diff --git a/cmd/cli/main.go b/cmd/cli/main.go
index 5f117f2..a58ff10 100644
--- a/cmd/cli/main.go
+++ b/cmd/cli/main.go
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ func (m manager) normalMode(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 
 	header := searchapp.GetHeader(compactRenderingMode)
 	longestDateLen := len(header.Date)
-	longestLocationLen := len(header.Host) + len(header.PwdTilde)
+	longestLocationLen := len(header.Host) + 1 + len(header.PwdTilde)
 	longestFlagsLen := 2
 	maxPossibleMainViewHeight := maxY - 3 - 1 - 1 - 1 // - top box - header - status - help
 	for i, itm := range m.s.data {
@@ -504,19 +504,27 @@ func (m manager) normalMode(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 
 	// header
 	// header := getHeader()
-	dispStr, _ := header.ProduceLine(longestDateLen, longestLocationLen, longestFlagsLen, true, true, debug)
+	// error is expected for header
+	dispStr, _, _ := header.ProduceLine(longestDateLen, longestLocationLen, longestFlagsLen, true, true, debug)
 	dispStr = searchapp.DoHighlightHeader(dispStr, maxX*2)
 	v.WriteString(dispStr + "\n")
 
 	var index int
 	for index < len(data) {
 		itm := data[index]
-		if index == mainViewHeight {
+		if index >= mainViewHeight {
+			if debug {
+				log.Printf("Finished drawing page. mainViewHeight: %v, predictedMax: %v\n",
+					mainViewHeight, maxPossibleMainViewHeight)
+			}
 			// page is full
 			break
 		}
 
-		displayStr, _ := itm.ProduceLine(longestDateLen, longestLocationLen, longestFlagsLen, false, true, debug)
+		displayStr, _, err := itm.ProduceLine(longestDateLen, longestLocationLen, longestFlagsLen, false, true, debug)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Printf("produceLine error: %v\n", err)
+		}
 		if m.s.highlightedItem == index {
 			// maxX * 2 because there are escape sequences that make it hard to tell the real string length
 			displayStr = searchapp.DoHighlightString(displayStr, maxX*3)
diff --git a/cmd/control/cmd/debug.go b/cmd/control/cmd/debug.go
index aec7132..f1401c7 100644
--- a/cmd/control/cmd/debug.go
+++ b/cmd/control/cmd/debug.go
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
-	"os/user"
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/curusarn/resh/cmd/control/status"
@@ -43,12 +43,11 @@ var debugOutputCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			"collect_last_run_out.txt",
 			"postcollect_last_run_out.txt",
 			"session_init_last_run_out.txt",
+			"cli_last_run_out.txt",
 		}
-		usr, _ := user.Current()
-		dir := usr.HomeDir
-		reshdir := filepath.Join(dir, ".resh")
+		dir := os.Getenv("__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME")
 		for _, fpath := range files {
-			fpath := filepath.Join(reshdir, fpath)
+			fpath := filepath.Join(dir, fpath)
 			debugReadFile(fpath)
 		}
 		exitCode = status.Success
diff --git a/pkg/searchapp/item.go b/pkg/searchapp/item.go
index 161002b..6908c25 100644
--- a/pkg/searchapp/item.go
+++ b/pkg/searchapp/item.go
@@ -221,16 +221,21 @@ func produceLocation(length int, host string, pwdTilde string, differentHost boo
 	pwdLen := len(pwdTilde)
 	totalLen := hostLen + colonLen + pwdLen
 
-	// how much we need to shrink/crop the location
-	shrinkFactor := float32(length) / float32(totalLen)
+	newHostLen := hostLen
+	// only shrink if the location does not fit
+	if totalLen > length {
+		// how much we need to shrink/crop the location
+		shrinkFactor := float64(length) / float64(totalLen)
+
+		shrinkedHostLen := int(math.Ceil(float64(hostLen) * shrinkFactor))
+		if debug {
+			log.Printf("shrinkFactor: %f\n", shrinkFactor)
+		}
+		halfLocationLen := length/2 - colonLen
 
-	shrinkedHostLen := int(float32(hostLen) * shrinkFactor)
-	if debug {
-		log.Printf("shrinkFactor: %f\n", shrinkFactor)
+		newHostLen = minInt(hostLen, shrinkedHostLen, halfLocationLen)
 	}
-	halfLocationLen := length/2 - colonLen
-
-	newHostLen := minInt(hostLen, shrinkedHostLen, halfLocationLen)
+	// pwd length is the rest of the length
 	newPwdLen := length - colonLen - newHostLen
 
 	hostWithColor := rightCutPadString(host, newHostLen)
@@ -245,7 +250,8 @@ func produceLocation(length int, host string, pwdTilde string, differentHost boo
 }
 
