# 
# 
# patch "database.cc"
#  from [6eb6abccd16cea2f3ec7517d4d0c1cb00e01fb69]
#    to [687fdf5f74a2e4f473f239f86fda86fd6b1e28a0]
# 
# patch "work.cc"
#  from [8bb12080223afb25dc95e119bf6d29883c3e87c8]
#    to [cfe3da45cddb3838bf15bf380ad102df50ec461f]
# 
# patch "work.hh"
#  from [5515f5af71490b7fd5ffc7e0d64f712df5b72a27]
#    to [3c13e0f3b441f11c46cb796c827668c4e39afddd]
# 
============================================================
--- database.cc	6eb6abccd16cea2f3ec7517d4d0c1cb00e01fb69
+++ database.cc	687fdf5f74a2e4f473f239f86fda86fd6b1e28a0
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "database.hh"
 #include "hash_map.hh"
 #include "keys.hh"
+#include "platform-wrapped.hh"
 #include "revision.hh"
 #include "safe_map.hh"
 #include "sanity.hh"
@@ -3264,9 +3265,36 @@ database::check_db_exists()
 void
 database::check_db_exists()
 {
-  require_path_is_file(filename,
-                       F("database %s does not exist") % filename,
-                       F("%s is a directory, not a database") % filename);
+  switch (get_path_status(filename))
+    {
+    case path::nonexistent:
+      N(false, F("database %s does not exist") % filename);
+      break;
+    case path::file:
+      return;
+    case path::directory:
+      {
+        system_path database_option;
+        branch_name branch_option;
+        rsa_keypair_id key_option;
+        system_path keydir_option;
+        if (workspace::get_ws_options_from_path(
+                    filename,
+                    database_option,
+                    branch_option,
+                    key_option,
+                    keydir_option))
+          {
+            N(database_option.empty(),
+                              F("You gave a database option of: \n"
+                                "%s\n"
+                                "That is actually a workspace.  Did you mean: \n"
+                                "%s") % filename % database_option );
+          }
+        N(false, F("%s is a directory, not a database") % filename);
+      }
+      break;
+    }
 }
 
 void
============================================================
--- work.cc	8bb12080223afb25dc95e119bf6d29883c3e87c8
+++ work.cc	cfe3da45cddb3838bf15bf380ad102df50ec461f
@@ -61,6 +61,13 @@ static void
 }
 
 static void
+get_options_path(system_path & workspace, system_path & o_path)
+{
+  o_path = workspace / bookkeeping_root.as_internal() / options_file_name;
+  L(FL("options path is %s") % o_path);
+}
+
+static void
 get_inodeprints_path(bookkeeping_path & ip_path)
 {
   ip_path = bookkeeping_root / inodeprints_file_name;
@@ -228,16 +235,41 @@ workspace::get_ws_options(system_path & 
                           rsa_keypair_id & key_option,
                           system_path & keydir_option)
 {
-  bookkeeping_path o_path;
-  get_options_path(o_path);
+  system_path empty_path;
+  get_ws_options_from_path(empty_path, database_option,
+                branch_option, key_option, keydir_option);
+}
+
+bool
+workspace::get_ws_options_from_path(system_path & workspace,
+                          system_path & database_option,
+                          branch_name & branch_option,
+                          rsa_keypair_id & key_option,
+                          system_path & keydir_option)
+{
+  any_path * o_path;
+  bookkeeping_path ws_o_path;
+  system_path sys_o_path;
+  
+  if (workspace.empty())
+    {
+      get_options_path(ws_o_path);
+      o_path = & ws_o_path;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      get_options_path(workspace, sys_o_path);
+      o_path = & sys_o_path;
+    }
+  
   try
     {
-      if (path_exists(o_path))
+      if (path_exists(*o_path))
         {
           data dat;
-          read_data(o_path, dat);
+          read_data(*o_path, dat);
 
-          basic_io::input_source src(dat(), o_path.as_external());
+          basic_io::input_source src(dat(), o_path->as_external());
           basic_io::tokenizer tok(src);
           basic_io::parser parser(tok);
 
@@ -259,12 +291,17 @@ workspace::get_ws_options(system_path & 
                 W(F("unrecognized key '%s' in options file %s - ignored")
                   % opt % o_path);
             }
+          return true;
         }
+      else
+        return false;
     }
   catch(exception & e)
     {
-      W(F("Failed to read options file %s: %s") % o_path % e.what());
+      W(F("Failed to read options file %s: %s") % *o_path % e.what());
     }
+  
+  return false;
 }
 
 void
============================================================
--- work.hh	5515f5af71490b7fd5ffc7e0d64f712df5b72a27
+++ work.hh	3c13e0f3b441f11c46cb796c827668c4e39afddd
@@ -157,6 +157,11 @@ struct workspace
   // implied unless overridden on the command line. the set of valid keys
   // corresponds exactly to the argument list of these functions.
 
+  static bool get_ws_options_from_path(system_path & workspace,
+                                       system_path & database_option,
+                                       branch_name & branch_option,
+                                       rsa_keypair_id & key_option,
+                                       system_path & keydir_option);
   void get_ws_options(system_path & database_option,
                       branch_name & branch_option,
                       rsa_keypair_id & key_option,