diff --git a/ast_generator/ast_generator.py b/ast_generator/ast_generator.py
index 3bde50a..e839bf2 100644
--- a/ast_generator/ast_generator.py
+++ b/ast_generator/ast_generator.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
 
 from english_words import get_english_words_set
 
-from ast_generator.utils import Variable, Argument, Routine, Scope, build_xml_element
+from ast_generator.utils import *
 from constants import *
 
 import keyword
@@ -41,98 +41,47 @@ class AstGenerator:
         self.symbol_table.append(global_scope)  # NOTE for debug
         self.current_scope = global_scope
 
-        names = get_english_words_set(['web2'], alpha=True)
-        possible_names = filter(lambda x: self.settings['properties']['id-length']['max'] <= len(x) <=
-                                          self.settings['properties']['id-length']['max'] and not keyword.iskeyword(x),
-                                names)
-
-        var_name_list = list(possible_names)
-        var_name_len = len(var_name_list)
-        self.variable_names = var_name_list[0:var_name_len // 2]
-        self.routine_names = var_name_list[var_name_len // 2:var_name_len]
+        self._init_names()
 
         self.ast: ET.Element or None = None
         self.current_ast_element: ET.Element or None = None
         self.current_nesting_depth = 0
         self.current_control_flow_nesting_depth = 0
 
+        self._init_numlines()
+
+    def _init_numlines(self):
         # Numberlines - For computing probabilities
         self.int_op_options, self.int_op_cutoffs, self.int_op_numline = (
-            self.get_numberlines('expression-weights',
-                                 ['brackets', 'arithmetic', 'unary'],
-                                 [[], [], ['not']]))
+            get_numberlines('expression-weights', ['brackets', 'arithmetic', 'unary'], [[], [], ['not']],
+                            self.settings))
         self.int_unary = ['negation', 'noop']
-
         self.bool_op_options, self.bool_op_cutoffs, self.bool_op_numline = (
-            self.get_numberlines('expression-weights',
-                                 ['brackets', 'comparison', 'logical', 'unary'],
-                                 excluded_values=[[], ['less-than-or-equal', 'greater-than-or-equal', 'less-than',
-                                                       'greater-than'], [], ['noop', 'negation']]))
+            get_numberlines('expression-weights', ['brackets', 'comparison', 'logical', 'unary'],
+                            excluded_values=[[], ['less-than-or-equal', 'greater-than-or-equal', 'less-than',
+                                                       'greater-than'], [], ['noop', 'negation']],
+                            settings=self.settings))
         self.bool_unary = ['not']
-
         self.float_op_options, self.float_op_cutoffs, self.float_op_numline = (
-            self.get_numberlines('expression-weights',
-                                 ['brackets', 'arithmetic', 'unary'],
-                                 [[], [], ['not']]))
+            get_numberlines('expression-weights', ['brackets', 'arithmetic', 'unary'], [[], [], ['not']],
+                            self.settings))
         self.float_unary = ['negation', 'noop']
-
         self.char_op_options, self.char_op_cutoffs, self.char_op_numline = (
-            self.get_numberlines('expression-weights',
-                                 ['brackets', 'comparison'],
-                                 [[], ['less-than', 'greater-than', 'less-than-or-equal', 'greater-than-or-equal']]))
-
+            get_numberlines('expression-weights', ['brackets', 'comparison'],
+                            [[], ['less-than', 'greater-than', 'less-than-or-equal', 'greater-than-or-equal']],
+                            self.settings))
         self.comp_op_options, self.comp_op_cutoffs, self.comp_op_numline = (
-            self.get_numberlines('expression-weights',
-                                 ['brackets', 'comparison'],
-                                 [[], []]))
+            get_numberlines('expression-weights', ['brackets', 'comparison'], [[], []], self.settings))
 
