diff --git a/copycat/copycat.py b/copycat/copycat.py
index da77ca5..7f210de 100644
--- a/copycat/copycat.py
+++ b/copycat/copycat.py
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ class Copycat(object):
         self.lastUpdate = currentTime
         self.reporter.report_slipnet(self.slipnet)
 
+    def check_reset(self):
+        if self.gui.app.primary.control.go:
+            initial, modified, target = self.gui.app.primary.control.get_vars()
+            self.reset_with_strings(initial, modified, target)
+            return True
+        else:
+            return False
+
+    def reset_with_strings(self, initial, modified, target):
+        self.workspace.resetWithStrings(initial, modified, target)
+        self.gui.app.reset_with_strings(initial, modified, target)
+
     def mainLoop(self):
         currentTime = self.coderack.codeletsRun
         self.temperature.tryUnclamp(currentTime)
@@ -64,7 +76,6 @@ class Copycat(object):
         if self.showgui:
             self.gui.refresh()
 
-
     def runTrial(self):
         """Run a trial of the copycat algorithm"""
         self.coderack.reset()
@@ -82,12 +93,10 @@ class Copycat(object):
         return answer
 
     def run(self, initial, modified, target, iterations):
-        self.workspace.resetWithStrings(initial, modified, target)
+        self.reset_with_strings(initial, modified, target)
         answers = {}
         for i in range(iterations):
-            if self.gui.app.primary.control.go:
-                initial, modified, target = self.gui.app.primary.control.get_vars()
-                self.workspace.resetWithStrings(initial, modified, target)
+            if self.check_reset():
                 answers = {}
 
             answer = self.runTrial()
@@ -108,6 +117,7 @@ class Copycat(object):
         return answers
 
     def run_forever(self, initial, modified, target):
-        self.workspace.resetWithStrings(initial, modified, target)
+        self.reset_with_strings(initial, modified, target)
         while True:
+            self.check_reset()
             self.runTrial()
diff --git a/copycat/gui/gui.py b/copycat/gui/gui.py
index efa52f6..949659a 100755
--- a/copycat/gui/gui.py
+++ b/copycat/gui/gui.py
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ class MainApplication(GridFrame):
             listStr = '{}: {}'.format(codelet.name, round(codelet.urgency, 2))
             codeletList.insert(tk.END, listStr)
 
+    def reset_with_strings(self, initial, modified, target):
+        self.primary.reset_with_strings(initial, modified, target)
+
 class GUI(object):
     def __init__(self, title, updateInterval=.1):
         self.root = tk.Tk()
diff --git a/copycat/gui/primary.py b/copycat/gui/primary.py
index fd5672e..5b885e8 100644
--- a/copycat/gui/primary.py
+++ b/copycat/gui/primary.py
@@ -51,13 +51,21 @@ class Primary(GridFrame):
     def __init__(self, parent, *args, **kwargs):
         GridFrame.__init__(self, parent, *args, **kwargs)
 
-        self.canvas = create_main_canvas(self, 'abc', 'abd', 'ijk', '?')
-        self.add(self.canvas, 0, 0, xspan=2)
+        self.initial  = ''
+        self.modified = ''
+        self.target   = ''
 
+        self.canvas = create_main_canvas(self, self.initial, self.modified, self.target, '')
+        self.add(self.canvas, 0, 0, xspan=2)
         self.control = Control(self)
         self.add(self.control, 0, 2)
 
     def update(self, copycat):
         answer    = '' if copycat.workspace.rule is None else copycat.workspace.rule.buildTranslatedRule()
-        self.canvas = create_main_canvas(self, 'abc', 'abd', 'ijk', answer)
+        self.canvas = create_main_canvas(self, self.initial, self.modified, self.target, answer)
         self.add(self.canvas, 0, 0, xspan=2)
+
+    def reset_with_strings(self, initial, modified, target):
+        self.initial  = initial
+        self.modified = modified
+        self.target   = target