diff --git a/src/hci/mucurses/slk.c b/src/hci/mucurses/slk.c
index 6833eade..41ef9abb 100644
--- a/src/hci/mucurses/slk.c
+++ b/src/hci/mucurses/slk.c
@@ -4,7 +4,53 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include "core.h"
 
-extern struct _softlabelkeys *slks;
+/** @file
+ *
+ * Soft label key functions
+ */
+
+#define MIN_SPACE_SIZE 2
+
+struct _softlabel {
+	// label string
+	char *label;
+	/* Format of soft label 
+	   0: left justify
+	   1: centre justify
+	   2: right justify
+	 */
+	unsigned short fmt;
+};
+
+struct _softlabelkeys {
+	struct _softlabel fkeys[12];
+	attr_t attrs;
+	/* Soft label layout format
+	   0: 3-2-3
+	   1: 4-4
+	   2: 4-4-4
+	   3: 4-4-4 with index line
+	*/
+	unsigned short fmt;
+	unsigned short max_label_len;
+	unsigned short maj_space_len;
+	unsigned short num_labels;
+	unsigned short num_spaces;
+	unsigned short *spaces;
+};
+
+struct _softlabelkeys *slks;
+
+/*
+  I either need to break the primitives here, or write a collection of
+  functions specifically for SLKs that directly access the screen
+  functions - since this technically isn't part of stdscr, I think
+  this should be ok...
+ */
+
+static void _movetoslk ( void ) {
+	stdscr->scr->movetoyx( stdscr->scr, LINES, 0 );
+}
 
 /**
  * Return the attribute used for the soft function keys
@@ -105,12 +151,24 @@ int slk_attr_set ( const attr_t attrs, short colour_pair_number,
 int slk_clear ( void ) {
 	if ( slks == NULL )
 		return ERR;
-
-	wmove(stdscr,stdscr->height-1,0);
-	wclrtoeol(stdscr);
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Set soft label colour pair
+ */
+int slk_colour ( short colour_pair_number ) {
+	if ( slks == NULL ) 
+		return ERR;
+	if ( ( unsigned short )colour_pair_number > COLORS )
+		return ERR;
+
+	slks->attrs = ( (unsigned short)colour_pair_number << CPAIR_SHIFT )
+		| ( slks->attrs & A_ATTRIBUTES );
+
+	return OK;
+}
+
 /**
  * Initialise the soft function keys
  *
@@ -118,14 +176,44 @@ int slk_clear ( void ) {
  * @ret rc	return status code
  */
 int slk_init ( int fmt ) {
+	unsigned short nmaj, nmin, nblocks, available_width;
+
 	if ( (unsigned)fmt > 3 ) {
 		return ERR;
 	}
 
 	slks = malloc(sizeof(struct _softlabelkeys));
 	slks->attrs = A_DEFAULT;
-	slks->fmt = (unsigned short)fmt;
-	slks->maxlablen = 5;
+	slks->fmt = fmt;
+	switch(fmt) {
+	case 0:
+		nblocks = 8; nmaj = 2; nmin = 5;
+		slks->spaces = calloc(2, sizeof(unsigned short));
+		slks->spaces[0] = 2; slks->spaces[1] = 4;
+		break;
+	case 1:
+		nblocks = 8; nmaj = 1; nmin = 6;
+		slks->spaces = calloc(1, sizeof(unsigned short));
+		slks->spaces[0] = 3;
+		break;
+	case 2:
+		// same allocations as format 3
+	case 3:
+		nblocks = 12; nmaj = 2; nmin = 9;
+		slks->spaces = calloc(2, sizeof(unsigned short));
+		slks->spaces[0] = 3; slks->spaces[1] = 7;
+		break;
+	}
+
+	// determine maximum label length and major space size
+	available_width = COLS - ( ( MIN_SPACE_SIZE * nmaj ) + nmin );
+	slks->max_label_len = available_width / nblocks;
+	slks->maj_space_len = ( available_width % nblocks ) / nmaj;
+	slks->num_spaces = nmaj;
+
+	// strip a line from the screen
+	LINES -= 1;
+
 	return OK;
 }
 
@@ -148,9 +236,34 @@ char* slk_label ( int labnum ) {
  * @ret rc	return status code
  */
 int slk_restore ( void ) {
+	unsigned short i, j,
+		*next_space, *last_space;
+	chtype space_ch;
+	char c;
+
 	if ( slks == NULL ) 
 		return ERR;
 
+	_movetoslk();
+
+	space_ch = (int)' ' | slks->attrs;
+	next_space = &(slks->spaces[0]);
+	last_space = &(slks->spaces[slks->num_spaces-1]);
+
+	for ( i = 0; i < slks->num_labels ; i++ ) {
+		while ( ( c = *(slks->fkeys[i].label++) ) != '\0' ) {
+			stdscr->scr->putc( stdscr->scr, (int)c | slks->attrs );
+		}
+		if ( i == *next_space ) {
+			for ( j = 0; j < slks->maj_space_len; j++ )
+				stdscr->scr->putc( stdscr->scr, space_ch );
+			if ( next_space < last_space )
+				next_space++;
+		} else {
+			stdscr->scr->putc( stdscr->scr, space_ch );
+		}
+	}
+
 	return OK;
 }
 
@@ -169,7 +282,7 @@ int slk_set ( int labnum, const char *label, int fmt ) {
 		return ERR;
 	if ( (unsigned short)fmt >= 3 )
 		return ERR;
-	if ( strlen(label) > slks->maxlablen )
+	if ( strlen(label) > slks->max_label_len )
 		return ERR;
 
 	strcpy( slks->fkeys[labnum].label, label );