diff --git a/modules/remote.mod b/modules/remote.mod
index 9d4a5a5..8e4dc7e 100644
--- a/modules/remote.mod
+++ b/modules/remote.mod
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ remote_script () {
 
   local sshargs;local user;local supass;local cfn; local rfn; local args;
   local script; local host; local dr; local supass; local env_vars; 
-  local login; local slogin
+  local login; local slogin; local shell=bash
   local hostname; local bscript; local ruser; local usesudo; local save
 
   help() {
@@ -31,14 +31,18 @@ remote_script () {
   cat <<EOF  
 usage:  remote_script <remote_script options> host script <script args> -- <ssh script options> 
 host and script are required, script can be either path to a file containing a script to a UCI module
+-f, <func> run a function in the passed script, otherwise script is assumed to be bash executed. 
+-x, <func> create script of just a function from some script file or module
+|   will automatically set -f to run that function.
+-b  <shell> use another shell processor other than default bash
+-d, dry run.  don't run the rscript just output the command that will be run 
+-u, <ruser> remote user to run script as.  default is ssh host user or root if using sudo.  
+|   if -u is other than ssh login user then -s or -p must be set
 -s, execute remote script using sudo 
--f,  run a function in the passed script, otherwise script is assumed to be bash executed. 
--d,  dry run.  don't run the rscript just output the command that will be run 
--u, remote user to run script as.  default is ssh host user or root if using sudo
--p, password for ssh login, will also be used for sudo assuming remote user is in sudo group  
--x, create script from available function instead of module or file
+-p, <suppass> sudo password.  If set teh remote command will be run as root or the user of -u <user> 
+|   if command has 'ssh script option' of '-- -p <upasswd>' and -s is set this will set -p <upasswd> automatically
 -l, use login shell on remote 
--e, set some environment variables to run 
+-e, <SOME_VAR="some value"> set some environment variables to run.  Can be used more than once for multiple values 
 -h, this help text  
 EOF
 
@@ -65,13 +69,17 @@ EOF
   local OPTION
   local OPTARG
   local OPTIND
-  while getopts 'le:hdu:sf:p:x:' OPTION; do
+  while getopts 'b:le:hdu:sf:p:x:' OPTION; do
     # echo OPTION $OPTION ARG $OPTARG INDX $OPTIND
     case "$OPTION" in
       s) 
         # using sudo, password will come from ssh user password or if you supply it with -p
         usesudo=true 
         ;;
+      b) 
+        # use another shell the than default bash
+        shell="$OPTARG" 
+        ;;        
       f)
         # run a function within the script
         # any function arguments appear after script 
@@ -82,7 +90,8 @@ EOF
         dr=true
         ;;
       e) 
-        env_vars+=" $OPTARG" 
+        
+        env_vars+=" $(escape_spaces "$OPTARG")" 
       ;;  
       u)
         # run remote command as another user
@@ -90,14 +99,13 @@ EOF
         # usesudo=true
         ;;
       l)
-        login="bash -l"
+      login="-l"
       ;;
       x)
         rfn=$OPTARG
         ;;
       p)
-        # password of sudo account for running as root or other user
-        # will force running as root on remote if ruser is not specified
+
         supass=$OPTARG  
         ;;
       h) 
@@ -129,8 +137,8 @@ EOF
        [[ -f $1 ]] && source $1
       fi 
       if ! declare -f $rfn >/dev/null; then echo fatal: remote-script, unable to source funtion $rfn, aborting; return 1; fi 
-      shift
     fi
+    shift
     local file
     script=$(mkrfilename temp_function)
     declare -f $rfn > $script
@@ -151,8 +159,8 @@ EOF
   if [[ $usesudo ]] || [[ $supass ]]; then
     [[ $usesudo ]] && supass=$(parse_option "${sshargs[*]}" -p)
     if [[ $supass ]]; then
-    [[ $login ]] && login="" && slogin="-i"
-    usesudo="echo '${supass}' | sudo $slogin -u ${ruser:-root} --stdin 2>/dev/null" 
+    [[ $login ]] && slogin="-i"
+    usesudo="echo '${supass}' | sudo $slogin -u ${ruser:-root} --stdin 2>/dev/null"
     echo remote script to be run as ${ruser:-root} using sudo
     else
     echo sudo requested but no sudo password supplied, aborting
@@ -160,15 +168,15 @@ EOF
     fi
   fi 
 
