well I'm on a Mac M1. I have python 3.9 and installed via pip3 install toncli - what else needs to be done? func, fift etc I have compiled from source and point to those

i think you need to include address_helpers.func in your test contracts or address_helpers.func may be missing from your test-libs folder.

all I am seeing concerning config of toncli in the documentation is: " Configuration
Config folder will create on first deploy, all fift / func libs will copy to it, also deploy wallet contract will be created. " Does this mean that toncli is not fully configured until it does a deployment? and that's why run_tests does not have access to address_helpers.func ?

what are the steps to get toncli properly configured?

Still see error after: toncli update_libs
INFO: Succesfully copied fift-libs func-libs test-libs
from /usr/local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/toncli/lib
to /Users/apple/Library/Application Support/toncli

toncli run_test ;; always returns status code of failed: toncli run_tests
INFO: 🥌 Build successfully, check out ./build
Loading private key from file build/contract.pk
[ 3][t 0][2023-01-17 23:03:40.815992][vm.cpp:558] steps: 11 gas: used=1186, max=1000000000, limit=1000000000, credit=0
INFO: Test [__test_gas_limit] status: [FAIL], code: [2] Total gas used (including testing code): [1186]

the method tested just returns an integer but the status is always FAIL.

This is the test code. I'm also not seeing a full stack dump.

ran the test in the article and I get the same exit code 2

Ok, that's a great reason to use the binaries.