diff --git a/configLookup.go b/config.common.go
similarity index 100%
rename from configLookup.go
rename to config.common.go
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index a6cfd4a..963202f 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -18,13 +18,15 @@ import (
 
 func (f *Forge) ConfigSave() error {
 	var err error
-	// backup the current config files
-	if e := f.backupConfig(); e != nil {
-		log.Info("forge.BackupConfig() error", e)
-		err = e
-		// continue here? notsure. could be bad either way
-		// out of disk space?
-	}
+	/*
+		// backup the current config files
+		if e := f.backupConfig(); e != nil {
+			log.Info("forge.BackupConfig() error", e)
+			err = e
+			// continue here? notsure. could be bad either way
+			// out of disk space?
+		}
+	*/
 	if f.Config != nil {
 		if e := f.Config.ConfigSave(); e != nil {
 			log.Info("forge.Config.ConfigSave() error", e)
@@ -101,9 +103,6 @@ func (c *ForgeConfigs) ConfigLoad(fullpath string) error {
 		log.Info("However, the config files could not be loaded")
 	}
 
-	// first time user. make a template config file
-	c.sampleConfig()
-
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -161,17 +160,6 @@ func configWrite(filename string, data []byte) error {
 		cfgfile.Write([]byte("# git repos you have write access to. That is, where you can run 'git push'\n"))
 		cfgfile.Write([]byte("\n"))
 	}
-	if filename == "forge.json" {
-		// add header
-		cfgfile.Write([]byte("\n"))
-		cfgfile.Write([]byte("# this file is intended to be used to customize settings on what\n"))
-		cfgfile.Write([]byte("# git repos you have write access to. That is, where you can run 'git push'\n"))
-		cfgfile.Write([]byte("\n"))
-		cfgfile.Write([]byte("# this file is parsed only if forge.text is missing\n"))
-		cfgfile.Write([]byte("# also, these comment lines don't work in json files and have to be removed for Marshal() to work\n"))
-		cfgfile.Write([]byte("# probably, JSON syntax for this is just going to be deprecated for the TEXT syntax\n"))
-		cfgfile.Write([]byte("\n"))
-	}
 	cfgfile.Write(data)
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/configBackup.go b/configBackup.go
deleted file mode 100644
index b1c9d0d..0000000
--- a/configBackup.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,74 +0,0 @@
-package forgepb
-
-// thank chatgpt for this because why. why write this if you can have it
-// kick this out in 30 seconds
-
-import (
-	"errors"
-	"fmt"
-	"io"
-	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"time"
-)
-
-func (f *Forge) backupConfig() error {
-	// make a new dir to backup the files
-	srcDir := filepath.Join(f.configDir)
-	destDir := filepath.Join(f.configDir, "backup")
-	return backupFiles(srcDir, destDir)
-}
-
-func backupFiles(srcDir string, destDir string) error {
-	// Create the destination directory
-	err := os.MkdirAll(destDir, os.ModePerm)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to create directory: %v", err))
-	}
-
-	// Read the contents of the source directory
-	entries, err := os.ReadDir(srcDir)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to read directory: %v", err))
-	}
-
-	// Iterate over the entries in the source directory
-	for _, entry := range entries {
-		// Skip directories and files that do not have the .test extension
-		if entry.IsDir() {
-			continue
-		}
-
-		// log.Println("backing up file", entry.Name())
-		srcPath := filepath.Join(srcDir, entry.Name())
-		destPath := filepath.Join(destDir, entry.Name())
-
-		// Copy the file
-		if err := copyFile(srcPath, destPath); err != nil {
-			return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to copy file %s: %v", entry.Name(), err))
-		}
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-// copyFile copies a file from src to dest
-func copyFile(src, dest string) error {
-	srcFile, err := os.Open(src)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	defer srcFile.Close()
-
-	now := time.Now()
-	timestamp := now.Format("2006.01.02.150405") // bummer. other date doesn't work?
-	dest = dest + timestamp
-	destFile, err := os.Create(dest)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	defer destFile.Close()
-
-	// Copy the content
-	_, err = io.Copy(destFile, srcFile)
-	return err
-}
diff --git a/configDefault.go b/configDefault.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 3246798..0000000
--- a/configDefault.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-package forgepb
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-)
-
-func (all *ForgeConfigs) sampleConfig() {
-	new1 := new(ForgeConfig)
-	new1.GoPath = "go.wit.com"
-	new1.Writable = true
-	new1.Directory = true
-	all.Append(new1)
-
-	fmt.Println("first time user. adding an example config file with", len(all.ForgeConfigs), "repos")
-}
diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index 5205e4b..a8fc63c 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -3,14 +3,10 @@
 package forgepb
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"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"
 )
@@ -25,15 +21,10 @@ func Default(opts ...OptionFunc) *Engine {
 }
 */
 
