diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 5547ec5..d1a6bed 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -2,69 +2,107 @@ local player_waypoints = {}
 local update_interval = 1.31415
 
 -- lua metatables? what is that? :P
-local function get_compass_meta_id(meta)
-    return meta:get_string("waypoint_compass:id") ~= "" or "default_id"
+-- local function get_compass_meta_id(meta)
+--     return meta:get_string("waypoint_compass:id") ~= "" or "default_id"
+-- end
+
+
+local function get_compass_meta_label(meta)
+    local label = meta:get_string("waypoint_compass:label")
+    return label ~= "" and label or "destination"
 end
 
 
-local function get_compass_meta_name(meta)
-    return meta:get_string("waypoint_compass:name") ~= "" or "destination"
+local function set_compass_meta_label(meta, label)
+    meta:set_string("waypoint_compass:label", label)
 end
 
+
+local function pos_serialize(pos)
+    -- strip "(" and ")"
+    return string.sub(minetest.pos_to_string(pos), 2, -2)
+end
+
+
+local function pos_deserialize(str)
+    -- numbers are separated by ","
+    local tmp = {}
+    for n in string.gmatch(str, "([^,]+)") do
+        table.insert(tmp, n)
+    end
+    tmp[1] = tonumber(tmp[1]) or 0
+    tmp[2] = tonumber(tmp[2]) or 0
+    tmp[3] = tonumber(tmp[3]) or 0
+    return {x = tmp[1], y = tmp[2], z = tmp[3]}
+end
+
+
+local function set_compass_meta_pos(meta, pos)
+    local pos_str = pos_serialize(pos)
+    meta:set_string("waypoint_compass:position", pos_str)
+end
+
+
 local function get_compass_meta_pos(meta)
-    return {x=0, y=0, z=0}
+    return pos_deserialize(meta:get_string("waypoint_compass:position"))
 end
 
+-- local function set_compass_meta_pos(meta, pos)
+--     local pos_hash = minetest.hash_node_position(pos)
+--     meta:set_int("waypoint_compass:position", pos_hash)
+-- end
+
+
+-- local function get_compass_meta_pos(meta)
+--     return minetest.get_position_from_hash(meta:get_int("waypoint_compass:position"))
+-- end
 
 minetest.register_tool("waypoint_compass:compass", {
                            description = "Waypoint compass",
-                           short_description = "Steel Axe",
+                           short_description = "Waypoint compass",
                            inventory_image = "Waypoint_compass_inventory_image.png",
-                           on_use = function(itemstack, user, pointed_thing)
-                               -- FIXME test code for checking how setting the description works
-                               if user and user:is_player() then
-                                   local player = user
+                           range = 100,
+                           on_place = function(itemstack, placer, pointed_thing)
+                               if pointed_thing and pointed_thing.type == "node" then
+                                   local pointed_pos =  pointed_thing.above
                                    local meta = itemstack:get_meta()
-                                   local pos = get_compass_meta_pos(meta)
-                                   local new_description = string.format("%f (%f,%f,%f)", math.random(), pos.x, pos.y, pos.z)
-                                   meta:set_string("description", new_description)
-                                   meta:set_string("short_description", new_description)
-                                   print("on use", new_description)
-                                   --player:set_wielded_item(nil)
-                                   --player:set_wielded_item(itemstack)
+                                   meta:set_string("description", string.format("Waypoint compass %s", minetest.pos_to_string(pointed_pos)))
+                                   set_compass_meta_pos(meta, pointed_pos)
+                                   --set_compass_meta_label(meta, minetest.pos_to_string(pointed_pos))
+                                   --print("meta pos", minetest.pos_to_string(get_compass_meta_pos(meta)))
                                    return itemstack
                                end
-                           end
+                           end,
 })
 
 
 local function remove_hud_waypoint(player, player_name)
-    print("hud remove")
+    ---print("hud remove")
     local hud_id = player_waypoints[player_name].hud_id
     player_waypoints[player_name] = nil
     player:hud_remove(hud_id)
 end
 
+
 local function show_hud_waypoint(player, compass_item_meta)
     local player_name = player:get_player_name()
     -- Show this waypoint
-    local waypoint_name = get_compass_meta_name(compass_item_meta)
+    local waypoint_name = get_compass_meta_label(compass_item_meta)
     local hud_id = player:hud_add({
             hud_elem_type = "waypoint",
             name = waypoint_name,
             text = "m",
             precision=1,
-            number = 0xFF, --0xFFFFFF,
+            number = 0xFC7D0A,
             world_pos = get_compass_meta_pos(compass_item_meta),
     })
     -- store HUD elemnt id to remove it later
     if not player_waypoints[player_name] then
         player_waypoints[player_name] = {}
     end
-    print("hud_id add", hud_id)
-    player_waypoints[player_name].id = get_compass_meta_id(compass_item_meta)
+    --print("hud_id add", hud_id)
+    player_waypoints[player_name].pos = get_compass_meta_pos(compass_item_meta)
     player_waypoints[player_name].hud_id = hud_id
-    print("id set", player_waypoints[player_name].id)
 end
 
 
@@ -78,10 +116,10 @@ minetest.register_globalstep(function(dtime)
                 -- player is holding compass
                 if (item and item:get_name() == "waypoint_compass:compass") then
                     local meta = item:get_meta()
-                    local waypoint_id = get_compass_meta_id(meta)
+                    local waypoint_pos = get_compass_meta_pos(meta)
                     -- remove different waypoint if it exists
-                    print(player_waypoints[player_name] and player_waypoints[player_name].id)
-                    if player_waypoints[player_name] and (player_waypoints[player_name].id ~= waypoint_id) then
+                    if player_waypoints[player_name] and
+                        (pos_serialize(player_waypoints[player_name].pos) ~= pos_serialize(waypoint_pos)) then
                         remove_hud_waypoint(player, player_name)
                     end
                     -- show new waypoint
@@ -89,6 +127,7 @@ minetest.register_globalstep(function(dtime)
                         show_hud_waypoint(player, meta)
                     end
                 else
+                    -- not holding it anymore
                     if player_waypoints[player_name] then
                         remove_hud_waypoint(player, player_name)
                     end