diff --git a/enterer.py b/enterer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..04fc476
--- /dev/null
+++ b/enterer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,241 @@
+import curses
+import logging
+import json
+import sys
+
+# logging.basicConfig(filename="enterer.log", level=logging.DEBUG)
+
+attrtable = {
+#   attr, sel[i]
+    "a": 0,
+    "c": 0,
+    "m": 0,
+    "f": 0,
+    "u/o": 0,
+    "h": 0,
+    "nh": 0,
+    "ai/an": 1,
+    "as": 1,
+    "b/aa": 1,
+    "nh/opi": 3,
+    "wh": 0,
+    "1+": 0,
+    "unk": 2,
+}
+
+age = ["a", "c"]
+gender = ["m", "f", "u/o"]
+ethnicity = ["h", "nh"]
+race = ["ai/an", "as", "b/aa", "nh/opi", "wh", "1+", "unk"]
+
+def serialize_finalsels_to_json(finalsels, filename):
+    json_wrapper = {"payload": []}
+    json_objs = []
+#    logging.debug("lllllllllllll {}".format(finalsels))
+    for i in finalsels:
+        new_json_obj = {"age": None, "gender": None, "ethnicity": None, "race": None}
+        for j in i[1]:
+            if j in age:
+                new_json_obj["age"] = j
+
+            if j in gender:
+                new_json_obj["gender"] = j
+
+            if j in ethnicity:
+                new_json_obj["ethnicity"] = j
+
+            if j in race:
+                new_json_obj["race"] = j
+
+        for _ in range(i[0]):
+            json_objs.append(new_json_obj)
+
+    json_wrapper["payload"] = json_objs
+#    logging.debug((json_objs, json_wrapper))
+    with open(filename, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        f.write(json.dumps(json_wrapper, indent=4))
+
+## TODO: add padding for window elements
+## TODO: add exportation
+def pad_out_rest_of_line(window):
+    window.refresh()
+    height, width = window.getmaxyx()
+    y, x = window.getyx()
+    diff = width - x
+#    logging.debug("lakfdjalskfjalskdfjalkfjsd {}".format(str(diff)))
+    window.addstr(y, x, " " * diff, curses.A_REVERSE)
+
+def check_if_attr_selected(attr, sel):
+#    logging.debug(attrtable[attr])
+#    logging.debug((attrtable[attr], attr[attrtable[attr]], sel))
+    if attr[attrtable[attr]] == sel:
+        return True
+    return False
+
+def equality_sel_check(attr, sel):
+    return attr == sel
+
+def generate_outstring_format_values(sels):
+    output = []
+    for i in attrtable.keys(): # will always be sorted, in order
+        for j in sels:
+            if check_if_attr_selected(i, j):
+                output.append("[{}]".format(i))
+                break
+        if not "[{}]".format(i) in output:
+            output.append("{}".format(i))
+
+    return output
+
+def convert_sels_arr_to_attrs(sels):
+    output = []
+    for i in attrtable.keys(): # will always be sorted, in order
+        for j in sels:
+#            logging.debug(str((i, j)))
+            if check_if_attr_selected(i, j):
+                output.append(i)
+                break
+    return output
+
+def get_attr_cata_counts(sels):
+    ages = 0
+    genders = 0
+    ethnicities = 0
+    races = 0
+    for i in sels:
+        if i in age:
+            ages += 1
+        if i in gender:
+            genders += 1
+        if i in ethnicity:
+            ethnicities += 1
+        if i in race:
+            races += 1
+
+    return (ages, genders, ethnicities, races)
+
+def resolve_sel_conflict(sels):
+    final = convert_sels_arr_to_attrs(sels)
+    ages, genders, ethnicities, races = get_attr_cata_counts(final)
+
+#    logging.debug(final)
+#    logging.debug((ages, genders, ethnicities, races))
+
+    if ages > 1:
+        for i in final:
+            if i in age:
+                final.remove(i)
+
+    if genders > 1:
+        for i in final:
+            if i in gender:
+                final.remove(i)
+
+    if ethnicities > 1:
+        for i in final:
+            if i in ethnicity:
+                final.remove(i)
+
+    if races > 1:
+        for i in final:
+            if i in race:
+                final.remove(i)
+
+    finalfinal = []
+    for i in final:
+        finalfinal.append(i[attrtable[i]])
+
+    return finalfinal
+
+def main(stdscr):
+    stdscr.clear()
+    outputsels = []
+    currentsels = []
+    previoussels = []
+    lines = 1
+    count = ""
+    errstring = ""
+    status = ""
+    outfile = sys.argv[1]
+
+    while True:
+        stdscr.addstr(0, 0, "enterer - normal mode - {}".format(status), curses.A_REVERSE)
+        pad_out_rest_of_line(stdscr)
+        stdscr.move(lines, 0)
+        stdscr.clrtoeol()
+        stdscr.addstr(lines, 0, "{}{} | {} {} | {} {} {} | {} {} | {} {} {} {} {} {} {}".format(
+            errstring,
+            count,
+            *generate_outstring_format_values(currentsels)
+        ))
+        newsel = stdscr.getkey()
+
+        if errstring != "":
+            errstring = ""
+
+        if status != "":
+            status = ""
+
+        if newsel == '\\':
+            currentsels, previoussels = previoussels, currentsels
+            continue
+
+        if newsel in [str(i) for i in range(10)]:
+            count += newsel
+            continue
+
+
+        if newsel in ('KEY_BACKSPACE', '\b', '\x7f'):
+            count = count[:-1]
+            continue
+
+        if newsel == ']':
+            final_output = []
+            for i in outputsels:
+                temp = convert_sels_arr_to_attrs(i[1])
+                final_output.append([i[0], temp])
+
+#            logging.debug("selsconverter" + str(final_output))
+            try:
+                serialize_finalsels_to_json(final_output, outfile)
+            except FileNotFoundError:
+                status = "failed to write. changing outfile to __RESCUE_OUTFILE.json. write again"
+                outfile = "__RESCUE_OUTFILE.json"
+
+            status = "written to {}".format(outfile)
+            continue
+
+        if newsel == ' ':
+            catagories_data = get_attr_cata_counts(convert_sels_arr_to_attrs(currentsels))
+            not_all_one = False
+            for i in catagories_data:
+                if not i == 1:
+                    not_all_one = True
+                    break
+
+            if not_all_one:
+                errstring += "!"
+                continue
+
+            if count == "":
+                count = 1
+
+            outputsels.append((int(count), currentsels))
+            count = ""
+            previoussels = currentsels
+            currentsels = []
+            lines += 1
+            continue
+
+        if not newsel in currentsels:
+            currentsels.append(newsel)
+        else:
+            currentsels.remove(newsel)
+
+        currentsels = resolve_sel_conflict(currentsels)
+
+
+    stdscr.refresh()
+    stdscr.getkey()
+
+curses.wrapper(main)