diff --git a/src/js/Index/Index.js b/src/js/Index/Index.js
index 4613e4e..9de99a9 100644
--- a/src/js/Index/Index.js
+++ b/src/js/Index/Index.js
@@ -9,7 +9,39 @@ class Index extends Component{
     }
 
     render(){
-        return <h1 className="center-text text-no-select">welcome to playlist manager!</h1>;
+        return (
+            <table className="app-table">
+                <thead>
+                    <tr>
+                        <th>
+                            <h1 className="center-text text-no-select">playlist manager</h1>
+                        </th>
+                    </tr>
+                </thead>
+                <tbody>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td className="center-text text-no-select ui-text" style={{fontSize: "20px"}}>
+                            construct playlists from selections of other playlists
+                        </td>
+                    </tr>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td className="center-text text-no-select ui-text">
+                            group sub-genre playlists
+                        </td>
+                    </tr>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td className="center-text text-no-select ui-text">
+                            optionally append recommendations generated by spotify
+                        </td>
+                    </tr>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td className="center-text text-no-select ui-text">
+                            <br></br>playlists are run multiple times a day
+                        </td>
+                    </tr>
+                </tbody>
+            </table>
+        );
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/js/Playlist/NewPlaylist.js b/src/js/Playlist/NewPlaylist.js
index 9e8cc19..bb00e7a 100644
--- a/src/js/Playlist/NewPlaylist.js
+++ b/src/js/Playlist/NewPlaylist.js
@@ -10,53 +10,83 @@ class NewPlaylist extends Component {
         super(props);
         this.state = {
             name: '',
-            type: 'normal'
+            type: 'default',
+            description: ''
         }
         this.handleInputChange = this.handleInputChange.bind(this);
         this.handleSubmit = this.handleSubmit.bind(this);
     }
 
+    componentDidMount(){
+        this.setDescription('default');
+    }
+
+    setDescription(value){
+        switch(value){
+            case 'default':
+                this.setState({
+                    description: 'merge playlists as-is with deduplication by spotify id'
+                })
+                break;
+            case 'recents':
+                this.setState({
+                    description: "select songs from playlists which have been added since a variable number of days"
+                })
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+
     handleInputChange(event){
         this.setState({
             [event.target.name]: event.target.value
         });
+        this.setDescription(event.target.value);
     }
 
     handleSubmit(event){
-        axios.get('/api/playlists')
-        .then((response) => {
-
-            var names = response.data.playlists.map(entry => entry.name)
-
-            var sameName = names.includes(this.state.name);
-            if(sameName == false){
-                axios.put('/api/playlist', {
-                    name: this.state.name,
-                    parts: [],
-                    playlist_references: [],
-                    shuffle: false,
-                    type: this.state.type,
-                }).then((response) => {
-                    showMessage(`${this.state.name} created`);
-                }).catch((error) => {
-                    showMessage(`error creating playlist (${error.response.status})`);
-                });
-            }else{
-                showMessage('named playlist already exists');
-            }
-        })
-        .catch((error) => {
-            showMessage(`error getting playlists (${error.response.status})`);
+        var name = this.state.name;
+        this.setState({
+            name: ''
         });
+
+        if(name.length != 0){
+            axios.get('/api/playlists')
+            .then((response) => {
+
+                var names = response.data.playlists.map(entry => entry.name)
+
+                var sameName = names.includes(this.state.name);
+                if(sameName == false){
+                    axios.put('/api/playlist', {
+                        name: name,
+                        parts: [],
+                        playlist_references: [],
+                        shuffle: false,
+                        type: this.state.type,
+                    }).then((response) => {
+                        showMessage(`${this.state.name} created`);
+                    }).catch((error) => {
+                        showMessage(`error creating playlist (${error.response.status})`);
+                    });
+                }else{
+                    showMessage('named playlist already exists');
+                }
+            })
+            .catch((error) => {
+                showMessage(`error getting playlists (${error.response.status})`);
+            });
+        }else{
+            showMessage('enter name');
+        }
     }
 
