diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a88fd96c..9af2af4b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ loadups/*.dribble
 loadups/whereis.hash
 loadups/apps.sysout
 loadups/fuller.database
+loadups/build/
 
 # manual cross-reference files
 
diff --git a/internal/loadups/LOADUP-APPS b/internal/loadups/LOADUP-APPS
index e0c8df7b..ec4cde71 100644
--- a/internal/loadups/LOADUP-APPS
+++ b/internal/loadups/LOADUP-APPS
@@ -1,43 +1,86 @@
 (DEFINE-FILE-INFO PACKAGE "INTERLISP" READTABLE "INTERLISP" BASE 10)
 
-(FILECREATED "17-Jan-2023 20:34:02" {DSK}<home>frank>il>medley>gmedley>sources>LOADUP-APPS.;3 2095   
+(FILECREATED " 9-Mar-2025 20:03:27" {DSK}<home>frank>il>medley>internal>loadups>LOADUP-APPS.;10 3274   
 
-      :CHANGES-TO (FNS Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem)
+      :EDIT-BY "frank"
 
-      :PREVIOUS-DATE "17-Jan-2023 20:29:39" {DSK}<home>frank>il>medley>gmedley>sources>LOADUP-APPS.;2
+      :CHANGES-TO (FNS LOADUP-APPS)
+
+      :PREVIOUS-DATE " 9-Mar-2025 19:42:36" {DSK}<home>frank>il>medley>internal>loadups>LOADUP-APPS.;8
 )
 
 
 (PRETTYCOMPRINT LOADUP-APPSCOMS)
 
 (RPAQQ LOADUP-APPSCOMS ((GLOBALVARS *ALL-BUTTONS* BackgroundMenuCommands BackgroundMenu)
-                        (FNS Apps.LOADUP Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem)))
+                        (FNS LOADUP-APPS Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem)))
 (DECLARE%: DOEVAL@COMPILE DONTCOPY
 
 (GLOBALVARS *ALL-BUTTONS* BackgroundMenuCommands BackgroundMenu)
 )
 (DEFINEQ
 
-(Apps.LOADUP
-  [LAMBDA NIL                                                (* ; "Edited 12-Nov-2022 14:03 by FGH")
-    (PROGN 
-           (* ;; " Delete button(s) that are created when lispusers/BUTTONS is loaded")
+(LOADUP-APPS
+  [LAMBDA NIL                                              (* ; "Edited  9-Mar-2025 20:02 by frank")
+                                                             (* ; "Edited  2-Jan-2025 20:38 by lmm")
+                                                           (* ; "Edited  2-Jan-2025 06:30 by larry")
 
-           (for B in *ALL-BUTTONS* do (DELETE-BUTTON B))
+    (* ;; "= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =")
 
-           (* ;; " Remove the BUTTONS BackgroundMenu item")
+    (* ;; " Load ROOMS")
 
-           (Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem "Button Control")
+    (* ;; "")
 
-           (* ;; " Remove the NoteCards Background Menu Item")
+    (DOFILESLOAD `((SYSLOAD SOURCE)
+                   (FROM ,(MEDLEYDIR "ROOMS"))
+                   ROOMS))
 
-           (Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem 'NoteCards)
+    (* ;; "======================")
 
-           (* ;; " Remove the CLOS Background Menu Item")
+    (* ;; " Load Notecards and %"fix up%"")
 
-           (Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem 'BrowseClass)
-           (RPLACA [CAR (LIST '(A B C]
-                  NIL])
+    (* ;; "")
+
+    (DOFILESLOAD `((SYSLOAD)
+                   (FROM ,(CONCAT (UNIX-GETENV "NOTECARDSDIR")
+                                 "/system"))
+                   NOTECARDS))
+    (Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem 'NoteCards)               (* ; "")
+    (PUTASSOC 'NOTECARDS (LIST (UNIX-GETENV 'NOTECARDS_COMMIT_ID))
+           SYSOUTCOMMITS)
+
+    (* ;; "======================")
+
+    (* ;; " Load CLOS and %"fix up%"")
+
+    (* ;; " Assumes that clos/DEFSYS.DFASL has already been loaded (so CLOS: package is defined)")
+
+    (* ;; "")
+
+    (LOADUP-CLOS)
+    (CLOS::LOAD-CLOS)                                        (* ; "")
+    (Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem 'BrowseClass)
+
+    (* ;; "= = = = = = = = = = =  = = == = = = ")
+
+    (* ;; " Load lispusers/BUTTONS and %"fix up%"")
+
+    (* ;; "")
+
+    (DOFILESLOAD '((SYSLOAD)
+                   BUTTONS))
+    (Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem "Button Control")
+    (for B in *ALL-BUTTONS* do (DELETE-BUTTON B))
+
+    (* ;; "= = = = = = = = = = =  = = == = = = ")
+
+    (* ;; " Do misc")
+
+    (* ;; "")
+
+    (PUTASSOC 'MEDLEY (LIST (UNIX-GETENV 'LOADUP_COMMIT_ID))
+           SYSOUTCOMMITS)
+    (PRINTOUT T "commits-- " SYSOUTCOMMITS T])
 
