Index: trunk/ppImage/src/Makefile.am
===================================================================
--- trunk/ppImage/src/Makefile.am	(revision 13506)
+++ trunk/ppImage/src/Makefile.am	(revision 13528)
@@ -26,4 +26,5 @@
 	ppImageAstrom.c \
 	ppImageAddstar.c \
+	ppImageDefineFile.c \
 	ppImageVersion.c
 
@@ -47,4 +48,5 @@
 	ppImageAstrom.c \
 	ppImageAddstar.c \
+	ppImageDefineFile.c \
 	ppImageVersion.c
 
Index: trunk/ppImage/src/ppFocusParseCamera.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/ppImage/src/ppFocusParseCamera.c	(revision 13506)
+++ trunk/ppImage/src/ppFocusParseCamera.c	(revision 13528)
@@ -25,30 +25,26 @@
     // not all input or output images are used in a given recipe
     if (options->doBias) {
-        bool status = false;
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromArgs  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.BIAS", "BIAS");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromConf  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.BIAS");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromDetDB (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.BIAS", input->fpa, PM_DETREND_TYPE_BIAS);
-        if (!status) psAbort("can't find a bias image source");
+	if (!ppImageDefineFile (config, input->fpa, "PPIMAGE.BIAS", "BIAS", PM_FPA_FILE_IMAGE)) {
+	    psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a bias image source");
+	    return NULL;
+	}
     }
     if (options->doDark) {
-        bool status = false;
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromArgs  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.DARK", "DARK");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromConf  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.DARK");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromDetDB (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.DARK", input->fpa, PM_DETREND_TYPE_DARK);
-        if (!status) psAbort("can't find a dark image source");
+	if (!ppImageDefineFile (config, input->fpa, "PPIMAGE.DARK", "DARK", PM_FPA_FILE_IMAGE)) {
+	    psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a dark image source");
+	    return NULL;
+	}
     }
     if (options->doMask) {
-        bool status = false;
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromArgs  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.MASK", "MASK");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromConf  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.MASK");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromDetDB (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.MASK", input->fpa, PM_DETREND_TYPE_MASK);
-        if (!status) psAbort("can't find a mask image source");
+	if (!ppImageDefineFile (config, input->fpa, "PPIMAGE.MASK", "MASK", PM_FPA_FILE_MASK)) {
+	    psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a mask image source");
+	    return NULL;
+	}
     }
     if (options->doFlat) {
-        bool status = false;
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromArgs  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.FLAT", "FLAT");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromConf  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.FLAT");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromDetDB (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.FLAT", input->fpa, PM_DETREND_TYPE_FLAT);
-        if (!status) psAbort("can't find a flat image source");
+	if (!ppImageDefineFile (config, input->fpa, "PPIMAGE.FLAT", "FLAT", PM_FPA_FILE_IMAGE)) {
+	    psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a shutter image source");
+	    return NULL;
+	}
     }
 
Index: trunk/ppImage/src/ppImage.h
===================================================================
--- trunk/ppImage/src/ppImage.h	(revision 13506)
+++ trunk/ppImage/src/ppImage.h	(revision 13528)
@@ -61,3 +61,5 @@
 void ppFocusDropCamera (pmConfig *config);
 
+bool ppImageDefineFile (pmConfig *config, pmFPA *input, char *filerule, char *argname, pmFPAfileType type);
+
 #endif
Index: trunk/ppImage/src/ppImageParseCamera.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/ppImage/src/ppImageParseCamera.c	(revision 13506)
+++ trunk/ppImage/src/ppImageParseCamera.c	(revision 13528)
@@ -22,5 +22,9 @@
     // if MASK or WEIGHT was supplied on command line, bind files to 'input'
     // the mask and weight will be mosaicked with the image
-    pmFPAfile *inputMask = pmFPAfileBindFromArgs(NULL, input, config, "PPIMAGE.INPUT.MASK", "INPUT.MASK");
+    pmFPAfile *inputMask = pmFPAfileBindFromArgs(&status, input, config, "PPIMAGE.INPUT.MASK", "INPUT.MASK");
+    if (!status) {
+	psError (PS_ERR_UNKNOWN, false, "failed to load find definition");
+	return NULL;
+    }
     if (inputMask && inputMask->type != PM_FPA_FILE_MASK) {
         psError(PS_ERR_IO, true, "PPIMAGE.INPUT.MASK is not of type MASK");
@@ -28,5 +32,9 @@
     }
 
