diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index da02a3e..6c2b827 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,6 +2,14 @@ all: build
 	reset
 	./gadgetwindow
 
+nocui: build
+	reset
+	./gadgetwindow --gui nocui
+
+debugger: build
+	reset
+	./gadgetwindow --debugger
+
 build:
 ifeq ($(GO111MODULE),)
 	echo no. you must use GO111MODULE here
diff --git a/args.go b/args.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..217d0fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/args.go
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package main
+
+/*
+	this parses the command line arguements
+
+	this enables command line options from other packages like 'gui' and 'log'
+*/
+
+import (
+	"go.wit.com/dev/alexflint/arg"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/debugger"
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+)
+
+	// GadgetDisplay    string `arg:"env:DISPLAY"`
+	// GadgetTmpLog     bool   `arg:"--tmp-log" help:"automatically send STDOUT to /tmp"`
+	// GadgetVerboseDNS bool   `arg:"--verbose" help:"debug your dns settings"`
+var args struct {
+}
+
+var NOW *log.LogFlag
+
+func init() {
+	arg.MustParse(&args)
+	full := "go.wit.com/control-panels/dns"
+	short := "cpdns"
+
+	NOW = log.NewFlag("NOW", true, full, short, "temp debugging stuff")
+
+	if debugger.ArgDebug() {
+		log.Log(NOW, "INIT() gui debug == true")
+	} else {
+		log.Log(NOW, "INIT() gui debug == false")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/choices.go b/choices.go
index 753e135..7ca1865 100644
--- a/choices.go
+++ b/choices.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func newChoices(parent *gui.Node) *choices {
 	c.grid.NewButton("hello", func() {
 		log.Info("world")
 	})
-	c.grid.NewButton("show basic window", func() {
+	c.grid.NewButton("toggle basic window", func() {
 		basicWindow.Toggle()
 	})
 	c.grid.NewLabel("a label")
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func newChoices(parent *gui.Node) *choices {
 	c.animal.AddText("polar bear")
 
 	c.place = gadgets.NewBasicEntry(c.grid, "common favorite place")
-	c.place.Custom = func () {
+	c.place.Custom = func() {
 		log.Info("now set to:", c.place.String())
 		if c.place == section1.place {
 			section2.place.SetText(c.place.String())
@@ -75,6 +75,13 @@ func newChoices(parent *gui.Node) *choices {
 	}
 	c.place.SetText("coffee shop")
 
+	c.grid.NewButton("enable animals", func() {
+		c.animal.Enable()
+	})
+	c.grid.NewButton("disable animals", func() {
+		c.animal.Disable()
+	})
+
 	return c
 }
 
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index c30af42..fa28c37 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ var section1 *choices
 var section2 *choices
 
 func main() {
+	log.SetAll(true)
+	log.ShowFlags()
 	myGui = gui.New()
-	myGui.LoadToolkit("andlabs")
+	// myGui.LoadToolkit("andlabs")
 	// myGui.LoadToolkit("nocui")
 
 	myGui.Default()
@@ -32,6 +34,14 @@ func main() {
 	helloworld()
 	basicWindow = makebasicWindow()
 
+	// run the debugger if triggered from the commandline
+	if debugger.ArgDebug() {
+		go func() {
+			log.Sleep(2)
+			debugger.DebugWindow()
+		}()
+	}
+
 	// go will sit here until the window exits
 	gui.Watchdog()
 }