diff --git a/bin/examine b/bin/examine
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..ec96f31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/examine
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+kubectl port-forward postgres-0 5431:5432 &
+PF_PID=$!
+
+shutdown () {
+  kill $PF_PID
+  wait
+}
+
+trap shutdown INT TERM
+
+PYTHONPATH=src python -m dexorder.bin.examine rpc_url=arbitrum_dxod db_url=postgres://dexorder@localhost:5431/dexorder "$@"
+
+shutdown
diff --git a/src/dexorder/__init__.py b/src/dexorder/__init__.py
index da60f96..e253e2d 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/__init__.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/__init__.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ _cwd() # do this first so that config has the right current working directory
 
 # ordering here is important!
 from .base.chain import Blockchain # the singletons are loaded into the dexorder.blockchain.* namespace
-from .util import async_yield
+from .util import async_yield, json
 from .base.fixed import Fixed2, FixedDecimals, Dec18
 from .configuration import config
 from .base.account import Account
diff --git a/src/dexorder/base/orderlib.py b/src/dexorder/base/orderlib.py
index 2e14ba3..38a5d92 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/base/orderlib.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/base/orderlib.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass
 from enum import Enum
 from typing import Optional
 
-from dexorder import timestamp
+from dexorder import timestamp, from_timestamp
 from dexorder.util import hexbytes
 from dexorder.util.convert import decode_IEEE754
 
@@ -250,6 +250,26 @@ class ElaboratedSwapOrderStatus:
     def copy(self):
         return copy.deepcopy(self)
 
+    def __str__(self):
+        msg = f'''
+SwapOrder
+    status: {self.state.name}
+    in: {self.order.tokenIn}
+    out: {self.order.tokenOut}
+    exchange: {self.order.route.exchange.name, self.order.route.fee}
+    amount: {"input" if self.order.amountIsInput else "output"} {self.filledIn if self.order.amountIsInput else self.filledOut}/{self.order.amount}{" to owner" if self.order.outputDirectlyToOwner else ""}
+    minFill: {self.order.minFillAmount}
+    inverted: {self.order.inverted}
+    tranches:
+'''
+        for i in range(len(self.trancheStatus)):
+            tranche = self.order.tranches[i]
+            ts = self.trancheStatus[i]
+            msg += f'        {tranche}\n'
+            for fill in ts.fills:
+                msg += f'            {fill}\n'
+        return msg
+
 
 NO_OCO = 18446744073709551615 # max uint64
 
@@ -344,7 +364,7 @@ class Tranche:
         )
 
