diff --git a/eventChannel.go b/eventChannel.go
index d7b5d78..993c714 100644
--- a/eventChannel.go
+++ b/eventChannel.go
@@ -72,28 +72,16 @@ func ReadReceivedData(data *pb.Event, mh *gui.TableData, box *gui.GuiBox) {
 
 		// create entries for the mouse clicks within tables
 		var newGuiButton gui.GuiButton
-		newGuiButton.Action     = "SHOW VM WAS HERE"
 		newGuiButton.Custom	= showVmMouseClick
-		newGuiButton.VM         = vm      // set the button to this VM
-		// newGuiButton.GW         = box
 		if (box.Window == nil) {
-			newGuiButton.Action = "SHOW VM WAS HERE NIL"
 			panic("ReadReceivedData() box == nil")
 		}
-		newGuiButton.Account    = data.Account
 		newGuiButton.Box        = mh.Box
+		newGuiButton.Values     = makeGuiButtonValues(box, data.Account, vm, "JWC", "SHOW VM 33", showVmMouseClick)
 		gui.Data.AllButtons     = append(gui.Data.AllButtons, &newGuiButton)
 		mh.Rows[row].HumanData[6].Button = &newGuiButton
-//		mh.Rows[row].HumanData[6].VM     = vm
 
-//		mh.Rows[row].VM		= vm
-
-		log.Println("\tvm=", vm)
-		log.Println("\tvm.Name=", vm.Name)
-		log.Println("\tRows[row]=", mh.Rows[row])
-		log.Println("\tRows[row]=", row)
-		log.Println("\tRows[row].Name=", mh.Rows[row].Name)
-		log.Println(vm)
+		log.Println("\tvm.Name=", vm.Name, mh.Rows[row].Name)
 		row += 1
 	}
 }
diff --git a/gui-accountPage.go b/gui-accountPage.go
index 0152d48..dbdc934 100644
--- a/gui-accountPage.go
+++ b/gui-accountPage.go
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ func makeCloudInfoBox(gw *gui.GuiWindow) {
 		gui.NewLabel(box, config.Accounts[key].Email)
 
 		name := "Login " + config.Accounts[key].Nick
-		gui.CreateButton(box, config.Accounts[key], nil, name, "LOGIN", login)
+		makeButton(box, config.Accounts[key], nil, name, "LOGIN", login)
 
 		name  = "Show " + config.Accounts[key].Nick
-		gui.CreateButton(box, config.Accounts[key], nil, name, "SHOW", nil)
+		makeButton(box, config.Accounts[key], nil, name, "SHOW", nil)
 	}
 
-	gui.CreateButton(box, nil, nil, "Add Account", "ADD TAB", addSubdomainButton)
-	gui.CreateButton(box, nil, nil, "Quit", "QUIT", nil)
+	makeButton(box, nil, nil, "Add Account", "ADD TAB", addSubdomainButton)
+	makeButton(box, nil, nil, "Quit", "QUIT", nil)
 	log.Println("makeCloudInfoBox() END")
 }
diff --git a/gui-buttonClicks.go b/gui-buttonClicks.go
index fb68f47..0e39012 100644
--- a/gui-buttonClicks.go
+++ b/gui-buttonClicks.go
@@ -24,19 +24,30 @@ func mainMouseClick(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 		log.Println("THIS IS PROBABLY A BUG IN git.wit.com/gui")
 		onExit(fmt.Errorf("mainMouseClick() got b = nil"))
 	}
-	log.Println("mainMouseClick() BACK IN CONTROL PANEL CODE b.Action =", b.Action)
+	log.Println("mainMouseClick() BACK IN CONTROL PANEL CODE")
 
 	var gw *gui.GuiWindow
 	gw = b.Box.Window
 
 	if (gw == nil) {
-		log.Println("THIS BUTTON IS BROKEN gw = nil")
+		log.Println("\tTHIS BUTTON IS BROKEN gw = nil")
 		panic("something")
 	}
 
