diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 98d5944..5002ab4 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ VERSION = $(shell git describe --tags)
 BUILDTIME = $(shell date +%Y.%m.%d)
 
 run: clean build
-	./autogenpb
+	make -C testSort/
 
 vet:
 	@GO111MODULE=off go vet
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ install:
 
 goimports:
 	goimports -w *.go
-	# // to globally reset paths:
-	# // gofmt -w -r "go.wit.com/gui -> go.wit.com/gui/gui" .
+	make -C testSort/ goimports
 
 redomod:
 	rm -f go.*
@@ -31,5 +30,4 @@ reset:
 	reset
 
 clean:
-	-rm test.sort.pb.go
-	-rm autogenpb
+	-rm test.sort.pb.go autogenpb
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index fb2ea38..8224f4d 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -8,12 +8,13 @@ import (
 
 func main() {
 	f, _ := os.OpenFile("test.sort.pb.go", os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE, 0600)
-	header(f, "autogenpb")
+	header(f, "main")
 	syncLock(f, "godeplock")
+	iterTop(f, "GoDep")
 }
 
 func header(w io.Writer, name string) {
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "package " + name)
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "package "+name)
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "// this is becoming a standard format")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "// todo: autogenerate this from the .proto file?")
@@ -29,6 +30,29 @@ func header(w io.Writer, name string) {
 
