diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_TGLOBAL b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_TGLOBAL
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91312619
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_TGLOBAL
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+    echo "    -G TGLOBAL           change the TGLOBAL parameters for fsl/slicetimer, "
+    echo "                         default is 0.50"
+    echo 
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_flirt_options b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_flirt_options
index 7ac37e43..171ea94f 100644
--- a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_flirt_options
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_flirt_options
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-    echo "    -m \"flirt options\"   enable super debug flag."
+    echo "    -m \"fsl options\"     Give options to mcflirt or slicetimer."
     echo "                         Be sure to specify inside of quotes."
     echo "                         do \"mcflirt --help\" for help."
-    echo "                         default is \"-cost normcorr -stats -plots\""
+    echo "                         do \"slicetimer --help\" for help."
+    echo "                         default for mcflirt is \"-cost normcorr -stats -plots\""
+    echo "                         default for slicetimer is \"\""
     echo 
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_no_background_job b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_no_background_job
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5efb2dc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_no_background_job
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+    echo "    -B                   run in the foreground, need for daisy chaining jobs."
+    echo 
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_warpmethod b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_warpmethod
index 29c1a021..903ef0e7 100644
--- a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_warpmethod
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_case_warpmethod
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
     echo "    -W                   Enable VBM8 warping for fMRI, you need to run vbm8HiRes first."
     echo "                         Default is to use standard SPM8 normalization."
+    echo "                         This will set the output name to 'vbm8_', so use '-w' after"
+    echo "                         you specificy '-W' if you wish to use 'w' as the prepend name."
     echo
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_options_end b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_options_end
index e3863a9a..802442f9 100644
--- a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_options_end
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_options_end
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
     echo "${helpComment} functional images path    : $fmriPATH"
     echo "${helpComment} Subject directory         : ${SUBJDIR}"
     echo
+    echo "${helpComment} Back(1)/fore(0)ground     : ${BACKGROUNDJOBFLAG}"
+    echo 
     echo "${helpComment} spm8 is located in        : $SPM8B1"
     echo "${helpComment} spm8Batch is located in   : $SPM8B2"
     echo "${helpComment} spm8 patch is located in  : $SPM8B3"
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_options_start b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_options_start
index 0134987b..bcf82dd2 100644
--- a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_options_start
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_options_start
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@
 	    "a") 
 	        . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/help/help_case_anatomy_path
 	        ;;
+	    "B")
+                . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/help/help_case_no_background_job
+		;;
 	    "b") 
    	        . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/help/help_case_bet_best_flag
 	        ;;
@@ -69,6 +72,9 @@
 	    "f") 
 	        . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/help/help_case_functional_path
 	        ;;
+	    "G") 
+	        . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/help/help_case_TGLOBAL
+	        ;;
 	    "g") 
 	        . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/help/help_case_BET_gradient
 	        ;;
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_sliceTime_Options b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_sliceTime_Options
index 47392a0b..db9e92ff 100644
--- a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_sliceTime_Options
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/help/help_sliceTime_Options
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
     echo "${helpComment} Sub-directory             : ${subPATH}"
     echo "${helpComment} Volume Wildcard           : ${volumeWILD}"
     echo "${helpComment} fMRI TR                   : ${TR}"
+    echo "${helpComment} TGLOBAL                   : ${TGLOBAL}"
     echo "${helpComment} FSLOUTPUTTYPE             : ${FSLOUTPUTTYPE}"
     echo "${helpComment} Number of runs to realign : ${nRUN}"
 
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/initialization_all b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/initialization_all
index 810a7126..7fb55a57 100644
--- a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/initialization_all
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/initialization_all
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ SLICETIMEROPT=
 
