diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index ca49bf1..472425d 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ type args struct {
 	UpBase    string   `arg:"--upbase"                  help:"uppercase basename"`
 	Proto     string   `arg:"--proto"                   help:"the .proto filename"`
 	Append    string   `arg:"--append"                  help:"will keep this key unique on append"`
-	Sort      []string `arg:"--sort"                    help:"how and what to sort on"`
+	Sort      []string `arg:"-s,--sort,separate"        help:"how and what to sort on"`
 	Marshal   []string `arg:"--marshal"                 help:"what to marshal on"`
 	NoMarshal bool     `arg:"--no-marshal"              help:"do not make a marshal.pb.go file"`
 	NoSort    bool     `arg:"--no-sort"                 help:"do not make a sort.pb.go file"`
diff --git a/sort.go b/sort.go
index 871632b..ff7026b 100644
--- a/sort.go
+++ b/sort.go
@@ -14,31 +14,21 @@ func makeSortfile() {
 	syncLock(f, sortmap)
 	iterTop(f, sortmap)
 	iterNext(f, sortmap)
-	// setup Sort() functions
-	if len(argv.Sort) == 0 {
-		// don't do any sorting
-		// setup Append() functions
-		if argv.Append == "" {
-			iterAppend(f, sortmap) // Append() enforce no unique keys
-		} else {
-			iterAppend(f, sortmap) // Append() enforce no unique keys
-			sortmap["append"] = argv.Append
+	iterAppend(f, sortmap) // Append() enforce no unique keys
+	iterSortAll(f, sortmap)
+
+	if argv.Append != "" {
+			sortmap["append"] = string(argv.Append)
 			iterAppend(f, sortmap) // Append() enforce unique key argv.Append
-		}
-	} else {
-		sortparts := strings.Split(argv.Sort[0], ",")
+	}
+
+	for _, s := range argv.Sort {
+		sortparts := strings.Split(s, ",")
 		sortmap["sortBy"] = sortparts[0]
 		sortmap["sortKey"] = sortparts[1]
 
-		iterSort(f, sortmap)
+		iterSortBy(f, sortmap)
 
-		if argv.Append == "" {
-			iterAppend(f, sortmap) // Append() enforce no unique keys
-		} else {
-			iterAppend(f, sortmap) // Append() enforce no unique keys
-			sortmap["append"] = argv.Append
-			iterAppend(f, sortmap) // Append() enforce unique key argv.Append
-		}
 		sortmap["append"] = sortmap["sortKey"]
 		iterAppend(f, sortmap) // Append() enforce unique key argv.Append
 
@@ -125,7 +115,7 @@ func iterNext(w io.Writer, names map[string]string) {
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
 }
 
-func iterSort(w io.Writer, names map[string]string) {
+func iterSortAll(w io.Writer, names map[string]string) {
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (all *"+names["Bases"]+") All() *"+names["Base"]+"Iterator {")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	"+names["base"]+"Pointers := all.selectAll"+names["Base"]+"()")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
@@ -133,15 +123,6 @@ func iterSort(w io.Writer, names map[string]string) {
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	return iterator")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "}")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (all *"+names["Bases"]+") Sort"+names["sortBy"]+"() *"+names["Base"]+"Iterator {")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	packs := all.selectAll"+names["Base"]+"()")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	sort.Sort("+names["Base"]+""+names["sortBy"]+"(packs))")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	iterator := New"+names["Base"]+"Iterator(packs)")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	return iterator")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "}")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (all *"+names["Bases"]+") Len() int {")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	"+names["lock"]+".RLock()")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	defer "+names["lock"]+".RUnlock()")
@@ -151,13 +132,26 @@ func iterSort(w io.Writer, names map[string]string) {
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
 }
 
-func iterEnd(w io.Writer, names map[string]string) {
+func iterSortBy(w io.Writer, names map[string]string) {
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (all *"+names["Bases"]+") Sort"+names["sortBy"]+"() *"+names["Base"]+"Iterator {")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	packs := all.selectAll"+names["Base"]+"()")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	sort.Sort("+names["Base"]+""+names["sortBy"]+"(packs))")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	iterator := New"+names["Base"]+"Iterator(packs)")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	return iterator")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "}")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "type "+names["Base"]+""+names["sortBy"]+" []*"+names["Base"]+"")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (a "+names["Base"]+""+names["sortBy"]+") Len() int           { return len(a) }")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (a "+names["Base"]+""+names["sortBy"]+") Less(i, j int) bool { return a[i]."+names["sortKey"]+" < a[j]."+names["sortKey"]+" }")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (a "+names["Base"]+""+names["sortBy"]+") Swap(i, j int)      { a[i], a[j] = a[j], a[i] }")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+}
+
+func iterEnd(w io.Writer, names map[string]string) {
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "// safely returns a slice of pointers to the "+names["Base"]+" protobufs")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (all *"+names["Bases"]+") selectAll"+names["Base"]+"() []*"+names["Base"]+" {")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	"+names["lock"]+".RLock()")
diff --git a/testautogen/Makefile b/testautogen/Makefile
index 476e3d0..a2bafb3 100644
--- a/testautogen/Makefile
+++ b/testautogen/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ test: vet
 all: clean test.pb.go forgeConfig.pb.go run
 
 run:
-	../autogenpb --proto test.proto --lobase gitTag --upbase GitTag --sort "ByPath,Refname" --marshal GitTags --append Subject
+	../autogenpb --proto test.proto --lobase gitTag --upbase GitTag --sort "ByPath,Refname" --sort "BySubject,Subject" --marshal GitTags --append Bling
 	../autogenpb --proto forgeConfig.proto --sort "ByPath,GoPath" # --append GoPath
 
 vet:
diff --git a/testautogen/test.proto b/testautogen/test.proto
index 00dc92c..8d60852 100644
--- a/testautogen/test.proto
+++ b/testautogen/test.proto
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ message GitTag {
 	google.protobuf.Timestamp authordate	= 3;	// git creatordate
 	string	objectname			= 4;	// git hash
 	string	subject				= 5;	// git tag subject
+	string	author				= 6;	// author
+	string	bling				= 7;	// bling
 }
 
 message GitTags {