diff --git a/doc/testing.txt b/doc/testing.txt
index f609b653..ee560a57 100644
--- a/doc/testing.txt
+++ b/doc/testing.txt
@@ -69,11 +69,9 @@ This is almost the same as adding a new regression test:
 Migration away from dedicated regression tests:
 -----------------------------------------------
 
-Two tests still need an intermediate script that mangles away timestamps and
+This test still needs an intermediate script that mangles away timestamps and
 near-zero floating point numbers:
 
-* dumptest
-* echotest
 * cgalstlsanitytest
 
 Some tests are yet to be converted:
@@ -85,15 +83,6 @@ These look like tests, but are not actually in use:
 * modulecachetest
 * cgalcachetest
 
-In the course of migration, the possibilities of using the OPENSCAD_TESTING
-compile time flag go away; that flag used to strip timestamps out of files,
-to unify float output, and to tweak the file inclusion paths. With that flag
-unused, we get better coverage of the primary code paths, at the cost of
-having to do some normalization in the unit testing process (thus the dumptest
-and echo test scripts). Especially, having a nonstandard MCAD library in the
-user include path can now break things -- but so can having misbehaving
-programs in your PATH.
-
 Troubleshooting:
 ------------------------------
 
diff --git a/scripts/setenv-unibuild.sh b/scripts/setenv-unibuild.sh
index cb0b0a03..cfcf23d7 100644
--- a/scripts/setenv-unibuild.sh
+++ b/scripts/setenv-unibuild.sh
@@ -43,14 +43,23 @@ setenv_common()
 
 setenv_freebsd()
 {
+ echo .... freebsd detected. 
+ echo .... if you have freebsd >9, it is advisable to install
+ echo .... the clang compiler and re-run this script as 
+ echo .... '. ./scripts/setenv-unibuild.sh clang'
  setenv_common
  QMAKESPEC=freebsd-g++
  QTDIR=/usr/local/share/qt4
+ export QMAKESPEC
+ export QTDIR
 }
 
 setenv_netbsd()
 {
  setenv_common
+ echo --- netbsd build situation is complex. it comes with gcc4.5
+ echo --- which is incompatable with updated CGAL. 
+ echo --- you may need to hack with newer gcc to make it work
  QMAKESPEC=netbsd-g++
  QTDIR=/usr/pkg/qt4
  PATH=/usr/pkg/qt4/bin:$PATH
@@ -75,6 +84,30 @@ setenv_linux_clang()
  echo QMAKESPEC has been modified: $QMAKESPEC
 }
 
+setenv_freebsd_clang()
+{
+ export CC=clang
+ export CXX=clang++
+ export QMAKESPEC=freebsd-clang
+
+ echo CC has been modified: $CC
+ echo CXX has been modified: $CXX
+ echo QMAKESPEC has been modified: $QMAKESPEC
+}
+
+setenv_netbsd_clang()
+{
+ echo --------------------- this is not yet supported. netbsd 6 lacks
+ echo --------------------- certain things needed for clang support
+ export CC=clang
+ export CXX=clang++
+ export QMAKESPEC=./patches/mkspecs/netbsd-clang
+
+ echo CC has been modified: $CC
+ echo CXX has been modified: $CXX
+ echo QMAKESPEC has been modified: $QMAKESPEC
+}
+
 clean_note()
 {
  if [ $QT5_SETUP ]; then
@@ -125,8 +158,14 @@ if [ "`uname | grep -i 'linux\|debian'`" ]; then
  fi
 elif [ "`uname | grep -i freebsd`" ]; then
  setenv_freebsd
+ if [ "`echo $* | grep clang`" ]; then
+  setenv_freebsd_clang
+ fi
 elif [ "`uname | grep -i netbsd`" ]; then
  setenv_netbsd
+ if [ "`echo $* | grep clang`" ]; then
+  setenv_netbsd_clang
+ fi
 else
  # guess
  setenv_common
diff --git a/scripts/uni-build-dependencies.sh b/scripts/uni-build-dependencies.sh
index bc2b1798..48f162a0 100755
--- a/scripts/uni-build-dependencies.sh
+++ b/scripts/uni-build-dependencies.sh
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ build_cgal()
   echo "Building CGAL" $version "..."
   cd $BASEDIR/src
   rm -rf CGAL-$version
+  ver4_2="curl --insecure -O https://gforge.inria.fr/frs/download.php/32360/CGAL-4.2.tar.bz2"
   ver4_1="curl --insecure -O https://gforge.inria.fr/frs/download.php/31640/CGAL-4.1.tar.bz2"
   ver4_0_2="curl --insecure -O https://gforge.inria.fr/frs/download.php/31174/CGAL-4.0.2.tar.bz2"
   ver4_0="curl --insecure -O https://gforge.inria.fr/frs/download.php/30387/CGAL-4.0.tar.gz"
@@ -299,7 +300,7 @@ build_cgal()
   ver3_8="curl --insecure -O https://gforge.inria.fr/frs/download.php/28500/CGAL-3.8.tar.gz"
   ver3_7="curl --insecure -O https://gforge.inria.fr/frs/download.php/27641/CGAL-3.7.tar.gz"
   vernull="echo already downloaded..skipping"
-  download_cmd=ver`echo $version | sed s/"\."/"_"/`
+  download_cmd=ver`echo $version | sed s/"\."/"_"/ | sed s/"\."/"_"/`
 