     def __str__(self):
-        msg = f'{self.fraction/MAX_FRACTION:.1%} {"start+" if self.startTimeIsRelative else ""}{self.startTime} to {"start+" if self.startTimeIsRelative else ""}{self.endTime}'
+        msg = f'{self.fraction/MAX_FRACTION:.1%} {"start+" if self.startTimeIsRelative else ""}{from_timestamp(self.startTime)} to {"start+" if self.startTimeIsRelative else ""}{from_timestamp(self.endTime)}'
         if self.marketOrder:
             # for marketOrders, minLine.intercept is the slippage
             msg += f' market order slippage {self.minLine.intercept:.2%}'
diff --git a/src/dexorder/bin/examine.py b/src/dexorder/bin/examine.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..751e86c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dexorder/bin/examine.py
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import argparse
+import logging
+
+from dexorder import db, blockchain
+from dexorder.base.order import OrderKey
+from dexorder.blocks import current_block, get_block
+from dexorder.blockstate import current_blockstate
+from dexorder.blockstate.blockdata import BlockData
+from dexorder.blockstate.db_state import DbState
+from dexorder.contract.dexorder import VaultContract
+from dexorder.order.orderstate import Order
+from dexorder.tokens import adjust_decimals
+from dexorder.vault_blockdata import vault_balances, pretty_balances
+from dexorder.bin.executable import execute
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def command_vault_argparse(subparsers):
+    parser = subparsers.add_parser('vault', help='show the vault\'s balances and orders')
+    parser.add_argument('address', help='address of the vault')
+    parser.add_argument('--all', help='show all orders including closed ones', action='store_true')
+    # parser.add_argument('--json', help='output in JSON format', action='store_true')
+
+async def command_vault(args):
+    balances = vault_balances.get(args.address, {})
+    print(f'Vault {args.address} v{await VaultContract(args.address).version()}')
+    print(f'Balances:')
+    print(pretty_balances({k: (await adjust_decimals(k, v)) for k, v in balances.items()}))
+    print(f'Orders:')
+    i = 0
+    while True:
+        key = OrderKey(args.address, i)
+        try:
+            order = Order.of(key)
+        except KeyError:
+            break
+        if args.all or order.is_open:
+            print(await order.pprint())
+        i += 1
+
+    # for key in Order.open_orders:
+    #     order = Order.of(key)
+    #     if args.json:
+    #         print(json.dumps(order.status.dump()))
+    #     else:
+    #         print()
+    #     print(order)
+
+async def main(args: list):
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument('--chain-id', default=None)
+    subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(dest='command')
+    for name in globals():
+        if name.startswith('command_') and name.endswith('_argparse'):
+            globals()[name](subparsers)
+    parsed = parser.parse_args(args)
+    print(parsed)
+    try:
+        subcommand = globals()[f'command_{parsed.command}']
+    except KeyError:
+        parser.print_help()
+        exit(1)
+    await blockchain.connect()
+    db.connect()
+    db_state = DbState(BlockData.by_opt('db'))
+    with db.transaction():
+        state = await db_state.load()
+    state.readonly = True
+    current_blockstate.set(state)
+    block = await get_block(state.root_hash)
+    current_block.set(block)
+    await subcommand(parsed)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    execute(main, parse_args=True)
diff --git a/src/dexorder/bin/executable.py b/src/dexorder/bin/executable.py
index a8ecbc7..a85fdfa 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/bin/executable.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/bin/executable.py
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ def split_args():
     omegaconf_args = []
     regular_args = []
     for arg in sys.argv[1:]:
-        if '=' in arg:
+        if '=' in arg and not arg.startswith('--'):
             key, value = arg.split('=', 1)
             if hasattr(Config, key):
                 omegaconf_args.append(arg)
-            else:
-                regular_args.append(arg)
+                continue
+        regular_args.append(arg)
     return omegaconf_args, regular_args
 
 
@@ -67,12 +67,10 @@ def execute(main:Callable[...,Coroutine[Any,Any,Any]], shutdown=None, *, parse_l
         log.info('Logging configured to default')
     xconf = None
     if parse_args:
-        if callable(parse_args) or isinstance(parse_args, type):
-            omegaconf_args, regular_args = split_args()
-        else:
-            omegaconf_args = None
         # NOTE: there is special command-line argument handling in config/load.py to get a config filename.
         # The -c/--config flag MUST BE FIRST if present.
+        # The rest of the arguments are split by format into key=value for omegaconf and anything else is "regular args"
+        omegaconf_args, regular_args = split_args()
         configuration.parse_args(omegaconf_args)
         # must check for `type` before `callable`, because types are also callables
         if isinstance(parse_args, type):
@@ -81,6 +79,9 @@ def execute(main:Callable[...,Coroutine[Any,Any,Any]], shutdown=None, *, parse_l
         elif callable(parse_args):
             # noinspection PyUnboundLocalVariable
             xconf = parse_args(regular_args)
+        else:
+            # just pass the regular args to main
+            xconf = regular_args
 
     init_alerts()
 
diff --git a/src/dexorder/blockstate/blockdata.py b/src/dexorder/blockstate/blockdata.py
index ccb83cf..db62b1e 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/blockstate/blockdata.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/blockstate/blockdata.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class BlockData (Generic[T]):
             if self.lazy_getitem:
                 lazy = self.lazy_getitem(self, item)
                 if lazy is not NARG:
-                    state.set(state.root_fork, self.series, item, lazy)
+                    state.set(state.root_fork, self.series, item, lazy, readonly_override=True)
                     result = lazy
         if result is NARG:
             raise KeyError
diff --git a/src/dexorder/blockstate/state.py b/src/dexorder/blockstate/state.py
index ea972a4..625d89c 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/blockstate/state.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/blockstate/state.py
@@ -53,7 +53,10 @@ class BlockState:
     with a diff height of the root branch or older is always part of the finalized blockchain.
     """
 
