Index: trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimInsertGalaxies.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimInsertGalaxies.c	(revision 27533)
+++ trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimInsertGalaxies.c	(revision 27657)
@@ -74,8 +74,13 @@
     int dY = PM_CELL_TO_CHIP (0.0, y0Cell, yParityCell, binning);
 
-    // psMetadataLookupPtr (readout->analysis, "PSPHOT.SOURCES", 0);
-
-    psArray *sources = psArrayAllocEmpty (galaxies->n);
-
+    pmDetections *detections = psMetadataLookupPtr (&mdok, readout->analysis, "PSPHOT.DETECTIONS");
+    if (!detections) {
+	detections = pmDetectionsAlloc();
+	detections->allSources = psArrayAllocEmpty (galaxies->n);
+	psMetadataAdd (readout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.DETECTIONS", PS_DATA_ARRAY | PS_META_REPLACE, "psphot detections", detections);
+    } else {
+	psMemIncrRefCounter (detections);
+    }
+    psArray *sources = sources = detections->allSources;
 
     // add sources to the readout image & weight
@@ -181,8 +186,7 @@
     }
 
-    // NOTE: readout must be part of the pmFPAfile named "PPSIM.OUTPUT"
-    // psMetadataAdd (readout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.SOURCES", PS_DATA_ARRAY | PS_META_REPLACE, "psphot sources", sources);
+    // XXX many leaks in here, i think 
+    psFree (detections);
 
-    // XXX many leaks in here, i think 
     return true;
 }
Index: trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimInsertStars.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimInsertStars.c	(revision 27533)
+++ trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimInsertStars.c	(revision 27657)
@@ -145,7 +145,13 @@
     fclose (outfile);
 
-    // NOTE: the pmFPAfile "PPSIM.OUTPUT" points at these sources
-    psMetadataAdd (readout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.SOURCES", PS_DATA_ARRAY, "fake sources", sources);
-    psFree(sources);
+    pmDetections *detections = pmDetectionsAlloc();
+    detections->allSources = sources;
+
+    // save detections on the readout->analysis
+    if (!psMetadataAddPtr (readout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.DETECTIONS", PS_META_REPLACE | PS_DATA_UNKNOWN, "fake sources", detections)) {
+	psError (PSPHOT_ERR_CONFIG, false, "problem saving detections on readout");
+	return false;
+    }
+    psFree(detections);
 
     // XXX many leaks in here, i think
Index: trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimPhotomReadout.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimPhotomReadout.c	(revision 27533)
+++ trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimPhotomReadout.c	(revision 27657)
@@ -6,5 +6,8 @@
     PS_ASSERT_PTR_NON_NULL (readout, NULL);
 
-    psArray *sources = psMetadataLookupPtr (NULL, readout->analysis, "PSPHOT.SOURCES");
+    pmDetections *detections = psMetadataLookupPtr (&status, readout->analysis, "PSPHOT.DETECTIONS");
+    psAssert (detections, "missing detections?");
+
+    psArray *sources = detections->allSources;
     return sources;
 }
@@ -151,6 +154,4 @@
 
     // create the exported-metadata and free local data
-    // XXX this places the sources on readout->analysis as PSPHOT.SOURCES.  modify?
-    // (or don't supply the sources, and do this with a different function)
     psphotReadoutCleanup(config, readout, recipe, NULL, psf, NULL);
 
