diff --git a/submitPatches.go b/submitPatches.go
index e612ded..5507b1e 100644
--- a/submitPatches.go
+++ b/submitPatches.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gadgets"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/gowit"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/repostatus"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
@@ -172,8 +174,18 @@ func submitPatchesBox(box *gui.Node) *patchSummary {
 		}
 	}
 	s.submitB = s.grid.NewButton("Submit Patches", func() {
-		for i, p := range s.allp {
-			log.Info(i, p.ref, p.rs.String())
+		patchdir := filepath.Join(me.userHomePwd.String(), "autotypist.patchset")
+		if shell.Exists(patchdir) {
+			log.Info("patchset dir already exists", patchdir)
+			return
+		} else {
+			shell.Mkdir(patchdir)
+		}
+		if !shell.Exists(patchdir) {
+			log.Info("something went wrong making", patchdir)
+			return
+		}
+		if makePatchset(patchdir) {
 		}
 	})
 	// disable these until there are not dirty repos
@@ -188,7 +200,12 @@ func (s *patchSummary) Update() {
 	for _, repo := range me.allrepos {
 		total += 1
 		if repo.status.CheckDirty() {
-			dirty += 1
+			if repo.String() == "go.wit.com/apps/autotypist" {
+				// log.Info("ignoring dirty autotypist for now")
+				dirty += 1
+			} else {
+				dirty += 1
+			}
 		}
 		if repo.status.ReadOnly() {
 			readonly += 1
@@ -248,3 +265,31 @@ func (s *patchSummary) GetPatches() (int, []*patch) {
 	}
 	return patchcount, patches
 }
+
+func makePatchset(setdir string) bool {
+	for _, repo := range me.allrepos {
+		userv := repo.status.GetUserVersion()
+		develv := repo.status.GetDevelVersion()
+		usern := repo.status.GetUserBranchName()
+		develn := repo.status.GetDevelBranchName()
+		if userv == develv {
+			// this repo is unchanged
+			continue
+		}
+
+		repodir := filepath.Join(setdir, repo.String())
+		shell.Mkdir(repodir)
+		// git format-patch branch1..branch2
+		gitcmd := []string{"git", "format-patch", "-o", repodir, develn + ".." + usern}
+		log.Info("Run:", gitcmd)
+		err, output := repo.status.RunCmd(gitcmd)
+		log.Info("output =", output)
+		if err == nil {
+			log.Info("patches made okay for:", repo.String())
+			continue
+		}
+		log.Info("patches failed for:", repo.String())
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}