Index: /trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/CommandOps.c
===================================================================
--- /trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/CommandOps.c	(revision 16887)
+++ /trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/CommandOps.c	(revision 16888)
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
 # include "opihi.h"
+
+// the command table is only modified by macro_create: if thread protection is needed, it
+// should be added there.  it may not be needed if programs only call macro_create in a
+// single thread.  pantasks_server only calls macro_create in the 'input' thread, so it is
+// safe.
 
 // if the user has installed the libedit version of readline, we need to modify a couple symbols:
Index: /trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/ConfigInit.c
===================================================================
--- /trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/ConfigInit.c	(revision 16887)
+++ /trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/ConfigInit.c	(revision 16888)
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@
 static char *GlobalConfig;
 
+// this function is only called at start, so it is not thread protect
 int ConfigInit (int *argc, char **argv) {
 
@@ -19,4 +20,10 @@
   free (file);
   return (TRUE);
+}
+
+// this function is only called at shutdown, so it is not thread protect
+void ConfigFree () {
+  if (GlobalConfig) free (GlobalConfig);
+  return;
 }
 
@@ -65,6 +72,2 @@
 }
 
-void ConfigFree () {
-  if (GlobalConfig) free (GlobalConfig);
-  return;
-}
Index: /trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/MacroOps.c
===================================================================
--- /trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/MacroOps.c	(revision 16887)
+++ /trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/MacroOps.c	(revision 16888)
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
 # include "opihi.h"
+
+// the macro table is only modified by macro_create: if thread protection is needed, it
+// should be added there.  it may not be needed if programs only call macro_create in a
+// single thread.  pantasks_server only calls macro_create in the 'input' thread, so it is
+// safe.
 
 static char dot[] = ".";