 BATCHCOMMAND=1
 
+# Is this command to run in the background
+
+BACKGROUNDJOBFLAG=1
+
 #
 # Now the process specific initialization
 #
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/initialization_sliceTime b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/initialization_sliceTime
index f4c790f5..5c2ae150 100644
--- a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/initialization_sliceTime
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/initialization_sliceTime
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ FSL_COMMENT_B="Slice time correcting subject"
 
 outputName=a
 
+mcOPT=""
+
 #
 # all done
 #
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/parse_arguments b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/parse_arguments
index 401be941..e8e1b000 100644
--- a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/parse_arguments
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/parse_arguments
@@ -67,6 +67,15 @@ do
 		    . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/setAnatomyPath
 		    ;;
 
+              # case_no_background_job
+              #
+              # don't launch the job into the background, but run in the foreground, 
+              # this will facilitate daisy-chaining jobs.
+              #
+                "B")
+                    . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/setNoBackgroundJob
+		    ;;
+
               # case_bet_best_flag 
 	      #
 	      # look at the BET best flag
@@ -107,6 +116,13 @@ do
 		    . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/setFunctionalPath
 		    ;;
 		
+              # case_set_TGLOBAL
+              #
+              # Set the TGLOBAL value for slice time
+              #
+		"G")
+                    . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/setTGlobalValue
+                    ;;
               # case_set_BET_gradient
               #
               # Set the gradient scale for bestBET
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/setNoBackgroundJob b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/setNoBackgroundJob
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c81eec23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/setNoBackgroundJob
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+
+# The user wants to run the job in the foreground, only recommended for daisy-chaining.
+# We also set the mail account to be null that way jobs in foreground do not by default send 
+# out email. However, this can be overridden with the -U flag.
+
+		  BACKGROUNDJOBFLAG=0
+		  USEREMAIL="NOMAIL"
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/setTGlobalValue b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/setTGlobalValue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bf4a2adc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/setTGlobalValue
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#
+# Set the value of TGLOBAL
+#
+		  shift
+		  let argn++
+		  if (( $argn >= $args ))
+		      then
+		      echo "Missing parameter for setting TGLOBAL"
+	              . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/exit_w_removal
+		  else
+	              isnumber $1
+		      retVal=$?
+		      if [ "$retVal" != "0" ]
+		      then
+			echo "TGLOBAL needs to be numeric, you entered : $1"
+			. ${thisDir}/auxiliary/exit_w_removal
+		      fi
+		      TGLOBAL=`echo $1 | awk '{printf "%2.2f",$1}'`
+		      isnumber $TGLOBAL
+		  fi
diff --git a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/shellScriptLaunch b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/shellScriptLaunch
index 97dd2640..f9182ff2 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/auxiliary/shellScriptLaunch
+++ b/spm8Batch/auxiliary/shellScriptLaunch
@@ -11,10 +11,22 @@ echo "${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh" > ${thisDir}/Usage/${SANDBOXHOST}/${theYearMonth}/${
 
 if [ ! "$debugFLAG" == "1" ]
 then
-    echo
-    echo "   Lauching script into background."
-    echo
-    nohup ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh &> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.log &
+   if [ "${BACKGROUNDJOBFLAG}" == "1" ]
+   then
+       echo
+       echo "   Lauching script into background."
+       echo
+       nohup ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh &> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.log &
+   else
+       echo
+       echo "   Launching script into foreground."
+       echo 
+       ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh &> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.log
+       echo
+       echo "   Script ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh is finished"
+       echo "   Script LOGFILE is : ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.log"
+       echo    
+   fi
 else
     echo
     echo "   Script can now be launched by hand."
diff --git a/spm8Batch/bestBET b/spm8Batch/bestBET
index 40d6492d..e8714236 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/bestBET
+++ b/spm8Batch/bestBET
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ thisDir=`dirname $theCommand`
 thisCommand=`echo $theCommand | awk -F/ '{print $NF}'`
 
 #allowedOptions="aDdfhMnOoRrtUw"
-allowedOptions="aDdghMtU"
+allowedOptions="aBDdghMtU"
 
 # This piece of code all of the spm8Batch scripts will use
 . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/commonCode_AllScriptsStart
diff --git a/spm8Batch/coregHiRes b/spm8Batch/coregHiRes
index c066abb5..ff9d2ab7 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/coregHiRes
+++ b/spm8Batch/coregHiRes
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ thisDir=`dirname $theCommand`
 thisCommand=`echo $theCommand | awk -F/ '{print $NF}'`
 
