diff --git a/debug.go b/debug.go
index c880aba..37d1c3c 100644
--- a/debug.go
+++ b/debug.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 func (w *guiWidget) dumpTree(s string) {
 	// log.Log(ERROR, "dump w", w.node.WidgetId, w.WidgetType, w.String())
 	if w == nil {
-		log.Log(ERROR, "dump w.TK == nil", w.node.WidgetId, w.WidgetType, w.String())
+		log.Log(ERROR, "dump w.TK == nil", w.node.WidgetId, w.node.WidgetType, w.String())
 		return
 	}
 	w.dumpWidget("dumpTree() " + s)
diff --git a/dropdown.go b/dropdown.go
index 3eefea3..928ae7d 100644
--- a/dropdown.go
+++ b/dropdown.go
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ func (w *guiWidget) dropdownClicked(mouseW, mouseH int) string {
 		log.Log(GOCUI, "dropdownClicked() found", items[itemNumber-1])
 		if items[itemNumber-1] != "" {
 			if me.dropdownW != nil {
-				log.Log(GOCUI, "dropdownClicked() send event for", me.dropdownW.cuiName, me.dropdownW.WidgetType)
+				log.Log(GOCUI, "dropdownClicked() send event for", me.dropdownW.cuiName, me.dropdownW.node.WidgetType)
 				me.dropdownW.SetText(items[itemNumber-1])
 				me.dropdownW.node.SetCurrentS(items[itemNumber-1])
 				me.myTree.SendUserEvent(me.dropdownW.node)
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ func dropdownUnclicked(w, h int) {
 	// examine everything under X & Y on the screen)
 	for _, tk := range findByXY(w, h) {
 		// tk.dumpWidget("dropdownUnclicked()")
-		if tk.WidgetType == widget.Dropdown {
+		if tk.node.WidgetType == widget.Dropdown {
 			d = tk
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/eventBindings.go b/eventBindings.go
index ca25fde..6812314 100644
--- a/eventBindings.go
+++ b/eventBindings.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func theNotsure(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	log.Info("got keypress 2. now what?")
 	w, h := g.MousePosition()
 	for _, tk := range findByXY(w, h) {
-		if tk.WidgetType == widget.Stdout {
+		if tk.node.WidgetType == widget.Stdout {
 			tk.dumpWidget("theNotsure()")
 			log.Info("skipping stdout")
 			continue
diff --git a/eventMouseClick.go b/eventMouseClick.go
index a2af12a..a292cc4 100644
--- a/eventMouseClick.go
+++ b/eventMouseClick.go
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func click(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	for _, tk := range findByXY(w, h) {
 		// will show you everything found on a mouse click. great for debugging!
 		// tk.dumpWidget("click()")
-		if tk.WidgetType == widget.Stdout {
+		if tk.node.WidgetType == widget.Stdout {
 			// don't send clicks to the stdout debugging window
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/find.go b/find.go
index 07edd3d..f97a493 100644
--- a/find.go
+++ b/find.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func findByXYreal(widget *guiWidget, w int, h int) []*guiWidget {
 		if (widget.gocuiSize.w0 <= w) && (w <= widget.gocuiSize.w1) &&
 			(widget.gocuiSize.h0 <= h) && (h <= widget.gocuiSize.h1) {
 			widgets = append(widgets, widget)
-			// log.Log(GOCUI, "findByXY() found", widget.WidgetType, w, h)
+			// log.Log(GOCUI, "findByXY() found", widget.node.WidgetType, w, h)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -69,20 +69,20 @@ func findUnderMouse() *guiWidget {
 		// up the window widgets, then it will ignore everything else
 		// and allow the user (hopefully) to redraw or switch windows
 		// TODO: display the window widgets on top
-		if w.WidgetType == widget.Window {
+		if w.node.WidgetType == widget.Window {
 			return w
 		}
 	}
 
 	// return anything else that is interactive
 	for _, w := range widgets {
-		if w.WidgetType == widget.Button {
+		if w.node.WidgetType == widget.Button {
 			return w
 		}
-		if w.WidgetType == widget.Combobox {
+		if w.node.WidgetType == widget.Combobox {
 			return w
 		}
-		if w.WidgetType == widget.Checkbox {
+		if w.node.WidgetType == widget.Checkbox {
 			return w
 		}
 		w.dumpWidget("findUnderMouse() found something unknown")
diff --git a/place.go b/place.go
index 0dd7568..35b045a 100644
--- a/place.go
+++ b/place.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func (tk *guiWidget) Position() (int, int) {
 }
 
 func (w *guiWidget) placeBox(startW int, startH int) {
-	if w.WidgetType != widget.Box {
+	if w.node.WidgetType != widget.Box {
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func (tk *guiWidget) placeWidgets(startW int, startH int) (int, int) {
 	tk.startW = startW
 	tk.startH = startH
 
