diff --git a/app/app.go b/app/app.go
index a241f1f..e37f3d7 100644
--- a/app/app.go
+++ b/app/app.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Cfg struct {
-	*config.Base
+	*config.BaseCfg
 	AppType string
 	Home    string
 	Logging *logging.Config
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index cbf001f..7e05b63 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Cfg struct {
-	*Base
+	*BaseCfg
 	ConfigFormat string
 }
 
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ func Start(ctx lib.Context) {
 
 // definitions
 
-type Base struct {
+type BaseCfg = base
+
+type base struct {
 	name       string
 	starter    lib.StartProc
 	step       lib.StepProc
@@ -29,60 +31,60 @@ type Base struct {
 
 // lib.Config implementation
 
-func (cfg *Base) Name() string {
+func (cfg *base) Name() string {
 	return cfg.name
 }
 
-func (cfg *Base) Starter() lib.StartProc {
+func (cfg *base) Starter() lib.StartProc {
 	return cfg.starter
 }
 
-func (cfg *Base) Step() lib.StepProc {
+func (cfg *base) Step() lib.StepProc {
 	if cfg.step == nil {
 		return core.Step
 	}
 	return cfg.step
 }
 
-func (cfg *Base) MessageHandler() lib.MessageHandler {
+func (cfg *base) MessageHandler() lib.MessageHandler {
 	if cfg.msgHandler == nil {
 		return core.HandleMessage
 	}
 	return cfg.msgHandler
 }
 
-func (cfg *Base) Actions() []lib.ActionConfig {
+func (cfg *base) Actions() []lib.ActionConfig {
 	return cfg.actions
 }
 
-func (cfg *Base) Children() []lib.Config {
+func (cfg *base) Children() []lib.Config {
 	return cfg.children
 }
 
-func (cfg *Base) Add(child lib.Config) {
+func (cfg *base) Add(child lib.Config) {
 	cfg.children = append(cfg.children, child)
 }
 
 // implementation-specific methods and functions
 
-func (cfg *Base) WithStep(step lib.StepProc) *Base {
+func (cfg *base) WithStep(step lib.StepProc) *base {
 	cfg.step = step
 	return cfg
 }
 
-func (cfg *Base) WithMessageHandler(hdlr lib.MessageHandler) *Base {
+func (cfg *base) WithMessageHandler(hdlr lib.MessageHandler) *base {
 	cfg.msgHandler = hdlr
 	return cfg
 }
 
-func (cfg *Base) AddAction(pattern string, spec lib.ActionSpec) {
+func (cfg *base) AddAction(pattern string, spec lib.ActionSpec) {
 	act := ActionConfig(pattern, nil)
 	act.specs = append(act.specs, spec)
 	cfg.actions = append(cfg.actions, act)
 }
 
-func MakeBase(name string, starter lib.StartProc) *Base {
-	return &Base{
+func Base(name string, starter lib.StartProc) *base {
+	return &base{
 		name:    name,
 		starter: starter,
 		actions: nil,
diff --git a/examples/demo/etc/etc.go b/examples/demo/etc/etc.go
index fe597f7..686f82f 100644
--- a/examples/demo/etc/etc.go
+++ b/examples/demo/etc/etc.go
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ import (
 
 func Config() lib.Config {
 	ovr := Overrides().Use
-	b := config.MakeBase
+	b := config.Base
 	cfg := app.Cfg{
-		Base:    b("dummy", app.Start),
+		BaseCfg: b("dummy", app.Start),
 		Home:    ovr(".", HOME),
 		AppType: "standard",
 		Logging: &logging.Config{
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func Config() lib.Config {
 		},
 	}
 	cfg.Add(config.Cfg{
-		Base:         b("config", config.Start),
+		BaseCfg:      b("config", config.Start),
 		ConfigFormat: "etc",
 	})
 	return &cfg
diff --git a/examples/demo/go.mod b/examples/demo/go.mod
index 63f4dbd..9ba751c 100644
--- a/examples/demo/go.mod
+++ b/examples/demo/go.mod
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@ go 1.20
 require git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes v0.1.20
 
 require (
-	github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.13 // indirect
-	github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.19 // indirect
+	github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.12 // indirect
+	github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.14 // indirect
 	github.com/rs/zerolog v1.29.1 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.8.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210927094055-39ccf1dd6fa6 // indirect
 )
 
