diff --git a/lib/risc/standard_allocator.rb b/lib/risc/standard_allocator.rb
index ff38a331..2d70c583 100644
--- a/lib/risc/standard_allocator.rb
+++ b/lib/risc/standard_allocator.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ module Risc
       @platform = platform
       @used_regs = {}
       @release_points = Hash.new( [] )
-      @reg_names = (0 ... platform.num_registers).collect{|i| "r#{i-1}".to_sym }
+      @reg_names = (0 ... platform.num_registers).collect{|i| "r#{i}".to_sym }
     end
     attr_reader :used_regs , :compiler , :platform , :reg_names
 
@@ -24,17 +24,29 @@ module Risc
     # Ie on arm register names are r0 .. . r15 , so it keeps a list of unused
     # regs and frees regs according to live ranges
     def allocate_regs
-      determine_liveness
+      walk_and_mark(@compiler.risc_instructions)
+      pointer = @compiler.risc_instructions
+      while(pointer)
+        names = assign(pointer)
+        names.each {|name| release_reg(name)}
+        pointer = pointer.next
+      end
+    end
+
+    def assign(instruction)
+      names = instruction.register_names
+      names.each do |for_name|
+        new_reg = get_reg(for_name)
+        # swap name out
+      end
+      names
     end
 
     # determines when registers can be freed
     #
     # this is done by walking the instructions backwards and saving the first
     # occurence of a register name. (The last, as we walk backwards)
-    def determine_liveness
-      walk_and_mark(@compiler.risc_instructions)
-    end
-
+    #
     # First walk down, and on the way up mark register occurences, unless they
     # have been marked already
     def walk_and_mark(instruction)
@@ -53,26 +65,23 @@ module Risc
       @used_regs.empty?
     end
 
-    def use_reg(reg)
-      raise "not reg #{reg.class}" unless reg.is_a?(RegisterValue)
-      @used_regs[reg.symbol] = reg
+    def use_reg(reg , for_name)
+      reg = reg.symbol if reg.is_a?(RegisterValue)
+      raise "Stupid error #{reg}" unless reg.is_a?(Symbol)
+      puts "Using #{reg} for #{for_name}"
+      @used_regs[reg] = for_name
     end
 
+    # if a register has been assigned to the given name, return that
     #
-    def release_reg(reg)
-      @used_regs.pop
-    end
-
-    def clear_used_regs
-      @used_regs.clear
-    end
-
-    #helper method to calculate with register symbols
-    def next_reg_use( type , extra = {} )
-      int = @symbol[1,3].to_i
-      raise "No more registers #{self}" if int > 11
-      sym = "r#{int + 1}".to_sym
-      RegisterValue.new( sym , type, extra)
+    # otherwise find the first free register by going through the available names
+    # and checking if it is used
+    def get_reg(for_name)
+      @used_regs.each {|reg,name| return reg if for_name == name }
+      @reg_names.each do |name|
+        return use_reg(name , for_name) unless @used_regs.has_key?(name)
+      end
+      raise "No more registers #{self}"
     end
 
     # releasing a register (accuired by use_reg) makes it available for use again
diff --git a/test/risc/test_standard_allocator.rb b/test/risc/test_standard_allocator.rb
index 16fbb5af..8ce80ca0 100644
--- a/test/risc/test_standard_allocator.rb
+++ b/test/risc/test_standard_allocator.rb
@@ -27,29 +27,24 @@ module Risc
       assert_equal Arm::ArmPlatform , @allocator.platform.class
     end
     def test_allocate_runs
-      assert @allocator.allocate_regs
+      assert_nil @allocator.allocate_regs
     end
     def test_live
-      live = @allocator.determine_liveness
+      live = @allocator.walk_and_mark(@allocator.compiler.risc_instructions)
       assert_equal 0 , live.length
     end
     def test_add_ok
-      assert_equal RegisterValue, @allocator.use_reg(tmp_reg).class
+      assert_equal Symbol, @allocator.use_reg(:r1, :some).class
+      assert @allocator.used_regs.include?(:r1)
     end
     def test_add_fail
       assert_raises{ @allocator.use_reg(1)}
     end
     def test_release_reg
-      @allocator.use_reg(tmp_reg)
-      assert_equal RegisterValue , @allocator.release_reg(tmp_reg).class
-    end
-    def test_remove_symbol
-      @allocator.use_reg(tmp_reg)
-      assert_equal RegisterValue , @allocator.release_reg(tmp_reg.symbol).class
-    end
-    def test_clear
-      @allocator.clear_used_regs
-      assert @allocator.used_regs_empty?
+      @allocator.use_reg(:r1 , :some)
+      assert  @allocator.used_regs.include?(:r1)
+      assert_equal Symbol , @allocator.release_reg(tmp_reg).class
+      assert  !@allocator.used_regs.include?(:r1)
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/risc/test_standard_allocator1.rb b/test/risc/test_standard_allocator1.rb
index c34d8293..b65116e7 100644
--- a/test/risc/test_standard_allocator1.rb
+++ b/test/risc/test_standard_allocator1.rb
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@ module Risc
       assert_equal :main , @compiler.callable.name
     end
     def test_allocate_runs
-      assert @allocator.allocate_regs
+      assert_nil @allocator.allocate_regs
+      assert_equal 10 , @allocator.used_regs.length
     end
     def test_live_length
-      live = @allocator.determine_liveness
+      live = @allocator.walk_and_mark(@compiler.risc_instructions)
       assert_equal 10 , live.length
     end
   end