diff --git a/.envrc b/.envrc
index 1443b8e..7dedd3a 100644
--- a/.envrc
+++ b/.envrc
@@ -2,3 +2,10 @@ use nix
 
 export WORKSPACE="$(pwd)"
 export GOFLAGS="-count=1"
+
+PATH_add "$(pwd)/dev"
+
+export SERVICE_DIR="/tmp/services/sv"
+export ACTIVE_SERVICE_DIR="/tmp/services/active"
+export LOG_DIR="/tmp/services/log"
+
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7bbbc75..8df3733 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 manage runit
 
 # features
+
 - manage multiple service matching via patterns
 - easily create and manage runit service
 - import/export service configuration
diff --git a/cmd/runitcmd/command.go b/cmd/runitcmd/command.go
index 8c3df57..53c818f 100644
--- a/cmd/runitcmd/command.go
+++ b/cmd/runitcmd/command.go
@@ -9,17 +9,28 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
 )
 
-func makeCommand(name string, fn func(*cli.Context) error) *cli.Command {
+func makeCommand(app *Application, name, action, description string) *cli.Command {
+	if action == "" {
+		action = name
+	}
 	cmd := &cli.Command{
 		Name:        name,
 		Usage:       name + " a service",
-		Description: name + " a service",
-		Action:      fn,
+		Description: description,
+		Action:      app.MakeCommandFn(action),
 	}
 	return cmd
-
 }
 
+func (app *Application) MakeCommandFn(action string) func(*cli.Context) error {
+	fn := func(c *cli.Context) error {
+		for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
+			app.runCommand(service.Name, action)
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+	return fn
+}
 func (app *Application) MatchingServices(c *cli.Context) []*runit.Service {
 	services := make([]*runit.Service, 0)
 	args := c.Args()
@@ -143,153 +154,3 @@ func (app *Application) runCommand(name, action string) error {
 	}
 	return err
 }
-
-// some helpful commands
-func (app *Application) Delete(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "delete")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Activate(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "activate")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Deactivate(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "deactivate")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Enable(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "enable")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Disable(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "disable")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Reset(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "reset")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-// sv commands
-func (app *Application) Up(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "up")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Down(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "down")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Once(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "once")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Pause(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "pause")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Cont(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "cont")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Hup(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "hup")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Alarm(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "alarm")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Interrupt(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "interrupt")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Quit(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "quit")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Usr1(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "1")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Usr2(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "2")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Term(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "term")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Kill(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "kill")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-// lsb compatible
-func (app *Application) Start(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "start")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Stop(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "stop")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Reload(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "reload")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Restart(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "restart")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-func (app *Application) Shutdown(c *cli.Context) error {
-	for _, service := range app.MatchingServices(c) {
-		app.runCommand(service.Name, "shutdown")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/cmd/runitcmd/main.go b/cmd/runitcmd/main.go
index c151263..1e61dca 100644
--- a/cmd/runitcmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/runitcmd/main.go
@@ -39,12 +39,20 @@ func main() {
 			Usage: "change log level",
 		},
 		&cli.StringFlag{
-			Name:  "service-dir",
-			Usage: "change service dir",
+			Name:    "log-dir",
+			Usage:   "change service dir",
+			EnvVars: []string{"LOG_DIR"},
+			Value:   runit.DefaultLogDir,
 		},
 		&cli.StringFlag{
-			Name:  "active-dir",
-			Usage: "change active service dir",
+			Name:    "service-dir",
+			Usage:   "change service dir",
+			EnvVars: []string{"SERVICE_DIR"},
+		},
+		&cli.StringFlag{
+			Name:    "active-dir",
+			Usage:   "change active service dir",
+			EnvVars: []string{"ACTIVE_SERVICE_DIR"},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -141,33 +149,35 @@ func main() {
 		initExport(app),
 
