diff --git a/tecs/coc_client.c b/tecs/coc_client.c
index 8495eb70..c758c176 100644
--- a/tecs/coc_client.c
+++ b/tecs/coc_client.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <signal.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <assert.h>
@@ -8,6 +9,11 @@
 #include "coc_client.h"
 #include "str_util.h"
 
+/* --- non ANSI signal --- */
+#ifndef SIGPIPE
+#define SIGPIPE 13
+#endif
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 int CocConnect(CocConn *conn) {
@@ -29,11 +35,14 @@ int CocConnect(CocConn *conn) {
 
 int CocOpen(CocConn *conn)
 {
-  int i, try, tmo;
+  int i, try, tmo, iret=-1;
 
   ERR_I(i=CocConnect(conn));
   if (i==0) return(0);
-  if (conn->startcmd[0]=='\0') ERR_MSG("TECS is down, can not restart from here");
+  if (conn->startcmd[0]=='\0') {
+    CocDelay(500);
+    ErrTxt("connect",1); return(-2);
+  }
 
   printf("Starting TecsServer ...\n\n%s\n", conn->startcmd);
   ERR_I(system(conn->startcmd));
@@ -50,7 +59,7 @@ int CocOpen(CocConn *conn)
     }
   }
   ERR_MSG("can not start TECS, too many retries");
-  OnError: return(-1);
+  OnError: return(iret);
 }
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -104,15 +113,23 @@ int CocCheck(CocConn *conn) {
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-int CocTryCmd(CocConn *conn)
-{ if (conn->fd<0) {
-    ERR_I(CocOpen(conn));
+int CocTryCmd(CocConn *conn) {
+  int iret=-1;
+
+  signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN);
+  if (conn->fd<0) {
+    ERR_I(iret=CocOpen(conn));
+    iret=-1;
     ERR_I(CocSendMagic(conn, conn->magic));
   }
   ERR_SI(send(conn->fd, conn->cmdbuf->buf, conn->cmdbuf->wrpos, 0));
   ERR_I(CocRecv(conn->fd, conn->resbuf));
+  signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_DFL);
   return(0);
-  OnError: return(-1);
+  OnError:
+    signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_DFL);
+    if (ErrCode==ECONNRESET || ErrCode==EPIPE) return(-2);
+    return(iret);
 }
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -133,8 +150,9 @@ int CocCmdWithRetry(CocConn *conn) {
     if (iret>=0) break;
     close(conn->fd);
     conn->fd=-1;
-    if (ErrCode!=ECONNRESET && ErrCode!=EPIPE) goto OnError;
-    ErrShow("try again, error was");
+    if (iret==-1) goto OnError; /* severe error */
+    ErrShort(ErrMessage);
+    ErrShort("try to reconnect");
   }
   ERR_P(err=str_get_str(conn->resbuf, NULL));
   if (*err!='\0') { ErrMsg(err); ErrTxt(": (response from server)",0 ); return(-2); }
diff --git a/tecs/coc_logfile.c b/tecs/coc_logfile.c
index 71a46cbb..4b06d13d 100644
--- a/tecs/coc_logfile.c
+++ b/tecs/coc_logfile.c
@@ -76,6 +76,12 @@ void logfileOpen(int first) {
     fil=fopen(filnam, "a");
   }
 #endif
+  if (fil==NULL) {
+    printf("Can not open %s\n", filnam);
+    fil=stdout;
+    str_copy(filnam, "<stdout>");
+    return;
+  }
   ErrSetOutFile(fil);
   if (first) {
     fprintf(fil, "%04d-%02d-%02d opened logfile\n"
diff --git a/tecs/err_handling.c b/tecs/err_handling.c
index 86e75f7d..88b5406f 100644
--- a/tecs/err_handling.c
+++ b/tecs/err_handling.c
@@ -69,12 +69,12 @@ void ErrShow(char *text)
   outrtn(outarg, "");
 }
 
