diff --git a/generate.go b/generate.go
index e1ef396..8c53297 100644
--- a/generate.go
+++ b/generate.go
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ func (pb *Files) makeNewSortfile(pf *File) error {
 
 		// find()
 		for _, v := range msg.Vars {
-			if v.VarType != "string" {
+			if !(v.VarType == "string" || (v.VarType == "int64")) {
 				continue
 			}
 			if v.IsRepeated {
@@ -254,13 +254,15 @@ func (pb *Files) makeNewSortfile(pf *File) error {
 					// special case because of the enforced .proto format
 					FUNCNAME = "FindBy" + v.VarName
 					funcdef := pmsg.generateFindBy(wSort, FUNCNAME, PARENT, s, v)
-					// func (msg *MsgName) generateFindBy(w io.Writer, FUNCNAME, STRUCT, VARNAME, VARTYPE, COLOR string) string {
 					log.Printf("Adding %s\n", funcdef)
-				} else {
-					// deprecate these
-					FUNCNAME = "Find" + VARNAME + "By" + v.VarName
-				}
 
+					FRUITS := PARENT
+					FRUIT := s.VarType
+					APPLE := v.VarName
+					COLOR := v.VarType
+					funcdef = pmsg.insertBy(wSort, FRUITS, FRUIT, APPLE, COLOR)
+					log.Printf("Adding %s\n", funcdef)
+				}
 			} else {
 				if v.VarType == "string" {
 					// probably dumb. move to a database if you need this
diff --git a/generateFind.go b/generateFind.go
index 121ed06..6f799e5 100644
--- a/generateFind.go
+++ b/generateFind.go
@@ -12,31 +12,55 @@ import (
 
 func (msg *MsgName) generateFindBy(w io.Writer, FUNCNAME, STRUCT string, sortvals *Sort, childVar *MsgVar) string {
 	LOCK := msg.getLockname("x")
-	if childVar.VarType != "string" {
-		return ""
-	}
 	VARNAME := sortvals.VarName
 	VARTYPE := sortvals.VarType
 	COLOR := childVar.VarName
-	funcdef := "func (x *" + STRUCT + ") " + FUNCNAME + "(s string) *" + VARTYPE
 
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "// lookup a", STRUCT, "by the ", COLOR)
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, funcdef, "{")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	if x == nil {")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "		return nil")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	}")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	"+LOCK+".RLock()")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	defer "+LOCK+".RUnlock()")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	for i, _ := range x."+VARNAME+" {")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "		if x."+VARNAME+"[i]."+COLOR+" == s {")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "			return x."+VARNAME+"[i]")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "		}")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	}")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	return nil")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "}")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+	if childVar.VarType == "string" {
+		funcdef := "func (x *" + STRUCT + ") " + FUNCNAME + "(s string) *" + VARTYPE
 
-	return funcdef
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "// lookup a", STRUCT, "by the ", COLOR)
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, funcdef, "{")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	if x == nil {")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "		return nil")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	}")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	"+LOCK+".RLock()")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	defer "+LOCK+".RUnlock()")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	for i, _ := range x."+VARNAME+" {")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "		if x."+VARNAME+"[i]."+COLOR+" == s {")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "			return x."+VARNAME+"[i]")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "		}")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	}")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	return nil")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "}")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+		return funcdef
+	}
+
+	if childVar.VarType == "int64" {
+		funcdef := "func (x *" + STRUCT + ") " + FUNCNAME + "(y int64) *" + VARTYPE
+
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "// lookup a", STRUCT, "by the ", COLOR)
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, funcdef, "{")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	if x == nil {")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "		return nil")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	}")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	"+LOCK+".RLock()")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	defer "+LOCK+".RUnlock()")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	for i, _ := range x."+VARNAME+" {")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "		if x."+VARNAME+"[i]."+COLOR+" == y {")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "			return x."+VARNAME+"[i]")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "		}")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	}")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "	return nil")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "}")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+		return funcdef
+	}
+
+	return ""
 }
diff --git a/generateInsert.go b/generateInsert.go
index 79eb6ad..eb1fc95 100644
--- a/generateInsert.go
+++ b/generateInsert.go
@@ -9,24 +9,29 @@ import (
 )
 
 // new idea. useful? TODO: look at this again in 1y
-func (msg *MsgName) insertBy(w io.Writer, FRUIT, APPLES, APPLE string, COLOR string) {
+// Mar 2025. yes. this is useful
+func (msg *MsgName) insertBy(w io.Writer, FRUITS, FRUIT, APPLE string, COLOR string) string {
 	LOCK := msg.getLockname("x")
 
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "// returns an "+APPLE+" if "+COLOR+" matches, otherwise create")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (x *"+FRUIT+") InsertBy"+COLOR+" (y string) *"+APPLE+" {")
+	funcdef := "func (x *" + FRUITS + ") InsertBy" + APPLE + " (y " + COLOR + ") *" + FRUIT + " {"
+
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "// returns a "+FRUIT+" if "+APPLE+" matches, otherwise create")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, funcdef)
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	"+LOCK+".Lock()")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	defer "+LOCK+".Unlock()")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	for _, p := range x."+APPLES+" {")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "		if p."+COLOR+" == y {")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "			return p")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	for _, z := range x."+FRUITS+" {")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "		if z."+APPLE+" == y {")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "			return z")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "		}")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	}")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	z := new("+APPLE+")")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	z."+COLOR+" = y")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	x."+APPLES+" = append(x."+APPLES+", z)")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	z := new("+FRUIT+")")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	z."+APPLE+" = y")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	x."+FRUITS+" = append(x."+FRUITS+", z)")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	return z")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "}")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+
+	return funcdef
 }