diff --git a/core-program.cabal b/core-program.cabal
--- a/core-program.cabal
+++ b/core-program.cabal
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:           core-program
-version:        0.4.5.1
+version:        0.4.5.3
 synopsis:       Opinionated Haskell Interoperability
 description:    A library to help build command-line programs, both tools and
                 longer-running daemons.
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@
     , base >=4.11 && <5
     , bytestring
     , chronologique
-    , core-data >=0.2.1.11
-    , core-text >=0.3.4.0
+    , core-data >=0.3.2.2
+    , core-text >=0.3.7.0
     , directory
     , exceptions
     , filepath
diff --git a/lib/Core/Program/Arguments.hs b/lib/Core/Program/Arguments.hs
--- a/lib/Core/Program/Arguments.hs
+++ b/lib/Core/Program/Arguments.hs
@@ -706,11 +706,11 @@
 
 extractValidModes :: [Commands] -> Map LongName [Options]
 extractValidModes commands =
-    foldr k emptyMap commands
+    List.foldl' k emptyMap commands
   where
-    k :: Commands -> Map LongName [Options] -> Map LongName [Options]
-    k (Command longname _ options) modes = insertKeyValue longname options modes
-    k _ modes = modes
+    k :: Map LongName [Options] -> Commands -> Map LongName [Options]
+    k modes (Command longname _ options)  = insertKeyValue longname options modes
+    k modes _  = modes
 
 {- |
 Break the command-line apart in two steps. The first peels off the global
@@ -771,14 +771,14 @@
 -- The code from here on is formatting code. It's fairly repetative
 -- and crafted to achieve a specific aesthetic output. Rather messy.
 -- I'm sure it could be done "better" but no matter; this is on the
--- path to an exit and return to user's command line.
+-- path to an exit and return to user's shell prompt.
 --
 
 buildUsage :: Config -> Maybe LongName -> Doc ann
 buildUsage config mode = case config of
     Blank -> emptyDoc
     Simple options ->
-        let (o, a) = partitionParameters options
+        let (o, a, v) = partitionParameters options
          in "Usage:" <> hardline <> hardline
                 <> indent
                     4
@@ -797,11 +797,13 @@
                 <> formatParameters o
                 <> argumentsHeading a
                 <> formatParameters a
+                <> variablesHeading v
+                <> formatParameters v
     Complex commands ->
         let globalOptions = extractGlobalOptions commands
             modes = extractValidModes commands
 
-            (oG, _) = partitionParameters globalOptions
+            (oG, _, vG) = partitionParameters globalOptions
          in "Usage:" <> hardline <> hardline <> case mode of
                 Nothing ->
                     indent
@@ -820,8 +822,10 @@
                         <> formatParameters oG
                         <> commandHeading modes
                         <> formatCommands commands
+                        <> variablesHeading vG
+                        <> formatParameters vG
                 Just longname ->
-                    let (oL, aL) = case lookupKeyValue longname modes of
+                    let (oL, aL, vL) = case lookupKeyValue longname modes of
                             Just localOptions -> partitionParameters localOptions
                             Nothing -> error "Illegal State"
                      in indent
@@ -843,9 +847,11 @@
                             <> formatParameters oL
                             <> argumentsHeading aL
                             <> formatParameters aL
+                            <> variablesHeading vL
+                            <> formatParameters vL
   where
-    partitionParameters :: [Options] -> ([Options], [Options])
-    partitionParameters options = foldr f ([], []) options
+    partitionParameters :: [Options] -> ([Options], [Options], [Options])
+    partitionParameters options = List.foldl' f ([], [], []) options
 
     optionsSummary :: [Options] -> Doc ann
     optionsSummary os = if length os > 0 then softline <> "[OPTIONS]" else emptyDoc
@@ -874,6 +880,8 @@
 
     argumentsHeading as = if length as > 0 then hardline <> "Required arguments:" <> hardline else emptyDoc
 
+    variablesHeading vs = if length vs > 0 then hardline <> "Known environment variables:" <> hardline else emptyDoc
+
     remainingSummary :: [Options] -> Doc ann
     remainingSummary as = if hasRemaining as then " ..." else emptyDoc
 