   if [ -e CGAL-$version.tar.gz ]; then
     download_cmd=vernull;
@@ -308,6 +309,7 @@ build_cgal()
     download_cmd=vernull;
   fi
 
+  eval echo "$"$download_cmd
   `eval echo "$"$download_cmd`
 
   zipper=gzip
@@ -574,7 +576,7 @@ if [ $1 ]; then
     exit $?
   fi
   if [ $1 = "cgal" ]; then
-    build_cgal 4.1 use-sys-libs
+    build_cgal 4.0.2 use-sys-libs
     exit $?
   fi
   if [ $1 = "opencsg" ]; then
@@ -605,7 +607,7 @@ build_gmp 5.0.5
 build_mpfr 3.1.1
 build_boost 1.53.0
 # NB! For CGAL, also update the actual download URL in the function
-build_cgal 4.1
+build_cgal 4.0.2
 build_glew 1.9.0
 build_opencsg 1.3.2
 
diff --git a/src/openscad.cc b/src/openscad.cc
index 5a219acb..49ec31cc 100644
--- a/src/openscad.cc
+++ b/src/openscad.cc
@@ -83,6 +83,21 @@ using std::vector;
 using boost::lexical_cast;
 using boost::is_any_of;
 
+class Echostream : public std::ofstream
+{
+public:
+	Echostream( const char * filename ) : std::ofstream( filename ) {
+		set_output_handler( &Echostream::output, this );
+	}
+	static void output( const std::string &msg, void *userdata ) {
+		Echostream *thisp = static_cast<Echostream*>(userdata);
+		*thisp << msg << "\n";
+	}
+	~Echostream() {
+		this->close();
+	}
+};
+
 static void help(const char *progname)
 {
 	int tab = int(strlen(progname))+8;
@@ -191,7 +206,7 @@ int cmdline( const char* deps_output_file, const char* filename, Camera &camera,
 	const char *png_output_file = NULL;
 	const char *ast_output_file = NULL;
 	const char *term_output_file = NULL;
-	bool null_output = false;
+	const char *echo_output_file = NULL;
 
 	std::string suffix = boosty::extension_str( output_file );
 	boost::algorithm::to_lower( suffix );
@@ -203,7 +218,7 @@ int cmdline( const char* deps_output_file, const char* filename, Camera &camera,
 	else if (suffix == ".png") png_output_file = output_file;
 	else if (suffix == ".ast") ast_output_file = output_file;
 	else if (suffix == ".term") term_output_file = output_file;
-	else if (strcmp(output_file, "null") == 0) null_output = true;
+	else if (suffix == ".echo") echo_output_file = output_file;
 	else {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Unknown suffix for output file %s\n", output_file);
 		return 1;
@@ -215,6 +230,9 @@ int cmdline( const char* deps_output_file, const char* filename, Camera &camera,
 #if 0 && DEBUG
 	top_ctx.dump(NULL, NULL);
 #endif
+	shared_ptr<Echostream> echostream;
+	if (echo_output_file)
+		echostream.reset( new Echostream( echo_output_file ) );
 
 	FileModule *root_module;
 	ModuleInstantiation root_inst("group");
@@ -301,8 +319,8 @@ int cmdline( const char* deps_output_file, const char* filename, Camera &camera,
 	}
 	else {
 #ifdef ENABLE_CGAL
-		if ((null_output || png_output_file) && !(renderer==Render::CGAL)) {
-			// null output or OpenCSG png -> don't necessarily need CGALMesh evaluation
+		if ((echo_output_file || png_output_file) && !(renderer==Render::CGAL)) {
+			// echo or OpenCSG png -> don't necessarily need CGALMesh evaluation
 		} else {
 			root_N = cgalevaluator.evaluateCGALMesh(*tree.root());
 		}
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 5405d04b..8e082049 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # instructions - see ../doc/testing.txt
 
+set(DEBUG_OSCD 1) # print debug info during cmake
+
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)
 if("${CMAKE_MAJOR_VERSION}.${CMAKE_MINOR_VERSION}.${CMAKE_PATCH_VERSION}" VERSION_GREATER 2.8.3)
   # Explicitly use new include policy to avoid globally shadowing included modules
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}")
 
