diff --git a/docs/changelog b/docs/changelog
index 50a12efe71160565714771b7741b2d9832f82e0a..feef624acce719394d5fbf1b75e64253bab5d9e2 100644
--- a/docs/changelog
+++ b/docs/changelog
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-version 0.9 -- unreleased
+version 0.9 -- October 19 2005
 	*** IMPORTANT CHANGE, UPGRADE AT ONCE ***
 	 fixed insecure temporary file creation 
 	*****************************************
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ version 0.9 -- unreleased
 	rdiff handler now supports remote source and local dest. 
 		(patch from cmccallum@thecsl.org).
 	man pages are greatly improved.
+	fixed many bugs in rdiff helper.
+	rdiff handler does not require 'label'
 
 version 0.8 -- September 15 2005
 	added pgsql (PostgreSQL) handler, with vservers support.
diff --git a/handlers/easydialog.sh b/handlers/easydialog.sh
index 5d70653a8f0d65c581cb515476ddd08e4ea54be8..18cb7c31c96e7506d785859eaabc1ad5ccda8f83 100644
--- a/handlers/easydialog.sh
+++ b/handlers/easydialog.sh
@@ -237,7 +237,12 @@ formDisplay() {
       done
    ) | xargs $DIALOG 2> $temp
    local status=$?
-   [ $status = 0 ] && REPLY=`cat $temp`
+   
+   if [ $status = 0 ]; then
+      IFS=$''
+      REPLY=`cat $temp`
+      IFS=$' \t\n'
+   fi
    rm -f $temp
    return $status
 }
diff --git a/handlers/rdiff b/handlers/rdiff
index 40ad52dd585dbbcc836872db4a11c2275fc3e3f5..9de8650e1a289414d659bddc9036b1b9a36ec7b5 100644
--- a/handlers/rdiff
+++ b/handlers/rdiff
@@ -3,20 +3,83 @@
 # requires rdiff-backup
 #
 
+### FUNCTIONS ###
+
+function test_connection() {
+	# given a user and host,
+	# tests the connection.
+	# if user or host is missing, returns 0
+	# (ie, assume it's a local connection).
+	if [ $# -lt 2 ]; then
+		debug "(local is assumed to be a good connection)"
+		return 0
+	fi
+	local user=$1
+	local host=$2
+	debug "ssh -o PasswordAuthentication=no $host -l $user 'echo -n 1'"
+	local ret=`ssh -o PasswordAuthentication=no $host -l $user 'echo -n host is alive'`
+	if echo $ret | grep "host is alive"; then
+		debug "Connected to $host as $user successfully"
+	else
+		fatal "Can't connect to $host as $user."
+	fi
+}
+
+function get_version() {
+	# given no arguments, returns the local version.
+	# given a user and host, returns the remote version.
+	# if user or host is missing, returns the local version.
+	if [ "$#" -lt 2 ]; then
+		debug "$RDIFFBACKUP -V"
+		echo `$RDIFFBACKUP -V`
+	else
+		local user=$1
+		local host=$2
+		debug "ssh $host -l $user '$RDIFFBACKUP -V'"
+		echo `ssh $host -l $user "$RDIFFBACKUP -V | grep rdiff-backup"`
+	fi
+}
+
+function check_consistency() {
+	local section=$1
+	local type=$2
+	local user=$3
+	local host=$4
+	if [ "$type" == "local" ]; then
+		if [ "$user" != "" ]; then
+			warning "User should not be specified for local $section."
+		fi
+		if [ "$host" != "" ]; then
+			warning "Host should not be specified for local $section."
+		fi
+	fi
+	if [ "$type" == "remote" ]; then
+		if [ "$user" == "" ]; then
+			fatal "User must be specified for remote $section."
+		fi
+		if [ "host" == "" ]; then
+			fatal "Host must be specifed for remote $section."
+		fi
+	fi
+}
+
+### GET CONFIG ###
+
 getconf options
 getconf testconnect yes
 getconf nicelevel 0
 
 setsection source
 getconf type; sourcetype=$type
+getconf user; sourceuser=$user
+getconf host; sourcehost=$host
+check_consistency "source" "$type" "$user" "$host"
 getconf label
 getconf keep 60
 getconf include
 getconf vsinclude
 getconf exclude
 