     render(){
         return (
-            <table className="app-table">
+            <table className="app-table max-width">
                 <thead>
                     <tr>
                         <th colSpan="2">
-                            <h1 className="ui-text center-text">new playlist</h1>
+                            <h1 className="ui-text center-text text-no-select">new playlist</h1>
                         </th>
                     </tr>
                 </thead>
@@ -64,7 +94,7 @@ class NewPlaylist extends Component {
                     <tr>
                         <td>
                             <select className="full-width" name="type" onChange={this.handleInputChange}>
-                                <option value="default">normal</option>
+                                <option value="default">default</option>
                                 <option value="recents">recents</option>
                             </select>
                         </td>
@@ -83,6 +113,11 @@ class NewPlaylist extends Component {
                             <input type="submit" className="button full-width" onClick={this.handleSubmit} value="create" />
                         </td>
                     </tr>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td colSpan="2" className="ui-text text-no-select center-text">
+                            <br></br>{this.state.description}
+                        </td>
+                    </tr>
                 </tbody>
             </table>
         );
diff --git a/src/js/Playlist/PlaylistView.js b/src/js/Playlist/PlaylistView.js
index 71a0a0f..222d107 100644
--- a/src/js/Playlist/PlaylistView.js
+++ b/src/js/Playlist/PlaylistView.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ class PlaylistView extends Component{
             name: this.props.match.params.name,
             parts: [],
             playlists: [],
+            filteredPlaylists: [],
             playlist_references: [],
             type: null,
 
@@ -50,8 +51,13 @@ class PlaylistView extends Component{
                 return 0;
             });
 
+            var filteredPlaylists = playlists.data.playlists.filter((entry) => entry.name != this.state.name);
+
             this.setState(info.data);
-            this.setState({playlists: playlists.data.playlists});
+            this.setState({
+                playlists: playlists.data.playlists,
+                newPlaylistReference: filteredPlaylists.length > 0 ? filteredPlaylists[0].name : ''
+            });
         }))
         .catch((error) => {
             showMessage(`error getting playlist info (${error.response.status})`);
@@ -67,6 +73,7 @@ class PlaylistView extends Component{
     }
 
     handleInputChange(event){
+        
         this.setState({
             [event.target.name]: event.target.value
         });
@@ -122,60 +129,75 @@ class PlaylistView extends Component{
     }
 
     handleAddPart(event){
+        
+        if(this.state.newPlaylistName.length != 0){
 
-        var check = this.state.parts.filter((e) => {
-            return e == event.target.value;
-        });
+            var check = this.state.parts.includes(this.state.newPlaylistName);
 
-        if(check.length == 0) {
-            var parts = this.state.parts.slice();
-            parts.push(this.state.newPlaylistName);
+            if(check == false) {
+                var parts = this.state.parts.slice();
+                parts.push(this.state.newPlaylistName);
 
-            parts.sort(function(a, b){
-                if(a < b) { return -1; }
-                if(a > b) { return 1; }
-                return 0;
-            });
+                parts.sort(function(a, b){
+                    if(a < b) { return -1; }
+                    if(a > b) { return 1; }
+                    return 0;
+                });
 
-            this.setState({
-                parts: parts,
-                newPlaylistName: ''
-            });
-            axios.post('/api/playlist', {
-                name: this.state.name,
-                parts: parts
-            }).catch((error) => {
-                showMessage(`error adding part (${error.response.status})`);
-            });
+                this.setState({
+                    parts: parts,
+                    newPlaylistName: ''
+                });
+                axios.post('/api/playlist', {
+                    name: this.state.name,
+                    parts: parts
+                }).catch((error) => {
+                    showMessage(`error adding part (${error.response.status})`);
+                });
+            }else{
+                showMessage('playlist already added');  
+            }
+
+        }else{
+            showMessage('enter playlist name');
         }
     }
 
     handleAddReference(event){
-        
-        var check = this.state.playlist_references.filter((e) => {
-            return e == event.target.value;
-        });
 
-        if(check.length == 0) {
-            var playlist_references = this.state.playlist_references.slice();
-            playlist_references.push(this.state.newPlaylistReference);
+        if(this.state.newPlaylistReference.length != 0){
             
