Index: src/hg/lib/hVarSubst.c
===================================================================
RCS file: /projects/compbio/cvsroot/kent/src/hg/lib/hVarSubst.c,v
retrieving revision 1.2
retrieving revision 1.3
diff -b -B -U 4 -r1.2 -r1.3
--- src/hg/lib/hVarSubst.c	23 Jan 2009 22:19:46 -0000	1.2
+++ src/hg/lib/hVarSubst.c	12 Feb 2009 00:59:24 -0000	1.3
@@ -218,15 +218,20 @@
 char varName[65];
 
 while ((next = strchr(next, '$')) != NULL)
     {
-    if (*(next+1) == '$')
-        next +=2;  // $$ is a literal
-    else
-        {
         if (dest == NULL)
             dest = dyStringNew(strlen(src));
         dyStringAppendN(dest, start, next-start);
+    if (*(next+1) == '$')
+        {
+        // $$ is a literal $
+        dyStringAppendC(dest, '$');
+        start = next = next + 2;
+        }
+    else
+        {
+        // variable reference
         start = next = parseVarName(desc, next, varName, sizeof(varName));
         substVar(desc, tdb, database, varName, dest);
         }
     }