-### DESTINATION ###
-
 setsection dest
 getconf directory; destdir=$directory
 # strip trailing /
@@ -24,6 +87,9 @@ destdir=${destdir%/}
 getconf type; desttype=$type
 getconf user; destuser=$user
 getconf host; desthost=$host
+check_consistency "destination" "$type" "$user" "$host"
+
+### CHECK CONFIG ###
 
 # See if vservers are configured
 if [ "$vservers" = "yes" ]
@@ -37,47 +103,44 @@ then
 	fi
 fi
 
-[ "$destdir" != "" ] || fatal "Destination directory not set"
-
-if [ "$desttype" == "remote" ]; then
-	# see if we can login
-	if [ "$testconnect" == "yes" ]; then
-		hostalive=0
-	    debug "ssh -o PreferredAuthentications=publickey $desthost -l $destuser 'echo -n 1'"
-		ret=`ssh -o PreferredAuthentications=publickey $desthost -l $destuser 'echo -n host is alive'`
-		if echo $ret | grep "host is alive"; then
-			debug "Connected to $desthost as $destuser successfully"
-		else
-			fatal "Can't connect to $desthost as $destuser."
-		fi
-	fi
-	# see that rdiff-backup has the same version as here
-	debug "ssh -o PreferredAuthentications=publickey $desthost -l $destuser '$RDIFFBACKUP -V'\""
-	remoteversion=`ssh -o PreferredAuthentications=publickey $desthost -l $destuser "$RDIFFBACKUP -V | grep rdiff-backup"`
-	localversion=`$RDIFFBACKUP -V`
-	if [ "$remoteversion" != "$localversion" ]; then
-		fatal "rdiff-backup does not have the same version on this computer and the backup server."
-	fi
-	execstr_serverpart="$destuser@$desthost::$destdir/$label"
-else
-	execstr_serverpart="$destdir/$label"
+# check the connection at the source and destination
+if [ "$testconnect" == "yes" -o $test ]; then
+	test_connection $sourceuser $sourcehost
+	test_connection $destuser $desthost
 fi
 
-### SOURCE ###
+# see that rdiff-backup has the same version at the source and destination
+sourceversion=`get_version $sourceuser $sourcehost`
+destversion=`get_version $destuser $desthost`
+if [ "$sourceversion" != "$destversion" ]; then
+	fatal "rdiff-backup does not have the same version at the source and at the destination."
+fi
 
-[ "$sourcetype" == "local" ] || fatal "Only local source type supported"
+# source specific checks
 [ "$include" != "" -o "$vsinclude" != "" ] || fatal "No source includes specified"
 #TODO should I test for vsinclude if usevservers=1?
+case $sourcetype in 
+	remote ) execstr_sourcepart="$sourceuser@$sourcehost::/" ;;
+	local  ) execstr_sourcepart="/" ;;
+	*      ) fatal "sourcetype '$sourcetype' is neither local nor remote" ;;
+esac
 
-execstr_clientpart="/"
+# destination specific checks
+[ "$destdir" != "" ] || fatal "Destination directory not set"
+case $desttype in 
+	remote ) execstr_destpart="$destuser@$desthost::$destdir/$label" ;;
+	local  ) execstr_destpart="$destdir/$label" ;;
+	*      ) fatal "desttype '$desttype' is neither local nor remote" ;;
+esac
 	
-## REMOVE OLD BACKUPS
+### REMOVE OLD BACKUPS ###
 
 if [ "`echo $keep | tr -d 0-9`" == "" ]; then
+	# add D if no other date unit is specified
 	keep="${keep}D"
 fi
 