@@ -881,11 +889,11 @@
     commandSummary modes = if length modes > 0 then softline <> commandName else emptyDoc
     commandHeading modes = if length modes > 0 then hardline <> "Available commands:" <> hardline else emptyDoc
 
-    f :: Options -> ([Options], [Options]) -> ([Options], [Options])
-    f o@(Option _ _ _ _) (opts, args) = (o : opts, args)
-    f a@(Argument _ _) (opts, args) = (opts, a : args)
-    f a@(Remaining _) (opts, args) = (opts, a : args)
-    f (Variable _ _) (opts, args) = (opts, args)
+    f :: ([Options], [Options], [Options]) -> Options -> ([Options], [Options], [Options])
+    f (opts, args, vars) o@(Option _ _ _ _) = (o : opts, args, vars)
+    f (opts, args, vars) a@(Argument _ _) = (opts, a : args, vars)
+    f (opts, args, vars) a@(Remaining _) = (opts, a : args, vars)
+    f (opts, args, vars) v@(Variable _ _) = (opts, args, v : vars)
 
     formatParameters :: [Options] -> Doc ann
     formatParameters [] = emptyDoc
@@ -931,7 +939,7 @@
     h acc (Command longname description _) =
         let l = pretty longname
             d = fromRope description
-         in fillBreak 16 ("  " <> l <> " ") <+> align (reflow d) <> hardline <> acc
+         in acc <> fillBreak 16 ("  " <> l <> " ") <+> align (reflow d) <> hardline
     h acc _ = acc
 
 buildVersion :: Version -> Doc ann
diff --git a/lib/Core/Program/Execute.hs b/lib/Core/Program/Execute.hs
--- a/lib/Core/Program/Execute.hs
+++ b/lib/Core/Program/Execute.hs
@@ -826,7 +826,7 @@
 
 @
 program = do
-    overwrite \<- 'queryOptionValue' \"overwrite\"
+    overwrite \<- 'queryOptionFlag' \"overwrite\"
     ...
 @
 
diff --git a/lib/Core/Program/Metadata.hs b/lib/Core/Program/Metadata.hs
--- a/lib/Core/Program/Metadata.hs
+++ b/lib/Core/Program/Metadata.hs
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 import Core.System.Base (IOMode (..), withFile)
 import Core.System.Pretty
 import Core.Text
-import Data.List (intersperse)
 import qualified Data.List as List (find, isSuffixOf)
 import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe)
 import Data.String
@@ -148,23 +147,21 @@
     -- pass to calling program
     return pairs
 
+-- TODO this could be improved; we really only need the data from the first
+-- block of lines, with colons in them! We're probably reached the point where
+-- a proper parser would be good, but whatever.
 parseCabalFile :: Bytes -> Map Rope Rope
 parseCabalFile contents =
-    let breakup = intoMap . fmap (breakRope (== ':')) . breakLines . fromBytes
+    let breakup = intoMap . fmap (\(a, b) -> (a, trimValue b)) . fmap (breakRope (== ':')) . breakLines . fromBytes
      in breakup contents
 
--- this should probably be a function in Core.Text.Rope
-breakRope :: (Char -> Bool) -> Rope -> (Rope, Rope)
-breakRope predicate text =
-    let pieces = take 2 (breakPieces predicate text)
-     in case pieces of
-            [] -> ("", "")
-            [one] -> (one, "")
-            (one : two : _) -> (one, trimRope two)
-
--- knock off the whitespace in "name:      hello"
-trimRope :: Rope -> Rope
-trimRope = mconcat . intersperse " " . breakWords
+-- knock off the colon and whitespace in ":      hello"
+trimValue :: Rope -> Rope
+trimValue value = case unconsRope value of
+    Nothing -> emptyRope
+    Just (_, remainder) -> case findIndexRope (/= ' ') remainder of
+        Nothing -> emptyRope
+        Just i -> snd (splitRope i remainder)
 
 {- |
 Access the source location of the call site.