diff --git a/examples/game_of_life/automaton/automaton.v b/examples/game_of_life/automaton/automaton.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5664439b6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/game_of_life/automaton/automaton.v
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+module automaton
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+pub struct A2D {
+pub mut:
+	maxx int
+	maxy int
+	data &int
+}
+[inline] pub fn (a &A2D) set(x,y int, newval int) {
+	unsafe {
+		mut e := &int(0)
+		e = a.data + y*a.maxx + x
+		*e = newval
+	}
+}
+[inline] pub fn (a &A2D) get(x,y int) int {
+	unsafe {
+		mut e := &int(0)
+		e = a.data + y*a.maxx + x
+		return *e
+	}
+}
+[inline] pub fn (a &A2D) clear() {
+	for y := 0; y<a.maxy; y++ {
+		for x := 0; x<a.maxx; x++ {
+			a.set(x,y,0)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+pub struct Automaton {
+pub mut:
+	field &A2D
+	new_field &A2D
+}
+
+fn new_automaton(f [][]int) Automaton {
+	mut maxy := f.len
+	mut maxx := 0
+	for y := 0; y<f.len; y++ {
+		if maxx < f[y].len {
+			maxx = f[y].len
+		}
+	}
+	field     := &A2D{ maxx: maxx maxy: maxy data: &int( calloc( sizeof(int) * maxy * maxx ) ) }
+	new_field := &A2D{ maxx: maxx maxy: maxy data: &int( calloc( sizeof(int) * maxy * maxx ) ) }
+	for y := 0; y < field.maxy; y++ {
+		for x := 0; x < field.maxx; x++ {
+			field.set( x, y, f[y][x] )
+		}
+	}
+	return Automaton{ field: field new_field: new_field }
+}
+
+pub fn (aa mut Automaton) update() {
+	aa.new_field.clear()
+	for y := 1; y<aa.field.maxy; y++ {
+		for x := 1; x<aa.field.maxx; x++ {
+			moore_sum := ( 0 +
+				aa.field.get(x-1,y-1) + aa.field.get(x,y-1) + aa.field.get(x+1,y-1) +	
+				aa.field.get(x-1,y  ) + 0                   + aa.field.get(x+1,y  ) +
+				aa.field.get(x-1,y+1) + aa.field.get(x,y+1) + aa.field.get(x+1,y+1)
+			)
+			cell := aa.field.get(x,y)
+			v := if cell == 1 {
+				int(moore_sum in [2, 3])
+			} else {
+				int(moore_sum == 3)
+			}
+			aa.new_field.set(x,y, v )
+		}
+	}
+	mut tmp := aa.field
+	aa.field = aa.new_field
+	aa.new_field = tmp
+}
+
+pub fn gun() Automaton {
+	mut field := []array_int
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
+	return new_automaton(field)
+}
diff --git a/examples/game_of_life/life.v b/examples/game_of_life/life.v
index a5153f5568..1f366e427e 100644
--- a/examples/game_of_life/life.v
+++ b/examples/game_of_life/life.v
@@ -1,78 +1,24 @@
+module main
 import time
+import automaton
 
-fn print_field(field []array_int) {
-	for line in field {
+fn print_automaton(a &automaton.Automaton){
+	for y := 1; y<a.field.maxy; y++ {
 		mut s := '    '
-		for j, cell in line {
-			if j == 0 || j == line.len - 1{continue}
-			s += if cell == 1{'@'} else { '.'}
+		for x := 1; x<a.field.maxx; x++ {
+			cell := a.field.get(x,y)
+			s += if cell == 1 { '@' } else { '.' }
 		}
 		println(s)
 	}
 	println('')
 }
 
