diff --git a/starter.json b/starter.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5cb8050
--- /dev/null
+++ b/starter.json
@@ -0,0 +1,256 @@
+[
+    {
+        "name": "small azurite sliver",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "medium azurite fragment",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "small azurite sliver": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "large azurite shard",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "medium azurite fragment": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "small amethyst sliver",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "medium amethyst fragment",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "small amethyst sliver": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "large amethyst shard",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "medium amethyst fragment": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "small emerald sliver",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "medium emerald fragment",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "small emerald sliver": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "large emerald shard",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "medium emerald fragment": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "small ruby sliver",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "medium ruby fragment",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "small ruby sliver": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "large ruby shard",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "medium ruby fragment": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "diluted vespene gas",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "refined vespene gas",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "diluted vespene gas": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "concentrated vespene gas",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "refined vespene gas": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "diluted amaranthine gas",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "refined amaranthine gas",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "diluted amaranthine gas": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "concentrated amaranthine gas",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "refined amaranthine gas": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "small lava globule",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "medium lava blob",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "small lava globule": 2
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "big lava glob",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "medium lava blob": 2
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "tiny iron nugget",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "ordinary iron lump",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "tiny iron nugget": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "sizeable iron chunk",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "ordinary iron lump": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "tiny silver nugget",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "ordinary silver lump",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "tiny silver nugget": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "sizeable silver chunk",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "ordinary silver lump": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "tiny gold nugget",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "ordinary gold lump",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "tiny gold nugget": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "sizeable gold chunk",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "ordinary gold lump": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "tiny titanium nugget",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "ordinary titanium lump",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "tiny titanium nugget": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "sizeable titanium chunk",
+        "type": "complex_item",
+        "sub_components":
+        {
+            "ordinary titanium lump": 3
+        },
+        "naive_complexity": true
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "obsidian",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "abberrant matter",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "strange gloop",
+        "type": "raw_material"
+    }
+]
diff --git a/total_cost.py b/total_cost.py
index c6beb3a..df7ecbf 100644
--- a/total_cost.py
+++ b/total_cost.py
@@ -45,30 +45,33 @@ def from_json():
 ################################################################################################################################
 class user_input:
     def __init__(self,comp_name):
-        valid = ('raw','compound')
-        error = True
-        while error:
-            try:
-                type = int(input("~{}~\ntype (0. {} | 1. {}): ".format(comp_name,*valid)))
-                error = False
-            except ValueError:
-                pass
-        self.type = valid[type]
-        if self.type == 'compound':
-            self.subs = {}
-            i = 1
-            while True:
-                inp = input('sub #{} ({{comp_name}} * {{count}}): '.format(i))
-                if inp == 'end':
-                    break
-                sr = re.split(r' *\* *',inp)
-                name = sr[0]
-                if len(sr) == 1:
-                    count = 1
-                else:
-                    count = int(sr[1])
-                self.subs[name] = count
-                i += 1
+
+        print("~{}~".format(comp_name),)
+        i = 1
+        while True:
+            inp = input('sub #{} ({{comp_name}} * {{count}}): '.format(i))
+            # null data means quit
+            if inp == '':
+                break
+            # initialize on the first iteration
+            if i == 1:
+                self.subs =  {}
+            # parse infix expression
+            sr = re.split(r' *\* *',inp)
+            # default count is 1
+            name = sr[0]
+            if len(sr) == 1:
+                count = 1
+            else:
+                count = int(sr[1])
+            self.subs[name] = count
+
+            i += 1
+        # `i` was never incremented, so the loop terminated early implying no sub components aka raw
+        if i == 1:
+            self.type = 'raw'
+        else:
+            self.type = 'compound'
 
 def recursive_fill_in(comp_name):
     global ITEMS