diff --git a/MAC/Deployment/data/Coordinates/make_conf_files.py b/MAC/Deployment/data/Coordinates/make_conf_files.py
index b045af350197ff1c34f332ba258c1f07e18d6178..50282ee0b8f413a0cf7ff27271b885b0cd3d2d8c 100755
--- a/MAC/Deployment/data/Coordinates/make_conf_files.py
+++ b/MAC/Deployment/data/Coordinates/make_conf_files.py
@@ -1,33 +1,18 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
-#coding: iso-8859-15
+# coding: iso-8859-15
 #
 # Make AntennaField.conf and iHBADeltas.conf file for given station and date
 #
 
-import sys,pgdb, pg
+import sys
+import pgdb
+import pg
 from datetime import *
 from copy import deepcopy
 from math import *
 import numpy as np
-#import MLab as mlab
-from database import *
-
-# get info from database.py
-dbName=getDBname()
-dbHost=getDBhost()
-
-
-db1 = pgdb.connect(user="postgres", host=dbHost, database=dbName)
-cursor = db1.cursor()
-
-# calling stored procedures only works from the pg module for some reason.
-db2 = pg.connect(user="postgres", host=dbHost, dbname=dbName)
-
-
-##
-def print_help():
-    print "Usage: make_conf_files <stationname> date"
-    print "    <date>      : yyyy.yy e.g. 2008.75 for Oct 1st 2008"
+import getpass
+from optparse import OptionParser
 
 
 ##
@@ -193,15 +178,59 @@ def writeAntennaField(station, anttype, aPos):
 ## MAIN
 ##
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    
-    if len(sys.argv) != 3:
-        print_help()
+    parser = OptionParser("""Usage: %prog [options] station data
+    <date>      : yyyy.yy e.g. 2008.75 for Oct 1st 2008""")
+    parser.add_option("-D", "--database",
+                      dest="dbName",
+                      type="string",
+                      default="StationCoordinates",
+                      help="Name of StationCoordinates database to use")
+
+    parser.add_option("-H", "--host",
+                      dest="dbHost",
+                      type="string",
+                      default="sasdb.control.lofar",
+                      help="Hostname of StationCoordinates database")
+
+    parser.add_option("-P", "--port",
+                      dest="dbPort",
+                      type="int",
+                      default="5432",
+                      help="Port of StationCoordinates database")
+
+    parser.add_option("-U", "--user",
+                      dest="dbUser",
+                      type="string",
+                      default="postgres",
+                      help="Username of StationCoordinates database")
+
+    # parse arguments
+
+    (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
+
+    if len(args) != 2:
+        parser.print_help()
         sys.exit(1)
 
-    station = str(sys.argv[1]).upper()
-    date_years = float(sys.argv[2]) 
+    dbName = options.dbName
+    dbHost = options.dbHost
+    dbPort = options.dbPort
+    dbUser = options.dbUser
+    station = args[0].upper()
+    date_years = args[1]
+
+    dbPassword = getpass.getpass()
+
+    host = "{}:{}".format(dbHost, dbPort)
+
+    db1 = pgdb.connect(user=dbUser, host=host, database=dbName, password=dbPassword)
+    cursor = db1.cursor()
+
+    # calling stored procedures only works from the pg module for some reason.
+    db2 = pg.connect(user=dbUser, host=dbHost, dbname=dbName, port=dbPort, passwd=dbPassword)
+
     frame = ''
-    
+
     # from database select all antennas for given station and target-date
     # The ''order by'' statement is needed to prevent mixup of even/odd pairs
     # as was seen on sas001 (Arno)