diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4c085e0..23a2f44 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -28,9 +28,13 @@ venv/
 .DS_store
 
 # examples
-examples/ext/synth_shed/synth_shed/gen/py_module.pybind11
-examples/ext/synth_shed/synth_shed/gen/py_module.yml2
-examples/lib/lib_synth_shed/synth_shed
-examples/lib/lib_synth_shed/libsynth_shed.a
-examples/lib/lib_test/lib_test
+/examples/ext/synth_shed/synth_shed/gen/py_module.pybind11
+/examples/ext/synth_shed/synth_shed/gen/py_module.yml2
+/examples/ext/synth_shed/synth_shed/gen/synth_shed.h.ast.json
+/examples/ext/synth_shed/synth_shed/gen/synth_shed.h.acid.json
+/examples/ext/synth_shed/synth_shed/gen/synth_shed.h.acid.yml
+
+/examples/lib/lib_synth_shed/synth_shed
+/examples/lib/lib_synth_shed/libsynth_shed.a
+/examples/lib/lib_test/lib_test
 
diff --git a/examples/ext/synth_shed/synth_shed/gen/config.json b/examples/ext/synth_shed/synth_shed/gen/config.json
index 155ae77..29acd50 100644
--- a/examples/ext/synth_shed/synth_shed/gen/config.json
+++ b/examples/ext/synth_shed/synth_shed/gen/config.json
@@ -12,5 +12,8 @@
         "update_identity",
         "filtertype_to_string",
         "play_synth"
-    ]
+    ],
+    "debug_ast" : "True",
+    "debug_acid" : "True",
+    "debug_yml" : "True"
 }
diff --git a/pEpACIDgen/__main__.py b/pEpACIDgen/__main__.py
index 4dc5170..0533882 100644
--- a/pEpACIDgen/__main__.py
+++ b/pEpACIDgen/__main__.py
@@ -35,12 +35,55 @@ def gen():
         exit(-1)
 
 
-    pymodule_name = data["module_name"]
-    libclang_path = data["libclang_path"]
+    pymodule_name = ""
+    libclang_path = ""
+    header_filename = ""
+    vars = []
+    funcs = []
+    debug_ast = False
+    debug_acid = False
+    debug_yml = False
+
+    try:
+       pymodule_name = data['module_name']
+    except:
+        print('config-warning: "module_name" not specified')
+
+    try:
+        libclang_path = data['libclang_path']
+    except:
+        print('config-warning: "libclang_path" not specified')
+
+    try:
+        header_filename = data['header_filename']
+    except:
+        print('config-warning: "header_filename" not speficied')
+    
+    try:
+        vars = data['variables']
+    except:
+        print('config-info no variables specified')
+    
+    try:
+        funcs = data['functions']
+    except:
+        print('config-info: no functions specified')
+    
+    try:
+        debug_ast = bool(data['debug_ast'])
+    except:
+        print('config-info: to debug the ast, set "debug_ast" : "True"')
+        
+    try:
+        debug_acid = bool(data['debug_acid'])
+    except:
+        print('config-info: to debug the ACID, set "debug_acid" : "True"')
+
+    try:
+        debug_yml = bool(data['debug_yml'])
+    except:
+        print('config-info: to debug the ast-yml, set "debug_yml" : "True"')
 
-    header_filename = data["header_filename"]
-    vars = data["variables"]
-    funcs = data["functions"]
 
 
     print_indent("CONFIG:")
@@ -56,9 +99,13 @@ def gen():
     for func in funcs:
         print_indent(func, indent=2)
 
+    print_indent("debug_ast:", debug_ast, indent=1)
+    print_indent("debug_acid:", debug_acid, indent=1)
+    print_indent("debug_yml:", debug_yml, indent=1)
+
 
-    acidgen = pEpACIDgen.pEpACIDGen(libclang_path, header_filename, pymodule_name)
-    header = acidgen.extract(vars, funcs, debug_ast=False, debug_acid=False, debug_yml=False)
+    acidgen = pEpACIDgen.pEpACIDGen(libclang_path, header_filename, pymodule_name, out_dir=os.getcwd())
+    header = acidgen.extract(vars, funcs, debug_ast=debug_ast, debug_acid=debug_acid, debug_yml=debug_yml)
 
     print_indent("OUTPUT:")
     print_indent(header["acid_yml"])