diff --git a/dropdown.go b/dropdown.go
index 4828736..aed5ead 100644
--- a/dropdown.go
+++ b/dropdown.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 package main
 
+// simulates a dropdown menu in gocui
+
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
@@ -12,18 +14,8 @@ import (
 	"go.wit.com/widget"
 )
 
-// simulates a dropdown menu in gocui
-
-/*
-func addInternalTK(wId int) *guiWidget {
-	n := addDropdownNew(wId)
-	tk := n.TK.(*guiWidget)
-	tk.internal = true
-	return tk
-}
-*/
-
-func addInternalTK(wId int) *guiWidget {
+// create a new widget in the binary tree
+func makeNewFlagWidget(wId int) *guiWidget {
 	n := new(tree.Node)
 	n.WidgetType = widget.Flag
 	n.WidgetId = wId
@@ -46,20 +38,19 @@ func addInternalTK(wId int) *guiWidget {
 	// add this new widget on the binary tree
 	tk.parent = me.treeRoot.TK.(*guiWidget)
 	if tk.parent == nil {
-		panic("addInternalNode() didn't get treeRoot guiWidget")
+		panic("makeNewFlagWidget() didn't get treeRoot guiWidget")
 	} else {
 		tk.parent.children = append(tk.parent.children, tk)
 	}
 
 	n.TK = tk
-	tk.internal = true
 	return tk
 }
 
 func (tk *guiWidget) showDropdown() {
 	if me.dropdown.tk == nil {
 		// should only happen once
-		me.dropdown.tk = addInternalTK(me.dropdown.wId)
+		me.dropdown.tk = makeNewFlagWidget(me.dropdown.wId)
 		me.dropdown.tk.dumpWidget("init() dropdown")
 	}
 	if me.dropdown.tk == nil {
@@ -135,7 +126,7 @@ func dropdownUnclicked(w, h int) {
 func (tk *guiWidget) showTextbox() {
 	if me.textbox.tk == nil {
 		// should only happen once
-		me.textbox.tk = addInternalTK(me.textbox.wId)
+		me.textbox.tk = makeNewFlagWidget(me.textbox.wId)
 		me.dropdown.tk.dumpWidget("init() textbox")
 	}
 	if me.textbox.tk == nil {
@@ -151,3 +142,18 @@ func (tk *guiWidget) showTextbox() {
 	me.textbox.callerTK = tk
 	me.textbox.tk.dumpWidget("showTextbox()")
 }
+
+// updates the text and sends an event back to the application
+func (tk *guiWidget) textboxClosed() {
+	tk.Hide()
+
+	// get the text the user entered
+	newname := tk.GetText()
+
+	// change the text of the caller widget
+	me.textbox.callerTK.SetText(newname)
+	me.textbox.callerTK.node.SetCurrentS(newname)
+
+	// send an event from the plugin with the new string
+	me.myTree.SendUserEvent(me.textbox.callerTK.node)
+}
diff --git a/eventMouse.go b/eventMouse.go
index b7c209f..adfbfc1 100644
--- a/eventMouse.go
+++ b/eventMouse.go
@@ -50,7 +50,20 @@ func mouseDown(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 			}
 		}
 		log.Info("never found dropdown at", w, h)
-		// me.dropdown.active = false
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// if the textbox is active, never do anything else
+	if me.textbox.active {
+		log.Info("mouseDown() stopping here. textbox widget is open")
+		for _, tk := range findByXY(w, h) {
+			if (tk.node.WidgetType == widget.Flag) && (tk == me.textbox.tk) {
+				me.textbox.active = false
+				tk.textboxClosed()
+				return nil
+			}
+		}
+		log.Info("never found textbox at", w, h)
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/eventMouseMove.go b/eventMouseMove.go
index e27b065..54ac2f8 100644
--- a/eventMouseMove.go
+++ b/eventMouseMove.go
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ func mouseMove(g *gocui.Gui) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if me.globalMouseDown && me.dropdown.active {
-		log.Info("can't drag while dropdown is active", w, h)
+	if me.globalMouseDown && (me.dropdown.active || me.textbox.active) {
+		log.Info("can't drag while dropdown or textbox are active", w, h)
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/treeDraw.go b/treeDraw.go
index 34486e6..3061f4f 100644
--- a/treeDraw.go
+++ b/treeDraw.go
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ func (w *guiWidget) simpleDrawAt(offsetW, offsetH int) {
 	w.dumpWidget("simpleDrawAt()")
 }
 
+/*
 var toggle bool = true
 
 func (w *guiWidget) toggleTree() {
@@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ func (w *guiWidget) toggleTree() {
 		toggle = true
 	}
 }
+*/
 
 // display the widgets in the binary tree
 func (w *guiWidget) drawTree(draw bool) {