diff --git a/autobuild.pl b/autobuild.pl
index ac1a48b79..dabeaff3c 100755
--- a/autobuild.pl
+++ b/autobuild.pl
@@ -777,6 +777,16 @@ (\%)
     my $LINE_FROM = $command->{LINE_FROM};
     my $LINE_TO   = $command->{LINE_FROM};
     my $args = $command->{ARGS};
+    my $required = $command->{REQUIRED};
+
+    if (!defined($required)) {
+      if (exists($command_table{$NAME}->{required_by_default})) {
+        $required = $command_table{$NAME}->{required_by_default};
+      }
+      else {
+        $required = 0;
+      }
+    }
 
     my $CMD = "Executing \"$NAME\" line";
     if (!defined $LINE_TO || $LINE_FROM == $LINE_TO) {
@@ -883,7 +893,7 @@ (\%)
       if (defined ($failure)) {
         print STDERR "ERROR: While $CMD $CMD2:\n" if ($verbose <= 1);
         print STDERR "  The command failed";
-        if ($failure eq 'fatal') {
+        if ($required || $failure eq 'fatal') {
           $status = 1;
           if (!$keep_going) {
             print STDERR ", exiting.\n";
diff --git a/command/anonymous_shell.pm b/command/anonymous_shell.pm
index 26c9ef304..7e5c285a4 100644
--- a/command/anonymous_shell.pm
+++ b/command/anonymous_shell.pm
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ use Cwd;
 use FileHandle;
 use File::Path;
 
+use common::utility;
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Constructor
 
@@ -54,20 +56,15 @@ sub Run ($)
         $root = $1;
     }
 
-    my $current_dir = getcwd ();
-
-    if (!chdir $root) {
-        print STDERR __FILE__, ": Cannot change to $root\n";
-        return 0;
-    }
+    my $cd = ChangeDir->new({dir => $root});
+    return {'failure' => 'fatal'} unless ($cd);
 
     print "Running: ${options}\n";
 
-    system ($options);
-
-    chdir $current_dir;
+    my $result = {};
+    utility::run_command ($options, $result);
 
-    return 1;
+    return $result;
 }
 
 ##############################################################################
diff --git a/command/auto_run_tests.pm b/command/auto_run_tests.pm
index b35690d7b..3d3a190fe 100644
--- a/command/auto_run_tests.pm
+++ b/command/auto_run_tests.pm
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ use Cwd;
 use FileHandle;
 use File::Path;
 
+use common::utility;
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Constructor
 
@@ -178,9 +180,10 @@ sub Run ($)
         print "Running: $command\n";
     }
 
-    system ($command);
+    my $result = {};
+    utility::run_command ($command, $result);
     chdir $current_dir;
-    return 1;
+    return $result;
 }
 
 ##############################################################################
diff --git a/command/check_compiler.pm b/command/check_compiler.pm
index 4df7f7454..e84aef75c 100644
--- a/command/check_compiler.pm
+++ b/command/check_compiler.pm
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ use warnings;
 
 use Cwd;
 
+use common::utility;
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Constructor
 
@@ -14,7 +16,9 @@ sub new
 {
     my $proto = shift;
     my $class = ref ($proto) || $proto;
-    my $self = {};
+    my $self = {
+      'required_by_default' => 1,
+    };
 
     bless ($self, $class);
     return $self;
@@ -44,94 +48,94 @@ sub Run ($)
 
     print "================ Compiler version ================\n";
 
