diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/plots.cpp b/Cantera/src/base/plots.cpp
index 6022f8a35..fe093e030 100755
--- a/Cantera/src/base/plots.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/plots.cpp
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
  */
 
 /*
- * $Author$
  * $Revision$
  * $Date$
  */
@@ -22,84 +21,100 @@ using namespace std;
 
 namespace Cantera {
 
-    void writePlotFile(string fname, string fmt, 
-        string plotTitle, const vector<string> names, const Array2D& data) {
-        ofstream f(fname.c_str());
-        if (!f) {
-            throw CanteraError("writePlotFile","could not open file "+fname+
-                " for writing.");
-        }
-        if (fmt == "TEC") {
-            outputTEC(f, plotTitle, names, data);
-            f.close();
-        }
-        else if (fmt == "XL") {
-            outputExcel(f, plotTitle, names, data);
-            f.close();
-        }
-        else {
-            throw CanteraError("writePlotFile",
-                "unsupported plot type:" + fmt);
-        }
+  //    Write a Plotting file
+  /*
+   * @param fname      Output file name
+   * @param fmt        Either TEC or XL or CSV
+   * @param plotTitle  Title of the plot
+   * @param names      vector of variable names 
+   * @param data       N x M data array. 
+   *                     data(n,m) is the m^th value of the n^th variable.
+   */
+  void writePlotFile(const std::string &fname, const std::string &fmt, 
+		     const std::string &plotTitle, 
+		     const std::vector<std::string> &names,
+		     const Array2D& data) {
+    ofstream f(fname.c_str());
+    if (!f) {
+      throw CanteraError("writePlotFile","could not open file "+fname+
+			 " for writing.");
     }
+    if (fmt == "TEC") {
+      outputTEC(f, plotTitle, names, data);
+      f.close();
+    }
+    else if (fmt == "XL" || fmt == "CSV") {
+      outputExcel(f, plotTitle, names, data);
+      f.close();
+    }
+    else {
+      throw CanteraError("writePlotFile",
+			 "unsupported plot type:" + fmt);
+    }
+  }
             
 
-    /**
-     * Write a Tecplot data file.  
-     * @param s output stream 
-     * @param title plot title 
-     * @param names vector of variable names 
-     * @param data N x M data array. 
-     * data(n,m) is the m^th value of the n^th variable.
-     */
-    void outputTEC(ostream &s, string title, const vector<string>& names,  
-        const Array2D& data) {
-        int i,j;
-        int npts = static_cast<int>(data.nColumns());
-        int nv = static_cast<int>(data.nRows());
-        s << "TITLE     = \"" + title + "\"" << endl;
-        s << "VARIABLES = " << endl;
-        for (i = 0; i < nv; i++) {
-            s << "\"" << names[i] << "\"" << endl;
-        }
-        s << "ZONE T=\"zone1\"" << endl;
-        s << " I=" << npts << ",J=1,K=1,F=POINT" << endl;
-        s << "DT=( ";
-        for (i = 0; i < nv; i++) s << " SINGLE";
-        s << " )" << endl;
-        for (i = 0; i < npts; i++) {
-            for (j = 0; j < nv; j++) {
-                s << data(j,i) << " ";
-            }
-            s << endl;
-        }
+  
+  //     Write a Tecplot data file.
+  /*
+   * @param s        output stream 
+   * @param title    plot title 
+   * @param names    vector of variable names 
+   * @param data      N x M data array. 
+   *                 data(n,m) is the m^th value of the n^th variable.
+   */
+  void outputTEC(std::ostream &s, const std::string &title,
+		 const std::vector<std::string>& names,  
+		 const Array2D& data) {
+    int i,j;
+    int npts = static_cast<int>(data.nColumns());
+    int nv = static_cast<int>(data.nRows());
+    s << "TITLE     = \"" + title + "\"" << endl;
+    s << "VARIABLES = " << endl;
+    for (i = 0; i < nv; i++) {
+      s << "\"" << names[i] << "\"" << endl;
     }
+    s << "ZONE T=\"zone1\"" << endl;
+    s << " I=" << npts << ",J=1,K=1,F=POINT" << endl;
+    s << "DT=( ";
+    for (i = 0; i < nv; i++) s << " SINGLE";
+    s << " )" << endl;
+    for (i = 0; i < npts; i++) {
+      for (j = 0; j < nv; j++) {
+	s << data(j,i) << " ";
+      }
+      s << endl;
+    }
+  }
 
 
-    /**
-     * Write an Excel spreadsheet in 'csv' form.  
-     * @param s output stream 
-     * @param title plot title 
-     * @param names vector of variable names @param data N
-     * x M data array. data(n,m) is the m^th value of the n^th variable.
-     */
-    void outputExcel(ostream &s, string title, const vector<string>& names,  
-        const Array2D& data) {
-        int i,j;
-        int npts = static_cast<int>(data.nColumns());
-        int nv = static_cast<int>(data.nRows());
-        s << title + "," << endl;
-        for (i = 0; i < nv; i++) {
-            s << names[i] << ",";
-        }
-        s << endl;
-        for (i = 0; i < npts; i++) {
-            for (j = 0; j < nv; j++) {
-                s << data(j,i) << ",";
-            }
-            s << endl;
-        }
+ 
+  // Write an Excel spreadsheet in 'csv' form.  
+  /*
+   * @param s          output stream 
+   * @param title      plot title 
+   * @param names      vector of variable names
+   * @param data       N x M data array.
+   *                        data(n,m) is the m^th value of the n^th variable.
+   */
+  void outputExcel(std::ostream &s, const std::string &title, 
+		   const std::vector<std::string>& names,  
+		   const Array2D& data) {
+    int i,j;
+    int npts = static_cast<int>(data.nColumns());
+    int nv = static_cast<int>(data.nRows());
+    s << title + "," << endl;
+    for (i = 0; i < nv; i++) {
+      s << names[i] << ",";
     }
+    s << endl;
+    for (i = 0; i < npts; i++) {
+      for (j = 0; j < nv; j++) {
+	s << data(j,i) << ",";
+      }
+      s << endl;
+    }
+  }
 