+    class ReadOnlyError(Exception): ...
+
     def __init__(self):
+        self.readonly = False
         self._root_branch: Optional[Branch] = None
         self._root_fork: Optional[Fork] = None
         self.height: int = 0 # highest branch seen
@@ -80,6 +83,8 @@ class BlockState:
 
     @root_branch.setter
     def root_branch(self, value: Branch):
+        if self.readonly:
+            raise self.ReadOnlyError()
         self._root_branch = value
         self._root_fork = Fork([value])
 
@@ -92,6 +97,8 @@ class BlockState:
         return self._root_branch.head
 
     def init_root_block(self, root_block: Block) -> Fork:
+        if self.readonly:
+            raise self.ReadOnlyError()
         assert self.root_branch is None
         return self.add_branch(Branch.from_block(root_block))
 
@@ -113,6 +120,8 @@ class BlockState:
         should only be set to False when it is assured that the branch may be joined by height alone, because
         the branch join is known to be at a live-blockchain-finalized height.
         """
+        if self.readonly:
+            raise self.ReadOnlyError()
         assert branch.id not in self.branches_by_id
 
         if self.root_branch is None:
@@ -155,6 +164,8 @@ class BlockState:
 
 
     def remove_branch(self, branch: Branch, *, remove_series_diffs=True):
+        if self.readonly:
+            raise self.ReadOnlyError()
         if branch.height == self.height and len(self.branches_by_height[branch.height]) == 1:
             # this is the only branch at this height: compute the new lower height
             other_heights = [b.height for b in self.branches_by_id.values() if b is not branch]
@@ -210,7 +221,9 @@ class BlockState:
         return DELETE
 
 
-    def set(self, fork: Fork, series, key, value, overwrite=True):
+    def set(self, fork: Fork, series, key, value, overwrite=True, *, readonly_override=False):
+        if not readonly_override and self.readonly:
+            raise self.ReadOnlyError()
         # first look for an existing value
         branch = fork.branch
         diffs = self.diffs_by_series.get(series,{}).get(key)
@@ -236,6 +249,8 @@ class BlockState:
         return old_value
             
     def unload(self, fork: Optional[Fork], series, key):
+        if self.readonly:
+            raise self.ReadOnlyError()
         self.unloads[fork.branch_id].append((series, key))
 
     def iteritems(self, fork: Optional[Fork], series):
@@ -285,6 +300,8 @@ class BlockState:
 
         Returns the set of diffs for the promoted fork.
         """
+        if self.readonly:
+            raise self.ReadOnlyError()
         found_root = False
         promotion_branches = []
         for branch in reversed(fork.branches):
@@ -350,6 +367,7 @@ class FinalizedBlockState:
     """
 
     def __init__(self):
+        self.readonly = False
         self.data = {}
         self.by_hash = {}
 
@@ -361,6 +379,8 @@ class FinalizedBlockState:
 
     def set(self, _fork: Optional[Fork], series, key, value, overwrite=True):
         assert overwrite
+        if self.readonly:
+            raise BlockState.ReadOnlyError()
         self.data.setdefault(series, {})[key] = value
 
     def iteritems(self, _fork: Optional[Fork], series):
@@ -373,6 +393,8 @@ class FinalizedBlockState:
         return self.data.get(series,{}).values()
 
     def delete_series(self, _fork: Optional[Fork], series: str):
+        if self.readonly:
+            raise BlockState.ReadOnlyError()
         del self.data[series]
 
 
diff --git a/src/dexorder/configuration/load.py b/src/dexorder/configuration/load.py
index c0814b7..34b21cd 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/configuration/load.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/configuration/load.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from omegaconf.errors import OmegaConfBaseException
 
 from .schema import Config
 
-schema = OmegaConf.structured(Config())
+schema = OmegaConf.structured(Config(), flags={'struct': False})
 
