diff --git a/matlab/InitFDTD.m b/matlab/InitFDTD.m
index a775d31..8051446 100644
--- a/matlab/InitFDTD.m
+++ b/matlab/InitFDTD.m
@@ -1,15 +1,13 @@
-function FDTD = InitFDTD(NrTS, endCrit, varargin)
-% function FDTD = InitFDTD(NrTS, endCrit, varargin)
+function FDTD = InitFDTD(varargin)
+% function FDTD = InitFDTD(varargin)
 %
 % Inititalize the FDTD data-structure.
 %
-% optional arguments:
-%   NrTS:       max. number of timesteps to simulate (e.g. default=1e9)
-%   endCrit:    end criteria, e.g. 1e-5, simulations stops if energy has
-%               decayed by this value (<1e-4 is recommended, default=1e-5)
-%   MaxTime:    max. real time in seconds to simulate
-%
 % optional field arguments for usage with openEMS:
+%   NrTS:           max. number of timesteps to simulate (e.g. default=1e9)
+%   EndCriteria:    end criteria, e.g. 1e-5, simulations stops if energy has
+%                   decayed by this value (<1e-4 is recommended, default=1e-5)
+%   MaxTime:        max. real time in seconds to simulate
 %   OverSampling:   nyquist oversampling of time domain dumps
 %   CoordSystem:    choose coordinate system (0 Cartesian, 1 Cylindrical)
 %   TimeStep:       force to use a given timestep (dangerous!)
@@ -20,33 +18,42 @@ function FDTD = InitFDTD(NrTS, endCrit, varargin)
 %   FDTD = InitFDTD();
 %
 %   %init with 1e6 max. timesteps and -60dB end-criteria
-%   FDTD = InitFDTD(1e6, 1e-6);
+%   FDTD = InitFDTD('NrTS', 1e6, 'EndCriteria', 1e-6);
 %
 %   %cylindrical FDTD simulation
-%   FDTD = InitFDTD(1e6, 1e-6, 'CoordSystem', 1);
+%   FDTD = InitFDTD('CoordSystem', 1);
 %
 %   See also InitCSX
 %
 % openEMS matlab interface
 % -----------------------
-% author: Thorsten Liebig (c) 2010-2012
+% author: Thorsten Liebig (c) 2010-2013
 
-if (nargin<1)
-   FDTD.ATTRIBUTE.NumberOfTimesteps=1e9;
-else
-    FDTD.ATTRIBUTE.NumberOfTimesteps=NrTS;
-end
-if (nargin<2)
-    FDTD.ATTRIBUTE.endCriteria = 1e-5;
-else
-    FDTD.ATTRIBUTE.endCriteria=endCrit;
+% default values
+NrTS = 1e9;
+endCrit = 1e-5;
+
+% legacy support
+if ((nargin==1) && (isnumeric(varargin{1})))
+    NrTS = varargin{1};
+    warning('openEMS:InitFDTD',['Syntax for InitFDTD has changed, use: "InitFDTD(''NrTS'', ' num2str(NrTS) ')" instead! Legacy support enabled.']);
+elseif ((nargin==2) && (isnumeric(varargin{1})) && (isnumeric(varargin{2})))
+    NrTS = varargin{1};
+    endCrit = varargin{2};
+    warning('openEMS:InitFDTD',['Syntax for InitFDTD has changed, use: "InitFDTD(''NrTS'', ' num2str(NrTS) ', ''EndCriteria'', ' num2str(endCrit) ')" instead! Legacy support enabled.']);
 end
 
 for n=1:numel(varargin)/2
-    if strcmp(varargin{2*n-1},'CoordSystem')==1
+    if strcmpi(varargin{2*n-1},'CoordSystem')==1
         FDTD.ATTRIBUTE.CylinderCoords=varargin{2*n}==1;
+    elseif strcmpi(varargin{2*n-1},'NrTS')==1
+        NrTS=varargin{2*n};
+    elseif strcmpi(varargin{2*n-1},'EndCriteria')==1
+        endCrit=varargin{2*n};
     else
         FDTD.ATTRIBUTE.(varargin{2*n-1})=varargin{2*n};
     end
 end
 
+FDTD.ATTRIBUTE.NumberOfTimesteps=NrTS;
+FDTD.ATTRIBUTE.endCriteria=endCrit;