 # Build debug build as default
 if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+<<<<<<< HEAD
   #  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release)
   if(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
     execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} -dumpversion OUTPUT_VARIABLE GCC_VERSION)
@@ -49,6 +52,10 @@ if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
   else()
     set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE RelWithDebInfo)
   endif()
+=======
+  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE RelWithDebInfo)
+#  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release)
+>>>>>>> 4ebd8136a83325e67be7a39c9349ec8812aa05c1
 endif()
 
 if(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
@@ -124,12 +131,15 @@ endif()
 #
 
 function(inclusion user_set_path found_paths)
-  # If user_set_path indicates an env. variable was specifically
-  # set by the user, then found_paths become an include priority (prepend);
-  # otherwise found_paths are stuck on the end of the include flags (append).
+  # Set up compiler include paths with prepend/append rules. Input is 
+  # a path and a set of paths. If user_set_path matches anything in found_paths
+  # then we prepend the found_paths because we assume the user wants
+  # their set_paths to be a priority. 
 
-  # message(STATUS "inclusion ${user_set_path} ${found_paths}")
-  # message(STATUS "inclusion ${${user_set_path}} ${${found_paths}}")
+  if (DEBUG_OSCD)
+    message(STATUS "inclusion ${user_set_path} ${found_paths}")
+    message(STATUS "inclusion ${${user_set_path}} ${${found_paths}}")
+  endif()
   set( inclusion_match 0 )
   foreach( found_path ${${found_paths}} )
     if (${found_path} MATCHES ${${user_set_path}}.*)
@@ -138,10 +148,14 @@ function(inclusion user_set_path found_paths)
   endforeach()
   if (user_set_path AND inclusion_match)
     include_directories(BEFORE ${${found_paths}})
-    # message(STATUS "inclusion prepend ${${found_paths}} for ${user_set_path}")
+    if (DEBUG_OSCD)
+      message(STATUS "inclusion prepend ${${found_paths}} for ${user_set_path}")
+    endif()
   else()
     include_directories(AFTER ${${found_paths}})
-    # message(STATUS "inclusion append ${${found_paths}} for ${user_set_path}")
+    if (DEBUG_OSCD)
+      message(STATUS "inclusion append ${${found_paths}} for ${user_set_path}")
+    endif()
   endif()
   set( inclusion_match 0 )
 endfunction()
@@ -339,6 +353,13 @@ if(${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} MATCHES "FreeBSD")
   set(FLEX_EXECUTABLE /usr/local/bin/flex)
 endif()
 
+# prepend the dir where deps were built
+if (NOT $ENV{OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES} STREQUAL "")
+  set(OSCAD_DEPS "")
+  set(OSCAD_DEPS_PATHS $ENV{OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES}/include)
+  inclusion(OSCAD_DEPS OSCAD_DEPS_PATHS)
+endif()
+
 if(${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} MATCHES "NetBSD")
   include_directories( /usr/pkg/include /usr/X11R7/include )
   set(FLEX_EXECUTABLE /usr/pkg/bin/flex)
@@ -567,9 +588,9 @@ target_link_libraries(cgalcachetest tests-cgal ${TESTS-CGAL-LIBRARIES} ${GLEW_LI
 #
 # openscad no-qt
 #
-add_executable(openscad ../src/openscad.cc)
-set_target_properties(openscad PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "-fno-strict-aliasing -DEIGEN_DONT_ALIGN -DENABLE_CGAL -DENABLE_OPENCSG ${CGAL_CXX_FLAGS_INIT}")
-target_link_libraries(openscad tests-offscreen tests-cgal tests-nocgal ${TESTS-CORE-LIBRARIES} ${TESTS-CGAL-LIBRARIES} ${GLEW_LIBRARY} ${Boost_LIBRARIES} ${OPENCSG_LIBRARY} ${COCOA_LIBRARY} )
+add_executable(openscad_nogui ../src/openscad.cc)
+set_target_properties(openscad_nogui PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "-fno-strict-aliasing -DEIGEN_DONT_ALIGN -DENABLE_CGAL -DENABLE_OPENCSG ${CGAL_CXX_FLAGS_INIT}")
+target_link_libraries(openscad_nogui tests-offscreen tests-cgal tests-nocgal ${TESTS-CORE-LIBRARIES} ${TESTS-CGAL-LIBRARIES} ${GLEW_LIBRARY} ${Boost_LIBRARIES} ${OPENCSG_LIBRARY} ${COCOA_LIBRARY} )
 
 #
 # GUI binary tests
@@ -596,9 +617,9 @@ target_link_libraries(openscad tests-offscreen tests-cgal tests-nocgal ${TESTS-C
 #endif()
 
 if(WIN32)
-  set(OPENSCAD_BINPATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/openscad.exe")
+  set(OPENSCAD_BINPATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/openscad_nogui.exe")
 else()
-  set(OPENSCAD_BINPATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/openscad")
+  set(OPENSCAD_BINPATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/openscad_nogui")
 endif()
 
