diff --git a/ui (gen4)/css/experimenting.css b/ui (gen4)/css/experimenting.css
index 905b1027..02c261af 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/css/experimenting.css	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/css/experimenting.css	
@@ -136,6 +136,34 @@ body {
 
 /*********************************************************************/
 
+/* scrollbar setup... */
+.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar {
+	width: 10px;
+	height: 10px;
+}
+.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-button {
+	display: none;
+}
+.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-track {
+}
+.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-track-piece {
+	background: transparent;
+}
+.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-track-piece {
+	background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05);
+}
+.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {
+	background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);
+}
+.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:hover {
+	background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
+}
+.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-corner {
+}
+.browse-widget ::-webkit-resizer {
+}
+
+
 .browse-widget.cloud-view .list>div {
 	font-size: small;
 }
@@ -214,34 +242,6 @@ body {
 }
 
 
-/* scrollbar setup... */
-.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar {
-	width: 10px;
-	height: 10px;
-}
-.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-button {
-	display: none;
-}
-.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-track {
-}
-.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-track-piece {
-	background: transparent;
-}
-.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-track-piece {
-	background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05);
-}
-.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {
-	background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);
-}
-.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:hover {
-	background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
-}
-.browse-widget ::-webkit-scrollbar-corner {
-}
-.browse-widget ::-webkit-resizer {
-}
-
-
 
 /* Dialog highlight experiment... */
 .browse-widget {
@@ -300,6 +300,13 @@ body {
 
 
 /* key binding editor... */
+.browse-widget.key-bindings .list>div:not(.selected):not(.mode):nth-child(even) {
+	background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03);
+}
+.browse-widget.key-bindings .list>div .button {
+	background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
+}
+
 .browse-widget.key-bindings .list>.mode {
 	color: white;
 	font-weight: bold;
@@ -352,12 +359,6 @@ body {
 	margin-right: 0em;
 }
 
-.browse-widget.key-bindings .list>div:not(.selected):not(.mode):nth-child(even) {
-	background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03);
-}
-.browse-widget.key-bindings .list>.key .button {
-	background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
-}
 
 .browse-widget.key-bindings .list>.new {
 	font-style: italic;
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/features/keyboard.js b/ui (gen4)/features/keyboard.js
index bd7b9546..bc8dee0b 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/features/keyboard.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/features/keyboard.js	
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ module.GLOBAL_KEYBOARD = {
 		doc: 'Global bindings that take priority over other sections.',
 		pattern: '*',
 
-		// XXX
 	},
 
 	'Slideshow': {
@@ -398,6 +397,185 @@ module.GLOBAL_KEYBOARD = {
 
 
 
