diff --git a/ui (gen4)/features/collections.js b/ui (gen4)/features/collections.js
index c247ba28..9aefa83e 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/features/collections.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/features/collections.js	
@@ -773,7 +773,17 @@ var CollectionActions = actions.Actions({
 
 	// Collection editing....
 	//
-	// XXX should this add images that already exist???
+	// NOTE: Currently these are sync, and sequencing happens automatically as
+	//		everything uses .ensureCollection(..)
+	//		to explecitly sequence a call do:
+	//			.collect(..)
+	//			.ensureCollection(..)
+	//				.then(function(){
+	//					// this is run after .collect(..) 
+	//					...
+	//				})
+	//
+	// XXX need to figure out error handling for this scheme...
 	collect: ['- Collections/',
 		core.doc`Add items to collection
 
@@ -826,10 +836,22 @@ var CollectionActions = actions.Actions({
 							|| that.collections[MAIN_COLLECTION_TITLE].data.getImage(gid) ] })
 				.reduce(function(a, b){ return a.concat(b) }, [])
 
-			// add to collection...
-			var data = this.data.constructor.fromArray(gids)
+			this.ensureCollection(collection)
+				.then((function(c){
+					var remove = c.data.getImages(gids, 'all')
+					// only add gids that do not exist in collection...
+					gids = gids
+						.filter(function(g){ return remove.indexOf(g) < 0 })
 
-			return this.joinCollect(null, collection, data)
+					if(gids.length == 0){
+						return
+					}
+
+					// add to collection...
+					var data = this.data.constructor.fromArray(gids)
+
+					return this.joinCollect(null, collection, data)
+				}).bind(this))
 		}],
 	joinCollect: ['- Collections/Merge to collection',
 		core.doc`Merge/Join current state to collection
@@ -865,20 +887,58 @@ var CollectionActions = actions.Actions({
 			align = align === collection ? null : align
 
 			// create collection if it does not exist...
-			// XXX should this be async???
-			//return this.ensureCollection(collection)
 			this.ensureCollection(collection)
-				.then((function(){
+				.then((function(c){
+					var target = c.crop_stack ? 
+						c.crop_stack[0] 
+						: c.data
 					//this.collections[collection].data.join(align, data || this.data.clone())
-					var res = this.collections[collection].data = (data || this.data)
+					var res = (data || this.data)
 						.clone()
-						.join(align, this.collections[collection].data)
+						.join(align, target)
+
+					var rorder = res.order.slice().reverse()
+
+					// write to base data...
+					if(c.crop_stack){
+						c.crop_stack[0] = res
+
+						c.crop_stack
+							.concat([c.data])
+							.forEach(function(data){
+								data.order = data.order
+									.reverse()
+									.concat(rorder)
+									.unique()
+									.reverse() 
+								data.updateImagePositions()
+							})
+
+					} else {
+						c.data = res
+					}
 