 		// more commands
-		makeCommand("delete", app.Delete),
-		makeCommand("activate", app.Activate),
-		makeCommand("deactivate", app.Deactivate),
-		makeCommand("enable", app.Enable),
-		makeCommand("disable", app.Disable),
-		makeCommand("reset", app.Reset),
+		makeCommand(app, "delete", "", "delete service"),
+		makeCommand(app, "activate", "", "create service symlink"),
+		makeCommand(app, "deactivate", "", "delete service symlink"),
+		makeCommand(app, "enable", "", "enable service at boot"),
+		makeCommand(app, "disable", "", "disable service at boot"),
+		makeCommand(app, "reset", "", "reset service state"),
 
 		// commands
-		makeCommand("up", app.Up),
-		makeCommand("down", app.Down),
-		makeCommand("pause", app.Pause),
-		makeCommand("cont", app.Cont),
-		makeCommand("hup", app.Cont),
-		makeCommand("alarm", app.Cont),
-		makeCommand("interrupt", app.Cont),
-		makeCommand("quit", app.Quit),
-		makeCommand("usr1", app.Usr1),
-		makeCommand("usr2", app.Usr2),
-		makeCommand("term", app.Term),
-		makeCommand("kill", app.Kill),
+		makeCommand(app, "up", "", "bring service up"),
+		makeCommand(app, "down", "", "bring service down"),
+		makeCommand(app, "pause", "", "pause service"),
+
+		// signals
+		makeCommand(app, "cont", "", "send service CONT signal"),
+		makeCommand(app, "hup", "", "send service HUP signal"),
+		makeCommand(app, "alarm", "", "send service ALRM signal"),
+		makeCommand(app, "interrupt", "", "send service INT signal"),
+		makeCommand(app, "quit", "", "send service QUIT signal"),
+		makeCommand(app, "usr1", "1", "send service USR1 signal"),
+		makeCommand(app, "usr2", "2", "send service USR2 signal"),
+		makeCommand(app, "term", "", "send service TERM signal"),
+		makeCommand(app, "kill", "", "send service KILL signal"),
 
 		// lsb
-		makeCommand("start", app.Start),
-		makeCommand("stop", app.Stop),
-		makeCommand("reload", app.Reload),
-		makeCommand("restart", app.Restart),
-		makeCommand("shutdown", app.Shutdown),
+		makeCommand(app, "start", "", "start service"),
+		makeCommand(app, "stop", "", "stop service"),
+		makeCommand(app, "reload", "", "reload service config"),
+		makeCommand(app, "restart", "", "restsart service"),
+		makeCommand(app, "shutdown", "", "shutdown service"),
 	}
 
 	app.Run(os.Args)
diff --git a/cmd/runitcmd/setup.go b/cmd/runitcmd/setup.go
index 6c47b46..a8ed790 100644
--- a/cmd/runitcmd/setup.go
+++ b/cmd/runitcmd/setup.go
@@ -16,29 +16,10 @@ func initSetup(app *Application) *cli.Command {
 	usage := "setup a service"
 
 	flags := []cli.Flag{
-		&cli.StringFlag{
-			Name:  "log-level, l",
-			Usage: "log level",
-			Value: "warn",
-		},
 		&cli.BoolFlag{
 			Name:  "verbose, v",
 			Usage: "be verbose",
 		},
-		&cli.StringFlag{
-			Name:  "service-dir",
-			Usage: "service directory",
-			Value: runit.DefaultServiceDir,
-		},
-		&cli.StringFlag{
-			Name:  "active-service-dir",
-			Usage: "active service directory",
-			Value: runit.DefaultActiveDir,
-		},
-		&cli.StringFlag{
-			Name:  "log-dir",
-			Usage: "log to directory",
-		},
 		&cli.BoolFlag{
 			Name:  "enable, e",
 			Usage: "setup service and enable it",
@@ -88,10 +69,9 @@ func initSetup(app *Application) *cli.Command {
 }
 
 func (app *Application) Setup(c *cli.Context) error {
-	log_level := c.String("log-level")
 	verbose := c.Bool("verbose")
 	service_dir := c.String("service-dir")
-	active_dir := c.String("active-service-dir")
+	active_dir := c.String("active-dir")
 	log_dir := c.String("log-dir")
 	enable := c.Bool("enable")
 	disable := c.Bool("disable")
@@ -106,13 +86,12 @@ func (app *Application) Setup(c *cli.Context) error {
 	args := c.Args()
 	name := args.First()
 
