diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index e58af1c..efd8e65 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -6,19 +6,30 @@
 
 #include "examples/FDTD_examples.h"
 
-//#define STANDALONE
+#define STANDALONE
 
 using namespace std;
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+	openEMS FDTD;
+
 #ifdef STANDALONE
 	if (argc<=1)
 	{
-		cerr << " argc= " << argc << endl;
+		cerr << " usage: openEMS FDTD_XML_FILE [--disable-dumps]" << endl;
 		exit(-1);
 	}
 
+	if (argc>=3)
+	{
+		for (int n=2;n<argc;++n)
+		{
+			if (strcmp(argv[n],"--disable-dumps")==0)
+				FDTD.SetEnableDumps(false);
+		}
+	}
+
 	char* file = argv[1];
 #else
 	//*************** setup/read geometry ************//
@@ -39,7 +50,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 //	cerr << CSX.ReadFromXML("examples/PlaneWave.xml") << endl;
 #endif
-	openEMS FDTD;
 
 	int EC = FDTD.SetupFDTD(file);
 	if (EC) return EC;
diff --git a/openems.cpp b/openems.cpp
index b91841f..e4d8021 100644
--- a/openems.cpp
+++ b/openems.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ openEMS::openEMS()
 	FDTD_Op=NULL;
 	FDTD_Eng=NULL;
 	PA=NULL;
+	Enable_Dumps = true;
 }
 
 openEMS::~openEMS()
@@ -45,7 +46,6 @@ int openEMS::SetupFDTD(const char* file)
 	double f0=0;
 	double fc=0;
 	int Excit_Type=0;
-	bool EnableDump = true;
 	int bounds[6];
 
 	time_t startTime=time(NULL);
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ int openEMS::SetupFDTD(const char* file)
 	for (size_t i=0;i<DumpProps.size();++i)
 	{
 		ProcessFieldsTD* ProcTD = new ProcessFieldsTD(FDTD_Op,FDTD_Eng);
-		ProcTD->SetEnable(EnableDump);
+		ProcTD->SetEnable(Enable_Dumps);
 		ProcTD->SetProcessInterval(Nyquist/2); //twice as often as nyquist dictates
 
 		//only looking for one prim atm
diff --git a/openems.h b/openems.h
index f33faf6..3ca7efa 100644
--- a/openems.h
+++ b/openems.h
@@ -17,9 +17,12 @@ public:
 
 	void Reset();
 
+	void SetEnableDumps(bool val) {Enable_Dumps=val;}
+
 protected:
 	//! Number of Timesteps
 	int NrTS;
+	bool Enable_Dumps;
 	Operator* FDTD_Op;
 	Engine* FDTD_Eng;
 	ProcessingArray* PA;