-replace git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes => ../../../go-scopes
+replace git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes => ../../../scopes
diff --git a/examples/demo/go.sum b/examples/demo/go.sum
index 11b371d..392de80 100644
--- a/examples/demo/go.sum
+++ b/examples/demo/go.sum
@@ -1,19 +1,13 @@
 github.com/coreos/go-systemd/v22 v22.5.0/go.mod h1:Y58oyj3AT4RCenI/lSvhwexgC+NSVTIJ3seZv2GcEnc=
 github.com/godbus/dbus/v5 v5.0.4/go.mod h1:xhWf0FNVPg57R7Z0UbKHbJfkEywrmjJnf7w5xrFpKfA=
+github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.12 h1:jF+Du6AlPIjs2BiUiQlKOX0rt3SujHxPnksPKZbaA40=
 github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.12/go.mod h1:u5H1YNBxpqRaxsYJYSkiCWKzEfiAb1Gb520KVy5xxl4=
-github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.13 h1:fFA4WZxdEF4tXPZVKMLwD8oUnCTTo08duU7wxecdEvA=
-github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.13/go.mod h1:7S9/ev0klgBDR4GtXTXX8a3vIGJpMovkB8vQcUbaXHg=
+github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.14 h1:yVuAays6BHfxijgZPzw+3Zlu5yQgKGP2/hcQbHb7S9Y=
 github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.14/go.mod h1:7GGIvUiUoEMVVmxf/4nioHXj79iQHKdU27kJ6hsGG94=
-github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.16/go.mod h1:kYGgaQfpe5nmfYZH+SKPsOc2e4SrIfOl2e/yFXSvRLM=
-github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.19 h1:JITubQf0MOLdlGRuRq+jtsDlekdYPia9ZFsB8h/APPA=
-github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.19/go.mod h1:W+V8PltTTMOvKvAeJH7IuucS94S2C6jfK/D7dTCTo3Y=
 github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1/go.mod h1:bwawxfHBFNV+L2hUp1rHADufV3IMtnDRdf1r5NINEl0=
 github.com/rs/xid v1.4.0/go.mod h1:trrq9SKmegXys3aeAKXMUTdJsYXVwGY3RLcfgqegfbg=
 github.com/rs/zerolog v1.29.1 h1:cO+d60CHkknCbvzEWxP0S9K6KqyTjrCNUy1LdQLCGPc=
 github.com/rs/zerolog v1.29.1/go.mod h1:Le6ESbR7hc+DP6Lt1THiV8CQSdkkNrd3R0XbEgp3ZBU=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210630005230-0f9fa26af87c/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210927094055-39ccf1dd6fa6 h1:foEbQz/B0Oz6YIqu/69kfXPYeFQAuuMYFkjaqXzl5Wo=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210927094055-39ccf1dd6fa6/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220811171246-fbc7d0a398ab/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.6.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.8.0 h1:EBmGv8NaZBZTWvrbjNoL6HVt+IVy3QDQpJs7VRIw3tU=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.8.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
diff --git a/examples/demo/main.go b/examples/demo/main.go
index c44e341..3283ef5 100644
--- a/examples/demo/main.go
+++ b/examples/demo/main.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 
 	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes"
 	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/app"
-	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/logging"
 )
 
 func main() {
@@ -15,6 +14,5 @@ func main() {
 	fmt.Println(cfg.Name())
 	appCfg := cfg.(*app.Cfg)
 	fmt.Println(appCfg.Home)
-	logging.Setup(appCfg.Logging, appCfg.Home)
 	scopes.RunApp(cfg)
 }
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 6ee24f7..924f55e 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@ module git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes
 
 go 1.20
 
+require github.com/rs/zerolog v1.29.1
+
 require (
-	github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.13 // indirect
-	github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.19 // indirect
-	github.com/rs/zerolog v1.29.1 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.8.0 // indirect
+	github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.12 // indirect
+	github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.14 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210927094055-39ccf1dd6fa6 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 11b371d..392de80 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1,19 +1,13 @@
 github.com/coreos/go-systemd/v22 v22.5.0/go.mod h1:Y58oyj3AT4RCenI/lSvhwexgC+NSVTIJ3seZv2GcEnc=
 github.com/godbus/dbus/v5 v5.0.4/go.mod h1:xhWf0FNVPg57R7Z0UbKHbJfkEywrmjJnf7w5xrFpKfA=
+github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.12 h1:jF+Du6AlPIjs2BiUiQlKOX0rt3SujHxPnksPKZbaA40=
 github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.12/go.mod h1:u5H1YNBxpqRaxsYJYSkiCWKzEfiAb1Gb520KVy5xxl4=
-github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.13 h1:fFA4WZxdEF4tXPZVKMLwD8oUnCTTo08duU7wxecdEvA=
-github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.13/go.mod h1:7S9/ev0klgBDR4GtXTXX8a3vIGJpMovkB8vQcUbaXHg=
+github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.14 h1:yVuAays6BHfxijgZPzw+3Zlu5yQgKGP2/hcQbHb7S9Y=
 github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.14/go.mod h1:7GGIvUiUoEMVVmxf/4nioHXj79iQHKdU27kJ6hsGG94=
-github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.16/go.mod h1:kYGgaQfpe5nmfYZH+SKPsOc2e4SrIfOl2e/yFXSvRLM=
-github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.19 h1:JITubQf0MOLdlGRuRq+jtsDlekdYPia9ZFsB8h/APPA=
-github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.19/go.mod h1:W+V8PltTTMOvKvAeJH7IuucS94S2C6jfK/D7dTCTo3Y=
 github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1/go.mod h1:bwawxfHBFNV+L2hUp1rHADufV3IMtnDRdf1r5NINEl0=
 github.com/rs/xid v1.4.0/go.mod h1:trrq9SKmegXys3aeAKXMUTdJsYXVwGY3RLcfgqegfbg=
 github.com/rs/zerolog v1.29.1 h1:cO+d60CHkknCbvzEWxP0S9K6KqyTjrCNUy1LdQLCGPc=
 github.com/rs/zerolog v1.29.1/go.mod h1:Le6ESbR7hc+DP6Lt1THiV8CQSdkkNrd3R0XbEgp3ZBU=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210630005230-0f9fa26af87c/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210927094055-39ccf1dd6fa6 h1:foEbQz/B0Oz6YIqu/69kfXPYeFQAuuMYFkjaqXzl5Wo=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210927094055-39ccf1dd6fa6/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220811171246-fbc7d0a398ab/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.6.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.8.0 h1:EBmGv8NaZBZTWvrbjNoL6HVt+IVy3QDQpJs7VRIw3tU=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.8.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
diff --git a/lib/action/action.go b/lib/action/action.go
index 0a496fb..a33206c 100644
--- a/lib/action/action.go
+++ b/lib/action/action.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func (spec *baseSpec) Receivers() []string {
 	return spec.receivers
 }
 
