diff --git a/lib/config.proto b/lib/config.proto
index f3bdc687..ebbc9c7a 100644
--- a/lib/config.proto
+++ b/lib/config.proto
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@ extend google.protobuf.FieldOptions {
   optional string help = 50000;
 }
 
+message Range {
+	optional int32 start = 1;
+	optional int32 step = 2 [default = 1];
+	optional int32 end = 3;
+	repeated int32 also = 4;
+}
+
 message Config {
 	message InputFile {
 		optional string filename = 1;
@@ -19,10 +26,13 @@ message Config {
 	}
 
 	message InputDisk {
-		optional int32 drive = 1;
+		oneof source {
+			string fluxfile = 1;
+			int32 drive = 2 [default = 0];
+		}
 		oneof format {
-			IBMInput ibm = 2;
-			BrotherInput brother = 3;
+			IBMInput ibm = 3;
+			BrotherInput brother = 4;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -34,10 +44,13 @@ message Config {
 	}
 
 	message OutputDisk {
-		optional int32 drive = 1;
+		oneof dest {
+			string fluxfile = 1;
+			int32 drive = 2;
+		}
 		oneof format {
-			IBMOutput ibm = 2;
-			BrotherOutput brother = 3;
+			IBMOutput ibm = 3;
+			BrotherOutput brother = 4;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -58,5 +71,8 @@ message Config {
 	optional Input input = 1;
 	optional Output output = 2;
 	optional Decoder decoder = 3;
+
+	optional Range cylinders = 4;
+	optional Range sides = 5;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/fluxsource/fluxsource.cc b/lib/fluxsource/fluxsource.cc
index f8551fe4..68fa619d 100644
--- a/lib/fluxsource/fluxsource.cc
+++ b/lib/fluxsource/fluxsource.cc
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "flags.h"
 #include "dataspec.h"
 #include "fluxsource/fluxsource.h"
+#include "lib/config.pb.h"
 
 static bool ends_with(const std::string& value, const std::string& ending)
 {
@@ -24,3 +25,15 @@ std::unique_ptr<FluxSource> FluxSource::create(const FluxSpec& spec)
     Error() << "unrecognised flux filename extension";
     return std::unique_ptr<FluxSource>();
 }
+
+std::unique_ptr<FluxSource> FluxSource::create(const Config_InputDisk& config)
+{
+	if (config.has_fluxfile())
+		return createSqliteFluxSource(config.fluxfile());
+	else
+		return createHardwareFluxSource(config.drive());
+
+	Error() << "bad input disk configuration";
+    return std::unique_ptr<FluxSource>();
+}
+
diff --git a/lib/fluxsource/fluxsource.h b/lib/fluxsource/fluxsource.h
index 2b2876df..6a8947a5 100644
--- a/lib/fluxsource/fluxsource.h
+++ b/lib/fluxsource/fluxsource.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ extern FlagGroup hardwareFluxSourceFlags;
 
 class Fluxmap;
 class FluxSpec;
+class Config_InputDisk;
 
 class FluxSource
 {
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ private:
 
 public:
     static std::unique_ptr<FluxSource> create(const FluxSpec& spec);
+    static std::unique_ptr<FluxSource> create(const Config_InputDisk& spec);
 
 public:
     virtual std::unique_ptr<Fluxmap> readFlux(int track, int side) = 0;
diff --git a/lib/proto.cc b/lib/proto.cc
index 9344364d..5e7ad232 100644
--- a/lib/proto.cc
+++ b/lib/proto.cc
@@ -100,3 +100,15 @@ void setProtoByString(google::protobuf::Message* message, const std::string& pat
 	}
 }
 
+std::set<int> iterate(const Range& range)
+{
+	std::set<int> set;
+	for (int i=range.start(); i<=range.end(); i+=range.step())
+		set.insert(i);
+
+	for (const int i : range.also())
+		set.insert(i);
+
+	return set;
+}
+
diff --git a/lib/proto.h b/lib/proto.h
index e09bc87c..5c891296 100644
--- a/lib/proto.h
+++ b/lib/proto.h
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 extern void setProtoByString(google::protobuf::Message* message, const std::string& path, const std::string& value);
 
+extern std::set<int> iterate(const Range& range);
+
 extern Config config;
 
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/reader.cc b/lib/reader.cc
index 3bba8422..ec7d6672 100644
--- a/lib/reader.cc
+++ b/lib/reader.cc
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "track.h"
 #include "imagewriter/imagewriter.h"
 #include "fmt/format.h"
+#include "proto.h"
 #include <iostream>
 #include <fstream>
 
@@ -26,15 +27,15 @@ FlagGroup readerFlags
 	&fluxmapReaderFlags,
 };
 
