diff --git a/currentVersions.go b/currentVersions.go
index beecc4f..e844831 100644
--- a/currentVersions.go
+++ b/currentVersions.go
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ func (repo *Repo) GetUserVersion() string {
 		return ""
 	}
 }
+
 func (repo *Repo) GetCurrentBranchName() string {
 	r := repo.RunQuiet([]string{"git", "branch", "--show-current"})
 	output := strings.Join(r.Stdout, "\n")
@@ -87,6 +88,24 @@ func (repo *Repo) GetCurrentBranchName() string {
 	return strings.TrimSpace(output)
 }
 
+// this is used often. probably move everything to this
+// returns things like
+// v0.2.2
+// v0.22.39-1-g2141737
+// v0.23-dirty
+// mystuff
+func (repo *Repo) GetCurrentVersion() string {
+	if repo == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	bver := repo.GetCurrentBranchVersion()
+	if repo.CheckDirty() {
+		bver = bver + "-dirty"
+	}
+	return bver
+}
+
+// always spawns 'git' and always should spawn 'git'
 func (repo *Repo) GetCurrentBranchVersion() string {
 	if repo == nil {
 		log.Info("repo.GetCurrentBranchVersion() repo == nil")
diff --git a/repo.proto b/repo.proto
index 62f287f..840804c 100644
--- a/repo.proto
+++ b/repo.proto
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import "google/protobuf/timestamp.proto"; // Import the well-known type for Time
 // global settings for autogenpb `autogenpb:mutex`
 
 message Repo {						// `autogenpb:marshal`
-	string 	fullPath			= 1;		// the actual path to the .git directory: '/home/devel/golang.org/x/tools'
+	string 	fullPath			= 1;	// `autogenpb:unique` 	// the actual path to the .git directory: '/home/devel/golang.org/x/tools'
 	google.protobuf.Timestamp lastPull	= 2;		// last time a git pull was done
 	string 	masterBranchName		= 3; 		// git 'main' or 'master' branch name
 	string 	develBranchName			= 4; 		// whatever the git 'devel' branch name is