 (Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem
   [LAMBDA (ItemStringOrAtom)
@@ -52,5 +95,5 @@
                                Apps.SBG])
 )
 (DECLARE%: DONTCOPY
-  (FILEMAP (NIL (647 2072 (Apps.LOADUP 657 . 1400) (Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem 1402 . 2070)))))
+  (FILEMAP (NIL (656 3251 (LOADUP-APPS 666 . 2579) (Apps.RemoveBackgroundMenuItem 2581 . 3249)))))
 STOP
diff --git a/internal/loadups/LOADUP-APPS.LCOM b/internal/loadups/LOADUP-APPS.LCOM
index 07d8eb3f..54800c0d 100644
Binary files a/internal/loadups/LOADUP-APPS.LCOM and b/internal/loadups/LOADUP-APPS.LCOM differ
diff --git a/internal/loadups/LOADUP-CLOS b/internal/loadups/LOADUP-CLOS
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..982f747a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/loadups/LOADUP-CLOS
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+(DEFINE-FILE-INFO PACKAGE "INTERLISP" READTABLE "INTERLISP" BASE 10)
+
+(FILECREATED " 9-Mar-2025 19:04:34" {DSK}<home>frank>il>medley>internal>loadups>LOADUP-CLOS.;1 600    
+
+      :EDIT-BY "frank"
+
+      :CHANGES-TO (VARS LOADUP-CLOSCOMS))
+
+
+(PRETTYCOMPRINT LOADUP-CLOSCOMS)
+
+(RPAQQ LOADUP-CLOSCOMS ((FNS LOADUP-CLOS)))
+(DEFINEQ
+
+(LOADUP-CLOS
+  [LAMBDA NIL                                              (* ; "Edited  9-Mar-2025 18:53 by frank")
+    (DOFILESLOAD `((SYSLOAD)
+                   (FROM ,(MEDLEYDIR "CLOS"))
+                   DEFSYS])
+)
+(DECLARE%: DONTCOPY
+  (FILEMAP (NIL (333 577 (LOADUP-CLOS 343 . 575)))))
+STOP
diff --git a/internal/loadups/LOADUP-CLOS.LCOM b/internal/loadups/LOADUP-CLOS.LCOM
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..369c8f1b
Binary files /dev/null and b/internal/loadups/LOADUP-CLOS.LCOM differ
diff --git a/internal/loadups/man-page/loadup.1 b/internal/loadups/man-page/loadup.1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..286198e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/loadups/man-page/loadup.1
@@ -0,0 +1,343 @@
+.\" Automatically generated by Pandoc 3.1.3
+.\"
+.\" Define V font for inline verbatim, using C font in formats
+.\" that render this, and otherwise B font.
+.ie "\f[CB]x\f[]"x" \{\
+. ftr V B
+. ftr VI BI
+. ftr VB B
+. ftr VBI BI
+.\}
+.el \{\
+. ftr V CR
+. ftr VI CI
+. ftr VB CB
+. ftr VBI CBI
+.\}
+.ad l
+.TH "loadup" "1" "" "" "Run the Medley loadup procedure"
+.nh
+.SH NAME
+.PP
+\f[B]loadup\f[R] \[em] runs a loadup procedure for Medley Interlisp
+.SH SYNOPSIS
+.PP
+\f[B]<MEDLEYDIR>/scripts/loadup\f[R] [ options \&...
+]
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+.PP
+Runs all or part of the \f[B]loadup\f[R] procedure for Medley Interlisp.
+The loadup procedure is used to create the standard sysout files from
+which you can start a Medley session as well as other standard files
+that are useful in running Medley.
+After cloning Medley from GitHub or after making significant changes to
+the Medley source, you need to run the loadup procedure to (re)create
+these standard files.
+.PP
+The complete loadup procedure happens in 5 sequential stages with each
+stage depending on successful completion of the previous stage.
+There are two other non-sequential stages (Aux and DB), which depend
+only on the completion of Stage 4 (full.sysout).
+.PP
+You need not run all 5 stages, depending on what sysout files you need
+to create for your work.
+The target files created in each stage are copied into a loadups
+directory (<MEDLEYDIR>/loadups).
+The \f[I]medley\f[R] run script and other Medley tools look for these
+files in the loadups directory.
+.PP
+The 5 sequential stages and their main products are:
+.RS
+.IP "1." 3
+\f[B]Init:\f[R] create an \f[I]init.dlinit\f[R] sysout file.
+This init.dlinit file is used internally for Stage 2 and is not copied
+into the loadups directory.
+.RE
+.RS
+.IP "2." 3
+\f[B]Mid:\f[R] create an \f[I]init-mid.sysout\f[R].
+This init-mid.sysout is used only internally for Stage 3 and is not
+copied into the loadups directory.
+.RE
+.RS
+.IP "3." 3
+\f[B]Lisp:\f[R] create \f[I]lisp.sysout\f[R].
+Lisp.sysout has a minimal set of Medley\[cq]s functionality loaded and
+can be used as the basis for running a stripped-down Medley session.
+Lisp.sysout is copied into the loadups directory.
+.RE
+.RS
+.IP "4." 3
+\f[B]Full:\f[R] create \f[I]full.sysout\f[R].
+Full.sysout has all of the \[lq]standard\[rq] set of Medley
+functionality loaded and is the primary sysout used for running Medley
+sessions.
+Full.sysout is copied into the loadups directory.
+.RE
+.RS
+.IP "5." 3
+\f[B]Apps:\f[R]: create \f[I]apps.sysout\f[R].
+Apps.sysout includes everything in full.sysout plus the Medley
+applications Buttons, CLOS, Rooms, and Notecards.
+.RE
+.PP
+The two independent stages that can be run if the first 4 sequential
+stages complete successfully are:
+.RS
+.IP \[bu] 2
+\f[B]Aux:\f[R]: create the \f[I]whereis.hash\f[R] and
+\f[I]exports.all\f[R] files.
+These are databases that are commonly used when working on Medley source
+code.
+They are copied into the loadups directory.
+.IP \[bu] 2
+\f[B]DB:\f[R]: creates the \f[I]fuller.database\f[R] file.
+Fuller.database is a Mastercope database created by analyzing all of the
+source code included in full.sysout.
+(Stage 4) Fuller.database is copied into the loadups directory.
+.RE
+.PP
+Loadup does all of its work in a work directory
+(<MEDLEYDIR>loadups/build).
+The target files are copied from this work directory to the loadups
+directory if the loadup is successful.
+Each stage of the loadup also creates a dribble file containing the
+terminal output from within the Medley environment.
+These dribble files are not copied to the loadups directory, but remain
+available in the work directory after the loadup completes.
+.PP
+Only one instance (per <MEDLEIDIR>) of loadup can be run at a time.
+(The lock file is in the work directory and is named
+\f[B]\f[BI]lock\f[B]\f[R].
+It can be removed in case of an uncontrolled failure of the loadup
+procedure.)
+.PP
+Note: \f[B]MEDLEYDIR\f[R] is an environment variable set by the loadup
+script.
+It is set to the top level directory of the Medley installation that
+contains the specific loadup script that is invoked after all symbolic
+links are resolved.
+In the standard global installation this will be
+/usr/local/interlisp/medley.
+But Medley can be installed in multiple places on any given machine and
+hence MEDLEYDIR is computed on each invocation of loadup.
+.SH OPTIONS
+.TP
+\f[B]-z, --man, -man\f[R]
+Print this manual page on the screen.
+.TP
+\f[B]-t STAGE, --target STAGE, -target STAGE\f[R]
+Run the sequential loadup procedure until the STAGE is complete,
+starting from the files created by the previously run STAGE specified in
+the \[en]start option.
+.RS
+.PP
+STAGE can be one of the following:
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+i, init, 1: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 1 (init.dlinit).
+Init.dlinit is \f[I]not\f[R] copied into the loadups directory.
+.RE
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+m, mid, 2: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 2 (init-mid.sysout).
+Init-mid.sysout is \f[I]not\f[R] copied into the loadups directory.
+.RE
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+l, lisp, 3: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 3 (lisp.sysout).
+Lisp.sysout is copied into the loadups directory.
+.RE
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+f, full, 4: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 4 (full.sysout).
+Full.sysout is copied into the loadups directory.
+.RE
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+a, apps, 5: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 5 (apps.sysout).
+Also run the Aux stage as if \[en]aux option had been specified.
+Apps.sysout and the Aux files are copied into the loadups directory.
+.RE
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+a-, apps-, 5-: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 5 (apps.sysout).
+The Aux stage is not run unless otherwise specified.
+Apps.sysout is copied into the loadups directory.
+Also run the Aux stage as if \[en]aux option had been specified.
+.RE
+.RE
+.TP
+\f[B]-s STAGE --start STAGE, -start STAGE\f[R]
+Start the loadup process using the files previously created by STAGE.
+These files are looked for first in the loadups directory or, if not
+found there, in the work directory.
+It is an error if the files created by STAGE cannot be found.
+.RS
+.PP
+STAGE can be one of the following:
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+s, scratch, 0 : Start the loadup process from the beginning.
+This is the default.
+.RE
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+i, init, 1 : Start the loadup process using the files created by Stage 1
+(init.dlinit).
+.RE
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+m, mid, 2 : Start the loadup process using the files created by Stage 2
+(init-mid.sysout).
+.RE
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+l, lisp, 3 : Start the loadup process using the files created by Stage 3
+(lisp.sysout)
+.RE
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+f, full, 4 : Start the loadup process using the files created by Stage 4
+(full.sysout).
+.RE
+.RE
+.TP
+\f[B]-x, --aux, -aux\f[R]
+Run the Aux loadup stage, creating the \f[I]whereis.hash\f[R] and
+\f[I]exports.all\f[R] files.
+If loadup completes successfully, these files are copied into loadups.
+.TP
+\f[B]-b, --db, -db\f[R]
+Run the DB loadup stage, creating the \f[I]fuller.database\f[R] file.
+If this stage complete successfully, these files are copied into
+loadups.
+.TP
+\f[B]-i, --init, -init, -1\f[R]
+Synonym for \[lq]\[en]target init\[rq]
+.TP
+\f[B]-m, --mid, -mid, -2\f[R]
+Synonym for \[lq]\[en]target mid\[rq]
+.TP
+\f[B]-l, --lisp, -lisp, -3\f[R]
+Synonym for \[lq]\[en]target lisp\[rq]
+.TP
+\f[B]-f, --full. -full, -4\f[R]
+Synonym for \[lq]\[en]target full\[rq]
+.TP
+\f[B]-a, --apps, -apps, -5\f[R]
+Synonym for \[lq]\[en]target apps\[rq]
+.TP
+\f[B]-a-, --apps-, -apps-, -5-\f[R]
+Synonym for \[lq]\[en]target apps\[rq]
+.TP
+\f[B]-nc, --nocopy, -nocopy\f[R]
+Run the specified loadups, but do not copy results into loadups
+directory.
+.TP
+\f[B]-tw, --thinw, -thinw\f[R]
+Before running loadups (if any), thin the working directory by deleting
+all versioned (\f[I].\[ti][0-9]\f[R]\[ti]) files.
+.TP
+\f[B]-tl, --thinl, -thinl\f[R]
+Before running loadups (if any), thin the loadups directory by deleting
+all versioned (\f[I].\[ti][0-9]\f[R]\[ti]) files.
+.TP
+\f[B]-d DIR --maikodir DIR, -maikodir DIR\f[R]
+Use DIR as the directory from which to execute lde (Miko) when running
+Medley in the loadup process.
+If this flag is not present, the value of the environment variable
+MAIKODIR will be used instead.
+And if MAIKODIR does not exist, then the default Maiko directory search
+within Medley will be used.
+.SH DEFAULTS
+.PP
+The defaults for the Options context-dependent and somewhat complicated
+due to the goal of maintaining compatibility with legacy loadup scripts.
+All of the following defaults rules hold independent of the
+\[en]maikodir (-d) option.
+.IP "1." 3
+If none of \[en]target, \[en]start, \[en]aux, and \[en]db are specified,
+then:
+.RS
+.PP
+1A.
+If neither \[en]thinw nor \[en]thinl are specified, the options default
+to:
+.RE
+.RS
+.RS
+.PP
+\f[B]\[en]target full \[en]start 0 \[en]aux\f[R]
+.RE
+.RE
+.RS
+.PP
+1B.
+If either \[en]thinw or \[en]thinl are specified, no loadups are run.
+.RE
+.IP "2." 3
+If neither \[en]start nor \[en]target are specified but either -aux or
+-db or both are, then \[en]start defaults to \f[I]full\f[R] and
+\[en]target is irrelevant.
+.IP "3." 3
+If \[en]start is specified and \[en]target is not, then \[en]target
+defaults to \f[I]full\f[R]
+.IP "4." 3
+If \[en]target is specified and \[en]start is not, then \[en]start
+defaults to \f[I]0\f[R]
+.SH EXAMPLES
+.PP
+\f[B]./loadup -full -s lisp\f[R] : run loadup thru Stage 4 (full.sysout)
+starting from existing Stage 3 outputs (lisp.sysout).
+.PP
+\f[B]./loadup --target full --start lisp\f[R] : run loadup thru Stage 4
+(full.sysout) starting from existing Stage 3 outputs (lisp.sysout).
+.PP
+\f[B]./loadup -5 \[en]aux\f[R] : run loadup from the beginning thru
+Stage 5 (apps.sysout) then run the Aux \[lq]stage\[rq] to create
+\f[I]whereis.hash\f[R] and \f[I]exports.all\f[R]
+.PP
+\f[B]./loadup -db\f[R] : just run the DB \[lq]stage\[rq] starting from
+an existing full.sysout; do not run any of the sequential stages.
+.PP
+\f[B]./loadup \[en]maikodir \[ti]/il/newmaiko\f[R] : run loadup sequence
+from beginning to full plus the loadup Aux stage, while using
+\f[I]\[ti]/il/newmaiko\f[R] as the location for the lde executables when
+running Medley.
+.PP
+\f[B]./loadup -full\f[R] : run loadup sequence from beginning thru full
+.PP
+\f[B]./loadup -apps\f[R] : run loadup sequence from beginning thru app.
+Also run the Aux stage loadup.
+.PP
+\f[B]./loadup -apps-\f[R] : run loadup sequence from beginning thru app.
+Do not run the Aux stage loadup.
+.SH BUGS
+.PP
+See GitHub Issues: <https://github.com/Interlisp/medley/issues>
+.SH COPYRIGHT
+.PP
+Copyright(c) 2025 by Interlisp.org
diff --git a/internal/loadups/man-page/loadup.1.gz b/internal/loadups/man-page/loadup.1.gz
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..30f1aa46
Binary files /dev/null and b/internal/loadups/man-page/loadup.1.gz differ
diff --git a/internal/loadups/man-page/loadup.1.md b/internal/loadups/man-page/loadup.1.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..76c4f599
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/loadups/man-page/loadup.1.md
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+﻿% loadup(1) | Run the Medley loadup procedure
+
+---
+adjusting: l
+hyphenate: false
+---
+
+NAME
+====
+
+**loadup** — runs a loadup procedure for Medley Interlisp
+
+SYNOPSIS
+========
+
+**\<MEDLEYDIR>/scripts/loadup** \[ options ... ]
+
+
+DESCRIPTION
+===========
+
+Runs all or part of the **loadup** procedure for Medley Interlisp.  The loadup procedure is used to create the standard sysout files from which you can start a Medley session as well as other standard files that are useful in running Medley.  After cloning Medley from GitHub or after making significant changes to the Medley source, you need to run the loadup procedure to (re)create these standard files.
+
+The complete loadup procedure happens in 5 sequential stages with each stage depending on successful completion
+of the previous stage.  There are two other non-sequential stages (Aux and DB), which depend only on the completion
+of Stage 4 (full.sysout).
+
+You need not run all 5 stages, depending on what sysout files you need to create for your work.
+The target files created in each stage are copied into a loadups directory (\<MEDLEYDIR>/loadups).
+The *medley* run script and other Medley tools look for these files in the loadups directory.
+
+The 5 sequential stages and their main products are:
+
+>1. **Init:**  create an *init.dlinit* sysout file.  This init.dlinit file is used internally for Stage 2 and is not copied into the loadups directory.
+
+>2. **Mid:** create an *init-mid.sysout*.  This init-mid.sysout is used only internally for Stage 3 and is not copied into the loadups directory.
+
+>3. **Lisp:** create *lisp.sysout*.  Lisp.sysout has a minimal set of Medley's functionality loaded and can be used as the basis for running a stripped-down Medley session.  Lisp.sysout is copied into the loadups directory.
+
+>4. **Full:** create *full.sysout*.  Full.sysout has all of the "standard" set of Medley functionality loaded and is the primary sysout used for running Medley sessions.  Full.sysout is copied into the loadups directory.
+
+>5. **Apps:**:  create *apps.sysout*.  Apps.sysout includes everything in full.sysout plus the Medley applications Buttons, CLOS, Rooms, and Notecards.
+
+
+The two independent stages that can be run if the first 4 sequential stages complete successfully are:
+
+>+ **Aux:**: create the *whereis.hash* and *exports.all* files.  These are databases that are commonly used when working on Medley source code.  They are copied into the loadups directory.
+>+ **DB:**: creates the *fuller.database* file.  Fuller.database is a Mastercope database created by analyzing all of the source code included in full.sysout. (Stage 4)  Fuller.database is copied into the loadups directory.
+
+
+Loadup does all of its work in a work directory (\<MEDLEYDIR>loadups/build).  The target files are copied from this work directory to the loadups directory if the loadup is successful.  Each stage of the loadup also creates a dribble file containing the terminal output from within the Medley environment.  These dribble files are not copied to the loadups directory, but remain available in the work directory after the loadup completes.
+
+
+Only one instance (per \<MEDLEIDIR>) of loadup can be run at a time.  (The lock file is in the work directory and is named ***lock***.  It can be removed in case of an uncontrolled failure of the loadup procedure.)
+
+Note: **MEDLEYDIR** is an environment variable set by the loadup script.  It is set to the top level directory of the Medley installation that contains the specific loadup script that
+is invoked after all symbolic links are resolved.  In the standard global installation this will 
+be /usr/local/interlisp/medley.  But Medley can be installed in multiple places on any given machine and
+hence MEDLEYDIR is computed on each invocation of loadup. 
+
+OPTIONS
+=======
+**-z, \-\-man, \-man**
+: Print this manual page on the screen.
+
+**-t STAGE, \-\-target STAGE, -target STAGE**
+: Run the sequential loadup procedure until the STAGE is complete, starting from the files created by the previously run STAGE specified in the --start option.
+
+>STAGE can be one of the following:
+ 
+>>i, init, 1: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 1 (init.dlinit).  Init.dlinit is *not* copied into the loadups directory. 
+
+>>m, mid, 2: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 2 (init-mid.sysout).  Init-mid.sysout is *not* copied into the loadups directory. 
+ 
+>>l, lisp, 3: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 3 (lisp.sysout).  Lisp.sysout is copied into the loadups directory. 
+ 
+>>f, full, 4: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 4 (full.sysout).  Full.sysout is copied into the loadups directory.
+ 
+>>a, apps, 5: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 5 (apps.sysout). Also run the Aux stage as if --aux option had been specified. Apps.sysout and the Aux files are copied into the loadups directory.
+
+>>a-, apps-, 5-: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 5 (apps.sysout).  The Aux stage is not run unless otherwise specified. Apps.sysout is copied into the loadups directory.  Also run the Aux stage as if --aux option had been specified.
+
+
+**-s STAGE \-\-start STAGE, -start STAGE**
+:  Start the loadup process using the files previously created by STAGE.  These files are looked for first in the loadups directory or, if not found there, in the work directory.  It is an error if the files created by      						STAGE cannot be found.
+
+>STAGE can be one of the following:
+ 
+>>s, scratch, 0 : Start the loadup process from the beginning.  This is the default.
+
+>> i, init, 1 : Start the loadup process using the files created by Stage 1 (init.dlinit).
+
+>>m, mid, 2 : Start the loadup process using the files created by Stage 2 (init-mid.sysout).
+
+>>l, lisp, 3 : Start the loadup process using the files created by Stage 3 (lisp.sysout)
+ 
+>>f, full, 4 : Start the loadup process using the files created by Stage 4 (full.sysout).
+
+**-x, \-\-aux, -aux**
+: Run the Aux loadup stage, creating the *whereis.hash* and *exports.all* files.  If loadup completes successfully, these files are copied into loadups.   
+
+**-b, \-\-db, \-db**
+: Run the DB loadup stage, creating the *fuller.database* file.  If this stage complete successfully, these files are copied into loadups.
+
+**-i, \-\-init, -init, -1**
+: Synonym for "--target init"
+
+**-m, \-\-mid, -mid, -2**
+: Synonym for "--target mid"
+
+**-l, \-\-lisp, -lisp, -3**
+: Synonym for "--target lisp"
+
+**-f, \-\-full. -full, -4**
+: Synonym for "--target full"
+
+**-a, \-\-apps, -apps, -5**
+: Synonym for "--target apps"
+
+**-a-, \-\-apps-, -apps-, -5-**
+: Synonym for "--target apps"
+
+**-nc, \-\-nocopy, -nocopy**
+: Run the specified loadups, but do not copy results into loadups directory.
+
+**-tw, \-\-thinw, -thinw**
+: Before running loadups (if any), thin the working directory by deleting all versioned (*.~[0-9]*~) files.
+
+**-tl, \-\-thinl, -thinl**
+: Before running loadups (if any), thin the loadups directory by deleting all versioned (*.~[0-9]*~) files.
+
+**-d DIR \-\-maikodir DIR, -maikodir DIR**
+:  Use DIR as the directory from which to execute lde (Miko) when running Medley in the loadup process.  If this flag is not present, the value of the environment variable MAIKODIR will be used instead.  And if MAIKODIR does not exist, then the default Maiko directory search within Medley will be used.
+
+DEFAULTS
+====
+The defaults for the Options context-dependent and somewhat complicated due to the goal of maintaining compatibility with legacy loadup scripts.  All of the following defaults rules hold independent of the --maikodir (-d) option.
+
+1. If none of --target, --start, --aux, and --db are specified, then:
+
+>1A.  If neither --thinw nor --thinl are specified,  the options default to:
+
+>> **--target full --start 0 --aux**
+
+>1B.  If either --thinw or --thinl are specified, no loadups are run.
+
+2. If neither --start nor --target are specified but either -aux or -db or both are, then --start defaults to *full* and --target is irrelevant.
+
+3. If --start is specified and --target is not, then --target defaults to *full*
+
+4. If --target is specified and --start is not, then --start defaults to *0*
+
+EXAMPLES
+====
+**./loadup -full -s lisp** : run loadup thru Stage 4 (full.sysout) starting from existing Stage 3 outputs (lisp.sysout).
+
+**./loadup \-\-target full \-\-start lisp** : run loadup thru Stage 4 (full.sysout) starting from existing Stage 3 outputs (lisp.sysout).
+
+**./loadup -5 --aux** : run loadup from the beginning thru Stage 5 (apps.sysout) then run the Aux "stage" to create *whereis.hash* and *exports.all*
+
+**./loadup -db** : just run the DB "stage" starting from an existing full.sysout; do not run any of the sequential stages.
+
+**./loadup --maikodir ~/il/newmaiko** :   run loadup sequence from beginning to full plus the loadup Aux stage, while using *~/il/newmaiko* as the location for the lde executables when running Medley.
+
+**./loadup -full** : run loadup sequence from beginning thru full
+
+**./loadup -apps** : run loadup sequence from beginning thru app. Also run the Aux stage loadup. 
+
+**./loadup -apps-** : run loadup sequence from beginning thru app. Do not run the Aux stage loadup.
+
+BUGS
+====
+
+See GitHub Issues: <https://github.com/Interlisp/medley/issues>
+
+COPYRIGHT
+=========
+
+Copyright(c) 2025 by Interlisp.org
diff --git a/internal/loadups/man-page/man2html.sh b/internal/loadups/man-page/man2html.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..19d66c58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/loadups/man-page/man2html.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+pandoc --from man --to html < loadup.1 > man_loadup.html
diff --git a/internal/loadups/man-page/man_loadup.html b/internal/loadups/man-page/man_loadup.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6fe7c9bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/loadups/man-page/man_loadup.html
@@ -0,0 +1,269 @@
+<h1>NAME</h1>
+<p><strong>loadup</strong> — runs a loadup procedure for Medley
+Interlisp</p>
+<h1>SYNOPSIS</h1>
+<p><strong>&lt;MEDLEYDIR&gt;/scripts/loadup</strong> [ options ... ]</p>
+<h1>DESCRIPTION</h1>
+<p>Runs all or part of the <strong>loadup</strong> procedure for Medley
+Interlisp. The loadup procedure is used to create the standard sysout
+files from which you can start a Medley session as well as other
+standard files that are useful in running Medley. After cloning Medley
+from GitHub or after making significant changes to the Medley source,
+you need to run the loadup procedure to (re)create these standard
+files.</p>
+<p>The complete loadup procedure happens in 5 sequential stages with
+each stage depending on successful completion of the previous stage.
+There are two other non-sequential stages (Aux and DB), which depend
+only on the completion of Stage 4 (full.sysout).</p>
+<p>You need not run all 5 stages, depending on what sysout files you
+need to create for your work. The target files created in each stage are
+copied into a loadups directory (&lt;MEDLEYDIR&gt;/loadups). The
+<em>medley</em> run script and other Medley tools look for these files
+in the loadups directory.</p>
+<p>The 5 sequential stages and their main products are:</p>
+<blockquote>
+<ol type="1">
+<li><p><strong>Init:</strong> create an <em>init.dlinit</em> sysout
+file. This init.dlinit file is used internally for Stage 2 and is not
+copied into the loadups directory.</p></li>
+</ol>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<ol start="2" type="1">
+<li><p><strong>Mid:</strong> create an <em>init-mid.sysout</em>. This
+init-mid.sysout is used only internally for Stage 3 and is not copied
+into the loadups directory.</p></li>
+</ol>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<ol start="3" type="1">
+<li><p><strong>Lisp:</strong> create <em>lisp.sysout</em>. Lisp.sysout