 #allowedOptions="aDdfhMnOoRrtUw"  - reslice only is NOT working with other images.
-allowedOptions="aDdfhMnOorrtUw"
+allowedOptions="aBDdfhMnOorrtUw"
 
 # This piece of code all of the spm8Batch scripts will use
 . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/commonCode_AllScriptsStart
diff --git a/spm8Batch/coregOverlay b/spm8Batch/coregOverlay
index 42d3879c..8b3046b6 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/coregOverlay
+++ b/spm8Batch/coregOverlay
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ thisDir=`dirname $theCommand`
 thisCommand=`echo $theCommand | awk -F/ '{print $NF}'`
 
 #allowedOptions="aDdfMnOoRrstUvw"
-allowedOptions="aDdfMnOorstUvw"
+allowedOptions="aBDdfMnOorstUvw"
 
 # This piece of code all of the spm8Batch scripts will use
 . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/commonCode_AllScriptsStart
diff --git a/spm8Batch/isnumber.sh b/spm8Batch/isnumber.sh
index 534b6a30..8ca4919e 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/isnumber.sh
+++ b/spm8Batch/isnumber.sh
@@ -27,22 +27,15 @@ isdigit()
 	fi
 }
 
+# New code for determining is an input is a number - 2012-07-27 - RCWelsh
+
 isnumber ()   # Test if the parameter is a number (integer or float)
 {
     retVal=1;
-    nPeriod=`echo $1 | awk -F . '{print NF}'`
-    if [ "$nPeriod" -ne "1" -a "$nPeriod" -ne "2" ]
-	then
-	return $FAILURE
-    fi
-    theNumber=`echo $1 | sed 's/\.//g' `
-    isdigit $theNumber
+    # do it by trying to printf the number fo get error if bad
+    printf "%2.2f" $1 2> /dev/null > /dev/null
     retVal=$?
-    if [ "$retVal" == "0"  ]
-	then
-	return $SUCCESS
-    else
-	return $FAILURE
-    fi
+    return $retVal
 }
 
+
diff --git a/spm8Batch/matlabScripts/UMBatchWarpVBM8.m b/spm8Batch/matlabScripts/UMBatchWarpVBM8.m
index 1a319a86..1fe1a6ff 100644
--- a/spm8Batch/matlabScripts/UMBatchWarpVBM8.m
+++ b/spm8Batch/matlabScripts/UMBatchWarpVBM8.m
@@ -219,6 +219,10 @@
   
   [Images2WriteUnique Images2WriteCount] = uniqueNII(Images2Write);
   
+  % If the prefix is "w" then we just need to report the images that
+  % vbm8 has already generated. - RCWelsh 2012-07-27
+  tmpNewImages2WriteUnique = [];
+  
   for iNII = 1:size(Images2WriteUnique,1)
     [d1 d2 d3 d4] = spm_fileparts(strtrim(Images2WriteUnique(iNII,:)));
     newFile = fullfile(d1,['w' d2 d3]);
@@ -229,6 +233,9 @@
       fprintf('\n\n* * * * * * * * * * * * \n\n');
       return
     end
+    % If the prefix is "w" then we just need to report the images that
+    % vbm8 has already generated. - RCWelsh 2012-07-27
+    tmpNewImages2WriteUnique = strvcat(tmpNewImages2WriteUnique, newFile);
   end
   
   % Everything up to this point is okay
@@ -253,6 +260,10 @@
           end
           newImages2WriteUnique = strvcat(newImages2WriteUnique, newFile);
       end
+  else
+    % If the prefix is "w" then we just need to report the images that
+    % vbm8 has already generated. - RCWelsh 2012-07-27
+    newImages2WriteUnique = tmpNewImages2WriteUnique;
   end
   