-void ErrShort(void) {
+void ErrShort(char *msg) {
   if (outrtn==NULL) {
     outrtn=ErrOutFil;
     outarg=stdout;
   }
-  outrtn(outarg, ErrMessage);
+  outrtn(outarg, msg);
 }
 
 void ErrSetOutRtn(void (*rtn)(), void *arg) {
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ void err_msg_(F_CHAR(text), int text_len) {
 void err_set_outrtn_(void (*rtn)(), void *arg) {
   ErrSetOutRtn(rtn, arg);
 }
+
 void err_short_(void) {
-  ErrShort();
+  ErrShort(ErrMessage);
 }
diff --git a/tecs/err_handling.h b/tecs/err_handling.h
index 04645e6b..66f555e6 100644
--- a/tecs/err_handling.h
+++ b/tecs/err_handling.h
@@ -74,9 +74,8 @@ void ErrTxt(char *text, int systemError);
 void ErrMsg(char *msg);
 void ErrCod(int code);
 void ErrShow(char *text); /* write out error message with stack info */
-void ErrShort(void); /* write out short error message */
+void ErrShort(char *msg); /* write out short error message */
 void ERR_EXIT(char *text);
-void ErrLog(char *text);
 void ErrSetOutRtn(void (*rtn)(), void *arg);
 void ErrSetOutFile(FILE *file);
 
diff --git a/tecs/str_util.c b/tecs/str_util.c
index 7897bd1d..c165fc73 100644
--- a/tecs/str_util.c
+++ b/tecs/str_util.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ int str_npad(char *dest, const char *src, int ldest) {
       dest[i]=' ';
     }
   }
-  return;
+  return(lsrc);
 }
 
 char *str_nsplit(char *dst, const char *src, char sep, int dstlen) {
diff --git a/tecs/tecs.c b/tecs/tecs.c
index bd1963d2..09ec967b 100644
--- a/tecs/tecs.c
+++ b/tecs/tecs.c
@@ -591,6 +591,9 @@ int ReadTemp(void) {
         if (stat==0) logfileOut(LOG_MAIN, "reading o.k. %s\n", sensor->ch);
       }
       if (stat==0) {
+        if (sensor->t1 < 0.8*sensor->t2) {
+          logfileOut(LOG_MAIN, "min/max %s: %f %f\n", sensor->ch, sensor->t1, sensor->t2);
+        }
         sensor->t = (sensor->t1 + sensor->t2) * 0.5; /* mean of min and max */
         if (sensor->t1 < sensor->min || sensor->min==0.0) sensor->min = sensor->t1;
         if (sensor->t2 > sensor->max) sensor->max = sensor->t2;
@@ -621,6 +624,7 @@ int SetTemp(int switchOn) {
   char *ch;
   float scale;
 
+  if (tempC>tLimit) tempC=tLimit;
   if (switchOn) {
     ERR_I(ReadTemp());
     LogMinMax(1);
@@ -651,6 +655,7 @@ int SetTemp(int switchOn) {
     tShift=-maxShift;
   }
   tempH=(tempC+tShift)/scale;
+  if (tempH>tLimit) tempH=tLimit;
   if (tempC==0) {
     ERR_P(LscCmd(ser, "CSET 1:[chan],1,1,0;RANGE:0;SETP 1:0"));
   } else if (remoteMode==1) { /* in local mode: do not switch on heater */
@@ -810,21 +815,25 @@ int PeriodicTask(void) {
     logTime=(putTim/logPeriod+1)*logPeriod;
     if (tim>mmTime) LogMinMax(0);
   }
-  if (sens1.present && sens3.present && controlMode==2 && tempC!=0) {
-    t=sens1.t;
-    if (sens2.present && tempC<(tLow+tHigh)/2) t=sens2.t;
-    d=(tempH-t)/t-1.0; /* relative difference */
-    w=exp(-d*d*230); /* gaussian */
-    if (w<0.1) tInt=0; /* reset when far from setpoint (more than 10 %) */
-    if (int2<1) int2=1;
-    if (tInt<int2*1000/per) tInt+=w; /* increase integral time until int2 sec. */
-    if (tInt>w) {
-      p=w/tInt;
-    } else {
-      p=1.0;
+  if (tempC!=0) {
+    if (sens1.present && sens3.present && controlMode==2) {
+      t=sens1.t;
+      if (sens2.present && tempC<(tLow+tHigh)/2) t=sens2.t;
+      d=(tempH-t)/t-1.0; /* relative difference */
+      w=exp(-d*d*230); /* gaussian */
+      if (w<0.1) tInt=0; /* reset when far from setpoint (more than 10 %) */
+      if (int2<1) int2=1;
+      if (tInt<int2*1000/per) tInt+=w; /* increase integral time until int2 sec. */
+      if (tInt>w) {
+        p=w/tInt;
+      } else {
+        p=1.0;
+      }
+      tShift=tShift*(1.0-p)+p*(cryo.temp-samp.temp);
+      ERR_I(SetTemp(0));
+    } else if (remoteMode==2 && sens1.present) {
+      ERR_I(SetTemp(0));
     }
-    tShift=tShift*(1.0-p)+p*(cryo.temp-samp.temp);
-    ERR_I(SetTemp(0));
   }
 
