diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 2e1240a..3be3730 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/alexflint/go-arg"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
+	"golang.org/x/text/cases"
+	"golang.org/x/text/language"
 )
 
 // sent via -ldflags
@@ -37,7 +39,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	// you need --upbase and --lobase
-	if argv.UpBase == "" {
+	if argv.Proto == "" {
 		pp.WriteHelp(os.Stdout)
 		os.Exit(-1)
 	}
@@ -55,18 +57,20 @@ func main() {
 	sortmap := make(map[string]string)
 	sortmap["package"] = packageName
 	sortmap["protobase"] = protobase
-	sortmap["base"] = argv.LoBase
+	if argv.LoBase == "" {
+		// if not set, assumed to be protobase
+		sortmap["base"] = protobase
+	} else {
+		sortmap["base"] = argv.LoBase
+	}
 	sortmap["lock"] = sortmap["base"] + "sLock" // is nonglobal and plural
-	sortmap["Base"] = argv.UpBase
-	sortmap["Bases"] = sortmap["Base"] + "s"
-
-	sortparts := strings.Split(argv.Sort[0], ",")
-	sortmap["sortBy"] = sortparts[0]
-	sortmap["sortKey"] = sortparts[1]
-
-	// will keep this key unique if defined
-	sortmap["append"] = argv.Append
-
+	if argv.UpBase == "" {
+		sortmap["Base"] = cases.Title(language.English, cases.NoLower).String(protobase)
+		sortmap["Bases"] = sortmap["Base"] + "s"
+	} else {
+		sortmap["Base"] = argv.UpBase
+		sortmap["Bases"] = sortmap["Base"] + "s"
+	}
 
 	if argv.DryRun {
 		for k, v := range sortmap {
@@ -81,11 +85,26 @@ func main() {
 	syncLock(f, sortmap)
 	iterTop(f, sortmap)
 	iterNext(f, sortmap)
-	iterSort(f, sortmap)
-	iterAppend(f, sortmap)
+
+	// setup Append() functions
 	if argv.Append == "" {
-		// do nothing. enforce no unique keys
+		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
+	}
+
+	// setup Sort() functions
+	if len(argv.Sort) == 0 {
+		// don't do any sorting
+	} else {
+		sortparts := strings.Split(argv.Sort[0], ",")
+		sortmap["sortBy"] = sortparts[0]
+		sortmap["sortKey"] = sortparts[1]
+
+		iterSort(f, sortmap)
+
 		// add ReplaceKey()
 		iterDelete(f, sortmap)
 		iterReplace(f, sortmap)
@@ -235,8 +254,8 @@ func iterAppend(w io.Writer, names map[string]string) {
 	if names["append"] == "" {
 		fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (all *"+names["Bases"]+") Append(newP *"+names["Base"]+") bool {")
 	} else {
-		fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (all *"+names["Bases"]+") Append(newP *"+names["Base"]+") bool { // todo: make unique name here")
-		// fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (all *"+names["Bases"]+") AppendUnique(newP *"+names["Base"]+") bool {")
+		// fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (all *"+names["Bases"]+") Append(newP *"+names["Base"]+") bool { // todo: make unique name here")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (all *"+names["Bases"]+") AppendUnique(newP *"+names["Base"]+") bool {")
 	}
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	"+names["lock"]+".Lock()")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	defer "+names["lock"]+".Unlock()")
diff --git a/testautogen/Makefile b/testautogen/Makefile
index 4bbcdef..a1bf723 100644
--- a/testautogen/Makefile
+++ b/testautogen/Makefile
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@ BUILDTIME = $(shell date +%Y.%m.%d)
 
 test: vet
 
-all: clean test.pb.go run
+all: clean test.pb.go forgeConfig.pb.go run
 
 run:
 	../autogenpb --proto test.proto --lobase gitTag --upbase GitTag --sort "ByPath,Refname" --marshal GitTags --append Refname
+	../autogenpb --proto forgeConfig.proto --sort "ByPath,GoPath" --append GoPath
 
 vet:
 	@GO111MODULE=off go vet
@@ -31,3 +32,8 @@ test.pb.go: test.proto
 	cd ~/go/src && protoc --go_out=. --proto_path=go.wit.com/apps/autogenpb/testautogen \
 		--go_opt=Mtest.proto=go.wit.com/apps/autogenpb/testautogen \
 		test.proto
+
+forgeConfig.pb.go: forgeConfig.proto
+	cd ~/go/src && protoc --go_out=. --proto_path=go.wit.com/apps/autogenpb/testautogen \
+		--go_opt=MforgeConfig.proto=go.wit.com/apps/autogenpb/testautogen \
+		forgeConfig.proto
diff --git a/testautogen/forgeConfig.proto b/testautogen/forgeConfig.proto
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f963968
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testautogen/forgeConfig.proto
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+package testautogen;
+
+import "google/protobuf/timestamp.proto"; // Import the well-known type for Timestamp
+
+// define 3 branches. that is all that is supported
+// the term 'master' is used in the code because 'main' is a reserved word in golang already
+// allow 'read only' and 'private' flags
+// package names sometimes must be different than the binary name
+// for example 'zookeeper' is packaged as 'zookeeper-go'
+//      due to the prior apache foundation project. This happens and is ok!
+message ForgeConfig {
+  string goPath			= 1; // Examples: 'go.wit.com/apps/go-clone' or "~/mythings" or "/home/src/foo"
+
+  bool writable			= 2; // if you have write access to the repo
+  bool readOnly			= 3; // the opposite, but needed for now because I don't know what I'm doing
+  bool private			= 4; // if the repo can be published
+  bool directory		= 5; // everything in this directory should use these writable & private values
+  bool favorite			= 6; // you like this. always git clone/go clone this repo
+  bool interesting		= 7; // this is something interesting you found and want to remember it
+
+  string masterBranchName	= 8; // git 'main' or 'master' branch name
+  string develBranchName	= 9; // whatever the git 'devel' branch name is
+  string userBranchName		= 10; // whatever your username branch is
+
+  string debName 		= 11; // the actual name used with 'apt install' (or distro apt equivalent.
+// todo: appeal to everyone to alias 'apt' on rhat, gentoo, arch, etc to alias 'apt install' 
+// so we can make easier instructions for new linux users. KISS
+
+  google.protobuf.Timestamp     verstamp      = 12;    // the git commit timestamp of the version
+}
+
+// TODO: autogen 'sort', 'marshal'
+message ForgeConfigs {
+	string   uuid	        = 1;    // could be useful for /usr/share/file/magic someday?
+	string   version        = 2;    // could be used for protobuf schema change violations?
+	repeated ForgeConfig 	ForgeConfigs = 3;
+}