diff --git a/restore-mysql-daily b/restore-mysql-daily
index 6849758..0118f61 100644
--- a/restore-mysql-daily
+++ b/restore-mysql-daily
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
     -d|--dry-run) 
         DRY_RUN=true 
         CMD=echo
-        $PIPE
         shift 1
         ;;
     -a|--arch)
@@ -42,11 +41,29 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
         CFG=$2
         shift 2
         ;;
-    -n|--noprompt )
+    -n|--noprompt)
         NOPROMPT=true
         shift 1
         ;;
-    *) echo 'error in command line parsing' >&2
+    -h|--help)
+        echo -e "\n\n\t______________________________        MySQL restoration script options     ____________________________________\n"
+        echo -e "\t  |   arg         |                                                                |   type     |  default  |\n"
+        echo -e "\t‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾"
+        echo -e "\t-h|  --help         display this menu                                                [ flag   ]"
+        echo -e "\t-d|  --dry-run      no permanent changes, show plan                                  [ flag   ]"
+        echo -e "\t-a|  --arch         directory containing archive directories                         [ string ]"
+        echo -e "\t-s|  --subdir       directory containing actual compressed sql files                 [ string ]"
+        echo -e "\t-k|  --skip         databases to not restore (e.g. mysql would replace users)        [ array  ]      mysql"
+        echo -e "\t-f|  --full         restore all tables not excluded (no comparison)                  [ array  ]      off"
+        echo -e "\t-p|  --pos          datbase from which master log position will be used              [ string ]"
+        echo -e "\t-c|  --cfg          path of config file for mysql credentials                        [ string ]      ~/.my.cnf"
+        echo -e "\t-n|  --noprompt     do not prompt user (Y/n)                                         [ flag   ]      off"
+        echo -e "\nEXAMPLE: $0 -p main_db -s backup_data -a /home/backups/mysql/daily -k 'mysql performance_stats' --dry-run" 
+        exit
+        ;;
+    *) 
+        echo 'error in command line parsing' >&2
+        echo "try: '$0 --help"
         exit 1
     esac
 done
@@ -66,11 +83,11 @@ echo -e "\tdry run         = $DRY_RUN"
 echo -e "\n"
 
 if [[ -f "$CFG" ]]; then
-    if [[ ! $(grep user ~/.my.cnf) ]]; then
+    if [[ ! $(grep user $CFG) ]]; then
         echo "ERROR: 'user' field not found in '$CFG'"
         exit 1
     fi
-    if [[ ! $(grep password ~/.my.cnf) ]]; then
+    if [[ ! $(grep password $CFG) ]]; then
         echo "ERROR: 'password' field not found in '$CFG'"
         exit 1
     fi
@@ -96,17 +113,18 @@ echo -e "\tstopping replication\n";
 $CMD mysql -e "STOP SLAVE;"
 
 NEWDATE=$(ls -1r "$ARCHPATH" | head -1)
-NEWPATH="$ARCHPATH$NEWDATE$SUBDIR"
+NEWPATH="$ARCHPATH$NEWDATE/$SUBDIR"
 
 if [[ $FULLRESTORE == false ]]; then
     OLDDATE=$(ls -1rt "$ARCHPATH" | head -1)
-    OLDPATH="$ARCHPATH$OLDATE$SUBDIR"
-    echo "compartive restoration selected:  files from '$NEWDATE' will be compared to '$OLDDATE'"
+    OLDPATH="$ARCHPATH$OLDDATE/$SUBDIR"
+    echo "compartive restoration selected:\n\tfiles from:\t'$NEWDATE'\n\tcompared to:\t'$OLDDATE'"
 else
     echo "full restorion selected: comparisons will not be made, all non-excluded databases will be restored"
 fi
 
-for FILE in $NEWPATH/*.gz; do
+echo "finding files '$NEWPATH*.gz'"
+for FILE in $NEWPATH*.gz; do
     FILE=$(basename $FILE)
     STARTLOOP=$(date +%s)
     echo -e "\n$(date +%F\ %T) | $FILE:"
@@ -114,15 +132,16 @@ for FILE in $NEWPATH/*.gz; do
     if [[ "${SETPOSDB}" =~ ${FILE%%.*} ]]; then echo -e "\t-- recognized $FILE for master position and log file";SETPOSFILE=$(realpath $FILE); fi;
     if [[ "${SKIPDBS[*]}" =~ ${FILE%%.*} ]]; then echo -e "\t-- skipping $FILE";continue; fi; 
 
-    if [[ ! -z $OLDDATE ]]; then 
+    if [[ FULLRESTORE == false ]]; then
         OLDSIZE=$(stat -c %s $OLDPATH$FILE)
     else
         OLDSIZE=0
     fi
 
-    NEWSIZE=$(stat -c %s $NEWPATH/$FILE)
+    NEWSIZE=$(stat -c %s $NEWPATH$FILE)
     
     if [[ $OLDSIZE != $NEWSIZE ]]; then
+        echo -e "\t$OLDDATE:$FILE:$OLDSIZE != $NEWDATE:$FILE:$NEWSIZE"
     	DB=$(echo $FILE | cut -f1 -d'.')
         echo -e "\tDROPPING/CREATING '$DB'
         pv $NEWPATH$FILE | gunzip | mysql $DB"