-	switch tk.WidgetType {
+	switch tk.node.WidgetType {
 	case widget.Window:
 		newW := startW
 		newH := startH
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ func (tk *guiWidget) placeWidgets(startW int, startH int) (int, int) {
 
 func (w *guiWidget) placeGrid(startW int, startH int) (int, int) {
 	// w.showWidgetPlacement("grid0:")
-	if w.WidgetType != widget.Grid {
+	if w.node.WidgetType != widget.Grid {
 		return 0, 0
 	}
 
diff --git a/size.go b/size.go
index 8c58ce4..ac12415 100644
--- a/size.go
+++ b/size.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func (tk *guiWidget) Size() (int, int) {
 		return 0, 0
 	}
 
-	switch tk.WidgetType {
+	switch tk.node.WidgetType {
 	case widget.Window:
 		var maxH int = 0
 		var maxW int = 0
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func (w *guiWidget) sizeGrid() (int, int) {
 }
 
 func (w *guiWidget) sizeBox() (int, int) {
-	if w.WidgetType != widget.Box {
+	if w.node.WidgetType != widget.Box {
 		return 0, 0
 	}
 	if w.node.Hidden() {
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index 57c869c..919dd71 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 	"go.wit.com/toolkits/tree"
-	"go.wit.com/widget"
 )
 
 // It's probably a terrible idea to call this 'me'
@@ -34,77 +33,48 @@ var redoWidgets bool = true
 // This is the window that is currently active
 // var currentWindow *tree.Node
 
