diff --git a/globalBuildOptions.go b/globalBuildOptions.go
index bcbdf72..fd445b2 100644
--- a/globalBuildOptions.go
+++ b/globalBuildOptions.go
@@ -82,10 +82,42 @@ func globalBuildOptions(vbox *gui.Node) {
 	me.setBranchB = grid.NewButton("set current branch to:", func() {
 		targetName := me.newBranch.String()
 		log.Warn("setting all branches to", targetName)
+		var count int
 		for _, repo := range repolist.AllRepos() {
-			repo.Status.CheckoutBranch(targetName)
+			if repo.ReadOnly() {
+				continue
+			}
+			if targetName == repo.Status.GetCurrentBranchName() {
+				continue
+			}
+			if repo.Status.BranchExists(targetName) {
+				ok := repo.Status.CheckoutBranch(targetName)
+				if ok {
+					// checkout went fine
+					continue
+				}
+				log.Info("couldn't set", repo.Status.Path(), "branch to", targetName)
+				log.Info("but branch exists so something went wrong")
+				continue
+			}
+			if ! me.autoCreateBranches.Checked() {
+				log.Info("not auto creating branch", targetName)
+				continue
+			}
+			// branch doesn't exist. make it
+			// todo: make this branch from 'devel' branch if it exists
+			log.Info("should make the", targetName, "branch here!")
+			if me.autoCreateBranches.Checked() {
+				log.Info("going to make the branch!")
+				repo.Status.RunCmd([]string{"git", "branch", targetName})
+				repo.Status.RunCmd([]string{"git", "checkout", targetName})
+			} else {
+				log.Info("not auto creating branch", targetName)
+			}
 			repo.Scan()
+			count += 1
 		}
+		log.Info("set", count, "branches to", targetName)
 	})
 	me.newBranch = grid.NewCombobox()
 	me.newBranch.AddText("master")
@@ -105,7 +137,7 @@ func globalBuildOptions(vbox *gui.Node) {
 		defer me.Enable()
 		for _, repo := range repolist.AllRepos() {
 			// gitcmd := []string{"git", "fetch", "origin"}
-			gitcmd := []string{"git", "pull"}
+			itcmd := []string{"git", "pull"}
 			err, output := repo.RunCmd(gitcmd)
 			log.Info("output =", output)
 			if err == nil {