diff --git a/chat.proto b/chat.proto
index f2154eb..4f50fbb 100644
--- a/chat.proto
+++ b/chat.proto
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ package chatpb;
 
 import "google/protobuf/timestamp.proto"; // Import the well-known type for Timestamp
 
-message Row {
+message Row {                                               // `autogenpb:nomutex`
         repeated string             fields            = 1;
 }
 
-message Table {
+message Table {                                             // `autogenpb:nomutex`
         int32                       columns           = 1;
         repeated Row                rows              = 2;
 }
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ enum Who {
 }
 
 // NEW: A message to hold all the details of a tool call
-message ToolCall {
+message ToolCall {                                          // `autogenpb:nomutex`
         string                      name              = 1;  // e.g., "Shell"
         string                      input             = 2;  // The command that was run
         string                      description       = 3;  // The description for the command
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ message ToolCall {
         int32                       exit_code         = 6;
 }
 
-message CodeSnippet {
+message CodeSnippet {                                       // `autogenpb:nomutex`
         string                      filename          = 1;
         string                      content           = 2;
 }
 
-message Chat {
+message Chat {                                              // `autogenpb:nomutex`
         Who                         from              = 1;
         google.protobuf.Timestamp   ctime             = 2;
         string                      content           = 3;
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 0db21b1..0d5d3c0 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -86,7 +86,9 @@ func (all *Chats) ConfigLoad() error {
 	// this means the gemini.pb file exists and was read
 	if len(data) == 0 {
 		// todo: add default data here since it's blank? // might cause nil panic?
-		return errors.New("chatpb.ConfigLoad() gemini.pb is empty")
+		all.AddGeminiComment("I like astronomy")
+		log.Info(errors.New("chatpb.ConfigLoad() gemini.pb is empty"))
+		return nil
 	}
 	err = all.Unmarshal(data)
 	test := NewChats()
diff --git a/helpers.go b/helpers.go
index 8f63de0..7841e87 100644
--- a/helpers.go
+++ b/helpers.go
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
 package chatpb
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
 	timestamppb "google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/timestamppb"
 )
 
@@ -40,3 +46,67 @@ func UnmarshalChatsTEXT(data []byte) (*Chats, error) {
 	err := c.UnmarshalTEXT(data)
 	return c, err
 }
+
+func (all *Chats) AddFile(filename string) error {
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(filename)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Error reading file %s: %v", filename, err)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	logData, err := UnmarshalChatsTEXT(data)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Error unmarshaling log file %s: %v", filename, err)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	for _, chat := range logData.GetChats() {
+		// make a copy
+		newc := proto.Clone(chat).(*Chat)
+
+		// Handle content: prefer content_file, fallback to content.
+		var content string
+		if contentFile := chat.GetContentFile(); contentFile != "" {
+			// Construct the full path relative to the log file's directory.
+			logDir := filepath.Dir(filename)
+			contentPath := filepath.Join(logDir, contentFile)
+
+			contentBytes, err := os.ReadFile(contentPath)
+			if err != nil {
+				content = fmt.Sprintf("---	ERROR: Could not read content file %s: %v ---", contentPath, err)
+			} else {
+				content = string(contentBytes)
+			}
+		} else {
+			// Fallback for older log formats.
+			content = chat.GetContent()
+		}
+		newc.Content = content
+		newc.VerifyUuid()
+		all.AppendByUuid(newc)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (chats *Chats) VerifyUuids() bool {
+	var changed bool
+
+	all := chats.SortByUuid()
+	for all.Scan() {
+		chat := all.Next()
+		if chat.Uuid == "" {
+			chat.Uuid = uuid.New().String()
+			changed = true
+		}
+	}
+	return changed
+}
+
+func (c *Chat) VerifyUuid() bool {
+	if c.Uuid == "" {
+		c.Uuid = uuid.New().String()
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}