-	if (b.Action == "QUIT") {
+	var values *myButtonInfo
+
+	if tmp, ok := b.Values.(*myButtonInfo); ! ok {
+		log.Println("\tmainMouseClick() values.Accounts error =", ok)
+		log.Println("\tmainMouseClick() values.Accounts tmp   =", tmp)
+	} else {
+		values = tmp
+	}
+	log.Println("\tmainMouseClick() values.Accounts =", values.Accounts)
+	log.Println("\tmainMouseClick() values.Name =    ", values.Name)
+
+	if (values.Action == "QUIT") {
 		onExit(nil)
-	} else if (b.Action == "CREATE") {
+	} else if (values.Action == "CREATE") {
 		log.Println("\tTRY TO ADD A NEW VIRTUAL MACHINE")
 		log.Println("\tTRIGGER CREATE VM")
 		gui.Data.State   = "CREATE"
@@ -56,25 +67,25 @@ func mainMouseClick(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 				log.Println("defaultEntryChange() FOUND. Entry assigned to Button", b)
 			}
 		}
-		event.Account = b.Account
+		event.Account = values.Account
 		log.Println("\tTRIGGERING CREATE event=", event)
 		log.Println("\tTRIGGERING CREATE event.Account=", event.Account)
 		websocketSendProtobuf(event)
-	} else if (b.Action == "CONFIG") {
+	} else if (values.Action == "CONFIG") {
 		newConfig := loadDefaultConfig()
 		config.Accounts = newConfig.Accounts
 		gui.Data.State = "done"
-	} else if (b.Action == "DEBUG") {
+	} else if (values.Action == "DEBUG") {
 		log.Println("\tdebug.PrintStack() (SHOULD BE JUST THIS goroutine)")
 		debug.PrintStack()
-	} else if (b.Action == "DEBUG FULL") {
+	} else if (values.Action == "DEBUG FULL") {
 		log.Println("\tATTEMPT FULL STACK DUMP")
 		buf := make([]byte, 1<<16)
 		runtime.Stack(buf, true)
 		log.Printf("%s", buf)
 		log.Println("\tFINISHED FULL STACK DUMP")
 		/*
-	} else if (b.Action == "SHOW VM") {
+	} else if (values.Action == "SHOW VM") {
 		if (gui.Data.Debug) {
 			log.Println("\tATTEMPTING TO SHOW VM TAB gw = ", gw)
 			createVmBox(gw, b.VM)
@@ -83,12 +94,12 @@ func mainMouseClick(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 			createVmBox(gw, b.VM)
 		}
 		*/
-	} else if (b.Action == "SHOW") {
+	} else if (values.Action == "SHOW") {
 		log.Println("\tTRIGGER DISPLAY ACCOUNT")
 		gui.Data.State   = "SEND WEBSOCKET"
 
 		event := pb.MakeGetEvent()
-		event.Account = b.Account
+		event.Account = values.Account
 		websocketSendProtobuf(event)
 
 		count := 0
@@ -107,8 +118,8 @@ func mainMouseClick(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 					log.Println("\tSHOW VMS count =", count)
 					// TODO: make sure login worked & the account really has zero VMs
 					// if (count != 0) {
-						name := "Virtual Machines (" + b.Account.Nick + ")"
-						mh := addVmsTab(gw, name, count, b.Account)
+						name := "Virtual Machines (" + values.Account.Nick + ")"
+						mh := addVmsTab(gw, name, count, values.Account)
 						ReadReceivedData(currentMessage, mh, b.Box)
 					// }
 					currentMessage = nil
@@ -126,17 +137,25 @@ func mainMouseClick(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 		}
 	}
 	log.Println("mainMouseClick() BACK IN CONTROL PANEL CODE")
-	log.Println("mainMouseClick() FAILED TO FIND b.Action =", b.Action)
+	log.Println("mainMouseClick() FAILED TO FIND values.Action =", values.Action)
 	log.Println("mainMouseClick() END")
 }
 