+/*********************************************************************/
+
+var KeyboardHandlerProto = {
+	// object/function
+	keyboard: null,
+	context: null,
+
+	// helpers...
+	shifted: function(key){
+	},
+
+	// get keys for handler...
+	//
+	keys: function(handler){
+	},
+
+	// get/set handler for key...
+	//
+	handler: function(mode, key, action){
+		var that = this
+
+		// XXX normalize key...
+		var full_key = key
+		var modifiers = key.split('+')
+		key = modifiers.pop()
+
+		var code = keyboard.toKeyCode(key)
+		var args = [].slice.call(arguments).slice(3)
+
+		// set handler...
+		if(action){
+			modes = modes instanceof Array ? modes : [modes]
+			// ignore all but the first mode...
+			modes = modes.slice(0, 1)
+
+		// get handler...
+		} else {
+			var shift_key = (modifiers.indexOf('shift') >= 0 ? 
+					keyboard._SHIFT_KEYS[key]
+					: keyboard._UNSHIFT_KEYS[key])
+				|| '' 
+			var shift_modifiers = shift_key != '' 
+				&& (((modifiers.indexOf('shift') >= 0 ?
+					modifiers.filter(function(k){ return k != 'shift' })
+					: modifiers.concat(['shift'])))
+				|| modifiers).join('+')
+			var full_shift_key = shift_modifiers == '' ? 
+				shift_key 
+				: shift_modifiers +'+'+ shift_key
+
+			var any = modes == 'any'
+			modes = any ? this.getKeyboardModes()
+				: modes == '*' ? Object.keys(this.keyboard) 
+				: modes
+			modes = modes instanceof Array ? modes : [modes]
+
+			// filter modes...
+			var ignore = false
+			modes = any ? 
+				modes
+					.filter(function(mode){
+						if(ignore){
+							return false
+						}
+
+						var i = that.keyboard[mode].ignore || []
+
+						ignore = i.indexOf(full_key) >= 0
+							|| i.indexOf(key) >= 0
+							|| i.indexOf(shift_key) >= 0
+							|| i.indexOf(full_shift_key) >= 0
+							|| i.indexOf(code) >= 0
+
+						return true
+					})
+				: modes
+		}
+
+		modifiers = modifiers.join('+')
+
+
+		// search modes...
+		var res = {}
+		ignore = false
+		modes
+			.forEach(function(mode){
+				if(ignore){
+					return false
+				}
+
+				var bindings = that.keyboard[mode]
+
+				if(action){
+					var match = 'direct'
+					var alias = code in bindings ? code : key
+
+				} else {
+					// direct match...
+					var match = 'direct'
+					var alias = full_key in bindings ? full_key 
+						: key in bindings ? key 
+						: null
+					// shift key match...
+					match = alias == null ? 'shifted' : match
+					alias = alias == null ? 
+						(full_shift_key in bindings ? full_shift_key 
+							: shift_key in bindings ? shift_key 
+							: null)
+						: alias
+					// code match...
+					match = alias == null ? 'code' : match
+					alias = alias == null ? 
+						(code in bindings ? code : null)
+						: alias
+				}
+
+				var mod = (match == 'code' || match == 'direct') ? 
+					modifiers 
+					: shift_modifiers
+				mod = mod == '' ? 'default' : mod
+
+				var handler = alias
+
+				// spin through aliases...
+				// XXX do we look for aliases in this mode only or in all modes?
+				var seen = []
+				while(handler in bindings){
+					// handler loop...
+					if(seen.indexOf(handler) >= 0){
+						return null
+					}
+					
+					alias = handler
+					handler = bindings[alias]
+					seen.push(alias)
+
+					// go into the map structure...
+					if(!action && typeof(handler) != typeof('str')){
+						handler = handler[mod]
+					}
+				}
+
+				// set the action...
+				if(action){
+					if(handler == null || typeof(handler) == typeof('str')){
+						bindings[alias] = modifiers.length == 0 ?
+							action
+							: { modifiers : action }
+
+					} else if(modifiers.length == 0){
+						handler['default'] = action
+
+					} else {
+						handler[modifiers] = action
+					}
+
+				// get the action...
+				} else {
+					if(handler){
+						res[mode] = handler
+					}
+
+					ignore = any && handler == 'IGNORE'
+				}
+			})
+
+		return !action ? 
+			(modes.length == 1 ? res[modes[0]] : res) || null
+			: undefined
+	},
+
+	// get applicable modes...
+	//
+	modes: function(context){
+	},
+}
+
+
+
 /*********************************************************************/
 // XXX add a key binding list UI...
 // XXX add loading/storing of kb bindings...
@@ -618,6 +796,13 @@ var KeyboardActions = actions.Actions({
 	//		new
 	// XXX add view mode (read only)...
 	// XXX BUG sections with doc do not show up in title...
+	// XXX BUG:
+	// 		ig.bindKey('Global', 'X', 'editKeyboardBindings')
+	// 		ig.editKeyboardBindings()
+	// 			-> shows alt-X instead of X
+	// 		ig.bindKey('Global', 'X', 'editKeyboardBindings')
+	// 		ig.editKeyboardBindings()
+	// 			-> shows two keys ctrl-Z and ctrl-shift-Z instead of Z
 	browseKeyboardBindings: ['Interface/Keyboard bindings...',
 		widgets.makeUIDialog(function(path, edit){
 			var actions = this
@@ -787,7 +972,55 @@ var KeyboardActions = actions.Actions({
 	// XXX
 	resetKeyBindings: ['Interface/Restore default key bindings',
 		function(){ 
-			this.__keyboard_config = GLOBAL_KEYBOARD }]
+			this.__keyboard_config = GLOBAL_KEYBOARD }],
+
+	// XXX do we look for aliases in this mode only or in all modes?
+	getKeyHandler: ['- Interface/',
+		function(modes, key, action){
+		}],
+	// XXX move this to lib/keyboard.js
+	// XXX not done yet...
+	bindKey: ['- Interface/',
+		function(mode, key, action){
+			var modifiers = key.split('+')
+			key = modifiers.pop()
+			modifiers = modifiers.join('+')
+			var code = keyboard.toKeyCode(key)
+			var args = [].slice.call(arguments).slice(3)
+			action = action 
+					+ (args.length > 0 ? 
+						': '+ args.map(JSON.stringify).join(' ')
+						: '')
+			var bindings = this.keyboard[mode]
+
+			var alias = code in bindings ? code : key
+			var handler = bindings[key] || bindings[code]
+
+			// spin through aliases...
+			var seen = []
+			while(handler in bindings){
+				// handler loop...
+				if(seen.indexOf(handler) >= 0){
+					return null
+				}
+				
+				alias = handler
+				handler = bindings[alias]
+				seen.push(alias)
+			}
+
+			if(handler == null || typeof(handler) == typeof('str')){
+				bindings[alias] = modifiers.length == 0 ?
+					action
+					: { modifiers : action }
+
+			} else if(modifiers.length == 0){
+				handler['default'] = action
+
+			} else {
+				handler[modifiers] = action
+			}
+		}],
 })
 
