diff --git a/commands.py b/commands.py
index 372478b..033ec58 100644
--- a/commands.py
+++ b/commands.py
@@ -125,6 +125,34 @@ def set_se_list():
     frappy_config.set_envlist()
 
 
+@usercommand
+@helparglist('main [, stick [, addons]]')
+def frappy(main=None, stick=None, addons=None):
+    """(re)start frappy server(s) with given configs and load setup if needed
+
+    - without argument: list running frappy servers
+    - frappy('<cfg>'): if available, the standard stick is added too
+    - frappy(''): the stick is removed too
+    - addons are not changed when not given!
+    """
+    all_cfg = {}
+    if main is not None:
+        all_cfg = frappy_start('main', main)
+        if stick is None:
+            if main:
+                stickcfg = main + 'stick'
+                if stickcfg in FrappyNode.available_cfg('stick'):
+                    # if a default stick is available, start this also
+                    stick = stickcfg
+            else:
+                stick = ''
+    if stick is not None:
+        all_cfg = frappy_stick('stick', stick)
+    if addons is not None:
+        all_cfg = frappy_stick('addons', addons)
+    session.log.info(all_info(all_cfg))
+
+
 @usercommand
 @helparglist('cfg')
 def frappy_main(cfg=None):
@@ -133,13 +161,7 @@ def frappy_main(cfg=None):
     - without argument: list running frappy servers
     - cfg = "": stop frappy_main server
     """
-    all_cfg = frappy_start('main', cfg)
-    if cfg:
-        stickcfg = cfg + 'stick'
-        if stickcfg in FrappyNode.available_cfg('stick'):
-            # if a default stick is available, start this also
-            all_cfg = frappy_start('stick', stickcfg)
-    session.log.info(all_info(all_cfg))
+    session.log.info(all_info(frappy_start('main', cfg)))
 
 
 @usercommand
diff --git a/devices.py b/devices.py
index b75505b..c6d5caa 100644
--- a/devices.py
+++ b/devices.py
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ class FrappyNode(SecNodeDevice, Moveable):
     }
     parameters = {
         'service': Param('frappy service name (main, stick or addons)', type=str, default=''),
+        'param_category': Param("category of parameters\n\n"
+                                "set to 'general' if all parameters should appear in the datafile header",
+                                type=str, default='', settable=True),
     }
 
     _service_manager = FrappyManager()
@@ -237,6 +240,17 @@ class FrappyNode(SecNodeDevice, Moveable):
             self._cfgvalue = self._cache.get(self, 'value')
         return self._cfgvalue
 
+    def createDevices(self):
+        super().createDevices()
+        if self.param_category:
+            for devname, (_, devcfg) in self.setup_info.items():
+                params_cfg = devcfg['params_cfg']
+                dev = session.devices[devname]
+                for pname, pargs in params_cfg.items():
+                    pinfo = dev.parameters[pname]
+                    if not pinfo.category:
+                        pinfo.category = self.param_category
+
     @classmethod
     def config_dirs(cls, ins, service):
         sm = cls._service_manager