-func makeButton(box *gui.GuiBox, a *pb.Account, vm *pb.Event_VM,
-		name string, action string, custom func(*gui.GuiButton)) *gui.GuiButton {
+// stores the fields we want to map into our private structure 'values'
+func makeGuiButtonValues(box *gui.GuiBox, a *pb.Account, vm *pb.Event_VM,
+		name string, action string, custom func(*gui.GuiButton)) *myButtonInfo {
 	val          := &myButtonInfo{}
 	val.Account  = a
 	val.Accounts = config.Accounts
 	val.VM       = vm
 	val.Custom   = custom
 	val.Name     = "jcarr"
+	val.Action   = action
+	return val
+}
+
+func makeButton(box *gui.GuiBox, a *pb.Account, vm *pb.Event_VM,
+		name string, action string, custom func(*gui.GuiButton)) *gui.GuiButton {
+	val := makeGuiButtonValues(box, a, vm, name, action, custom)
 	return gui.NewCreateButton(box, custom, name, val)
 }
diff --git a/gui-vmPage.go b/gui-vmPage.go
index d01c4f2..25262fd 100644
--- a/gui-vmPage.go
+++ b/gui-vmPage.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func addVmsTab(gw *gui.GuiWindow, name string, count int, a *pb.Account) *gui.Ta
 	human += 1
 
 	mh := gui.AddTableTab(gw, name, count, parts)
-	gui.CreateButton(mh.Box, a, nil, "Add Virtual Machine", "JUNK", createAddVmBox)
+	makeButton(mh.Box, a, nil, "Add Virtual Machine", "JUNK", createAddVmBox)
 	return mh
 }
 
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ func createAddVmBox(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 	log.Println("createAddVmBox() START")
 	gw := b.Box.Window
 	log.Println("createAddVmBox() gw =", gw)
-	name := "(" + b.Account.Nick + ")"
+	values, _ := b.Values.(*myButtonInfo)
+	name := "(" + values.Account.Nick + ")"
 
 	// gw.BoxMap["ADD VM" + name] = box
 
@@ -100,13 +101,14 @@ func createAddVmBox(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 
 	gui.HorizontalBreak(box)
 
-	gui.CreateButton(box, b.Account, nil, "Add Virtual Machine", "CREATE", nil)
-	gui.CreateButton(box, b.Account, nil, "Cancel", "CLOSE", nil)
+	makeButton(box, values.Account, nil, "Add Virtual Machine", "CREATE", nil)
+	makeButton(box, values.Account, nil, "Cancel", "CLOSE", nil)
 }
 
 func showVmMouseClick(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 	log.Println("showVmMouseClick() START b.Box.Window =", b.Box.Window)
-	createVmBox(b.Box.Window, b.VM)
+	values, _ := b.Values.(*myButtonInfo)
+	createVmBox(b.Box.Window, values.VM)
 	log.Println("showVmMouseClick() END")
 }
 
@@ -129,13 +131,13 @@ func createVmBox(gw *gui.GuiWindow, vm *pb.Event_VM) {
 
 	gui.HorizontalBreak(box)
 
-	gui.CreateButton(box, nil, vm, "Power On",  "POWERON",  nil)
-	gui.CreateButton(box, nil, vm, "Power Off", "POWEROFF", nil)
-	gui.CreateButton(box, nil, vm, "Destroy",   "DESTROY",  nil)
-	gui.CreateButton(box, nil, vm, "ping",      "PING",     runPingClick)
-	gui.CreateButton(box, nil, vm, "Console",   "XTERM",    runTestExecClick)
-	gui.CreateButton(box, nil, vm, "Save",      "SAVE",     nil)
-	gui.CreateButton(box, nil, vm, "Done",      "DONE",     nil)
+	makeButton(box, nil, vm, "Power On",  "POWERON",  nil)
+	makeButton(box, nil, vm, "Power Off", "POWEROFF", nil)
+	makeButton(box, nil, vm, "Destroy",   "DESTROY",  nil)
+	makeButton(box, nil, vm, "ping",      "PING",     runPingClick)
+	makeButton(box, nil, vm, "Console",   "XTERM",    runTestExecClick)
+	makeButton(box, nil, vm, "Save",      "SAVE",     nil)
+	makeButton(box, nil, vm, "Done",      "DONE",     nil)
 }
 