-func BaseSpec(hdlr lib.ActionHandler, rcvrs []string) *baseSpec {
+func Base(hdlr lib.ActionHandler, rcvrs []string) *baseSpec {
 	return &baseSpec{hdlr, rcvrs}
 }
 
diff --git a/logging/logging.go b/logging/logging.go
index 56988c3..59945f6 100644
--- a/logging/logging.go
+++ b/logging/logging.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package logging
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"path/filepath"
 
 	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/lib"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
@@ -18,9 +19,17 @@ type Config struct {
 }
 
 func Setup(ctx lib.Context, cfg *Config, home string) {
-	if cfg != nil {
-		fmt.Println("logging:", home, cfg.Logfile)
+	if cfg == nil {
+		return // use unchanged predefined logger
 	}
+	fmt.Println("logging:", home, cfg.Logfile)
+	fn := cfg.Logfile
+	if fn == "" {
+		fn = filepath.Join(home, "log", "scopes.log")
+	} else if !filepath.IsAbs(fn) {
+		fn = filepath.Join(home, fn)
+	}
+	fmt.Println("logfile:", fn)
 }
 
 func New(cfg *Config, home string) *Logger {
diff --git a/scopes.go b/scopes.go
index 02fa95a..343fcc7 100644
--- a/scopes.go
+++ b/scopes.go
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 package scopes
 
 import (
+	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/app"
 	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/lib"
 	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/lib/context"
+	"git.sr.ht/~cco/go-scopes/logging"
 )
 
 func RunApp(cfg lib.Config) {
 	ctx := context.AppContext(cfg)
+	appCfg := cfg.(*app.Cfg)
+	logging.Setup(ctx, appCfg.Logging, appCfg.Home)
 	cfg.Starter()(ctx)
 	ctx.WaitGroup().Wait()
 }
diff --git a/tests/etc/etc.go b/tests/etc/etc.go
index 93425a8..135786b 100644
--- a/tests/etc/etc.go
+++ b/tests/etc/etc.go
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ import (
 
 func Config() lib.Config {
 	ovr := Overrides().Use
-	b := config.MakeBase
+	b := config.Base
 
 	cfg := app.Cfg{
-		Base:    b("testing", testing.Start),
+		BaseCfg: b("testing", testing.Start),
 		Home:    ovr(".", HOME),
 		AppType: "standard",
 		Logging: &logging.Config{
@@ -23,17 +23,17 @@ func Config() lib.Config {
 		},
 	}
 	cfg.AddAction("demo",
-		action.BaseSpec(action.Forward,
+		action.Base(action.Forward,
 			[]string{"test-receiver"}))
 
 	cfg_config := config.Cfg{
-		Base:         b("config", config.Start),
+		BaseCfg:      b("config", config.Start),
 		ConfigFormat: "etc",
 	}
 	cfg.Add(cfg_config)
 
 	cfg_test_rcvr := b("test-receiver", core.Start)
-	cfg_test_rcvr.AddAction("demo", action.BaseSpec(AH_Receiver, nil))
+	cfg_test_rcvr.AddAction("demo", action.Base(AH_Receiver, nil))
 	cfg.Add(cfg_test_rcvr)
 
 	return &cfg