diff --git a/main-helper.rkt b/main-helper.rkt
index 0bcaefc..2b2caef 100644
--- a/main-helper.rkt
+++ b/main-helper.rkt
@@ -3,13 +3,28 @@
 
 ;; use full planet paths because this file is evaluated from source directory,
 ;; not module directory
-(require (for-syntax (planet mb/pollen/tools) (planet mb/pollen/world)))
+(require (for-syntax racket/rerequire (planet mb/pollen/tools) (planet mb/pollen/world)))
 (require (planet mb/pollen/tools) (planet mb/pollen/world))
 
 (provide (all-defined-out))
 
 (module+ test (require rackunit))
 
+;; use define-for-syntax because this function supports
+;; the two syntax transformers below
+(define-for-syntax (make-files-in-require-form file-directory)
+  ;; This will be resolved in the context of current-directory.
+  ;; So when called from outside the project directory, 
+  ;; current-directory must be properly set with 'parameterize'
+  (define (insert-directory-into-path path)
+    ;; todo: document why this function is necessary (it definitely is, but I forgot why)
+    (define-values (start_dir name _ignore) (split-path (path->complete-path path)))
+    (build-path start_dir file-directory name))
+  (define files (map insert-directory-into-path (filter (λ(i) (has-ext? i 'rkt)) (directory-list file-directory))))
+  ; this puts files in require form
+  (map (λ(file) `(file ,(->string file))) files))
+  
+
 ;; Look for an EXTRAS_DIR directory local to the source file.
 ;; and require all the .rkt files therein. 
 ;; optionally provide them.
diff --git a/predicates.rkt b/predicates.rkt
index a233058..e9d101c 100644
--- a/predicates.rkt
+++ b/predicates.rkt
@@ -62,6 +62,14 @@
   (any/c . -> . boolean?)
   (or (string? x) (tagged-xexpr? x)))
 
+;; Not a great idea to use "plural" (i.e. listlike) contracts.
+;; Instead of foobars? use (listof foobar?) as contract
+;; Reason is that listof will show you the specific element that fails
+;; whereas foobars? will just announce the result for the whole list.
+;; Since contracts are intended to tell you why your input is defective,
+;; the (listof foobar?) behavior is better.
+;; outside of contracts, instead of testing (foobars? list),
+;; test (andmap foobar? list)
 
 (define/contract (xexpr-elements? x)
   (any/c . -> . boolean?)
@@ -87,8 +95,8 @@
   (and (xexpr? x) ; meets basic xexpr contract
        (match x
          [(list (? symbol? name) rest ...) ; is a list starting with a symbol
-          (or (xexpr-elements? rest) ; the rest is content or ...
-              (and (xexpr-attr? (car rest)) (xexpr-elements? (cdr rest))))] ; attr + content 
+          (or (andmap xexpr-element? rest) ; the rest is content or ...
+              (and (xexpr-attr? (car rest)) (andmap xexpr-element? (cdr rest))))] ; attr + content 
          [else #f])))
 
 (module+ test  
@@ -178,15 +186,17 @@
 ;; pmap attr must be ((parent "value"))
 (define/contract (pmap-attr? x)
   (any/c . -> . boolean?)
+  (define foo 'bar)
   (match x
-    [(list `(,POLLEN_MAP_PARENT_KEY ,(? string?))) #t]
+    ;; todo: how can I use POLLEN_MAP_PARENT_KEY
+    [`((parent ,(? string?))) #t]
     [else #f]))
 
 (module+ test
-  (check-true (pmap-attr? `((,POLLEN_MAP_PARENT_KEY "bar"))))
-  (check-false (pmap-attr? `((,POLLEN_MAP_PARENT_KEY "bar")(foo "bar"))))
+  (check-true (pmap-attr? '((parent "bar"))))
+  (check-false (pmap-attr? '((parent "bar") '(foo "bar"))))
   (check-false (pmap-attr? '())))
-  
+
 
 ;; pmap location must represent a possible valid filename
 (define/contract (pmap-key? x #:loud [loud #f])
diff --git a/regenerate.rkt b/regenerate.rkt
index 0da25ea..741294c 100644
--- a/regenerate.rkt
+++ b/regenerate.rkt
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
                                (regenerate-with-pmap pmap #:force force))]
         [(equal? FALLBACK_TEMPLATE_NAME (->string (file-name-from-path path)))
          (message "Regenerate: using fallback template")]
-        [(file-exists? path) (message "Regenerate: passing through" (->string (file-name-from-path path)))]
+        [(file-exists? path) (message "Regenerate: nothing to be done with" (->string (file-name-from-path path)))]
         [else (error "Regenerate couldn't find" (->string (file-name-from-path path)))])))
   (for-each &regenerate xs))
 
diff --git a/tools.rkt b/tools.rkt
index 99fcd4e..28d7087 100644
--- a/tools.rkt
+++ b/tools.rkt
@@ -11,19 +11,6 @@
 ;; setup for test cases
 (module+ test (require rackunit))
 
-;; helper function for pollen/main and pollen/main-pre
-(define (make-files-in-require-form file-directory)
-  ;; This will be resolved in the context of current-directory.
-  ;; So when called from outside the project directory, 
-  ;; current-directory must be properly set with 'parameterize'
-  (define (make-complete-path path)
-    ;; todo: document why this function is necessary (it definitely is, but I forgot why)
-    (define-values (start_dir name _ignore) (split-path (path->complete-path path)))
-    (build-path start_dir file-directory name))
-  (define files (map make-complete-path (filter (λ(i) (has-ext? i 'rkt)) (directory-list file-directory))))
-  (define files-in-require-form 
-    (map (λ(file) `(file ,(->string file))) files)) 
-  files-in-require-form)
 
 
 ;; helper for comparison of values
@@ -69,7 +56,10 @@
 
 ;; create tagged-xexpr from parts (opposite of break-tagged-xexpr)
 (define/contract (make-tagged-xexpr name [attr empty] [content empty])
-  ((symbol?) (xexpr-attr? xexpr-elements?) . ->* . tagged-xexpr?)
+  ; xexpr/c provides a nicer error message,
+  ; but is not sufficient on its own (too permissive)
+  ((symbol?) (xexpr-attr? (listof xexpr-element?)) 
+             . ->* . tagged-xexpr?)
   (filter-not empty? `(,name ,attr ,@content)))
 
 (module+ test
@@ -82,7 +72,8 @@
 
 ;; decompose tagged-xexpr into parts (opposite of make-tagged-xexpr)
 (define/contract (break-tagged-xexpr nx)
-  (tagged-xexpr? . -> . (values symbol? xexpr-attr? xexpr-elements?))
+  (tagged-xexpr? . -> . 
+                 (values symbol? xexpr-attr? (listof xexpr-element?)))
   (match 
       ; tagged-xexpr may or may not have attr
       ; if not, add empty attr so that decomposition only handles one case
@@ -114,7 +105,7 @@
   attr)
 
 (define (tagged-xexpr-elements nx)
-  (tagged-xexpr? . -> . xexpr-elements?)
+  (tagged-xexpr? . -> . (listof xexpr-element?))
   (define-values (tag attrt elements) (break-tagged-xexpr nx))
   elements)
 
@@ -201,7 +192,7 @@
 
 ;; function to split tag out of tagged-xexpr
 (define/contract (split-tag-from-xexpr tag tx)
-  (xexpr-tag? tagged-xexpr? . -> . (values xexpr-elements? tagged-xexpr? ))
+  (xexpr-tag? tagged-xexpr? . -> . (values (listof xexpr-element?) tagged-xexpr? ))
   (define matches '())
   (define (extract-tag x)
     (cond