diff --git a/lib/gen/asmodule.go b/lib/gen/asmodule.go
index 5138f8eff..ce917691c 100644
--- a/lib/gen/asmodule.go
+++ b/lib/gen/asmodule.go
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ package gen
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue"
 
 	"github.com/hofstadter-io/hof/lib/templates"
+	"github.com/hofstadter-io/hof/lib/yagu"
 )
 
 func (R *Runtime) AsModule() error {
@@ -99,51 +101,66 @@ func (R *Runtime) AsModule() error {
 		"WatchXcue": FP.WatchXcue,
 	}
 
-	// render template
-	ft, err := templates.CreateFromString("as-module", asModuleTemplate, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	bs, err := ft.Render(data)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	// local helper to render and write embedded templates
+	render := func(outpath, content string) error {
+		if R.Verbosity > 0 {
+			fmt.Println("rendering:", outpath)
+		}
+		ft, err := templates.CreateFromString(outpath, content, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		bs, err := ft.Render(data)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if outpath == "-" {
+			fmt.Println(string(bs))
+			return nil
+		} else {
+			if strings.Contains(outpath, "/") {
+				dir, _ := filepath.Split(outpath)
+				err := os.MkdirAll(dir, 0755)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+			return os.WriteFile(outpath, bs, 0644)
+		}
 	}
 
-	// stdout or write file
+	if R.Verbosity > 0 {
+		fmt.Println("writing:", name)
+	}
 	if name == "-" {
-		fmt.Println(string(bs))
-	} else {
-		// write to file
-		err := os.WriteFile(name + ".cue", bs, 0644)
+		err = render(name, asModuleTemplate)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-
-		// also write mod file
-		// render template
-		ft, err := templates.CreateFromString("cue-mods", cuemodsTemplate, nil)
+	} else {
+		err = render(name + ".cue", asModuleTemplate)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		bs, err := ft.Render(data)
+		err = render("cue.mods", cuemodsTemplate)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		err = os.WriteFile("cue.mods", bs, 0644)
-
-		// todo, init module and fetch deps
-
-		// parting message
-		ft, err = templates.CreateFromString("final-msg", finalMsg, nil)
+		// err = render("cue.mod/module.cue", cuemodFileTemplate)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		bs, err = ft.Render(data)
+		// todo, fetch deps
+		msg, err := yagu.Bash("hof mod vendor cue")
+		fmt.Println(msg)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		fmt.Println(string(bs))
 
+		err = render("-", finalMsg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	if R.Verbosity > 0 {
@@ -153,13 +170,6 @@ func (R *Runtime) AsModule() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-const finalMsg = `
-Now run
-	hof mod init cue hof.io/{{ .Name }}
-  hof mod vendor cue
-  hof gen -G {{ .Name }}
-`
-
 const asModuleTemplate = `
 package {{ .Name }}
 
@@ -301,6 +311,10 @@ import (
 }
 `
 
+const cuemodFileTemplate = `
+module: "hof.io/{{ .Name }}"
+`
+
 const cuemodsTemplate = `
 module hof.io/{{ .Name }}
 
@@ -310,3 +324,5 @@ require (
 	github.com/hofstadter-io/hof v0.6.3
 )
 `
+
+const finalMsg = `Now run hof gen -G {{ .Name }}`
diff --git a/lib/gen/generator.go b/lib/gen/generator.go
index facc478c5..685df9de6 100644
--- a/lib/gen/generator.go
+++ b/lib/gen/generator.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package gen
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue"
@@ -277,6 +278,19 @@ func (G *Generator) initFileGens() []error {
 	var errs []error
 