+// todo: move all this to a protobuf. then, redo all this mess. it got me here, but now it's time to clean it up for good
 type config struct {
-	baseGui *gocui.Gui // the main gocui handle
-	// rootNode *node      // the base of the binary tree. it should have id == 0
-
-	treeRoot *tree.Node // the base of the binary tree. it should have id == 0
-	myTree   *tree.TreeInfo
-
-	ctrlDown      *tree.Node // shown if you click the mouse when the ctrl key is pressed
-	currentWindow *guiWidget // this is the current tab or window to show
-	logStdout     *tree.Node // where to show STDOUT
-	startOutputW  int
-	startOutputH  int
-	helpLabel     *gocui.View
-
-	// this is a floating widget that we show whenever the user clicks on a
-	// dropdown menu or combobox
-	// the dropdown widget to select dropdrown lists
-	dropdownV *guiWidget
-	dropdownW *guiWidget // grab the dropdown choices from this widget
-
-	// When the widget has a frame, like a button, it adds 2 lines runes on each side
-	// so you need 3 char spacing in each direction to not have them overlap
-	// the amount of padding when there is a frame
-	FramePadW int `default:"1" dense:"0"`
-	FramePadH int `default:"1" dense:"0"`
-
-	PadW int `default:"1" dense:"0"`
-	PadH int `default:"1" dense:"0"`
-
-	// how far down to start Window or Tab headings
-	WindowW int `default:"8" dense:"0"`
-	WindowH int `default:"-1"`
-	TabW    int `default:"5" dense:"0"`
-	TabH    int `default:"1" dense:"0"`
-
-	// additional amount of space to put between window & tab widgets
-	WindowPadW int `default:"8" dense:"0"`
-	TabPadW    int `default:"4" dense:"0"`
-
-	// additional amount of space to indent on a group
-	GroupPadW int `default:"2" dense:"1"`
-
-	// additional amount of space to indent on a group
-	BoxPadW int `default:"2" dense:"1"`
-
-	// additional amount of space to indent on a group
-	GridPadW int `default:"2" dense:"1"`
-
-	// the raw beginning of each window (or tab)
-	RawW int `default:"1"`
-	RawH int `default:"5"`
-
-	// offset for the hidden widgets
-	FakeW int `default:"20"`
-
-	padded    bool // add space between things like buttons
-	bookshelf bool // do you want things arranged in the box like a bookshelf or a stack?
-	canvas    bool // if set to true, the windows are a raw canvas
-	menubar   bool // for windows
-	stretchy  bool // expand things like buttons to the maximum size
-	margin    bool // add space around the frames of windows
-
-	writeMutex sync.Mutex // TODO: writeMutex protects locks the write process
-	fakefile   *FakeFile  // JUNK? used to attempt to write to the stdout window
-	dtoggle    bool       // is a dropdown or combobox currently active?
-	showHelp   bool       // toggle boolean for the help menu (deprecate?)
-
-	// debugging things
-	ecount     int  // counts how many mouse and keyboard events have occurred
-	supermouse bool // prints out every widget found while you move the mouse around
-	depth      int  // used for listWidgets() debugging
+	baseGui       *gocui.Gui     // the main gocui handle
+	treeRoot      *tree.Node     // the base of the binary tree. it should have id == 0
+	myTree        *tree.TreeInfo // ?
+	ctrlDown      *tree.Node     // shown if you click the mouse when the ctrl key is pressed
+	currentWindow *guiWidget     // this is the current tab or window to show
+	logStdout     *tree.Node     // where to show STDOUT
+	startOutputW  int            // ?
+	startOutputH  int            // ?
+	helpLabel     *gocui.View    // ?
+	dropdownV     *guiWidget     // this is a floating widget that we show whenever the user clicks on a
+	dropdownW     *guiWidget     // grab the dropdown choices from this widget
+	FramePadW     int            `default:"1" dense:"0"` // When the widget has a frame, like a button, it adds 2 lines runes on each side
+	FramePadH     int            `default:"1" dense:"0"` // When the widget has a frame, like a button, it adds 2 lines runes on each side
+	PadW          int            `default:"1" dense:"0"` // pad spacing
+	PadH          int            `default:"1" dense:"0"` // pad spacing
+	WindowW       int            `default:"8" dense:"0"` // how far down to start Window or Tab headings
+	WindowH       int            `default:"-1"`          // how far down to start Window or Tab headings
+	TabW          int            `default:"5" dense:"0"` // how far down to start Window or Tab headings
+	TabH          int            `default:"1" dense:"0"` // how far down to start Window or Tab headings
+	WindowPadW    int            `default:"8" dense:"0"` // additional amount of space to put between window & tab widgets
+	TabPadW       int            `default:"4" dense:"0"` // additional amount of space to put between window & tab widgets
+	GroupPadW     int            `default:"2" dense:"1"` // additional amount of space to indent on a group
+	BoxPadW       int            `default:"2" dense:"1"` // additional amount of space to indent on a box
+	GridPadW      int            `default:"2" dense:"1"` // additional amount of space to indent on a grid
+	RawW          int            `default:"1"`           // the raw beginning of each window (or tab)
+	RawH          int            `default:"5"`           // the raw beginning of each window (or tab)
+	FakeW         int            `default:"20"`          // offset for the hidden widgets
+	padded        bool           // add space between things like buttons
+	bookshelf     bool           // do you want things arranged in the box like a bookshelf or a stack?
+	canvas        bool           // if set to true, the windows are a raw canvas
+	menubar       bool           // for windows
+	stretchy      bool           // expand things like buttons to the maximum size
+	margin        bool           // add space around the frames of windows
+	writeMutex    sync.Mutex     // TODO: writeMutex protects locks the write process
+	fakefile      *FakeFile      // JUNK? used to attempt to write to the stdout window
+	dtoggle       bool           // is a dropdown or combobox currently active?
+	showHelp      bool           // toggle boolean for the help menu (deprecate?)
+	ecount        int            // counts how many mouse and keyboard events have occurred
+	supermouse    bool           // prints out every widget found while you move the mouse around
+	depth         int            // used for listWidgets() debugging
 }
 