-pub fn gun() []array_int {
-	mut field := []array_int
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	field << [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
-	return field
-}
-
 fn main() {
-	mut field := gun()
-	print_field(field)
+	mut a := automaton.gun()
 	for {
-		mut new_field := []array_int
-		for i, line in field {
-			new_field << [0].repeat(line.len)
-		}
-		for i, line in field {
-			if i == 0 || i == field.len - 1{continue}
-			for j, cell in line {
-				if j == 0 || j == line.len - 1{continue}
-				moore_sum := (
-				field[i - 1] [j - 1] + field[i - 1] [j] + field[i - 1] [j + 1] +
-				field[i] [j - 1] + field[i] [j + 1] +
-				field[i + 1] [j - 1] + field[i + 1] [j] + field[i + 1] [j + 1]
-				)
-				new_field[i] [j] = if cell == 1 {
-					int(moore_sum in [2, 3])
-				}
-				else {
-					int(moore_sum == 3)
-				}
-			}
-		}
-		field = new_field
-		print_field(field)
+		a.update()
+		print_automaton(a)
 		time.sleep_ms(100)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/examples/game_of_life/life_gg.v b/examples/game_of_life/life_gg.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..89af96b927
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/game_of_life/life_gg.v
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+module main
+
+import time
+import gg
+import glfw
+import gx
+import automaton
+
+const (
+	screenWidth = 800
+	screenHeight = 600
+	filled_color = gx.Blue
+)
+
+fn new_graphics() &gg.GG {
+	glfw.init_glfw()
+	return gg.new_context(gg.Cfg{
+		width: screenWidth
+		height: screenHeight
+		use_ortho: true
+		create_window: true
+		resizable: false
+		window_title: 'v life (with gg, glfw, gx)'
+		window_user_ptr: 0
+	})
+}
+
+const (
+	graphics = new_graphics()
+)
+
+[live]
+fn print_automaton(a &automaton.Automaton){
+	gg.clear(gx.White)
+	square_size := 18
+	for y := 1; y<a.field.maxy; y++ {
+		for x := 1; x<a.field.maxx; x++ {
+			cell := a.field.get(x,y)
+			if cell == 1 {
+				graphics.draw_rect( square_size*x, square_size*y, square_size, square_size, filled_color )
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+fn main() {
+	mut a := automaton.gun()
+	for {
+		if graphics.window.should_close() { graphics.window.destroy() break }
+		gg.post_empty_event() // needed so the animation does not stop
+		///////////////////////////////////////////////
+		a.update()
+		print_automaton(a)
+		
+		graphics.render()
+		time.sleep_ms(1) // TODO: remove this when live reload depence on the time module is fixed
+	}
+}
diff --git a/tools/vtest.v b/tools/vtest.v
index 3b2069b582..6f4c55bf00 100644
--- a/tools/vtest.v
+++ b/tools/vtest.v
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ pub fn v_test_v(args_before_test string){
 	println('\nBuilding examples...')
 	mut es := new_test_sesion( args_before_test )
 	files := os.walk_ext(parent_dir+'/examples','.v')
-	stable := files.filter(!it.contains('vweb'))
+	stable := files.filter(!it.contains('automaton.v'))
 	es.files << stable
 	es.test()
 	println( es.benchmark.total_message('building examples') )
diff --git a/vlib/compiler/main.v b/vlib/compiler/main.v
index e101a039e5..74f9f38990 100644
--- a/vlib/compiler/main.v
+++ b/vlib/compiler/main.v
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ pub mut:
 	out_name_c string       // name of the temporary C file
 	files      []string     // all V files that need to be parsed and compiled
 	dir        string       // directory (or file) being compiled (TODO rename to path?)
+	compiled_dir string     // contains os.realpath() of the dir of the final file beeing compiled, or the dir itself when doing `v .`
 	table      &Table       // table with types, vars, functions etc
 	cgen       &CGen        // C code generator
 	x64        &x64.Gen
@@ -874,6 +875,7 @@ pub fn new_v(args[]string) &V {
 	if args.len < 2 {
 		dir = ''
 	}
+    
 	// build mode
 	mut build_mode := BuildMode.default_mode
 	mut mod := ''
@@ -1051,6 +1053,7 @@ pub fn new_v(args[]string) &V {
 		os: _os
 		out_name: out_name
 		dir: dir
+		compiled_dir: if os.is_dir( rdir ) { rdir } else { os.dir( rdir ) }
 		lang_dir: vroot
 		table: new_table(obfuscate)
 		out_name_c: out_name_c
diff --git a/vlib/compiler/modules.v b/vlib/compiler/modules.v
index 320cafc29d..b12a226a37 100644
--- a/vlib/compiler/modules.v
+++ b/vlib/compiler/modules.v
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 module compiler
 
 import os
+import filepath
 
 pub const (
 	v_modules_path = os.home_dir() + '.vmodules'
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) register_import_alias(alias string, mod string, tok_idx int) {
 	// NOTE: come back here
 	// if alias in it.imports && it.imports[alias] == mod {}
 	if alias in p.import_table.imports && p.import_table.imports[alias] != mod {
-		p.error('cannot import $mod as $alias: import name $alias already in use"')
+		p.error('cannot import $mod as $alias: import name $alias already in use')
 	}
 	if mod.contains('.internal.') && !p.is_vgen {
 		mod_parts := mod.split('.')
@@ -141,35 +142,34 @@ pub fn(graph &DepGraph) imports() []string {
 	return mods
 }
 
-fn (v &V) module_path(mod string) string {
+[inline] fn (v &V) module_path(mod string) string {
 	// submodule support
-	if mod.contains('.') {
-		return mod.replace('.', os.path_separator)
-		// return mod.replace('.', '/')
-	}
-	return mod
+	return mod.replace('.', os.path_separator)
 }
 
 // 'strings' => 'VROOT/vlib/strings'
 // 'installed_mod' => '~/.vmodules/installed_mod'
 // 'local_mod' => '/path/to/current/dir/local_mod'
 fn (v &V) find_module_path(mod string) ?string {
+	// Module search order:
+	// 1) search in the *same* directory, as the compiled final v program source
+  //    (i.e. the . in `v .` or file.v in `v file.v`)
+	// 2) search in the current work dir (this preserves existing behaviour)
+	// 3) search in vlib/
+	// 4) search in ~/.vmodules/ (i.e. modules installed with vpm)
 	mod_path := v.module_path(mod)
-	// First check for local modules in the same directory
-	mut import_path := os.getwd() + '${os.path_separator}$mod_path'
-	// Now search in vlib/
-	if mod == 'compiler' || !os.dir_exists(import_path) {
-		import_path = '${v.pref.vlib_path}${os.path_separator}$mod_path'
-	}
-	//println('ip=$import_path')
-	// Finally try modules installed with vpm (~/.vmodules)
-	if !os.dir_exists(import_path) {
-		import_path = '${v.pref.vpath}${os.path_separator}$mod_path'
-		if !os.dir_exists(import_path){
-			return error('module "$mod" not found')
+	mut tried_paths := []string
+	tried_paths << filepath.join(v.compiled_dir, mod_path)
+	tried_paths << filepath.join(os.getwd(), mod_path)
+	tried_paths << filepath.join(v.pref.vlib_path, mod_path)
+	tried_paths << filepath.join(v_modules_path, mod_path)
+	for try_path in tried_paths {
+		if v.pref.is_verbose { println('  >> trying to find $mod in $try_path ...') }
+		if os.dir_exists(try_path) { 
+			return try_path 
 		}
 	}
-	return import_path
+	return error('module "$mod" not found')
 }
 
 [inline] fn mod_gen_name(mod string) string {