+/*
 func Init() *Forge {
 	f := InitPB()
 
-	/*
-		f.Machine = new(zoopb.Machine)
-		if err := f.Machine.ConfigLoad(); err != nil {
-			log.Log(WARN, "zoopb.ConfigLoad() failed", err)
-		}
-	*/
 	if f.Config.Username == "" {
 		usr, _ := user.Current()
 		f.Config.Username = usr.Username
@@ -82,24 +73,31 @@ func Init() *Forge {
 	log.Log(INFO, "update()           check took", shell.FormatDuration(time.Since(now)))
 	return f
 }
+*/
 
-func FirstTimeUser() bool {
-	if checkenv() {
-		return false
-	}
-
-	// setup the env
+func InitFromConfig(cfg *ForgeConfigs) *Forge {
 	f := new(Forge)
-	f.setenv()
-
-	fullname := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("FORGE_CONFIG"), "forge.text")
-	_, err := os.ReadFile(fullname)
-	if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
-		return true
+	f.Config = cfg
+	if f.configENV() {
+		log.Info("ENV changed config. todo: save config here")
 	}
-	return false
+
+	f.Repos = gitpb.NewRepos()
+	f.Repos.ConfigLoad()
+	if f.Repos.HasFullScan {
+		f.hasFullScan = true
+	}
+
+	// init the Patchsets
+	f.Patchsets = NewPatchsets()
+
+	// todo: play with these / determine good values based on user's machine
+	f.rillX = 10
+	f.rillY = 20
+	return f
 }
 
+/*
 func (f *Forge) InitPB() {
 	f.setenv()
 
@@ -122,6 +120,7 @@ func (f *Forge) InitPB() {
 	f.rillX = 10
 	f.rillY = 20
 }
+*/
 
 func (f *Forge) InitMachine() {
 	if f.Config.Username == "" {
@@ -132,6 +131,7 @@ func (f *Forge) InitMachine() {
 	// log.Info(hostname, err)
 }
 
+/*
 // only init's the protobuf. intended to not scan or change anything
 func InitPB() *Forge {
 	f := new(Forge)
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ func InitPB() *Forge {
 	f.InitPB()
 	return f
 }
+*/
 
 func (f *Forge) SetConfigSave(b bool) {
 	f.configSave = b
@@ -154,6 +155,7 @@ func (f *Forge) Exit() {
 	os.Exit(0)
 }
 
+/*
 func RawInitPB() *Forge {
 	f := new(Forge)
 	f.RawInitPB()
@@ -163,6 +165,7 @@ func RawInitPB() *Forge {
 func (f *Forge) RawInitPB() {
 	f.InitPB()
 }
+*/
 