-    def get_numberlines(self, settings_section: str, subsettings: list[str], excluded_values):
-        assert len(subsettings) == len(excluded_values)
-
-        number_line = 0
-        cutoffs = []
-        cutoff = 0
-        options = {}
-        option = 0
-
-        settings = []
-
-        for key, value in self.settings[settings_section].items():
-            if key in subsettings and key not in excluded_values:  # this check needs to be done recursively
-                if isinstance(value, int):
-                    t = {
-                        key: value
-                    }
-                    settings.append(t)
-                elif isinstance(value, dict):
-                    settings.append(value)
-                else:
-                    raise TypeError("invalid setting type. Found " + str(value) + " instead of expected int or dict")
-
-        for v in range(len(settings)):
-            for i in excluded_values:
-                for j in i:
-                    if j in settings[v]:
-                        settings[v].pop(j)
-
-        for v in settings:
-            if isinstance(v, dict):
-                for key, value in v.items():
-                    number_line += value
-                    cutoffs.append(cutoff + value)
-                    cutoff += value
-                    options[option] = key
-                    option += 1
-            elif isinstance(v, int):
-                number_line += v
-                cutoffs.append(cutoff + v)
-                cutoff += v
-                options[option] = v
-                option += 1
-            else:
-                raise TypeError("invalid setting type. Found " + str(v) + " instead of expected int")
-
-        return options, cutoffs, number_line
+    def _init_names(self):
+        names = get_english_words_set(['web2'], alpha=True)
+        possible_names = filter(lambda x: self.settings['properties']['id-length']['max'] <= len(x) <=
+                                          self.settings['properties']['id-length']['max'] and not keyword.iskeyword(x),
+                                names)
+        var_name_list = list(possible_names)
+        var_name_len = len(var_name_list)
+        self.variable_names = var_name_list[0:var_name_len // 2]
+        self.routine_names = var_name_list[var_name_len // 2:var_name_len]
 
     def generate_ast(self):
         """
@@ -140,37 +89,71 @@ class AstGenerator:
         """
         self.generate_top_level_block()
 
-    def generate_top_level_block(self):  # TODO add constant generation into this block
-        i = 0
+    def make_element(self, name: str, keys: list[tuple[str, any]]) -> ET.Element:
+        """
+        @brief make an xml element for the ast
 
-        element = build_xml_element([], name=GAZ_BLOCK_TAG)
+        @effects modifies self.current_ast_element
+
+        @param name: the tag for the element
+        @param keys: a list of tuple containing keys for the element
+        """
+        element = build_xml_element(keys, name=name)
+        if self.current_ast_element is not None:
+            self.current_ast_element.append(element)
         self.current_ast_element = element
 
+        return element
+
+    def make_scoped_element(self, name, keys) -> ET.Element:
+        """
+        @brief make an xml element for the ast with a scope
+
+        @param name: the tag for the element
+        @param keys: a list of tuple containing keys for the element
+        """
+        parent = self.current_ast_element
+        self.push_scope()
+        self.make_element(name, keys)
+        return parent
+
+    def exit_scoped_element(self, parent):
+        """
+        @brief leave the current element and return to parent
+
+        @param parent: the enclosing element to return to
+        """
+        self.pop_scope()
+        self.current_ast_element = parent
+
+    def generate_top_level_block(self):
+        """
+        @brief creates the top-level block containing the whole program
+        """
+        element = self.make_element(GAZ_BLOCK_TAG, [])
         self.ast = element
 
-        # TODO generate constants and forward declarations
-        while i < self.settings['generation-options']['max-number-of-routines']:
+        for i in range(random.randint(0, self.settings['generation-options']['max-globals'])):
+            self.generate_global()
+        for i in range(self.settings['generation-options']['max-number-of-routines']):
             if random.random() < self.settings['block-termination-probability']:
                 break
             self.generate_routine()
-            i += 1
 
         self.generate_main()
+        pass
 
     def generate_main(self):
-        parent = self.current_ast_element
-        self.push_scope()
         main_args = [  # TODO refactor these into constants
-            ("name", "main"),
-            ("return_type", GAZ_INT_KEY),
-            ("args", "()"),
+            (GAZ_NAME_KEY, "main"),
+            (GAZ_RETURN_KEY, GAZ_INT_KEY),
         ]
-        element = build_xml_element(main_args, name=GAZ_PROCEDURE_TAG)
-        self.current_ast_element.append(element)
-        self.current_ast_element = element
+
+        parent = self.make_scoped_element(GAZ_PROCEDURE_TAG, main_args)
+
         self.generate_block(return_stmt=True, return_value="0", return_type=GAZ_INT_KEY, block_type=GAZ_PROCEDURE_TAG)
-        self.pop_scope()
-        self.current_ast_element = parent
+
+        self.exit_scoped_element(parent)
 