+has a minimal set of Medley’s functionality loaded and can be used as
+the basis for running a stripped-down Medley session. Lisp.sysout is
+copied into the loadups directory.</p></li>
+</ol>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<ol start="4" type="1">
+<li><p><strong>Full:</strong> create <em>full.sysout</em>. Full.sysout
+has all of the “standard” set of Medley functionality loaded and is the
+primary sysout used for running Medley sessions. Full.sysout is copied
+into the loadups directory.</p></li>
+</ol>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<ol start="5" type="1">
+<li><p><strong>Apps:</strong>: create <em>apps.sysout</em>. Apps.sysout
+includes everything in full.sysout plus the Medley applications Buttons,
+CLOS, Rooms, and Notecards.</p></li>
+</ol>
+</blockquote>
+<p>The two independent stages that can be run if the first 4 sequential
+stages complete successfully are:</p>
+<blockquote>
+<ul>
+<li><p><strong>Aux:</strong>: create the <em>whereis.hash</em> and
+<em>exports.all</em> files. These are databases that are commonly used
+when working on Medley source code. They are copied into the loadups
+directory.</p></li>
+<li><p><strong>DB:</strong>: creates the <em>fuller.database</em> file.
+Fuller.database is a Mastercope database created by analyzing all of the
+source code included in full.sysout. (Stage 4) Fuller.database is copied
+into the loadups directory.</p></li>
+</ul>
+</blockquote>
+<p>Loadup does all of its work in a work directory
+(&lt;MEDLEYDIR&gt;loadups/build). The target files are copied from this
+work directory to the loadups directory if the loadup is successful.
+Each stage of the loadup also creates a dribble file containing the
+terminal output from within the Medley environment. These dribble files
+are not copied to the loadups directory, but remain available in the
+work directory after the loadup completes.</p>
+<p>Only one instance (per &lt;MEDLEIDIR&gt;) of loadup can be run at a
+time. (The lock file is in the work directory and is named
+<strong><em>lock</em></strong>. It can be removed in case of an
+uncontrolled failure of the loadup procedure.)</p>
+<p>Note: <strong>MEDLEYDIR</strong> is an environment variable set by
+the loadup script. It is set to the top level directory of the Medley
+installation that contains the specific loadup script that is invoked
+after all symbolic links are resolved. In the standard global
+installation this will be /usr/local/interlisp/medley. But Medley can be
+installed in multiple places on any given machine and hence MEDLEYDIR is
+computed on each invocation of loadup.</p>
+<h1>OPTIONS</h1>
+<dl>
+<dt><strong>-z, --man, -man</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Print this manual page on the screen.</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-t STAGE, --target STAGE, -target STAGE</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Run the sequential loadup procedure until the STAGE is complete,
+starting from the files created by the previously run STAGE specified in
+the –start option.</p>
+<p>STAGE can be one of the following:</p>
+<blockquote>
+<p>i, init, 1: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 1 (init.dlinit).
+Init.dlinit is <em>not</em> copied into the loadups directory.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<p>m, mid, 2: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 2 (init-mid.sysout).
+Init-mid.sysout is <em>not</em> copied into the loadups directory.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<p>l, lisp, 3: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 3 (lisp.sysout).
+Lisp.sysout is copied into the loadups directory.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<p>f, full, 4: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 4 (full.sysout).
+Full.sysout is copied into the loadups directory.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<p>a, apps, 5: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 5 (apps.sysout).
+Also run the Aux stage as if –aux option had been specified. Apps.sysout
+and the Aux files are copied into the loadups directory.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<p>a-, apps-, 5-: Run the loadup sequence through Stage 5 (apps.sysout).
+The Aux stage is not run unless otherwise specified. Apps.sysout is
+copied into the loadups directory. Also run the Aux stage as if –aux
+option had been specified.</p>
+</blockquote>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-s STAGE --start STAGE, -start STAGE</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Start the loadup process using the files previously created by STAGE.
+These files are looked for first in the loadups directory or, if not
+found there, in the work directory. It is an error if the files created
+by STAGE cannot be found.</p>
+<p>STAGE can be one of the following:</p>
+<blockquote>
+<p>s, scratch, 0 : Start the loadup process from the beginning. This is
+the default.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<p>i, init, 1 : Start the loadup process using the files created by
+Stage 1 (init.dlinit).</p>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<p>m, mid, 2 : Start the loadup process using the files created by Stage
+2 (init-mid.sysout).</p>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<p>l, lisp, 3 : Start the loadup process using the files created by
+Stage 3 (lisp.sysout)</p>
+</blockquote>
+<blockquote>
+<p>f, full, 4 : Start the loadup process using the files created by
+Stage 4 (full.sysout).</p>
+</blockquote>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-x, --aux, -aux</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Run the Aux loadup stage, creating the <em>whereis.hash</em> and
+<em>exports.all</em> files. If loadup completes successfully, these
+files are copied into loadups.</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-b, --db, -db</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Run the DB loadup stage, creating the <em>fuller.database</em> file.
+If this stage complete successfully, these files are copied into
+loadups.</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-i, --init, -init, -1</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Synonym for “–target init”</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-m, --mid, -mid, -2</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Synonym for “–target mid”</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-l, --lisp, -lisp, -3</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Synonym for “–target lisp”</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-f, --full. -full, -4</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Synonym for “–target full”</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-a, --apps, -apps, -5</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Synonym for “–target apps”</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-a-, --apps-, -apps-, -5-</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Synonym for “–target apps”</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-nc, --nocopy, -nocopy</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Run the specified loadups, but do not copy results into loadups
+directory.</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-tw, --thinw, -thinw</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Before running loadups (if any), thin the working directory by
+deleting all versioned (<em>.~[0-9]</em>~) files.</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-tl, --thinl, -thinl</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Before running loadups (if any), thin the loadups directory by
+deleting all versioned (<em>.~[0-9]</em>~) files.</p>
+</dd>
+<dt><strong>-d DIR --maikodir DIR, -maikodir DIR</strong></dt>
+<dd>
+<p>Use DIR as the directory from which to execute lde (Miko) when
+running Medley in the loadup process. If this flag is not present, the
+value of the environment variable MAIKODIR will be used instead. And if
+MAIKODIR does not exist, then the default Maiko directory search within
+Medley will be used.</p>
+</dd>
+</dl>
+<h1>DEFAULTS</h1>
+<p>The defaults for the Options context-dependent and somewhat
+complicated due to the goal of maintaining compatibility with legacy
+loadup scripts. All of the following defaults rules hold independent of
+the –maikodir (-d) option.</p>
+<ol type="1">
+<li><p>If none of –target, –start, –aux, and –db are specified,
+then:</p>
+<p>1A. If neither –thinw nor –thinl are specified, the options default
+to:</p>
+<blockquote>
+<p><strong>–target full –start 0 –aux</strong></p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>1B. If either –thinw or –thinl are specified, no loadups are
+run.</p></li>
+<li><p>If neither –start nor –target are specified but either -aux or
+-db or both are, then –start defaults to <em>full</em> and –target is
+irrelevant.</p></li>
+<li><p>If –start is specified and –target is not, then –target defaults
+to <em>full</em></p></li>
+<li><p>If –target is specified and –start is not, then –start defaults
+to <em>0</em></p></li>
+</ol>
+<h1>EXAMPLES</h1>
+<p><strong>./loadup -full -s lisp</strong> : run loadup thru Stage 4
+(full.sysout) starting from existing Stage 3 outputs (lisp.sysout).</p>
+<p><strong>./loadup --target full --start lisp</strong> : run loadup
+thru Stage 4 (full.sysout) starting from existing Stage 3 outputs
+(lisp.sysout).</p>
+<p><strong>./loadup -5 –aux</strong> : run loadup from the beginning
+thru Stage 5 (apps.sysout) then run the Aux “stage” to create
+<em>whereis.hash</em> and <em>exports.all</em></p>
+<p><strong>./loadup -db</strong> : just run the DB “stage” starting from
+an existing full.sysout; do not run any of the sequential stages.</p>
+<p><strong>./loadup –maikodir ~/il/newmaiko</strong> : run loadup
+sequence from beginning to full plus the loadup Aux stage, while using
+<em>~/il/newmaiko</em> as the location for the lde executables when
+running Medley.</p>
+<p><strong>./loadup -full</strong> : run loadup sequence from beginning
+thru full</p>
+<p><strong>./loadup -apps</strong> : run loadup sequence from beginning
+thru app. Also run the Aux stage loadup.</p>
+<p><strong>./loadup -apps-</strong> : run loadup sequence from beginning
+thru app. Do not run the Aux stage loadup.</p>
+<h1>BUGS</h1>
+<p>See GitHub Issues:
+&lt;https://github.com/Interlisp/medley/issues&gt;</p>
+<h1>COPYRIGHT</h1>
+<p>Copyright(c) 2025 by Interlisp.org</p>
diff --git a/internal/loadups/man-page/md2man.sh b/internal/loadups/man-page/md2man.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..c8428788
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/loadups/man-page/md2man.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+pandoc loadup.1.md -s -t man -o loadup.1
+gzip --stdout loadup.1 >loadup.1.gz
diff --git a/internal/loadups/man-page/publish.sh b/internal/loadups/man-page/publish.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..438e8b02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/loadups/man-page/publish.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+./md2man.sh
+./man2html.sh
+
diff --git a/internal/loadups/man-page/showmd.sh b/internal/loadups/man-page/showmd.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..69750011
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/loadups/man-page/showmd.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+pandoc loadup.1.md -s -t man | /usr/bin/man -l -
diff --git a/loadup b/loadup
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..7786a976
--- /dev/null
+++ b/loadup
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+scripts/loadups/loadup-all.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/loadup b/scripts/loadup
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..dff8943c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadup
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+loadups/loadup-all.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-all.sh b/scripts/loadup-all.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 77d1fa99..00000000
--- a/scripts/loadup-all.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,146 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-# shellcheck disable=SC2181
-
-main() {
-
-	# shellcheck source=./loadup-setup.sh
-	. "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-setup.sh"
-
-	# look thru args looking to see if -apps, --apps, or -a was specified in args
-	apps=""
-	j=1
-	jmax=$#
-	while [ "$j" -le "$jmax" ]
-	do
-	  if [ "$(eval "printf %s \${${j}}")" = "-a" ] ||    \
-	     [ "$(eval "printf %s \${${j}}")" = "-apps" ] || \
-	     [ "$(eval "printf %s \${${j}}")" = "--apps" ]
-	  then
-	    apps="-apps"
-	    break
-	  fi
-	done
-
-	#  Do loadup components
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-init.sh"                   \
-	&& /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-mid-from-init.sh"       \
-	&& /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-lisp-from-mid.sh"       \
-	&& /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-full-from-lisp.sh"      \
-	&& {                                                           \
-	     if [ -n "${apps}" ];                                      \
-	     then                                                      \
-	       /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-apps-from-full.sh"; \
-	     fi;                                                       \
-	    }                                                          \
-	&& /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-aux.sh"                 \
-	&& /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/copy-all.sh" "${apps}"
-
-	if [ $? -eq 0 ]
-	then
-	  echo "+++++ loadup-all.sh: SUCCESS +++++"
-	else
-	  echo "----- loadup-all.sh: FAILURE -----"
-	fi
-
-}
-
-# shellcheck disable=SC2164,SC2034
-if [ -z "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}" ]
-then
-	#
-	#
-	# Some functions to determine what directory this script is being executed from
-	#
-	#
-	get_abs_filename() {
-	  # $1 : relative filename
-	  echo "$(cd "$(dirname "$1")" && pwd)/$(basename "$1")"
-	}
-
-	# This function taken from
-	# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29832037/how-to-get-script-directory-in-posix-sh
-	rreadlink() (
-
-	  # Execute this function in a *subshell* to localize variables and the effect of `cd`.
-
-	  target=$1
-	  fname=
-	  targetDir=
-	  CDPATH=
-
-	  # Try to make the execution environment as predictable as possible:
-	  # All commands below are invoked via `command`, so we must make sure that `command`
-	  # itself is not redefined as an alias or shell function.
-	  # (Note that command is too inconsistent across shells, so we don't use it.)
-	  # `command` is a *builtin* in bash, dash, ksh, zsh, and some platforms do not even have
-	  # an external utility version of it (e.g, Ubuntu).
-	  # `command` bypasses aliases and shell functions and also finds builtins 
-	  # in bash, dash, and ksh. In zsh, option POSIX_BUILTINS must be turned on for that
-	  # to happen.
-	  { \unalias command; \unset -f command; } >/dev/null 2>&1
-	  [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ] && options[POSIX_BUILTINS]=on # make zsh find *builtins* with `command` too.
-
-	  while :; do # Resolve potential symlinks until the ultimate target is found.
-	      [ -L "$target" ] || [ -e "$target" ] || { command printf '%s\n' "ERROR: '$target' does not exist." >&2; return 1; }
-	      command cd "$(command dirname -- "$target")" # Change to target dir; necessary for correct resolution of target path.
-	      fname=$(command basename -- "$target") # Extract filename.
-	      [ "$fname" = '/' ] && fname='' # !! curiously, `basename /` returns '/'
-	      if [ -L "$fname" ]; then
-	        # Extract [next] target path, which may be defined
-	        # *relative* to the symlink's own directory.
-	        # Note: We parse `ls -l` output to find the symlink target
-	        #       which is the only POSIX-compliant, albeit somewhat fragile, way.
-	        target=$(command ls -l "$fname")
-	        target=${target#* -> }
-	        continue # Resolve [next] symlink target.
-	      fi
-	      break # Ultimate target reached.
-	  done
-	  targetDir=$(command pwd -P) # Get canonical dir. path
-	  # Output the ultimate target's canonical path.
-	  # Note that we manually resolve paths ending in /. and /.. to make sure we have a normalized path.
-	  if [ "$fname" = '.' ]; then
-	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}"
-	  elif  [ "$fname" = '..' ]; then
-	    # Caveat: something like /var/.. will resolve to /private (assuming /var@ -> /private/var), i.e. the '..' is applied
-	    # AFTER canonicalization.
-	    command printf '%s\n' "$(command dirname -- "${targetDir}")"
-	  else
-	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}/$fname"
-	  fi
-	)
-
-	get_script_dir() {
-
-	    # call this with $0 (from main script) as its (only) parameter
-	    # if you need to preserve cwd, run this is a subshell since
-	    # it can change cwd
-
-	    # set -x
-
-	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( get_abs_filename "$1" )";
-
-	    while [ -h "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" ];
-	    do
-	        cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )";
-	        local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( rreadlink "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" )";
-	    done
-
-	    cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )" > '/dev/null';
-	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( pwd; )";
-
-	    # set +x
-
-	    echo "${local_SCRIPT_PATH}"
-	}
-
-	# end of script directory functions
-	###############################################################################
-
-        # figure out the script dir
-        LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR="$(get_script_dir "$0")"
-	export LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR
-
-fi
-
-main "$@"
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-all.sh b/scripts/loadup-all.sh
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..dff8943c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadup-all.sh
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+loadups/loadup-all.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-db.sh b/scripts/loadup-db.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 59f93ad2..00000000
--- a/scripts/loadup-db.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,123 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-main () {
-	# shellcheck source=./loadup-setup.sh
-	. "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-setup.sh"
-
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-db-from-full.sh"  \
-	&& /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/copy-db.sh"
-
-        # shellcheck disable=SC2181
-	if [ $? -eq 0 ];
-	then
-	  echo "+++++ loadup-db.sh: SUCCESS +++++"
-	else
-	  echo "----- loadup-db.sh: FAILURE -----"
-	fi
-}
-
-# shellcheck disable=SC2164,SC2034
-if [ -z "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}" ]
-then
-	#
-	#
-	# Some functions to determine what directory this script is being executed from
-	#
-	#
-	get_abs_filename() {
-	  # $1 : relative filename
-	  echo "$(cd "$(dirname "$1")" && pwd)/$(basename "$1")"
-	}
-
-	# This function taken from
-	# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29832037/how-to-get-script-directory-in-posix-sh
-	rreadlink() (
-
-	  # Execute this function in a *subshell* to localize variables and the effect of `cd`.
-
-	  target=$1
-	  fname=
-	  targetDir=
-	  CDPATH=
-
-	  # Try to make the execution environment as predictable as possible:
-	  # All commands below are invoked via `command`, so we must make sure that `command`
-	  # itself is not redefined as an alias or shell function.
-	  # (Note that command is too inconsistent across shells, so we don't use it.)
-	  # `command` is a *builtin* in bash, dash, ksh, zsh, and some platforms do not even have
-	  # an external utility version of it (e.g, Ubuntu).
-	  # `command` bypasses aliases and shell functions and also finds builtins 
-	  # in bash, dash, and ksh. In zsh, option POSIX_BUILTINS must be turned on for that
-	  # to happen.
-	  { \unalias command; \unset -f command; } >/dev/null 2>&1
-	  [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ] && options[POSIX_BUILTINS]=on # make zsh find *builtins* with `command` too.
-
-	  while :; do # Resolve potential symlinks until the ultimate target is found.
-	      [ -L "$target" ] || [ -e "$target" ] || { command printf '%s\n' "ERROR: '$target' does not exist." >&2; return 1; }
-	      command cd "$(command dirname -- "$target")" # Change to target dir; necessary for correct resolution of target path.
-	      fname=$(command basename -- "$target") # Extract filename.
-	      [ "$fname" = '/' ] && fname='' # !! curiously, `basename /` returns '/'
-	      if [ -L "$fname" ]; then
-	        # Extract [next] target path, which may be defined
-	        # *relative* to the symlink's own directory.
-	        # Note: We parse `ls -l` output to find the symlink target
-	        #       which is the only POSIX-compliant, albeit somewhat fragile, way.
-	        target=$(command ls -l "$fname")
-	        target=${target#* -> }
-	        continue # Resolve [next] symlink target.
-	      fi
-	      break # Ultimate target reached.
-	  done
-	  targetDir=$(command pwd -P) # Get canonical dir. path
-	  # Output the ultimate target's canonical path.
-	  # Note that we manually resolve paths ending in /. and /.. to make sure we have a normalized path.
-	  if [ "$fname" = '.' ]; then
-	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}"
-	  elif  [ "$fname" = '..' ]; then
-	    # Caveat: something like /var/.. will resolve to /private (assuming /var@ -> /private/var), i.e. the '..' is applied
-	    # AFTER canonicalization.
-	    command printf '%s\n' "$(command dirname -- "${targetDir}")"
-	  else
-	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}/$fname"
-	  fi
-	)
-
-	get_script_dir() {
-
-	    # call this with $0 (from main script) as its (only) parameter
-	    # if you need to preserve cwd, run this is a subshell since
-	    # it can change cwd
-
-	    # set -x
-
-	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( get_abs_filename "$1" )";
-
-	    while [ -h "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" ];
-	    do
-	        cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )";
-	        local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( rreadlink "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" )";
-	    done
-
-	    cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )" > '/dev/null';
-	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( pwd; )";
-
-	    # set +x
-
-	    echo "${local_SCRIPT_PATH}"
-	}
-
-	# end of script directory functions
-	###############################################################################
-
-        # figure out the script dir
-        LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR="$(get_script_dir "$0")"
-	export LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR
-
-fi
-
-main "$@"
-
-
-
-
-
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-db.sh b/scripts/loadup-db.sh
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..77bde694
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadup-db.sh
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+loadups/loadup-db.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-full.sh b/scripts/loadup-full.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 3df74171..00000000
--- a/scripts/loadup-full.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,121 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-main() {
-	# shellcheck source=./loadup-setup.sh
-	. "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-setup.sh"
-
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-init.sh"              \
-	&& /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-mid-from-init.sh"  \
-	&& /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-lisp-from-mid.sh"  \
-	&& /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-full-from-lisp.sh" \
-	&& /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/copy-full.sh"             ;
-
-	# shellcheck disable=SC2181
-	if [ $? -eq 0 ];
-	then
-	  echo "+++++ loadup-full.sh: SUCCESS +++++"
-	else
-	  echo "----- loadup-full.sh: FAILURE -----"
-	fi
-}
-
-# shellcheck disable=SC2164,SC2034
-if [ -z "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}" ]
-then
-	#
-	#
-	# Some functions to determine what directory this script is being executed from
-	#
-	#
-	get_abs_filename() {
-	  # $1 : relative filename
-	  echo "$(cd "$(dirname "$1")" && pwd)/$(basename "$1")"
-	}
-
-	# This function taken from
-	# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29832037/how-to-get-script-directory-in-posix-sh
-	rreadlink() (
-
-	  # Execute this function in a *subshell* to localize variables and the effect of `cd`.
-
-	  target=$1
-	  fname=
-	  targetDir=
-	  CDPATH=
-
-	  # Try to make the execution environment as predictable as possible:
-	  # All commands below are invoked via `command`, so we must make sure that `command`
-	  # itself is not redefined as an alias or shell function.
-	  # (Note that command is too inconsistent across shells, so we don't use it.)
-	  # `command` is a *builtin* in bash, dash, ksh, zsh, and some platforms do not even have
-	  # an external utility version of it (e.g, Ubuntu).
-	  # `command` bypasses aliases and shell functions and also finds builtins 