-  debug remote script arguments $(remote_args "$@")
-  debug ssh arguments $(remote_args "${sshargs[@]}")
+  debug remote script arguments $(escape_args "$@")
+  debug ssh arguments $(escape_args "${sshargs[@]}")
 
   rscript=${save:-$(mkrfilename REMOTE_SCRIPT)}  
   if sshcp -d $host $bscript $rscript -- "${sshargs[@]}"; then
     # make remote script excuteable
     ssh "${sshargs[@]}" "$host" "chmod +x $rscript"
     # run the script 
-    ssh "${sshargs[@]}" "$host" "$usesudo" $login "$env_vars" "$rscript" "$(remote_args "$@")" 
+    ssh "${sshargs[@]}" "$host" "$usesudo" "$env_vars" "$shell" $login "$rscript" "$(escape_args "$@")" 
     # now delete it, save script if passed an explicit name
     if ! ssh "${sshargs[@]}" $host rm -f $rscript; then echo unable to delete temporary remote file at $host:$rscript; fi
     # ssh "${sshargs[@]}" "$host" "cat $rscript" 
@@ -183,21 +191,47 @@ EOF
 # END REMOTE SCRIPT
 
 
+# # if script was executed then call the function
+(return 0 2>/dev/null) ||remote_script $@
+
+
 # can be used with a file or HEREDOC
 # todo test with < $file  or with a pipe
 remote_stdin () {
 local file
-# echo args $@
+echo "remote send multiple commands for cli, type commands" 
+echo "then cntrl-d to end and send"
 file=$( mkrfilename remote_script )
 cat > $file
 remote_script $1 "$file" "$@"
 rm -f $file &> /dev/null
 }
 
-# # if script was executed then call the function
-(return 0 2>/dev/null) ||remote_script $@
-
-
 
+remote_test () {
+local pass
+echo "to run: remote_test host password"
+[[ $2 ]] && pass="-- -p $2"
+echo "------------ test one, no login shell, regular user ------------------"
+echo "running:   remote_script -f -x remote_test_script -e ENV_TEST="test env variable" $1 remote arg1 "arg 2" arg3 arg4 $pass"
+remote_script -x remote_test_script -e ENV_TEST="test env variable" $1 remote arg1 "arg 2" arg3 arg4 $pass
+echo "------------ test two, login shell, regular user ------------------"
+remote_script -l -x remote_test_script -e ENV_TEST="test env variable" $1 remote arg1 "arg 2" arg3 arg4 $pass
+echo "------------ test three, no login shell, root/sudo user ------------------"
+remote_script -s -x remote_test_script -e ENV_TEST="test env variable" $1 remote arg1 "arg 2" arg3 arg4 $pass
+echo "------------ test four, login shell, root/sudo user ------------------"
+remote_script -s -l -x remote_test_script -e ENV_TEST="test env variable" $1 remote arg1 "arg 2" arg3 arg4 $pass
+echo "-------------------- done tests ----------------"
 
+}
 
+remote_test_script () {
+ shopt -q login_shell && echo 'Login shell' || echo 'Not login shell'
+ env | grep SHELL_BASE
+ echo ENV_TEST: $ENV_TEST    
+ echo running on machine: $(hostnamectl hostname)
+ echo as user:home $(whoami):$HOME   
+ echo argument1 $1
+ echo argument2 $2
+ echo remaining arguments: "${@:3}"
+}