     def generate_block(self, tag=None, return_stmt=False, return_value=None, return_type=None, block_type=None,
                        loop_var=None):
diff --git a/ast_generator/gazprea_ast_grammar.py b/ast_generator/gazprea_ast_grammar.py
deleted file mode 100644
index a35b590..0000000
--- a/ast_generator/gazprea_ast_grammar.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,53 +0,0 @@
-from constants import Grammar
-
-GAZPREA_TOP_LEVEL: Grammar = {
-    # Top level elements
-    '<start>': ['<topBlock>'],
-    '<topBlock>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>block<XML_CLOSE_TAG><routine_list><main_routine><routine_list><XML_OPEN_SLASH>block<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-    # TODO constants
-
-    # Routines
-    '<routine>': ['<function>', '<procedure>'],  # TODO forward_declaration
-    '<function>': [
-        '<XML_OPEN_TAG>function name="_NAME_" return_type="_TYPE_"  args="_ARGS_"<XML_CLOSE_TAG><return_block><XML_OPEN_SLASH>function<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-    '<procedure>': [
-        '<XML_OPEN_TAG>procedure name="_NAME_" return_type="_TYPE_"  args="_ARGS_"<XML_CLOSE_TAG><block><XML_OPEN_SLASH>procedure<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-    '<main_routine>': [
-        '<XML_OPEN_TAG>procedure name="main" return_type="int"  args="()"<XML_CLOSE_TAG><return_block><XML_OPEN_SLASH>procedure<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-    '<routine_list>': ['<routine><routine_list><routine>', '<routine>'],
-
-    # Blocks
-    '<block>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>block<XML_CLOSE_TAG><statement_list><XML_OPEN_SLASH>block<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-    '<return_block>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>block<XML_CLOSE_TAG><statement_list><return><XML_OPEN_SLASH>block<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-    '<statement>': [
-        '<declaration>',
-        '<stream>',
-        # '<call>',
-        # '<return>',  # TODO if/else, loop
-    ],
-    '<statement_list>': ['<statement><statement_list><statement>', '<statement>'],
-
-    # Things that belong on their own lines
-    '<declaration>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>declaration<XML_CLOSE_TAG><variable><rhs><XML_OPEN_SLASH>declaration<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-    '<stream>': ['<out_stream>'], #, '<in_stream>'],
-    '<return>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>return<XML_CLOSE_TAG><has_value><XML_OPEN_SLASH>return<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-
-    '<out_stream>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>stream type="std_output"<XML_CLOSE_TAG><has_value><XML_OPEN_SLASH>stream<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-    # '<in_stream>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>stream type="std_input"<XML_CLOSE_TAG><has_value><XML_OPEN_SLASH>stream<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-
-    # Things that are part of lines
-    '<has_value>': ['<variable>', '<literal>', '<operator>'],
-    '<lhs>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>lhs<XML_CLOSE_TAG><has_value><XML_OPEN_SLASH>lhs<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-    '<rhs>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>rhs<XML_CLOSE_TAG><has_value><XML_OPEN_SLASH>rhs<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-
-    # Things that have values
-    '<operator>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>operator<XML_CLOSE_TAG><lhs><rhs><XML_OPEN_SLASH>operator<XML_CLOSE_TAG>'],
-    '<variable>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>variable mut="_MODIFIER_" type="_TYPE_" name="_NAME_"<XML_SLASH_TAG>'],
-    '<literal>': ['<XML_OPEN_TAG>literal type="_TYPE_" value="_VALUE_"<XML_SLASH_TAG>'],
-
-    # Helper rules
-    '<XML_OPEN_TAG>': ['<'],
-    '<XML_CLOSE_TAG>': ['>'],
-    '<XML_SLASH_TAG>': ['/>'],
-    '<XML_OPEN_SLASH>': ['</'],
-}
diff --git a/ast_generator/test/config.yaml b/ast_generator/test/config.yaml
index a769b9e..65cb2cf 100644
--- a/ast_generator/test/config.yaml
+++ b/ast_generator/test/config.yaml
@@ -5,19 +5,21 @@ generation-options:
     max-conditionals-loops: 5                    # maximum number of loops/conditionals per routine
     max-number-of-routines: 5                    # maximum number of routines (main will always be generated)
     generate-dead-code: True                     # generate dead code
+    max-loop-iterations: 100                     # maximum number of iterations in a loop
+    max-globals: 5                               # maximum number of global variables
 properties:
     max-range-length: 5                          # maximum length of ranges, vectors and tuples, (AxA matrices can exist)
     use-english-words: True                      # use english words instead of random names (this may limit the maximum number of names)
     id-length:                                   # length of identifiers
         min: 1
-        max: 10
+        max: 5
     function-name-length:                        # length of function names
         min: 1
         max: 10
     number-of-arguments:                         # number of arguments to a routine
         min: 1
         max: 10
-    generate-max-int: True                       # if False, generate integers between [-1000, 1000] else
+    generate-max-int: False                       # if False, generate integers between [-1000, 1000] else
 expression-weights:                              # weights for expressions
                                                  #  the higher a weight, the more likely (0, 10000), 0 to exclude, 10000 for only that
     brackets: 10
diff --git a/ast_generator/test/test_ast_generator.py b/ast_generator/test/test_ast_generator.py
index e559d60..b1293b0 100644
--- a/ast_generator/test/test_ast_generator.py
+++ b/ast_generator/test/test_ast_generator.py
@@ -130,9 +130,15 @@ class TestGeneration(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIsNotNone(self.ast_gen.current_ast_element.find("conditional"))
         conditional = self.ast_gen.ast.find("conditional")
 