-            playlist_references.sort(function(a, b){
-                if(a < b) { return -1; }
-                if(a > b) { return 1; }
-                return 0;
-            });
-            
-            this.setState({
-                playlist_references: playlist_references,
-                newPlaylistReference: ''
-            });
-            axios.post('/api/playlist', {
-                name: this.state.name,
-                playlist_references: playlist_references
-            }).catch((error) => {
-                showMessage(`error adding reference (${error.response.status})`);
-            });
+            var check = this.state.playlist_references.includes(this.state.newPlaylistReference);
+
+            if(check == false) {
+                var playlist_references = this.state.playlist_references.slice();
+                playlist_references.push(this.state.newPlaylistReference);
+                
+                playlist_references.sort(function(a, b){
+                    if(a < b) { return -1; }
+                    if(a > b) { return 1; }
+                    return 0;
+                });
+
+                var filteredPlaylists = this.state.playlists.filter((entry) => entry.name != this.state.name);
+                
+                this.setState({
+                    playlist_references: playlist_references,
+                    newPlaylistReference: filteredPlaylists.length > 0 ? filteredPlaylists[0].name : ''
+                });
+                axios.post('/api/playlist', {
+                    name: this.state.name,
+                    playlist_references: playlist_references
+                }).catch((error) => {
+                    showMessage(`error adding reference (${error.response.status})`);
+                });
+
+            }else{
+                showMessage('playlist already added');  
+            }
+
+        }else{
+            showMessage('no other playlists to add');   
         }
     }
 
@@ -218,11 +240,20 @@ class PlaylistView extends Component{
     }
 
     handleRun(event){
-        axios.get('/api/playlist/run', {params: {name: this.state.name}})
-        .then((reponse) => {
-            showMessage(`${this.state.name} ran`);
-        })
-        .catch((error) => {
+        axios.get('/api/user')
+        .then((response) => {
+            if(response.data.spotify_linked == true){
+                axios.get('/api/playlist/run', {params: {name: this.state.name}})
+                .then((reponse) => {
+                    showMessage(`${this.state.name} ran`);
+                })
+                .catch((error) => {
+                    showMessage(`error running ${this.state.name} (${error.response.status})`);
+                });
+            }else{
+                showMessage(`link spotify before running`);
+            }
+        }).catch((error) => {
             showMessage(`error running ${this.state.name} (${error.response.status})`);
         });
     }
@@ -239,6 +270,11 @@ class PlaylistView extends Component{
                 { this.state.playlist_references.length > 0 && <ListBlock name="managed" handler={this.handleRemoveRefRow} list={this.state.playlist_references}/> }
                 { this.state.parts.length > 0 && <ListBlock name="spotify" handler={this.handleRemoveRow} list={this.state.parts}/> }
                 <tbody>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td colSpan="2" className="center-text ui-text text-no-select" style={{fontStyle: "italic"}}>
+                            <br></br>spotify playlist can be the name of either your own created playlist or one you follow, names are case sensitive
+                        </td>
+                    </tr>
                     <tr>
                         <td>
                             <input type="text"
@@ -246,7 +282,7 @@ class PlaylistView extends Component{
                                 className="full-width" 
                                 value={this.state.newPlaylistName} 
                                 onChange={this.handleInputChange}
-                                placeholder="spotify playlist"></input>
+                                placeholder="spotify playlist name"></input>
                         </td>
                         <td>
                             <button className="button full-width" onClick={this.handleAddPart}>add</button>
@@ -258,7 +294,9 @@ class PlaylistView extends Component{
                                     className="full-width"
                                     value={this.state.newPlaylistReference}
                                     onChange={this.handleInputChange}>
-                                { this.state.playlists.map((entry) => <ReferenceEntry name={entry.name} key={entry.name} />) }
+                                { this.state.playlists
+                                    .filter((entry) => entry.name != this.state.name)
+                                    .map((entry) => <ReferenceEntry name={entry.name} key={entry.name} />) }
                             </select>
                         </td>
                         <td>
@@ -287,7 +325,7 @@ class PlaylistView extends Component{
                     </tr>
                     <tr>
                         <td className="center-text ui-text text-no-select">
-                            recommendations sample size
+                            number of recommendations
                         </td>
                         <td>
                         <input type="number" 
@@ -298,7 +336,7 @@ class PlaylistView extends Component{
                         </td>
                     </tr>
                     { this.state.type == 'recents' &&
-                     <tr>
+                    <tr>
                         <td className="center-text ui-text text-no-select">
                             added since (days)
                         </td>
@@ -309,7 +347,16 @@ class PlaylistView extends Component{
                                 value={this.state.day_boundary}
                                 onChange={this.handleInputChange}></input>
                         </td>
-                    </tr>  
+                    </tr>
+                    }
+                    { this.state.type == 'recents' &&
+                    <tr>
+                        <td colSpan="2" className="center-text ui-text text-no-select" style={{fontStyle: "italic"}}>
+                            <br></br>'recents' playlists search for and include this months and last months playlists when named in the format
+                            <br></br>[month] [year]
+                            <br></br>e.g july 19 (lowercase)
+                        </td>
+                    </tr>
                     }
                     <tr>
                         <td colSpan="2">
diff --git a/src/js/Playlist/PlaylistsView.js b/src/js/Playlist/PlaylistsView.js
index 024340f..d0c3a09 100644
--- a/src/js/Playlist/PlaylistsView.js
+++ b/src/js/Playlist/PlaylistsView.js
@@ -41,12 +41,21 @@ class PlaylistsView extends Component {
     }
 
