diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index f342411..d5c9ceb 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@ requires = ["flit_core >=2,<4"]
 build-backend = "flit_core.buildapi"
 [project]
 dependencies=[
-	"dtactions~=1.6.4.dev3",
-  	"natlinkcore >= 5.4.1"
+	"dtactions >=1.6.4",
+  	"natlinkcore >= 5.4.2"
 	]
+#
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
 name='vocola2'
 authors = [{name = "Mark Lillibridge", email = "mdl@alum.mit.edu"}]
-version="3.1.10.dev3"
+version="3.1.11"
 description="Vocola is a voice command language for creating commands to control a computer by voice "
 keywords=["dragon","speech","dictation","dictation-toolbox","natlink", "dtactions"]
 readme = "readme.md"
diff --git a/src/vocola2/_vocola_main.py b/src/vocola2/_vocola_main.py
index e5dc88a..a67a20b 100644
--- a/src/vocola2/_vocola_main.py
+++ b/src/vocola2/_vocola_main.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 SOFTWARE.
 """
 #pylint:disable=W0614, W0613, C0116, C0321, W0603, W0401, C0115, C0412, W0201
-#pylint:disable=E1101
+#pylint:disable=E1101, W1203
 import sys
 import traceback
 import os               # access to file information
@@ -42,25 +42,28 @@
 import subprocess
 import re
 import logging
+from importlib.metadata import version, PackageNotFoundError
+from pathlib import Path
 import natlink
 from natlinkcore import natlinkutils
 from natlinkcore import readwritefile
 from vocola2 import VocolaUtils
 from vocola2 import natlinkvocolastartup  # was natlinkstartup in natlinkmain...
 from vocola2.exec.vcl2py.main import main_routine     # main.main_routine  compile function
-from importlib.metadata import version
-from pathlib import Path
 
 
 #we don't know if it will be vocola2 or vocola or None 
-#depending on how this package is installed.  So 
+#depending on how this package is installed or run.  So 
 #check the path if no __package__ specified.
+
+
 packageName = __package__ if __package__ is not None else \
     Path(__file__).parent.name
 
-thisVersion=version(packageName)  #get the version of this package.
-thisDir = os.path.split(__file__)[0]
+loaded_as_package = __package__ is not None
 
+thisVersion = version(packageName) if loaded_as_package else "unknown (not loaded as package)" 
+thisDir = os.path.split(__file__)[0]
 ##########################################################################
 #                                                                        #
 # Configuration                                                           #
@@ -74,8 +77,17 @@
     Quintijn_installer = True
     status             = natlinkstatus.NatlinkStatus()
 
+    if not loaded_as_package:
+        try:
+            vocola2Version=version("vocola2")
+        except PackageNotFoundError:
+            vocola2Version = "unknown"
+        thisVersion += f"\nvocola2 version known to be: {vocola2Version}"
+
     ## when natlinkmain is already there, the Logger and Config variables are ignored...
     Logger = logging.getLogger('natlink')
+    Logger.debug(f"Vocala starting version: {thisVersion}\nSource file {__file__}")
+
     Logger.debug(f'checking if Vocola is enabled')
     Config = config.NatlinkConfig.from_first_found_file(loader.config_locations())
     natlinkmain = loader.NatlinkMain(Logger, Config)