diff --git a/backend.c b/backend.c
index 356ba41..46f5541 100644
--- a/backend.c
+++ b/backend.c
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 
 extern unsigned int settings;
 extern unsigned long longest_name;
-extern unsigned long file_count;
 extern char **content_l;
 extern char **content_m;
 extern char **content_r;
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ extern char *path;
 void get_dir_size(char *path, unsigned long *file_count, unsigned long *longest_name){
 	DIR *dir = opendir(path);
 	if (dir) {
-		unsigned long index = 0;
+		unsigned long index = 1; //always makes the array at least 1 big, used for metadata like the amount of files
 		struct dirent *entry;
 		while ( entry=readdir(dir) ) {
 			if (entry->d_name[0] != '.' && !(settings & 1)) { //bit 0 = show_hidden_files
@@ -35,12 +34,12 @@ void get_dir_size(char *path, unsigned long *file_count, unsigned long *longest_
 	closedir(dir);
 }
 
-void get_dir_content(char *path, char **dir_content){
+void get_dir_content(char *path, unsigned long file_count, unsigned long longest_name, char **dir_content){
 	DIR *dir = opendir(path);
 	char content[file_count][longest_name];
 	memset(content,0,sizeof(content));
 	if (dir) {
-		int index = 0;
+		int index = 1; //skip index 0 as it is used for metadata like file count
 		struct dirent *entry;
 		while ( entry=readdir(dir) ) { 
 			if (entry->d_name[0] != '.' && !(settings & 1)) { //bit 0 = show_hidden_files
@@ -56,7 +55,7 @@ void get_dir_content(char *path, char **dir_content){
 }
 
 void print_dir(WINDOW *win, char **dir_content){
-	for (unsigned long i = 0; i < (unsigned long)file_count; i++ ){
+	for (unsigned long i = 1; i < *dir_content[0]; i++ ){ //skip index 0 as it is used for metadata like file count
 		wprintw(win, "%s",dir_content[i]);
 		wmove(win, i, 1);
 	}
@@ -64,30 +63,35 @@ void print_dir(WINDOW *win, char **dir_content){
 
 void *populate_dir(void *which){ // 0=left, 1=main, 2=right
 	char wh = (char)which;
+	unsigned long file_count = 0;
+	unsigned long longest_name = 0;
 
 	if (wh) {
 		if (wh==1) {
 			get_dir_size(path, &file_count, &longest_name);
-			content_m = calloc(file_count, sizeof(*content_m));
-			for (unsigned long i = 0; i<file_count; i++) {
+			content_m = calloc(file_count+1, sizeof(*content_m)); //index 0 is used for metadata like file count in dir
+			for (unsigned long i = 0; i<file_count+1; i++) {
 				content_m[i] = calloc(longest_name, sizeof(content_m[i]));
 			}
-			get_dir_content(path, content_m);
+			*content_m[0] = file_count;
+			get_dir_content(path, file_count, longest_name, content_m);
 		} else {
 			get_dir_size(path, &file_count, &longest_name);
-			content_r = calloc(file_count, sizeof(*content_r));
-			for (unsigned long i = 0; i<file_count; i++) {
+			content_r = calloc(file_count+1, sizeof(*content_r));
+			for (unsigned long i = 0; i<file_count+1; i++) {
 				content_r[i] = calloc(longest_name, sizeof(content_r[i]));
 			}
-			get_dir_content(path, content_r);
+			*content_r[0] = file_count;
+			get_dir_content(path, file_count, longest_name, content_r);
 		}
 	} else {
 		get_dir_size(path, &file_count, &longest_name);
-		content_l = calloc(file_count, sizeof(*content_l));
-		for (unsigned long i = 0; i<file_count; i++) {
+		content_l = calloc(file_count+1, sizeof(*content_l));
+		for (unsigned long i = 0; i<file_count+1; i++) {
 			content_l[i] = calloc(longest_name, sizeof(content_l));
 		}
-		get_dir_content(path, content_l);
+		*content_l[0] = file_count;
+		get_dir_content(path, file_count, longest_name, content_l);
 	}
 
 	return NULL;
diff --git a/backend.h b/backend.h
index 3565340..94b23c6 100644
--- a/backend.h
+++ b/backend.h
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 
 
 void get_dir_size(char *path, unsigned long *file_count, unsigned long *longest_name);
-void get_dir_content(char *path, char **dir_content);
+void get_dir_content(char *path, unsigned long file_count, unsigned long longest_name, char **dir_content);
 void print_dir(WINDOW *win, char **dir_content);
 void *populate_dir(void *dir);
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index 8c1a2d4..c50755a 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 
 extern unsigned int terminal_height;
 extern unsigned int terminal_width;
-extern unsigned long longest_name;
-extern unsigned long file_count;
 
 
 
@@ -16,8 +14,6 @@ void window_main(WINDOW *win, unsigned int start_y, unsigned int start_x, char *
 	//WINDOW *win = (window_data)window_data.win;
 	unsigned int local_width;
 	unsigned int local_height;
-	unsigned long file_count = 0;
-	unsigned long longest_name = 0;
 
 	//{{{ size & positioning
 	wresize(win, terminal_height, terminal_width/3);
@@ -39,8 +35,6 @@ void window_left(WINDOW *win, unsigned int start_y, unsigned int start_x, char *
 
 	unsigned int local_width;
 	unsigned int local_height;
-	unsigned long file_count = 0;
-	unsigned long longest_name = 0;
 
 	//{{{ size & positioning
 	wresize(win, terminal_height, terminal_width/3);