diff --git a/rewrite_epicsdata_pids.py b/rewrite_epicsdata_pids.py
index 434278d..5dc3f8f 100755
--- a/rewrite_epicsdata_pids.py
+++ b/rewrite_epicsdata_pids.py
@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
+import argparse
+
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(formatter_class=argparse.ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter)
+parser.add_argument("instrument")
+parser.add_argument("pgroup")
+parser.add_argument("-c", "--channel", default="SAR-CVME-TIFALL4:EvtSet", help="BS channel used as source for the timestamp/pulseID mapping")
+clargs = parser.parse_args()
+
+instrument = clargs.instrument
+pgroup = clargs.pgroup
+bs_source_channel = clargs.channel
+
+
 import os
 from glob import glob
 import numpy as np
@@ -25,8 +38,11 @@ def get_fn(fns, contains):
 
 
 print("globbing")
-fns = "/sf/alvra/data/p18938/raw/**/*.PVCHANNELS.h5"
-fns = sorted(glob(fns, recursive=True))
+fns_pattern = "/sf/{}/data/{}/raw/**/*.PVCHANNELS.h5".format(instrument, pgroup)
+fns = sorted(glob(fns_pattern, recursive=True))
+
+if not fns:
+    raise SystemExit("no file found for: {}".format(fns_pattern))
 
 for i, fn_pv in enumerate(fns):
     fn_bs = fn_pv.replace(".PVCHANNELS.h5", ".BSDATA.h5")
@@ -43,8 +59,9 @@ for i, fn_pv in enumerate(fns):
         print(new_fn_pv, "exists... skipping")
         continue
 
-    ch_evts = "SAR-CVME-TIFALL4:EvtSet"
-    #ch_evts = "SAR-CVME-TIFALL5:EvtSet"
+#    ch_evts = "SAR-CVME-TIFALL4:EvtSet"
+#    ch_evts = "SAR-CVME-TIFALL5:EvtSet"
+    ch_evts = bs_source_channel
 
     with h5py.File(fn_bs, "r") as f:
         try:
diff --git a/rewrite_scaninfo.py b/rewrite_scaninfo.py
index ed74f3e..45f0586 100755
--- a/rewrite_scaninfo.py
+++ b/rewrite_scaninfo.py
@@ -1,11 +1,29 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
+import argparse
+
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(formatter_class=argparse.ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter)
+parser.add_argument("instrument")
+parser.add_argument("pgroup")
+clargs = parser.parse_args()
+
+instrument = clargs.instrument
+pgroup = clargs.pgroup
+
+
 import os
 from glob import glob
 import json
 
-fns = "/sf/alvra/data/p18938/raw/scan_info/**.json"
-for fn_si in sorted(glob(fns, recursive=True)):
+
+print("globbing")
+fns_pattern = "/sf/{}/data/{}/raw/scan_info/**.json".format(instrument, pgroup)
+fns = sorted(glob(fns_pattern, recursive=True))
+
+if not fns:
+    raise SystemExit("no file found for: {}".format(fns_pattern))
+
+for fn_si in fns:
     new_fn_si = fn_si.replace("/raw/", "/res/epics/")
     print(fn_si, new_fn_si)