diff --git a/run.go b/run.go
index ed62f61..4e03ac2 100644
--- a/run.go
+++ b/run.go
@@ -21,9 +21,25 @@ var msecDelay int = 20 // check every 20 milliseconds
 // use go-cmd instead here?
 // exiterr.Sys().(syscall.WaitStatus)
 
+// run command and return it's output
+func RunCapture(cmdline string) string {
+	test := New()
+	test.Exec(cmdline)
+	return Chomp(test.Buffer)
+}
+
+func RunWait(args []string) *Shell {
+	test := New()
+	cmdline := strings.Join(args, " ")
+	test.Exec(cmdline)
+	return test
+}
+
 // var newfile *shell.File
 func RunString(args string) bool {
-	return false
+	// return false
+	parts := strings.Split(args, " ")
+	return Run(parts)
 }
 
 func Run(args []string) bool {
@@ -36,6 +52,7 @@ func Run(args []string) bool {
 	return RunPath(dir, args)
 }
 
+// run, but set the working path
 func RunPath(path string, args []string) bool {
 	if len(args) == 0 {
 		log.Warn("command line was empty")