 // the first thing done is process any ENV settings
 // try to NOT use the ENV settings anywhere but here
@@ -173,15 +176,20 @@ func (f *Forge) setenv() {
 			log.Info("forge ConfigureENV() failed", err)
 			os.Exit(-1)
 		}
+		if f.Config == nil {
+			log.Info("forge.Config() was nil")
+			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")
 		f.hostname = os.Getenv("HOSTNAME")
 		if os.Getenv("FORGE_GOWORK") == "true" {
 			f.goWork = true
 		}
+
+		f.Config.ReposPB = os.Getenv("FORGE_REPOPB")
+		f.Config.PatchDir = os.Getenv("FORGE_PATCHDIR")
 	})
 }
 
@@ -224,3 +232,46 @@ func (f *Forge) SetForgeURL(url string) {
 	os.Setenv("FORGE_URL", f.forgeURL)
 	log.Info("Forge URL has been set to", f.forgeURL)
 }
+
+// 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) configENV() bool {
+	var changed bool
+	f.once.Do(func() {
+		if err := fhelp.ConfigureENV(); err != nil {
+			log.Info("forge ConfigureENV() failed", err)
+			os.Exit(-1)
+		}
+		if os.Getenv("FORGE_REPOPB") != "" && f.Config.ReposPB != os.Getenv("FORGE_REPOPB") {
+			log.Info("ENV: updating FORGE_REPOSPB from", f.Config.ReposPB, "to", os.Getenv("FORGE_REPOPB"))
+			f.Config.ReposPB = os.Getenv("FORGE_REPOPB")
+			changed = true
+		}
+
+		if os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC") != "" && f.Config.ReposDir != os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC") {
+			log.Info("ENV: updating FORGE_GOSRC from", f.Config.ReposDir, "to", os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC"))
+			f.Config.ReposDir = os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC")
+			changed = true
+		}
+
+		if os.Getenv("FORGE_PATCHDIR") != "" && f.Config.PatchDir != os.Getenv("FORGE_PATCHDIR") {
+			log.Info("ENV: updating FORGE_PATCHDIR from", f.Config.PatchDir, "to", os.Getenv("FORGE_PATCHDIRC"))
+			f.Config.PatchDir = os.Getenv("FORGE_PATCHDIR")
+			changed = true
+		}
+
+		f.configDir = os.Getenv("FORGE_CONFIG")
+		f.goSrc = os.Getenv("FORGE_GOSRC")
+		f.forgeURL = os.Getenv("FORGE_URL")
+		// f.patchDir = os.Getenv("FORGE_PATCHDIR")
+		f.hostname = os.Getenv("HOSTNAME")
+		if os.Getenv("FORGE_GOWORK") == "true" {
+			f.goWork = true
+		}
+	})
+	if changed {
+		// save config here
+	}
+	return changed
+}
diff --git a/patchset.config.go b/patchset.config.go
index fd9b509..06a59da 100644
--- a/patchset.config.go
+++ b/patchset.config.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 func (f *Forge) LoadPatchsets() error {
 	f.Patchsets = NewPatchsets()
 
-	filename := filepath.Join(f.patchDir, "all-patches.pb")
+	filename := filepath.Join(f.Config.PatchDir, "all-patches.pb")
 
 	data, err := os.ReadFile(filename)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func (f *Forge) InitPatchsets() error {
 }
 
 func (f *Forge) SavePatchsets() error {
-	filename := filepath.Join(f.patchDir, "all-patches.pb")
+	filename := filepath.Join(f.Config.PatchDir, "all-patches.pb")
 	regfile, err := os.OpenFile(filename, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0666)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Info("SavePatchsets() filename open error:", filename, err)
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index 97e088d..99d5172 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -13,8 +13,6 @@ type Forge struct {
 	once        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
 	Repos       *gitpb.Repos  // the repo protobufs
@@ -26,7 +24,8 @@ type Forge struct {
 	rillX       int           // used for Rill()
 	rillY       int           // used for Rill()
 	Patchsets   *Patchsets    // patches that are in progress
-	patchDir    string        // where patches are stored
+	configDir   string        // normally ~/.config/forge
+	// patchDir    string        // where patches are stored
 }
 
 func (f *Forge) GetGoSrc() string {