diff --git a/configmodel.c b/configmodel.c
index a4b6bca..e1200a5 100644
--- a/configmodel.c
+++ b/configmodel.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "configmodel.h"
+#include "sectionstore.h"
 
 #include "cregex/cregex.h"
 #include "containers/stringarray.h"
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ struct ConfigFile
 {
 	CONST_STRPTR filename;
 	LineArray lines;
+	SECTIONSTOREPTR sectionStore;
 };
 
 struct Section
@@ -88,6 +90,10 @@ VOID ConfigFileFree(CONFIGFILEPTR abstractConfigFile)
 		{
 			LineArrayFree(configFile->lines, TRUE); //also frees lines
 		}
+		if( configFile->sectionStore != NULL )
+		{
+			SectionStoreFree(configFile->sectionStore);
+		}
 		FreeVec(configFile);
 	}
 }
@@ -99,7 +105,8 @@ CONFIGFILEPTR ConfigFileRead(CONST_STRPTR filename)
 	if( configFile != ZERO )
 	{
 		LINEPTR line = NULL;
-		SECTIONPTR currentSection = NULL;
+		SECTIONPTR currentSection = NULL;//SectionCreateWithName(""); // initial empty section
+		result->sectionStore = SectionStoreNew();
 		result->lines = LineArrayNew();
 		InitialisePatterns();
 		while( (line = LineReadIncludingContinuation(configFile, currentSection)) != NULL )
diff --git a/configmodel.h b/configmodel.h
index 0a7f311..61512da 100644
--- a/configmodel.h
+++ b/configmodel.h
@@ -19,4 +19,12 @@ VOID ReleasePatterns(VOID);
 LINEPTR LineReadIncludingContinuation(BPTR file, SECTIONPTR currentSection);
 VOID LineFree(LINEPTR abstractLine);
 CONST_STRPTR LineGetRawText(LINEPTR line);
+
+SECTIONPTR SectionCreateWithName(CONST_STRPTR primary);
+SECTIONPTR SectionCreateWithNameAndSubname(CONST_STRPTR primary, CONST_STRPTR secondary);
+VOID SectionFree(SECTIONPTR abstractSection);
+
+VARIABLEPTR VariableCreate(CONST_STRPTR key, CONST_STRPTR rawValue);
+VOID VariableFree(VARIABLEPTR abstractVariable);
+
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/containers/linemap.h b/containers/linemap.h
index e9682e8..df4bdf2 100644
--- a/containers/linemap.h
+++ b/containers/linemap.h
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@
 #define LineMap Map
 