 // ProduceLine ...
-func (ic ItemColumns) ProduceLine(dateLength int, locationLength int, flagLength int, header bool, showDate bool, debug bool) (string, int) {
+func (ic ItemColumns) ProduceLine(dateLength int, locationLength int, flagsLength int, header bool, showDate bool, debug bool) (string, int, error) {
+	var err error
 	line := ""
 	if showDate {
 		line += strings.Repeat(" ", dateLength-len(ic.Date)) + ic.DateWithColor
@@ -256,24 +262,21 @@ func (ic ItemColumns) ProduceLine(dateLength int, locationLength int, flagLength
 
 	// FLAGS
 	line += ic.FlagsWithColor
-	flags := ic.Flags
-	if flagLength < len(ic.Flags) {
-		log.Printf("produceLine can't specify line w/ flags shorter than the actual size. - len(flags) %v, requested %v\n", len(ic.Flags), flagLength)
-	}
-	for len(flags) < flagLength {
-		line += " "
-		flags += " "
+	if flagsLength >= len(ic.Flags) {
+		line += strings.Repeat(" ", flagsLength-len(ic.Flags))
+	} else {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("actual flags are longer than dedicated flag space. actual: %v, space: %v", len(ic.Flags), flagsLength)
 	}
 	spacer := "  "
-	if flagLength > 5 || header {
+	if flagsLength > 5 || header {
 		// use shorter spacer
 		// 		because there is likely a long flag like E130 in the view
 		spacer = " "
 	}
 	line += spacer + ic.CmdLineWithColor
 
-	length := dateLength + locationLength + flagLength + len(spacer) + len(ic.CmdLine)
-	return line, length
+	length := dateLength + locationLength + flagsLength + len(spacer) + len(ic.CmdLine)
+	return line, length, err
 }
 
 func leftCutPadString(str string, newLen int) string {
diff --git a/scripts/hooks.sh b/scripts/hooks.sh
index cbe7b88..02e74c3 100644
--- a/scripts/hooks.sh
+++ b/scripts/hooks.sh
@@ -16,12 +16,12 @@ __resh_preexec() {
     # core
     __RESH_COLLECT=1
     __RESH_CMDLINE="$1" # not local to preserve it for postcollect (useful as sanity check)
-    local tmp_file="$__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME/collect_last_run_out.txt"
+    local fpath_last_run="$__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME/collect_last_run_out.txt"
     __resh_collect --cmdLine "$__RESH_CMDLINE" \
         --recall-actions "$__RESH_HIST_RECALL_ACTIONS" \
         --recall-strategy "$__RESH_HIST_RECALL_STRATEGY" \
         --recall-last-cmdline "$__RESH_HIST_PREV_LINE" \
-        >| $tmp_file 2>&1 || echo "resh-collect ERROR: $(head -n 1 $tmp_file)"
+        >| "$fpath_last_run" 2>&1 || echo "resh-collect ERROR: $(head -n 1 $fpath_last_run)"
 }
 
 # used for collect and collect --recall
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ __resh_precmd() {
             fi
         fi
         if [ "$__RESH_VERSION" = "$(resh-postcollect -version)" ] && [ "$__RESH_REVISION" = "$(resh-postcollect -revision)" ]; then
-            local tmp_file="$__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME/postcollect_last_run_out.txt"
+            local fpath_last_run="$__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME/postcollect_last_run_out.txt"
             resh-postcollect -requireVersion "$__RESH_VERSION" \
                         -requireRevision "$__RESH_REVISION" \
                         -cmdLine "$__RESH_CMDLINE" \
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ __resh_precmd() {
                         -gitRemoteExitCodeAfter "$__RESH_GIT_REMOTE_EXIT_CODE_AFTER" \
                         -realtimeAfter "$__RESH_RT_AFTER" \
                         -timezoneAfter "$__RESH_TZ_AFTER" \
-                        >| $tmp_file 2>&1 || echo "resh-postcollect ERROR: $(head -n 1 $tmp_file)"
+                        >| "$fpath_last_run" 2>&1 || echo "resh-postcollect ERROR: $(head -n 1 $fpath_last_run)"
         fi
         __resh_reset_variables
     fi
diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index 91e87fd..080e176 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -190,6 +190,8 @@ if [ -f ~/.resh/resh.pid ]; then
 else
     pkill -SIGTERM "resh-daemon" || true
 fi
+# daemon uses xdg path variables
+__resh_set_xdg_home_paths
 __resh_run_daemon
 
 
diff --git a/scripts/reshctl.sh b/scripts/reshctl.sh
index 2c225ce..db02147 100644
--- a/scripts/reshctl.sh
+++ b/scripts/reshctl.sh
@@ -73,14 +73,13 @@ resh() {
     elif [ $status_code = 130 ]; then
         true
     else
-        local tmp_file="$__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME/cli_last_run_out.txt"
-        echo "$buffer" >| "$tmp_file"
-        echo "resh-cli failed - check '$tmp_file' and '~/.resh/cli.log'"
+        local fpath_last_run="$__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME/cli_last_run_out.txt"
+        echo "$buffer" >| "$fpath_last_run"
+        echo "resh-cli failed - check '$fpath_last_run' and '~/.resh/cli.log'"
     fi
 }
 
