diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cc409dd..986396d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 VERSION = $(shell git describe --tags)
 BUILDTIME = $(shell date +%Y.%m.%d_%H%M)
 
-run: goimports install
+run: install
 	go-mod-clean --version
 
 vet:
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ build-windows:
 	GOOS=windows GOARCH=amd64 GO111MODULE=off go build -v go-mod-clean.exe \
 		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
 
-install:
+install: goimports
 	GO111MODULE=off go install \
 		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
 
@@ -34,3 +34,6 @@ goimports:
 
 clean:
 	-rm -f go-mod-clean go.*
+
+all: install
+	go-mod-clean --all --auto
diff --git a/exit.go b/exit.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4664fda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exit.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"os"
+
+	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/gitpb"
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+)
+
+func okExit(check *gitpb.Repo, msg string) {
+	log.Info("exit() go-mod-clean on", check.GetGoPath(), "ok")
+	log.DaemonMode(true)
+	log.Info(msg)
+	os.Exit(0)
+}
+
+func badExit(check *gitpb.Repo, err error) {
+	log.DaemonMode(true)
+	log.Info("go-mod-clean failed: ", err, forge.GetGoSrc())
+	if check != nil {
+		eraseGoMod(check)
+	}
+	os.Exit(-1)
+}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 5371daf..8febccd 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -17,9 +17,12 @@ var BUILDTIME string
 
 var pp *arg.Parser
 var forge *forgepb.Forge
-var check *gitpb.Repo
+
+// var check *gitpb.Repo
+var configSave bool
 
 func main() {
+	var check *gitpb.Repo
 	log.Info("go-mod-clean version", VERSION, "built on", BUILDTIME)
 	pp = arg.MustParse(&argv)
 
@@ -27,66 +30,35 @@ func main() {
 	// this lets you configure repos you have read/write access too
 	forge = forgepb.Init()
 
-	// figure out what directory we are running in
-	check = findPwdRepo()
-	if check == nil {
-		log.Info("this directory isn't in a golang project (not in ~/go/src nor a go.work file)")
-		os.Exit(-1)
-	}
-
-	if err := check.ValidGoSum(); err == nil {
-		okExit("go.mod and go.sum are already valid")
-	}
-
-	// skip restore if --force
-	if !argv.Force {
-		cname := check.GetCurrentBranchName()
-		// try to restore from the git metadata
-		if err := check.AutogenRestore(cname); err != nil {
-			// ignore errors here
+	if argv.All {
+		// run this on every single repo
+		// do this before publishing new golang versions
+		all := forge.Repos.SortByGoPath()
+		for all.Scan() {
+			check = all.Next()
+			if err := doMain(check); err != nil {
+				badExit(check, err)
+			}
 		}
-		if err := check.ValidGoSum(); err == nil {
-			okExit("go.mod and go.sum were restored ok")
+	} else {
+		// figure out what directory we are running in
+		check := findPwdRepo()
+		if check == nil {
+			log.Info("this directory isn't in a golang project (not in ~/go/src nor a go.work file)")
+			os.Exit(-1)
+		}
+
+		if err := doMain(check); err != nil {
+			badExit(check, err)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if check.GetMasterBranchName() != check.GetCurrentBranchName() {
-		log.Info("")
-		log.Info("You can only run go-mod-clean on a git master branch.")
-		log.Info("Publishing go.mod & go.sum files must come from from git version tag")
-		log.Info("Anything else doesn't make sense.")
-		log.Info("")
-		badExit(errors.New("not git master branch"))
-	}
-
-	// re-create go.sum and go.mod
-	if _, err := redoGoMod(check); err != nil {
-		badExit(err)
-	}
-
-	if argv.Trim {
-		// try to trim junk
-		if err := trimGoSum(check); err != nil {
-			badExit(err)
-		}
-	}
-
-	// check go.sum file
-	if err := cleanGoDepsCheckOk(check); err != nil {
-		log.Info("forge.FinalGoDepsCheck() failed. boo. :", check.GoPath)
-		badExit(err)
-	}
-
-	// put the files in the notes section in git
-	// this way, git commits are not messed up
-	// with this autogenerated code
-	if err := saveAsMetadata(check); err != nil {
-		log.Info("save go.mod as git metadata failed", check.GoPath, err)
-		badExit(err)
+	if configSave {
+		forge.ConfigSave()
 	}
 
