diff --git a/assets/js/comp-data.ts b/assets/js/comp-data.ts
index c92f575..94bf90d 100644
--- a/assets/js/comp-data.ts
+++ b/assets/js/comp-data.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 // comp-data.ts - definition and methods of the Data component
 
+import { reactive } from 'petite-vue'
 import { sendMsg } from './common'
 
 // Data component
@@ -8,23 +9,24 @@ import { sendMsg } from './common'
 export function Data(name: string, conf: any): object {
 	const domain = conf.domain || this.conf.domain
 	const comp = {
-		id: this.conf.itemid,
+		state: {
+			id: this.conf.itemid,
+			mode: 'view'
+		},
 		name: name, // also used as class of incoming/outgoing message
 		action: conf.action, // (default) action of outgoing message
 		domain: domain, // domain of incoming/outgoing message
 		data: {}, 	// model (2-way data store)
-		data_bak: {}, // backup copy when leaving view or edit mode
 		meta: {},	// metadata (params) for each data field
-		mode: 'view',
 		handle,		// handle incoming messages
 		exec,		// default function to execute upon button click
 		initField,	// initialize field (= @mounted)
 		chmode,
 		copynew
 	}
-	this.components[name] = comp
-	if (comp.id) {
-		sendMsg(this.conf, [domain, 'query', name, comp.id], {})
+	this.components[name] = reactive(comp)
+	if (comp.state.id) {
+		sendMsg(this.conf, [domain, 'query', name, comp.state.id], {})
 	}
 	return comp
 }
@@ -32,16 +34,12 @@ export function Data(name: string, conf: any): object {
 // Data methods
 
 function handle(parent: any, domain, action, class_, item, payload: string) {
-	if (action == 'data') {
+	if (action == 'data') { // && this.state.id
 		const data = JSON.parse(payload)
 		Object.assign(this.data, data)
-		this.id = item
-		this.mode = 'view'
-		this.data_bak = {}
+		this.state.mode = 'view'
 	} else if (action == 'response') {
-		this.id = item
-		this.mode = 'view'
-		this.data_bak = {}
+		this.state.id = item
 		window.location.hash = item
 		sendMsg(parent.conf, [this.domain, 'query', this.name, item], {})
 	}
@@ -59,7 +57,7 @@ function exec(action: string) {
 	console.log('exec:', value)
 	const msgbase = [this.domain, action, this.name]
 	if (this.mode != 'new') {
-		msgbase.push(this.id)
+		msgbase.push(this.state.id)
 	}
 	sendMsg(conf, msgbase, data)
 }
@@ -73,12 +71,9 @@ function initField(name: string, meta: any) {
 }
 
 function chmode(action: string) {
-	if (this.mode == action) {
+	if (this.state.mode == action) {
 		return
 	}
-	if (this.mode == 'view') {
-		Object.assign(this.data_bak, this.data)
-	}
 	switch(action) {
 		case 'query':
 			setQuery(this)
@@ -86,15 +81,12 @@ function chmode(action: string) {
 		case 'new':
 			setNew(this)
 			break
-		default:
-			Object.assign(this.data, this.data_bak)
 	}
-	this.mode = action
+	this.state.mode = action
 }
 
 function copynew(action: string) {
-	Object.assign(this.data, this.data_bak)
-	this.mode = 'new'
+	this.state.mode = 'new'
 }
 
 // helper functions for data manipulation (used by Data component)
diff --git a/assets/js/comp-list.ts b/assets/js/comp-list.ts
index a886b13..194369b 100644
--- a/assets/js/comp-list.ts
+++ b/assets/js/comp-list.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ import { sendMsg } from './common'
 export function List(name: string, conf: any): object {
 	const domain = conf.domain || this.conf.domain
 	const comp = {
-		id: this.conf.itemid,
+		state: {
+			id: this.conf.itemid,
+			mode: 'view'
+		},
 		name: name, // also used as class of incoming/outgoing message
 		action: conf.action, // (default) action of outgoing message
 		domain: domain, // domain of incoming/outgoing message
diff --git a/exampleSite/content/app/person.md b/exampleSite/content/app/person.md
index 1bac950..8bbe1cc 100644
--- a/exampleSite/content/app/person.md
+++ b/exampleSite/content/app/person.md
@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@ cyberscopes example site - view / edit person (user) data.
   {{< pv/button mode="new" label="Create Item" >}}
 
