diff --git a/stripchart/samples/db_count b/stripchart/samples/db_count
index b80402f93e..1707b2a2f2 100755
--- a/stripchart/samples/db_count
+++ b/stripchart/samples/db_count
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 #! /bin/csh
-# NOTE: this must be macro-substituted (for BOINC_DB_NAME)
 
 set CIVDATE = `date "+%Y:%m:%d:%H:%M"`
 set UNIXDATE = `perl -e 'print time()'`
-set COUNT = `echo "use david_test; select count(*) from $1" | mysql | tail -1`
+set DBNAME = `./parse_config db_name`
+
+set COUNT = `echo "use $DBNAME; select count(*) from $1" | mysql | tail -1`
  
 echo $CIVDATE $UNIXDATE $COUNT
diff --git a/stripchart/samples/db_query b/stripchart/samples/db_query
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7934b7ccd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stripchart/samples/db_query
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#! /bin/csh
+
+
+
+set CIVDATE = `date "+%Y:%m:%d:%H:%M"`
+
+set UNIXDATE = `perl -e 'print time()'`
+
+set DBNAME = `./parse_config db_name`
+
+set COUNT = `echo "use $DBNAME;$1" | mysql | tail -1`
+
+
+
+echo $CIVDATE $UNIXDATE $COUNT
diff --git a/stripchart/samples/parse_config b/stripchart/samples/parse_config
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7bc0778460
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stripchart/samples/parse_config
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# -*- mode: python; python-indent: 4; -*-
+
+
+
+## $Id$
+
+
+
+'''
+
+
+
+A program to pass config file settings to calling programs via stdout
+
+
+
+'''
+
+
+
+import boinc_path_config
+from Boinc import configxml
+
+import sys, os
+
+
+
+program_path = os.path.realpath(os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0]))
+
+config_filename = os.path.realpath(os.path.join(program_path, '../config.xml'))
+
+
+
+config = configxml.ConfigFile(config_filename).read()
+
+
+print config.config.__dict__.get(sys.argv[1])
+