diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c42ba57..502f447 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,21 @@
-# to build by hand export GO111MODULE=off
+VERSION = $(shell git describe --tags)
+BUILDTIME = $(shell date +%Y.%m.%d)
 
 all: build
-	reset
 	./forge
 
+build:
+	GO111MODULE=off go build \
+		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
+
+verbose:
+	GO111MODULE=off go build -v -x \
+		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
+
+install:
+	GO111MODULE=off go install \
+		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
+
 only-me: build
 	reset
 	./forge --only-me
@@ -14,21 +26,13 @@ stderr: build
 
 goimports:
 	goimports -w *.go
-	# // to globally reset paths:
-	# // gofmt -w -r '"go.wit.com/gui/gadgets" -> "go.wit.com/lib/gadgets"' *.go
+	@# // to globally reset paths:
+	@# // gofmt -w -r '"go.wit.com/gui/gadgets" -> "go.wit.com/lib/gadgets"' *.go
 
 gocui: build
 	reset
 	./forge --gui gocui >/tmp/forge.log 2>&1
 
-build:
-	echo "build it!"
-	GO111MODULE=off go build -v -x
-
-install:
-	go install -v -x
-	forge
-
 check-git-clean:
 	@git diff-index --quiet HEAD -- || (echo "Git repository is dirty, please commit your changes first"; exit 1)
 
diff --git a/globalBuildOptions.go b/globalBuildOptions.go
index 78d708f..04d39db 100644
--- a/globalBuildOptions.go
+++ b/globalBuildOptions.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 	"go.wit.com/gui"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gadgets"
-	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/repolist"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
 )
 
@@ -74,7 +73,9 @@ func globalBuildOptions(vbox *gui.Node) {
 	me.setBranchB = grid.NewButton("set current branch to:", func() {
 		targetName := me.newBranch.String()
 		log.Warn("setting all branches to", targetName)
-		for _, repo := range repolist.AllRepos() {
+		loop := me.repos.View.ReposSortByName()
+		for loop.Scan() {
+			repo := loop.Repo()
 			repo.Status.CheckoutBranch(targetName)
 			repo.Scan()
 		}
diff --git a/repoview.go b/repoview.go
index 10d8c2d..9858fe6 100644
--- a/repoview.go
+++ b/repoview.go
@@ -68,7 +68,9 @@ func makeRepoView() *repoWindow {
 }
 
 func (r *repoWindow) showApps() {
-	for _, repo := range r.View.AllRepos() {
+	loop := me.repos.View.ReposSortByName()
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		repo := loop.Repo()
 		switch repo.Status.RepoType() {
 		case "binary":
 			//log.Info("compile here. Show()")
@@ -124,7 +126,9 @@ func (r *repoWindow) repoAllButtons() *gui.Node {
 		r.Disable()
 		defer r.Enable()
 		r.showApps()
-		for _, repo := range r.View.AllRepos() {
+		loop := me.repos.View.ReposSortByName()
+		for loop.Scan() {
+			repo := loop.Repo()
 			if repo.Hidden() {
 				// log.Info("skip hidden", repo.String())
 			} else {
@@ -147,7 +151,9 @@ func (r *repoWindow) repoAllButtons() *gui.Node {
 
 func (r *repoWindow) mergeAllDevelToMain() bool {
 	log.Info("merge all here")
-	for _, repo := range r.View.AllRepos() {
+	loop := me.repos.View.ReposSortByName()
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		repo := loop.Repo()
 		if repo.ReadOnly() {
 			log.Info("skipping readonly", repo.Name(), repo.State())
 			continue
@@ -177,7 +183,9 @@ func (r *repoWindow) mergeAllDevelToMain() bool {
 
 func (r *repoWindow) mergeAllUserToDevel() bool {
 	log.Info("merge all here")
-	for _, repo := range r.View.AllRepos() {
+	loop := me.repos.View.ReposSortByName()
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		repo := loop.Repo()
 		if repo.ReadOnly() {
 			log.Info("skipping readonly", repo.Name(), repo.State())
 			continue
diff --git a/submitPatches.go b/submitPatches.go
index 74608b1..f2e7842 100644
--- a/submitPatches.go
+++ b/submitPatches.go
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ func submitPatchesBox(box *gui.Node) *patchSummary {
 
 	s.grid.NewButton("Update Patch Counts", func() {
 		var repocount, patchcount int
-		for _, repo := range repolist.AllRepos() {
+		loop := me.repos.View.UnmergedRepos()
+		for loop.Scan() {
+			repo := loop.Repo()
 			if repo.ReadOnly() {
 				continue
 			}
@@ -72,7 +74,9 @@ func submitPatchesBox(box *gui.Node) *patchSummary {
 
 		repocount = 0
 		patchcount = 0
-		for _, repo := range repolist.AllRepos() {
+		loop = me.repos.View.UnmergedRepos()
+		for loop.Scan() {
+			repo := loop.Repo()
 			if repo.ReadOnly() {
 				continue
 			}
@@ -208,7 +212,9 @@ func (s *patchSummary) Update() {
 	var total, totalgo, dirty, readonly int
 	var userT, develT, masterT int
 	// var userP, develP, masterP int
-	for _, repo := range repolist.AllRepos() {
+	loop := me.repos.View.UnmergedRepos()
+	for loop.Scan() {
+		repo := loop.Repo()
 		total += 1
 		if repo.Status.IsDirty() {
 			dirty += 1