 <br>
-  {{< pv/display linkto="id"
+  {{< pv/display linkto="state.id"
         expr="`${data.firstname} ${data.lastname}`.trim() || '???'" >}}
 <br>
   {{< pv/link >}}
-    Reload page with id {{< pv/display name="id" >}}
+    Reload page with id {{< pv/display expr="state.id" >}}
   {{< /pv/link >}}
 
 {{< /pv/fieldset >}}
diff --git a/layouts/shortcodes/pv/button.html b/layouts/shortcodes/pv/button.html
index 9ab3a01..a6fe623 100644
--- a/layouts/shortcodes/pv/button.html
+++ b/layouts/shortcodes/pv/button.html
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@
 {{- $action := .Get "action" | default "" -}}
 {{- $mode := .Get "mode" -}}
 <button type="{{ $type }}" name="{{ $name }}" 
-		{{- with $mode }}v-show="mode == '{{ . }}'"{{ end -}}
+		{{- with $mode }}v-show="state.mode == '{{ . }}'"{{ end -}}
 	    @click="{{ $exec }}('{{ $action }}')">{{$label}}</button>
 
diff --git a/layouts/shortcodes/pv/input-textline.html b/layouts/shortcodes/pv/input-textline.html
index c97a502..0ec0a86 100644
--- a/layouts/shortcodes/pv/input-textline.html
+++ b/layouts/shortcodes/pv/input-textline.html
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 <div>
   <input type="{{ $type }}" name="{{ $name }}" 
 		 {{- with .Get "attrs" }} {{ . }}{{ end }}
-		:readonly="mode == 'view' || meta['{{ $name }}'].readonly ? '' : null"
+		:readonly="state.mode == 'view' || meta['{{ $name }}'].readonly ? '' : null"
 		 v-model="data.{{ $name }}"
 		 @vue:mounted="initField('{{ $name }}', {{ $meta }})"
 		 {{- with .Get "onchange" }} @change="{{ . }}"{{ end }} />
diff --git a/layouts/shortcodes/pv/link.html b/layouts/shortcodes/pv/link.html
index 9f987d0..c2cec8e 100644
--- a/layouts/shortcodes/pv/link.html
+++ b/layouts/shortcodes/pv/link.html
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-{{- $target := .Get "target" | default "id" -}}
+{{- $target := .Get "target" | default "state.id" -}}
 {{- $prefix := .Get "prefix" | default "#" -}}
-		this.id = item
-		this.mode = 'view'
-		this.data_bak = {}
 <a :href="'{{ $prefix }}' + {{ $target }}">{{ .Inner }}</a>
diff --git a/layouts/shortcodes/pv/tabs-mode.md b/layouts/shortcodes/pv/tabs-mode.md
index f2bd3f2..4a5c879 100644
--- a/layouts/shortcodes/pv/tabs-mode.md
+++ b/layouts/shortcodes/pv/tabs-mode.md
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 <ul class="nav nav-tabs">
   <li class="nav-item">
     <a class="nav-link" @click.prevent="chmode('view')" href="#"
-       :class="mode == 'view' ? 'active' : null">View</a>
+       :class="state.mode == 'view' ? 'active' : null">View</a>
   </li>
   <li class="nav-item">
     <a class="nav-link" @click.prevent="chmode('edit')" href="#"
-       :class="mode == 'edit' ? 'active' : null">Edit</a>
+       :class="state.mode == 'edit' ? 'active' : null">Edit</a>
   </li>
   <li class="nav-item">
     <a class="nav-link" @click.prevent="chmode('new')" href="#"
-       :class="mode == 'new' ? 'active' : null">New</a>
+       :class="state.mode == 'new' ? 'active' : null">New</a>
   </li>
 </ul>
 </ul>