diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dec3edc..afd9014 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-We are surprised at the time of this writing that the system tray remains such an obvious bottleneck in the nevertheless ubiquitous fight against mouse-dependency among neckbeards the world over. We present accordingly, systray_hints.
+We are surprised at the time of this writing that the system tray remains such an obvious bottleneck in the nevertheless ubiquitous fight against mouse-dependency among neckbeards the world over. We present accordingly: systray_hints.
 
 # Overview
 
-When `systray_hints.run()` is executed, a popup widget displays numbers next to each icon in the system tray while keygrabber listens for input. The number entered on the keyboard sends a right click to the corresponding icon and the original position of the mouse pointer is restored. For most programs this opens a context menu the user may then navigate using arrow keys and pressing Return. 
+When `systray_hints.run()` is executed, a popup widget displays a number next to each icon in the system tray while keygrabber listens for input. The number entered on the keyboard sends a right click to the corresponding icon and the original position of the mouse pointer is restored. For most programs this opens a context menu the user may then navigate using arrows and the Return key. To cancel, submit any invalid entry; in practice this includes the Escape key as well as whatever keybinding was configured to launch the function.
 
-The default option of a right click may be overriden on the fly by pressing the Left or Right arrow key before making a selection for a left or right click, respectively. Alternatively, pressing either the Up or Down key will bypass all clicking and the pointer is simply moved to the location of the selected icon to display its on-hover tooltip, if any.
+The configured mouse button (right-click by default) can be overridden before entering a selection by pressing the Left or Right arrow key for a left or right click, respectively. Alternatively, pressing the Up arrow key will substitute hovering for clicking to display a given icon's tooltip, if any. 
 
-If ten or more icons are displayed, the function will interpret the "1" key as the first digit of the selection and wait for the second digit, or wait for the Return key. Up to 19 icons are supported.
+If ten or more icons are displayed, the keygrabber will interpret the "1" key as the first digit of the selection and wait for the second digit, or for the Return key to select the first icon. Up to 19 icons are supported.
 
 # Install
 
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ Add `systray_hints = require("systray_hints")` to rc.lua. Note this may work bet
 
 # Configuration
 
+Configure by overriding systray_hints table values after the require statement. For example, set the font, left-click by default, and redefine the keybindings for left-click [1], hover [2], and right-click [3].
+
+    systray_hints                = require("systray_hints")
+    systray_hints.font           = "Iosevka Bold 16"
+    systray_hints.default_button = 1
+    systray_hints.mouse_buttons  = { "h", "j", "l" }
+
 If the system tray is normally hidden in your environment and toggled as needed with a keybinding, you can replace that keybinding with something like this:
 
     awful.key({ modkey }, "s", function ()
@@ -34,7 +41,7 @@ If the system tray is normally hidden in your environment and toggled as needed
 
     end, {description="toggle systray with hints", group="awesome"}),
 
-The `systray_hints.run()` function will automatically unhide the system tray as needed and will return it to its original visiblity state whenever a selection is not made.
+The `systray_hints.run()` function will automatically unhide the system tray as needed and will return it to its original visiblity state whenever a selection is not made, such as when the key combination is pressed again.
 
 If your system tray is always displayed, simply create a keybinding like the following:
 
@@ -53,6 +60,4 @@ If your system tray is always displayed, simply create a keybinding like the fol
 
 The ability to obtain the geometry of the system tray is not referenced in the awesome API for a reason; in theory it may occasionally return incorrect data, requiring an additional execution of the keybinding.
 
-This project was previously assembled as a quick hack in the form of a shell script requiring iocane, rofi, and xdotool. It has been rewritten as a native lua module for the latest stable release with no external dependencies. Final testing and clean-up in progress.
-
-While deprecated functions were avoided, we have not yet tested it in the development version.
+This project was previously assembled as a quick hack in the form of a shell script requiring iocane, rofi, and xdotool. It has been rewritten as a native lua module for the latest stable release with no external dependencies. While deprecated functions were avoided, we have not yet tested it in the development version.
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 48276f5..b3da1cd 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -1,45 +1,42 @@
 -- S Y S T R A Y   H I N T S 
 -- rts/oarion7 - ryanthomas.org 
--- Module to control the awesomewm systray from the keyboard using
--- vimium-like number hints. Developed and tested on awesome v4.3. 
-
--- TO DO: move widget to table (remove globals)
--- cleanup 
+-- Control the awesomewm systray from the keyboard using vimium-like
+-- number hints. Developed and tested on awesome v4.3. 
 
