diff --git a/file.proto b/file.proto
index 62033f3..5b8aeff 100644
--- a/file.proto
+++ b/file.proto
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ message Sort {
         bool                  needAll           = 5;  //
 }
 
-// used to format protobuf files
+// used to auto-format protobuf files
 message FormatMsg {
         repeated string       lines             = 1;  // keys to sort on
         int64                 maxVarname        = 2;  // max string length of var names
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ message FormatMsg {
         repeated FormatMsg    inceptionMsgs     = 4;  // messages inside messages
         repeated FormatMsg    enums             = 5;  // locally defined enums
         repeated FormatMsg    oneofs            = 6;  // locally defined oneofs
+        string                header            = 7;  // the 'message {','enum {', etc line
+        string                footer            = 8;  // the '}' line
+        repeated string       notes             = 9;  // unknown lines or comments
 }
 
 message Find {
diff --git a/protoReformat.go b/protoReformat.go
index 46f93f4..ee3d2fa 100644
--- a/protoReformat.go
+++ b/protoReformat.go
@@ -67,84 +67,115 @@ func protoReformat(filename string) error {
 	fmtmsg.MaxVarname = bigName
 	fmtmsg.MaxVartype = bigType
 
+	// getMessage(fmtmsg)
+
 	// write out the messages
 	allTheLines = newLinesScanner(strings.Split(string(data), "\n"))
 	for allTheLines.Scan() {
 		line := allTheLines.Next()
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "oneof ") {
-			if inMessage {
-				// message inception. search for the architect. don't forget your totem
-				newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
-				newmsg.MaxVarname = bigName
-				newmsg.MaxVartype = bigType
-				newmsg.Lines = append(newmsg.Lines, line)
-				getInceptionMsg(newmsg)
-				newmsg.Enums = append(newmsg.Oneofs, newmsg)
-				continue
-			}
+			/*
+				if inMessage {
+					// message inception. search for the architect. don't forget your totem
+					newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
+					newmsg.MaxVarname = bigName
+					newmsg.MaxVartype = bigType
+					newmsg.Lines = append(newmsg.Lines, line)
+					getInceptionEnum(newmsg)
+					fmtmsg.Enums = append(fmtmsg.Oneofs, newmsg)
+					continue
+				}
+			*/
+			newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
+			newmsg.MaxVarname = bigName
+			newmsg.MaxVartype = bigType
+			newmsg.Lines = append(newmsg.Lines, line)
+			getInceptionEnum(newmsg)
+			continue
 		}
 
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "enum ") {
-			if inMessage {
-				// message inception. search for the architect. don't forget your totem
-				newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
-				newmsg.MaxVarname = bigName
-				newmsg.MaxVartype = bigType
-				newmsg.Lines = append(newmsg.Lines, line)
-				getInceptionMsg(newmsg)
-				newmsg.Enums = append(newmsg.Enums, newmsg)
-				continue
-			}
+			/*
+				if inMessage {
+					// message inception. search for the architect. don't forget your totem
+					newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
+					newmsg.MaxVarname = bigName
+					newmsg.MaxVartype = bigType
+					newmsg.Lines = append(newmsg.Lines, line)
+					getInceptionEnum(newmsg)
+					fmtmsg.Enums = append(fmtmsg.Enums, newmsg)
+					continue
+				}
+			*/
+			newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
+			newmsg.MaxVarname = bigName
+			newmsg.MaxVartype = bigType
+			newmsg.Header = line
+			getInceptionEnum(newmsg)
+			continue
 		}
 
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "message ") {
-			if inMessage {
-				// message inception. search for the architect. don't forget your totem
-				newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
-				newmsg.MaxVarname = bigName
-				newmsg.MaxVartype = bigType
-				newmsg.Lines = append(newmsg.Lines, line)
-				getInceptionMsg(newmsg)
-				newmsg.InceptionMsgs = append(newmsg.InceptionMsgs, newmsg)
-				continue
-
+			newmsg := FormatMsg{
+				MaxVarname: bigName,
+				MaxVartype: bigType,
+				Header:     line,
 			}
-			inMessage = true
-			parts := strings.Fields(line)
-			if len(parts) > 3 {
-				// 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 := int(bigName) + int(bigType) + 16 - len(start)
-				pad := fmt.Sprintf("%d", offset)
-				hmm := "%s     %" + pad + "s %s"
-				line = fmt.Sprintf(hmm, start, " ", end)
-			}
-			newfile += fmt.Sprintln(line)
-			continue
-		}
-
-		// find the end of the message
-		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "}") {
-			inMessage = false
-			// format and write the last message to the file
-			for _, newline := range formatMessage2(fmtmsg) {
+			getInceptionMsg(&newmsg)
+			for _, newline := range formatMessage2(&newmsg) {
 				newfile += fmt.Sprintln(newline)
 			}
-			newfile += fmt.Sprintln(line)
-			fmtmsg = new(FormatMsg)
-			fmtmsg.MaxVarname = bigName
-			fmtmsg.MaxVartype = bigType
+			/*
+				if inMessage {
+					// message inception. search for the architect. don't forget your totem
+					newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
+					newmsg.MaxVarname = bigName
+					newmsg.MaxVartype = bigType
+					newmsg.Lines = append(newmsg.Lines, line)
+					getInceptionMsg(newmsg)
+					fmtmsg.InceptionMsgs = append(fmtmsg.InceptionMsgs, newmsg)
+					continue
+
+				}
+				inMessage = true
+				parts := strings.Fields(line)
+				if len(parts) > 3 {
+					// 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 := int(bigName) + int(bigType) + 16 - len(start)
+					pad := fmt.Sprintf("%d", offset)
+					hmm := "%s     %" + pad + "s %s"
+					line = fmt.Sprintf(hmm, start, " ", end)
+				}
+				newfile += fmt.Sprintln(line)
+			*/
 			continue
 		}
 