   ERR_P(LscCmd(ser, "KEYST?>key;DIOST?>cod2,out2;DOUT 3,30"));
diff --git a/tecs/tecs_for.f b/tecs/tecs_for.f
index c34965ce..608adf9f 100644
--- a/tecs/tecs_for.f
+++ b/tecs/tecs_for.f
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ c------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 	subroutine TECS_WRITE_MSG(IOLUN)  !!
 !!	================================
 !!
-!! write out error message of last error and stack info
+!! write out error message of last error without stack info
 !!
 	implicit    none
 
diff --git a/tecs/tecs_plot.f90 b/tecs/tecs_plot.f90
index af6e0cd9..6ca472e7 100644
--- a/tecs/tecs_plot.f90
+++ b/tecs/tecs_plot.f90
@@ -70,13 +70,8 @@ subroutine tecs_plot(file)
     endif
   else
     if (.not. zoom) then
-      if (window==0) then ! maximal
-        x1=0
-        x2=1e20
-      else
-        x2=(x1+x2+window)/2
-        x1=x2-window
-      endif
+      x2=(x1+x2+window)/2
+      x1=x2-window
     endif
     ntot=dlog_get(dmax, nset, tbase, x1-window*0.1, x2+window*0.1, undef, xd, yd)
   endif
@@ -278,6 +273,7 @@ subroutine tecs_plot(file)
                 lastj=j+1
               elseif (xd(j)>x2 .or. yd(j,i)<ymin(rl) .or. yd(j,i)>ymax(rl)) then
                 call pgpage
+	        window=x2-x1
                 goto 1
               endif
             enddo
diff --git a/tecsdriv.c b/tecsdriv.c
index d2f2a426..b4316903 100644
--- a/tecsdriv.c
+++ b/tecsdriv.c
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@
      pEVDriver pNew = NULL;
      pTecsDriv pMe = NULL;
      pSicsVariable pInst = NULL;
-     char *pStart = NULL, *pBin=NULL, *pLog=NULL, *pPort=NULL;
+     char *pPort=NULL;
 
      pNew = CreateEVDriver(argc,argv);
      pMe = (pTecsDriv)malloc(sizeof(TecsDriv));
@@ -322,10 +322,7 @@
      /* initalise pTecsDriver */
      pMe->lastError = NULL;
 
-     /* get the start server option */
-     pStart = IFindOption(pSICSOptions, "TecsStartCmd");
-     if (pStart==NULL) return(NULL);
-     str_copy(pMe->server, pStart);
+     pMe->server[0]='\0';
 
      /* get the port number for tecs */
      pMe->port=0;
@@ -334,34 +331,9 @@
        pMe->port=atoi(pPort);
      }
      if (pMe->port==0) {
-       pPort="9753";
-       pMe->port=atoi(pPort);
+       pMe->port=9753;
      }
-     str_append(pMe->server, " -p ");
-     str_append(pMe->server, pPort);
 
-     /* get the instrument name */
-     pInst = FindVariable(pServ->pSics,"instrument");
-     if (pInst==NULL ||
-         pInst->text==NULL ||
-         strlen(pInst->text)>sizeof(pMe->server)-6) return NULL;
-     str_append(pMe->server, " -n tecs_");
-     str_append(pMe->server, pInst->text);
-
-     /* add binDir option if present */
-     pBin = IFindOption(pSICSOptions, "TecsBinDir");
-     if (pBin!=NULL) {
-       str_append(pMe->server, " -b ");
-       str_append(pMe->server, pBin);
-     }
-     /* add logDir option if present */
-     pLog = IFindOption(pSICSOptions, "TecsLogDir");
-     if (pLog!=NULL) {
-       str_append(pMe->server, " -d ");
-       str_append(pMe->server, pLog);
-     }
-     str_append(pMe->server, " &");
-     
      /* initialise function pointers */
      pNew->SetValue = TecsRun;
      pNew->GetValue = TecsGet;