diff --git a/parsers/scans.py b/parsers/scans.py
index fdded82..c75b7f2 100644
--- a/parsers/scans.py
+++ b/parsers/scans.py
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 import sys
 import os
+import subprocess
 import types
 import stat
 import csv
 import re
 import datetime
+import shutil, filecmp
 
 from functools import reduce
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import settings
 from troggle.core.models.survex import SingleScan, Wallet, DrawingFile
@@ -18,7 +21,9 @@ from troggle.core.utils import save_carefully, GetListDir
 
 contentsjson = "contents.json"
 indexhtml = "walletindex.html"
+git = settings.GIT
 
+# to do: create a 'low priority' field, so that any such wallet does not appear in summary reports
 wallet_blank_json = {
  "cave": "", 
  "date": "", 
@@ -73,7 +78,43 @@ def LoadListScansFile(wallet):
             if c>=10:
                 print(".", end='')
                 c = 0
+def CopyWalletData(wallet):
+    '''Copies all the contents.json to a parallel set of folders in the drawings repo
+    '''
+    year = wallet.walletname[0:4]
+    destfolder = Path(settings.DRAWINGS_DATA,'walletjson', year, wallet.walletname)
+    destjson = destfolder / contentsjson
+    sourcejson = Path(wallet.fpath, contentsjson)
+    if not os.path.exists(Path(destfolder)):
+        try:
+            os.makedirs(destfolder)
+            print(f' -  created folder {destfolder}..')
+        except PermissionError:
+            print(f"CANNOT  save this JSON file.\nPERMISSIONS incorrectly set on server for this folder {destfolder}. Ask a nerd to fix this.")
+    if os.path.isfile(sourcejson):
+        try:
+            if not os.path.isfile(destjson) or not filecmp.cmp(sourcejson, destjson):
+                shutil.copy(sourcejson, destjson)
+                print(f' -  Copied {sourcejson} to {destjson}')
+                dr_add = subprocess.run([git, "add", contentsjson], cwd=destfolder, capture_output=True, text=True)
+                if dr_add.returncode != 0:
+                    msgdata = 'Ask a nerd to fix this.\n\n' + dr_add.stderr + '\n\n' + dr_add.stdout  + '\n\nreturn code: ' + str(dr_add.returncode)
+                    message = f'CANNOT git on server for this file {contentsjson}. Edits saved but not added to git.\n\n' + msgdata
+                    print(message)
+                else:
+                    # ideally we would commit many chnages to many wallets just once. But most of the time only a couple of files will change.
+                    dr_commit = subprocess.run([git, "commit", "-m", f'Update of {contentsjson} in wallet'], cwd=destfolder, capture_output=True, text=True)
+                    # This produces return code = 1 if it commits OK
+                    if dr_commit.returncode != 0:
+                        msgdata = 'Ask a nerd to fix this.\n\n' + dr_commit.stderr + '\n\n' + dr_commit.stdout  + '\n\nreturn code: ' + str(dr_commit.returncode)
+                        message = f'Error code with git on server for this {contentsjson}. File is copied, added to git, but NOT committed.\n\n' + msgdata
+                        print(message)
 
+        except PermissionError:
+            print(f"CANNOT  copy this JSON file.\nPERMISSIONS incorrectly set on server for this file {destjson}. Ask a nerd to fix this.")
+
+
+ 
         
 # this iterates through the scans directories (either here or on the remote server)
 # and builds up the models we can access later
@@ -109,17 +150,18 @@ def load_all_scans():
                 if fisdir:
                     wallet = Wallet(fpath=fpath, walletname=walletname)
                     # this is where we should load the contents.json for people so we can report on them later
-                    # this is where we shoudl record the year explicitly
+                    # this is where we should record the year explicitly
                     # line 347 of view/uploads.py and needs refactoring for loading contentsjson
                     wallet.save()
                     LoadListScansFile(wallet)
+                    CopyWalletData(wallet)
         
         # what is this?
-        elif walletname != "thumbs":
-            print(f'\n - Wallet {walletname} - {fpath}')
-            wallet = Wallet(fpath=fpath, walletname=walletname)
-            wallet.save()
-            LoadListScansFile(wallet)
+        # elif walletname != "thumbs":
+            # print(f'\n - Wallet {walletname} - {fpath}')
+            # wallet = Wallet(fpath=fpath, walletname=walletname)
+            # wallet.save()
+            # LoadListScansFile(wallet)
         else:
             print(f'\n - IGNORE {walletname} - {fpath}')