 #
@@ -878,8 +899,6 @@ file(WRITE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CTestCustom.cmake ${TMP})
 
 # Add tests
 
-add_cmdline_test(echotest EXE ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/echotest SUFFIX txt ARGS ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH} FILES ${ECHO_FILES})
-add_cmdline_test(dumptest EXE ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/dumptest SUFFIX csg ARGS ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH} FILES ${DUMPTEST_FILES})
 add_cmdline_test(moduledumptest EXE ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH} ARGS -o SUFFIX ast FILES
                  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/allmodules.scad
                  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/allfunctions.scad
@@ -892,6 +911,8 @@ add_cmdline_test(csgtermtest EXE ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH} ARGS -o SUFFIX term FILES
                              ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/allexpressions.scad
                              ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/allfunctions.scad
                              ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/allmodules.scad)
+add_cmdline_test(echotest EXE ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH} ARGS -o SUFFIX echo FILES ${ECHO_FILES})
+add_cmdline_test(dumptest EXE ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH} ARGS -o SUFFIX csg FILES ${DUMPTEST_FILES})
 add_cmdline_test(cgalpngtest EXE ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH} ARGS --render -o SUFFIX png FILES ${CGALPNGTEST_FILES})
 add_cmdline_test(opencsgtest EXE ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH} ARGS -o SUFFIX png FILES ${OPENCSGTEST_FILES})
 add_cmdline_test(throwntogethertest EXE ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH} ARGS --preview=throwntogether -o SUFFIX png FILES ${THROWNTOGETHERTEST_FILES})
diff --git a/tests/dumptest b/tests/dumptest
deleted file mode 100755
index f9247c75..00000000
--- a/tests/dumptest
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
-import re, sys, subprocess
-
-subprocess.check_call([sys.argv[2], sys.argv[1], '-o', sys.argv[3]])
-
-result = open(sys.argv[3]).read()
-
-result = re.sub(r', timestamp = [0-9]*', '', result)
-result = re.sub(r'-?[0-9].[0-9]*e-[0-9]{2,}', '0', result)
-
-open(sys.argv[3], 'w').write(result)
diff --git a/tests/echotest b/tests/echotest
deleted file mode 100755
index a2302ffa..00000000
--- a/tests/echotest
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
-import re, sys, subprocess
-
-result = subprocess.Popen([sys.argv[2], sys.argv[1], '-o', 'null'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[1]
-result = re.sub(r'-?[0-9].[0-9]*e-[0-9]{2,}', '0', result)
-
-open(sys.argv[3], 'w').write(result)
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/builtin-tests-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/builtin-tests-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/builtin-tests-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/builtin-tests-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/dim-all-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/dim-all-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/dim-all-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/dim-all-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/echo-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/echo-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/echo-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/echo-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/echo-tests-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/echo-tests-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/echo-tests-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/echo-tests-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/escape-test-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/escape-test-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/escape-test-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/escape-test-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/expression-shortcircuit-tests-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/expression-shortcircuit-tests-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/expression-shortcircuit-tests-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/expression-shortcircuit-tests-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/inf-tests-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/inf-tests-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/inf-tests-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/inf-tests-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/len-tests-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/len-tests-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/len-tests-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/len-tests-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/lookup-tests-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/lookup-tests-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/lookup-tests-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/lookup-tests-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/parser-tests-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/parser-tests-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/parser-tests-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/parser-tests-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/rands-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/rands-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/rands-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/rands-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/recursion-tests-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/recursion-tests-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/recursion-tests-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/recursion-tests-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/search-tests-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/search-tests-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/search-tests-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/search-tests-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/string-indexing-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/string-indexing-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/string-indexing-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/string-indexing-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/string-test-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/string-test-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/string-test-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/string-test-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/value-reassignment-tests-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/value-reassignment-tests-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/value-reassignment-tests-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/value-reassignment-tests-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/value-reassignment-tests2-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/value-reassignment-tests2-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/value-reassignment-tests2-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/value-reassignment-tests2-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/variable-scope-tests-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/variable-scope-tests-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/variable-scope-tests-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/variable-scope-tests-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/vector-values-expected.txt b/tests/regression/echotest/vector-values-expected.echo
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/regression/echotest/vector-values-expected.txt
rename to tests/regression/echotest/vector-values-expected.echo
diff --git a/tests/test_cmdline_tool.py b/tests/test_cmdline_tool.py
index 470be1e4..6977a88a 100755
--- a/tests/test_cmdline_tool.py
+++ b/tests/test_cmdline_tool.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 
 #
 # Regression test driver for cmd-line tools