 	log.Info("forge.FinalGoDepsCheck() worked :", check.GoPath)
-	okExit(check.GoPath + " go.sum seems clean")
+	okExit(check, "go.sum seems clean")
 }
 
 func findPwdRepo() *gitpb.Repo {
@@ -107,29 +79,85 @@ func findPwdRepo() *gitpb.Repo {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func okExit(msg string) {
-	log.Info("exit() go-mod-clean on", check.GetGoPath(), "ok")
-	log.DaemonMode(true)
-	log.Info(msg)
-	os.Exit(0)
-}
-
-func badExit(err error) {
-	log.DaemonMode(true)
-	log.Info("go-mod-clean failed: ", err, forge.GetGoSrc())
-	os.Exit(-1)
-}
-
 func saveAsMetadata(repo *gitpb.Repo) error {
-	cname := check.GetCurrentBranchName()
-	if check.GoPrimitive {
-		if err := check.AutogenSave([]string{"go.mod"}, cname, true); err != nil {
+	cname := repo.GetCurrentBranchName()
+	if repo.GoPrimitive {
+		if err := repo.AutogenSave([]string{"go.mod"}, cname, true); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	} else {
-		if err := check.AutogenSave([]string{"go.mod", "go.sum"}, cname, true); err != nil {
+		if err := repo.AutogenSave([]string{"go.mod", "go.sum"}, cname, true); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func doMain(repo *gitpb.Repo) error {
+	if !repo.IsValid() {
+		log.Info(repo.GoPath, "is invalid. fix your repos.pb file with 'forge' first")
+		log.Info("")
+		log.Info("go install go.wit.com/apps/forge@latest")
+		log.Info("")
+		return errors.New(repo.GoPath + " is invalid. fix your repository list with 'forge' first")
+	} else {
+		log.Info(repo.GoPath, "is valid according to forge")
+	}
+	if err := repo.ValidGoSum(); err == nil {
+		log.Info(repo.GoPath, "go.mod and go.sum are already valid")
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// skip restore if --force
+	if !argv.Force {
+		cname := repo.GetCurrentBranchName()
+		// try to restore from the git metadata
+		if err := repo.AutogenRestore(cname); err != nil {
+			// ignore errors here
+		}
+		if err := repo.ValidGoSum(); err == nil {
+			log.Info(repo.GoPath, "go.mod and go.sum were restored ok")
+			configSave = true
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	if repo.GetMasterBranchName() != repo.GetCurrentBranchName() {
+		log.Info("")
+		log.Info("You can only run go-mod-clean on a git master branch.")
+		log.Info("Publishing go.mod & go.sum files must come from from git version tag")
+		log.Info("Anything else doesn't make sense.")
+		log.Info("")
+		return errors.New(repo.GoPath + " not in the git master branch")
+	}
+
+	// re-create go.sum and go.mod
+	if err := redoGoMod(repo); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if argv.Trim {
+		// try to trim junk
+		if err := trimGoSum(repo); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	// check go.sum file
+	if err := cleanGoDepsCheckOk(repo); err != nil {
+		log.Info("forge.FinalGoDepsCheck() failed. boo. :", repo.GoPath)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// put the files in the notes section in git
+	// this way, git commits are not messed up
+	// with this autogenerated code
+	if err := saveAsMetadata(repo); err != nil {
+		log.Info("save go.mod as git metadata failed", repo.GoPath, err)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// everything worked!
+	configSave = true
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/redoGoMod.go b/redoGoMod.go
index f25a3b4..3af8663 100644
--- a/redoGoMod.go
+++ b/redoGoMod.go
@@ -30,26 +30,26 @@ func setGoVersion(repo *gitpb.Repo, version string) error {
 }
 