-    pmFPAfile *inputWeight = pmFPAfileBindFromArgs(NULL, input, config, "PPIMAGE.INPUT.WEIGHT", "INPUT.WEIGHT");
+    pmFPAfile *inputWeight = pmFPAfileBindFromArgs(&status, input, config, "PPIMAGE.INPUT.WEIGHT", "INPUT.WEIGHT");
+    if (!status) {
+	psError (PS_ERR_UNKNOWN, false, "failed to load find definition");
+	return NULL;
+    }
     if (inputWeight && inputWeight->type != PM_FPA_FILE_WEIGHT) {
         psError(PS_ERR_IO, true, "PPIMAGE.INPUT.WEIGHT is not of type WEIGHT");
@@ -44,93 +52,38 @@
     // not all input or output images are used in a given recipe
     if (options->doBias) {
-        bool status = false;
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromArgs  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.BIAS", "BIAS");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromConf  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.BIAS");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromDetDB (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.BIAS", input->fpa, PM_DETREND_TYPE_BIAS);
-        pmFPAfile *bias = psMetadataLookupPtr(NULL, config->files, "PPIMAGE.BIAS");
-        if (!status || !bias) {
-            psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a bias image source");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
-        if (bias->type != PM_FPA_FILE_IMAGE) {
-            psError(PS_ERR_IO, true, "PPIMAGE.BIAS is not of type IMAGE");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
+	if (!ppImageDefineFile (config, input->fpa, "PPIMAGE.BIAS", "BIAS", PM_FPA_FILE_IMAGE)) {
+	    psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a bias image source");
+	    psFree (options);
+	    return NULL;
+	}
     }
     if (options->doDark) {
-        bool status = false;
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromArgs  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.DARK", "DARK");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromConf  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.DARK");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromDetDB (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.DARK", input->fpa, PM_DETREND_TYPE_DARK);
-        pmFPAfile *dark = psMetadataLookupPtr(NULL, config->files, "PPIMAGE.DARK");
-        if (!status || !dark) {
-            psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a dark image source");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
-        if (dark->type != PM_FPA_FILE_IMAGE) {
-            psError(PS_ERR_IO, true, "PPIMAGE.DARK is not of type IMAGE");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
+	if (!ppImageDefineFile (config, input->fpa, "PPIMAGE.DARK", "DARK", PM_FPA_FILE_IMAGE)) {
+	    psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a dark image source");
+	    psFree (options);
+	    return NULL;
+	}
     }
     if (options->doMask) {
-        bool status = false;
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromArgs  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.MASK", "MASK");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromConf  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.MASK");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromDetDB (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.MASK", input->fpa, PM_DETREND_TYPE_MASK);
-        pmFPAfile *mask = psMetadataLookupPtr(NULL, config->files, "PPIMAGE.MASK");
-        if (!status || !mask) {
-            psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a mask image source");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
-        if (mask->type != PM_FPA_FILE_MASK) {
-            psError(PS_ERR_IO, true, "PPIMAGE.MASK is not of type MASK");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
+	if (!ppImageDefineFile (config, input->fpa, "PPIMAGE.MASK", "MASK", PM_FPA_FILE_MASK)) {
+	    psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a mask image source");
+	    psFree (options);
+	    return NULL;
+	}
     }
     if (options->doShutter) {
-        bool status = false;
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromArgs  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.SHUTTER", "SHUTTER");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromConf  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.SHUTTER");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromDetDB (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.SHUTTER", input->fpa, PM_DETREND_TYPE_SHUTTER);
-        pmFPAfile *shutter = psMetadataLookupPtr(NULL, config->files, "PPIMAGE.SHUTTER");
-        if (!status || !shutter) {
-            psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a shutter image source");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
-        if (shutter->type != PM_FPA_FILE_IMAGE) {
-            psError(PS_ERR_IO, true, "PPIMAGE.SHUTTER is not of type IMAGE");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
+	if (!ppImageDefineFile (config, input->fpa, "PPIMAGE.SHUTTER", "SHUTTER", PM_FPA_FILE_IMAGE)) {
+	    psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a flat image source");
+	    psFree (options);
+	    return NULL;
+	}
     }
 
     if (options->doFlat) {
-        // if we fail to find the item in Args, we try again in Conf, then DetDB
-        // we need to handle the errors and catch serious errors, as opposed to
-        // data-not-found errors
-        bool status = false;
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromArgs  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.FLAT", "FLAT");
-        psErrorClear();
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromConf  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.FLAT");
-        psErrorClear();
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromDetDB (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.FLAT", input->fpa, PM_DETREND_TYPE_FLAT);
-        pmFPAfile *flat = psMetadataLookupPtr(NULL, config->files, "PPIMAGE.FLAT");
-        if (!status || !flat) {
-            psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a flat image source");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
-        if (flat->type != PM_FPA_FILE_IMAGE) {
-            psError(PS_ERR_IO, true, "PPIMAGE.FLAT is not of type IMAGE");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
+	if (!ppImageDefineFile (config, input->fpa, "PPIMAGE.FLAT", "FLAT", PM_FPA_FILE_IMAGE)) {
+	    psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a shutter image source");
+	    psFree (options);
+	    return NULL;
+	}
     }
 
@@ -183,19 +136,8 @@
 skip_fringe:
     if (options->doFringe) {
-        bool status = false;
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromArgs  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.FRINGE", "FRINGE");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromConf  (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.FRINGE");
-        pmFPAfileDefineFromDetDB (&status, config, "PPIMAGE.FRINGE", input->fpa, PM_DETREND_TYPE_FRINGE_IMAGE);
-        pmFPAfile *fringe = psMetadataLookupPtr(NULL, config->files, "PPIMAGE.FRINGE");
-        if (!status || !fringe) {
-            psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a fringe image source");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
-        if (fringe->type != PM_FPA_FILE_FRINGE) {
-            psError(PS_ERR_IO, true, "PPIMAGE.FRINGE is not of type FRINGE");
-            psFree(options);
-            return NULL;
-        }
+	if (!ppImageDefineFile (config, input->fpa, "PPIMAGE.FRINGE", "FRINGE", PM_FPA_FILE_FRINGE)) {
+	    psError (PS_ERR_IO, false, "Can't find a fringe image source");
+	    return NULL;
+	}
     }