 	for _, F := range G.Out {
+		// support text/template in output file path
+		if strings.Contains(F.Filepath, "{{") {
+			ft, err := templates.CreateFromString("filepath", F.Filepath, nil)
+			if err != nil {
+				errs = append(errs, err)
+			}
+			bs, err := ft.Render(F.In)
+			if err != nil {
+				errs = append(errs, err)
+			}
+			F.Filepath = string(bs)
+		}
+
 		G.OrderedFiles = append(G.OrderedFiles, F)
 		G.Files[F.Filepath] = F
 	}
diff --git a/lib/templates/helpers.go b/lib/templates/helpers.go
index 476b297fa..62eae4149 100644
--- a/lib/templates/helpers.go
+++ b/lib/templates/helpers.go
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ var funcMap = template.FuncMap{
 	"replace":        Helper_replace,
 	"hasprefix":      Helper_hasprefix,
 	"hassuffix":      Helper_hassuffix,
+	"trimspace":      Helper_trimspace,
 	"trimprefix":     Helper_trimprefix,
 	"trimsuffix":     Helper_trimsuffix,
 	"trimto":         Helper_trimto_first,
@@ -290,6 +291,9 @@ func Helper_hassuffix(str, suf string) string {
 	}
 	return ""
 }
+func Helper_trimspace(str string) string {
+	return strings.TrimSpace(str)
+}
 func Helper_trimprefix(str, pre string) string {
 	return strings.TrimPrefix(str, pre)
 }
diff --git a/test/watch/.hof/shadow/DemoExample/out.txt b/test/watch/.hof/shadow/DemoExample/out.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 31b086ddb..000000000
--- a/test/watch/.hof/shadow/DemoExample/out.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-
-NAME: ALICE
-name: alice
-role: user
-
-
-
-NAME: COW
-name: cow
-role: mooer
-
-
-
-NAME: DARTH
-name: darth
-role: evil
-
-
-
-NAME: MARY
-name: mary
-role: admin
-
-
-
diff --git a/test/watch/.hof/shadow/DemoExample/users.txt b/test/watch/.hof/shadow/DemoExample/users.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 299a9ddd1..000000000
--- a/test/watch/.hof/shadow/DemoExample/users.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-package foo
-
-// function Alice pretend time
-func Alice( User int ) error {
-	fmt.Println("hey ALICE!!")
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-// function Cow pretend time
-func Cow( Mooer int ) error {
-	fmt.Println("hey COW!!")
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-// function Darth pretend time
-func Darth( Evil int ) error {
-	fmt.Println("hey DARTH!!")
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-// function Mary pretend time
-func Mary( Admin int ) error {
-	fmt.Println("hey MARY!!")
-
-	return nil
-}
-
diff --git a/test/watch/cue.mods b/test/watch/cue.mods
deleted file mode 100644
index 1248e3651..000000000
--- a/test/watch/cue.mods
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-package hof.io/demo
-
-require (
-	github.com/hofstadter-io/hof/v0.6.3-rc.2
-)
diff --git a/test/watch/data.cue b/test/watch/data.cue
index 4fcbd2cec..652d8df3a 100644
--- a/test/watch/data.cue
+++ b/test/watch/data.cue
@@ -5,11 +5,6 @@ import "strings"
 users: [n=string]: {name: n, NAME: strings.ToUpper(n)}
 users: {
 	alice: role: "user"
-	cow: role:   "mooer"
 	darth: role: "evil"
 	mary: role:  "admin"
 }
-
-data: {
-	foo: "bar"
-}
diff --git a/test/watch/demo.cue b/test/watch/demo.cue
deleted file mode 100644
index 3c05d509b..000000000
--- a/test/watch/demo.cue
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,86 +0,0 @@
-package demo
-
-import (
-	"github.com/hofstadter-io/hof/schema/gen"
-)
-
-// This is example usage of your generator
-DemoExample: #DemoGenerator & {
-	@gen(demo)
-
-	// inputs to the generator
-	"users": users
-	"data":  data
-
-	// other settings
-	Diff3:  false
-	Outdir: "./"
-
-	// required by examples inside the same module
-	// your users do not set or see this field
-	PackageName: ""
-}
-
-// This is your reusable generator module
-//
-#DemoGenerator: gen.#Generator & {
-
-	//
-	// user input fields
-	//
-
-	// this is the interface for this generator module
-	// typically you enforce schema(s) here
-	users: _
-	data:  _
-
-	//
-	// Internal Fields
-	//
-
-	// This is the global input data the templates will see
-	// You can reshape and transform the user inputs
-	// While we put it under internal, you can expose In
-	In: {
-		// if you want to user your input data
-		// add top-level fields from your
-		// CUE entrypoints here, adjusting as needed
-		// Since you made this a module for others,
-		// it won't output until this field is filled
-
-		"users": users
-		"data":  data
-
-		...
-	}
-
-	// required for hof CUE modules to work
-	// your users do not set or see this field
-	PackageName: string | *"hof.io/demo"
-
-	// Templates: [{Globs: ["./templates/**/*"], TrimPrefix: "./templates/"}]
-	Templates: [ {Globs: [ "min.txt", "ext.txt"]}]
-
-	// Partials: [#Templates & {Globs: ["./partials/**/*"], TrimPrefix: "./partials/"}]
-	Partials: []
-
-	// The final list of files for hof to generate
-	Out: [...gen.#File] & [
-		t_0,
-		t_1,
-
-	]
-
-	// These are the -T mappings
-	t_0: {
-		TemplatePath: "min.txt"
-		Filepath:     "out.txt"
-	}
-	t_1: {
-		TemplatePath: "ext.txt"
-		Filepath:     "users.txt"
-	}
-
-	// so your users can build on this
-	...
-}
diff --git a/test/watch/out.txt b/test/watch/out.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 67ef58b27..000000000
--- a/test/watch/out.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-NAME: ALICE
-name: alice
-role: user
-
-
-
-NAME: COW
-name: cow
-role: mooer
-
-
-
-NAME: DARTH
-name: darth
-role: evil
-
-
-
-NAME: MARY
-name: mary
-role: admin
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/watch/users.txt b/test/watch/users.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 24ffe1d22..000000000
--- a/test/watch/users.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-package foo
-
-// function Alice pretend time
-func Alice( User int ) error {
-	fmt.Println("hey ALICE!!")
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-// function Cow pretend time
-func Cow( Mooer int ) error {
-	fmt.Println("hey COW!!")
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-// function Darth pretend time
-func Darth( Evil int ) error {
-	fmt.Println("hey DARTH!!")
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-// function Mary pretend time
-func Mary( Admin int ) error {
-	fmt.Println("hey MARY!!")
-
-	return nil
-}
\ No newline at end of file