-    if($compiler =~ m/^(\w*-)*(gcc|g\+\+|g\+\+-?[0-9]|ccsimpc|ccpentium|ccppc|c\+\+ppc|c\+\+pentium)/ || $compiler =~ m/^clang(\+\+)?(-[0-9\.]+)?/){
-        system($compiler." -v 2>&1");
-      if($compiler =~ m/^(\w*-)*(gcc|g\+\+|g\+\+-?[0-9])/ || $compiler =~ m/^clang(\+\+)?(-[0-9\.]+)?/){
-          my $linker = `$compiler -print-prog-name=ld`;
-          chomp $linker;
-          if($linker =~ m/ld$/){
-              system($linker." -v 2>&1");
-          }
-          elsif($linker =~ m/ccs/){
-              system($linker." -V 2>&1");
-          }
-      }
-    }
-    elsif(lc $compiler =~ m/^(sun_cc|studio|suncc)/) {
-        system("CC -V");
-    }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "mingwcygwin"){
-        system("g++ -v -mno-cygwin");
-    }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "bcc32"){
-        system("bcc32 --version");
+    if ($compiler =~ m/^(\w*-)*(gcc|g\+\+|clang|ccsimpc|(cc|c\+\+)(pentium|ppc))/) {
+        if (!utility::run_command ("$compiler -v 2>&1")) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        if ($compiler =~ /^(\w*-)*(gcc|g\+\+|clang)/) {
+            my $linker = `$compiler -print-prog-name=ld`;
+            chomp $linker;
+            if ($linker =~ m/ld$/) {
+                return utility::run_command ($linker." -v 2>&1");
+            }
+            elsif ($linker =~ m/ccs/) {
+                return utility::run_command ($linker." -V 2>&1");
+            }
+            else {
+                print STDERR __FILE__, ": ERROR: Unexpected Linker: $linker\n";
+            }
+        }
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "bcc32c"){
-        system("bcc32c --version");
+    elsif (lc $compiler =~ m/^(sun_cc|studio|suncc)/) {
+        return utility::run_command ("CC -V");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "bcc64"){
-        system("bcc64 --version");
+    elsif (lc $compiler eq "mingwcygwin") {
+        return utility::run_command ("g++ -v -mno-cygwin");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "bccx"){
-        system("bccx --version");
+    elsif (lc $compiler =~ m/^(bcc(.*))$/) {
+        return utility::run_command ("$1 --version");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "kylix"){
-        system("bc++ -V");
+    elsif (lc $compiler eq "kylix") {
+        return utility::run_command ("bc++ -V");
     }
-    elsif($compiler =~ m/^(dcc|dplus)/){
-        system($compiler . " -V");
+    elsif ($compiler =~ m/^(dcc|dplus)/) {
+        return utility::run_command ($compiler . " -V");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "dm"){
-        system("scppn");
+    elsif (lc $compiler eq "dm") {
+        return utility::run_command ("scppn");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler =~ m/^(msvc|vc|cl)/){
-        system("cl");
+    elsif (lc $compiler =~ m/^(msvc|vc|cl)/) {
+        return utility::run_command ("cl");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "deccxx"){
-        system("cxx/VERSION");
+    elsif (lc $compiler eq "deccxx") {
+        return utility::run_command ("cxx/VERSION");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "cxx"){
-        system("cxx -V");
+    elsif (lc $compiler eq "cxx") {
+        return utility::run_command ("cxx -V");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "acc"){
-        system("aCC -V");
+    elsif (lc $compiler eq "acc") {
+        return utility::run_command ("aCC -V");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "pgcc"){
-        system("pgCC -V");
+    elsif (lc $compiler eq "pgcc") {
+        return utility::run_command ("pgCC -V");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "mipspro"){
-        system("CC -version");
+    elsif (lc $compiler eq "mipspro") {
+        return utility::run_command ("CC -version");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "doxygen"){
-        system("doxygen --version");
+    elsif (lc $compiler eq "doxygen") {
+        return utility::run_command ("doxygen --version");
     }
-    elsif($compiler =~ m/^(ecc|icc|icpc)/){
-        system($compiler." -V 2>&1");
+    elsif ($compiler =~ m/^(ecc|icc|icpc)/) {
+        return utility::run_command ("$compiler -V 2>&1");
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "icl"){
-        system("icl");
+    elsif (lc $compiler eq "icl") {
+        return utility::run_command ("icl");
     }
-    elsif($compiler =~ m/^(ibmcxx)/i ){
-        if(-x "/usr/bin/lslpp"){
-           system("/usr/bin/lslpp -l ibmcxx.cmp | grep ibmcxx.cmp");
-        }else {
-           print "ERROR: Could not find /usr/bin/lslpp!!\n";
+    elsif ($compiler =~ m/^(ibmcxx)/i) {
+        if (-x "/usr/bin/lslpp") {
+            return utility::run_command ("/usr/bin/lslpp -l ibmcxx.cmp | grep ibmcxx.cmp");
+        }
+        else {
+            print STDERR __FILE__, ": " .
+                "ERROR: Could not find /usr/bin/lslpp!!\n";
         }
     }
-    elsif($compiler =~ m/^(vacpp)/i ){
-        if(-x "/usr/bin/lslpp"){
-           system("/usr/bin/lslpp -l | grep -i \'C++ Compiler\'");
-        }else {
-           print "ERROR: Could not find /usr/bin/lslpp!!\n";
+    elsif ($compiler =~ m/^(vacpp)/i) {
+        if (-x "/usr/bin/lslpp") {
+            return utility::run_command ("/usr/bin/lslpp -l | grep -i \'C++ Compiler\'");
+        }
+        else {
+            print STDERR __FILE__, ": " .
+                "ERROR: Could not find /usr/bin/lslpp!!\n";
         }
     }
-    elsif(lc $compiler eq "c89"){
-        system("c89 -Whelp 2>&1 | tail -2");
+    elsif (lc $compiler eq "c89") {
+        return utility::run_command ("c89 -Whelp 2>&1 | tail -2");
     }
-    else{
-        system($compiler);
+    else {
+        print STDERR __FILE__, ": " . "Invalid Compiler Option: $compiler\n";
     }
-    return 1;
+    return 0;
 }
 