   ImageDirectory = fileparts(Images2Write(1,:));
diff --git a/spm8Batch/physioCorr b/spm8Batch/physioCorr
index 9ae762ee..0f32f034 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/physioCorr
+++ b/spm8Batch/physioCorr
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ thisDir=`dirname $theCommand`
 
 thisCommand=`echo $theCommand | awk -F/ '{print $NF}'`
 
-allowedOptions="ADdfFiMnpPtUv#"
+allowedOptions="ABDdfFiMnpPtUv#"
 
 # This piece of code all of the spm8Batch scripts will use
 . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/commonCode_AllScriptsStart
diff --git a/spm8Batch/realignfMRI b/spm8Batch/realignfMRI
index f4b9cd7a..20ad7f15 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/realignfMRI
+++ b/spm8Batch/realignfMRI
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ thisDir=`dirname $theCommand`
 
 thisCommand=`echo $theCommand | awk -F/ '{print $NF}'`
 
-allowedOptions="ADdfiMmnStUv#"
+allowedOptions="BADdfiMmnStUv#"
 
 # This piece of code all of the spm8Batch scripts will use
 . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/commonCode_AllScriptsStart
diff --git a/spm8Batch/segHiRes b/spm8Batch/segHiRes
index 3ad78d60..85a8ad3e 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/segHiRes
+++ b/spm8Batch/segHiRes
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ thisDir=`dirname $theCommand`
 thisCommand=`echo $theCommand | awk -F/ '{print $NF}'`
 
 #allowedOptions="DdfhMnTtUw"
-allowedOptions="DdfhMTtUw"
+allowedOptions="BDdfhMTtUw"
 
 # This piece of code all of the spm8Batch scripts will use
 . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/commonCode_AllScriptsStart
diff --git a/spm8Batch/sliceTime b/spm8Batch/sliceTime
index 410fd3cd..d5a8d418 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/sliceTime
+++ b/spm8Batch/sliceTime
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ thisDir=`dirname $theCommand`
 
 thisCommand=`echo $theCommand | awk -F/ '{print $NF}'`
 
-allowedOptions="ADdfiMntUv#"
+allowedOptions="ABDdFfGiMmntUv#"
 
 # This piece of code all of the spm8Batch scripts will use
 . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/commonCode_AllScriptsStart
@@ -141,15 +141,15 @@ echo "          CURRUN4D=\`ls ${volumeWILD}*.nii 2> /dev/null\`  "
 echo "          if [ -e \"\${CURRUN4D}\" ] "                                                          >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
 echo "          then"                                                                                 >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
 echo "            FSLOUTPUTTYPE=NIFTI"                                                                >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
-echo "            echo \"slicetimer -i \${CURRUN4D} -o ${outputName}\${CURRUN4D} -r ${TR}  --tglobal=${TGLOBAL}\"">> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
-echo "            slicetimer -i \${CURRUN4D} -o ${outputName}\${CURRUN4D} -r ${TR} --tglobal=${TGLOBAL}"          >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
+echo "            echo \"slicetimer -i \${CURRUN4D} -o ${outputName}\${CURRUN4D} ${mcOPT} -r ${TR}  --tglobal=${TGLOBAL}\"">> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
+echo "            slicetimer -i \${CURRUN4D} -o ${outputName}\${CURRUN4D} ${mcOPT} -r ${TR} --tglobal=${TGLOBAL}"          >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
 echo "            logTheUMProcess sliceTime ${FULLSCRIPTNAME} \${CURRUN4D} ${outputName}\${CURRUN4D}"            >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
 echo "          else"                                                                                 >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
 echo "             echo \"Can't find a 4D ${volumeWILD}*.nii for this run \${CURRUN}\" "              >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
 echo "          fi"                                                                                   >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
 echo "       else"                                                                                    >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
 echo "          echo \"Test mode.\"  "                                                                >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
-echo "          echo \"slicetimer -i \${CURRUN4D} -o ${outputName}\${CURRUN4D} -r ${TR} --tglobal=${TGLOBAL}\" "  >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
+echo "          echo \"slicetimer -i \${CURRUN4D} -o ${outputName}\${CURRUN4D} ${mcOPT} -r ${TR} --tglobal=${TGLOBAL}\" "  >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
 echo "       fi"                                                                                      >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
 echo "       cd ../"                                                                                  >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
 echo "    done"                                                                                       >> ${FULLSCRIPTNAME}.sh
diff --git a/spm8Batch/smoothfMRI b/spm8Batch/smoothfMRI
index 48423ae9..fd0189ed 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/smoothfMRI
+++ b/spm8Batch/smoothfMRI
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ thisDir=`dirname $theCommand`
 