 _config_file = 'dexorder.toml'
 
diff --git a/src/dexorder/configuration/schema.py b/src/dexorder/configuration/schema.py
index 992220b..d5c2551 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/configuration/schema.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/configuration/schema.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class Config:
     ws_url: Optional[str] = 'ws://localhost:8545'
     rpc_urls: Optional[dict[str,str]] = field(default_factory=dict)
     db_url: Optional[str] = 'postgresql://dexorder:redroxed@localhost/dexorder'
+    db_readonly: bool = False
     dump_sql: bool = False
     redis_url: Optional[str] = 'redis://localhost:6379'
 
diff --git a/src/dexorder/contract/decimals.py b/src/dexorder/contract/decimals.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 9bc7802..0000000
--- a/src/dexorder/contract/decimals.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-import logging
-
-from dexorder import db
-from dexorder.contract import ERC20, CONTRACT_ERRORS
-
-log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-
-
-async def token_decimals(addr):
-    key = f'td|{addr}'
-    try:
-        return db.kv[key]
-    except KeyError:
-        # noinspection PyBroadException
-        try:
-            decimals = await ERC20(addr).decimals()
-        except CONTRACT_ERRORS:
-            log.debug(f'token {addr} has no decimals()')
-            decimals = 0
-        except Exception:
-            log.debug(f'could not get token decimals for {addr}')
-            return None
-        db.kv[key] = decimals
-        return decimals
diff --git a/src/dexorder/database/__init__.py b/src/dexorder/database/__init__.py
index bfc42f0..dd319ba 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/database/__init__.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/database/__init__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import logging
 from contextvars import ContextVar
 
 import sqlalchemy
-from sqlalchemy import Engine
+from sqlalchemy import Engine, event
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Session, SessionTransaction
 
 from .migrate import migrate_database
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ class Db:
         _session.set(None)
 
     # noinspection PyShadowingNames
-    def connect(self, url=None, migrate=True, reconnect=False, dump_sql=None):
+    def connect(self, url=None, migrate=True, reconnect=False, dump_sql=None, readonly:bool=None):
         if _engine.get() is not None and not reconnect:
             return None
         if url is None:
@@ -114,6 +114,19 @@ class Db:
         if dump_sql is None:
             dump_sql = config.dump_sql
         engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine(url, echo=dump_sql, json_serializer=json.dumps, json_deserializer=json.loads)
+
+        if readonly is None:
+            readonly = config.db_readonly
+        if readonly:
+            @event.listens_for(engine, "connect")
+            def set_readonly(dbapi_connection, _connection_record):
+                cursor = dbapi_connection.cursor()
+                try:
+                    cursor.execute("SET default_transaction_read_only = on;")
+                    log.info('database connection set to READ ONLY')
+                finally:
+                    cursor.close()
+
         if migrate:
             migrate_database(url)
         with engine.connect() as connection:
diff --git a/src/dexorder/event_handler.py b/src/dexorder/event_handler.py
index eba8dee..c833950 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/event_handler.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/event_handler.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ async def handle_order_placed(event: EventData):
             log.debug(f'raw order status {obj}')
             order = Order.create(addr, index, event['transactionHash'], obj)
             await activate_order(order)
-            log.debug(f'new order {order.key}{order}')
+            log.debug(f'new order {order.key} {await order.pprint()}')
 
 
 async def handle_swap_filled(event: EventData):
diff --git a/src/dexorder/order/orderstate.py b/src/dexorder/order/orderstate.py
index 2e1da82..803f022 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/order/orderstate.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/order/orderstate.py
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@ import logging
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import overload
 
-from dexorder import DELETE, db, order_log
+from dexorder import DELETE, db, order_log, from_timestamp
 from dexorder.base.chain import current_chain
 from dexorder.base.order import OrderKey, TrancheKey
 from dexorder.base.orderlib import SwapOrderState, ElaboratedSwapOrderStatus, Fill
 from dexorder.blockstate import BlockDict, BlockSet
 from dexorder.database.model.orderindex import OrderIndex
 from dexorder.routing import pool_address
+from dexorder.tokens import adjust_decimals
 from dexorder.util import json
 from dexorder.vault_blockdata import vault_owners
 
@@ -287,6 +288,29 @@ class Order:
             Order.vault_recently_closed_orders.listremove(key.vault, key.order_index)
 
