diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index db5ce26..2af14d8 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import (
 func (f *Forge) ConfigSave() error {
 	var err error
 	// backup the current config files
-	if e := backupConfig(); e != nil {
+	if e := f.backupConfig(); e != nil {
 		log.Info("forge.BackupConfig() error", e)
 		err = e
 		// continue here? notsure. could be bad either way
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func (f *Forge) ConfigSave() error {
 	return err
 }
 
-// write to ~/.config/forge/ unless ENV{FORGE_CONFIG} is set
+// write to ~/.config/forge/
 func (f *ForgeConfigs) ConfigSave() error {
 	data, err := f.Marshal()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -64,12 +64,7 @@ func (f *ForgeConfigs) ConfigSave() error {
 }
 
 // load the ~/.config/forge/ files
-func (c *ForgeConfigs) ConfigLoad() error {
-	if os.Getenv("FORGE_CONFIG") == "" {
-		homeDir, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
-		fullpath := filepath.Join(homeDir, ".config/forge")
-		os.Setenv("FORGE_CONFIG", fullpath)
-	}
+func (c *ForgeConfigs) ConfigLoad(fullpath string) error {
 	// var data []byte
 	// var err error
 	if c == nil {
diff --git a/configBackup.go b/configBackup.go
index 137cb08..b1c9d0d 100644
--- a/configBackup.go
+++ b/configBackup.go
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
-func backupConfig() error {
+func (f *Forge) backupConfig() error {
 	// make a new dir to backup the files
-	srcDir := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("FORGE_CONFIG"))
-	destDir := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("FORGE_CONFIG"), "backup")
+	srcDir := filepath.Join(f.configDir)
+	destDir := filepath.Join(f.configDir, "backup")
 	return backupFiles(srcDir, destDir)
 }
 
diff --git a/humanTable.go b/humanTable.go
index 99fec97..6bd4717 100644
--- a/humanTable.go
+++ b/humanTable.go
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ func (psets *Patchsets) PrintTable() {
 	log.DaemonMode(true)
 
 	// print the header
-	args := []string{"commit hash", "what", "age", "cId", "partId", "", "", "", "", ""}
+	args := []string{"commit hash", "", "", "name", "Repo Namespace", "", "", "", "", ""}
 	sizes := []int{36, 3, 3, 40, 80, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2}
 	log.Info(cobol.StandardTableSize10(sizes, args))
 
diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index 9f5dea6..d0f8f03 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ package forgepb
 import (
 	"os"
 	"os/user"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
+	"go.wit.com/lib/fhelp"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/gitpb"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
@@ -84,87 +84,26 @@ func Init() *Forge {
 	return f
 }
 
-func DetermineGoPath() *Forge {
-	f := new(Forge)
-
-	// TODO: rethink this but it works for now
-	gosrc := os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC")
-	if gosrc == "" {
-		goSrcDir, err := f.findGoSrc()
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Log(WARN, "forge init() findGoSrc()", err)
-		}
-		os.Setenv("FORGE_GOSRC", goSrcDir)
-	}
-	f.goSrc = os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC")
-
-	// also rethink this, but maybe this is the right thing to do
-	if os.Getenv("FORGE_CONFIG") == "" {
-		homeDir, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
-		fullpath := filepath.Join(homeDir, ".config/forge")
-		os.Setenv("FORGE_CONFIG", fullpath)
-	}
-
-	f.configDir = os.Getenv("FORGE_CONFIG")
-
-	// check again for go.work // user could have a go.work file in ~/go/src
-	if f.goWorkExists() {
-		f.goWork = true
-	}
-
-	// print out the settings that will be used
-	log.Log(INFO, "forgepb.Init()     FORGE_CONFIG", os.Getenv("FORGE_CONFIG"))
-
-	return f
-}
-
 func (f *Forge) InitPB() {
+	f.setenv()
+
 	// load the ~/.config/forge/ config
 	f.Config = new(ForgeConfigs)
-	if err := f.Config.ConfigLoad(); err != nil {
+	if err := f.Config.ConfigLoad(f.configDir); err != nil {
 		log.Log(WARN, "forgepb.ConfigLoad() failed", err)
 	}
 