 thisCommand=`echo $theCommand | awk -F/ '{print $NF}'`
 
-allowedOptions="DdfMntUv"
+allowedOptions="BDdfMntUv"
 
 # This piece of code all of the spm8Batch scripts will use
 . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/commonCode_AllScriptsStart
diff --git a/spm8Batch/spm8Batch_Global b/spm8Batch/spm8Batch_Global
index 3b09415d..34e2cd50 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/spm8Batch_Global
+++ b/spm8Batch/spm8Batch_Global
@@ -41,11 +41,10 @@ then
 
     curdir="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )"
     topDIR="$( cd $curdir/.. && pwd )"
-    
+
 # You must point to SPM8 !!!
     
     SPM8B1=${topDIR}/SPM/SPM8/spm8_with_R4667
-
     
 # This is Robert Welsh's UNIX batch interface to spm8
     
diff --git a/spm8Batch/testIsNumber.sh b/spm8Batch/testIsNumber.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..bfa9628e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spm8Batch/testIsNumber.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+
+. isnumber.sh
+
+for THING in a 1 a1 1.1 1.1.1 0.1
+do
+    isnumber $THING
+    retVal=$?
+    if [ "$retVal" == "0" ]
+	then
+	echo $retVal NUMBER $THING
+    else
+	echo $retVal NOTNUMBER $THING 
+    fi
+done
+
+for THING in a b c 1 2 3 4 . 
+do 
+    isdigit $THING
+    retVal=$?
+    if [ "$retVal" == "0" ]
+	then
+	echo $retVal DIGIT $THING
+    else
+	echo $retVal NOTDIGIT $THING 
+    fi
+done
+    
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spm8Batch/vbm8HiRes b/spm8Batch/vbm8HiRes
index c70f43c8..465898fd 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/vbm8HiRes
+++ b/spm8Batch/vbm8HiRes
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ thisDir=`dirname $theCommand`
 
 thisCommand=`echo $theCommand | awk -F/ '{print $NF}'`
 
-allowedOptions="aDdhIMnOtUwz"
+allowedOptions="aBDdhIMnOtUwz"
 
 # This piece of code all of the spm8Batch scripts will use
 . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/commonCode_AllScriptsStart
diff --git a/spm8Batch/warpHiRes b/spm8Batch/warpHiRes
index 8c690c22..640b897f 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/warpHiRes
+++ b/spm8Batch/warpHiRes
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ thisDir=`dirname $theCommand`
 
 thisCommand=`echo $theCommand | awk -F/ '{print $NF}'`
 
-allowedOptions="DdfhMnOTtUwz"
+allowedOptions="BDdfhMnOTtUwz"
 
 # This piece of code all of the spm8Batch scripts will use
 . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/commonCode_AllScriptsStart
diff --git a/spm8Batch/warpfMRI b/spm8Batch/warpfMRI
index 044947d5..b2e2b57a 100755
--- a/spm8Batch/warpfMRI
+++ b/spm8Batch/warpfMRI
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ thisDir=`dirname $theCommand`
 
 thisCommand=`echo $theCommand | awk -F/ '{print $NF}'`
 
-allowedOptions="DdfhIMntUvWwz"
+allowedOptions="BDdfhIMntUvWwz"
 
 # This piece of code all of the spm8Batch scripts will use
 . ${thisDir}/auxiliary/commonCode_AllScriptsStart