diff --git a/machine.marshal.go b/machine.marshal.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..00959cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/machine.marshal.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package zoopb
+
+// todo: autogen this
+
+import (
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/encoding/protojson"
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/encoding/prototext"
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
+)
+
+// marshal to wire
+func (m *Machine) Marshal() ([]byte, error) {
+	return proto.Marshal(m)
+}
+
+// marshal to TEXT
+func (m *Machine) MarshalTEXT() ([]byte, error) {
+	return prototext.Marshal(m)
+}
+
+// marshal to JSON
+func (m *Machine) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	return protojson.Marshal(m)
+}
+
+// unmarshal from wire
+func (m *Machine) Unmarshal(data []byte) error {
+	return proto.Unmarshal(data, m)
+}
+
+// marshal to wire
+func (m *Machines) Marshal() ([]byte, error) {
+	return proto.Marshal(m)
+}
+
+// unmarshal from wire
+func (m *Machines) Unmarshal(data []byte) error {
+	return proto.Unmarshal(data, m)
+}
diff --git a/machines.go b/machine.sort.go
similarity index 100%
rename from machines.go
rename to machine.sort.go
diff --git a/helpers.go b/package.marshal.go
similarity index 66%
rename from helpers.go
rename to package.marshal.go
index 390da5c..2c8a4e7 100644
--- a/helpers.go
+++ b/package.marshal.go
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 package zoopb
 
+// todo: autogen this
 // functions to import and export the protobuf
-// data to and from config files
 
 import (
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/encoding/protojson"
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/encoding/prototext"
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
-	// "google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
 )
 
 // human readable JSON
@@ -41,23 +40,3 @@ func (p *Packages) Marshal() ([]byte, error) {
 func (p *Packages) Unmarshal(data []byte) error {
 	return proto.Unmarshal(data, p)
 }
-
-// marshal to wire
-func (m *Machine) Marshal() ([]byte, error) {
-	return proto.Marshal(m)
-}
-
-// unmarshal from wire
-func (m *Machine) Unmarshal(data []byte) error {
-	return proto.Unmarshal(data, m)
-}
-
-// marshal to wire
-func (m *Machines) Marshal() ([]byte, error) {
-	return proto.Marshal(m)
-}
-
-// unmarshal from wire
-func (m *Machines) Unmarshal(data []byte) error {
-	return proto.Unmarshal(data, m)
-}
diff --git a/packages.go b/package.sort.go
similarity index 100%
rename from packages.go
rename to package.sort.go