+	log.Tracef("setup service-dir:%s active-dir:%s log-dir:%s",
+		service_dir, active_dir, log_dir)
+
 	if verbose {
 		gologging.SetLogLevel("trace")
 	}
-	if log_level != "" {
-		gologging.SetLogLevel(log_level)
-	}
-
 	// template does nothing
 
 	// make the runit api locally for these flags to function
@@ -141,11 +120,7 @@ func (app *Application) Setup(c *cli.Context) error {
 	log.Tracef("setup %s", name)
 
 	lcfg := runit.DefaultLoggingConfig()
-	if log_dir == "" {
-		lcfg.Directory = filepath.Join(runit.DefaultLogDir, name)
-	} else {
-		lcfg.Directory = log_dir
-	}
+	lcfg.Directory = filepath.Join(log_dir, name)
 
 	var exec string
 	if uid != 0 || gid != 0 {
diff --git a/dev/gi b/dev/gi
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..aa9406e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/gi
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -x
+go install github.com/sigmonsays/runitcmd/...
diff --git a/dev/mkdirs.sh b/dev/mkdirs.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b9e9d3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/mkdirs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env sh
+
+mkdir -pv $SERVICE_DIR $ACTIVE_SERVICE_DIR $LOG_DIR
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index f6bb887..915cd28 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@ module github.com/sigmonsays/runitcmd
 go 1.13
 