 
+    def __str__(self):
+        return str(self.key)
+
+
+    async def pprint(self):
+        amount_token = self.order.tokenIn if self.order.amountIsInput else self.order.tokenOut
+        msg = f'''
+        SwapOrder {self.key}
+            status: {self.state.name}
+            placed: {from_timestamp(self.status.startTime)}
+            in: {self.order.tokenIn}
+            out: {self.order.tokenOut}
+            exchange: {self.order.route.exchange.name, self.order.route.fee}
+            amount: {"input" if self.order.amountIsInput else "output"} {await adjust_decimals(amount_token, self.filled):f}/{await adjust_decimals(amount_token, self.amount):f}{" to owner" if self.order.outputDirectlyToOwner else ""}
+            minFill: {await adjust_decimals(amount_token, self.min_fill_amount):f}
+            inverted: {self.order.inverted}
+            tranches:
+        '''
+        for i in range(len(self.order.tranches)):
+            tranche = self.order.tranches[i]
+            msg += f'        {tranche} filled {await adjust_decimals(amount_token, self.tranche_filled(i))}\n'
+        return msg
+
     # ORDER STATE
     # various blockstate fields hold different aspects of an order's state.
 
@@ -318,8 +342,6 @@ class Order:
         'of', db=True, redis=True, pub=pub_order_fills,
         str2key=OrderKey.str2key, value2str=lambda v: json.dumps(v.dump()), str2value=lambda s:OrderFilled.load(json.loads(s)))
 
-    def __str__(self):
-        return str(self.order)
 
 # "active" means the order wants to be executed now.  this is not BlockData because it's cleared every block
 active_orders: dict[OrderKey,Order] = {}
diff --git a/src/dexorder/order/triggers.py b/src/dexorder/order/triggers.py
index e7858b0..5543a29 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/order/triggers.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/order/triggers.py
@@ -226,20 +226,20 @@ async def has_funds(tk: TrancheKey):
 
 
 async def input_amount_is_sufficient(order, token_balance):
-    # log.debug(f'input is sufficient? {order.min_fill_amount}')
+    log.debug(f'input is sufficient? {order.min_fill_amount}')
     if order.amount_is_input:
-        # log.debug(f'amount is input: {token_balance} >= {order.min_fill_amount}')
+        log.debug(f'amount is input: {token_balance} >= {order.min_fill_amount}')
         return token_balance >= order.min_fill_amount
     # amount is an output amount, so we need to know the price
     price = pool_prices.get(order.pool_address)
-    # log.debug(f'amount is output amount. price={price}')
+    log.debug(f'amount is output amount. price={price}')
     if price is None:
         return token_balance > 0  # we don't know the price so we allow any nonzero amount to be sufficient
     pool = await get_pool(order.pool_address)
     price *= dec(10) ** -pool['decimals']
     inverted = order.order.tokenIn != pool['base']
     minimum = dec(order.min_fill_amount)*price if inverted else dec(order.min_fill_amount)/price
-    # log.debug(f'order minimum amount is {order.min_fill_amount} '+ ("input" if order.amount_is_input else f"output @ {price} = {minimum} ")+f'< {token_balance} balance')
+    log.debug(f'order minimum amount is {order.min_fill_amount} '+ ("input" if order.amount_is_input else f"output @ {price} = {minimum} ")+f'< {token_balance} balance')
     return token_balance >= minimum
 
 
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ class BalanceTrigger (Trigger):
 
     async def update(self, balance):
         self.value = await input_amount_is_sufficient(self.order, balance)
-        # log.debug(f'update balance {balance} was sufficient? {self.value}')
+        log.debug(f'update balance {balance} was sufficient? {self.value} {self.order.key}')
 
     def remove(self):
         try:
diff --git a/src/dexorder/vault_blockdata.py b/src/dexorder/vault_blockdata.py
index c82cdec..1ea3952 100644
--- a/src/dexorder/vault_blockdata.py
+++ b/src/dexorder/vault_blockdata.py
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ import asyncio
 import functools
 import logging
 
-from dexorder import current_pub
+from dexorder import current_pub, dec
 from dexorder.base.chain import current_chain
 from dexorder.blockstate import BlockDict
 from dexorder.contract import ERC20, CONTRACT_ERRORS
 from dexorder.contract.dexorder import VaultContract, vault_address
-from dexorder.util import json
+from dexorder.util import json, align_decimal
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -102,3 +102,6 @@ async def refresh_vault_balances(vault, *tokens):
             result[t] = a
         return result
     vault_balances.modify(vault, functools.partial(_adjust, vault, tokens, amounts))
+
+def pretty_balances(b: dict[str,dec], padding=8) -> str:
+    return '\n'.join(f'{k:>} {align_decimal(v,padding)}' for k,v in b.items())