-	  # in bash, dash, and ksh. In zsh, option POSIX_BUILTINS must be turned on for that
-	  # to happen.
-	  { \unalias command; \unset -f command; } >/dev/null 2>&1
-	  [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ] && options[POSIX_BUILTINS]=on # make zsh find *builtins* with `command` too.
-
-	  while :; do # Resolve potential symlinks until the ultimate target is found.
-	      [ -L "$target" ] || [ -e "$target" ] || { command printf '%s\n' "ERROR: '$target' does not exist." >&2; return 1; }
-	      command cd "$(command dirname -- "$target")" # Change to target dir; necessary for correct resolution of target path.
-	      fname=$(command basename -- "$target") # Extract filename.
-	      [ "$fname" = '/' ] && fname='' # !! curiously, `basename /` returns '/'
-	      if [ -L "$fname" ]; then
-	        # Extract [next] target path, which may be defined
-	        # *relative* to the symlink's own directory.
-	        # Note: We parse `ls -l` output to find the symlink target
-	        #       which is the only POSIX-compliant, albeit somewhat fragile, way.
-	        target=$(command ls -l "$fname")
-	        target=${target#* -> }
-	        continue # Resolve [next] symlink target.
-	      fi
-	      break # Ultimate target reached.
-	  done
-	  targetDir=$(command pwd -P) # Get canonical dir. path
-	  # Output the ultimate target's canonical path.
-	  # Note that we manually resolve paths ending in /. and /.. to make sure we have a normalized path.
-	  if [ "$fname" = '.' ]; then
-	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}"
-	  elif  [ "$fname" = '..' ]; then
-	    # Caveat: something like /var/.. will resolve to /private (assuming /var@ -> /private/var), i.e. the '..' is applied
-	    # AFTER canonicalization.
-	    command printf '%s\n' "$(command dirname -- "${targetDir}")"
-	  else
-	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}/$fname"
-	  fi
-	)
-
-	get_script_dir() {
-
-	    # call this with $0 (from main script) as its (only) parameter
-	    # if you need to preserve cwd, run this is a subshell since
-	    # it can change cwd
-
-	    # set -x
-
-	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( get_abs_filename "$1" )";
-
-	    while [ -h "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" ];
-	    do
-	        cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )";
-	        local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( rreadlink "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" )";
-	    done
-
-	    cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )" > '/dev/null';
-	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( pwd; )";
-
-	    # set +x
-
-	    echo "${local_SCRIPT_PATH}"
-	}
-
-	# end of script directory functions
-	###############################################################################
-
-        # figure out the script dir
-        LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR="$(get_script_dir "$0")"
-	export LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR
-
-fi
-
-main "$@"
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-full.sh b/scripts/loadup-full.sh
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..bc7ec5a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadup-full.sh
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+loadups/loadup-full.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-setup.sh b/scripts/loadup-setup.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index bb1d5b34..00000000
--- a/scripts/loadup-setup.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,191 +0,0 @@
-#!to_be_sourced_only
-# shellcheck shell=sh
-
-MEDLEYDIR=$(cd "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/.."; pwd)
-export MEDLEYDIR
-
-if [ -z "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}" ]
-then
-  LOADUP_WORKDIR=/tmp/loadups-$$
-  export LOADUP_WORKDIR
-fi
-
-if [ -z "${LOADUP_SOURCEDIR}" ]
-then
-  LOADUP_SOURCEDIR="${MEDLEYDIR}/internal/loadups"
-  export LOADUP_SOURCEDIR
-fi
-
-if [ -z "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" ]
-then
-  LOADUP_OUTDIR="${MEDLEYDIR}/loadups"
-  export LOADUP_OUTDIR
-fi
-
-if [ -z "${LOADUP_LOGINDIR}" ]
-then
-  LOADUP_LOGINDIR="${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/logindir"
-  export LOADUP_LOGINDIR
-fi
-
-if [ ! -d "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" ];
-then
-  if [ ! -e "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" ];
-  then
-    mkdir -p "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"
-  else
-    echo "Error: ${LOADUP_OUTDIR} exists but is not a directory. Exiting."
-    exit 1
-  fi
-fi
-
-if [ ! -d "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}" ];
-then
-  if [ ! -e "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}" ];
-  then
-    mkdir -p "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"
-  else
-    echo "Error: ${LOADUP_WORKDIR} exists but is not a directory. Exiting."
-    exit 1
-  fi
-fi
-
-HAS_GIT= [ -f $(command -v git) ] && [ -x $(command -v git) ]
-export HAS_GIT
-
-is_git_dir () {
-  if ${HAS_GIT}
-  then
-    return $(git -C "$1" rev-parse >/dev/null 2>/dev/null; echo $?)
-  else
-    return 1
-  fi
-}
-
-
-git_commit_ID () {
-  if ${HAS_GIT}
-  then
-    if is_git_dir "$1"
-    then
-      # This does NOT indicate if there are any modified files!
-      COMMIT_ID=$(git -C "$1" rev-parse --short HEAD)
-    fi
-  fi
-}
-
-git_commit_ID "${LOADUP_SOURCEDIR}"
-LOADUP_COMMIT_ID="${COMMIT_ID}"
-export LOADUP_COMMIT_ID
-
-scr="-sc 1024x768 -g 1042x790"
-geometry=1024x768
-
-touch "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/loadup.timestamp
-
-script_name=$(basename "$0" ".sh")
-cmfile="${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/${script_name}.cm"
-initfile="${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/${script_name}.init"
-
-# look thru args looking to see if oldschool was specified in args
-j=1
-jmax=$#
-while [ "$j" -le "$jmax" ]
-do
-  if [ "$(eval "printf %s \${${j}}")" = "-os" ] || [ "$(eval "printf %s \${${j}}")" = "--oldschool" ]
-  then
-    LOADUP_OLDSCHOOL=true
-    export LOADUP_OLDSCHOOL
-    break
-  else
-    j=$(( j + 1 ))
-  fi
-done
-
-
-######################################################################
-
-loadup_start () {
-  echo ">>>>> START ${script_name}"
-  if [ -d "${MEDLEYDIR}/tmp" ];
-    then
-      TMP_PRE_EXISTS="true"
-      if [ -d "${MEDLEYDIR}/tmp/logindir" ];
-      then
-        LOGINDIR_PRE_EXISTS="true"
-      else
-        LOGINDIR_PRE_EXISTS="false"
-      fi
-    else
-      LOGINDIR_PRE_EXISTS="false"
-      TMP_PRE_EXISTS="false"
-  fi
-}
-
-loadup_finish () {
-  rm -f "${cmfile}"
-# 2024-05-05 FGH
-# Can't use exit code for now since on MacOS exit codes appear to be inverted
-# Will restore once MacOS exit code are figured out
-#  if [ "${exit_code}" -ne 0 ] || [ ! -f "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/$1" ]
-  if [ ! -f "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/$1" ]
-  then
-    echo "----- FAILURE -----"
-    exit_code=1
-  else
-    echo "+++++ SUCCESS +++++"
-    exit_code=0
-  fi
-  echo "..... files created ....."
-  if [ -f "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/$1" ]
-  then
-    shift;
-    for f in "$@"
-    do
-      # shellcheck disable=SC2045,SC2086
-      for ff in $(ls -1 "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/$f);
-      do
-        # shellcheck disable=SC2010
-        ls -l "${ff}" 2>/dev/null | grep -v "^.*~[0-9]\+~$"
-      done
-    done
-  fi
-  if [ "${TMP_PRE_EXISTS}" = "false" ];
-  then
-    rm -rf "${MEDLEYDIR}/tmp"
-  else
-    if [ "${LOGINDIR_PRE_EXISTS}" = "false" ];
-    then
-      rm -rf "${MEDLEYDIR}/tmp/logindir"
-    fi
-  fi
-  echo "<<<<< END ${script_name}"
-  echo ""
-  exit ${exit_code}
-}
-
-run_medley () {
-  if [ ! "${LOADUP_OLDSCHOOL}" = true ]
-  then
-    /bin/sh "${MEDLEYDIR}/scripts/medley/medley.command"         \
-             --config -                                          \
-             --id loadup_+                                       \
-             --geometry "${geometry}"                            \
-             --noscroll                                          \
-             --logindir "${LOADUP_LOGINDIR}"                     \
-             --rem.cm "${cmfile}"                                \
-             --greet "${initfile}"                               \
-             --sysout "$1"                                       \
-             "$2" "$3" "$4" "$5" "$6" "$7"                       ;
-    exit_code=$?
-  else
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-    "${MEDLEYDIR}/run-medley" ${scr} $2 $3 $4 $5 $6 $7 -loadup "${cmfile}" "$1"
-    exit_code=$?
-  fi
-
-}
-
-######################################################################
-
-
diff --git a/scripts/loadups/loadup b/scripts/loadups/loadup
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..0f1a886e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadups/loadup
@@ -0,0 +1,487 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# shellcheck disable=SC2181
+
+main() {
+
+	# shellcheck source=./loadup-setup.sh
+	. "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-setup.sh"
+
+	# process args
+        start=""
+        start_s=""
+        start_sysout=""
+        end=""
+        end_s=""
+        db=""
+        aux=""
+        nocopy=false
+        thinw=false
+        thinl=false
+        while [ "$#" -ne 0 ];
+      	do
+          case "$1" in
+            -t | -target | --target)
+              case "$2" in
+                a | apps | 5)
+                  end=5
+                  end_s=apps
+                  aux=true
+                  ;;
+                a- | apps- | 5-)
+                  end=5
+                  end_s=apps
+                  ;;
+                f | full | 4)
+                  end=4
+                  end_s=full
+                  ;;
+                l | lisp | 3)
+                  end=3
+                  end_s=lisp
+                  ;;
+                m | mid | 2)
+                  end=2
+                  end_s=mid
+                  ;;
+                i | init |1)
+                  end=1
+                  end_s=init
+                  ;;
+                *)
+                  output_error_msg "Error: unknown parameter to --start (-s) flag: $2${EOL}Exiting"
+                  exit 1
+                  ;;
+              esac
+              shift
+              ;;
+            -s | -start | --start)
+              case "$2" in
+               s | scratch | 0)
+                 start=0
+                 start_s=scratch
+                 start_sysout=starter.sysout
+                 ;;
+               i | init | 1)
+                 start=1
+                 start_s=init
+                 start_sysout=init.dlinit
+                 ;;
+               m | mid | 2)
+                 start=2
+                 start_s=mid
+                 start_sysout=init-mid.sysout
+                 ;;
+               l | lisp | 3)
+                 start=3
+                 start_s=lisp
+                 start_sysout=lisp.sysout
+                 ;;
+               f | full | 4)
+                 start=4
+                 start_s=full
+                 start_sysout=full.sysout
+                 ;;
+               *)
+                 output_error_msg "Error: unknown parameter to --start (-s) flag: $2${EOL}Exiting"
+                 exit 1
+                 ;;
+              esac
+              shift
+               ;;
+            -x | -aux | --aux)
+              aux=true
+              ;;
+            -b | -db | --db)
+              db=true
+              ;;
+            -a | -apps | --apps | -5)
+              end=5
+              end_s=apps
+              aux=true
+              ;;
+            -a- | -apps- | --apps- | -5-)
+              end=5
+              end_s=apps
+              ;;
+            -f | -full | --full | -4)
+              end=4
+              end_s=full
+              ;;
+            -l | -lisp | --lisp | -3)
+              end=3
+              end_s=lisp
+             ;;
+            -m | -mid | --mid | -2)
+              end=2
+              end_s=mid
+              ;;
+            -i | -init | --init | -1)
+              end=1
+              end_s=init
+              ;;
+            -nc | -nocopy | --nocopy)
+              nocopy=true
+              ;;
+            -tw | -thinw | --thinw)
+              thinw=true
+              ;;
+            -tl | -thinl | --thinl)
+              thinl=true
+              ;;
+            -d | -maikodir | --maikodir)
+              if [ -n "$2" ]
+              then
+                maikodir=$(cd "$2" 2>/dev/null && pwd)
+                if [ -z "${maikodir}" ] || [ ! -d "${maikodir}" ]
+                then
+                  output_error_msg "Error: In --maikodir (-d) command line argument, \"$2\" is not an existing directory.${EOL}Exiting"
+                  exit 1
+                fi
+              else
+                output_error_msg "Error: Missing value for the --maikodir (-d) command line argument.${EOL}Exiting"
+                exit 1
+              fi
+              export MAIKODIR="${maikodir}"
+              shift
+              ;;
+            --noendmsg)
+              noendmsg=true
+              ;;
+            -z | -man | --man )
+              if [ "$(uname)" = "Darwin" ]
+              then
+                /usr/bin/man "${LOADUP_SOURCEDIR}/man-page/loadup.1.gz"
+              else
+                /usr/bin/man -l "${LOADUP_SOURCEDIR}/man-page/loadup.1.gz"
+              fi
+              exit 0
+              ;;
+            *)
+              output_error_msg "Error: unknown flag: $1${EOL}Exiting"
+              exit 1
+              ;;
+          esac
+          shift
+	done
+
+        #
+        #
+        # check arguments
+        #
+        #
+
+        no_loadups=false
+
+        #
+        # check for no args or only maikodir arg and set defaults appropriately
+        #
+        if [ -z "${start}" ] && [ -z "${end}" ] && [ -z "${aux}" ] && [ -z "${db}" ]
+        then
+            end=4
+            end_s=full
+            start=0
+            start_s=scratch
+            start_sysout=starter.sysout
+            aux=true
+            db=false
+            if [ "${thinw}" = true ] || [ "${thinl}" = true ] 
+            then
+              no_loadups=true
+              nocopy=true
+            fi
+        fi
+
+        #
+        #  defaults for aux and db
+        #
+        if [ -z "${aux}" ]
+        then
+          aux=false
+        fi
+        if [ -z "${db}" ]
+        then
+          db=false
+        fi
+
+        #
+        # if no start and no end specified, then signal no stages
+        # otherwise if start or end is not specified, set defaults
+        #
+        if [ -z "${start}" ] && [ -z "${end}" ]
+        then
+          start=4
+          start_s=full
+          start_sysout=full.sysout
+          end=-1
+        else
+          if [ -z "${end}" ]
+          then
+            end=4
+            end_s=full
+          fi
+          if [ -z "${start}" ]
+          then
+            start=0
+            start_s=scratch
+            start_sysout=starter.sysout
+          fi
+        fi
+
+        #
+        # if aux and/or db is set and there is an end, the end must be full (4) or later
+        #
+        if { [ "${aux}" = true ] || [ "${db}" = true ] ; } && [ "${end}" -gt 0 ] && [ "${end}" -lt 4 ]
+        then
+          output_error_msg "Error: either -aux or -db was specified, but the ending sysout specified was \"before\" full (4)${EOL}}Exiting"
+          exit 1
+        fi
+
+        #
+        # End has to be greater than start unless $end is -1
+        #
+        if [ $end -ne -1 ] && [ $end -le $start ]
+        then
+          output_error_msg "Error: The final stage ($end_s) comes before or is the same as the start stage ($start_s)${EOL}Exiting"
+          exit 1
+        fi
+
+        #
+        # End of args checks
+        #
+
+
+        # check and set the run_lock
+        check_run_lock
+
+        # if requested, thin the loadups and workdirs by eliminating all versioned (*.~[0-9]*~) files
+        # from these directories
+        if [ "${thinw}" = true ]
+        then
+          "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}"/thin_loadups.sh w
+        fi
+        if [ "${thinl}" = true ]
+        then
+          "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}"/thin_loadups.sh l
+        fi
+
+	# find and place starting sysout
+        if [ $start -gt 0 ]
+        then
+          if [ ! -f "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/"${start_sysout}" ]
+          then
+            if [ -f "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"/"${start_sysout}" ]
+            then
+              cp -p "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"/"${start_sysout}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/"${start_sysout}"
+            else
+              output_error_msg "Error: Cannot find starting sysout (${start_sysout}) in either ${LOADUP_OUTDIR} or ${LOADUP_WORKDIR}${EOL}Exiting"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          fi
+        fi
+
+        #
+        #  Do individual loadups as requested
+        #
+
+        if [ "${no_loadups}" = false ]
+        then
+	        if [ $start -lt 1 ] && [ $end -ge 1 ]
+	        then
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-init.sh"
+	          exit_if_failure $? "${noendmsg}"
+	        fi
+
+		if [ $start -lt 2 ] && [ $end -ge 2 ]
+	        then
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-mid-from-init.sh"
+	          exit_if_failure $? "${noendmsg}"
+	        fi
+
+		if [ $start -lt 3 ] && [ $end -ge 3 ]
+	        then
+		  /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-lisp-from-mid.sh"
+	          exit_if_failure $? "${noendmsg}"
+		fi
+
+		if [ $start -lt 4 ] && [ $end -ge 4 ]
+	        then
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-full-from-lisp.sh"
+	          exit_if_failure $? "${noendmsg}"
+	        fi
+
+	        if [ $start -lt 5 ] && [ $end -ge 5 ]
+	        then
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-apps-from-full.sh"
+	          exit_if_failure $? "${noendmsg}"
+	        fi
+
+	        if [ "${aux}" = true ]
+	        then
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-aux.sh"
+	          exit_if_failure $? "${noendmsg}"
+	        fi
+
+	        if [ "${db}" = true ]
+	        then
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-db-from-full.sh"
+	          exit_if_failure $? "${noendmsg}"
+	        fi
+        fi
+
+
+        #
+        #   Done with loadups, successfully.  Now copy files into loadups dir from workdir
+        #
+
+        if [ "${nocopy}" = false ]
+        then
+
+	        if [ $start -eq 0 ] && [ $end -ge 1 ]
+	        then
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/RDSYS "${MEDLEYDIR}/library"         \
+	              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/RDSYS.LCOM "${MEDLEYDIR}/library"    \
+	              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+	        fi
+
+	        if [ $start -le 2 ] && [ $end -ge 3 ]
+	        then
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/lisp.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"       \
+	              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+	        fi
+
+	        if [ $start -le 3 ] && [ $end -ge 4 ]
+	        then
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/full.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"       \
+	              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+	        fi
+
+	        if  [ $start -le 4 ] && [ $end -ge 5 ]
+	        then
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/apps.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"       \
+	              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+	        fi
+
+	        if [ "${aux}" = true ]
+	        then
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/whereis.hash "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"      \
+	              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+	          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/exports.all "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"       \
+	              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+	        fi
+
+	        if [ "${db}" = true ]
+	        then
+		  /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/fuller.database "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"    \
+	              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+	        fi
+
+        fi
+
+        echo "+++++ loadup: SUCCESS +++++"
+        remove_run_lock
+        exit 0
+
+}
+
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC2164,SC2034
+if [ -z "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}" ]
+then
+	#
+	#
+	# Some functions to determine what directory this script is being executed from
+	#
+	#
+	get_abs_filename() {
+	  # $1 : relative filename
+	  echo "$(cd "$(dirname "$1")" && pwd)/$(basename "$1")"
+	}
+
+	# This function taken from
+	# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29832037/how-to-get-script-directory-in-posix-sh
+	rreadlink() (
+
+	  # Execute this function in a *subshell* to localize variables and the effect of `cd`.
+
+	  target=$1
+	  fname=
+	  targetDir=
+	  CDPATH=
+
+	  # Try to make the execution environment as predictable as possible:
+	  # All commands below are invoked via `command`, so we must make sure that `command`
+	  # itself is not redefined as an alias or shell function.
+	  # (Note that command is too inconsistent across shells, so we don't use it.)
+	  # `command` is a *builtin* in bash, dash, ksh, zsh, and some platforms do not even have
+	  # an external utility version of it (e.g, Ubuntu).
+	  # `command` bypasses aliases and shell functions and also finds builtins 
+	  # in bash, dash, and ksh. In zsh, option POSIX_BUILTINS must be turned on for that
+	  # to happen.
+	  { \unalias command; \unset -f command; } >/dev/null 2>&1
+	  [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ] && options[POSIX_BUILTINS]=on # make zsh find *builtins* with `command` too.
+
+	  while :; do # Resolve potential symlinks until the ultimate target is found.
+	      [ -L "$target" ] || [ -e "$target" ] || { command printf '%s\n' "ERROR: '$target' does not exist." >&2; return 1; }
+	      command cd "$(command dirname -- "$target")" # Change to target dir; necessary for correct resolution of target path.
+	      fname=$(command basename -- "$target") # Extract filename.
+	      [ "$fname" = '/' ] && fname='' # !! curiously, `basename /` returns '/'
+	      if [ -L "$fname" ]; then
+	        # Extract [next] target path, which may be defined
+	        # *relative* to the symlink's own directory.
+	        # Note: We parse `ls -l` output to find the symlink target
+	        #       which is the only POSIX-compliant, albeit somewhat fragile, way.
+	        target=$(command ls -l "$fname")
+	        target=${target#* -> }
+	        continue # Resolve [next] symlink target.
+	      fi
+	      break # Ultimate target reached.
+	  done
+	  targetDir=$(command pwd -P) # Get canonical dir. path
+	  # Output the ultimate target's canonical path.
+	  # Note that we manually resolve paths ending in /. and /.. to make sure we have a normalized path.
+	  if [ "$fname" = '.' ]; then
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}"
+	  elif  [ "$fname" = '..' ]; then
+	    # Caveat: something like /var/.. will resolve to /private (assuming /var@ -> /private/var), i.e. the '..' is applied
+	    # AFTER canonicalization.
+	    command printf '%s\n' "$(command dirname -- "${targetDir}")"
+	  else
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}/$fname"
+	  fi
+	)
+
+	get_script_dir() {
+
+	    # call this with $0 (from main script) as its (only) parameter
+	    # if you need to preserve cwd, run this is a subshell since
+	    # it can change cwd
+
+	    # set -x
+
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( get_abs_filename "$1" )";
+
+	    while [ -h "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" ];
+	    do
+	        cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )";
+	        local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( rreadlink "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" )";
+	    done
+
+	    cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )" > '/dev/null';
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( pwd; )";
+
+	    # set +x
+
+	    echo "${local_SCRIPT_PATH}"
+	}
+
+	# end of script directory functions
+	###############################################################################
+
+        # figure out the script dir
+        LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR="$(get_script_dir "$0")"
+	export LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR
+
+fi
+
+main "$@"
diff --git a/scripts/loadups/loadup-all.sh b/scripts/loadups/loadup-all.sh
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..4270be19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadups/loadup-all.sh
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+loadup
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-apps-from-full.sh b/scripts/loadups/loadup-apps-from-full.sh
similarity index 76%
rename from scripts/loadup-apps-from-full.sh
rename to scripts/loadups/loadup-apps-from-full.sh
index c5d925a8..fc69eff9 100755
--- a/scripts/loadup-apps-from-full.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadups/loadup-apps-from-full.sh
@@ -32,39 +32,43 @@ main() {
 	    exit 1
 	fi
 