 // deprecate these
@@ -128,69 +98,31 @@ func (r *rectType) Height() int {
 }
 
 type guiWidget struct {
-	// the gocui package variables
-	v       *gocui.View // this is nil if the widget is not displayed
-	cuiName string      // what gocui uses to reference the widget
-
-	WidgetType widget.WidgetType
-
-	// tw	*toolkit.Widget
-	parent   *guiWidget
-	children []*guiWidget
-
-	node *tree.Node
-
-	hasTabs    bool // does the window have tabs?
-	currentTab bool // the visible tab
-
-	value   string
-	checked bool
-
-	// the actual text to display in the console
-	labelN string
-
-	vals []string // dropdown menu items
-
-	active bool
-
-	enable       bool
-	defaultColor *colorT // store the color to go back to
-
-	// hidden bool
-
-	//	AtW int
-	//	AtH int
-
-	// direction widget.Orientation
-
-	// progname string
-
-	// the logical size of the widget
-	// For example, 40x12 would be the center of a normal terminal
-	// size rectType
-
-	// the actual gocui display view of this widget
-	// sometimes this isn't visible like with a Box or Grid
-	gocuiSize rectType
-
-	startW int
-	startH int
-
-	isCurrent bool // is this the currently displayed Window or Tab?
-	isFake    bool // widget types like 'box' are 'false'
-
-	// used to track the size of grids
-	widths  map[int]int // how tall each row in the grid is
-	heights map[int]int // how wide each column in the grid is
-
-	tainted bool
-	frame   bool
-
-	// for a window, this is currently selected tab
-	selectedTab *tree.Node
-
-	// what color to use
-	color *colorT
+	v            *gocui.View  // this is nil if the widget is not displayed
+	cuiName      string       // what gocui uses to reference the widget (usually "TK <widgetId>"
+	parent       *guiWidget   // mirrors the binary node tree
+	children     []*guiWidget // mirrors the binary node tree
+	node         *tree.Node   // the pointer back to the tree
+	hasTabs      bool         // does the window have tabs?
+	currentTab   bool         // the visible tab
+	value        string       // ?
+	checked      bool         // ?
+	labelN       string       // the actual text to display in the console
+	vals         []string     // dropdown menu items
+	active       bool         // ?
+	enable       bool         // ?
+	defaultColor *colorT      // store the color to go back to
+	gocuiSize    rectType     // should mirror the real display size. todo: verify these are accurate. they are not yet
+	startW       int          // ?
+	startH       int          // ?
+	isCurrent    bool         // is this the currently displayed Window or Tab?
+	isFake       bool         // widget types like 'box' are 'false'
+	widths       map[int]int  // how tall each row in the grid is
+	heights      map[int]int  // how wide each column in the grid is
+	tainted      bool         // ?
+	frame        bool         // ?
+	selectedTab  *tree.Node   // for a window, this is currently selected tab
+	color        *colorT      // what color to use
 }
 
 // from the gocui devs:
diff --git a/treeDraw.go b/treeDraw.go
index 1177c97..6f4501f 100644
--- a/treeDraw.go
+++ b/treeDraw.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func (w *guiWidget) drawTree(draw bool) {
 // deletes the old view if it exists and recreates it
 func (w *guiWidget) drawView() {
 	var err error
-	log.Log(INFO, "drawView() START", w.WidgetType, w.String())
+	log.Log(INFO, "drawView() START", w.node.WidgetType, w.String())
 	if me.baseGui == nil {
 		log.Log(ERROR, "drawView() ERROR: me.baseGui == nil", w)
 		return
diff --git a/treeWidget.go b/treeWidget.go
index 6fd09f5..397fde3 100644
--- a/treeWidget.go
+++ b/treeWidget.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func initWidget(n *tree.Node) *guiWidget {
 
 	w.node = n
 	w.cuiName = strconv.Itoa(w.node.WidgetId) + " TK"
-	w.WidgetType = n.WidgetType
+	// w.node.WidgetType = n.WidgetType
 	w.labelN = n.State.Label
 	if w.labelN == "" {
 		// remove this debugging hack once things are stable and fixed
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@ func initWidget(n *tree.Node) *guiWidget {
 
 	p := n.Parent
 	if p == nil {
-		log.Log(ERROR, "parent == nil", w.String(), n.WidgetId, w.WidgetType)
+		log.Log(ERROR, "parent == nil", w.String(), n.WidgetId, w.node.WidgetType)
 		return w
 	}
 	if p.TK == nil {
-		log.Log(ERROR, "parent.TK == nil", w.String(), n.WidgetId, w.WidgetType)
+		log.Log(ERROR, "parent.TK == nil", w.String(), n.WidgetId, w.node.WidgetType)
 		return w
 	}
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func setupCtrlDownWidget() {
 
 func (w *guiWidget) deleteView() {
 	// make sure the view isn't really there
-	// log.Log(GOCUI, "deleteView()", w.cuiName, w.WidgetType, w.node.WidgetId)
+	// log.Log(GOCUI, "deleteView()", w.cuiName, w.node.WidgetType, w.node.WidgetId)
 	me.baseGui.DeleteView(w.cuiName)
 	w.v = nil
 }