diff --git a/globalBuildOptions.go b/globalBuildOptions.go
index 2ae0326..b3e1fae 100644
--- a/globalBuildOptions.go
+++ b/globalBuildOptions.go
@@ -193,39 +193,3 @@ func globalBuildOptions(vbox *gui.Node) {
 	})
 	grid.NextRow()
 }
-
-// this code isn't ready yet
-/*
-	s.checkB = s.grid.NewButton("Check repos are working", func() {
-			me.Disable()
-			defer me.Enable()
-			for loop.Scan() {
-				if repo.GitURL() != "" {
-					log.Info("repo already checked. do they match?")
-					log.Info("go.wit.com =", repo.GoURL())
-					log.Info("localurl   =", repo.Path())
-				} else {
-					ok, giturl := gowit.CheckRegistered(repo)
-					if ok {
-						log.Info("is url correct?", repo.Path(), "vs", giturl)
-						repo.giturl = giturl
-						if giturl != repo.Path() {
-							log.Info("repo check failed", repo.String())
-							s.unknownOL.SetText(repo.String())
-							s.unknownOL.Show()
-							s.unknownSubmitB.Show()
-							return
-						}
-					} else {
-						log.Info("repo check failed", repo.String())
-						repo.giturl = "look in .git/config"
-						s.unknownOL.SetText(repo.String())
-						s.unknownOL.Show()
-						s.unknownSubmitB.Show()
-						return
-					}
-				}
-			}
-			s.checkB.SetText("GOOD")
-	})
-*/
diff --git a/globalResetOptions.go b/globalResetOptions.go
index d6ab747..aafa51f 100644
--- a/globalResetOptions.go
+++ b/globalResetOptions.go
@@ -158,20 +158,3 @@ func globalResetOptions(box *gui.Node) {
 		}
 	})
 }
-
-func attemptAutoRebuild() {
-	gosrc := me.goSrcPwd.String()
-
-	quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/apps/autotypist"})
-	quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/toolkits/debian"})
-	quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/toolkits/tree"})
-	quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/toolkits/nocui"})
-	quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/toolkits/gocui"})
-	quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/toolkits/andlabs"})
-
-	quickCmd(filepath.Join(gosrc, "go.wit.com/toolkits/nocui/"), []string{"make"})
-	quickCmd(filepath.Join(gosrc, "go.wit.com/toolkits/gocui/"), []string{"make"})
-	quickCmd(filepath.Join(gosrc, "go.wit.com/toolkits/andlabs/"), []string{"make"})
-
-	quickCmd(filepath.Join(gosrc, "go.wit.com/apps/autotypist/"), []string{"make", "build"})
-}
diff --git a/rebuildAutotypist.go b/rebuildAutotypist.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10dcaa4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rebuildAutotypist.go
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"github.com/go-cmd/cmd"
+
+	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+)
+
+// attempt to rebuild this app
+// This should work from a blank slate
+// TODO: make sure this works in a empty directory with a go-work file
+
+func attemptAutoRebuild() bool {
+	gosrc := me.goSrcPwd.String()
+
+	if r, ok := quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/apps/autotypist"}); !ok { return buildDied(r) }
+	if r, ok := quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/toolkits/debian"}); !ok { return buildDied(r) }
+	if r, ok := quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/toolkits/tree"}); !ok { return buildDied(r) }
+	if r, ok := quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/toolkits/nocui"}); !ok { return buildDied(r) }
+	if r, ok := quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/toolkits/gocui"}); !ok { return buildDied(r) }
+	if r, ok := quickCmd(gosrc, []string{"go-clone", "--recursive", "go.wit.com/toolkits/andlabs"}); !ok { return buildDied(r) }
+
+	if r, ok := quickCmd(filepath.Join(gosrc, "go.wit.com/toolkits/nocui/"), []string{"make"}); !ok { return buildDied(r) }
+	if r, ok := quickCmd(filepath.Join(gosrc, "go.wit.com/toolkits/gocui/"), []string{"make"}); !ok { return buildDied(r) }
+	if r, ok := quickCmd(filepath.Join(gosrc, "go.wit.com/toolkits/andlabs/"), []string{"make"}); !ok { return buildDied(r) }
+
+	// build the protobuf files
+	// TODO: verify the right protoc-gen-go exists
+	if !shell.Exists("/usr/bin/protoc-gen-go") {
+		log.Warn("missing /usr/bin/protc-gen-go. apt install protoc-gen-go")
+		return false
+	}
+	quickCmd(filepath.Join(gosrc, "go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/virtbuf/"), []string{"make"})
+	quickCmd(filepath.Join(gosrc, "go.wit.com/apps/autotypist/"), []string{"make", "build"})
+	return true
+}
+
+// only errors on bad errors
+func quickCmd(fullpath string, cmd []string) (*cmd.Status, bool) {
+	if me.autoDryRun.Checked() {
+		log.Warn("RUN --dry-run", fullpath, cmd)
+		return nil, true
+	} else {
+		log.Warn("RUN:", fullpath, cmd)
+	}
+
+	r := shell.PathRun(fullpath, cmd)
+	output := strings.TrimSpace(strings.Join(r.Stdout, "\n"))
+	if r.Error != nil {
+		log.Warn("cmd =", cmd)
+		log.Warn("err =", r.Error)
+		log.Warn("b =", r.Exit)
+		log.Warn("output =", output)
+		return &r, false
+	} else if r.Exit != 0 {
+		log.Warn("b =", r.Exit)
+		log.Warn("output =", output)
+		return &r, true
+	}
+	log.Warn("output = ", output)
+	return &r, true
+}
+
+func buildDied(r *cmd.Status) bool {
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/shell.go b/shell.go
deleted file mode 100644
index c3bb264..0000000
--- a/shell.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
-package main
-
-import (
-	"strings"
-
-	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
-	"go.wit.com/log"
-)
-
-// only errors on bad errors
-func quickCmd(fullpath string, cmd []string) bool {
-	if me.autoDryRun.Checked() {
-		log.Warn("RUN --dry-run", fullpath, cmd)
-		return false
-	} else {
-		log.Warn("RUN:", fullpath, cmd)
-	}
-
-	r := shell.PathRun(fullpath, cmd)
-	output := strings.TrimSpace(strings.Join(r.Stdout, "\n"))
-	if r.Error != nil {
-		log.Warn("cmd =", cmd)
-		log.Warn("err =", r.Error)
-		log.Warn("b =", r.Exit)
-		log.Warn("output =", output)
-		return false
-	} else if r.Exit != 0 {
-		log.Warn("b =", r.Exit)
-		log.Warn("output =", output)
-		return true
-	}
-	log.Warn("output = ", output)
-	return true
-}