diff --git a/prefs/home.py b/prefs/home.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3702654
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prefs/home.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+class Home:
+    def __init__(self, label = None):
+        self.label = label
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_name(cls, name):
+        """
+        Builds a Home struct from a given name
+        """
+        if name.startswith('home'):
+            label = name.removeprefix('home').strip()
+            return cls(label)
+        return None
+
+    def parse_section(self, section):
+        mapping = {
+            'files': self.parse_files
+        }
+        for key in section:
+            if fn := mapping.get(key):
+                val = section[key]
+                fn(val)
+            else:
+                raise KeyError(f"Home has no such config key: {key}")
+
+    def parse_files(self, text):
+        lines = [s for s in text.splitlines() if s]
+        print(f"      parse_files: {lines}")
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        if self.label:
+            return f'<Home: {self.label}>'
+        return '<Home>'
diff --git a/prefs/installer.py b/prefs/installer.py
index 8a41f74..8c36659 100644
--- a/prefs/installer.py
+++ b/prefs/installer.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from . import host
 from . import sections
 from . import targets
 from .options import Options
+from .resource import Resource
 
 class Installer:
     """
@@ -19,6 +20,10 @@ class Installer:
         """
         runs the install process
         """
+        if self.options.x:
+            self.run_x()
+            return
+
         if host.is_windows and not host.is_admin:
             print("You are not admin: admin is required on Windows")
             sys.exit(1)
@@ -49,6 +54,15 @@ class Installer:
         if host.is_windows:
             self.map_section('map.windows')
 
+    def run_x(self):
+        config = self.options.config
+        for section_name in config.sections():
+            print("sections:")
+            print(f"  {section_name}")
+            if r := Resource.from_name(section_name):
+                print(f"  {r}")
+                r.parse_section(config[section_name])
+
     @cached_property
     def targets(self):
         """
diff --git a/prefs/options.py b/prefs/options.py
index 0845942..78c7210 100644
--- a/prefs/options.py
+++ b/prefs/options.py
@@ -18,16 +18,7 @@ class Options:
         """
         creates an options object by parsing the command-line
         """
-        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
-                prog = 'install',
-                description = """
-                installs preferences files. This is designed to work on a bunch
-                of different systems, and can manage Windows preferences from
-                WSL.
-                """)
-        parser.add_argument('-v', '--verbose', action='store_true')
-        parser.add_argument('-q', '--quiet', action='store_true')
-        parser.add_argument('-c', '--config', help="path to config file")
+        parser = cls.create_cli_parser()
         options = cls()
         parser.parse_args(namespace=options)
 
@@ -39,6 +30,19 @@ class Options:
 
         return options
 
+    @classmethod
+    def create_cli_parser(cls):
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+                prog = 'install',
+                description = """
+                installs preferences files.
+                """)
+        parser.add_argument('-v', '--verbose', action='store_true')
+        parser.add_argument('-q', '--quiet', action='store_true')
+        parser.add_argument('-c', '--config', help="path to config file")
+        parser.add_argument('-x', action='store_true')
+        return parser
+
     @property
     def quiet(self):
         # pylint: disable=missing-function-docstring
diff --git a/prefs/resource.py b/prefs/resource.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..69da78a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prefs/resource.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+from .home import Home
+
+class Resource:
+    resource_types = [Home]
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_name(cls, name):
+        """
+        from_name is to be implemented by resource classes
+        """
+        for T in cls.resource_types:
+            if r := T.from_name(name):
+                return r
+        return None
+
+    def when(self, when_text):
+        pass