long_opts= [
    "tpath=",
    "fbase=",
    "fdata=",
    "fstmod=",
    "frestore=",
    "ftag=",
    "tee=",
    "nxz=",
    "npop=",
    "varp=",
    "sigma=",
    "maxiter=",
    "dtau=",
    "mdacc=",
    "mindist=",
    "maxitertp=",
    "tpf=",
    "vrb=",
    "usage",
    "help"]
    try:

        optlist, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], "", long_opts)

    except getopt.GetoptError, err:
        print str(err) # will print something like "option -a not recognized"
        print_usage()
        sys.exit(2)

    for opt, val in optlist:

        if opt == "--nxz":
            nxp = val.split('x')[0];
            nzp = val.split('x')[1];
            print " -nxz = nxz"
            print " -nxz = ",val
            print ""

        elif opt == "--npop":
            npop = val
            print " -npop = npop"
            print " -npop = ",val
            print ""

        elif opt == "--varp":
             varpint = val.split('.')[0]
             varpfrc = val.split('.')[1]
             print " -varp = varp"
             print " -varp = ",val
             print ""

        elif opt == "--sigma":
            sigma = val
            print " -sigma = sigma"
            print " -sigma = ",val
            print ""

        elif opt == "--help":

            print_usage()
            sys.exit()

        else:
            print ""
            print "ERROR: Unrecognised argument,",opt
            print ""
            sys.exit(-1)