 LineMap LineMapNew(VOID);
-
 VOID LineMapFree(LineMap map);
+
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/containers/sectionarray.c b/containers/sectionarray.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e5dfe7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/containers/sectionarray.c
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#include "sectionarray.h"
+#include <proto/exec.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+Array SectionArrayNew(VOID) 
+{
+	#define SIZE_STRPTR 2
+	return NewArray(SIZE_STRPTR);
+}
+
+VOID SectionArrayAppend(SectionArray array, SECTIONPTR value)
+{
+	AppendToArray(CONST_STRPTR, array, value);	
+}
+
+VOID SectionArrayFree(SectionArray array)
+{
+	if( array != NULL )
+	{
+		SectionArrayForEach(array, SectionFree(aSection););
+		DeleteArray(array);
+	}
+}
+
+SECTIONPTR* SectionArrayValues(SectionArray array)
+{
+	return ArrayValues(SECTIONPTR, array);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/containers/sectionarray.h b/containers/sectionarray.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..883b2d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/containers/sectionarray.h
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#ifndef __SECTIONARRAY_H
+#define __SECTIONARRAY_H
+
+#include <exec/types.h>
+#include <proto/containerkit.h>
+#include "configmodel.h"
+#define SectionArray Array
+
+SectionArray SectionArrayNew(VOID); 
+VOID SectionArrayAppend(SectionArray array, CONST_STRPTR value);
+VOID SectionArrayFree(SectionArray array);
+SECTIONPTR* SectionArrayValues(SectionArray array);
+
+#define SectionArrayForEach(array, block) do {SECTIONPTR *afe_123_p = (*(SECTIONPTR **)array); SECTIONPTR aSection = *afe_123_p; int afe_123_c = (((ULONG *)array)[1]);\
+  for (; afe_123_c--; aSection = *(++afe_123_p)) block} while (0);
+
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/containers/sectionmap.c b/containers/sectionmap.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..edfb790
--- /dev/null
+++ b/containers/sectionmap.c
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+#include "sectionmap.h"
+#include "configmodel.h"
+
+SectionMap SectionMapNew()
+{
+	SectionMap result = NewMap(CNTKIT_KEY_STRING,
+		CNTKIT_CAPACITY, 8,
+		CNTKIT_VALUESIZE, 4,
+		TAG_DONE);
+		
+	return result;
+}
+
+VOID SectionMapSet(SectionMap map, CONST_STRPTR canonicalName, SECTIONPTR section)
+{
+	if( canonicalName != NULL )
+	{
+		if( section == NULL )
+		{
+			RemoveStrKey(map, (STRPTR)canonicalName);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			MapStrToValue(map, (STRPTR)canonicalName, (ULONG)section);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+SECTIONPTR SectionMapGet(SectionMap map, CONST_STRPTR canonicalName)
+{
+	if( canonicalName != NULL )
+	{
+		return (SECTIONPTR)ValueOfStrKey(map, (STRPTR)canonicalName);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		return NULL;
+	}
+}
+
+VOID SectionMapFree(SectionMap map)
+{
+	// doesnt seem to delete contents
+	DeleteMap(map);	
+}
diff --git a/containers/sectionmap.h b/containers/sectionmap.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f3035bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/containers/sectionmap.h
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#ifndef __SECTIONMAP_H
+#define __SECTIONMAP_H
+
+#include <exec/types.h>
+#include <proto/containerkit.h>
+#include "configmodel.h"
+
+#define SectionMap Map // a map of string (canonical name) to Section
+
+SectionMap SectionMapNew(VOID);
+VOID SectionMapSet(SectionMap map, CONST_STRPTR canonicalName, SECTIONPTR section);
+SECTIONPTR SectionMapGet(SectionMap map, CONST_STRPTR canonicalName);
+VOID SectionMapFree(SectionMap map);
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/containers/stringarray.c b/containers/stringarray.c
index 38c68b0..000b5d2 100644
--- a/containers/stringarray.c
+++ b/containers/stringarray.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "stringarray.h"
+#include "configmodel.h"
 #include <proto/exec.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
diff --git a/sectionstore.c b/sectionstore.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce13c21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sectionstore.c
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#include "sectionstore.h"
+#include "containers/sectionmap.h"
+#include "containers/sectionarray.h"
+
+#include <proto/exec.h>
+
+struct SectionStore
+{
+	SectionMap map;
+	SectionArray array;
+};
+
+SECTIONSTOREPTR SectionStoreNew(VOID)
+{
+	struct SectionStore* result = AllocVec(sizeof(struct SectionStore), MEMF_CLEAR);
+	result->map = SectionMapNew();
+	result->array = SectionArrayNew();
+	
+	return result;
+}
+
+VOID SectionStoreFree(SECTIONSTOREPTR abstractSectionStore)
+{
+	if( abstractSectionStore != NULL )
+	{
+		struct SectionStore* store = (struct SectionStore*)abstractSectionStore;
+		if( store->map != NULL ) SectionMapFree( store->map );
+		if( store->array != NULL ) SectionArrayFree( store->array );
+		FreeVec(store);
+	}
+}
+
+VOID SectionStoreAddSection(SECTIONPTR section)
+{
+}
+
+VOID SectionStoreRemoveSection(SECTIONPTR section)
+{
+}
+
+VOID SectionStoreRemoveSectionByName(CONST_STRPTR canonicalName)
+{
+}
+
+SECTIONPTR SectionStoreGetSection(CONST_STRPTR canonicalName)
+{
+	return NULL;
+}
diff --git a/sectionstore.h b/sectionstore.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cd9f3c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sectionstore.h
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#ifndef __SECTIONSTORE_H
+#define __SECTIONSTORE_H
+
+#include <exec/types.h>
+
+typedef APTR SECTIONSTOREPTR;
+
+#include "configmodel.h"
+
+SECTIONSTOREPTR SectionStoreNew(VOID);
+VOID SectionStoreFree(SECTIONSTOREPTR sectionStore);
+
+VOID SectionStoreAddSection(SECTIONPTR section);
+VOID SectionStoreRemoveSection(SECTIONPTR section);
+VOID SectionStoreRemoveSectionByName(CONST_STRPTR canonicalName);
+
+SECTIONPTR SectionStoreGetSection(CONST_STRPTR canonicalName);
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/smakefile b/smakefile
index 032d25a..375404a 100644
--- a/smakefile
+++ b/smakefile
@@ -11,14 +11,14 @@ LIBS = lib:sc.lib lib:amiga.lib lib:debug.lib
 
 ###############################################################################
 	
-$(NAME) : main.o configmodel.o cregex/cregex.lib containers/containers.lib
-	slink lib:c.o main.o configmodel.o to $(NAME) noicons lib $(LIBS) cregex/cregex.lib containers/containers.lib $(LFLAGS)
+$(NAME) : main.o configmodel.o sectionstore.o cregex/cregex.lib containers/containers.lib
+	slink lib:c.o main.o configmodel.o sectionstore.o to $(NAME) noicons lib $(LIBS) cregex/cregex.lib containers/containers.lib $(LFLAGS)
 
 cregex/cregex.lib : cregex/cregex_compile.o cregex/cregex_parse.o cregex/cregex_vm.o
 	JOIN cregex/cregex_compile.o cregex/cregex_parse.o cregex/cregex_vm.o AS cregex/cregex.lib
 	
-containers/containers.lib : containers/stringarray.o containers/linearray.o containers/linemap.o
-	JOIN containers/stringarray.o containers/linearray.o containers/linemap.o AS containers/containers.lib
+containers/containers.lib : containers/stringarray.o containers/linearray.o containers/linemap.o containers/sectionarray.o containers/sectionmap.o
+	JOIN containers/stringarray.o containers/linearray.o containers/linemap.o containers/sectionarray.o containers/sectionmap.o AS containers/containers.lib
 	
 clean:
 	delete \#?.o $(NAME) ALL QUIET
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ cleanlibs:
 
 main.o : main.c 
 configmodel.o : configmodel.c configmodel.h
+sectionstore.o : sectionstore.c sectionstore.h
 
 cregex/cregex_compile.o : cregex/cregex_compile.c cregex/cregex.h
 cregex/cregex_parse.o : cregex/cregex_parse.c cregex/cregex.h
@@ -38,3 +39,5 @@ cregex/cregex_vm.o : cregex/cregex_vm.c cregex/cregex.h
 containers/stringarray.o : containers/stringarray.c containers/stringarray.h
 containers/linearray.o : containers/linearray.c containers/linearray.h
 containers/linemap.o : containers/linemap.c containers/linemap.h
+containers/sectionarray.o : containers/sectionarray.c containers/sectionarray.h
+containers/sectionmap.o : containers/sectionmap.c containers/sectionmap.h