/tests/no_items/testconfig
==================================================================
--- /dev/null
+++ tests/fullrun/tests/no_items/testconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+[ezsteps]
+listfiles ls
+
+[items]
+FOO
+
+[test_meta]
+author matt
+owner  bob
+description This test runs a single ezstep which is expected to pass \
+but there is an items definition with no items. This should evoke an \
+error.
+
+tags first,single
+reviewed 09/10/2011, by Matt