 reshctl() {
-    # local log=~/.resh/reshctl.log
     # export current shell because resh-control needs to know
     export __RESH_ctl_shell=$__RESH_SHELL
     # run resh-control aka the real reshctl
diff --git a/scripts/util.sh b/scripts/util.sh
index 4bb298e..4746eb0 100644
--- a/scripts/util.sh
+++ b/scripts/util.sh
@@ -49,14 +49,15 @@ __resh_run_daemon() {
     if [ -n "${ZSH_VERSION-}" ]; then
         setopt LOCAL_OPTIONS NO_NOTIFY NO_MONITOR
     fi
+    local fpath_last_run="$__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME/daemon_last_run_out.txt"
     if [ "$(uname)" = Darwin ]; then
         # hotfix
-        gnohup resh-daemon >| ~/.resh/daemon_last_run_out.txt 2>&1 & disown
+        gnohup resh-daemon >| "$fpath_last_run" 2>&1 & disown
     else
         # TODO: switch to nohup for consistency once you confirm that daemon is
         #       not getting killed anymore on macOS
-        # nohup resh-daemon >| ~/.resh/daemon_last_run_out.txt 2>&1 & disown
-        setsid resh-daemon >| ~/.resh/daemon_last_run_out.txt 2>&1 & disown
+        # nohup resh-daemon >| "$fpath_last_run" 2>&1 & disown
+        setsid resh-daemon >| "$fpath_last_run" 2>&1 & disown
     fi
 }
 
@@ -134,6 +135,7 @@ __resh_session_init() {
         fi
     fi
     if [ "$__RESH_VERSION" = "$(resh-session-init -version)" ] && [ "$__RESH_REVISION" = "$(resh-session-init -revision)" ]; then
+        local fpath_last_run="$__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME/session_init_last_run_out.txt"
         resh-session-init -requireVersion "$__RESH_VERSION" \
                     -requireRevision "$__RESH_REVISION" \
                     -shell "$__RESH_SHELL" \
@@ -163,7 +165,7 @@ __resh_session_init() {
                     -osReleaseIdLike "$__RESH_OS_RELEASE_ID_LIKE" \
                     -osReleaseName "$__RESH_OS_RELEASE_NAME" \
                     -osReleasePrettyName "$__RESH_OS_RELEASE_PRETTY_NAME" \
-                    >| ~/.resh/session_init_last_run_out.txt 2>&1 || echo "resh-session-init ERROR: $(head -n 1 ~/.resh/session_init_last_run_out.txt)"
+                    >| "$fpath_last_run" 2>&1 || echo "resh-session-init ERROR: $(head -n 1 $fpath_last_run)"
         fi
 }
 
@@ -183,6 +185,7 @@ __resh_set_xdg_home_paths() {
         __RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME="$XDG_CACHE_HOME/resh"
     fi
     mkdir -p "$__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME" >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
+    export __RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME
 
 
     if [ -z "${XDG_DATA_HOME-}" ]; then
diff --git a/scripts/widgets.sh b/scripts/widgets.sh
index 2c49471..defc605 100644
--- a/scripts/widgets.sh
+++ b/scripts/widgets.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ __resh_widget_control_R() {
     local git_remote; git_remote="$(git remote get-url origin 2>/dev/null)"
     BUFFER=$(resh-cli --sessionID "$__RESH_SESSION_ID" --host "$__RESH_HOST" --pwd "$PWD" --gitOriginRemote "$git_remote" --query "$BUFFER")
     status_code=$?
+    local fpath_last_run="$__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME/cli_last_run_out.txt"
+    touch "$fpath_last_run"
     if [ $status_code = 111 ]; then
         # execute
         if [ -n "${ZSH_VERSION-}" ]; then
@@ -35,9 +37,8 @@ __resh_widget_control_R() {
             bind -x '"\u[32~": __resh_nop'
         fi
     else
-        local tmp_file="$__RESH_XDG_CACHE_HOME/cli_last_run_out.txt"
-        echo "$BUFFER" >| "$tmp_file"
-        echo "# RESH SEARCH APP failed - sorry for the inconvinience - check '$tmp_file' and '~/.resh/cli.log'"
+        echo "$BUFFER" >| "$fpath_last_run"
+        echo "# RESH SEARCH APP failed - sorry for the inconvinience - check '$fpath_last_run' and '~/.resh/cli.log'"
         BUFFER="$PREVBUFFER"
     fi
     CURSOR=${#BUFFER}