=== modified file 'common.zsh'
--- common.zsh	2017-11-15 00:12:49 +0000
+++ common.zsh	2017-11-14 23:44:48 +0000
@@ -25,35 +25,35 @@
 }
 
 decode_args() {
-	typeset -gA vars
+	typeset -gA args
 	local arg
 	for arg in "${(s::Q)BASE}"; do
 		if [[ "$arg" != *=* ]]; then
 			echo >&2 "Malformed argument: ${(qqq)arg}"
 			exit 1
 		fi
-		if (( $+vars[${arg%%=*}] )); then
+		if (( $+args[${arg%%=*}] )); then
 			echo >&2 "Duplicate argument: ${arg%%=*}"
 			exit 1
 		fi
-		vars[${arg%%=*}]=${arg#*=}
+		args[${arg%%=*}]=${arg#*=}
 	done
 }
 
 finish() {
 	local -a arglist
 	local k
-	for k in ${(ko)vars}; do
-		arglist+=( "$k=$vars[$k]" )
+	for k in ${(ko)args}; do
+		arglist+=( "$k=$args[$k]" )
 	done
 	printf >$OUT "%s" "${(j::)arglist}"
 	exit 0
 }
 
-# set $vars parameter if it's empty (ie. set default value)
+# set $args parameter if it's empty (ie. set default value)
 defvar() {
-	if ! (($+vars[$1])); then
-		vars[$1]=$2
+	if ! (($+args[$1])); then
+		args[$1]=$2
 	fi
 }
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
 	local var
 	local -a empty
 	for var in "$@"; do
-		if ! (($+vars[$var])); then
+		if ! (($+args[$var])); then
 			empty+=( $var )
 		fi
 	done
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
 
 	local name outer inner
 	local target
-	local -a new_vars run
+	local -a new_args run
 	local -A lift
 
 	name=$1
@@ -98,16 +98,16 @@
 	# parse variable assignments
 	while (( $# )); do
 		case $1 in
-			(:*)   ((${+vars[${1#:}]})) || \
+			(:*)   ((${+args[${1#:}]})) || \
 				die "variable ${(qqq)1#:} not set, passed as :argument"
-				new_vars+=( ${1#:}="${vars[${1#:}]}" );;
-			(\?*=*) (($+vars[${${1#\?}#*=})) && \
-				new_vars+=( ${${1#\?}%%=*}="$vars[${${1#\?}#*=}" );;
-			(\?*)  ((${+vars[${1#\?}]})) && \
-				new_vars+=( ${1#\?}="${vars[${1#\?}]}" );;
+				new_args+=( ${1#:}="${args[${1#:}]}" );;
+			(\?*=*) (($+args[${${1#\?}#*=})) && \
+				new_args+=( ${${1#\?}%%=*}="$args[${${1#\?}#*=}" );;
+			(\?*)  ((${+args[${1#\?}]})) && \
+				new_args+=( ${1#\?}="${args[${1#\?}]}" );;
 			(%*=*) lift[${${1#%}%%=*}]=${${1#%}#*=};;
 			(%*)   lift[${1#%}]=${1#%};;
-			(*=*)  new_vars+=( "${1%%=*}"="${1#*=}" );;
+			(*=*)  new_args+=( "${1%%=*}"="${1#*=}" );;
 			(--)   shift; break;;
 			(*)    die "$name: unrecognised argument: ${(qqq)1}";;
 		esac
@@ -118,25 +118,25 @@
 	else
 		run=( redo-ifchange )
 	fi
-	target=${(j::)${(oq)new_vars}}.$name
+	target=${(j::)${(oq)a}}$.name
 	"$run[@]" meta/$target || die "Building $name failed ($target)"
 
 	if (($#lift)); then
 		# lift %variables from calee to caller
-		local lift_vars arg
+		local lift_args arg
 		for arg in "${(s::Q)$(<meta$target)}"; do
 			if [[ "$arg" != *=* ]]; then
 				die "Malformed argument: ${(qqq)arg}"
 			fi
-			if (( $+vars[${arg%%=*}] )); then
+			if (( $+args[${arg%%=*}] )); then
 				die "Duplicate argument: ${arg%%=*}"
 			fi
-			lift_vars[${arg%%=*}]=${arg#*=}
+			lift_args[${arg%%=*}]=${arg#*=}
 		done
 		for outer inner in ${(kv)lift}; do
-			((${+lift_vars[$inner]})) || \
+			((${+lift_args[$inner]})) || \
 				die "variable ${(qqq)inner} not set, was requested by caller as ${(qqq)outer}"
-			vars[$outer]=${lift_vars[$inner]}
+			args[$outer]=${lift_args[$inner]}
 		done
 	fi
 }