diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6629a66..3421d23 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 *.swp
-go.mod
-go.sum
+go.*
+*.pb.go
 
 files/
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f9f0a90..406703e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,21 +3,21 @@
 VERSION = $(shell git describe --tags)
 BUILDTIME = $(shell date +%Y.%m.%d)
 
-default: install
+default: placement.pb.go install
 
 build:
 	GO111MODULE=off go build \
 		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
 	./startxplacement
 
-verbose:
-	GO111MODULE=off go install -v -x \
-		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
-
 install: goimports
 	GO111MODULE=off go install \
 		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
 
+install-verbose: goimports vet
+	GO111MODULE=off go install -v -x \
+		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
+
 # makes a .deb package
 debian:
 	rm -f ~/incoming/virtigo*deb
@@ -35,4 +35,12 @@ redomod:
 
 clean:
 	rm -f go.*
-	rm -f virtigo*
+	rm -f *.pb.go
+	rm -f startxplacement*
+
+vet:
+	GO111MODULE=off go vet
+	@echo 'go vet' worked for this application
+
+placement.pb.go: placement.proto
+	autogenpb --proto placement.proto
diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index 4da88d5..50936c0 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ type args struct {
 	Save     *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:save"                      help:"save current window geometries to the your config file"`
 	DumpX    *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:dumpx"                      help:"show your current window geometries"`
 	Dump     *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:dump"                      help:"show your current window geometries"`
+	List     *EmptyCmd `arg:"subcommand:list"                      help:"list entries in your config file"`
 	Force    bool      `arg:"--force"                              help:"try to strong arm things"`
 	Verbose  bool      `arg:"--verbose"                            help:"show more output"`
 	Bash     bool      `arg:"--bash"                               help:"generate bash completion"`
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ func (a args) DoAutoComplete(argv []string) {
 	default:
 		if argv[0] == ARGNAME {
 			// list the subcommands here
-			fmt.Println("--restore save dump dumpx")
+			fmt.Println("--restore save dump dumpx list")
 		}
 	}
 	os.Exit(0)
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 8557d36..d2bebf7 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ func main() {
 		doDumpX()
 	}
 
+	if argv.List != nil {
+		log.Info("list the config")
+		okExit("")
+	}
+
 	if argv.Dump != nil {
 		// 2. Get the current state of all terminal windows.
 		currentStates, err := getCurrentState()
diff --git a/placement.config.go b/placement.config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3293a5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/placement.config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+package main
+
+// functions to import and export the protobuf
+// data to and from config files
+
+import (
+	"go.wit.com/lib/config"
+)
+
+func (pb *Placements) ConfigSave() error {
+	return config.ConfigSave(pb)
+}
+
+func (pb *Placements) ConfigLoad() error {
+	return config.ConfigLoad(pb, ARGNAME, "placements")
+}
diff --git a/placement.proto b/placement.proto
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a28c819
--- /dev/null
+++ b/placement.proto
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+package main;
+
+message Placement {
+        message Size  {
+                int64    w          = 1;
+                int64    h          = 2;
+        }
+        message Offset  {
+                int64    x          = 1;
+                int64    y          = 2;
+        }
+        message Geom  {
+                Size     size       = 1;
+                Offset   offset     = 2;
+        }
+                                                 // used for grid layouts
+        string               name          = 1;  // `autogenpb:sort` `autogenpb:unique`
+        Geom                 geom          = 2;
+        int32                workspace     = 3;  // what workspace to show the app on
+        string               wd            = 4;  // working dir. Tries to set xterm path at start to this
+        repeated string      argv          = 5;  // argv. argv[0] should be the executable name
+        string               namespace     = 6;  // namespace of the executable (go.wit.com/apps/forge)
+}
+message Placements {                             // `autogenpb:marshal` `autogenpb:mutex`
+        string               uuid          = 1;  // `autogenpb:uuid:31769bcb-5865-4926-b7d6-501083312eea`
+        string               version       = 2;  // `autogenpb:version:v0.0.1`
+        repeated Placement   Placement     = 3;
+        string               filename      = 4;  // used by the config save function
+}