-        git_commit_ID "${NOTECARDSDIR}"
-        NOTECARDS_COMMIT_ID="${COMMIT_ID}"
-        export NOTECARDS_COMMIT_ID
+	git_commit_ID "${NOTECARDSDIR}"
+	NOTECARDS_COMMIT_ID="${COMMIT_ID}"
+	export NOTECARDS_COMMIT_ID
 
         initfile="-"
-	cat >"${cmfile}" <<-"EOF"
+	cat >"${cmfile}" <<-EOF
 	"
 
-	(PROGN
-	   (IL:MEDLEY-INIT-VARS 'IL:GREET)
-	   (IL:DRIBBLE (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK})(IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR))(IL:L-CASE (QUOTE /apps.dribble))))
-	   (IL:LOAD (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV(QUOTE ROOMSDIR))(QUOTE /ROOMS)) 'IL:SYSLOAD)
-	   (IL:LOAD (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV(QUOTE NOTECARDSDIR))(QUOTE |/system/NOTECARDS.LCOM|)) 'IL:SYSLOAD)
-	   (IL:LOAD (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV(QUOTE CLOSDIR))(QUOTE /DEFSYS.DFASL)) 'IL:SYSLOAD)
-	   (IL:LOAD (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV(QUOTE MEDLEYDIR))(QUOTE |lispusers/BUTTONS.LCOM|)) 'IL:SYSLOAD)
-	   (IL:LOAD (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_SOURCEDIR)) (QUOTE /LOADUP-APPS.LCOM)) 'IL:SYSLOAD)
-       (IL:PRINT (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE NOTECARDS_COMMIT_ID)))
-       (IL:PUTASSOC (QUOTE IL:MEDLEY) (LIST (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_COMMIT_ID))) IL:SYSOUTCOMMITS)
-       (IL:PUTASSOC (QUOTE IL:NOTECARDS) (LIST (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE NOTECARDS_COMMIT_ID))) IL:SYSOUTCOMMITS)
-       (IL:PRINT IL:SYSOUTCOMMITS)
-	   (IL:HARDRESET)
+	(SETQ IL:LOADUP-SUCCESS
+	  (${NL_ER_SETQ}
+	    (PROGN
+	      (SETQ IL:HELPFLAG ${HELPFLAG})
+	      (IL:MEDLEY-INIT-VARS 'IL:GREET)
+	      (IL:DRIBBLE
+	        (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK})(IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR))(IL:L-CASE (QUOTE /apps.dribble)))
+	      )
+	      (IL:LOAD (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_SOURCEDIR))(QUOTE /LOADUP-CLOS.LCOM)))
+	      (IL:LOADUP-CLOS)
+	      (IL:LOAD (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_SOURCEDIR))(QUOTE /LOADUP-APPS.LCOM)))
+	      (IL:LOADUP-APPS)
+	      (IL:DRIBBLE)
+            )
+          )
 	)
-	SHH
-	(PROGN
-	   (IL:ENDLOADUP)
-	   (CLOS::LOAD-CLOS)
-	   (IL:|Apps.LOADUP|)
-	   (IL:DRIBBLE)
-	   (IL:MAKESYS
-	       (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK})(IL:UNIX-GETENV(QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR))(IL:L-CASE (QUOTE /apps.sysout)))
-	       :APPS)
+        (COND
+	  (IL:LOADUP-SUCCESS
+	    (IL:ENDLOADUP)
+	    (SETQ IL:HELPFLAG T)
+	    (SETQ IL:LOADUP-SUCCESS (QUOTE NOBIND))
+	    (IL:MAKESYS
+	      (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK})(IL:UNIX-GETENV(QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR)) (IL:L-CASE (QUOTE /apps.sysout)))
+	      :APPS
+	    )
+	    (IL:LOGOUT T 0)
+	  )
 	)
-	(IL:LOGOUT T)
+	(IL:LOGOUT T 1)
 