-	if f.IsGoWork() {
-		log.Log(INFO, "forgepb.Init()     FORGE_GOSRC ", os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC"), "(go.work = true)")
-	} else {
-		log.Log(INFO, "forgepb.Init()     FORGE_GOSRC ", os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC"), "(go.work = false)")
-	}
-
 	f.Repos = gitpb.NewRepos()
 	f.Repos.ConfigLoad()
 	if f.Repos.HasFullScan {
 		f.hasFullScan = true
 	}
 
-	f.forgeURL = "https://forge.wit.com/"
-
-	if os.Getenv("FORGE_URL") != "" {
-		f.forgeURL = os.Getenv("FORGE_URL")
-		log.Info("got forge url", f.forgeURL)
-	}
-
 	// todo: play with these / determine good values based on user's machine
 	f.rillX = 10
 	f.rillY = 20
 }
 
-// set the URL for forge otherwise fallback to ENV or to forge.wit.com
-func (f *Forge) SetForgeURL(url string) {
-	if url == "" {
-		url = os.Getenv("FORGE_URL")
-	}
-	if url == "" {
-		url = "https://forge.wit.com/"
-	}
-	f.forgeURL = url
-	log.Info("Forge URL has been set to", f.forgeURL)
-}
-
-func (f *Forge) GetForgeURL() string {
-	return f.forgeURL
-}
-
 func (f *Forge) InitMachine() {
 	if f.Config.Username == "" {
 		usr, _ := user.Current()
@@ -176,7 +115,8 @@ func (f *Forge) InitMachine() {
 
 // only init's the protobuf. intended to not scan or change anything
 func InitPB() *Forge {
-	f := DetermineGoPath()
+	f := new(Forge)
+	f.setenv()
 	f.InitPB()
 	return f
 }
@@ -197,55 +137,65 @@ func (f *Forge) Exit() {
 
 func RawInitPB() *Forge {
 	f := new(Forge)
+	f.RawInitPB()
+	return f
+}
 
-	homeDir, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
-	// todo: check or exit if err?
-
-	// TODO: rethink this but it works for now
-	if os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC") == "" {
-		fullpath := filepath.Join(homeDir, ".cache/forge")
-		err := os.MkdirAll(fullpath, os.ModePerm)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Log(WARN, "mkdir failed", fullpath, err)
-		}
-		os.Setenv("FORGE_GOSRC", fullpath)
-	}
-	f.goSrc = os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC")
-
-	// also rethink this, but maybe this is the right thing to do
-	if os.Getenv("FORGE_CONFIG") == "" {
-		fullpath := filepath.Join(homeDir, ".config/forge")
-		os.MkdirAll(fullpath, os.ModePerm)
-		os.Setenv("FORGE_CONFIG", fullpath)
-	}
-
-	f.configDir = os.Getenv("FORGE_CONFIG")
+func (f *Forge) RawInitPB() {
+	f.setenv()
 
 	// load the ~/.config/forge/ config
 	f.Config = new(ForgeConfigs)
-	if err := f.Config.ConfigLoad(); err != nil {
+	if err := f.Config.ConfigLoad(f.configDir); err != nil {
 		log.Log(WARN, "forgepb.ConfigLoad() failed", err)
 	}
 
 	f.Repos = gitpb.NewRepos()
 	f.Repos.ConfigLoad()
 