-static DataSpecFlag source(
-    { "--source", "-s" },
-    "source for data",
-    ":t=0-79:s=0-1:d=0");
-
-static DataSpecFlag output(
-	{ "--output", "-o" },
-	"output image file to write to",
-	"");
+//static DataSpecFlag source(
+//    { "--source", "-s" },
+//    "source for data",
+//    ":t=0-79:s=0-1:d=0");
+//
+//static DataSpecFlag output(
+//	{ "--output", "-o" },
+//	"output image file to write to",
+//	"");
 
 static StringFlag destination(
     { "--write-flux", "-f" },
@@ -65,26 +66,6 @@ static StringFlag csvFile(
 
 static std::unique_ptr<FluxSink> outputFluxSink;
 
-void setReaderDefaultSource(const std::string& source)
-{
-    ::source.set(source);
-}
-
-void setReaderDefaultOutput(const std::string& output)
-{
-    ::output.set(output);
-}
-
-void setReaderRevolutions(int revolutions)
-{
-	setHardwareFluxSourceRevolutions(revolutions);
-}
-
-void setReaderHardSectorCount(int sectorCount)
-{
-    setHardwareFluxSourceHardSectorCount(sectorCount);
-}
-
 static void writeSectorsToFile(const SectorSet& sectors, const ImageSpec& spec)
 {
 	std::unique_ptr<ImageWriter> writer(ImageWriter::create(sectors, spec));
@@ -107,7 +88,8 @@ void Track::readFluxmap()
 		outputFluxSink->writeFlux(physicalTrack, physicalSide, *fluxmap);
 }
 
-std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Track>> readTracks()
+#if 0
+std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Track>> readTracks(FluxSource& fluxSource)
 {
     const FluxSpec spec(source);
 
@@ -140,6 +122,7 @@ std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Track>> readTracks()
 
 	return tracks;
 }
+#endif
 
 static bool conflictable(Sector::Status status)
 {
@@ -167,16 +150,27 @@ static void replace_sector(std::unique_ptr<Sector>& replacing, Sector& replaceme
 	}
 }
 
-void readDiskCommand(AbstractDecoder& decoder)
+void readDiskCommand(FluxSource& fluxsource, AbstractDecoder& decoder, ImageWriter& writer)
 {
-	const ImageSpec outputSpec(output);
-	ImageWriter::verifyImageSpec(outputSpec);
-        
 	bool failures = false;
 	SectorSet allSectors;
-	auto tracks = readTracks();
-    for (const auto& track : tracks)
+	for (int cylinder : iterate(config.cylinders()))
 	{
+		for (int side : iterate(config.sides()))
+		{
+#if 0
+		auto track = std::make_unique<Track>(location
+	std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Track>> tracks;
+    for (const auto& location : spec.locations)
+	{
+		auto track = std::make_unique<Track>(location.track, location.side);
+		track->fluxsource = fluxSource;
+		tracks.push_back(std::move(track));
+	}
+#endif
+		auto track = std::make_unique<Track>(cylinder, side);
+		track->fluxsource = &fluxsource;
+
 		std::map<int, std::unique_ptr<Sector>> readSectors;
 		for (int retry = ::retries; retry >= 0; retry--)
 		{
@@ -284,9 +278,11 @@ void readDiskCommand(AbstractDecoder& decoder)
 			}
         }
         std::cout << size << " bytes decoded." << std::endl;
+	}
     }
 
-    writeSectorsToFile(allSectors, outputSpec);
+	Error() << "write to image not done";
+    //writeSectorsToFile(allSectors, outputSpec);
 	if (failures)
 		std::cerr << "Warning: some sectors could not be decoded." << std::endl;
 }
diff --git a/lib/reader.h b/lib/reader.h
index 1b7f61e9..5c2e5252 100644
--- a/lib/reader.h
+++ b/lib/reader.h
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@
 
 #include "flags.h"
 
-class Fluxmap;
-class FluxSource;
 class AbstractDecoder;
+class FluxSource;
+class Fluxmap;
+class ImageWriter;
 class Track;
 
 extern FlagGroup readerFlags;
@@ -17,6 +18,6 @@ extern void setReaderHardSectorCount(int sectorCount);
 
 extern std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Track>> readTracks();
 
-extern void readDiskCommand(AbstractDecoder& decoder);
+extern void readDiskCommand(FluxSource& source, AbstractDecoder& decoder, ImageWriter& writer);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/track.h b/lib/track.h
index 88e001a5..b0d53bea 100644
--- a/lib/track.h
+++ b/lib/track.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ public:
 public:
     unsigned physicalTrack;
     unsigned physicalSide;
-    std::shared_ptr<FluxSource> fluxsource;
+	FluxSource* fluxsource;
     std::unique_ptr<Fluxmap> fluxmap;
 
     std::vector<RawRecord> rawrecords;
diff --git a/src/fe-inspect.cc b/src/fe-inspect.cc
index 012de083..acb6a2cd 100644
--- a/src/fe-inspect.cc
+++ b/src/fe-inspect.cc
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ int mainInspect(int argc, const char* argv[])
 {
     flags.parseFlags(argc, argv);
 