     handleRunPlaylist(name, event){
-        axios.get('/api/playlist/run', {params: {name: name}})
+        axios.get('/api/user')
         .then((response) => {
-            showMessage(`${name} ran`);
-        })
-        .catch((error) => {
-            showMessage(`error running ${name} (${error.response.status})`);
+            if(response.data.spotify_linked == true){
+                axios.get('/api/playlist/run', {params: {name: name}})
+                .then((response) => {
+                    showMessage(`${name} ran`);
+                })
+                .catch((error) => {
+                    showMessage(`error running ${name} (${error.response.status})`);
+                });
+            }else{
+                showMessage(`link spotify before running`);
+            }
+        }).catch((error) => {
+            showMessage(`error running ${this.state.name} (${error.response.status})`);
         });
     }
 
@@ -61,12 +70,21 @@ class PlaylistsView extends Component {
     }
 
     handleRunAll(event){
-        axios.get('/api/playlist/run/user')
+        axios.get('/api/user')
         .then((response) => {
-            showMessage("all playlists ran");
-        })
-        .catch((error)  => {
-            showMessage(`error running all (${error.response.status})`);
+            if(response.data.spotify_linked == true){
+                axios.get('/api/playlist/run/user')
+                .then((response) => {
+                    showMessage("all playlists ran");
+                })
+                .catch((error)  => {
+                    showMessage(`error running all (${error.response.status})`);
+                });
+            }else{
+                showMessage(`link spotify before running`);
+            }
+        }).catch((error) => {
+            showMessage(`error running ${this.state.name} (${error.response.status})`);
         });
     }
 
@@ -88,16 +106,25 @@ class PlaylistsView extends Component {
 function Table(props){
     return (
         <table className="app-table max-width">
+            { props.playlists.length == 0 ? (
+                <tbody>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td className="ui-text text-no-select center-text">
+                            no playlists
+                        </td>
+                    </tr>
+                </tbody>
+            ) : (
             <tbody>
                 { props.playlists.map((playlist) => <Row playlist={ playlist } 
                                                         handleRunPlaylist={props.handleRunPlaylist} 
                                                         handleDeletePlaylist={props.handleDeletePlaylist}
                                                         key={ playlist.name }/>) }
-                { props.playlists.length > 0 && 
                 <tr>
                     <td colSpan="3"><button className="full-width button" onClick={props.handleRunAll}>run all</button></td>
-                </tr> }
+                </tr>
             </tbody>
+            )}
         </table>
     );
 }