 ##############################################################################
diff --git a/command/make.pm b/command/make.pm
index 65671a39f..38cdc07e4 100644
--- a/command/make.pm
+++ b/command/make.pm
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ use warnings;
 use Cwd;
 use File::Path;
 
+use common::utility;
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Constructor
 
@@ -121,7 +123,7 @@ sub Run ($)
     {
         if(!chdir $dir) {
           print STDERR __FILE__, ": Cannot change to $dir\n";
-          return 1;
+          return 0;
         }
     }
 
@@ -134,7 +136,8 @@ sub Run ($)
 
     my $command;
     my $pattern;
-    my $ret = 0;
+    my $success = 0;
+    my $result = {};
 
     if ($options =~ s/find=([^\s]*)//) {
         $pattern = $1;
@@ -146,18 +149,17 @@ sub Run ($)
             next unless -f $makefile; # skip directories
             $command = "$make_program -f $makefile $options";
             print "Running: $command\n";
-            $ret = system ($command);
+            $success = utility::run_command ($command, $result);
         }
     }
     else {
         $options =~ s/'/"/g;
         $command = "$make_program $options";
         print "Running: $command\n";
-        $ret = system ($command);
+        $success = utility::run_command ($command, $result);
     }
 
-    if( $ret != 0  )
-    {
+    if (!$success) {
         my $working_dir = getcwd();
 
         ## If we used 'make -C' to change the directory, let's
@@ -168,7 +170,7 @@ sub Run ($)
             $working_dir = "$working_dir/$1";
         }
 
-        print "[BUILD ERROR detected in $working_dir]\n ";
+        print STDERR "[BUILD ERROR detected in $working_dir]\n ";
     }
 
     chdir $current_dir;
@@ -176,7 +178,7 @@ sub Run ($)
     ## Return PWD to the correct setting
     $ENV{PWD} = getcwd();
 
-    return 1;
+    return $result;
 }
 
 ##############################################################################
diff --git a/command/shell.pm b/command/shell.pm
index 0d1d5e4a3..fd4d825eb 100644
--- a/command/shell.pm
+++ b/command/shell.pm
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ use Cwd;
 use FileHandle;
 use File::Path;
 
+use common::utility;
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Constructor
 
@@ -56,20 +58,15 @@ sub Run ($)
 
     main::PrintStatus ('Setup', 'Shell');
 
-    my $current_dir = getcwd ();
-
-    if (!chdir $root) {
-        print STDERR __FILE__, ": Cannot change to $root\n";
-        return 0;
-    }
+    my $cd = ChangeDir->new({dir => $root});
+    return {'failure' => 'fatal'} unless ($cd);
 
     print "Running: ${options}\n";
 
-    system ($options);
-
-    chdir $current_dir;
+    my $result = {};
+    utility::run_command ($options, $result);
 
-    return 1;
+    return $result;
 }
 
 ##############################################################################
diff --git a/command/test.pm b/command/test.pm
index bb94b008d..8514c6c7e 100644
--- a/command/test.pm
+++ b/command/test.pm
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ use warnings;
 use Cwd;
 use FileHandle;
 
+use common::utility;
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Constructor
 
@@ -60,20 +62,15 @@ sub Run ($)
 
     main::PrintStatus ('Test', 'Shell');
 
-    my $current_dir = getcwd ();
-
-    if (!chdir $project_root) {
-        print STDERR __FILE__, ": Cannot change to $project_root\n";
-        return 0;
-    }
+    my $cd = ChangeDir->new({dir => $project_root});
+    return {'failure' => 'fatal'} unless ($cd);
 
     print "Running: ${options}\n";
 
-    system ($options);
-
-    chdir $current_dir;
+    my $result = {};
+    my $status = utility::run_command ($options, $result);
 