 	"
 	EOF
@@ -72,6 +76,7 @@ main() {
 	run_medley "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/full.sysout"
 
 	loadup_finish "apps.sysout" "apps.*"
+
 }
 
 
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-aux.sh b/scripts/loadups/loadup-aux.sh
similarity index 95%
rename from scripts/loadup-aux.sh
rename to scripts/loadups/loadup-aux.sh
index bb2d758d..f2301d10 100755
--- a/scripts/loadup-aux.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadups/loadup-aux.sh
@@ -11,22 +11,25 @@ main() {
         initfile="-"
 	cat >"${cmfile}" <<-"EOF"
 	"
+
+	(SETQ IL:HELPFLAG ${HELPFLAG})
 	(PROG
 	  ((WORKDIR (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR)) (QUOTE /))))
 	  (IL:MEDLEY-INIT-VARS)
-	  (IL:LOAD(QUOTE MEDLEY-UTILS))
-          (DRIBBLE (QUOTE {DSK}<TMP>FOOBAR))
+	  (IL:LOAD (QUOTE MEDLEY-UTILS))
+          (IL:DRIBBLE (IL:CONCAT WORKDIR (IL:L-CASE (QUOTE exports.dribble))))
 	  (IL:MAKE-EXPORTS-ALL (IL:CONCAT WORKDIR (IL:L-CASE (QUOTE exports.all))))
-	  (DRIBBLE)
+	  (IL:DRIBBLE)
 	  (IL:PUTASSOC (QUOTE IL:MEDLEY) (LIST (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_COMMIT_ID))) IL:SYSOUTCOMMITS)
 	  (IL:MAKE-WHEREIS-HASH
 	    (IL:CONCAT WORKDIR (IL:L-CASE (QUOTE whereis.dribble)))
 	    (IL:CONCAT WORKDIR (IL:L-CASE (QUOTE whereis.hash-tmp)))
 	    (IL:CONCAT WORKDIR (IL:L-CASE (QUOTE whereis.hash)))
-        NIL NIL
 	  )
-	  (IL:LOGOUT T)
+	  (IL:LOGOUT T 0)
 	)
+        (IL:LOGOUT T 1)
+
 	"
 	EOF
 
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-db-from-full.sh b/scripts/loadups/loadup-db-from-full.sh
similarity index 97%
rename from scripts/loadup-db-from-full.sh
rename to scripts/loadups/loadup-db-from-full.sh
index 9aec9c74..fef9535e 100755
--- a/scripts/loadup-db-from-full.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadups/loadup-db-from-full.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ main() {
 	SYSOUT="${MEDLEYDIR}/loadups/full.sysout"
 	if [ ! -f "${SYSOUT}" ];
 	then
-	  echo "Error: cannot find ${SYSOUT}.  Exiting."
+	  output_error_msg "Error: cannot find ${SYSOUT}.${EOL}Exiting."
 	  exit 1
 	fi
 
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ main() {
 	cat >"${cmfile}" <<-"EOF"
 	"
 
+	(SETQ IL:HELPFLAG ${HELPFLAG})
 	(PROG
 	  ((WORKDIR (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR)) (QUOTE /))))
 	  (SETQ IL:SYSOUTCOMMITS (LIST (LIST (QUOTE IL:MEDLEY) (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_COMMIT_ID)))))
@@ -28,8 +29,9 @@ main() {
 	    (IL:CONCAT WORKDIR (IL:L-CASE (QUOTE fuller.database)))
 	    (IL:CONCAT WORKDIR (IL:L-CASE (QUOTE fuller.sysout)))
 	  )
-	  (IL:LOGOUT T)
+	  (IL:LOGOUT T 0)
 	)
+        (IL:LOGOUT T 1)
 
 	"
 	EOF
diff --git a/scripts/loadups/loadup-db.sh b/scripts/loadups/loadup-db.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..678a6462
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadups/loadup-db.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+#   Redirect loadup-db.sh to omnibus loadup script
+#
+main() {
+
+    "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}"/loadup -db
+
+}
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC2164,SC2034
+if [ -z "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}" ]
+then
+	#
+	#
+	# Some functions to determine what directory this script is being executed from
+	#
+	#
+	get_abs_filename() {
+	  # $1 : relative filename
+	  echo "$(cd "$(dirname "$1")" && pwd)/$(basename "$1")"
+	}
+
+	# This function taken from
+	# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29832037/how-to-get-script-directory-in-posix-sh
+	rreadlink() (
+
+	  # Execute this function in a *subshell* to localize variables and the effect of `cd`.
+
+	  target=$1
+	  fname=
+	  targetDir=
+	  CDPATH=
+
+	  # Try to make the execution environment as predictable as possible:
+	  # All commands below are invoked via `command`, so we must make sure that `command`
+	  # itself is not redefined as an alias or shell function.
+	  # (Note that command is too inconsistent across shells, so we don't use it.)
+	  # `command` is a *builtin* in bash, dash, ksh, zsh, and some platforms do not even have
+	  # an external utility version of it (e.g, Ubuntu).
+	  # `command` bypasses aliases and shell functions and also finds builtins 
+	  # in bash, dash, and ksh. In zsh, option POSIX_BUILTINS must be turned on for that
+	  # to happen.
+	  { \unalias command; \unset -f command; } >/dev/null 2>&1
+	  [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ] && options[POSIX_BUILTINS]=on # make zsh find *builtins* with `command` too.
+
+	  while :; do # Resolve potential symlinks until the ultimate target is found.
+	      [ -L "$target" ] || [ -e "$target" ] || { command printf '%s\n' "ERROR: '$target' does not exist." >&2; return 1; }
+	      command cd "$(command dirname -- "$target")" # Change to target dir; necessary for correct resolution of target path.
+	      fname=$(command basename -- "$target") # Extract filename.
+	      [ "$fname" = '/' ] && fname='' # !! curiously, `basename /` returns '/'
+	      if [ -L "$fname" ]; then
+	        # Extract [next] target path, which may be defined
+	        # *relative* to the symlink's own directory.
+	        # Note: We parse `ls -l` output to find the symlink target
+	        #       which is the only POSIX-compliant, albeit somewhat fragile, way.
+	        target=$(command ls -l "$fname")
+	        target=${target#* -> }
+	        continue # Resolve [next] symlink target.
+	      fi
+	      break # Ultimate target reached.
+	  done
+	  targetDir=$(command pwd -P) # Get canonical dir. path
+	  # Output the ultimate target's canonical path.
+	  # Note that we manually resolve paths ending in /. and /.. to make sure we have a normalized path.
+	  if [ "$fname" = '.' ]; then
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}"
+	  elif  [ "$fname" = '..' ]; then
+	    # Caveat: something like /var/.. will resolve to /private (assuming /var@ -> /private/var), i.e. the '..' is applied
+	    # AFTER canonicalization.
+	    command printf '%s\n' "$(command dirname -- "${targetDir}")"
+	  else
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}/$fname"
+	  fi
+	)
+
+	get_script_dir() {
+
+	    # call this with $0 (from main script) as its (only) parameter
+	    # if you need to preserve cwd, run this is a subshell since
+	    # it can change cwd
+
+	    # set -x
+
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( get_abs_filename "$1" )";
+
+	    while [ -h "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" ];
+	    do
+	        cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )";
+	        local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( rreadlink "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" )";
+	    done
+
+	    cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )" > '/dev/null';
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( pwd; )";
+
+	    # set +x
+
+	    echo "${local_SCRIPT_PATH}"
+	}
+
+	# end of script directory functions
+	###############################################################################
+
+        # figure out the script dir
+        LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR="$(get_script_dir "$0")"
+	export LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR
+
+fi
+
+main "$@"
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-full-from-lisp.sh b/scripts/loadups/loadup-full-from-lisp.sh
similarity index 81%
rename from scripts/loadup-full-from-lisp.sh
rename to scripts/loadups/loadup-full-from-lisp.sh
index 98e46042..26424707 100755
--- a/scripts/loadup-full-from-lisp.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadups/loadup-full-from-lisp.sh
@@ -7,21 +7,32 @@ main() {
 	loadup_start
 
         initfile="-"
-	cat >"${cmfile}" <<-"EOF"
+	cat >"${cmfile}" <<-EOF
 	"
 
-	(PROGN
-	  (IL:LOAD (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_SOURCEDIR))(QUOTE /LOADUP-FULL.LCOM)))
-	  (IL:LOADUP-FULL (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV(QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR))(IL:L-CASE (QUOTE /full.dribble))))
-	  (IL:PUTASSOC (QUOTE IL:MEDLEY) (LIST (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_COMMIT_ID))) IL:SYSOUTCOMMITS)
-	  (IL:HARDRESET)
-	)
-	SHH
-	(PROGN
-	  (IL:ENDLOADUP)
-	  (IL:MAKESYS (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK})(IL:UNIX-GETENV(QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR))(IL:L-CASE (QUOTE /full.sysout))) :FULL))
-	  (IL:LOGOUT T)
+        (SETQ IL:LOADUP-SUCCESS
+          (${NL_ER_SETQ}
+            (PROGN
+	      (SETQ IL:HELPFLAG ${HELPFLAG})
+              (IL:LOAD (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_SOURCEDIR))(QUOTE /LOADUP-FULL.LCOM)))
+              (IL:LOADUP-FULL (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV(QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR))(IL:L-CASE (QUOTE /full.dribble))))
+              (IL:PUTASSOC (QUOTE IL:MEDLEY) (LIST (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_COMMIT_ID))) IL:SYSOUTCOMMITS)
+            )
+          )
+        )
+	(COND
+          (IL:LOADUP-SUCCESS
+	    (IL:ENDLOADUP)
+	    (SETQ IL:HELPFLAG T)
+            (SETQ IL:LOADUP-SUCCESS (QUOTE NOBIND))
+	    (IL:MAKESYS
+              (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK})(IL:UNIX-GETENV(QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR))(IL:L-CASE (QUOTE /full.sysout)))
+              :FULL
+            )
+            (IL:LOGOUT T 0)
+          )
 	)
+        (IL:LOGOUT T 1)
 
 	"
 	EOF
diff --git a/scripts/loadups/loadup-full.sh b/scripts/loadups/loadup-full.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..ac69a739
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadups/loadup-full.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+#   Redirect loadup-full.sh to omnibus loadup script
+#
+main() {
+
+    "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}"/loadup -target full
+
+}
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC2164,SC2034
+if [ -z "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}" ]
+then
+	#
+	#
+	# Some functions to determine what directory this script is being executed from
+	#
+	#
+	get_abs_filename() {
+	  # $1 : relative filename
+	  echo "$(cd "$(dirname "$1")" && pwd)/$(basename "$1")"
+	}
+
+	# This function taken from
+	# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29832037/how-to-get-script-directory-in-posix-sh
+	rreadlink() (
+
+	  # Execute this function in a *subshell* to localize variables and the effect of `cd`.
+
+	  target=$1
+	  fname=
+	  targetDir=
+	  CDPATH=
+
+	  # Try to make the execution environment as predictable as possible:
+	  # All commands below are invoked via `command`, so we must make sure that `command`
+	  # itself is not redefined as an alias or shell function.
+	  # (Note that command is too inconsistent across shells, so we don't use it.)
+	  # `command` is a *builtin* in bash, dash, ksh, zsh, and some platforms do not even have
+	  # an external utility version of it (e.g, Ubuntu).
+	  # `command` bypasses aliases and shell functions and also finds builtins 
+	  # in bash, dash, and ksh. In zsh, option POSIX_BUILTINS must be turned on for that
+	  # to happen.
+	  { \unalias command; \unset -f command; } >/dev/null 2>&1
+	  [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ] && options[POSIX_BUILTINS]=on # make zsh find *builtins* with `command` too.
+
+	  while :; do # Resolve potential symlinks until the ultimate target is found.
+	      [ -L "$target" ] || [ -e "$target" ] || { command printf '%s\n' "ERROR: '$target' does not exist." >&2; return 1; }
+	      command cd "$(command dirname -- "$target")" # Change to target dir; necessary for correct resolution of target path.
+	      fname=$(command basename -- "$target") # Extract filename.
+	      [ "$fname" = '/' ] && fname='' # !! curiously, `basename /` returns '/'
+	      if [ -L "$fname" ]; then
+	        # Extract [next] target path, which may be defined
+	        # *relative* to the symlink's own directory.
+	        # Note: We parse `ls -l` output to find the symlink target
+	        #       which is the only POSIX-compliant, albeit somewhat fragile, way.
+	        target=$(command ls -l "$fname")
+	        target=${target#* -> }
+	        continue # Resolve [next] symlink target.
+	      fi
+	      break # Ultimate target reached.
+	  done
+	  targetDir=$(command pwd -P) # Get canonical dir. path
+	  # Output the ultimate target's canonical path.
+	  # Note that we manually resolve paths ending in /. and /.. to make sure we have a normalized path.
+	  if [ "$fname" = '.' ]; then
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}"
+	  elif  [ "$fname" = '..' ]; then
+	    # Caveat: something like /var/.. will resolve to /private (assuming /var@ -> /private/var), i.e. the '..' is applied
+	    # AFTER canonicalization.
+	    command printf '%s\n' "$(command dirname -- "${targetDir}")"
+	  else
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}/$fname"
+	  fi
+	)
+
+	get_script_dir() {
+
+	    # call this with $0 (from main script) as its (only) parameter
+	    # if you need to preserve cwd, run this is a subshell since
+	    # it can change cwd
+
+	    # set -x
+
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( get_abs_filename "$1" )";
+
+	    while [ -h "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" ];
+	    do
+	        cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )";
+	        local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( rreadlink "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" )";
+	    done
+
+	    cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )" > '/dev/null';
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( pwd; )";
+
+	    # set +x
+
+	    echo "${local_SCRIPT_PATH}"
+	}
+
+	# end of script directory functions
+	###############################################################################
+
+        # figure out the script dir
+        LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR="$(get_script_dir "$0")"
+	export LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR
+
+fi
+
+main "$@"
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-init.sh b/scripts/loadups/loadup-init.sh
similarity index 99%
rename from scripts/loadup-init.sh
rename to scripts/loadups/loadup-init.sh
index 28f25e5a..4a42bd00 100755
--- a/scripts/loadup-init.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadups/loadup-init.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ main() {
 	   (LOADUP-SOURCE-DIR (CONCAT "{DSK}" (UNIX-GETENV "LOADUP_SOURCEDIR") "/"))
 	  )
 	  (SETQ DIRECTORIES (CONS LOADUP-SOURCE-DIR DIRECTORIES))
-      (PRINT (DATE))
+          (PRINT (DATE))
 	  (PRINT (SETQ SYSOUTCOMMITS (LIST (LIST (QUOTE MEDLEY) (UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_COMMIT_ID))))))
 	  (RESETLST (RESETSAVE OK.TO.MODIFY.FNS T)
 	    (MAKEINITGREET (CONCAT WORKDIR "init.sysout") (CONCAT WORKDIR "init.dlinit"))
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-lisp-from-mid.sh b/scripts/loadups/loadup-lisp-from-mid.sh
similarity index 89%
rename from scripts/loadup-lisp-from-mid.sh
rename to scripts/loadups/loadup-lisp-from-mid.sh
index 346ba69e..df4999b6 100755
--- a/scripts/loadup-lisp-from-mid.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadups/loadup-lisp-from-mid.sh
@@ -7,23 +7,30 @@ main() {
 	loadup_start
 
         initfile="-"
-	cat >"${cmfile}" <<-"EOF"
+	cat >"${cmfile}" <<-EOF
 	"
 
 	(PROGN
+          (SETQ LOADUP-SUCCESS NIL)
 	  (LOAD (CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE MEDLEYDIR)) (QUOTE /sources/MEDLEYDIR.LCOM)))
 	  (MEDLEY-INIT-VARS)
 	  (LOAD (CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_SOURCEDIR)) (QUOTE /LOADUP-LISP.LCOM)))
 	  (LOADUP-LISP (CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR)) (QUOTE /lisp.dribble)))
-	  (PUTASSOC (QUOTE MEDLEY) (LIST (UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_COMMIT_ID))) SYSOUTCOMMITS)
-	  (HARDRESET)
-	)
-	SHH
-	(PROGN
-	  (IL:ENDLOADUP)
-	  (IL:MAKESYS (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV(QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR)) (IL:L-CASE (QUOTE /lisp.sysout))) :LISP)
-	  (IL:LOGOUT T)
-	)
+          (SETQ LOADUP-SUCCESS T)
+          (HARDRESET)
+        )
+        (COND
+          (IL:LOADUP-SUCCESS
+	    (IL:ENDLOADUP)
+            (SETQ IL:HELPFLAG T)
+            (SETQ IL:LOADUP-SUCCESS (QUOTE NOBIND))
+	    (IL:MAKESYS
+               (IL:CONCAT (QUOTE {DSK}) (IL:UNIX-GETENV (QUOTE LOADUP_WORKDIR)) (IL:L-CASE (QUOTE /lisp.sysout)))
+               :LISP)
+	    (IL:LOGOUT T 0)
+          )
+        )
+        (IL:LOGOUT T 1)
 
