Index: dashboard-tests.scm
==================================================================
--- dashboard-tests.scm
+++ dashboard-tests.scm
@@ -457,17 +457,26 @@
 				   ;; (conc ":" (car keyval) " " (cadr keyval)))
 				   (cadr keyval))
 				 keydat)
 			    "/"))
 	       (item-path  (db:test-get-item-path testdat))
+	       ;; this next block was added to fix a bug where variables were
+               ;; needed. Revisit this.
 	       (runconfig  (let ((runconfigf (conc  *toppath* "/runconfigs.config")))
-			     (if (file-exists? runconfigf)
-				 (setup-env-defaults runconfigf run-id (make-hash-table) keydat keystring)
-				 (make-hash-table))))
+	 		     (if (file-exists? runconfigf)
+	 			 (handle-exceptions
+                                   exn
+                                   #f  ;; do nothing, just keep on trucking ....
+                                   (setup-env-defaults runconfigf run-id (make-hash-table) keydat environ-patt: keystring))
+	 			 (make-hash-table))))
 	       (testconfig    (begin
+				;; (runs:set-megatest-env-vars run-id inrunname: runname testname: test-name itempath: item-path)
 				(runs:set-megatest-env-vars run-id inkeyvals: keydat inrunname: runname intarget: keystring testname: testname itempath: item-path) ;; these may be needed by the launching process
-				(tests:get-testconfig (db:test-get-testname testdat) test-registry #t)))
+				(handle-exceptions
+				 exn
+				 #f
+				 (tests:get-testconfig (db:test-get-testname testdat) test-registry #t))))
 	       (viewlog    (lambda (x)
 			     (if (file-exists? logfile)
 					;(system (conc "firefox " logfile "&"))
 				 (dashboard-tests:run-html-viewer logfile)
 				 (message-window (conc "File " logfile " not found")))))
@@ -594,11 +603,11 @@
 				     " -testpatt " (conc testname "/" (if (equal? item-path "")
 									  "%"
 									  item-path))
 				     " -v"))))
 	       (clean-run-execute  (lambda (x)
-				     (let ((cmd (conc "megatest -remove-runs -target " keystring " -runname " runname
+				     (let ((cmd (conc "bmegatest -remove-runs -target " keystring " -runname " runname
 						      " -testpatt " (conc testname "/" (if (equal? item-path "")
 											   "%"
 											   item-path))
 						      ";megatest -target " keystring " -runname " runname 
 						      " -runtests " (conc testname "/" (if (equal? item-path "")

Index: docs/manual/reference.txt
==================================================================
--- docs/manual/reference.txt
+++ docs/manual/reference.txt
@@ -58,10 +58,18 @@
 ------------------
 [setup]
 reruns 5
 ------------------
 
+Run time limit
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+-----------------
+[setup]
+runtimelim 1h 2m 3s  # this will automatically kill the test if it runs for more than 1h 2m and 3s
+-----------------
+
 The testconfig File
 -------------------
 
 Setup section
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Index: runconfig.scm
==================================================================
--- runconfig.scm
+++ runconfig.scm
@@ -8,13 +8,16 @@
 (declare (unit runconfig))
 (declare (uses common))
 
 (include "common_records.scm")
 
+;; NB// to process a runconfig ensure to use environ-patt with target!
+;;
 (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)) "/")
+	 (thekey  (if keyvals 
+		      (string-intersperse (map (lambda (x)(if x x "-na-")) (map cadr keyvals)) "/")
 		      (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"))))

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -102,10 +102,13 @@
 			(get-environment-variable "MT_TARGET")))
 	 (keys      (if inkeys    inkeys    (rmt:get-keys)))
 	 (keyvals   (if inkeyvals inkeyvals (keys:target->keyval keys target)))
 	 (vals      (hash-table-ref/default *env-vars-by-run-id* run-id #f))
 	 (link-tree (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "linktree")))
+    (if testname (setenv "MT_TEST_NAME" testname))
+    (if itempath (setenv "MT_ITEMPATH"  itempath))
+
     ;; get the info from the db and put it in the cache
     (if link-tree
 	(setenv "MT_LINKTREE" link-tree)
 	(debug:print 0 "ERROR: linktree not set, should be set in megatest.config in [setup] section."))
     (if (not vals)
@@ -1329,14 +1332,14 @@
 		      "\nTESTNAME: " full-test-name 
 		      "\n   test-config: " (hash-table->alist test-conf)
 		      "\n   itemdat: " itemdat
 		      )
     (debug:print 2 "Attempting to launch test " full-test-name)
-    (setenv "MT_TEST_NAME" test-name) ;; 
-    (setenv "MT_ITEMPATH"  item-path)
-    (setenv "MT_RUNNAME"   runname)
-    (runs:set-megatest-env-vars run-id inrunname: runname) ;; these may be needed by the launching process
+    ;; (setenv "MT_TEST_NAME" test-name) ;; 
+    ;; (setenv "MT_ITEMPATH"  item-path)
+    ;; (setenv "MT_RUNNAME"   runname)
+    (runs:set-megatest-env-vars run-id inrunname: runname testname: test-name itempath: item-path) ;; these may be needed by the launching process
     (change-directory *toppath*)
 
     ;; Here is where the test_meta table is best updated
     ;; Yes, another use of a global for caching. Need a better way?
     ;;