diff --git a/app/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/app/WidgetPaneDragHandler.java b/app/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/app/WidgetPaneDragHandler.java
index 9bf0c599a..b43ea2ec9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/app/WidgetPaneDragHandler.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/app/WidgetPaneDragHandler.java
@@ -140,7 +140,8 @@ private boolean previewSource(GridPoint point, Dragboard dragboard) {
     }
     SourceEntry entry = DeserializationHelper.sourceFromDrag(dragboard.getContent(DataFormats.source));
     DataSource source = entry.get();
-    Optional<String> componentName = Components.getDefault().pickComponentNameFor(source.getDataType());
+    Optional<String> componentName = source.preferredWidget()
+            .or(() -> Components.getDefault().pickComponentNameFor(source.getDataType()));
     Optional<DataSource<?>> dummySource = DummySource.forTypes(source.getDataType());
     if (componentName.isPresent() && dummySource.isPresent()) {
       if (tilePreviewSize == null) {
diff --git a/plugins/networktables/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/plugin/networktables/TabGenerator.java b/plugins/networktables/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/plugin/networktables/TabGenerator.java
index 56f1e90d8..6c0eaf84e 100644
--- a/plugins/networktables/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/plugin/networktables/TabGenerator.java
+++ b/plugins/networktables/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/plugin/networktables/TabGenerator.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package edu.wpi.first.shuffleboard.plugin.networktables;
 
-import com.google.gson.JsonObject;
 import com.google.gson.JsonParser;
+import com.google.gson.JsonPrimitive;
 import edu.wpi.first.shuffleboard.api.sources.DataSource;
 import edu.wpi.first.shuffleboard.api.sources.SourceTypes;
 import edu.wpi.first.shuffleboard.api.tab.model.ComponentModel;
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
 @SuppressWarnings("PMD.GodClass")
 final class TabGenerator {
 
-  public static final String ROOT_TABLE_NAME = "/Shuffleboard";
-  public static final String METADATA_TABLE_NAME = ROOT_TABLE_NAME + "/.metadata";
+  public static final String ROOT_TABLE_NAME = "";
+  public static final String METADATA_TABLE_NAME = ROOT_TABLE_NAME + "/Shuffleboard/.metadata";
   public static final String PREF_COMPONENT_ENTRY_NAME = "PreferredComponent";
   public static final String PROPERTIES_TABLE_NAME = "Properties";
   public static final String TABS_ENTRY_KEY = "Tabs";
@@ -198,16 +198,16 @@ private void dataChanged(NetworkTableEvent event) {
       return;
     }
     List<String> hierarchy = NetworkTable.getHierarchy(name);
-    if (hierarchy.size() < 3) {
-      // Not enough data
-      return;
-    }
+//    if (hierarchy.size() < 3) {
+//      // Not enough data
+//      return;
+//    }
     if (name.contains("/.")) {
       // The entry is metadata, but may be the only entry in a table, so make sure it's updated correctly
       var tables = hierarchy.stream()
           .takeWhile(s -> !s.contains("/."))
           .collect(Collectors.toList());
-      if (tables.size() >= 3) {
+      if (tables.size() >= 2) {
         updateFrom(tables);
       }
       return;
@@ -222,7 +222,13 @@ private void updateFrom(List<String> tables) {
 
   private void updateStructure(List<String> hierarchy) {
     // 0='/', 1='/Shuffleboard', 2='/Shuffleboard/<Tab>'
-    TabModel tab = tabs.getTab(NetworkTable.basenameKey(hierarchy.get(2)));
+    String tabName;
+    if (hierarchy.get(1).equals("/Shuffleboard")) {
+      tabName = NetworkTable.basenameKey(hierarchy.get(2));
+    } else {
+      tabName = NetworkTable.basenameKey(hierarchy.get(1));
+    }
+    TabModel tab = tabs.getTab(tabName);
     ParentModel parent = tab;
     int index = 0;
     boolean end = false;
@@ -233,6 +239,9 @@ private void updateStructure(List<String> hierarchy) {
         continue;
       }
       NetworkTable table = inst.getTable(path);
+//      if (table.getEntry(".widget").getType() == NetworkTableType.kString) {
+//        updateWidget(parent, path);
+//      } else
       if (table.getKeys().contains(".type")) {
         String type = table.getEntry(".type").getString(null);
         switch (type) {
@@ -334,14 +343,27 @@ private Map<String, Object> properties(String realPath) {
         props.put(k, propsTable.getEntry(k).getValue().getValue());
       }
     }
-    String metadata = inst.getTopic(realPath).getProperties();
-    JsonParser parser = new JsonParser();
-    var obj = parser.parse(metadata).getAsJsonObject();
-    obj.entrySet().forEach(entry -> {
-      System.out.println("TabGenerator.properties : " + entry);
-      props.put(entry.getKey(), entry.getValue().getAsString());
-    });
-
+    if (!inst.getTopic(realPath).exists()) {
+      var propsTable = inst.getTable(realPath);
+      for (String k : propsTable.getKeys()) {
+        props.put(k, propsTable.getEntry(k).getValue().getValue());
+      }
+    } else {
+      String metadata = inst.getTopic(realPath).getProperties();
+      JsonParser parser = new JsonParser();
+      var obj = parser.parse(metadata).getAsJsonObject();
+      obj.entrySet().forEach(entry -> {
+        System.out.println("TabGenerator.properties : " + entry);
+        JsonPrimitive primitive = entry.getValue().getAsJsonPrimitive();
+        if (primitive.isBoolean()) {
+          props.put(entry.getKey(), primitive.getAsBoolean());
+        } else if (primitive.isNumber()) {
+          props.put(entry.getKey(), primitive.getAsNumber());
+        } else {
+          props.put(entry.getKey(), primitive.getAsString());
+        }
+      });
+    }
     return props;
   }
 
diff --git a/plugins/networktables/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/plugin/networktables/sources/SingleKeyNetworkTableSource.java b/plugins/networktables/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/plugin/networktables/sources/SingleKeyNetworkTableSource.java
index 070d07850..d1de80c02 100644
--- a/plugins/networktables/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/plugin/networktables/sources/SingleKeyNetworkTableSource.java
+++ b/plugins/networktables/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/shuffleboard/plugin/networktables/sources/SingleKeyNetworkTableSource.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package edu.wpi.first.shuffleboard.plugin.networktables.sources;
 
+import com.google.gson.JsonElement;
 import com.google.gson.JsonObject;
 import com.google.gson.JsonParser;
 import edu.wpi.first.networktables.NetworkTableEvent.Kind;
@@ -106,7 +107,12 @@ private static Optional<String> loadWidgetFromTopicProps(Topic topic) {
       System.err.println(metadata);
       JsonObject obj = parser.parse(metadata).getAsJsonObject();
       obj.entrySet().forEach(System.err::println);
-      String widget = obj.get("widget").getAsString();
+      JsonElement widgetProp = obj.get("widget");
+      if (widgetProp == null || !widgetProp.isJsonPrimitive()) {
+        System.err.println("Metadata widget field for topic `" + topic.getName() + "` doesn't exist or is ");
+        return Optional.empty();
+      }
+      String widget = widgetProp.getAsString();
       System.out.println("widget = " + widget);
       return Optional.of(widget);
     } catch (Exception e) {