 func syncLock(w io.Writer, name string) {
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "// bad global lock until I figure out some other plan")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "var " + name + " sync.RWMutex")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "var "+name+" sync.RWMutex")
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
 }
+
+func iterTop(w io.Writer, name string) {
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "type "+name+"Iterator struct {")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	sync.RWMutex")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	packs []*"+name)
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	index int")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "}")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "// New"+name+"Iterator initializes a new iterator.")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "func New"+name+"Iterator(packs []*"+name+") *"+name+"Iterator {")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	return &"+name+"Iterator{packs: packs}")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "}")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "// Scan moves to the next element and returns false if there are no more packs.")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "func (it *"+name+"Iterator) Scan() bool {")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	if it.index >= len(it.packs) {")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "		return false")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	}")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	it.index++")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "	return true")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "}")
+}
diff --git a/test.pb.go b/test.pb.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b9b790
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test.pb.go
@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+// Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
+// versions:
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.35.2-devel
+// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// source: test.proto
+
+// store go dependancies
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	reflect "reflect"
+	sync "sync"
+
+	protoreflect "google.golang.org/protobuf/reflect/protoreflect"
+	protoimpl "google.golang.org/protobuf/runtime/protoimpl"
+	timestamppb "google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/timestamppb"
+)
+
+const (
+	// Verify that this generated code is sufficiently up-to-date.
+	_ = protoimpl.EnforceVersion(20 - protoimpl.MinVersion)
+	// Verify that runtime/protoimpl is sufficiently up-to-date.
+	_ = protoimpl.EnforceVersion(protoimpl.MaxVersion - 20)
+)
+
+type GoDep struct {
+	state         protoimpl.MessageState
+	sizeCache     protoimpl.SizeCache
+	unknownFields protoimpl.UnknownFields
+
+	Hash      string                 `protobuf:"bytes,1,opt,name=hash,proto3" json:"hash,omitempty"`           // md5sum/hash value from the go.sum file
+	Ctime     *timestamppb.Timestamp `protobuf:"bytes,2,opt,name=ctime,proto3" json:"ctime,omitempty"`         // get the go date from 'go list' ?
+	Version   string                 `protobuf:"bytes,3,opt,name=version,proto3" json:"version,omitempty"`     // v1.2.2
+	GoPath    string                 `protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=goPath,proto3" json:"goPath,omitempty"`       // "go.wit.com/lib/foo"
+	GoVersion string                 `protobuf:"bytes,5,opt,name=goVersion,proto3" json:"goVersion,omitempty"` // version of golang the developer used to make this package version
+}
+
+func (x *GoDep) Reset() {
+	*x = GoDep{}
+	mi := &file_test_proto_msgTypes[0]
+	ms := protoimpl.X.MessageStateOf(protoimpl.Pointer(x))
+	ms.StoreMessageInfo(mi)
+}
+
+func (x *GoDep) String() string {
+	return protoimpl.X.MessageStringOf(x)
+}
+
+func (*GoDep) ProtoMessage() {}
+
+func (x *GoDep) ProtoReflect() protoreflect.Message {
+	mi := &file_test_proto_msgTypes[0]
+	if x != nil {
+		ms := protoimpl.X.MessageStateOf(protoimpl.Pointer(x))
+		if ms.LoadMessageInfo() == nil {
+			ms.StoreMessageInfo(mi)
+		}
+		return ms
+	}
+	return mi.MessageOf(x)
+}
+
+// Deprecated: Use GoDep.ProtoReflect.Descriptor instead.
+func (*GoDep) Descriptor() ([]byte, []int) {
+	return file_test_proto_rawDescGZIP(), []int{0}
+}
+
+func (x *GoDep) GetHash() string {
+	if x != nil {
+		return x.Hash
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func (x *GoDep) GetCtime() *timestamppb.Timestamp {
+	if x != nil {
+		return x.Ctime
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (x *GoDep) GetVersion() string {
+	if x != nil {
+		return x.Version
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func (x *GoDep) GetGoPath() string {
+	if x != nil {
+		return x.GoPath
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func (x *GoDep) GetGoVersion() string {
+	if x != nil {
+		return x.GoVersion
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+var File_test_proto protoreflect.FileDescriptor
+
+var file_test_proto_rawDesc = []byte{
+	0x0a, 0x0a, 0x74, 0x65, 0x73, 0x74, 0x2e, 0x70, 0x72, 0x6f, 0x74, 0x6f, 0x12, 0x04, 0x6d, 0x61,
+	0x69, 0x6e, 0x1a, 0x1f, 0x67, 0x6f, 0x6f, 0x67, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x2f, 0x70, 0x72, 0x6f, 0x74, 0x6f,
+	0x62, 0x75, 0x66, 0x2f, 0x74, 0x69, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x73, 0x74, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x70, 0x2e, 0x70, 0x72,
+	0x6f, 0x74, 0x6f, 0x22, 0x9d, 0x01, 0x0a, 0x05, 0x47, 0x6f, 0x44, 0x65, 0x70, 0x12, 0x12, 0x0a,
+	0x04, 0x68, 0x61, 0x73, 0x68, 0x18, 0x01, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x04, 0x68, 0x61, 0x73,
+	0x68, 0x12, 0x30, 0x0a, 0x05, 0x63, 0x74, 0x69, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x18, 0x02, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x0b,
+	0x32, 0x1a, 0x2e, 0x67, 0x6f, 0x6f, 0x67, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x2e, 0x70, 0x72, 0x6f, 0x74, 0x6f, 0x62,
+	0x75, 0x66, 0x2e, 0x54, 0x69, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x73, 0x74, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x70, 0x52, 0x05, 0x63, 0x74,
+	0x69, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x12, 0x18, 0x0a, 0x07, 0x76, 0x65, 0x72, 0x73, 0x69, 0x6f, 0x6e, 0x18, 0x03,
+	0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x07, 0x76, 0x65, 0x72, 0x73, 0x69, 0x6f, 0x6e, 0x12, 0x16, 0x0a,
+	0x06, 0x67, 0x6f, 0x50, 0x61, 0x74, 0x68, 0x18, 0x04, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x06, 0x67,
+	0x6f, 0x50, 0x61, 0x74, 0x68, 0x12, 0x1c, 0x0a, 0x09, 0x67, 0x6f, 0x56, 0x65, 0x72, 0x73, 0x69,
+	0x6f, 0x6e, 0x18, 0x05, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x09, 0x67, 0x6f, 0x56, 0x65, 0x72, 0x73,
+	0x69, 0x6f, 0x6e, 0x62, 0x06, 0x70, 0x72, 0x6f, 0x74, 0x6f, 0x33,
+}
+
+var (
+	file_test_proto_rawDescOnce sync.Once
+	file_test_proto_rawDescData = file_test_proto_rawDesc
+)
+
+func file_test_proto_rawDescGZIP() []byte {
+	file_test_proto_rawDescOnce.Do(func() {
+		file_test_proto_rawDescData = protoimpl.X.CompressGZIP(file_test_proto_rawDescData)
+	})
+	return file_test_proto_rawDescData
+}
+
+var file_test_proto_msgTypes = make([]protoimpl.MessageInfo, 1)
+var file_test_proto_goTypes = []any{
+	(*GoDep)(nil),                 // 0: main.GoDep
+	(*timestamppb.Timestamp)(nil), // 1: google.protobuf.Timestamp
+}
+var file_test_proto_depIdxs = []int32{
+	1, // 0: main.GoDep.ctime:type_name -> google.protobuf.Timestamp
+	1, // [1:1] is the sub-list for method output_type
+	1, // [1:1] is the sub-list for method input_type
+	1, // [1:1] is the sub-list for extension type_name
+	1, // [1:1] is the sub-list for extension extendee
+	0, // [0:1] is the sub-list for field type_name
+}
+
+func init() { file_test_proto_init() }
+func file_test_proto_init() {
+	if File_test_proto != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	type x struct{}
+	out := protoimpl.TypeBuilder{
+		File: protoimpl.DescBuilder{
+			GoPackagePath: reflect.TypeOf(x{}).PkgPath(),
+			RawDescriptor: file_test_proto_rawDesc,
+			NumEnums:      0,
+			NumMessages:   1,
+			NumExtensions: 0,
+			NumServices:   0,
+		},
+		GoTypes:           file_test_proto_goTypes,
+		DependencyIndexes: file_test_proto_depIdxs,
+		MessageInfos:      file_test_proto_msgTypes,
+	}.Build()
+	File_test_proto = out.File
+	file_test_proto_rawDesc = nil
+	file_test_proto_goTypes = nil
+	file_test_proto_depIdxs = nil
+}
diff --git a/testSort/Makefile b/testSort/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..50afd9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testSort/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+VERSION = $(shell git describe --tags)
+BUILDTIME = $(shell date +%Y.%m.%d)
+
+run: clean test.pb.go build
+	./testSort
+
+vet:
+	@GO111MODULE=off go vet
+	@echo this go library package builds okay
+
+build:
+	GO111MODULE=off go build \
+		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
+
+install:
+	GO111MODULE=off go install \
+		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
+
+goimports:
+	goimports -w *.go
+	# // to globally reset paths:
+	# // gofmt -w -r "go.wit.com/gui -> go.wit.com/gui/gui" .
+
+redomod:
+	rm -f go.*
+	GO111MODULE= go mod init
+	GO111MODULE= go mod tidy
+
+reset:
+	# clear your terminal
+	reset
+
+clean:
+	-rm *.pb.go testSort
diff --git a/testSort/main.go b/testSort/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..01a7c39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testSort/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+package main
+
+import "log"
+
+func main() {
+	log.Println("hello testSort")
+}