 
 }
diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/plots.h b/Cantera/src/base/plots.h
index f013ddd40..5c2a0a186 100755
--- a/Cantera/src/base/plots.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/plots.h
@@ -1,25 +1,68 @@
+/**
+ *  @file plots.h
+ *       Contains declarations for utility functions for
+ *   outputing to plotting programs.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * $Revision$
+ * $Date$
+ */
+
+// Copyright 2001  California Institute of Technology
 
 #ifndef CT_PLOTS_H
 #define CT_PLOTS_H
 
-#include <vector>
-#include <string>
-#include <fstream>
-//using namespace std;
 
 #include "Array.h"
 #include "ctexceptions.h"
 
+#include <vector>
+#include <string>
+#include <fstream>
+
 namespace Cantera {
 
-    void writePlotFile(std::string fname, std::string fmt, 
-        std::string plotTitle, const std::vector<std::string> names, const Array2D& data);
 
-    void outputTEC(std::ostream &s, std::string title, const std::vector<std::string>& names,  
-        const Array2D& data);
+  //!    Write a Plotting file
+  /*!
+   * @param fname      Output file name
+   * @param fmt        Either TEC or XL or CSV
+   * @param plotTitle  Title of the plot
+   * @param names      vector of variable names 
+   * @param data       N x M data array. 
+   *                     data(n,m) is the m^th value of the n^th variable.
+   */
+  void writePlotFile(const std::string &fname, const std::string &fmt, 
+		     const std::string &plotTitle, const std::vector<std::string> &names,
+		     const Array2D& data);
 
-    void outputExcel(std::ostream &s, std::string title, const std::vector<std::string>& names,  
-        const Array2D& data);
+   
+  //!    Write a Tecplot data file.
+  /*!
+   * @param s        output stream 
+   * @param title    plot title 
+   * @param names    vector of variable names 
+   * @param data      N x M data array. 
+   *                 data(n,m) is the m^th value of the n^th variable.
+   */
+  void outputTEC(std::ostream &s, const std::string &title, 
+		 const std::vector<std::string>& names,  
+		 const Array2D& data);
+
+  
+  //! Write an Excel spreadsheet in 'csv' form.  
+  /*!
+   * @param s          output stream 
+   * @param title      plot title 
+   * @param names      vector of variable names
+   * @param data       N x M data array.
+   *                        data(n,m) is the m^th value of the n^th variable.
+   */
+  void outputExcel(std::ostream &s, const std::string &title, 
+		   const std::vector<std::string>& names,  
+		   const Array2D& data);
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/stringUtils.cpp b/Cantera/src/base/stringUtils.cpp
index f51a05435..71610bd4e 100755
--- a/Cantera/src/base/stringUtils.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/stringUtils.cpp
@@ -271,10 +271,14 @@ namespace Cantera {
     return count;
   }
 
-  /**
-   *  Get the file name without the path or extension
+  // Get the file name without the path or extension
+  /*
+   *   @param fullPath   Input file name consisting
+   *                     of the full file name
+   *
+   *  @return Returns the basename
    */
-  std::string getFileName(const std::string& path) {
+  std::string getBaseName(const std::string& path) {
     std::string file;
     size_t idot = path.find_last_of('.');
     size_t islash = path.find_last_of('/');
@@ -305,24 +309,18 @@ namespace Cantera {
     return atofCheck(stripws(val).c_str());
   }
 
-  /**
-   *  Generate a logfile name based on an input file name
+  //  Generate a logfile name based on an input file name
+  /*
+   *   It tries to find the basename. Then, it appends a .log
+   *   to it.
+   *
+   *   @param infile      Input file name
+   *
+   *  @return Returns a logfile name
    */
   std::string logfileName(const std::string& infile) {
-    std::string logfile;
-    size_t idot = infile.find_last_of('.');
-    size_t islash = infile.find_last_of('/');
-    if (idot > 0 && idot < infile.size()) {
-      if (islash > 0 && islash < idot) {
-	logfile = infile.substr(islash+1, idot-islash-1) + ".log";
-      }
-      else {
-	logfile = infile.substr(0,idot) + ".log";
-      }
-    }
-    else {
-      logfile = infile + ".log";
-    }       
+    std::string logfile = getBaseName(infile);
+    logfile += ".log";
     return logfile;
   }
 
diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/stringUtils.h b/Cantera/src/base/stringUtils.h
index 98926b9a5..e16ab322f 100755
--- a/Cantera/src/base/stringUtils.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/stringUtils.h
@@ -128,9 +128,27 @@ namespace Cantera {
   int fillArrayFromString(const std::string& str, doublereal* const a,
 			  const char delim = ' ');
 
+ 
+  //!  Generate a logfile name based on an input file name
+  /*!
+   *   It tries to find the basename. Then, it appends a .log
+   *   to it.
+   *
+   *   @param infile      Input file name
+   *
+   *  @return Returns a logfile name
+   */
+  std::string logfileName(const std::string& infile);
 
-  std::string logfileName(const std::string& infile);    
-  std::string getFileName(const std::string& path);
+  
+  //! Get the file name without the path or extension
+  /*!
+   *   @param fullPath   Input file name consisting
+   *                     of the full file name
+   *
+   *  @return Returns the basename
+   */
+  std::string getBaseName(const std::string& fullPath);
 
   //! Translate a string into one integer value
   /*!