diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f0b1f02..b238f1c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ plugin:
 	rm -f resources/*.so
 	# -cp ../../toolkits/gocui/gocui.so resources/
 
-andlabs: install
-	forge --gui andlabs --debugger
+andlabs: clean install
+	forge --gui andlabs
 
 gocui: install
 	forge --gui gocui --gui-verbose  >/tmp/forge.log 2>&1
diff --git a/doGui.go b/doGui.go
index 4f1e8a4..076d87d 100644
--- a/doGui.go
+++ b/doGui.go
@@ -23,11 +23,7 @@ func debug() {
 	time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
 	for {
 		now := time.Now()
-		if me.repoAllB == nil {
-			log.Printf("finished empty forge scan here in (%s)\n", shell.FormatDuration(time.Since(now)))
-			time.Sleep(90 * time.Second)
-			continue
-		}
+
 		if me.repoAllB != nil {
 			tmp := fmt.Sprintf("All (%d)", me.forge.Repos.Len())
 			me.repoAllB.SetLabel(tmp)
@@ -55,13 +51,23 @@ func debug() {
 			me.repoWritableB.SetLabel(tmp)
 		}
 
+		doCheckDirtyAndConfigSave()
+		found := findDirty()
+		dirty := found.Len()
+
 		if me.repoDirtyB != nil {
-			doCheckDirtyAndConfigSave()
-			found := findDirty()
-			tmp := fmt.Sprintf("dirty (%d)", found.Len())
+			tmp := fmt.Sprintf("dirty (%d)", dirty)
 			me.repoDirtyB.SetLabel(tmp)
 		}
 
+		if me.reposWinB != nil {
+			tmp := fmt.Sprintf("Repos (%d)", me.forge.Repos.Len())
+			if dirty > 0 {
+				tmp = fmt.Sprintf("Repos (%d) (%d dirty)", me.forge.Repos.Len(), dirty)
+			}
+			me.reposWinB.SetLabel(tmp)
+		}
+
 		log.Printf("finished a forge scan here in (%s)\n", shell.FormatDuration(time.Since(now)))
 		time.Sleep(90 * time.Second)
 	}
@@ -174,17 +180,6 @@ func drawWindow(win *gadgets.GenericWindow) {
 	})
 	me.setBranchB.Disable()
 
-	switch me.forge.Config.Mode {
-	case forgepb.ForgeMode_MASTER:
-		me.newBranch.SetText("master")
-	case forgepb.ForgeMode_DEVEL:
-		me.newBranch.SetText("devel")
-	case forgepb.ForgeMode_USER:
-		me.newBranch.SetText(me.forge.Config.GetUsername())
-	default:
-		me.newBranch.SetText(me.forge.Config.GetUsername())
-	}
-
 	grid.NextRow()
 
 	groupM := win.Stack.NewGroup("Mode Windows")
@@ -324,10 +319,35 @@ func drawWindow(win *gadgets.GenericWindow) {
 			debugger.DebugWindow()
 		})
 	})
-	grid.NextRow()
 
-	group2 := win.Stack.NewGroup("Repos")
-	grid = group2.RawGrid()
+	var reposWin *gadgets.GenericWindow
+	me.reposWinB = gridM.NewButton("Repos", func() {
+		if reposWin != nil {
+			reposWin.Toggle()
+			return
+		}
+		reposWin = makeReposWin()
+	})
+
+	// set the initial button state based on the last
+	// forge mode the user saved in the config file
+	switch me.forge.Config.Mode {
+	case forgepb.ForgeMode_MASTER:
+		me.newBranch.SetText("master")
+	case forgepb.ForgeMode_DEVEL:
+		me.newBranch.SetText("devel")
+	case forgepb.ForgeMode_USER:
+		me.newBranch.SetText(me.forge.Config.GetUsername())
+	default:
+		me.newBranch.SetText(me.forge.Config.GetUsername())
+	}
+
+	forgeSwitchMode(me.forge.Config.Mode)
+}
+
+func makeReposWin() *gadgets.GenericWindow {
+	win := gadgets.NewGenericWindow("git repos", "All about git repos")
+	grid := win.Group.RawGrid()
 
 	me.repoDirtyB = grid.NewButton("dirty", func() {
 		doCheckDirtyAndConfigSave()
@@ -395,17 +415,12 @@ func drawWindow(win *gadgets.GenericWindow) {
 	grid.NewButton("Configure", func() {
 		log.Info("add a forge config window here")
 	})
+
+	return win
 }
 
-// sets the text in the labels in the window
-// and hides and shows the buttons
-func forgeSwitchMode(newMode forgepb.ForgeMode) {
-	if newMode == me.forge.Config.Mode {
-		log.Info("you are already on", newMode.String())
-		return
-	}
-	me.forge.Config.Mode = newMode
-
+// verify the GUI button disable/enable settings
+func forgeVerifyGuiState() {
 	me.forgeMode.SetText(me.forge.GetMode())
 
 	me.argvCheckoutUser = false
@@ -416,7 +431,7 @@ func forgeSwitchMode(newMode forgepb.ForgeMode) {
 	me.modePatchW.Disable()
 	me.modeUserW.Disable()
 
-	switch newMode {
+	switch me.forge.Config.Mode {
 	case forgepb.ForgeMode_MASTER:
 		me.argvCheckoutMaster = true
 		me.newBranch.SetText("master")
@@ -434,15 +449,22 @@ func forgeSwitchMode(newMode forgepb.ForgeMode) {
 		me.argvCheckoutUser = true
 		me.modeUserW.Enable()
 	}
+}
 
-	/*
-		if me.forge.Config.Mode != forgepb.ForgeMode_USER {
-			doDisableUserW()
-		}
-	*/
+// sets the text in the labels in the window
+// and hides and shows the buttons
+func forgeSwitchMode(newMode forgepb.ForgeMode) {
+	if newMode == me.forge.Config.Mode {
+		log.Info("you are already on", newMode.String())
+		forgeVerifyGuiState() // doing this here initializes the button state
+		return
+	}
+
+	me.forge.Config.Mode = newMode
+	forgeVerifyGuiState() // update the button states
 
 	me.forge.SetConfigSave(true)
-	me.forge.ConfigSave()
+	me.forge.ConfigSave() // todo, only save the forge config
 }
 
 func doDisableUserW() {
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index bbc7e70..f7a05d1 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ type mainType struct {
 	// the repositories to them
 	newBranch       *gui.Node // deprecate?
 	setBranchB      *gui.Node // deprecate?
+	reposWinB       *gui.Node // button that opens the repos window
 	repoAllB        *gui.Node // "all" repos button
 	repoDirtyB      *gui.Node // "dirty" repos button
 	repoDevelMergeB *gui.Node // "merge to devel" repos button