diff --git a/src/graph-item.h b/src/graph-item.h
index fd4768d..ea0d3c3 100644
--- a/src/graph-item.h
+++ b/src/graph-item.h
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ namespace VISEQ::GRAPH {
 	class GraphItem{
 
 		public:
-			GraphItem() {newId();}
+			GraphItem() {newId(-1);}
 			GraphItem(const GraphItem& G) {
-				newId();
+				newId(-1);
 				graphItemType = G.graphItemType;
 				neighbors = G.neighbors;
 			}
@@ -20,8 +20,9 @@ namespace VISEQ::GRAPH {
 			
 			int id = 0;
 
-			void newId(){
+			void newId(int start){
 				static int _id;
+				if(start > -1) _id = start;
 				id = _id;
 				_id++;
 			}
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 1c1a13c..ef56ffd 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "graph-manager.h"
 #include "node.h"
 #include "vmath.h"
+#include <alsa/hwdep.h>
 #include <filesystem>
 #include <fstream>
 #define RAYGUI_IMPLEMENTATION
@@ -29,8 +30,6 @@
 #include <iterator>
 #include <memory>
 
-#include "state-io.h"
-
 using json = nlohmann::json;
 
 VISEQ::APP::AppState app;
@@ -85,16 +84,25 @@ int main(){
 
 		app.settings = graph.at("settings");
 
-//		app.gm = graph["graphmanager"].get<VISEQ::GRAPH::GraphManager>();
 		int highest_id = 0;
 		std::shared_ptr<Node> hid;
 		for(auto n : graph.at("graphmanager").at("nodes")){
 			std::shared_ptr<MidiNode> mn = n;
-			app.gm.nodes.push_back(mn);
 			if(mn->id > highest_id) {
 				highest_id = mn->id;
 				hid = mn;
 			}
+		}
+
+		for(auto e : graph.at("graphmanager").at("edges")){
+			if(e.at("id") > highest_id){
+				highest_id = e.at("id");
+			}
+		}
+		
+		for(auto n : graph.at("graphmanager").at("nodes")){
+			std::shared_ptr<MidiNode> mn = n;
+			app.gm.nodes.push_back(mn);
 			std::cout << std::format("adding node {}", mn->id) << std::endl;
 		}
 
@@ -111,7 +119,9 @@ int main(){
 			}
 
 		}
-		
+
+		app.gm.edges.back()->newId(highest_id); // reset static id counter in base class 
+
 		for(auto s : graph.at("signalmanager").at("signals")){
 			int start_id = s.at("start").get<int>();
 			int next_id = s.at("next").get<int>();
diff --git a/src/ui.h b/src/ui.h
index aed7cb1..b3549c3 100644
--- a/src/ui.h
+++ b/src/ui.h
@@ -94,6 +94,17 @@ namespace VISEQ::APP::UI{
 			}
 			DrawText(std::format("{}", gm->nodes.size()).c_str(), 20, settings->height - 70, 15, VS_COLOR_WHITE);
 			DrawFPS(20, settings->height - 30);
+		}
+		
+		void drawPropertiesBar(){
+
+			float left = settings->width - 280.f;
+
+			GuiPanel((Rectangle){left,-30,280,(float)settings->height + 31}, "");
+			const int s_controls = 25;
+			
+
+
 		}
 
 		void drawPerNodeConfig(Camera2D *camera){
@@ -188,6 +199,7 @@ namespace VISEQ::APP::UI{
 
 		void draw(Vec2Df *mouse_pos, Camera2D *camera){
 			drawSideBar();
+			drawPropertiesBar();
 			drawPerNodeConfig(camera);
 		}