diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 73a473c..7633169 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -36,9 +36,10 @@ reset:
 	# clear your terminal
 	reset
 
-gocui: build
+# use the ncurses gui (only kinda works still)
+ncurses: build
 	reset
-	./go-deb --gui gocui >/tmp/witgui.log.stderr 2>&1
+	./go-deb --gui gocui
 
 nocui: reset build
 	./go-deb --gui nocui
diff --git a/buildPackage.go b/buildPackage.go
index 9c9692c..856e960 100644
--- a/buildPackage.go
+++ b/buildPackage.go
@@ -42,7 +42,12 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() (bool, error) {
 	fulldebname := filepath.Join(homeDir, "incoming", debname)
 	if shell.Exists(fulldebname) {
 		log.Info("debian package already built: " + fulldebname)
-		return true, errors.New("debian package already built: " + fulldebname)
+		if argv.Auto {
+			return true, errors.New("debian package already built: " + fulldebname)
+		} else {
+			return false, errors.New("debian package already built: " + fulldebname)
+		}
+
 	}
 
 	var fullfilename string
@@ -132,13 +137,17 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() (bool, error) {
 		log.Warn("mkdir failed")
 		return false, errors.New("mkdir files/usr/bin")
 	}
-	if r := shell.Run([]string{"cp", fullfilename, "files/usr/bin"}); r.Error != nil {
-		log.Warn("cp failed")
-		return false, r.Error
-	}
-	if r := shell.Run([]string{"strip", "files/usr/bin/" + filename}); r.Error != nil {
-		log.Warn("strip failed")
-		return false, r.Error
+	if os.Getenv("GO_DEB_CUSTOM") == "true" {
+		// skip cp & strip on custom 'control' files
+	} else {
+		if r := shell.Run([]string{"cp", fullfilename, "files/usr/bin"}); r.Error != nil {
+			log.Warn("cp failed")
+			return false, r.Error
+		}
+		if r := shell.Run([]string{"strip", "files/usr/bin/" + filename}); r.Error != nil {
+			log.Warn("strip failed")
+			return false, r.Error
+		}
 	}
 
 	// put the README in there (if missing, generate it?)
@@ -168,19 +177,10 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() (bool, error) {
 		shell.Run([]string{"cp", "postinst", "files/DEBIAN/"})
 	}
 
-	if c.status == nil {
-		log.Warn("c.status == nil")
-		panic(-1)
-	}
 	// experiment for the toolkit package
 	// if the git repo has a "./build" script run it before packaging
 	// this way the user can put custom files in the .deb package
-	if c.status.Exists("build") {
-		if argv.Release {
-			os.Unsetenv("GO111MODULE")
-		} else {
-			os.Setenv("GO111MODULE", "off")
-		}
+	if shell.Exists("build") {
 		shell.Run([]string{"./build"})
 	}
 
diff --git a/examples/protoc-gen-go/Makefile b/examples/protoc-gen-go/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92a3852
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/protoc-gen-go/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+.PHONY: build
+
+all: build
+
+build:
+	go-deb --repo .
diff --git a/examples/protoc-gen-go/build b/examples/protoc-gen-go/build
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..f8e2b06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/protoc-gen-go/build
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/bin/bash -x
+
+# this is the new protobuf generator
+#
+# go-clone google.golang.org/protobuf
+# cd ~/go/src/google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go
+# go install
+
+mkdir -p  files/usr/bin
+cp ~/go/bin/protoc-gen-go files/usr/bin
diff --git a/examples/protoc-gen-go/control b/examples/protoc-gen-go/control
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df51b5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/protoc-gen-go/control
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+Source: google.golang.org.protobuf
+Build-Depends: golang
+Package: protoc-gen-go-new
+Maintainer: Jeff Carr <jcarr@wit.com>
+Packager: Jeff Carr <jcarr@wit.com>
+Architecture: amd64
+Depends:
+URL: https://go.wit.com/
+Recommends:
+Version: 0.1
+Description: protoc-gen-go from google.golang.org/protobuf
+ You need this one until the debian sid packages are updated
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 06a96f7..c812420 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
 	myGui = gui.New()
-	if !argv.Auto  {
+	if !argv.Auto {
 		myGui.InitEmbed(resources)
 	}
 	myGui.Default()
@@ -44,8 +44,14 @@ func main() {
 
 	// todo: add the go.work file logic here
 	homeDir, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
-	filepath := filepath.Join(homeDir, "go/src", argv.Repo)
-	os.Chdir(filepath)
+	var debpath string
+	if argv.Repo == "." {
+		os.Setenv("GO_DEB_CUSTOM", "true")
+		debpath, _ = os.Getwd()
+	} else {
+		debpath = filepath.Join(homeDir, "go/src", argv.Repo)
+	}
+	os.Chdir(debpath)
 
 	// scan the repo
 	cBox.addRepo(argv.Repo)
@@ -60,19 +66,23 @@ func main() {
 	// verify the values for the package
 
 	if cBox.status == nil {
-		log.Info("argv.Repo =", argv.Repo)
-		log.Info("repo not found. Try:")
-		log.Info("")
-		log.Info("   go-clone", argv.Repo)
-		log.Info("")
-		os.Exit(-1)
+		if argv.Repo == "." {
+			// this means try the local directory for a custom 'control' file
+		} else {
+			log.Info("argv.Repo =", argv.Repo)
+			log.Info("repo not found. Try:")
+			log.Info("")
+			log.Info("   go-clone", argv.Repo)
+			log.Info("")
+			os.Exit(-1)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// set the working directory to argv.Repo
 	log.Info("cd", cBox.status.Path())
 	os.Chdir(cBox.status.Path())
 
-	if argv.Auto  {
+	if argv.Auto {
 		shell.TestTerminalColor()
 		// basicWindow.Show() // broken gui package. convert to protobuf
 		if ok, err := cBox.buildPackage(); ok {
diff --git a/readControlFile.go b/readControlFile.go
index b307849..8876d64 100644
--- a/readControlFile.go
+++ b/readControlFile.go
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ func (c *controlBox) readControlFile() error {
 			c.Depends.SetText(value)
 		case "Recommends":
 			c.Recommends.SetText(value)
+		case "Version":
+			c.Version.SetText(value)
 		case "Package":
 			c.Package.SetText(value)
 			// if c.Package.String() != value {
diff --git a/stateWindow.go b/stateWindow.go
index 99d2f8b..7c4cd83 100644
--- a/stateWindow.go
+++ b/stateWindow.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ func makebasicWindow() *gadgets.BasicWindow {
 		basicWindow.Disable()
 		if ok, err := cBox.buildPackage(); ok {
 			log.Info("build worked")
+			os.Exit(0)
 		} else {
 			log.Warn("build failed", err)
 		}