diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 920c3d8..fb5d194 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ lint:
 # autofixes your import headers in your golang files
 goimports:
 	goimports -w *.go
-	make -C example goimports
 
 redomod:
 	rm -f go.*
diff --git a/refs.sort.go b/refs.sort.go
index 6080afc..8d8a9ea 100644
--- a/refs.sort.go
+++ b/refs.sort.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // bad global lock until I figure out some other plan
-var lock sync.RWMutex
+var refslock sync.RWMutex
 
 type RefIterator struct {
 	sync.RWMutex
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ func (r *Refs) SortByName() *RefIterator {
 
 // enforces no duplicate package names
 func (r *Refs) Append(newP *Ref) bool {
-	lock.Lock()
-	defer lock.Unlock()
+	refslock.Lock()
+	defer refslock.Unlock()
 
 	for _, p := range r.Refs {
 		if p.RefName == newP.RefName {
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ func (r *Ref) Age(newP *Ref) time.Duration {
 
 // find a package by name
 func (r *Refs) FindByName(name string) *Ref {
-	lock.RLock()
-	defer lock.RUnlock()
+	refslock.RLock()
+	defer refslock.RUnlock()
 
 	for _, p := range r.Refs {
 		if p.RefName == name {
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ func (r *Refs) FindByName(name string) *Ref {
 }
 
 func (r *Refs) Len() int {
-	lock.RLock()
-	defer lock.RUnlock()
+	refslock.RLock()
+	defer refslock.RUnlock()
 
 	return len(r.Refs)
 }
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ func (a ByName) Swap(i, j int)      { a[i], a[j] = a[j], a[i] }
 
 // safely returns a slice of pointers to the Ref protobufs
 func (r *Refs) selectAllRefs() []*Ref {
-	lock.RLock()
-	defer lock.RUnlock()
+	refslock.RLock()
+	defer refslock.RUnlock()
 
 	// Create a new slice to hold pointers to each Ref
 	var allPacks []*Ref
@@ -134,6 +134,20 @@ func (r *Refs) selectAllRefs() []*Ref {
 	return allPacks
 }
 
+func (all *Refs) DeleteByHash(hash string) *Ref {
+	refslock.Lock()
+	defer refslock.Unlock()
+
+	for i, _ := range all.Refs {
+		if all.Refs[i].Hash == hash {
+			all.Refs[i] = all.Refs[len(all.Refs)-1]
+			all.Refs = all.Refs[:len(all.Refs)-1]
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 /*
 func (r *Refs) UnmergedRefRepos() *RefRepoIterator {
 	repoPointers := r.selectUnmergedRefRepos()
diff --git a/update.go b/update.go
index c530c01..5074cf3 100644
--- a/update.go
+++ b/update.go
@@ -1,24 +1,79 @@
 package gitpb
 
+import (
+	"slices"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+	timestamppb "google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/timestamppb"
+)
+
 // this is becoming a standard format
 // todo: autogenerate this from the .proto file?
 
 // Update version and timestamp.
 // returns ok (ok == true if not found)
-func (r *Refs) Update(newP *Ref) bool {
-	lock.Lock()
-	defer lock.Unlock()
+func (r *Refs) Update(path string) error {
+	// delete the old hash
+	// r.DeleteByHash(hash)
+	r.Refs = nil
 
-	var found *Ref
-	for _, p := range r.Refs {
-		if p.RefName == newP.RefName {
-			found = p
+	tags := []string{"%(objectname)", "%(creatordate)", "%(*authordate)", "%(refname)", "%(subject)"}
+	format := strings.Join(tags, "_,,,_")
+	cmd := []string{"git", "for-each-ref", "--sort=taggerdate", "--format", format}
+	// log.Info("RUNNING:", strings.Join(cmd, " "))
+	result := shell.PathRunQuiet("", cmd)
+	if result.Error != nil {
+		log.Warn("git for-each-ref error:", result.Error)
+		return result.Error
+	}
+
+	lines := result.Stdout
+	// reverse the git order
+	slices.Reverse(lines)
+
+	var refName string
+	var hash string
+	var subject string
+	var ctime time.Time
+
+	for i, line := range lines {
+		var parts []string
+		parts = make([]string, 0)
+		parts = strings.Split(line, "_,,,_")
+		if len(parts) != 5 {
+			log.Info("tag error:", i, parts)
+			continue
 		}
+		refName = parts[3]
+		hash = parts[0]
+
+		ctime = getGitDateStamp(parts[1])
+
+		subject = parts[4]
 	}
-	if found == nil {
-		// r.Append(newP) // update here?
-		return true
+	newr := Ref{
+		Hash:    hash,
+		Subject: subject,
+		RefName: refName,
+		Ctime:   timestamppb.New(ctime),
 	}
 
-	return true
+	r.Append(&newr)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// converts a git for-each-ref date. "Wed Feb 7 10:13:38 2024 -0600"
+func getGitDateStamp(gitdefault string) time.Time {
+	// now := time.Now().Format("Wed Feb 7 10:13:38 2024 -0600")
+	const gitLayout = "Mon Jan 2 15:04:05 2006 -0700"
+	tagTime, err := time.Parse(gitLayout, gitdefault)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warn("GOT THIS IN PARSE AAA." + gitdefault + ".AAA")
+		log.Warn(err)
+		return time.Now()
+	}
+	return tagTime
 }