Index: ulex/ulex.scm
==================================================================
--- ulex/ulex.scm
+++ ulex/ulex.scm
@@ -55,10 +55,12 @@
 ;;
 (define (setup)
   (let* ((udata (make-udat))
 	 (cpkts (get-all-captain-pkts udata)) ;; read captain pkts
 	 (captn (get-winning-pkt cpkts)))
+    ;; check to see if our own server is started and start one if not
+    (if (not (udat-serv-listener udata))(start-server-find-port udata))
     (if captn
 	(let* ((port   (alist-ref 'port   captn))
 	       (host   (alist-ref 'host   captn))
 	       (ipaddr (alist-ref 'ipaddr captn))
 	       (pid    (alist-ref 'pid    captn))
@@ -82,11 +84,11 @@
 (define (connect udata dbfname dbtype)
   udata)
 
 (define (ping udata host-port)
   (let* ((cookie (make-cookie udata))
-	 (res (send-receive udata host-port 'ping "just pinging" (conc (current-seconds)) timeout: 1)))
+	 (res (send udata host-port 'ping cookie (conc (current-seconds)) retval: #t)))
     ;; (print "got res=" res)
     (equal? res cookie)
     ))
 
 ;;======================================================================
@@ -341,28 +343,41 @@
 
 ;; send structured data to recipient
 ;;
 ;;  NOTE: qrykey is what was called the "cookie" previously
 ;;
-(define (send udata host-port handler qrykey data #!key (hostname #f)(pid #f)(params '()))
+;;     retval tells send to expect and wait for return data (one line) and return it or time out
+;;       this is for ping where we don't want to necessarily have set up our own server yet.
+;;
+(define (send udata host-port handler qrykey data #!key (hostname #f)(pid #f)(params '())(retval #f))
   (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 ...
     ;;
     (if (and inp oup)
-	(begin
-	  (write-line (conc
+	(let* ((myhost (udat-my-address udata))
+	       (myport (udat-my-port    udata))
+	       (dat  (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
+		       (if (null? params) "" (conc " " (string-intersperse params " "))))))
+	  (if (and myhost myport)
+	      (begin
+		(write-line dat  oup)
+		(write-line data oup)
+		;; (print "Sent dat: " dat " data: " data)
+		(if retval
+		    (read-line inp)
+		    #t))
+	      (begin
+		(print "ERROR: send called but no receiver has been setup. Please call setup first!")
+		#f))
 	  ;; 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
 
@@ -424,27 +439,30 @@
 	(print "got here: inp=" inp " oup=" oup)
 	(let* ((controldat (read-line inp))
 	       (data       (read-line inp)))
 	  (print "controldat: " controldat " data: " data)
 	  (match (string-split controldat)
-		 ((handlerkey host:port pid qrykey params ...)
-		  (print "handlerkey: " handlerkey " host:port: " host:port " pid: " pid " qrykey: " qrykey " params: " params)
+		 ((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) 
-		     (close-input-port inp) ;;; these don't work
-		     (close-output-port oup)
+		    ((ping) ;; special case - return result immediately on the same connection
 		     (let* ((proc (hash-table-ref/default (udat-handlers udata) 'ping #f))
 			    (val  (if proc (proc) "gotping")))
-		       (send udata host:port "version" qrykey val)))
+		       (write-line qrykey oup)
+		       #;(send udata host-port "version" qrykey val)
+		       )
+		     (close-input-port inp)
+		     (close-output-port oup)
+		     )
 		    ((rucaptain)
-		     (send udata host:port "iamcaptain" qrykey (if (udat-my-cpkt-key udata)
+		     (send udata host-port "iamcaptain" qrykey (if (udat-my-cpkt-key udata)
 								   "yes"
 								   "no")))
 		    (else
-		     ;; (send-ack udata host:port qrykey)
-		     (add-to-work-queue udata (get-peer-dat udata host:port) handlerkey qrykey data))))
+		     ;; (send-ack udata host-port qrykey)
+		     (add-to-work-queue udata (get-peer-dat udata host-port) handlerkey qrykey data))))
 		 (else (print "BAD DATA? controldat=" controldat " data=" data)))))
 	(loop state))))
 
 ;; add a proc to the handler list
 (define (register-handler udata key proc)