@@ -990,26 +990,28 @@ }
 	return true
 }
 
-func investigate(name string) string {
+func investigate(name string) *Honker {
 	if name == "" {
-		return ""
+		return nil
 	}
 	if name[0] == '@' {
 		name = gofish(name)
 	}
 	if name == "" {
-		return ""
+		return nil
 	}
+	log.Printf("digging up some info on %s", name)
 	obj, err := GetJunkFast(name)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error investigating honker: %s", err)
-		return ""
+		return nil
 	}
 	t, _ := obj.GetString("type")
 	if !isactor(t) {
 		log.Printf("it's not a person! %s", name)
-		return ""
+		return nil
 	}
-	id, _ := obj.GetString("id")
-	return id
+	xid, _ := obj.GetString("id")
+	handle, _ := obj.GetString("preferredUsername")
+	return &Honker{XID: xid, Handle: handle}
 }

@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ changelog
 
 -- next
 
++ Better understanding of ActivityPub Persons. No need to enter names!
+
 + More robust retries for fetching objects.
 
 + Don't decode excessively large images and run out of memory.

@@ -52,9 +52,9 @@ if bloat_iscounter(h) {
 					bloat_counterhtml(h)
 				}
 			}
-			h.Username, h.Handle = honkerhandle(h.Honker)
+			h.Username, h.Handle = handles(h.Honker)
 		} else {
-			_, h.Handle = honkerhandle(h.Honker)
+			_, h.Handle = handles(h.Honker)
 			h.Username = h.Handle
 			if len(h.Username) > 20 {
 				h.Username = h.Username[:20] + ".."
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ h.URL = h.XID
 			}
 		}
 		if h.Oonker != "" {
-			_, h.Oondle = honkerhandle(h.Oonker)
+			_, h.Oondle = handles(h.Oonker)
 		}
 		zap := make(map[*Donk]bool)
 		h.Noise = unpucker(h.Noise)
@@ -374,12 +374,21 @@ }
 	return ""
 }
 
-func honkerhandle(h string) (string, string) {
-	m := re_unurl.FindStringSubmatch(h)
-	if len(m) > 2 {
-		return m[2], fmt.Sprintf("%s@%s", m[2], m[1])
+// handle, handle@host
+func handles(xid string) (string, string) {
+	row := stmtGetXonker.QueryRow(xid, "handle")
+	var handle string
+	err := row.Scan(&handle)
+	if err == nil {
+		return handle, handle + "@" + originate(xid)
+	}
+	p := investigate(xid)
+	if p == nil {
+		return xid, xid
 	}
-	return h, h
+	handle = p.Handle
+	stmtSaveXonker.Exec(xid, handle, "handle")
+	return handle, handle + "@" + originate(xid)
 }
 
 func prepend(s string, x []string) []string {

@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ ID     int64
 	UserID int64
 	Name   string
 	XID    string
+	Handle string
 	Flavor string
 	Combos []string
 }
@@ -436,9 +437,9 @@ }
 
 func ximport(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	xid := r.FormValue("xid")
-	x := investigate(xid)
-	if x != "" {
-		xid = x
+	p := investigate(xid)
+	if p != nil {
+		xid = p.XID
 	}
 	j, err := GetJunk(xid)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -1232,9 +1233,14 @@ flavor := "presub"
 	if peep == "peep" {
 		flavor = "peep"
 	}
-	url = investigate(url)
-	if url == "" {
+	p := investigate(url)
+	if p == nil {
+		log.Printf("failed to investigate honker")
 		return
+	}
+	url = p.XID
+	if name == "" {
+		name = p.Handle
 	}
 	_, err := stmtSaveHonker.Exec(u.UserID, name, url, flavor, combos)
 	if err != nil {

@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ <p>
 <form action="/savehonker" method="POST">
 <span class="title">add new honker</span>
 <input type="hidden" name="CSRF" value="{{ .HonkerCSRF }}">
-<p><input tabindex=1 type="text" name="name" value="" autocomplete=off> - name
 <p><input tabindex=1 type="text" name="url" value="" autocomplete=off> - url
+<p><input tabindex=1 type="text" name="name" value="" placeholder="optional" autocomplete=off> - name
 <p><span><label for="peep">just peeping:</label>
 <input tabindex=1 type="checkbox" id="peep" name="peep" value="peep"><span></span></span>
 <p><input tabindex=1 type="submit" name="add honker" value="add honker">