 require (
+	github.com/cpuguy83/go-md2man/v2 v2.0.3 // indirect
+	github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0 // indirect
+	github.com/shurcooL/sanitized_anchor_name v1.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/sigmonsays/go-logging v0.0.0-20170415192813-93f4813d2694
-	github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.2.0
+	github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.27.1
+	github.com/xrash/smetrics v0.0.0-20231213231151-1d8dd44e695e // indirect
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.2.8
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index ae83dd0..4ae4bb7 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1,18 +1,30 @@
 github.com/BurntSushi/toml v0.3.1/go.mod h1:xHWCNGjB5oqiDr8zfno3MHue2Ht5sIBksp03qcyfWMU=
+github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.3.2/go.mod h1:CxXYINrC8qIiEnFrOxCa7Jy5BFHlXnUU2pbicEuybxQ=
 github.com/cpuguy83/go-md2man/v2 v2.0.0-20190314233015-f79a8a8ca69d h1:U+s90UTSYgptZMwQh2aRr3LuazLJIa+Pg3Kc1ylSYVY=
 github.com/cpuguy83/go-md2man/v2 v2.0.0-20190314233015-f79a8a8ca69d/go.mod h1:maD7wRr/U5Z6m/iR4s+kqSMx2CaBsrgA7czyZG/E6dU=
+github.com/cpuguy83/go-md2man/v2 v2.0.2/go.mod h1:tgQtvFlXSQOSOSIRvRPT7W67SCa46tRHOmNcaadrF8o=
+github.com/cpuguy83/go-md2man/v2 v2.0.3 h1:qMCsGGgs+MAzDFyp9LpAe1Lqy/fY/qCovCm0qnXZOBM=
+github.com/cpuguy83/go-md2man/v2 v2.0.3/go.mod h1:tgQtvFlXSQOSOSIRvRPT7W67SCa46tRHOmNcaadrF8o=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0 h1:4DBwDE0NGyQoBHbLQYPwSUPoCMWR5BEzIk/f1lZbAQM=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0/go.mod h1:iKH77koFhYxTK1pcRnkKkqfTogsbg7gZNVY4sRDYZ/4=
 github.com/russross/blackfriday/v2 v2.0.1 h1:lPqVAte+HuHNfhJ/0LC98ESWRz8afy9tM/0RK8m9o+Q=
 github.com/russross/blackfriday/v2 v2.0.1/go.mod h1:+Rmxgy9KzJVeS9/2gXHxylqXiyQDYRxCVz55jmeOWTM=
+github.com/russross/blackfriday/v2 v2.1.0 h1:JIOH55/0cWyOuilr9/qlrm0BSXldqnqwMsf35Ld67mk=
+github.com/russross/blackfriday/v2 v2.1.0/go.mod h1:+Rmxgy9KzJVeS9/2gXHxylqXiyQDYRxCVz55jmeOWTM=
 github.com/shurcooL/sanitized_anchor_name v1.0.0 h1:PdmoCO6wvbs+7yrJyMORt4/BmY5IYyJwS/kOiWx8mHo=
 github.com/shurcooL/sanitized_anchor_name v1.0.0/go.mod h1:1NzhyTcUVG4SuEtjjoZeVRXNmyL/1OwPU0+IJeTBvfc=
 github.com/sigmonsays/go-logging v0.0.0-20170415192813-93f4813d2694 h1:Mj7zYpc19leanFgX83o107yxP2f89/F1TFjZSQxoEhI=
 github.com/sigmonsays/go-logging v0.0.0-20170415192813-93f4813d2694/go.mod h1:6+xYjK0jIspthgQ2ScYbhbfKk/rAbwkniV704uQJsxA=
 github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.2.0 h1:JTTnM6wKzdA0Jqodd966MVj4vWbbquZykeX1sKbe2C4=
 github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.2.0/go.mod h1:SE9GqnLQmjVa0iPEY0f1w3ygNIYcIJ0OKPMoW2caLfQ=
+github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.27.1 h1:8xSQ6szndafKVRmfyeUMxkNUJQMjL1F2zmsZ+qHpfho=
+github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.27.1/go.mod h1:8qnjx1vcq5s2/wpsqoZFndg2CE5tNFyrTvS6SinrnYQ=
+github.com/xrash/smetrics v0.0.0-20201216005158-039620a65673/go.mod h1:N3UwUGtsrSj3ccvlPHLoLsHnpR27oXr4ZE984MbSER8=
+github.com/xrash/smetrics v0.0.0-20231213231151-1d8dd44e695e h1:+SOyEddqYF09QP7vr7CgJ1eti3pY9Fn3LHO1M1r/0sI=
+github.com/xrash/smetrics v0.0.0-20231213231151-1d8dd44e695e/go.mod h1:N3UwUGtsrSj3ccvlPHLoLsHnpR27oXr4ZE984MbSER8=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405 h1:yhCVgyC4o1eVCa2tZl7eS0r+SDo693bJlVdllGtEeKM=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.2.2/go.mod h1:hI93XBmqTisBFMUTm0b8Fm+jr3Dg1NNxqwp+5A1VGuI=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.2.8 h1:obN1ZagJSUGI0Ek/LBmuj4SNLPfIny3KsKFopxRdj10=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.2.8/go.mod h1:hI93XBmqTisBFMUTm0b8Fm+jr3Dg1NNxqwp+5A1VGuI=
+gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=
diff --git a/runit/apply.go b/runit/apply.go
index a043dcb..faeecdd 100644
--- a/runit/apply.go
+++ b/runit/apply.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func (runit *Runit) Apply(cfg *ServiceConfig) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	fmt.Fprintf(f, "#!/bin/bash\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(f, "#!/usr/bin/env bash\n")
 	if cfg.RedirectStderr {
 		fmt.Fprintf(f, "exec 2>&1\n")
 	}
diff --git a/runit/logging.go b/runit/logging.go
index d9245ce..3b7766d 100644
--- a/runit/logging.go
+++ b/runit/logging.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func (cfg *LoggingConfig) WriteRunFile(path string) error {
 		log.Warnf("invalid timestamp value: %d", cfg.Timestamp)
 	}
 
-	fmt.Fprintf(f, "#!/bin/bash\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(f, "#!/usr/bin/env bash\n")
 	fmt.Fprintf(f, "exec svlogd %s %s\n", svlogd_flags, cfg.Directory)
 
 	log.Tracef("log/run svlogd %s %s", svlogd_flags, cfg.Directory)
diff --git a/shell.nix b/shell.nix
index 6d05188..74cb5f4 100644
--- a/shell.nix
+++ b/shell.nix
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ with pkgs;
 
 mkShell {
   buildInputs = [
-        go
-        gopls
+        #go
+        #gopls
         runit
   ];
 }