diff --git a/wintable/api.h b/wintable/api.h
index fb0e1c0..bf259ad 100644
--- a/wintable/api.h
+++ b/wintable/api.h
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ static void addColumn(struct table *t, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
 
 HANDLER(apiHandlers)
 {
+	intptr_t *rcp;
+
 	switch (uMsg) {
 	case WM_SETFONT:
 		// don't free the old font; see http://blogs.msdn.com/b/oldnewthing/archive/2008/09/12/8945692.aspx
@@ -30,6 +32,13 @@ HANDLER(apiHandlers)
 		addColumn(t, wParam, lParam);
 		*lResult = 0;
 		return TRUE;
+	case tableSetRowCount:
+		rcp = (intptr_t *) lParam;
+		t->count = *rcp;
+		// TODO refresh table in this way?
+		updateTableWidth(t);
+		*lResult = 0;
+		return TRUE;
 	}
 	return FALSE;
 }
diff --git a/wintable/main.h b/wintable/main.h
index d17f5d8..c8ba30c 100644
--- a/wintable/main.h
+++ b/wintable/main.h
@@ -12,14 +12,19 @@
 // - collect all resize-related tasks in a single function (so things like adding columns will refresh everything, not just horizontal scrolls; also would fix initial coordinates)
 // - checkbox columns don't clip to the column width
 // - send standard notification codes
+// - seriously figure out how we're going to update everything about the table in one place
 
 #define tableWindowClass L"gouitable"
 
 // start at WM_USER + 20 just in case for whatever reason we ever get the various dialog manager messages (see also http://blogs.msdn.com/b/oldnewthing/archive/2003/10/21/55384.aspx)
+// each of these returns nothing unless otherwise indicated
 enum {
 	// wParam - one of the type constants
 	// lParam - column name as a Unicode string
 	tableAddColumn = WM_USER + 20,
+	// wParam - 0
+	// lParam - pointer to intptr_t containing new count
+	tableSetRowCount,
 };
 
 enum {
@@ -127,7 +132,6 @@ static const handlerfunc handlers[] = {
 
 static void initDummyTableStuff(struct table *t)
 {
-	t->count = 100;
 	t->selectedRow = 2;
 	t->selectedColumn = 1;
 }
diff --git a/wintable/test.c b/wintable/test.c
index 9e01a94..6d38bd1 100644
--- a/wintable/test.c
+++ b/wintable/test.c
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ HBITMAP mkbitmap(void);
 
 BOOL mainwinCreate(HWND hwnd, LPCREATESTRUCT lpcs)
 {
+	intptr_t c;
+
 	tablehwnd = CreateWindowExW(0,
 		tableWindowClass, L"Main Window",
 		WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_HSCROLL | WS_VSCROLL,
@@ -36,6 +38,8 @@ BOOL mainwinCreate(HWND hwnd, LPCREATESTRUCT lpcs)
 			panic("(test program) error creating lfMessageFont HFONT");
 		SendMessageW(tablehwnd, WM_SETFONT, (WPARAM) font, TRUE);
 	}
+	c = 100;
+	SendMessageW(tablehwnd, tableSetRowCount, 0, (LPARAM) (&c));
 	SetFocus(tablehwnd);
 	return TRUE;
 }