-    return 1;
+    return $result;
 }
 
 ##############################################################################
diff --git a/command/vc6make.pm b/command/vc6make.pm
index ac6234da1..89c413388 100644
--- a/command/vc6make.pm
+++ b/command/vc6make.pm
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ use warnings;
 use Cwd;
 use File::Path;
 
+use common::utility;
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Constructor
 
@@ -80,29 +82,26 @@ sub Run ($)
 
     my $workspace = undef;
     if ($options =~ /"([^"]+\.dsw)"/) {
-      $workspace = $1;
+        $workspace = $1;
     }
     elsif ($options =~ /([\w\-\\\/\.]+\.dsw)/) {
-      $workspace = $1;
+        $workspace = $1;
     }
 
+    my $result = {};
     if (defined $workspace && ! -r $workspace) {
-      print "Skipping: $workspace not found\n";
+        print "Skipping: $workspace not found\n";
     }
     else {
-      print "Running: $command\n";
-
-      my $ret = system ($command);
-
-      if ($ret != 0)
-      {
-        print "[BUILD ERROR detected in ", getcwd(), "]\n";
-      }
+        print "Running: $command\n";
+        if (!utility::run_command ($command, $result)) {
+            print STDERR "[BUILD ERROR detected in ", getcwd(), "]\n";
+        }
     }
 
     chdir $current_dir;
 
-    return 1;
+    return $result;
 }
 
 ##############################################################################
diff --git a/command/vc7make.pm b/command/vc7make.pm
index 493bdfae5..7eb14f14b 100644
--- a/command/vc7make.pm
+++ b/command/vc7make.pm
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ use warnings;
 use Cwd;
 use File::Path;
 
+use common::utility;
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Constructor
 
@@ -99,28 +101,26 @@ sub Run ($)
 
     my $workspace = undef;
     if ($options =~ /"([^"]+\.sln)"/) {
-      $workspace = $1;
+        $workspace = $1;
     }
     elsif ($options =~ /([\w\.\-\\\/]+\.sln)/) {
-      $workspace = $1;
+        $workspace = $1;
     }
 
+    my $result = {};
     if (defined $workspace && ! -r $workspace) {
-      print "Skipping: $workspace not found\n";
+        print "Skipping: $workspace not found\n";
     }
     else {
-      print "Running: $command\n";
-
-      my $ret = system ($command);
-
-      if ($ret != 0) {
-        print "[BUILD ERROR detected in ", getcwd(), "]\n";
-      }
+        print "Running: $command\n";
+        if (!utility::run_command ($command, $result)) {
+            print STDERR "[BUILD ERROR detected in ", getcwd(), "]\n";
+        }
     }
 
     chdir $current_dir;
 
-    return 1;
+    return $result;
 }
 
 ##############################################################################
diff --git a/common/betterparser.pm b/common/betterparser.pm
index 8a4571e09..20eb9fbe1 100644
--- a/common/betterparser.pm
+++ b/common/betterparser.pm
@@ -1243,6 +1243,7 @@ sub DealWithCommandTag ($$$$$\%)
   my $JOIN = ' ';
   my $SUBVARS = 2; ## use default, if 0 don't substitute, if 1 substitute.
   my $GROUP;
+  my $required;
 
   while (scalar @$PAIRS) {
     my $thisPAIR = shift (@$PAIRS);
@@ -1312,6 +1313,21 @@ sub DealWithCommandTag ($$$$$\%)
       }
     }
     #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    elsif ($thisAttrib =~ m/^required$/i) {
+      if ($thisValue =~ m/^true$/i) {
+        $required = 1;
+      } elsif ($thisValue =~ m/^false$/i) {
+        $required = 0;
+      } else {
+        DisplayProblem(
+          $file,
+          $lineStart,
+          $lineEnd,
+          "IGNORING",
+          "Invalid value for \"required\" attribute <$tag $thisAttrib=\"$thisValue\">");
+      }
+    }
+    #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
     elsif ($thisAttrib =~ m/^join$/i) {
       if ($thisValue =~ m/^(?:dir(?:ectory)?|folder)$/i) {
         $JOIN = $main::dirsep;
@@ -1439,6 +1455,7 @@ sub DealWithCommandTag ($$$$$\%)
                  LINE_FROM => $lineStart,
                  LINE_TO   => $lineEnd,
                  ARGS => [],
+                 REQUIRED => $required,
                 );
     push @{$data->{COMMANDS}}, \%value;
   }