-	f.forgeURL = "https://forge.wit.com/"
-
-	if os.Getenv("FORGE_URL") != "" {
-		f.forgeURL = os.Getenv("FORGE_URL")
-		log.Info("got forge url", f.forgeURL)
-	}
-
-	// where patches are stored
-	f.patchDir = f.goSrc
-	if os.Getenv("FORGE_PATCHDIR") != "" {
-		f.patchDir = os.Getenv("FORGE_PATCHDIR")
-	}
-
 	// todo: play with these / determine good values based on user's machine
 	f.rillX = 10
 	f.rillY = 20
-
-	return f
+}
+
+// the first thing done is process any ENV settings
+// try to NOT use the ENV settings anywhere but here
+// all initial ENV settings should be stored in the forge struct
+func (f *Forge) setenv() {
+	if err := fhelp.ConfigureENV(); err != nil {
+		log.Info("forge ConfigureENV() failed", err)
+		os.Exit(-1)
+	}
+	f.configDir = os.Getenv("FORGE_CONFIG")
+	f.goSrc = os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC")
+	f.repoPB = os.Getenv("FORGE_REPOPB")
+	f.forgeURL = os.Getenv("FORGE_URL")
+	f.patchDir = os.Getenv("FORGE_PATCHDIR")
+	if os.Getenv("FORGE_GOWORK") == "true" {
+		f.goWork = true
+	}
+	log.Printf("FORGE_CONFIG   = %s\n", f.configDir)
+	log.Printf("FORGE_GOSRC    = %s\n", f.goSrc)
+	log.Printf("FORGE_GOWORK   = %v\n", f.goWork)
+	log.Printf("FORGE_REPOPB   = %s\n", f.repoPB)
+	log.Printf("FORGE_URL      = %s\n", f.forgeURL)
+	log.Printf("FORGE_PATCHDIR = %s\n", f.patchDir)
+	log.Printf("HOSTNAME       = %s\n", os.Getenv("HOSTNAME"))
+}
+
+func (f *Forge) GetForgeURL() string {
+	return f.forgeURL
+}
+
+// set the URL for forge otherwise fallback to ENV or to forge.wit.com
+func (f *Forge) SetForgeURL(url string) {
+	if url == "" {
+		url = os.Getenv("FORGE_URL")
+	}
+	if url == "" {
+		url = "https://forge.wit.com/"
+	}
+	f.forgeURL = url
+	os.Setenv("FORGE_URL", f.forgeURL)
+	log.Info("Forge URL has been set to", f.forgeURL)
 }
diff --git a/patchset.Get.go b/patchset.Get.go
index 91d3bdd..5904914 100644
--- a/patchset.Get.go
+++ b/patchset.Get.go
@@ -44,6 +44,15 @@ func (f *Forge) loadUpstreamPatchsets(psets *Patchsets) {
 			log.Info("new patchset", pset.Name, pset.Uuid)
 			pset.State = "new"
 			foundnew = true
+			if pset == nil {
+				log.Warn("OH NO! pset == nil")
+				continue
+			}
+			if f.Patchsets == nil {
+				log.Warn("OH NO! f.Patchsets == nil")
+				continue
+			}
+			f.Patchsets.Append(pset)
 		} else {
 			log.Info("patchset already on disk", found.Name, found.State)
 			pset.State = found.State
@@ -53,7 +62,6 @@ func (f *Forge) loadUpstreamPatchsets(psets *Patchsets) {
 		}
 	}
 	if foundnew {
-		log.Info("should save these here")
 		f.SavePatchsets()
 	}
 }
diff --git a/patchset.config.go b/patchset.config.go
index 2788d88..a151095 100644
--- a/patchset.config.go
+++ b/patchset.config.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func (f *Forge) LoadPatchsets() error {
 		log.Infof("LoadPatchsets() proto.Marshal() error %v\n", err)
 		return err
 	}
-	log.Infof("LoadPatchsets() worked ok %d\n", f.Patchsets.Len())
+	log.Infof("LoadPatchsets() found %d patches.\n", f.Patchsets.Len())
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func (f *Forge) SavePatchsets() error {
 		log.Infof("SavePatchset() proto.Marshal() error %v\n", err)
 		return err
 	}
-	log.Infof("SavePatchset() worked (%d) bytes\n", len(data))
+	log.Infof("SavePatchset() worked (%d) bytes on %d patches\n", len(data), f.Patchsets.Len())
 	regfile.Write(data)
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/patchset.proto b/patchset.proto
index 96f20ea..4c61127 100644
--- a/patchset.proto
+++ b/patchset.proto
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ message Patchset {                                            // `autogenpb:mars
         string                      hostname            = 14; //
 }
 
-message Patchsets {                                           // `autogenpb:marshal` `autogenpb:gui`
+message Patchsets {                                           // `autogenpb:marshal` `autogenpb:gui` `autogenpb:nomutex`
         string                      uuid                = 1;  // `autogenpb:uuid:be926ad9-f07f-484c-adf2-d96eeabf3079`
         string                      version             = 2;  // `autogenpb:version:v0.0.45`
         repeated Patchset           Patchsets           = 3;
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index 30823c0..561bf8f 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ type Forge struct {
 	initOnce    sync.Once
 	initErr     error         // init error, if any
 	goSrc       string        // the path to go/src
+	repoPB      string        // the path to the repos.pb cache file
 	configDir   string        // normally ~/.config/forge
 	goWork      bool          // means the user is currently using a go.work file
 	Config      *ForgeConfigs // config repos for readonly, private, etc