 	"
 	EOF
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-mid-from-init.sh b/scripts/loadups/loadup-mid-from-init.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/loadup-mid-from-init.sh
rename to scripts/loadups/loadup-mid-from-init.sh
diff --git a/scripts/loadups/loadup-setup.sh b/scripts/loadups/loadup-setup.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8e37f540
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadups/loadup-setup.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,271 @@
+#!to_be_sourced_only
+# shellcheck shell=sh
+
+MEDLEYDIR=$(cd "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/../.." || exit; pwd)
+export MEDLEYDIR
+
+export LOADUP_CPV="${MEDLEYDIR}/scripts/cpv"
+
+if [ -z "${LOADUP_SOURCEDIR}" ]
+then
+  LOADUP_SOURCEDIR="${MEDLEYDIR}/internal/loadups"
+  export LOADUP_SOURCEDIR
+fi
+
+if [ -z "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" ]
+then
+  LOADUP_OUTDIR="${MEDLEYDIR}/loadups"
+  export LOADUP_OUTDIR
+fi
+
+if [ ! -d "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" ];
+then
+  if [ ! -e "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" ];
+  then
+    mkdir -p "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"
+  else
+    echo "Error: ${LOADUP_OUTDIR} exists but is not a directory. Exiting."
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+
+if [ -z "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}" ]
+then
+  LOADUP_WORKDIR="${LOADUP_OUTDIR}/build"
+  export LOADUP_WORKDIR
+fi
+
+if [ ! -d "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}" ];
+then
+  if [ ! -e "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}" ];
+  then
+    mkdir -p "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"
+  else
+    echo "Error: ${LOADUP_WORKDIR} exists but is not a directory. Exiting."
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+
+if [ -z "${LOADUP_LOGINDIR}" ]
+then
+  LOADUP_LOGINDIR="${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/logindir"
+  export LOADUP_LOGINDIR
+fi
+
+if [ ! -d "${LOADUP_LOGINDIR}" ];
+then
+  if [ ! -e "${LOADUP_LOGINDIR}" ];
+  then
+    mkdir -p "${LOADUP_LOGINDIR}"
+  else
+    echo "Error: ${LOADUP_LOGINDIR} exists but is not a directory. Exiting."
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+
+if [ -f "$(command -v git)" ] && [ -x "$(command -v git)" ]
+then
+  export HAS_GIT=true
+else
+  export HAS_GIT=false
+fi
+
+is_git_dir () {
+  if [ "${HAS_GIT}" = true ]
+  then
+    return "$(git -C "$1" rev-parse >/dev/null 2>/dev/null; echo $?)"
+  else
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+git_commit_ID () {
+  if [ "${HAS_GIT}" = true ]
+  then
+    if is_git_dir "$1"
+      then
+      # This does NOT indicate if there are any modified files!
+      COMMIT_ID="$(git -C "$1" rev-parse --short HEAD)"
+    fi
+  fi
+}
+
+git_commit_ID "${LOADUP_SOURCEDIR}"
+LOADUP_COMMIT_ID="${COMMIT_ID}"
+export LOADUP_COMMIT_ID
+
+# obsolete? scr="-sc 1024x768 -g 1042x790"
+geometry=1024x768
+
+touch "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/loadup.timestamp
+
+script_name=$(basename "$0" ".sh")
+cmfile="${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/${script_name}.cm"
+initfile="${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/${script_name}.init"
+
+
+# Select whether we use NLSETQ or ERSETQ to wrap the loadup
+# cm files depending on whether we want to allow breaks or not.
+# shellcheck disable=SC2034
+if [ -n "${LOADUP_NOBREAK}" ]
+then
+  HELPFLAG=NIL
+  NL_ER_SETQ=IL:NLSETQ
+else
+  HELPFLAG="(QUOTE IL:BREAK!)"
+  NL_ER_SETQ=IL:ERSETQ
+fi
+
+######################################################################
+
+loadup_start () {
+  touch "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/timestamp
+  sleep 1
+  echo ">>>>> START ${script_name}"
+}
+
+loadup_finish () {
+
+  if [ ! "${cmfile}" = "-" ]; then rm -f "${cmfile}"; fi
+  if [ ! "${initfile}" = "-" ]; then rm -f "${initfile}"; fi
+
+  if [ "${exit_code}" -ne 0 ] || [ ! -f "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/$1" ] \
+     || [ ! "$( find "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/$1" -newer "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/timestamp )" ]
+  then
+    output_error_msg "----- FAILURE ${script_name}-----"
+    exit_code=1
+  else
+    echo "+++++ SUCCESS +++++"
+    exit_code=0
+  fi
+  echo "..... files created ....."
+  if [ -f "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}/$1" ]
+  then
+    shift;
+    for f in "$@"
+    do
+      # shellcheck disable=SC2045,SC2086
+      for ff in $(ls -1 "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/$f);
+      do
+        # shellcheck disable=SC2010
+        if [ "$( find "${ff}" -newer "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/timestamp )" ]
+        then
+          ls -l "${ff}" 2>/dev/null | grep -v "^.*~[0-9]\+~$"
+        fi
+      done
+    done
+  fi
+  echo "<<<<< END ${script_name}"
+  echo ""
+
+  exit ${exit_code}
+}
+
+run_medley () {
+    /bin/sh "${MEDLEYDIR}/scripts/medley/medley.command"         \
+             --config -                                          \
+             --id loadup_+                                       \
+             --geometry "${geometry}"                            \
+             --noscroll                                          \
+             --logindir "${LOADUP_LOGINDIR}"                     \
+             --rem.cm "${cmfile}"                                \
+             --greet "${initfile}"                               \
+             --sysout "$1"                                       \
+             "$2" "$3" "$4" "$5" "$6" "$7"                       ;
+    exit_code=$?
+}
+
+is_tput="$(command -v tput)"
+if [ -z "${is_tput}" ]
+then
+  is_tput="$(command -v true)"
+fi
+
+
+EOL="
+"
+output_error_msg() {
+  local_oem_file="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/oem_$$
+  echo "$1" >"${local_oem_file}"
+  while read -r line
+  do
+      echo "$(${is_tput} setab 1)$(${is_tput} setaf 7)${line}$(${is_tput} sgr0)"
+  done <"${local_oem_file}"
+  rm -f "${local_oem_file}"
+}
+
+output_warn_msg() {
+  local_oem_file="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/oem_$$
+  echo "$1" >"${local_oem_file}"
+  while read -r line
+  do
+      echo "$(${is_tput} setab 3)$(${is_tput} setaf 4)${line}$(${is_tput} sgr0)"
+  done <"${local_oem_file}"
+  rm -f "${local_oem_file}"
+}
+
+exit_if_failure() {
+  if [ "$1" -ne 0 ]
+  then
+    if [ ! "$2" = "true" ]
+    then
+      output_error_msg  "----- ${script_name}: FAILURE -----${EOL}"
+    fi
+    remove_run_lock
+    exit 1
+  fi
+}
+
+process_maikodir() {
+        # process --maikodir argument.  Only use when --maikodir is only possible argument
+        while [ "$#" -ne 0 ];
+      	do
+          case "$1" in
+            -d | -maikodir | --maikodir)
+              if [ -n "$2" ]
+              then
+                maikodir=$(cd "$2" 2>/dev/null && pwd)
+                if [ -z "${maikodir}" ] || [ ! -d "${maikodir}" ]
+                then
+                  output_error_msg "Error: In --maikodir (-d) command line argument, \"$2\" is not an existing directory.${EOL}Exiting"
+                  exit 1
+                fi
+              else
+                output_error_msg "Error: Missing value for the --maikodir (-d) command line argument.${EOL}Exiting"
+                exit 1
+              fi
+              export MAIKODIR="${maikodir}"
+              shift
+              ;;
+            *)
+              output_error_msg "Error: unknown flag: $1${EOL}Exiting"
+              exit 1
+              ;;
+          esac
+          shift
+	done
+}
+
+export LOADUP_LOCKFILE="${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/lock
+
+check_run_lock() {
+  if [ -e "${LOADUP_LOCKFILE}" ]
+  then
+    output_error_msg "Error: Another loadup is already running with PID $(cat "${LOADUP_LOCKFILE}")${EOL}Exiting."
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "$$" > "${LOADUP_LOCKFILE}"
+  LOADUP_LOCK="$$"
+}
+
+remove_run_lock() {
+  if [ -n "${LOADUP_LOCK}" ]
+  then
+    rm -f "${LOADUP_LOCKFILE}"
+  fi
+}
+
+
+######################################################################
+
+
diff --git a/scripts/copy-all.sh b/scripts/loadups/obsolete/copy-all.sh
similarity index 69%
rename from scripts/copy-all.sh
rename to scripts/loadups/obsolete/copy-all.sh
index e120d26e..5f7f5324 100755
--- a/scripts/copy-all.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadups/obsolete/copy-all.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
+# shellcheck disable=SC2086
 
 main() {
 	# shellcheck source=./loadup-setup.sh
@@ -6,45 +7,59 @@ main() {
 
 	echo ">>>>> START ${script_name}"
 
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/full.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"       \
-	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/lisp.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"       \
-	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
 
-	if [ "${1}" = "-apps" ]; then
-	    /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/apps.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"   \
-	        | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
-	fi
+        aux="$1"
+        db="$2"
+        no_stages="$3"
+        start="$4"
+        end="$5"
 
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/whereis.hash "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"      \
-	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/exports.all "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"       \
-	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+        if [ $start -eq 0 ] && [ $end -ge 1 ]
+        then
+          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/RDSYS "${MEDLEYDIR}/library"         \
+              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/RDSYS.LCOM "${MEDLEYDIR}/library"    \
+              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+        fi
 
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/init.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"      \
-	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/lisp.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"      \
-	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/full.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"      \
-	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/whereis.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"   \
-	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+        if [ $start -le 2 ] && [ $end -ge 3 ]
+        then
+          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/lisp.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"       \
+              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+        fi
 
-	if [ "${1}" = "-apps" ]; then
-	    /bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/apps.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"  \
-	        | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
-	fi
+        if [ $start -le 3 ] && [ $end -ge 4 ]
+        then
+          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/full.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"       \
+              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+        fi
 
+        if  [ $start -le 3 ] && [ $end -ge 5 ]
+        then
+          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/apps.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"       \
+              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+        fi
 
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/RDSYS "${MEDLEYDIR}"/library         \
-	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/RDSYS.LCOM "${MEDLEYDIR}"/library    \
-	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+        if [ "${aux}" = true ]
+        then
+          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/whereis.hash "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"      \
+              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+          /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/exports.all "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"       \
+              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+        fi
 
+        if [ "${db}" = true ]
+        then
+	  /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/fuller.database "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"    \
+              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+	  /bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/fuller.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"     \
+              | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
+        fi
 
 	echo "<<<<< END ${script_name}"
 	echo ""
 	exit 0
+
 }
 
 
diff --git a/scripts/copy-db.sh b/scripts/loadups/obsolete/copy-db.sh
similarity index 95%
rename from scripts/copy-db.sh
rename to scripts/loadups/obsolete/copy-db.sh
index f3916906..4ec7a960 100755
--- a/scripts/copy-db.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadups/obsolete/copy-db.sh
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ main() {
 
 	echo ">>>>> START ${script_name}"
 
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/fuller.database "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/fuller.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"
+	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/fuller.database "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"
+	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/fuller.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"
 
 	echo "<<<<< END ${script_name}"
 	echo ""
diff --git a/scripts/copy-full.sh b/scripts/loadups/obsolete/copy-full.sh
similarity index 90%
rename from scripts/copy-full.sh
rename to scripts/loadups/obsolete/copy-full.sh
index fb2d4fab..ce7c6c97 100755
--- a/scripts/copy-full.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadups/obsolete/copy-full.sh
@@ -6,16 +6,16 @@ main() {
 
 	echo ">>>>> START ${script_name}"
 
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/full.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"  \
+	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/full.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"  \
 	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/lisp.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"  \
+	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/lisp.sysout "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}"  \
 	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
 
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/init.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" \
+	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/init.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" \
 	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/lisp.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" \
+	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/lisp.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" \
 	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
-	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/full.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" \
+	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_CPV}" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/full.dribble "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" \
 	    | sed -e "s#${MEDLEYDIR}/##g"
 