+#if 0
 	const auto& tracks = readTracks();
 	if (tracks.size() != 1)
 		Error() << "the source dataspec must contain exactly one track (two sides count as two tracks)";
@@ -287,6 +288,7 @@ int mainInspect(int argc, const char* argv[])
         const auto& bytes = track->fluxmap->rawBytes();
         hexdump(std::cout, bytes);
     }
+#endif
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/fe-read.cc b/src/fe-read.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e654bc39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/fe-read.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#include "globals.h"
+#include "flags.h"
+#include "reader.h"
+#include "fluxmap.h"
+#include "decoders/decoders.h"
+#include "macintosh/macintosh.h"
+#include "sector.h"
+#include "sectorset.h"
+#include "record.h"
+#include "proto.h"
+#include "dataspec.h"
+#include "fluxsource/fluxsource.h"
+#include "arch/brother/brother.h"
+#include "imagewriter/imagewriter.h"
+#include "fmt/format.h"
+#include <google/protobuf/text_format.h>
+#include <fstream>
+
+static FlagGroup flags { &readerFlags };
+
+extern const char readables_brother_pb[];
+extern const int readables_brother_pb_size;
+
+int mainRead(int argc, const char* argv[])
+{
+    flags.parseFlags(argc, argv);
+
+	if (!config.ParseFromString(std::string(readables_brother_pb, readables_brother_pb_size)))
+		Error() << "couldn't load config proto";
+
+	std::string s;
+	google::protobuf::TextFormat::PrintToString(config, &s);
+	std::cout << s << '\n';
+
+	std::unique_ptr<FluxSource> fluxSource(FluxSource::create(config.input().disk()));
+
+	std::unique_ptr<AbstractDecoder> decoder;
+	if (config.input().disk().has_brother())
+		decoder.reset(new BrotherDecoder());
+	else
+		Error() << "no input disk format specified";
+
+	std::unique_ptr<ImageWriter> writer;
+//	if (config.output().file().has_img())
+//		write.reset(new ImgImageWriter());
+//	else
+//		Error() << "no output image format specified";
+
+	readDiskCommand(*fluxSource, *decoder, *writer);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/fe-writeflux.cc b/src/fe-writeflux.cc
index de680e0b..a380354d 100644
--- a/src/fe-writeflux.cc
+++ b/src/fe-writeflux.cc
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ static FlagGroup flags { &writerFlags };
 
 int mainWriteFlux(int argc, const char* argv[])
 {
+	#if 0
     setReaderDefaultSource(":t=0-81:h=0-1");
     setWriterDefaultDest(":t=0-81:s=0-1");
     flags.parseFlags(argc, argv);
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ int mainWriteFlux(int argc, const char* argv[])
             throw "unreachable";
         }
     );
+	#endif
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/readables/brother.textpb b/src/readables/brother.textpb
index 68c5fe98..4679e97d 100644
--- a/src/readables/brother.textpb
+++ b/src/readables/brother.textpb
@@ -4,3 +4,20 @@ input {
 	}
 }
 
+output {
+	file {
+		filename: "brother.img"
+		img {}
+	}
+}
+
+cylinders {
+	start: 0
+	end: 81
+}
+
+sides {
+	start: 0
+	end: 0
+}
+
diff --git a/tests/proto.cc b/tests/proto.cc
index 925fb1f9..f3a20290 100644
--- a/tests/proto.cc
+++ b/tests/proto.cc
@@ -73,8 +73,30 @@ static void test_load(void)
 	std::string s;
 	google::protobuf::TextFormat::PrintToString(proto, &s);
 	s = cleanup(s);
-	AssertThat(s, Equals("u64: 42"));
+	AssertThat(s, Equals("u64: 42 r { } secondoption { }"));
 	AssertThat(r, Equals(true));
+	AssertThat(proto.has_secondoption(), Equals(true));
+}
+
+static void test_range(void)
+{
+	{
+		Range r;
+		r.set_start(0);
+		r.set_end(3);
+		r.add_also(5);
+
+		AssertThat(iterate(r), Equals(std::set<int>{0, 1, 2, 3, 5}));
+	}
+
+	{
+		Range r;
+		r.set_start(1);
+		r.set_end(1);
+		r.add_also(5);
+
+		AssertThat(iterate(r), Equals(std::set<int>{1, 5}));
+	}
 }
 
 int main(int argc, const char* argv[])
@@ -82,6 +104,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char* argv[])
 	test_setting();
 	test_config();
 	test_load();
+	test_range();
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/testproto.proto b/tests/testproto.proto
index 8c7a8a55..1a0e67cf 100644
--- a/tests/testproto.proto
+++ b/tests/testproto.proto
@@ -12,5 +12,10 @@ message TestProto {
 	optional double d = 5;
 	optional SubMessage m = 6;
 	repeated SubMessage r = 7;
+
+	oneof alt {
+		SubMessage firstoption = 8;
+		SubMessage secondoption = 9;
+	}
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/testproto.textpb b/tests/testproto.textpb
index 37c390a0..d2a146e5 100644
--- a/tests/testproto.textpb
+++ b/tests/testproto.textpb
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 u64: 42
+r {}
+secondoption {}