 var Keyboard = 
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/lib/keyboard.js b/ui (gen4)/lib/keyboard.js
index 1f3f876a..896ab6c2 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/lib/keyboard.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/lib/keyboard.js	
@@ -90,6 +90,13 @@ module._SHIFT_KEYS = {
 }
 
 
+var _UNSHIFT_KEYS = 
+module._UNSHIFT_KEYS = {}
+for(var k in _SHIFT_KEYS){
+	_UNSHIFT_KEYS[_SHIFT_KEYS[k]] = k
+}
+
+
 // build a reverse map of _SPECIAL_KEYS
 var _KEY_CODES =
 module._KEY_CODES = {}
@@ -143,6 +150,8 @@ function doc(text, func){
 var getApplicableModes =
 module.getApplicableModes =
 function getApplicableModes(keybindings, modes, elem){
+	modes = modes || 'any'
+
 	return Object.keys(keybindings)
 		.filter(function(title){ 
 
@@ -155,13 +164,13 @@ function getApplicableModes(keybindings, modes, elem){
 			// check if we need to skip this mode...
 			return modes == 'all'
 				// explicit mode match...
-				|| modes == mode
+				|| modes == mode || modes == title
 				// 'any' means we need to check the mode...
 				|| (modes == 'any'
 					// '*' always matches...
 					&& mode == '*'
 					// match the mode...
-					// XXX is this too global???
+					// XXX is this too global??? -- use elem...
 					|| $(mode).length != 0)
 		})
 }
@@ -423,6 +432,10 @@ function getKeyHandlers(key, modifiers, keybindings, modes, shifted_keys, action
 			continue
 		}
 
+		// older version compatibility...
+		//var mode = keybindings[title].pattern || title
+		var mode = title
+
 		// If a key is ignored then look no further...
 		if(did_ignore){
 			if(modes != 'all'){
@@ -435,9 +448,6 @@ function getKeyHandlers(key, modifiers, keybindings, modes, shifted_keys, action
 			}
 		}
 
-		// older version compatibility...
-		var mode = keybindings[title].pattern || title
-
 		// check if we need to skip this mode...
 		if(applicable_modes.indexOf(title) < 0){
 			continue
@@ -818,32 +828,23 @@ function buildKeybindingsHelp(keybindings, shifted_keys, actions, doc_getter){
 	for(var title in keybindings){
 		mode = keybindings[title]
 
-		// older version compatibility...
-		if(keybindings[title].pattern != null){
-			var pattern = keybindings[title].pattern
-		} else {
-			var pattern = title
-			// titles and docs...
-			var title = mode.title == null ? pattern : mode.title
-		}
-
-		res[title] = {
-			doc: mode.doc == null ? '' : mode.doc
-		}
-		section = res[title]
+		var section = 
+			res[title] = {
+				doc: mode.doc == null ? '' : mode.doc
+			}
 
 		// handlers...
 		for(var key in mode){
 			if(KEYBOARD_SYSTEM_ATTRS.indexOf(key) >= 0){
 				continue
 			}
-			var modifiers = getKeyHandlers(key, '?', keybindings, 'all', null, actions)[pattern]
+			var modifiers = getKeyHandlers(key, '?', keybindings, 'all', null, actions)[title]
 			modifiers = modifiers == 'none' || modifiers == undefined ? [''] : modifiers
 
 			for(var i=0; i < modifiers.length; i++){
 				var mod = modifiers[i]
 
-				var handler = getKeyHandlers(key, mod, keybindings, 'all', null, actions)[pattern]
+				var handler = getKeyHandlers(key, mod, keybindings, 'all', null, actions)[title]
 
 
 				// no handler...