 	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/cpv" "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}"/RDSYS "${MEDLEYDIR}"/library                   \
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-and-release.sh b/scripts/loadups/obsolete/loadup-and-release.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/loadup-and-release.sh
rename to scripts/loadups/obsolete/loadup-and-release.sh
diff --git a/scripts/loadups/obsolete/loadup-db.sh b/scripts/loadups/obsolete/loadup-db.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..cb41dd04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadups/obsolete/loadup-db.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+main () {
+	# shellcheck source=./loadup-setup.sh
+	. "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-setup.sh"
+
+        check_run_lock
+
+        process_maikodir "$@"
+
+        # do the loadup
+	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-db-from-full.sh"
+        exit_if_failure $?
+	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/copy-db.sh"
+        exit_if_failure $?
+
+        echo "+++++ loadup-db.sh: SUCCESS +++++"
+        remove_run_lock
+        exit 0
+}
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC2164,SC2034
+if [ -z "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}" ]
+then
+	#
+	#
+	# Some functions to determine what directory this script is being executed from
+	#
+	#
+	get_abs_filename() {
+	  # $1 : relative filename
+	  echo "$(cd "$(dirname "$1")" && pwd)/$(basename "$1")"
+	}
+
+	# This function taken from
+	# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29832037/how-to-get-script-directory-in-posix-sh
+	rreadlink() (
+
+	  # Execute this function in a *subshell* to localize variables and the effect of `cd`.
+
+	  target=$1
+	  fname=
+	  targetDir=
+	  CDPATH=
+
+	  # Try to make the execution environment as predictable as possible:
+	  # All commands below are invoked via `command`, so we must make sure that `command`
+	  # itself is not redefined as an alias or shell function.
+	  # (Note that command is too inconsistent across shells, so we don't use it.)
+	  # `command` is a *builtin* in bash, dash, ksh, zsh, and some platforms do not even have
+	  # an external utility version of it (e.g, Ubuntu).
+	  # `command` bypasses aliases and shell functions and also finds builtins 
+	  # in bash, dash, and ksh. In zsh, option POSIX_BUILTINS must be turned on for that
+	  # to happen.
+	  { \unalias command; \unset -f command; } >/dev/null 2>&1
+	  [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ] && options[POSIX_BUILTINS]=on # make zsh find *builtins* with `command` too.
+
+	  while :; do # Resolve potential symlinks until the ultimate target is found.
+	      [ -L "$target" ] || [ -e "$target" ] || { command printf '%s\n' "ERROR: '$target' does not exist." >&2; return 1; }
+	      command cd "$(command dirname -- "$target")" # Change to target dir; necessary for correct resolution of target path.
+	      fname=$(command basename -- "$target") # Extract filename.
+	      [ "$fname" = '/' ] && fname='' # !! curiously, `basename /` returns '/'
+	      if [ -L "$fname" ]; then
+	        # Extract [next] target path, which may be defined
+	        # *relative* to the symlink's own directory.
+	        # Note: We parse `ls -l` output to find the symlink target
+	        #       which is the only POSIX-compliant, albeit somewhat fragile, way.
+	        target=$(command ls -l "$fname")
+	        target=${target#* -> }
+	        continue # Resolve [next] symlink target.
+	      fi
+	      break # Ultimate target reached.
+	  done
+	  targetDir=$(command pwd -P) # Get canonical dir. path
+	  # Output the ultimate target's canonical path.
+	  # Note that we manually resolve paths ending in /. and /.. to make sure we have a normalized path.
+	  if [ "$fname" = '.' ]; then
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}"
+	  elif  [ "$fname" = '..' ]; then
+	    # Caveat: something like /var/.. will resolve to /private (assuming /var@ -> /private/var), i.e. the '..' is applied
+	    # AFTER canonicalization.
+	    command printf '%s\n' "$(command dirname -- "${targetDir}")"
+	  else
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}/$fname"
+	  fi
+	)
+
+	get_script_dir() {
+
+	    # call this with $0 (from main script) as its (only) parameter
+	    # if you need to preserve cwd, run this is a subshell since
+	    # it can change cwd
+
+	    # set -x
+
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( get_abs_filename "$1" )";
+
+	    while [ -h "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" ];
+	    do
+	        cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )";
+	        local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( rreadlink "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" )";
+	    done
+
+	    cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )" > '/dev/null';
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( pwd; )";
+
+	    # set +x
+
+	    echo "${local_SCRIPT_PATH}"
+	}
+
+	# end of script directory functions
+	###############################################################################
+
+        # figure out the script dir
+        LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR="$(get_script_dir "$0")"
+	export LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR
+
+fi
+
+main "$@"
+
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/scripts/loadups/obsolete/loadup-full.sh b/scripts/loadups/obsolete/loadup-full.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..92a3a38e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadups/obsolete/loadup-full.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+main() {
+	# shellcheck source=./loadup-setup.sh
+	. "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-setup.sh"
+
+        process_maikodir "$@"
+
+        # do the loadup
+	/bin/sh "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}/loadup-all.sh" --full --noendmsg
+
+	# shellcheck disable=SC2181
+	if [ $? -eq 0 ];
+	then
+	  echo "+++++ ${script_name}: SUCCESS +++++"
+	else
+	  output_error_msg "----- ${script_name}: FAILURE -----${EOL}"
+	fi
+}
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC2164,SC2034
+if [ -z "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}" ]
+then
+	#
+	#
+	# Some functions to determine what directory this script is being executed from
+	#
+	#
+	get_abs_filename() {
+	  # $1 : relative filename
+	  echo "$(cd "$(dirname "$1")" && pwd)/$(basename "$1")"
+	}
+
+	# This function taken from
+	# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29832037/how-to-get-script-directory-in-posix-sh
+	rreadlink() (
+
+	  # Execute this function in a *subshell* to localize variables and the effect of `cd`.
+
+	  target=$1
+	  fname=
+	  targetDir=
+	  CDPATH=
+
+	  # Try to make the execution environment as predictable as possible:
+	  # All commands below are invoked via `command`, so we must make sure that `command`
+	  # itself is not redefined as an alias or shell function.
+	  # (Note that command is too inconsistent across shells, so we don't use it.)
+	  # `command` is a *builtin* in bash, dash, ksh, zsh, and some platforms do not even have
+	  # an external utility version of it (e.g, Ubuntu).
+	  # `command` bypasses aliases and shell functions and also finds builtins 
+	  # in bash, dash, and ksh. In zsh, option POSIX_BUILTINS must be turned on for that
+	  # to happen.
+	  { \unalias command; \unset -f command; } >/dev/null 2>&1
+	  [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ] && options[POSIX_BUILTINS]=on # make zsh find *builtins* with `command` too.
+
+	  while :; do # Resolve potential symlinks until the ultimate target is found.
+	      [ -L "$target" ] || [ -e "$target" ] || { command printf '%s\n' "ERROR: '$target' does not exist." >&2; return 1; }
+	      command cd "$(command dirname -- "$target")" # Change to target dir; necessary for correct resolution of target path.
+	      fname=$(command basename -- "$target") # Extract filename.
+	      [ "$fname" = '/' ] && fname='' # !! curiously, `basename /` returns '/'
+	      if [ -L "$fname" ]; then
+	        # Extract [next] target path, which may be defined
+	        # *relative* to the symlink's own directory.
+	        # Note: We parse `ls -l` output to find the symlink target
+	        #       which is the only POSIX-compliant, albeit somewhat fragile, way.
+	        target=$(command ls -l "$fname")
+	        target=${target#* -> }
+	        continue # Resolve [next] symlink target.
+	      fi
+	      break # Ultimate target reached.
+	  done
+	  targetDir=$(command pwd -P) # Get canonical dir. path
+	  # Output the ultimate target's canonical path.
+	  # Note that we manually resolve paths ending in /. and /.. to make sure we have a normalized path.
+	  if [ "$fname" = '.' ]; then
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}"
+	  elif  [ "$fname" = '..' ]; then
+	    # Caveat: something like /var/.. will resolve to /private (assuming /var@ -> /private/var), i.e. the '..' is applied
+	    # AFTER canonicalization.
+	    command printf '%s\n' "$(command dirname -- "${targetDir}")"
+	  else
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}/$fname"
+	  fi
+	)
+
+	get_script_dir() {
+
+	    # call this with $0 (from main script) as its (only) parameter
+	    # if you need to preserve cwd, run this is a subshell since
+	    # it can change cwd
+
+	    # set -x
+
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( get_abs_filename "$1" )";
+
+	    while [ -h "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" ];
+	    do
+	        cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )";
+	        local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( rreadlink "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" )";
+	    done
+
+	    cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )" > '/dev/null';
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( pwd; )";
+
+	    # set +x
+
+	    echo "${local_SCRIPT_PATH}"
+	}
+
+	# end of script directory functions
+	###############################################################################
+
+        # figure out the script dir
+        LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR="$(get_script_dir "$0")"
+	export LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR
+
+fi
+
+main "$@"
diff --git a/scripts/loadups/thin_loadups.sh b/scripts/loadups/thin_loadups.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..7bceb973
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/loadups/thin_loadups.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+#  Thin the Medley loadups and loadups/build directories by deleting all but the latest version.
+#
+#  2025-04-18 Frank Halasz
+#
+
+main() {
+
+    #shellcheck source=./loadup-setup.sh
+    . "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}"/loadup-setup.sh
+
+    if [ "$1" = "w" ] || [ "$1" = "lw" ] || [ "$1" = "wl" ]
+    then
+      find "${LOADUP_WORKDIR}" -name "*.~[0-9]*~" -delete
+    fi
+    if [ "$1" = "l" ] || [ "$1" = "lw" ] || [ "$1" = "wl" ]
+    then
+      find "${LOADUP_OUTDIR}" -name "*.~[0-9]*~" -delete
+    fi
+
+}
+
+
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC2164,SC2034
+if [ -z "${LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR}" ]
+then
+	#
+	#
+	# Some functions to determine what directory this script is being executed from
+	#
+	#
+	get_abs_filename() {
+	  # $1 : relative filename
+	  echo "$(cd "$(dirname "$1")" && pwd)/$(basename "$1")"
+	}
+
+	# This function taken from
+	# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29832037/how-to-get-script-directory-in-posix-sh
+	rreadlink() (
+
+	  # Execute this function in a *subshell* to localize variables and the effect of `cd`.
+
+	  target=$1
+	  fname=
+	  targetDir=
+	  CDPATH=
+
+	  # Try to make the execution environment as predictable as possible:
+	  # All commands below are invoked via `command`, so we must make sure that `command`
+	  # itself is not redefined as an alias or shell function.
+	  # (Note that command is too inconsistent across shells, so we don't use it.)
+	  # `command` is a *builtin* in bash, dash, ksh, zsh, and some platforms do not even have
+	  # an external utility version of it (e.g, Ubuntu).
+	  # `command` bypasses aliases and shell functions and also finds builtins 
+	  # in bash, dash, and ksh. In zsh, option POSIX_BUILTINS must be turned on for that
+	  # to happen.
+	  { \unalias command; \unset -f command; } >/dev/null 2>&1
+	  [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ] && options[POSIX_BUILTINS]=on # make zsh find *builtins* with `command` too.
+
+	  while :; do # Resolve potential symlinks until the ultimate target is found.
+	      [ -L "$target" ] || [ -e "$target" ] || { command printf '%s\n' "ERROR: '$target' does not exist." >&2; return 1; }
+	      command cd "$(command dirname -- "$target")" # Change to target dir; necessary for correct resolution of target path.
+	      fname=$(command basename -- "$target") # Extract filename.
+	      [ "$fname" = '/' ] && fname='' # !! curiously, `basename /` returns '/'
+	      if [ -L "$fname" ]; then
+	        # Extract [next] target path, which may be defined
+	        # *relative* to the symlink's own directory.
+	        # Note: We parse `ls -l` output to find the symlink target
+	        #       which is the only POSIX-compliant, albeit somewhat fragile, way.
+	        target=$(command ls -l "$fname")
+	        target=${target#* -> }
+	        continue # Resolve [next] symlink target.
+	      fi
+	      break # Ultimate target reached.
+	  done
+	  targetDir=$(command pwd -P) # Get canonical dir. path
+	  # Output the ultimate target's canonical path.
+	  # Note that we manually resolve paths ending in /. and /.. to make sure we have a normalized path.
+	  if [ "$fname" = '.' ]; then
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}"
+	  elif  [ "$fname" = '..' ]; then
+	    # Caveat: something like /var/.. will resolve to /private (assuming /var@ -> /private/var), i.e. the '..' is applied
+	    # AFTER canonicalization.
+	    command printf '%s\n' "$(command dirname -- "${targetDir}")"
+	  else
+	    command printf '%s\n' "${targetDir%/}/$fname"
+	  fi
+	)
+
+	get_script_dir() {
+
+	    # call this with $0 (from main script) as its (only) parameter
+	    # if you need to preserve cwd, run this is a subshell since
+	    # it can change cwd
+
+	    # set -x
+
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( get_abs_filename "$1" )";
+
+	    while [ -h "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" ];
+	    do
+	        cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )";
+	        local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( rreadlink "$local_SCRIPT_PATH" )";
+	    done
+
+	    cd "$( dirname -- "$local_SCRIPT_PATH"; )" > '/dev/null';
+	    local_SCRIPT_PATH="$( pwd; )";
+
+	    # set +x
+
+	    echo "${local_SCRIPT_PATH}"
+	}
+
+	# end of script directory functions
+	###############################################################################
+
+        # figure out the script dir
+        LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR="$(get_script_dir "$0")"
+	export LOADUP_SCRIPTDIR
+
+fi
+
+main "$@"
+
diff --git a/scripts/medley/medley.command b/scripts/medley/medley.command
index bb8d6f42..363b2062 100755
--- a/scripts/medley/medley.command
+++ b/scripts/medley/medley.command
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ SCRIPTDIR="$(get_script_dir "$0")"
 #
 ###############################################################################
 
-is_tput="$(which tput)"
+is_tput="$(command -v tput)"
 
 output_error_msg() {
   local_oem_file="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/oem_$$
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ output_error_msg() {
     then
       echo "$(${is_tput} setab 1)$(${is_tput} setaf 7)${line}$(${is_tput} sgr0)"
     else
-      echo "$1"
+      echo "${line}"
     fi
   done <"${local_oem_file}"
   rm -f "${local_oem_file}"
@@ -620,8 +620,8 @@ sysout_stage=""
 title=""
 use_vnc=false
 windows=false
-maikodir_arg=""
-maikodir_stage=""
+maikodir_arg="${MAIKODIR}"
+maikodir_stage="MAIKODIR env variable"
 maikoprog_arg=""
 greet_arg=""
 noscroll=false
@@ -931,10 +931,16 @@ do
         ;;
       --maikodir)
         # for use in loadups
-        check_for_dash_or_end "$1" "$2"
-        check_dir_exists "$1" "2"
-        maikodir_arg="$2"
-        maikodir_stage="${args_stage}"
+        if [ "$2" = "-" ] || [ "$2" == "--" ]
+        then
+          maikodir_arg=""
+          maikodir_stage=""
+        else
+          check_for_dash_or_end "$1" "$2"
+          check_dir_exists "$1" "2"
+          maikodir_arg="$2"
+          maikodir_stage="${args_stage}"
+        fi
         shift;
         ;;
       -prog | --maikoprog)
@@ -1365,7 +1371,8 @@ then
     then
       err_msg="ERROR: Cannot find the Maiko directory at either
 \"${MEDLEYDIR}/maiko\" or \"${MEDLEYDIR}/../maiko\".
-You can use the --maikodir argument to specify the Maiko directory.
+You can use the --maikodir argument or the MAIKODIR env variable
+to specify the Maiko directory.
 Exiting."
       output_error_msg "${err_msg}"
       exit 53
@@ -1380,8 +1387,8 @@ Exiting."
 elif ! check_if_maiko_dir "${maikodir_arg}" || ! check_for_maiko_exe "${maikodir_arg}"
 then
   err_msg="In ${maikodir_stage}:
-ERROR: The value of the --maikodir argument is not in fact a directory containing
-the Maiko emulator (${maiko_exe_subdir}/${maikoprog_arg}).
+ERROR: The value provided by \$MAIKODIR or by the  --maikodir argument ("${maikodir_arg}") is not
+in fact a directory containing the Maiko emulator (${maiko_exe_subdir}/${maikoprog_arg}).
 Exiting."
   output_error_msg "${err_msg}"
   exit 53
diff --git a/scripts/medley/medley_args.sh b/scripts/medley/medley_args.sh
index 2b1dfc51..355057fa 100755
--- a/scripts/medley/medley_args.sh
+++ b/scripts/medley/medley_args.sh
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ sysout_stage=""
 title=""
 use_vnc=false
 windows=false
-maikodir_arg=""
-maikodir_stage=""
+maikodir_arg="${MAIKODIR}"
+maikodir_stage="MAIKODIR env variable"
 maikoprog_arg=""
 greet_arg=""
 noscroll=false
@@ -341,10 +341,16 @@ do
         ;;
       --maikodir)
         # for use in loadups
-        check_for_dash_or_end "$1" "$2"
-        check_dir_exists "$1" "2"
-        maikodir_arg="$2"
-        maikodir_stage="${args_stage}"
+        if [ "$2" = "-" ] || [ "$2" == "--" ]
+        then
+          maikodir_arg=""
+          maikodir_stage=""
+        else
+          check_for_dash_or_end "$1" "$2"
+          check_dir_exists "$1" "2"
+          maikodir_arg="$2"
+          maikodir_stage="${args_stage}"
+        fi
         shift;
         ;;
       -prog | --maikoprog)
diff --git a/scripts/medley/medley_run.sh b/scripts/medley/medley_run.sh
index 6d3e0cc6..779378f1 100644
--- a/scripts/medley/medley_run.sh
+++ b/scripts/medley/medley_run.sh
@@ -246,7 +246,8 @@ then
     then
       err_msg="ERROR: Cannot find the Maiko directory at either
 \"${MEDLEYDIR}/maiko\" or \"${MEDLEYDIR}/../maiko\".
-You can use the --maikodir argument to specify the Maiko directory.
+You can use the --maikodir argument or the MAIKODIR env variable
+to specify the Maiko directory.
 Exiting."
       output_error_msg "${err_msg}"
       exit 53
@@ -261,8 +262,8 @@ Exiting."
 elif ! check_if_maiko_dir "${maikodir_arg}" || ! check_for_maiko_exe "${maikodir_arg}"
 then
   err_msg="In ${maikodir_stage}:
-ERROR: The value of the --maikodir argument is not in fact a directory containing
-the Maiko emulator (${maiko_exe_subdir}/${maikoprog_arg}).
+ERROR: The value provided by \$MAIKODIR or by the  --maikodir argument ("${maikodir_arg}") is not
+in fact a directory containing the Maiko emulator (${maiko_exe_subdir}/${maikoprog_arg}).
 Exiting."
   output_error_msg "${err_msg}"
   exit 53
diff --git a/scripts/medley/medley_utils.sh b/scripts/medley/medley_utils.sh
index 9f10a65f..a16bff7d 100644
--- a/scripts/medley/medley_utils.sh
+++ b/scripts/medley/medley_utils.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #
 ###############################################################################
 
-is_tput="$(which tput)"
+is_tput="$(command -v tput)"
 
 output_error_msg() {
   local_oem_file="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/oem_$$
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ output_error_msg() {
     then
       echo "$(${is_tput} setab 1)$(${is_tput} setaf 7)${line}$(${is_tput} sgr0)"
     else
-      echo "$1"
+      echo "${line}"
     fi
   done <"${local_oem_file}"
   rm -f "${local_oem_file}"