 func runTestHide(b *gui.GuiButton) {
@@ -151,10 +153,11 @@ func runTestHide(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 
 func runPingClick(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 	log.Println("runPingClick START")
-	log.Println("runTestExecClick b.VM", b.VM)
+	values, _ := b.Values.(*myButtonInfo)
+	log.Println("runTestExecClick values.VM", values.VM)
 	hostname := "localhost"
-	if (b.VM != nil) {
-		hostname = b.VM.Hostname
+	if (values.VM != nil) {
+		hostname = values.VM.Hostname
 	}
 	spew.Dump(b)
 	var tmp []string
diff --git a/login.go b/login.go
index 1b28b30..fd9a433 100644
--- a/login.go
+++ b/login.go
@@ -19,10 +19,13 @@ func login(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 	// note: this may never be possible because of cross platform
 	// andlabs/ui requirements. windows and macos seem to freak out
 	// when you try to trigger the UI in seperate threads
+
+	values, _ := b.Values.(*myButtonInfo)
 	event := pb.MakeLoginEvent()
-	event.Account = b.Account
+	event.Account = values.Account
 	websocketSendProtobuf(event)
 
+
 	count := 0
 	for {
 		log.Println("\tSleep() in buttonClick() gui.Data.State =", gui.Data.State)
@@ -36,15 +39,15 @@ func login(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 			} else {
 				log.Println("LOGIN currentMessage =", currentMessage)
 				if (currentMessage.Type == pb.Event_OK) {
-					msg := "On account " + b.Account.Nick + "\n"
+					msg := "On account " + values.Account.Nick + "\n"
 					log.Println("\tLOGIN WAS OK!", msg)
-					log.Println("\tLOGIN WAS OK! old button.Account was =", b.Account)
+					log.Println("\tLOGIN WAS OK! old button.Account was =", values.Account)
 					log.Println("\tLOGIN WAS OK! currentMessage.Account =", currentMessage.Account)
-					if (b.Account.Id == currentMessage.Account.Id) {
-						if (b.Account.Token != currentMessage.Account.Token) {
+					if (values.Account.Id == currentMessage.Account.Id) {
+						if (values.Account.Token != currentMessage.Account.Token) {
 							log.Println("\tLOGIN SENT NEW TOKEN")
-							b.Account.Token = currentMessage.Account.Token
-							log.Println("\tLOGIN WAS OK! old button.Account is now =", b.Account)
+							values.Account.Token = currentMessage.Account.Token
+							log.Println("\tLOGIN WAS OK! old button.Account is now =", values.Account)
 						}
 					}
 					log.Println("\tLOGIN WAS OK!")
@@ -53,11 +56,11 @@ func login(b *gui.GuiButton) {
 					log.Println("\tLOGIN FAILED")
 					log.Println("\tLOGIN FAILED")
 					log.Println("\tLOGIN FAILED")
-					msg := "On account " + b.Account.Nick + "\n"
+					msg := "On account " + values.Account.Nick + "\n"
 					msg += "pb.Comment = " + currentMessage.Comment + "\n"
 					msg += "pb.Id = " + fmt.Sprintf("%d", currentMessage.Id) + "\n"
-					msg += "pb.Email = " + b.Account.Email + "\n"
-					msg += "pb.Username = " + b.Account.Username + "\n"
+					msg += "pb.Email = " + values.Account.Email + "\n"
+					msg += "pb.Username = " + values.Account.Username + "\n"
 					gui.ErrorWindow(b.Box.Window, "Login Failed", msg)
 				}
 				currentMessage = nil
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index c130d69..410e3b7 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type myButtonInfo struct {
 	Custom		func (*gui.GuiButton)
 	ADD		func (*gui.GuiButton)
 	Name		string
+	Action		string
 }