 local awful = require("awful")
 local gears = require("gears")
 local b     = require("beautiful")
 local wibox = require("wibox")
-
 local s
 
-local font          = b.systray_hints_font or b.taglist_font or b.font
-local bgcolor       = b.systray_hints_bg or b.taglist_bg_occupied or "#55465a"
-local highlight     = b.systray_hints_bg_highlight or "#aa53aa"
-local highlight_alt = b.systray_hints_bg_highlight_alt or "#426f5a"
-local fgcolor       = b.systray_hints_fg or b.taglist_fg_occupied or "#fdf6e3" 
-local bordercolor   = "#fdf6e333"
+awful.screen.connect_for_each_screen(function(screen) 
+    if screen.systray then s = screen end 
+end) 
 
-awful.screen.connect_for_each_screen(function(screen) if screen.systray then s = screen end end) 
 if s == nil then return nil end
 
-local systray_hints = {
-    arrows = { "Left", "Down", "Up", "Right" },
-    --arrows = { "h", "j", "k", "l" },
-    default_button = 3, 
-    --default_button = 1, 
-    hints = hints,
-    systray = s.systray,
-    wibox = s.mywibox, --where the system tray is located
-    run = run,
+local systray_hints = { 
+
+    font              = b.systray_hints_font or b.taglist_font or b.font,
+    bgcolor           = b.systray_hints_bg or b.taglist_bg_occupied or "#55465a",
+    highlight         = b.systray_hints_bg_highlight or "#aa53aa",
+
+    highlight_alt     = b.systray_hints_bg_highlight_alt or "#426f5a",
+    color             = b.systray_hints_fg or b.taglist_fg_occupied or "#fdf6e3",
+    bordercolor       = "#fdf6e333",
+    spacing           = 1,
+    mouse_buttons     = { "Left", "Up", "Right" }, 
+    default_button    = 3, 
+    popup             = popup,
+    systray           = s.systray,
+    wibox             = s.mywibox, --wibox in which to locate the system tray 
+    run               = run,
 }
 
 local total
 local was_hidden
-local icon_count
 local icon_width
-local half_icon 
-local first_icon_x
+local icons_x
 local icons_y
 
 local function delay(time, cmd)
@@ -47,48 +44,47 @@ local function delay(time, cmd)
         callback = function () cmd () end, } )
 end
 
-
 local function execute(choice, mouse_button)
 
-    local target
+    local saved
     local factor
-    local saved_coords
+    local target
 
-    saved_coords = mouse.coords({x = x, y = y}) 
+    saved = mouse.coords({x = x, y = y}) 
     if choice == 1 then factor = 0 else factor = choice - 1 end
-    target = first_icon_x + ( icon_width * factor )
+    target = icons_x + ( icon_width * factor )
     mouse.coords { x = target , y = icons_y }
 
     if mouse_button ~= 2 then 
         root.fake_input("button_press" , tostring(mouse_button))
         root.fake_input("button_release", tostring(mouse_button))
-        delay(0.05, function () mouse.coords({x = saved_coords.x, y = saved_coords.y}, true) end) 
+        delay(0.05, function () mouse.coords({x = saved.x, y = saved.y}, true) end) 
     end
 
-    if systray_hints.hints then systray_hints.hints.visible = false end
+    if systray_hints.popup then systray_hints.popup.visible = false end
 
 end
 
-local function highlight_options(total)
+local function highlight_multidigits(total)
     local color    
     for i = 9, total do
-        color = highlight_alt
+        color = systray_hints.highlight_alt
         if i == 9 then 
             i = 1 
-            color = highlight
+            color = systray_hints.highlight
         end
-        systray_hints.hints.widget:get_children()[1]:get_children()[i].widget:set_bg(color)
+        systray_hints.popup.widget:get_children()[1]:get_children()[i].widget:set_bg(color)
     end
 end
 