 					// joining into the current collection...
 					if(collection == this.collection){
-						var cur = this.current
-						this.data = res 
-						this.data.current = cur
+						if(this.crop_stack){
+							this.crop_stack[0] = res
+
+							this.crop_stack
+								.concat([this.data])
+								.forEach(function(data){
+									data.order = data.order
+										.reverse()
+										.concat(rorder)
+										.unique()
+										.reverse() 
+									data.updateImagePositions()
+								})
+
+						} else {
+							var cur = this.current
+							this.data = res 
+							this.data.current = cur
+						}
 					}
 				}).bind(this))
 		}],
@@ -1260,7 +1320,7 @@ module.Collection = core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 						'collection: '
 							+JSON.stringify(this.collections[collection].gid || collection))
 			}],
-		// collection sort...
+		// collection list sort...
 		['sortCollections.pre',
 			function(){
 				var o = (this.collection_order || []).slice()
@@ -1280,21 +1340,40 @@ module.Collection = core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 						+ JSON.stringify(this.collections[to].gid), ['metadata']) }],
 		// basic collection edits...
 		//
-		// XXX mark changed ONLY if actual changes made...
+		// XXX .joinCollect(..) should set change for a collection if 
+		// 		it changes the topology...
+		// 		...this can happen when multiple ribbons are joined...
+		// 		Q: can this happen through .collect(..)???
 		[[
 			// NOTE: no need to handle .collect(..) here as it calls .joinCollect(..)
-			'joinCollect',
-			'uncollect',
+			'joinCollect.pre',
+			'uncollect.pre',
 		], 
 			function(){
-				var args = [].slice.call(arguments, 1)
-				var collection = args.length == 1 ? args[0] : args[1]
-				var collections = this.collections || {}
-				this.markChanged(
-					'collection: '
-						+JSON.stringify(
-							(collections[collection || this.collection] || {}).gid || collection),
-					['data'])
+				var that = this
+				var args = [].slice.call(arguments)
+				var title = args.length == 1 ? args[0] : args[1]
+				var collection = (this.collections || {})[title] || {}
+
+				var count = collection.data ? 
+					collection.data.length 
+					: collection.count
+
+				return function(){
+					this.ensureCollection(title)
+						.then(function(){
+							var new_count = collection.data ? 
+								collection.data.length 
+								: collection.count
+
+							new_count != count
+								&& that.markChanged('collections')
+								&& that.markChanged(
+									'collection: '
+										+JSON.stringify(collection.gid || title),
+									['data'])
+						})
+				}
 			}],
 		// transfer changes on load/unload collection...
 		['collectionLoading.pre',
@@ -1411,13 +1490,32 @@ module.Collection = core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 		//
 		// 		// Collection gid-title index...
 		//		//
-		// 		// NOTE: this is sorted via .collection_order...
+		// 		// NOTE: this is sorted via .collection_order in .json(..)...
+		// 		// 
+		// 		// NOTE: if .collections is undefined this is not returned...
+		// 		// XXX this may cause issues if after removing the 
+		// 		//		last collection and .collections is deleted,
+		// 		//		then the last saved collection state will 
+		// 		//		get loaded instead of an empty collection list
+		// 		//		...currently this is not a problem as .collections
+		// 		//		is never explicitly set to undefined, but is a 
+		// 		//		potential pitfall...
+		// 		//		Q: should this return {} when .collections is undefined?
 		// 		collections: {
+		// 			// normal collection...
 		// 			<gid>: {
 		// 				title: <title>,
 		// 				count: <count>,
 		// 				...
 		// 			},
+		//
+		// 			// un-initialise default collection...
+		// 			//
+		// 			// i.e. a collection that is included in 
+		// 			// .config['default-collections'] and thus present in
+		// 			// .collection_order but not present in .collections
+		// 			<gid>: false,
+		//
 		// 			...
 		// 		}
 		//
@@ -1781,6 +1879,7 @@ module.CollectionTags = core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 					;(this.crop_stack || [])
 						.forEach(function(d){ d.tags = tags })
 					this.data.tags = tags
+
 					this.data.sortTags()
 				}
 			}],
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/features/sort.js b/ui (gen4)/features/sort.js
index a749ef66..f62920ba 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/features/sort.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/features/sort.js	
@@ -162,8 +162,6 @@ module.SortActions = actions.Actions({
 					return e
 				})
 
-			console.log('>>>>', lst, l, gap)
-
 			// rotate index blocks...
 			if(l > 1){
 				var tail = lst.splice(gap+1, lst.length)
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/imagegrid/data.js b/ui (gen4)/imagegrid/data.js
index f65b7f45..bc7743a6 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/imagegrid/data.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/imagegrid/data.js	
@@ -269,13 +269,13 @@ var DataPrototype = {
 	// 		-> list
 	// 		NOTE: this sets drop_non_order_gids...
 	//
-	// 	Plase gids into their .order positions into target...
+	// 	Place gids into their .order positions into target...
 	// 	.makeSparseImages(gids, target)
 	// 		-> list
 	// 		NOTE: items in target on given gid .order positions will 
 	// 			get overwritten...
 	//
-	// 	Plase gids into their .order positions into target and reposition 
+	// 	Place gids into their .order positions into target and reposition 
 	// 	overwritten target items...
 	// 	.makeSparseImages(gids, target, true)
 	// 		-> list
@@ -1027,7 +1027,16 @@ var DataPrototype = {
 	//	.getImages(list, 'loaded')
 	//		-> list
 	//
+	//	Filter the list and return images present in data...
+	//	.getImages(list, 'all')
+	//	.getImages(list, 'global')
+	//		-> list
+	//
+	//	Filter the list and return images in current ribbon only...
 	//	.getImages(list, 'current')
+	//		-> list
+	//
+	//	Filter the list and return images in specific ribbon only...
 	//	.getImages(list, order|ribbon)
 	//		-> list
 	//
@@ -1100,19 +1109,25 @@ var DataPrototype = {
 
 		// filter out the unloaded gids from given list...
 		} else if(target != null && target instanceof Array){
-			var loaded = count == 'current' ? this.getImages('current')
-				: count in this.ribbons ? this.ribbons[count].compact()
+			var loaded = count == 'current' ? 
+					this.getImages('current')
+				: count == 'all' || count == 'global' ? 
+					this.getImages('all')
+				: count in this.ribbons ? 
+					this.ribbons[count].compact()
 				: typeof(count) == typeof(123) ? 
 					this.ribbons[this.getRibbon(count)].compact()
 				: this.getImages('loaded')
-			count = null 
 
 			list = target
 				.map(function(e){
-					return that.getImage(e) })
+					return count == 'all' || count == 'global' ?
+						that.getImage(e, 'global')
+						: that.getImage(e) })
 				.filter(function(e){
 					return loaded.indexOf(e) >= 0 })
 
+			count = null 
 			target = null 
 
 		// target is ribbon gid...