diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index 1f3791c..d71e315 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -9,33 +9,45 @@ package main
 */
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
 	"go.wit.com/lib/debugger"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/logsettings"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/prep"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
 var argv args
 
 type args struct {
-	TestBuild   *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:build"              help:"try appropriate 'go build'"`
-	DebBuild    *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:debian"             help:"build missing .deb packages"`
-	MacBuild    *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:macos"              help:"build macos packages"`
-	MakeInstall *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:install"            help:"run make install in each repo"`
-	ListPkgs    *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:list"               help:"list all the packages on mirrors.wit.com"`
-	Test        *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:test"               help:"test build everything first"`
-	Clone       *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:repomap-clone"      help:"go-clone from a gowebd repomap"`
-	Upgrade     *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:upgrade"            help:"apt upgrade packages installed from mirrors.wit.com"`
-	RepoMap     string    `arg:"--repomap"                     help:"location of the repomap"`
-	Release     bool      `arg:"--release"                     help:"use go-deb --release"`
-	DryRun      bool      `arg:"--dry-run"                     help:"only show what would be packaged"`
-	Verbose     bool      `arg:"--verbose"                     help:"be loud about it"`
-	Force       bool      `arg:"--force"                       help:"rebuild everything"`
-	Recursive   bool      `arg:"--recursive"                   help:"go-clone --recursive"`
-	WITCOM      bool      `arg:"--witcom"                      help:"add the GPL header"`
-	Max         int32     `arg:"--max"                         help:"stop building after max builds"`
+	TestBuild   *DefaultCmd `arg:"subcommand:build"              help:"try appropriate 'go build'"`
+	DebBuild    *DebianCmd  `arg:"subcommand:debian"             help:"build missing .deb packages"`
+	MacBuild    *EmptyCmd   `arg:"subcommand:macos"              help:"build macos packages"`
+	MakeInstall *DefaultCmd `arg:"subcommand:install"            help:"run make install in each repo"`
+	ListPkgs    *EmptyCmd   `arg:"subcommand:list"               help:"list all the packages on mirrors.wit.com"`
+	Test        *EmptyCmd   `arg:"subcommand:test"               help:"test build everything first"`
+	Clone       *EmptyCmd   `arg:"subcommand:repomap-clone"      help:"go-clone from a gowebd repomap"`
+	Upgrade     *EmptyCmd   `arg:"subcommand:upgrade"            help:"apt upgrade packages installed from mirrors.wit.com"`
+	RepoMap     string      `arg:"--repomap"                     help:"location of the repomap"`
+	Release     bool        `arg:"--release"                     help:"use go-deb --release"`
+	DryRun      bool        `arg:"--dry-run"                     help:"only show what would be packaged"`
+	Verbose     bool        `arg:"--verbose"                     help:"be loud about it"`
+	Force       bool        `arg:"--force"                       help:"rebuild everything"`
+	Recursive   bool        `arg:"--recursive"                   help:"go-clone --recursive"`
+	WITCOM      bool        `arg:"--witcom"                      help:"add the GPL header"`
+	Max         int32       `arg:"--max"                         help:"stop building after max builds"`
+}
+
+type DebianCmd struct {
+	DryRun  bool `arg:"--dry-run"                     help:"only show what would be packaged"`
+	Verbose bool `arg:"--verbose"                     help:"be loud about it"`
+	Force   bool `arg:"--force"                       help:"rebuild everything"`
+}
+
+type DefaultCmd struct {
+	DryRun  bool `arg:"--dry-run"                     help:"only show what would be packaged"`
+	Verbose bool `arg:"--verbose"                     help:"be loud about it"`
+	Force   bool `arg:"--force"                       help:"rebuild everything"`
 }
 
 type EmptyCmd struct {
@@ -68,25 +80,15 @@ func (args) Version() string {
 	handles shell autocomplete
 */
 
-func (a args) DoAutoComplete(argv []string) {
-	switch argv[0] {
-	case "list":
-		fmt.Println("--all --mine --favorites --private")
-	case "debian":
-		fmt.Println("--dry-run --force --release --verbose macos --max")
-	case "upgrade":
-		fmt.Println("--dry-run")
-	case "build":
-		fmt.Println("--verbose --force")
-	case "install":
-		fmt.Println("--verbose")
-	case "repomap-clone":
-		fmt.Println("--repomap")
-	default:
-		if argv[0] == ARGNAME {
-			// list the subcommands here
-			fmt.Println("--bash list build debian install repomap-clone upgrade")
-		}
+func (args) Appname() string {
+	return ARGNAME
+}
+
+func (a args) DoAutoComplete(pb *prep.Auto) {
+	if pb.Cmd == "" {
+		pb.Autocomplete3([]string{"--bash", "build", "debian", "install", "macos"})
+	} else {
+		pb.SubCommand(pb.Argv...)
 	}
 	os.Exit(0)
 }
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 8d8e972..96b3295 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"unicode"
 
-	"go.wit.com/dev/alexflint/arg"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/prep"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/forgepb"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/gitpb"
@@ -31,9 +30,7 @@ var debnames map[*gitpb.Repo]string
 
 func main() {
 	me = new(autoType)
-	prep.Bash(ARGNAME, argv.DoAutoComplete) // todo: this line should be:  prep.Bash(argv)
-	// me.myGui = prep.Gui()                   // prepares the GUI package for go-args
-	me.argpp = arg.MustParse(&argv)
+	me.auto = prep.Bash3(&argv) // add support for bash autocomplete with go-arg
 
 	dumpDebug()
 
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index bec7549..b0b4a44 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"go.wit.com/dev/alexflint/arg"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/prep"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/forgepb"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/zoopb"
 )
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ var me *autoType
 
 // this app's variables
 type autoType struct {
-	argpp   *arg.Parser    // go-arg preprocessor
+	auto    *prep.Auto     // more experiments for bash handling
 	forge   *forgepb.Forge // your customized repo preferences and settings
 	machine *zoopb.Machine // your customized repo preferences and settings
 }