-
 local function get_key_input(total)
 
     local grabber
     local mouse_button
-    local mouse_button = systray_hints.default_button
     local function conc(n) return tonumber( 1 .. n ) end
-
+    
+    mouse_button = systray_hints.default_button
+    
     grabber = awful.keygrabber {
 
         mask_modkeys = true,
@@ -97,9 +93,10 @@ local function get_key_input(total)
 
             if key == '1' and total > 9 then 
                 
-                if systray_hints.hints then
-                    highlight_options(total)
+                if systray_hints.popup then
+                    highlight_multidigits(total)
                 end
+                
                 grabber.keypressed_callback  = function(self, mod, key, cmd)
                         if key == "Return" then
                             execute(1, mouse_button)
@@ -109,20 +106,20 @@ local function get_key_input(total)
                             grabber:stop()
                         else
                             grabber:stop()
-                            if was_hidden then s.systray.visible = false end
-                            if systray_hints.hints then systray_hints.hints.visible = false end
+                            if was_hidden then systray_hints.systray.visible = false end
+                            if systray_hints.popup then systray_hints.popup.visible = false end
                         end
                 end
-            elseif key == systray_hints.arrows[1] then mouse_button = 1
-            elseif key == systray_hints.arrows[4] then mouse_button = 3
-            elseif key == systray_hints.arrows[2] or key == systray_hints.arrows[3] then mouse_button = 2
+            elseif key == systray_hints.mouse_buttons[1] then mouse_button = 1
+            elseif key == systray_hints.mouse_buttons[2] then mouse_button = 2
+            elseif key == systray_hints.mouse_buttons[3] then mouse_button = 3
             elseif not key:match("%D") and tonumber(key) <= total then 
                 execute(tonumber(key), mouse_button)
                 grabber:stop()
             else
                 grabber:stop()
-                if was_hidden then s.systray.visible = false end
-                if systray_hints.hints then systray_hints.hints.visible = false end
+                if was_hidden then systray_hints.systray.visible = false end
+                if systray_hints.popup then systray_hints.popup.visible = false end
             end
 
         end,
@@ -131,79 +128,67 @@ local function get_key_input(total)
 
 end
 
+local function show_hints(x, y, w, total, s)
 
+    local hints = {}
+    local hint_width
 
-local function show_hints(sys_hints_geo_x, sys_hints_geo_y, w, sys_hints_icon_count, s)
+    hint_width = w - ( systray_hints.spacing * 2 ) 
 
-    local sys_hints_icon_width = w - 2 --subtract for margins
+    --Decide whether hints should display above or below systray icons.
+    if y >= 100 then y = y - hint_width else y = y + hint_width end
 
-    if sys_hints_geo_y >= 100 then 
-        sys_hints_geo_y = sys_hints_geo_y - sys_hints_icon_width
-    else sys_hints_geo_y = sys_hints_geo_y + sys_hints_icon_width
-    --Decide if hints should display above or below systray icons.
-    end
-
-    --hide if already displayed
-    if systray_hints.hints then systray_hints.hints.visible = false end
-
-    local num_rows = sys_hints_icon_count
-    local sys_hints_list = {}
-    local systray_widget_list = {}
+    --Hide if already displayed
+    if systray_hints.popup then systray_hints.popup.visible = false end
 
     local widget_shape = function(cr, width, height)
         gears.shape.rounded_rect(cr, width, height, 5)
     end
 
-    local var = {}
-    for i = 1, num_rows do table.insert(sys_hints_list, tostring(i)) end 
-    for k, v in pairs(sys_hints_list) do
+    for i = 1, total do 
 
-        var["text_" .. v] = wibox.widget.textbox(tostring(v))
-        local text_alias = var["text_" .. v]
-        text_alias.font = font -- "Sans 14"
-        text_alias.markup = '<span color="' .. fgcolor ..
-        '">' .. v .. '</span>'
+        local text 
+        local placement = {}
+        local background = {}
+        local margins = {}
 