+		/*
+			// find the end of the message
+			if strings.HasPrefix(line, "}") {
+				inMessage = false
+				// format and write the last message to the file
+				for _, newline := range formatMessage2(fmtmsg) {
+					newfile += fmt.Sprintln(newline)
+				}
+				newfile += fmt.Sprintln(line)
+				fmtmsg = new(FormatMsg)
+				fmtmsg.MaxVarname = bigName
+				fmtmsg.MaxVartype = bigType
+				continue
+			}
+		*/
+
 		// don't format or change anything when not in a "message {" section
 		if !inMessage {
 			newfile += fmt.Sprintln(line)
 			continue
 		}
 
-		fmtmsg.Lines = append(fmtmsg.Lines, line)
+		// fmtmsg.Lines = append(fmtmsg.Lines, line)
 	}
 
 	pf, err := os.OpenFile(filename, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0644)
@@ -160,6 +191,45 @@ func protoReformat(filename string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func getInceptionMsg(fmtmsg *FormatMsg) {
+	for allTheLines.Scan() {
+		line := allTheLines.Next()
+		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "oneof ") {
+			// message inception. search for the architect. don't forget your totem
+			newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
+			newmsg.MaxVarname = fmtmsg.MaxVarname
+			newmsg.MaxVartype = fmtmsg.MaxVartype
+			newmsg.Header = line
+			getInceptionEnum(newmsg)
+			fmtmsg.Enums = append(fmtmsg.Oneofs, newmsg)
+			continue
+		}
+		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "enum ") {
+			// message inception. search for the architect. don't forget your totem
+			newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
+			newmsg.MaxVarname = fmtmsg.MaxVarname
+			newmsg.MaxVartype = fmtmsg.MaxVartype
+			newmsg.Header = line
+			fmtmsg.Enums = append(fmtmsg.Enums, newmsg)
+			continue
+		}
+		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "message ") {
+			// message inception. search for the architect. don't forget your totem
+			newmsg := new(FormatMsg)
+			newmsg.MaxVarname = fmtmsg.MaxVarname
+			newmsg.MaxVartype = fmtmsg.MaxVartype
+			newmsg.Header = line
+			fmtmsg.InceptionMsgs = append(fmtmsg.InceptionMsgs, newmsg)
+			continue
+		}
+		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "}") {
+			fmtmsg.Footer = line
+			return
+		}
+		fmtmsg.Lines = append(fmtmsg.Lines, line)
+	}
+}
+
 // returns vartype, varname, id, end
 func tokenMsgVar(line string) (string, string, string, string) {
 	parts := strings.Split(line, ";")
@@ -204,7 +274,7 @@ func makeLineIter(data []byte) iter.Seq[string] {
 	}
 }
 
-func getInceptionMsg(curmsg *FormatMsg) {
+func getInceptionEnum(curmsg *FormatMsg) {
 	for allTheLines.Scan() {
 		line := allTheLines.Next()
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "}") {
@@ -218,6 +288,7 @@ func getInceptionMsg(curmsg *FormatMsg) {
 func formatMessage2(curmsg *FormatMsg) []string {
 	var newmsg []string
 
+	newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.Header) // +" //header")
 	// find the max length of varname and vartype
 	for _, line := range curmsg.Lines {
 		parts := strings.Split(line, ";")
@@ -261,6 +332,7 @@ func formatMessage2(curmsg *FormatMsg) []string {
 		newline = strings.TrimRight(newline, " ")
 		newmsg = append(newmsg, newline)
 	}
+	newmsg = append(newmsg, curmsg.Footer) // +" //footer")
 	return newmsg
 }