diff --git a/protoReformat.go b/protoReformat.go
index 1739288..44426aa 100644
--- a/protoReformat.go
+++ b/protoReformat.go
@@ -27,13 +27,15 @@ func protoReformat(filename string) error {
 	}
 
 	var inMessage bool
-	var curmsg []string
 	var newfile string
 	var fmtmsg *FormatMsg
 	fmtmsg = new(FormatMsg)
 
 	linesIter = makeLineIter(data)
 
+	var bigName int64
+	var bigType int64
+
 	// gets the max vartype and varname
 	for line := range linesIter {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "message ") {
@@ -44,9 +46,14 @@ func protoReformat(filename string) error {
 		// find the end of the message
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "}") {
 			inMessage = false
-			formatMessage(curmsg)
+			// formatMessage(curmsg)
 			formatMessage2(fmtmsg)
-			curmsg = nil
+			if bigName < fmtmsg.MaxVarname {
+				bigName = fmtmsg.MaxVarname
+			}
+			if bigType < fmtmsg.MaxVartype {
+				bigType = fmtmsg.MaxVartype
+			}
 			fmtmsg = new(FormatMsg)
 			continue
 		}
@@ -55,10 +62,14 @@ func protoReformat(filename string) error {
 		if !inMessage {
 			continue
 		}
-		curmsg = append(curmsg, line)
 		fmtmsg.Lines = append(fmtmsg.Lines, line)
 	}
 
+	maxVarname = int(bigName)
+	maxVartype = int(bigType)
+
+	var curmsg []string
+
 	// gets the max vartype and varname
 	for line := range linesIter {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "message ") {
@@ -71,7 +82,7 @@ func protoReformat(filename string) error {
 				// hack to actually indent comments on the message line itself. you're welcome
 				start := parts[0] + " " + parts[1] + " " + parts[2]
 				end := strings.Join(parts[3:], " ")
-				offset := maxVarname + maxVartype + 16 - len(start)
+				offset := int(bigName) + int(bigType) + 16 - len(start)
 				pad := fmt.Sprintf("%d", offset)
 				hmm := "%s     %" + pad + "s %s"
 				line = fmt.Sprintf(hmm, start, " ", end)
@@ -218,11 +229,11 @@ func formatMessage2(curmsg *FormatMsg) []string {
 		}
 
 		vartype, varname, _, _ := tokenMsgVar(line)
-		if len(vartype) > maxVartype {
-			maxVartype = len(vartype)
+		if len(vartype) > int(curmsg.MaxVartype) {
+			curmsg.MaxVartype = int64(len(vartype))
 		}
-		if len(varname) > maxVarname {
-			maxVarname = len(varname)
+		if len(varname) > int(curmsg.MaxVarname) {
+			curmsg.MaxVarname = int64(len(varname))
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -233,14 +244,14 @@ func formatMessage2(curmsg *FormatMsg) []string {
 			continue
 		}
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "//") {
-			pad := fmt.Sprintf("%d", maxVartype+maxVarname+21)
+			pad := fmt.Sprintf("%d", curmsg.MaxVartype+curmsg.MaxVarname+21)
 			hmm := "%" + pad + "s %s"
 			line = fmt.Sprintf(hmm, " ", line) // todo: compute 50
 			newmsg = append(newmsg, line)
 			continue
 		}
-		mt := fmt.Sprintf("%d", maxVartype)
-		mv := fmt.Sprintf("%d", maxVarname)
+		mt := fmt.Sprintf("%d", curmsg.MaxVartype)
+		mv := fmt.Sprintf("%d", curmsg.MaxVarname)
 
 		hmm := "        %-" + mt + "s   %-" + mv + "s     = %-3s %s"