diff --git a/script/local.py b/script/local.py
index 6ff0661..7c9e694 100644
--- a/script/local.py
+++ b/script/local.py
@@ -85,6 +85,14 @@ def trigger_detectors(position, scan):
         count_id =  + 1
     close_shutter()    
 
+
+def save_metadata(rec):
+    if get_exec_pars().persist:
+        if rec.index == 0:
+            create_diag_datasets()
+        append_diag_datasets()
+    
+
 """
 
     #get_counts
@@ -109,8 +117,49 @@ def trigger_detectors(position, scan):
 
 """
 
+diag_channels = [   phi.readback, \
+                    omegaH.readback, 
+                    nu.readback,\
+                    omegaV.readback, \
+                    alpha.readback, \
+                    delta.readback, \
+                    gamma.readback, \
+                    xv.readback, \
+                    y1.readback, \
+                    y2.readback, \
+                    y3.readback, \
+                    trx.readback, \
+                    thy.readback, \
+                ]                 
 
-MOTOR_READBACKS = phi.readback, omegaH.readback, nu.readback, omegaV.readback, alpha.readback, delta.readback, gamma.readback, \
-            xv.readback, y1.readback, y2.readback, y3.readback, trx.readback, thy.readback 
+
+def get_diag_name(diag):
+    return ch.psi.utils.Str.toTitleCase(diag.getName()).replace(" ", "")
+    
+def print_diag():
+    for f in diag_channels:
+        print "%-25s  %s" % (get_diag_name(f) ,  str(f.read()))
+
+def create_diag_datasets(parent = None):
+    if parent is None: 
+        parent = get_exec_pars().group
+    group = parent + "meta/"
+    print "Creating ", group
+    for f in diag_channels:
+        create_dataset(group+get_diag_name(f) , 's' if (type(f) is ch.psi.pshell.epics.ChannelString) else 'd')
+
+def append_diag_datasets(parent = None):
+    if parent is None: 
+        parent = get_exec_pars().group
+    group = parent + "meta/"
+    for f in diag_channels:
+        try:
+            x = f.read()
+            if x is None:
+                x = '' if (type(f) is ch.psi.pshell.epics.ChannelString) else float('nan')
+            append_dataset(group+get_diag_name(f), x)
+        except:
+            log("Error sampling " + str(get_diag_name(f)) + ": " + str(sys.exc_info()[1]))
+            
             
 #PSEUDO_DEVICES = h, k, l, lambda
\ No newline at end of file