-        local item_place = {}
-        table.insert(item_place, text_alias)
+        text        = wibox.widget.textbox(tostring(i))
+        text.font   = systray_hints.font 
+        text.markup = '<span color="' .. systray_hints.color .. '">' .. 
+                      i .. '</span>'
 
-        item_place.widget = wibox.container.place
+        table.insert(placement, text)
+        
+        placement.widget = wibox.container.place
+        table.insert(background, placement)
 
-        local item_background = {}
-        table.insert(item_background, item_place)
+        background.widget             = wibox.container.background
+        background.bg                 = systray_hints.bgcolor 
+        background.forced_width       = hint_width
+        background.shape              = widget_shape
+        background.shape_border_width = 2
+        background.shape_border_color = systray_hints.bordercolor
 
-        item_background.widget = wibox.container.background
-        item_background.bg = bgcolor -- "#ff00ff"
-        item_background.forced_width = sys_hints_icon_width
-        item_background.shape  = widget_shape
-        item_background.shape_border_width = 2
-        item_background.shape_border_color = bordercolor
-        tostring(v)
+        table.insert(margins, background)
 
-        local item_margin = {}
-        table.insert(item_margin, item_background)
-
-        item_margin.widget = wibox.container.margin
-        item_margin.right  = 1
-        item_margin.left  = 1
-
-        local complete_widget = item_margin
-        table.insert(systray_widget_list, complete_widget)
+        margins.widget = wibox.container.margin
+        margins.right  = systray_hints.spacing
+        margins.left  = systray_hints.spacing
+        table.insert(hints, margins)
     end 
 
-    systray_widget_list.layout = wibox.layout.fixed.horizontal
-    systray_hints.hints = awful.popup {
+    hints.layout = wibox.layout.fixed.horizontal
+    systray_hints.popup = awful.popup {
         widget = {
-        screen = s,
-        systray_widget_list,
-
-        layout = wibox.layout.fixed.horizontal,
+            screen = s,
+            hints,
+            layout = wibox.layout.fixed.horizontal,
         },
-        x            = sys_hints_geo_x,
-        y            = sys_hints_geo_y,
-        visible      = true,
-        ontop        = true,
-        bg           = "#00000000",
+        x = x,
+        y = y,
+        visible = true,
+        ontop = true,
+        bg = "#00000000",
    }
 
 end
@@ -214,14 +199,13 @@ local function find_widget_in_wibox(wb, wdg)
       local g = gears.matrix.transform_rectangle
       local x, y, w, h = g(hi:get_matrix_to_device(), 0, 0, hi:get_size())
 
-      icon_count = math.floor( ( w - ( w % h) ) / h + 1 )
-      icon_width = math.floor(w / icon_count )
-      half_icon = math.floor( icon_width / 2)
-      first_icon_x = math.floor( x + half_icon)
-      icons_y = math.floor(y + half_icon)
+      total = math.floor( ( w - ( w % h) ) / h + 1 )
+      icon_width = math.floor(w / total )
+      icons_x = math.floor( x + icon_width / 2)
+      icons_y = math.floor(y + icon_width / 2)
       
-      show_hints( math.floor(x), math.floor(y), icon_width, icon_count, s )
-      get_key_input(icon_count)
+      show_hints( math.floor(x), math.floor(y), icon_width, total, s )
+      get_key_input(total)
 
    end
 
@@ -231,9 +215,7 @@ local function find_widget_in_wibox(wb, wdg)
             return 
       end
       for _, child in ipairs(hi:get_children()) do
-         -- return traverse(child)
             traverse(child)
-         -- allow for additional round of recursion across container widgets.
       end
    end
    return traverse(wb._drawable._widget_hierarchy)
@@ -241,9 +223,9 @@ end
 
 systray_hints.run = function ()
 
-    if not s.systray.visible then 
+    if not systray_hints.systray.visible then 
         was_hidden = true
-        s.systray.visible = true 
+        systray_hints.systray.visible = true 
         delay(0.05, function () find_widget_in_wibox(systray_hints.wibox, systray_hints.systray) end) 
     else
         find_widget_in_wibox(systray_hints.wibox, systray_hints.systray)