diff --git a/coursebuilder/__main__.py b/coursebuilder/__main__.py
index 5f23d02..a26a6dc 100644
--- a/coursebuilder/__main__.py
+++ b/coursebuilder/__main__.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ actual values are kept in YAML files in order to version them with git.
 """
 
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
-import string
 import os,sys
 import yaml
 import pandas as pd
@@ -40,6 +39,8 @@ class CourseBuilder:
         parser.add_argument('--table-gen',type=str,default=None,help='runs table generator')
         parser.add_argument('--template',type=str,default=None,help='defines a template to be used with fields')
         parser.add_argument('-o','--out',type=str,default=None,help='set the output type')
+        parser.add_argument('--legacy',action="store_true",help="use legacy generator mode for compatibility")
+        
 
         parser.add_argument('--maxcol',type=int,default=28,help='maximum size of left column')
 
@@ -122,25 +123,19 @@ class CourseBuilder:
 
                     # TODO - something more processable for Pandas?
                     draft = [
-                        { 'name'    : 'Computergrafik' },
+                        { 'name'    : 'Modulname', 'lang' : 'de' },
                         { 'credits' : '5 ECTS' },
                     ]
 
-                    # get the dataframe
-                    df = pd.DataFrame(table_items)
+                    draft_2 = {
+                    }
 
-                    # use first column for 
-                    df.columns = df.iloc[0]
-                    df = df[1:]
+                    if args.legacy:
+                        MarkdownGenerator.generate_table_legacy(table_items=table_items,add_pagebreak=args.pagebreak,title_template=args.title,first_colwidth=args.maxcol)
+                    else:
+                        MarkdownGenerator.generate_table(table_items=table_items,add_pagebreak=args.pagebreak,title_template=args.title,first_colwidth=args.maxcol)
 
-                    if args.title != None:
-                        print(args.title.format(df.columns[1]),'\n')
 
-                    print(df.to_markdown(tablefmt='grid', index=False, maxcolwidths=[args.maxcol,None]))
-                    print('\n') # always add a newline after the table
-
-                    if args.pagebreak:
-                        print('\\pagebreak')
                         # MarkdownGenerator.generate(table_items,pagebreak=args.pagebreak,title=args.title,header_level=args.level)
 
         else:
diff --git a/coursebuilder/markdowngenerator.py b/coursebuilder/markdowngenerator.py
index 59f4323..c765dab 100644
--- a/coursebuilder/markdowngenerator.py
+++ b/coursebuilder/markdowngenerator.py
@@ -1,25 +1,47 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
-import textwrap,itertools
+import itertools
 
-# we need raw value maybe add a third item - tuple the input?
 
-# alternative use a dictionary
-# { name: XYZ }
-
-# or make it the class
 
 class MarkdownGenerator:
 
     @staticmethod
     def generate_tablerow() -> str:
         pass
+
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def generate_table(table_items,add_pagebreak = False,title_template = None,first_colwidth = 28):
+
+        import pandas as pd
+        import tabulate 
+
+        # get the dataframe
+        df = pd.DataFrame(table_items)
+
+        # use first column for 
+        df.columns = df.iloc[0]
+        df = df[1:]
+
+        if title_template != None:
+            print(title_template.format(df.columns[1]),'\n')
+
+        print(df.to_markdown(tablefmt='grid', index=False, maxcolwidths=[first_colwidth,None]))
+        print('\n') # always add a newline after the table
+
+        if add_pagebreak:
+            print('\\pagebreak')
+
+        
     
     @staticmethod
-    def generate(ti,pagebreak = False,title = False,header_level = 1) -> str:
+    def generate_table_legacy(table_items,add_pagebreak = False,title_template = None,first_colwidth = 28):
+
+        import textwrap
 
         line_length = 128
-        column_ratio= 0.28
+        column_ratio = float(first_colwidth) / 100
 
         h_len = int(line_length * column_ratio)
         d_len = line_length-h_len
@@ -27,8 +49,8 @@ class MarkdownGenerator:
         #
         #  generate title (currently the first one)
         # 
-        if title:
-            print('#' * header_level,ti[0][1],'\n')
+        if title_template != None:
+            print(title_template.format(table_items[0][1]),'\n')
 
         print(''.join(['+',"".ljust(h_len,'-'),'+',"".ljust(d_len,'-'),'+']))
 
@@ -40,7 +62,7 @@ class MarkdownGenerator:
 
         # test if this affected by a third item!
 
-        for k,v in ti:
+        for k,v in table_items:
 
             # 
             if v == None:
@@ -79,5 +101,5 @@ class MarkdownGenerator:
 
 
         # to control pagebreaks for pandoc
-        if pagebreak:
+        if add_pagebreak:
             print('\n\\newpage')
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/Makefile b/test/Makefile
index cc6f0ff..b605d0b 100644
--- a/test/Makefile
+++ b/test/Makefile
@@ -29,5 +29,9 @@ debug:
 	python ${coursebuilder} -s schema.yaml -m mod.cg.yaml mod.interactsys.yaml mod.test.yaml -p --title "## {}" -l de -f name credits goal content
 	#  | pandoc ${target_flags} -V lang:de -o ${target_de}
 
+debug-legacy:
+	python ${coursebuilder} -s schema.yaml -m mod.cg.yaml mod.interactsys.yaml mod.test.yaml -p --legacy --title "## {}" -l de -f name credits goal content
+	#  | pandoc ${target_flags} -V lang:de -o ${target_de}
+
 
 .PHONY: clean
\ No newline at end of file