-removestr="rdiff-backup --force --remove-older-than $keep "
+removestr="$RDIFFBACKUP --force --remove-older-than $keep "
 if [ "$desttype" == "remote" ]; then
 	removestr="${removestr}${destuser}@${desthost}::"
 fi
@@ -86,8 +149,7 @@ removestr="${removestr}${destdir}/${label}";
 debug "$removestr"
 if [ ! $test ]; then
 	output=`$removestr 2>&1`
-	code=$?
-	if [ "$code" == "0" ]; then
+	if [ $? = 0 ]; then
 		debug $output
 		info "Removing backups older than $keep days succeeded."
 	else
@@ -96,31 +158,27 @@ if [ ! $test ]; then
 	fi
 fi
 
-## EXECUTE ##
+### EXECUTE ###
 
 execstr="$RDIFFBACKUP $options --print-statistics "
 
 # TODO: order the includes and excludes
-
 # excludes
 for i in $exclude; do
 	str="${i//__star__/*}"
 	execstr="${execstr}--exclude '$str' "
 done
-	
 # includes 
 for i in $include; do
+	[ "$i" != "/" ] || fatal "Sorry, you cannot use 'include = /'"
 	str="${i//__star__/*}"
 	execstr="${execstr}--include '$str' "
 done
 
 # vsinclude
-if [ $usevserver ] 
-then
-	for vserver in `ls $VROOTDIR | grep -E -v "lost+found|ARCHIVES"`
-	do
-		for vi in $vsinclude
-		do
+if [ $usevserver ]; then
+	for vserver in `ls $VROOTDIR|grep -v lost+found`; do
+		for vi in $vsinclude; do
 			str="${vi//__star__/*}"
 			execstr="${execstr}--include '$VROOTDIR/$vserver$str' "
 		done
@@ -131,13 +189,12 @@ fi
 execstr="${execstr}--exclude '/*' "
 		
 # include client-part and server-part
-execstr="${execstr}$execstr_clientpart $execstr_serverpart"
+execstr="${execstr}$execstr_sourcepart $execstr_destpart"
 
 debug "$execstr"
 if [ ! $test ]; then
 	output=`nice -n $nicelevel su -c "$execstr" 2>&1`
-	code=$?
-	if [ "$code" == "0" ]; then
+	if [ $? = 0 ]; then
 		debug $output
 		info "Successfully finished backing up source $label"
 	else
diff --git a/handlers/rdiff.helper b/handlers/rdiff.helper
index 8be68ac71f5e5aed30b6908275270f9b9b9d48df..066d53aecc3e663e23aaa6731a41aa5db79b979e 100644
--- a/handlers/rdiff.helper
+++ b/handlers/rdiff.helper
@@ -1,68 +1,78 @@
 
 HELPERS="$HELPERS rdiff:incremental_remote_filesystem_backup"
 
+declare -a rdiff_includes
+declare -a rdiff_excludes
+
 do_rdiff_dest() {
-   formBegin "rdiff action wizard"
-     formItem "keep" "$rdiff_keep"
-     formItem "dest_directory" "$rdiff_directory"
-     formItem "dest_host" "$rdiff_host"
-     formItem "dest_user" "$rdiff_user"
-   formDisplay
-   [ $? = 1 ] && return;
-       
-   set -- $REPLY
-	rdiff_keep=$1
-	rdiff_directory=$2
-	rdiff_host=$3
-	rdiff_user=$4
+  set -o noglob
+  formBegin "rdiff action wizard"
+    formItem "keep" "$rdiff_keep"
+    formItem "dest_directory" "$rdiff_directory"
+    formItem "dest_host" "$rdiff_host"
+    formItem "dest_user" "$rdiff_user"
+  formDisplay
+  [ $? = 1 ] && return;
+
+  IFS=$''
+  replyconverted=`echo $REPLY | tr '\n' :`
+  IFS=$':'
+  thereply=($replyconverted)
+  IFS=$' \t\n'
+  
+  rdiff_keep=${thereply[0]}
+  rdiff_directory=${thereply[1]}
+  rdiff_host=${thereply[2]}
+  rdiff_user=${thereply[3]}
 
