[LAU] MIDI Port names in Jack

Hi all! I'm wondering why so many of my MIDI ports in Jack are named so similarly, and if they can be changed? I don't remember this being a problem on my previous Linux system, but there are a few differences. I'm avoiding GUIs and need to use CLI tools, so no Qjackctl suggestions, please. I'm using an M-Audio MIDI sport Uno USB midi interface, and the virMIDI device for internal patching, as well as MIDISH. In jack, all of those, along with the main system ports like through are all listed as system midi playback or capture and a number. I've tried both raw and seq jack MIDI modes. I can see which is which with Jack_lsp with the -A or -t options set. But I was hoping to use something like Jack Plumbing for reconnecting, and since the real client names don't show up, I can't get jack plumbing to see them. Since the port numbers aren't always the same, I can't depend on the suffix digits to identify the right port. Then, using MIDISH, where the ports come and go when it starts and stops, its port numbers seem to increment each time as well. Should I perhaps be using A2Jmidid instead of the jack MIDI modes? Is there something else I'm missing? Or is this a difference between Jack 1 and Jack 2? Or differences from Ubuntu 9-10 and 12-10? Sorry to be so wordy, but wanted to be clear. Thanks for any help. Kevin