@@ -167,6 +168,14 @@
     psAssert (forceReadout, "no forceReadout?");
     pmChipSetDataStatus (forceChip, true);
-    psMetadataAddArray (forceReadout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.SOURCES", PS_META_REPLACE, "forced photometry ", forceSources);
-    psFree (forceSources);
+
+    pmDetections *detectionsForce = pmDetectionsAlloc();
+    detectionForce->allSources = forceSources;
+
+    // save detections on the readout->analysis
+    if (!psMetadataAddPtr (readout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.DETECTIONS", PS_META_REPLACE | PS_DATA_UNKNOWN, "force sources", detectionsForce)) {
+	psError (PSPHOT_ERR_CONFIG, false, "problem saving detections on readout");
+	return false;
+    }
+    psFree(detectionsForce);
 
     pmCell    *fakeCell    = pmFPAfileThisCell (config->files, view, "PPSIM.FAKE.SOURCES"); psAssert (fakeCell, "no cell?");
@@ -179,5 +188,14 @@
     psAssert (fakeReadout, "no fakeReadout?");
     pmChipSetDataStatus (fakeChip, true);
-    psMetadataAddArray (fakeReadout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.SOURCES", PS_META_REPLACE, "fake photometry ", fakeSources);
+
+    pmDetections *detectionsFake = pmDetectionsAlloc();
+    detectionFake->allSources = fakeSources;
+
+    // save detections on the readout->analysis
+    if (!psMetadataAddPtr (readout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.DETECTIONS", PS_META_REPLACE | PS_DATA_UNKNOWN, "fake sources", detectionsFake)) {
+	psError (PSPHOT_ERR_CONFIG, false, "problem saving detections on readout");
+	return false;
+    }
+    psFree(detectionsFake);
 
     return true;
Index: trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimPhotomReadoutFake.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimPhotomReadoutFake.c	(revision 27533)
+++ trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimPhotomReadoutFake.c	(revision 27657)
@@ -111,5 +111,10 @@
     psAssert (fakeReadout, "no fakeReadout?");
     pmChipSetDataStatus (fakeChip, true);
-    psMetadataAddArray (fakeReadout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.SOURCES", PS_META_REPLACE, "fake photometry ", fakeSources);
+
+    pmDetections *detections = pmDetectionsAlloc();
+    detection->allSources = fakeSources;
+
+    psMetadataAddArray (fakeReadout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.DETECTIONS", PS_META_REPLACE, "fake photometry ", detections);
+    psFree(detections);
 
     return true;
Index: trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimPhotomReadoutForce.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimPhotomReadoutForce.c	(revision 27533)
+++ trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimPhotomReadoutForce.c	(revision 27657)
@@ -98,6 +98,4 @@
 
     // create the exported-metadata and free local data
-    // XXX this places the sources on readout->analysis as PSPHOT.SOURCES.  modify?
-    // (or don't supply the sources, and do this with a different function)
     psphotReadoutCleanup(config, readout, recipe, NULL, psf, NULL);
 
@@ -111,5 +109,9 @@
     psAssert (forceReadout, "no forceReadout?");
     pmChipSetDataStatus (forceChip, true);
-    psMetadataAddArray (forceReadout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.SOURCES", PS_META_REPLACE, "force photometry ", forceSources);
+
+    pmDetections *detections = pmDetectionsAlloc();
+    detection->allSources = forceSources;
+    psMetadataAddArray (forceReadout->analysis, PS_LIST_TAIL, "PSPHOT.DETECTIONS", PS_META_REPLACE, "force photometry ", detections);
+    psFree(detections);
 
     return true;
Index: trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimUtils.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimUtils.c	(revision 27533)
+++ trunk/ppSim/src/ppSimUtils.c	(revision 27657)
@@ -270,8 +270,13 @@
 psArray *ppSimSelectSources (pmConfig *config, const pmFPAview *view, const char *filename) {
 
+    bool status;
+
     pmReadout *readout = pmFPAfileThisReadout (config->files, view, filename);
     PS_ASSERT_PTR_NON_NULL (readout, NULL);
 
-    psArray *sources = psMetadataLookupPtr (NULL, readout->analysis, "PSPHOT.SOURCES");
+    pmDetections *detections = psMetadataLookupPtr (&status, readout->analysis, "PSPHOT.DETECTIONS");
+    psAssert (detections, "missing detections?");
+
+    psArray *sources = detections->allSources;
     return sources;
 }