   _dest_done="(DONE)"
   setDefault conn
+  set +o noglob
 }
 
 do_rdiff_src() {
-   formBegin "rdiff action wizard: includes"
-     formItem include /var/spool/cron/crontabs
-     formItem include /var/backups
-     formItem include /etc
-     formItem include /root
-     formItem include /home
-     formItem include '/usr/local/*bin'
-     formItem include '/var/lib/dpkg/status*'
-     formItem include 
-     formItem include 
-     formItem include 
-   formDisplay
-   [ $? = 1 ] && return;
-
-   rdiff_includes=   
-   set -o noglob
-   for i in $REPLY; do
-      [ "$i" != "" ] && rdiff_includes="$rdiff_includes\ninclude = $i"
-   done
-   set +o noglob
-
-   formBegin "rdiff action wizard: excludes" 
-     formItem exclude '/home/*/.gnupg'
-     formItem exclude 
-     formItem exclude 
-   formDisplay
-   [ $? = 1 ] && return;
-
-   rdiff_excludes=
-   set -o noglob
-   for i in $REPLY; do
-      [ "$i" != "" ] && rdiff_excludes="$rdiff_excludes\nexclude = $i"
-   done
-   set +o noglob
+  #echo ${rdiff_includes[@]}
+  set -o noglob
+  formBegin "rdiff action wizard: includes"
+    for ((i=0; i < ${#rdiff_includes[@]} ; i++)); do
+       formItem include ${rdiff_includes[$i]}
+    done
+    formItem include 
+    formItem include 
+    formItem include 
+  formDisplay
+  [ $? = 1 ] && return;
+
+  unset rdiff_includes
+  rdiff_includes=($REPLY)
+
+  formBegin "rdiff action wizard: excludes" 
+    for ((i=0; i < ${#rdiff_excludes[@]} ; i++)); do
+       formItem exclude ${rdiff_excludes[$i]}
+    done
+    formItem exclude 
+    formItem exclude 
+  formDisplay
+  [ $? = 1 ] && return;
+
+  unset rdiff_excludes
+  rdiff_excludes=($REPLY)
    
-   _src_done="(DONE)"
-   setDefault dest
+  _src_done="(DONE)"
+  setDefault dest
+  set +o noglob
 }
 
 do_rdiff_con() {
+  IFS=$' \t\n'
   if [ "$_dest_done" = "" ]; then
-    msgBox "rdiff action wizard: error" "You must first configure the destination"
+    msgBox "rdiff action wizard: error" "You must first configure the destination."
+    return
+  elif [ "$rdiff_user" = "" ]; then
+    msgBox "rdiff action wizard: error" "You must first configure the destination user."
+    return
+  elif [ "$rdiff_host" = "" ]; then
+    msgBox "rdiff action wizard: error" "You must first configure the destination host."
     return
   else
     booleanBox "rdiff action wizard" "This step will create a ssh key for the local root user with no passphrase (if one does not already exist), and attempt to copy root's public ssh key to authorized_keys file of $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host. This will allow the local root to make unattended backups to $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host. Are you sure you want to continue?"
@@ -78,15 +88,18 @@ do_rdiff_con() {
   
