diff --git a/companion/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt b/companion/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt
index e54116b3c..d63045061 100644
--- a/companion/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/companion/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 include_directories(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
 
+set(shared_NAMES
+  autocheckbox
+)
 set(shared_SRCS
   genericpanel.cpp
   hexspinbox.cpp
@@ -8,7 +11,6 @@ set(shared_SRCS
 
 set(shared_HDRS
   autobitsetcheckbox.h
-  autocheckbox.h
   autocombobox.h
   autodoublespinbox.h
   autohexspinbox.h
@@ -21,7 +23,18 @@ set(shared_HDRS
   autoslider.h
 )
 
+foreach(name ${shared_NAMES})
+  set(shared_SRCS ${shared_SRCS} ${name}.cpp)
+  set(shared_HDRS ${shared_HDRS} ${name}.h)
+endforeach()
+
 qt5_wrap_cpp(shared_SRCS ${shared_HDRS})
 
+# add after moc generation to stop warnings
+set(shared_SRCS ${shared_SRCS}
+  autowidget.h
+  autowidget.cpp
+)
+
 add_library(shared ${shared_SRCS})
 target_link_libraries(shared PRIVATE Qt5::Widgets ${CPN_COMMON_LIB})
diff --git a/companion/src/shared/autocheckbox.cpp b/companion/src/shared/autocheckbox.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..73b21294c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/companion/src/shared/autocheckbox.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) OpenTX
+ *
+ * Based on code named
+ *   th9x - http://code.google.com/p/th9x
+ *   er9x - http://code.google.com/p/er9x
+ *   gruvin9x - http://code.google.com/p/gruvin9x
+ *
+ * License GPLv2: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ */
+
+#include "autocheckbox.h"
+
+AutoCheckBox::AutoCheckBox(QWidget * parent):
+  QCheckBox(parent),
+  AutoWidget(),
+  m_field(nullptr),
+  m_invert(false)
+{
+  connect(this, &QCheckBox::toggled, this, &AutoCheckBox::onToggled);
+}
+
+AutoCheckBox::~AutoCheckBox()
+{
+}
+
+void AutoCheckBox::setField(bool & field, GenericPanel * panel, bool invert)
+{
+  m_field = &field;
+  m_invert = invert;
+  setPanel(panel);
+  updateValue();
+}
+
+void AutoCheckBox::setInvert(bool invert)
+{
+  m_invert = invert;
+  updateValue();
+}
+
+void AutoCheckBox::onToggled(bool checked)
+{
+  if (!lock() && m_field) {
+    const bool val = m_invert ? !checked : checked;
+    *m_field = val;
+    emit currentDataChanged(val);
+    dataChanged();
+  }
+}
+
+void AutoCheckBox::updateValue()
+{
+  if (m_field) {
+    setLock(true);
+    setChecked(m_invert ? !(*m_field) : *m_field);
+    setLock(false);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/companion/src/shared/autocheckbox.h b/companion/src/shared/autocheckbox.h
index 6355b6c53..a9a1ef94e 100644
--- a/companion/src/shared/autocheckbox.h
+++ b/companion/src/shared/autocheckbox.h
@@ -20,72 +20,30 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <QCheckBox>
-#include "genericpanel.h"
+#include "autowidget.h"
 
-class AutoCheckBox: public QCheckBox
+#include <QCheckBox>
+
+class AutoCheckBox : public QCheckBox, AutoWidget
 {
   Q_OBJECT
 
   public:
-    explicit AutoCheckBox(QWidget * parent = nullptr):
-      QCheckBox(parent),
-      field(nullptr),
-      panel(nullptr),
-      lock(false),
-      invert(false)
-    {
-      connect(this, &AutoCheckBox::toggled, this, &AutoCheckBox::onToggled);
-    }
+    explicit AutoCheckBox(QWidget * parent = nullptr);
+    ~AutoCheckBox();
 
-    void setField(bool & field, GenericPanel * panel = nullptr, bool invert = false)
-    {
-      this->field = &field;
-      this->panel = panel;
-      this->invert = invert;
-      updateValue();
-    }
+    virtual void updateValue() override;
 