 // wrapper around 'go mod init' and 'go mod tidy'
-func redoGoMod(repo *gitpb.Repo) (bool, error) {
+func redoGoMod(repo *gitpb.Repo) error {
 	// unset the go development ENV var to generate release files
 	os.Unsetenv("GO111MODULE")
 	if err := repo.StrictRun([]string{"rm", "-f", "go.mod", "go.sum"}); err != nil {
 		log.Warn("rm go.mod go.sum failed", err)
-		return false, err
+		return err
 	}
 	if err := repo.StrictRun([]string{"go", "mod", "init", repo.GoPath}); err != nil {
 		log.Warn("go mod init failed", err)
-		return false, err
+		return err
 	}
 	if err := repo.StrictRun([]string{"go", "mod", "tidy"}); err != nil {
 		log.Warn("go mod tidy failed", err)
-		return false, err
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// most things should build with golang after 1.20 // todo: allow this to be set somewhere
 	if err := setGoVersion(repo, "1.20"); err != nil {
 		log.Warn(repo.GoPath, "go mod edit failed", err)
-		return false, err
+		return err
 	}
 
 	repo.GoDeps = nil
@@ -57,29 +57,31 @@ func redoGoMod(repo *gitpb.Repo) (bool, error) {
 
 	// if there is not a go.sum file, it better be a primitive golang project
 	if !repo.Exists("go.sum") {
-		// this should never happen
-		return false, errors.New("MakeRedomod() logic failed")
-
+		// todo. fix this logic
 		ok, err := repo.IsPrimitive()
 		if err != nil {
 			// this means this repo does not depend on any other package
 			log.Info("PRIMATIVE repo error:", repo.GoPath, "err =", err)
-			return false, err
+			return err
 		}
 
 		if ok {
 			// this means the repo is primitive so there is no go.sum
 			repo.GoPrimitive = true
-			return true, nil
+			repo.GoDeps = new(gitpb.GoDeps)
+			return nil
 		}
 	}
 
-	repo.GoDeps = new(gitpb.GoDeps)
 	if !repo.Exists("go.sum") {
 		// this should never happen
-		return false, errors.New("MakeRedomod() logic failed")
+		data, _ := repo.ReadFile("go.mod")
+		log.Info(string(data))
+		return errors.New("missing go.sum file on non-primitive go.mod")
 	}
 
+	repo.GoDeps = new(gitpb.GoDeps)
 	// return the attempt to parse go.sum
-	return repo.ParseGoSum()
+	_, err := repo.ParseGoSum()
+	return err
 }
diff --git a/run.go b/run.go
index 2dcb53b..ac20c0a 100644
--- a/run.go
+++ b/run.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 func purgeGoCaches() {
 	homedir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
 	if err != nil {
-		badExit(err)
+		badExit(nil, err)
 	}
 	pkgdir := filepath.Join(homedir, "go/pkg")
 	var cmd []string
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func runStrict(wd string, cmd []string) {
 	if wd != "" {
 		if err = os.Chdir(wd); err != nil {
 			log.Info("cd", "wd", "failed", err)
-			badExit(err)
+			badExit(nil, err)
 		}
 	}
 	log.Info(wd, "running:", wd, cmd)
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func runStrict(wd string, cmd []string) {
 		for i, line := range result.Stderr {
 			log.Info("STDERR:", i, line)
 		}
-		badExit(err)
+		badExit(nil, err)
 	}
 	if result.Exit != 0 {
 		log.Info("cmd failed", wd, cmd, err)
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func runStrict(wd string, cmd []string) {
 		for i, line := range result.Stderr {
 			log.Info("STDERR:", i, line)
 		}
-		badExit(errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("cmd failed with %d", result.Exit)))
+		badExit(nil, errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("cmd failed with %d", result.Exit)))
 	}
 	for i, line := range result.Stdout {
 		log.Info(i, line)
diff --git a/stdin.go b/stdin.go
index de81e3a..a28e3fa 100644
--- a/stdin.go
+++ b/stdin.go
@@ -41,15 +41,15 @@ func simpleStdin(b bool, s []string) {
 			return
 		case "n":
 			log.Info("got n")
-			badExit(err)
+			badExit(nil, err)
 		case "":
 			if b {
 				return
 			} else {
-				badExit(err)
+				badExit(nil, err)
 			}
 		default:
-			badExit(err)
+			badExit(nil, err)
 		}
 	}
 }