   ssh -o PreferredAuthentications=publickey $rdiff_host -l $rdiff_user "exit" 2> /dev/null
   if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-    echo "Copying root's public ssh key to authorized_keys of $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host. Specify the password for user $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host."
+    echo "Copying root's public ssh key to authorized_keys of $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host. When prompted, specify the password for user $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host."
     ssh-copy-id -i /root/.ssh/id_[rd]sa.pub $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-      echo "Couldn't copy root's public ssh key to authorized_keys of $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host. This time, testing whether directory is writable."
+      echo "FAILED: Couldn't copy root's public ssh key to authorized_keys of $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host."
       ssh $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host 'test -w .ssh || test -w .'
-      case $? in
+      result=$?
+      echo "Hit return to continue."
+      read
+      case $result in
         0 )   msgBox "rdiff action wizard: error" "Directories are writable: Probably just a typo the first time." ;;
         1 )   msgBox "rdiff action wizard: error" "Connected successfully to $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host, but unable to write. Check ownership and modes of ~$rdiff_user on $rdiff_host." ;;
-        255 ) msgBox "rdiff action wizard: error" "Failed to connect to $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host. Check hostname, username, and password." ;;
+        255 ) msgBox "rdiff action wizard: error" "Failed to connect to $rdiff_user@$rdiff_host. Check hostname, username, and password. Also, make sure sshd is running on the destination host." ;;
         * )   msgBox "rdiff action wizard: error" "Unexpected error." ;;
       esac 
       return
@@ -112,9 +125,15 @@ do_rdiff_finish() {
 type = local
 keep = $rdiff_keep
 EOF
-   echo -n -e "$rdiff_includes" >> $next_filename
-   echo -e "$rdiff_excludes" >> $next_filename
-   cat >> $next_filename <<EOF
+    set -o noglob
+    for ((i=0; i < ${#rdiff_includes[@]} ; i++)); do
+        echo include = ${rdiff_includes[$i]}
+    done
+    for ((i=0; i < ${#rdiff_includes[@]} ; i++)); do
+        echo exclude = ${rdiff_excludes[$i]}
+    done
+    set +o noglob
+    cat >> $next_filename <<EOF
   
 [dest]
 type = remote
@@ -126,6 +145,7 @@ EOF
 }
 
 rdiff_main_menu() {
+
   while true; do
     srcitem="choose files to include & exclude $_src_done"
     destitem="configure backup destination $_dest_done"
@@ -138,6 +158,7 @@ rdiff_main_menu() {
         finish "finish and create config file"
     [ $? = 1 ] && return;
     result="$REPLY"
+
     case "$result" in
        "src") do_rdiff_src;;
        "dest") do_rdiff_dest;;
@@ -152,12 +173,12 @@ rdiff_main_menu() {
           fi
           ;;
     esac
-    
+
   done
 }
 
 rdiff_wizard() {
-#   require_packages rdiff-backup
+  require_packages rdiff-backup
   _src_done=
   _dest_done=
   _con_done=
@@ -166,6 +187,8 @@ rdiff_wizard() {
   rdiff_directory=/backup/`hostname`
   rdiff_user=
   rdiff_host=
+  rdiff_includes=(/var/spool/cron/crontabs /var/backups /etc /root /home /usr/local/*bin /var/lib/dpkg/status*)
+  rdiff_excludes=(/home/*/.gnupg)
   rdiff_main_menu
 }
 
diff --git a/ninjahelper b/ninjahelper
index 817b47beaa6df44ecb9db103acab2b19fba48b5b..13a4ca9a727f62659327549ba9f8cd9f089d84ce 100755
--- a/ninjahelper
+++ b/ninjahelper
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ doaction() {
       $enable "$enable action" \
       name "change the filename" \
       run "run this action now" \
-      test "do a test run" \
+      test "test connections and passwords only" \
       kill "remove this action" 
     [ $? = 1 ] && return;
     result="$REPLY"
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ for file in `find $conf/etc/backup.d/ -type f | sort -n`; do
   let "i += 1"
 done
 
-menuBox "main menu" "select an action to edit" $menulist \
+menuBox "main menu" "Select a backup action for more options, or create a new action:" $menulist \
   new "create a new backup action" \
   quit "leave ninjahelper"