-    void setEnabled(bool enabled)
-    {
-      QCheckBox::setEnabled(enabled);
-    }
-
-    void setInvert(bool invert)
-    {
-      this->invert = invert;
-      updateValue();
-    }
-
-    void updateValue()
-    {
-      if (field) {
-        lock = true;
-        setChecked(invert ? !(*field) : *field);
-        lock = false;
-      }
-    }
+    void setField(bool & field, GenericPanel * panel = nullptr, bool invert = false);
+    void setInvert(bool invert);
 
   signals:
     void currentDataChanged(bool value);
 
   protected slots:
-    void onToggled(bool checked)
-    {
-      if (panel && panel->lock)
-        return;
-      if (field && !lock) {
-        const bool val = invert ? !checked : checked;
-        *field = val;
-        emit currentDataChanged(val);
-        if (panel)
-          emit panel->modified();
-      }
-    }
+    void onToggled(bool checked);
 
-  protected:
-    bool *field = nullptr;
-    GenericPanel *panel = nullptr;
-    bool lock = false;
-    bool invert = false;
+  private:
+    bool *m_field;
+    bool m_invert;
 };
diff --git a/companion/src/shared/autowidget.cpp b/companion/src/shared/autowidget.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..75fd1fb26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/companion/src/shared/autowidget.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) OpenTX
+ *
+ * Based on code named
+ *   th9x - http://code.google.com/p/th9x
+ *   er9x - http://code.google.com/p/er9x
+ *   gruvin9x - http://code.google.com/p/gruvin9x
+ *
+ * License GPLv2: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ */
+
+#include "autowidget.h"
+#include "genericpanel.h"
+
+AutoWidget::AutoWidget():
+  m_panel(nullptr),
+  m_lock(false)
+{
+}
+
+AutoWidget::~AutoWidget()
+{
+}
+
+bool AutoWidget::lock()
+{
+  return panelLock() | m_lock;
+}
+
+void AutoWidget::setLock(bool lock)
+{
+  m_lock = lock;
+}
+
+void AutoWidget::setPanel(GenericPanel * panel)
+{
+  m_panel = panel;
+}
+
+void AutoWidget::dataChanged()
+{
+  if (m_panel)
+    emit m_panel->modified();
+}
+
+bool AutoWidget::panelLock()
+{
+  if (m_panel)
+    return m_panel->lock;
+  else
+    return false;
+}
diff --git a/companion/src/shared/autowidget.h b/companion/src/shared/autowidget.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..68d47547d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/companion/src/shared/autowidget.h
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) OpenTX
+ *
+ * Based on code named
+ *   th9x - http://code.google.com/p/th9x
+ *   er9x - http://code.google.com/p/er9x
+ *   gruvin9x - http://code.google.com/p/gruvin9x
+ *
+ * License GPLv2: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+class GenericPanel;
+
+// Note: cannot be a Qt object as it will create a compiler ambiguity in the inheriting class
+class AutoWidget
+{
+  public:
+    explicit AutoWidget();
+    ~AutoWidget();
+
+  protected:
+    virtual void updateValue() = 0;
+
+    bool lock();
+    void setLock(bool lock);
+    void setPanel(GenericPanel * panel);
+
+    void dataChanged();
+    bool panelLock();
+
+  private:
+    GenericPanel *m_panel;
+    bool m_lock;
+};
diff --git a/companion/src/shared/autowidgets.h b/companion/src/shared/autowidgets.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b2619acdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/companion/src/shared/autowidgets.h
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) OpenTX
+ *
+ * Based on code named
+ *   th9x - http://code.google.com/p/th9x
+ *   er9x - http://code.google.com/p/er9x
+ *   gruvin9x - http://code.google.com/p/gruvin9x
+ *
+ * License GPLv2: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "autobitsetcheckbox.h"
+#include "autocheckbox.h"
+#include "autocombobox.h"
+#include "autodoublespinbox.h"
+#include "autohexspinbox.h"
+#include "autolineedit.h"
+#include "autoprecisioncombobox.h"
+#include "autoslider.h"
+#include "autospinbox.h"
+#include "autotimeedit.h"
diff --git a/companion/src/shared/genericpanel.h b/companion/src/shared/genericpanel.h
index e55a54371..c0ccb949b 100644
--- a/companion/src/shared/genericpanel.h
+++ b/companion/src/shared/genericpanel.h
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ class GenericPanel : public QWidget
 
   friend class AutoComboBox;
   friend class AutoDoubleSpinBox;
-  friend class AutoCheckBox;
   friend class AutoHexSpinBox;
   friend class AutoLineEdit;
   friend class GVarGroup;
@@ -43,6 +42,8 @@ class GenericPanel : public QWidget
   friend class AutoTimeEdit;
   friend class AutoSpinBox;
   friend class AutoSlider;
+  //  this should be the only auto friend required excl GVArGroup
+  friend class AutoWidget;
 
   public:
     GenericPanel(QWidget *parent, ModelData * model, GeneralSettings & generalSettings, Firmware * firmware);