Index: rmtmod.scm
==================================================================
--- rmtmod.scm
+++ rmtmod.scm
@@ -81,11 +81,10 @@
 	typed-records
 	uri-common
 	z3
        
 	apimod
-	clientmod
 	commonmod
 	configfmod
 	dbmod
 	debugprint
 	itemsmod
@@ -218,13 +217,13 @@
 			   )))
     (if the-srv ;; yes, we have a server, now try connecting to it
 	(let* ((srv-addr (server-address the-srv))
 	       (ipaddr   (alist-ref 'ipaddr the-srv))
 	       (port     (alist-ref 'port   the-srv))
-	       (srv-key  (alist-ref 'srvkey the-srv))
+	       (srvkey   (alist-ref 'Z      the-srv))
 	       (fullpath (db:dbname->path apath dbname))
-	       (srvready (server-ready? ipaddr port fullpath)))
+	       (srvready (server-ready? ipaddr port srvkey)))
 	  (if srvready
 	      (begin
 		(hash-table-set! (rmt:remote-conns remote)
 				 dbname ;; fullpath ;; yes, I'd prefer it to be fullpath - FIXME later
 				 (make-rmt:conn
@@ -233,11 +232,11 @@
 				  fullname: fullpath
 				  hostport: srv-addr
 				  ipaddr: ipaddr
 				  port: port
 				  srvpkt: the-srv
-				  srvkey: srv-key ;; not the same as signature
+				  srvkey: srvkey ;; not the same as signature?
 				  lastmsg: (current-seconds)
 				  expires: (+ (current-seconds) 60) ;; this needs to be gathered during the ping
 				  ))
 		#t)
 	      (start-main-srv)))
@@ -1519,11 +1518,11 @@
 ;;
 ;; NOTE: This is NOT called directly from clients as not all transports support a client running
 ;;       in the same process as the server. 
 ;;
 (define (server:ping host port server-id #!key (do-exit #f))
-  (server-ready? host port "nokey yet"))
+  (server-ready? host port server-id))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; http-transportmod.scm contents moved here
 ;;======================================================================
 
@@ -1800,11 +1799,11 @@
 	(begin
 	  (write `((cmd . ping)
 		   (key . ,key)
 		   (params . ())) o)
 	  (let ((res (with-input-from-port i
-		       read)))
+		       read-string)))
 	    (close-output-port o)
 	    (close-input-port i)
 	    (if (string? res)
 		(string->sexpr res)
 		res)))
@@ -1849,12 +1848,13 @@
 	#f
 	(let* ((spkt  (car tail))
 	       (host  (alist-ref 'ipaddr spkt))
 	       (port  (alist-ref 'port spkt))
 	       (dbpth (alist-ref 'dbpath spkt))
+	       (srvkey (alist-ref 'Z spkt)) ;; (alist-ref 'srvkey spkt))
 	       (addr  (server-address spkt)))
-	  (if (server-ready? host port (conc apath"/"dbpth))
+	  (if (server-ready? host port srvkey)
 	      spkt
 	      (loop (cdr tail)))))))
 
 ;; am I the "first" in line server? I.e. my D card is smallest
 ;; use Z card as tie breaker
@@ -1920,11 +1920,11 @@
 				 (register-server
 				  pkts-dir *srvpktspec*
 				  (get-host-name)
 				  (servdat-port sdat) server-key
 				  (servdat-host sdat) db-file))
-	      
+	      (set! *my-signature* (servdat-uuid sdat)) ;; replace with Z
 	      ;; now read pkts and see if we are a contender
 	      (let* ((all-pkts     (get-all-server-pkts pkts-dir *srvpktspec*))
 		     (viables      (get-viable-servers all-pkts db-file))
 		     (best-srv     (get-best-candidate viables db-file))
 		     (best-srv-key (if best-srv (alist-ref 'servkey best-srv) #f)))

Index: tests/unittests/basicserver.scm
==================================================================
--- tests/unittests/basicserver.scm
+++ tests/unittests/basicserver.scm
@@ -71,10 +71,11 @@
 (define apath *toppath*)
 (define dbname ".db/2.db")
 (define remote *rmt:remote*)
 (define keyvals  '(("SYSTEM" "a")("RELEASE" "b")))
 
+(test #f '() (string->sexpr "()"))
 (test #f 'server-started (api:execute-requests *db* 'get-server (list *toppath* ".db/2.db")))
 (set! *dbstruct-db* #f)
 
 (exit)