diff --git a/dashboard.php b/dashboard.php
index abd3f1b..54ffb9f 100644
--- a/dashboard.php
+++ b/dashboard.php
@@ -17,15 +17,12 @@
 // main library routines and defaults
 
 require_once("./config/dmsDefaults.php");
-require_once("$default->owl_fs_root/lib/owl.lib.php");
-require_once("$default->owl_fs_root/config/html.php");
-require_once("$default->owl_fs_root/lib/control.inc");
-require_once("$default->owl_fs_root/lib/Session.inc");
 require_once("$default->owl_fs_root/lib/SiteMap.inc");
 require_once("$default->owl_fs_root/lib/visualpatterns/PatternMainPage.inc");
 require_once("$default->owl_fs_root/lib/visualpatterns/PatternImage.inc");
 require_once("$default->owl_fs_root/lib/visualpatterns/PatternTableLinks.inc");
 require_once("$default->owl_fs_root/lib/visualpatterns/PatternTableSqlQuery.inc");
+require_once("$default->owl_fs_root/lib/visualpatterns/PatternCustom.inc");
 
 // -------------------------------
 // page start
@@ -36,23 +33,116 @@ if (checkSession()) {
     // check if this page is authorised, ie. has come from control.php
     if ($_SESSION["authorised"]) {
         // create a page  
-        
+
         // logo
         $img = new PatternImage("$default->owl_root_url/locale/$default->owl_lang/graphics/$default->logo");
+        $img->setImgSize(238, 178);
         
         // build the top menu of links
-        $aTopMenuLinks = array(0=>generateControllerUrl("logout"), 1=>generateControllerUrl("scratchPad"));
-        $aTopMenuText = array(0=>"logout", 1=>"scratchPad");
-        $oPatternTableLinks = new PatternTableLinks($aTopMenuLinks, $aTopMenuText, 3, 1);
+        // TODO: this is a function of the sitemap
+        // get list of sections
+        $aTopMenuLinks = array(generateControllerUrl("dashboard"), generateControllerUrl("browse"), generateControllerUrl("subscriptions"),
+                               generateControllerUrl("search"), generateControllerUrl("administration"), generateControllerUrl("preferences"), generateControllerUrl("help"));
+        $aTopMenuText = array("Dashboard", "Browse Documents", "Subscriptions", "Advanced Search", "Administration", "Preferences", "Help", "Logout");
+        $aTopMenuImages = array("$default->owl_graphics_url/dashboard.jpg", "$default->owl_graphics_url/browse.jpg",
+                                "$default->owl_graphics_url/subscriptions.jpg", "$default->owl_graphics_url/search.jpg",
+                                "$default->owl_graphics_url/administration.jpg", "$default->owl_graphics_url/preferences.jpg", 
+                                "$default->owl_graphics_url/help.jpg", "$default->owl_graphics_url/logout.jpg");
         
+        $oPatternTableLinks = new PatternTableLinks($aTopMenuLinks, null, 1, 8, 2, $aTopMenuImages);
+       
+        
+
         // build the central dashboard
-        /*
-        $aCentralPageColumns = array(0=>"name",1=>"parent",2=>"security");
-        $aColumnTypes = array(0=>1,1=>2,2=>1);
-        $oTableSqlQuery = & new PatternTableSqlQuery("Folders", $aCentralPageColumns, $aColumnTypes); 
-        ($HTTP_GET_VARS["fStartIndex"]) ? $oTableSqlQuery->setStartIndex($HTTP_GET_VARS["fStartIndex"]) : $oTableSqlQuery->setStartIndex(0);
-        $oTableSqlQuery->setLinkType(1);
-        */
+          //- pending documents (document approval)
+          //- checked out documents
+          //- subscriptions        
+        $sHtml = "<table border=\"1\" width=\"100%\">
+                            <tr><td>
+                                <table>
+                                    <tr>
+                                        <td colspan=\"3\">
+                                        Pending Documents
+                                        </td>
+                                    </tr>
+                                    <tr>
+                                        <td width=\"33%\">
+                                        Title
+                                        </td>
+                                        <td width=\"33%\">
+                                        Status
+                                        </td>
+                                        <td width=\"33%\">
+                                        Days
+                                        </td>
+                                    </tr>";
+                                    /*
+                                    $aPendingDocumentList = getPendingDocuments($_SESSION["userID"]);
+                                    for ($i = 0; $i < count($aPendingDocumentList); $i++) {
+                                        $sHtml = $sHtml . "<tr><td>" . $aPendingDocumentList[$i] . "</td></tr>";
+                                    }
+                                    */
+       $sHtml = $sHtml . "
+                                </table>
+                            </td></tr>
+
+                            <tr><td  width=80%>
+                               <table border=2>
+                                    <tr align=\"center\">
+                                        <td colspan=2>
+                                        Checked Out Documents
+                                        </td>
+                                    </tr>
+                                    <tr>
+                                        <td width=\"33%\">
+                                        Title
+                                        </td>
+                                        <td width=\"66%\">
+                                        Days
+                                        </td>
+                                    </tr>";
+                                    /*
+                                    $aCheckedOutDocumentList = getCheckedOutDocuments($_SESSION["userID"]);
+                                    for ($i = 0; $i < count($aCheckedOutDocumentList); $i++) {
+                                        $sHtml = $sHtml . "<tr><td>" . $aCheckedOutDocumentList[$i] . "</td></tr>";
+                                    }
+                                    */
+         $sHtml = $sHtml . "
+                                </table>
+                            </td></tr>
+
+                            <tr><td>
+                               <table>
+                                    <tr>
+                                        <td>
+                                        Subscriptions Alerts
+                                        </td>
+                                    </tr>
+                                    <tr>
+                                        <td width=\"33%\">
+                                        Title
+                                        </td>
+                                        <td width=\"33%\">
+                                        Status
+                                        </td>
+                                        <td width=\"33%\">
+                                        Days
+                                        </td>
+                                    </tr>";
+                                    /*
+                                    $aSubscriptionList = getSubscriptionAlerts($_SESSION["userID"]);
+                                    for ($i = 0; $i < count($aSubscriptionList); $i++) {
+                                        $sHtml = $sHtml . "<tr><td>" . $aSubscriptionList[$i] . "</td></tr>";
+                                    }
+                                    */
+        $sHtml = $sHtml . "                                    
+                                </table>                            
+                            </td></tr>                            
+                            </table>";
+
+        
+        $oContent = new PatternCustom();
+        $oContent->setHtml($html);
         
         /* get a page */
         $tmp = new PatternMainPage();
@@ -60,7 +150,7 @@ if (checkSession()) {
         /* put the page together */
         $tmp->setNorthWestPayload($img);
         $tmp->setNorthPayload($oPatternTableLinks);
-        //$tmp->setCentralPayload($oTableSqlQuery);
+        $tmp->setCentralPayload($oContent);
         $tmp->setFormAction("dashboard.php");
         $tmp->render();
         
@@ -69,10 +159,6 @@ if (checkSession()) {
         print "you do not have access to view this page!  please go away, and come back when you do.<br>";
         echo generateLink("logout") . "logout</a>";    
     }
-} else {
-    // no session, should have been redirected
-    echo "no session<br>";
-    print_r($_SESSION);
 }
 ?>