-        # print(ET.tostring(conditional, 'utf-8').decode('utf-8'))
+        print(ET.tostring(conditional, 'utf-8').decode('utf-8'))
 
-        self.assertIsNotNone(conditional.find("operator") or conditional.find("unary_operator") or conditional.find("literal"))
+        opts = ['operator', 'unary_operator', 'literal', 'brackets']
+        res = []
+        for i in opts:
+            res.append(conditional.find(i))
+        res_list = list(filter(lambda x: x is not None, res))
+
+        self.assertGreater(len(res_list), 0)
 
         block = conditional.findall("block")
         self.assertEqual(2, len(block))
@@ -211,7 +217,7 @@ class TestGeneration(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.assertIsNotNone(self.ast_gen.ast)
 
-        # print(ET.tostring(self.ast_gen.ast, 'utf-8').decode('utf-8'))
+        print(ET.tostring(self.ast_gen.ast, 'utf-8').decode('utf-8'))
 
         procedures = self.ast_gen.ast.findall("procedure")
         self.assertLess(0, len(procedures))
diff --git a/ast_generator/utils.py b/ast_generator/utils.py
index 563996e..b739816 100644
--- a/ast_generator/utils.py
+++ b/ast_generator/utils.py
@@ -97,3 +97,52 @@ def build_xml_element(*keys, name):
     for key in list(keys)[0]:  # TODO refactor
         elem.set(key[0], key[1])
     return elem
+
+
+def get_numberlines(settings_section: str, subsettings: list[str], excluded_values, settings):
+    assert len(subsettings) == len(excluded_values)
+
+    number_line = 0
+    cutoffs = []
+    cutoff = 0
+    options = {}
+    option = 0
+
+    valid_settings = []
+
+    for key, value in settings[settings_section].items():
+        if key in subsettings and key not in excluded_values:  # this check needs to be done recursively
+            if isinstance(value, int):
+                t = {
+                    key: value
+                }
+                valid_settings.append(t)
+            elif isinstance(value, dict):
+                valid_settings.append(value)
+            else:
+                raise TypeError("invalid setting type. Found " + str(value) + " instead of expected int or dict")
+
+    for v in range(len(valid_settings)):
+        for i in excluded_values:
+            for j in i:
+                if j in valid_settings[v]:
+                    valid_settings[v].pop(j)
+
+    for v in valid_settings:
+        if isinstance(v, dict):
+            for key, value in v.items():
+                number_line += value
+                cutoffs.append(cutoff + value)
+                cutoff += value
+                options[option] = key
+                option += 1
+        elif isinstance(v, int):
+            number_line += v
+            cutoffs.append(cutoff + v)
+            cutoff += v
+            options[option] = v
+            option += 1
+        else:
+            raise TypeError("invalid setting type. Found " + str(v) + " instead of expected int")
+
+    return options, cutoffs, number_line
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config.yaml b/config.yaml
index a953c4b..65cb2cf 100644
--- a/config.yaml
+++ b/config.yaml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ generation-options:
     max-number-of-routines: 5                    # maximum number of routines (main will always be generated)
     generate-dead-code: True                     # generate dead code
     max-loop-iterations: 100                     # maximum number of iterations in a loop
+    max-globals: 5                               # maximum number of global variables
 properties:
     max-range-length: 5                          # maximum length of ranges, vectors and tuples, (AxA matrices can exist)
     use-english-words: True                      # use english words instead of random names (this may limit the maximum number of names)
diff --git a/test/True b/test/True
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000