3 files changed, 30 insertions, 25 deletions
diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index 59ad7ff..83e333a 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 package main
 
+import (
+	"go.wit.com/dev/alexflint/arg"
+	"go.wit.com/gui"
+)
+
 /*
 	this parses the command line arguements
 	this enables command line options from other packages like 'gui' and 'log'
@@ -7,16 +12,31 @@ package main
 
 var argv args
 
+var APPNAME string = "basicwindow"
+
+// sent via -ldflags
+var VERSION string
+var BUILDTIME string
+
+// define your command line arguements here
 type args struct {
 	Demo string `arg:"positional"                   help:"this is just a demo"`
 }
 
+func (args) InitArgv() (string, string, string) {
+	// "basicwindow", "2025/10/18", "v0.2.0"
+	return APPNAME, BUILDTIME, VERSION
+}
+
+func (args) InitGui() error {
+	// panic("got here")
+	arg.Register(&gui.ArgvGui)
+	// me.myGui = gui.New()
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (a args) Description() string {
 	return `
 This basicwindow example demonstrates multiple windows
 `
 }
-
-func (args) Version() string {
-	return "basicwindow " + VERSION
-}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 7af7d4a..c92965e 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -1,18 +1,12 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"os"
-
-	"go.wit.com/dev/alexflint/arg"
 	"go.wit.com/gui"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gadgets"
-	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/prep"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/argvpb"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
-// sent via -ldflags
-var VERSION string
-
 // this is the primary window. If you close it, the program will exit
 var mainWindow *gui.Node
 
@@ -27,16 +21,7 @@ var colors *gui.Node
 
 func main() {
 	me := new(mainType)
-	me.myGui = prep.Gui() // prepares the GUI package for go-args
-	me.pp = arg.MustParse(&argv)
-
-	// for very new users or users unfamilar with the command line, this may help them
-	if argv.Demo == "version" || argv.Demo == "help" || argv.Demo == "?" {
-		me.pp.WriteHelp(os.Stdout)
-		os.Exit(0)
-	}
-
-	me.myGui.Start() // loads the GUI toolkit (GO Plugins)
+	me.argv = argvpb.Autocomplete(&argv) // adds shell auto complete to go-args
 
 	helloworld()
 	basicWindow = makebasicWindow()
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index 6251719..a4a2c4e 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"go.wit.com/dev/alexflint/arg"
-	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/prep"
+	"go.wit.com/gui"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/argvpb"
 )
 
 var me *mainType
 
 // this app's variables
 type mainType struct {
-	pp    *arg.Parser   // for parsing the command line args.  Yay to alexf lint!
-	myGui *prep.GuiPrep // the gui toolkit handle
+	argv  *argvpb.Argv // shell autocomplete
+	myGui *gui.Node    // the gui toolkit handle
 }